Upside Down In Love

by Dominique Thomas

  She could only hope that his hustling days was behind him.

  “Thank you, God,” Deidra said beside Billie.

  She walked off towards Dreux and Billie bid her time. She watched Dreux hug all of his family even some of the member she knew he didn’t like before his low, red-rimmed eyes found her. A sexy smirk covered his face as he headed her way.

  “Don’t forget what we discussed baby. I’m not ready for the family to know about you all,” Deidra whispered to Billie before walking away.

  Billie sighed at her words. Her court date had been pushed back another month and Malachi’s verbal abuse had reached an all-time low. She was over all the bullshit happening in her life and she wanted to vent to her man about it. She also wanted to reveal to him that she’d helped Malachi pay him off. The secrets were killing her and with Deidra adding more skeletons to her already full closet she could feel her anxiety with the situation mounting.

  “Bring your sneaky, sexy ass here,” Dreux said walking up on her.

  Billie giggled until she replayed his words in her head.

  “What do you mean sneaky?”

  Dreux licked his lips as he gave her a deliberate onceover.

  “Didn’t you put this together and not tell me about it? That’s sneaky as fuck and I don’t like that shit,” he said and smiled at her.

  Billie laughed. She shook off her nervousness and pushed his hand away.

  “Babe not with your people in here.”

  Dreux’s brows pulled together. He shook his head as he pulled Billie into his arms. Billie hugged him as she watched Malachi’s mom stare over at them.

  “I’m done with that hiding shit. You know, that right?”

  Billie sighed.

  “But court is coming up and I really don’t need the drama. Please do this for me. A few more months then we can tell him,” she pleaded.

  Dreux’s hands slid up and down Billie’s back. He slapped her ass once before letting her go. She could tell from the look in his eyes that he wasn’t happy.

  “You know I never tripped about none of that shit. My people called me when I was away, ma. They told me that you was falling through to kick it with him, and I let it ride. I knew your heart Billie. I knew that even if you was smiling in my cousins face it was cause you was mad at me…” Dreux stopped talking and cleared his throat. “Even after the baby shit happened, I brushed it off. That shit hurt deep. The only fucking kid you was supposed to be popping out was mine. Still I let it slide. I made excuses for your ass. Even though you gave that nigga what was supposed to belong to me. I love the fuck out of you but I’m starting to wonder just how much you love me? I’ma fuck with you later,” he said and walked away.

  Billie’s eyes watered over, and a few tears fell down her face as Dreux walked away from her. They never spoke on her dealings with Malachi, but she knew that eventually it would come out. She found a seat in the crowded hall and sat down.

  For hours Billie watched Dreux chill with his family and pretend she wasn’t there. She regretted letting Novah slide when she claimed to be too sick to come because she was bored as shit as she sat by herself at the round table.

  “Happy Birthday nigga!” Malachi said loudly catching Billie’s attention.

  Billie looked up and when her eyes landed on Dreux’s old friend Kylie she frowned. Kylie had once been a big problem for Billie and Dreux. Dreux had slept around with her while away at school and Malachi had informed Billie of that. Although she didn’t have a relationship with Dreux she’d still been hurt.

  Billie’s eyes landed on the small person beside Kylie and her heart momentarily stopped beating. She watched Dreux looked from Kylie to the small child, a girl with long curly hair and big bright eyes and Billie rose to her feet.

  “What the fuck is going on?” Dreux asked as Billie walked up.

  Malachi clad in a clean black tux with a fresh haircut and big smile glanced over at Billie. He chuckled as he looked back to Dreux.

  “I ran into her online and she asked me about you. Said that she needed to tell you some real important shit, so I flew her out,” he replied.

  Billie looked at Kylie, the pretty woman that held a strong resemblance to the actress Serayah Mcneill and they stared at one another.

  “Hi,” Kylie spoke quietly with a cocky look to her beautiful face.

  Billie ignored the greeting and peered down at the child. She didn’t see any semblance of the man she loved in the small girl, but she knew looks meant nothing. She’d seen enough of the Maury Povich show to know that looks didn’t matter.

  “Dreux lets leave,” Billie said grabbing his arm.

  Suddenly the room was beginning to spin as she stared at her man. What was supposed to be a good night had been everything but that. She was ready for it to be over and no matter what Dreux was coming home with her to their home.

  Dreux sighed. He glanced down at the small girl once more and his mother and aunt walked over along with his uncle.

  “Nephew what kind of Jerry Springer shit you got going on in here,” his uncle Larry cracked.

  A few people chuckled but Billie didn’t find shit funny about it. She glared over at the man that had always been nothing but nice to her and she frowned.

  “Its not even like that Larry so calm down,” she told him.

  Malachi’s mom frowned as she moved around her oldest brother.

  “Now, Billie I love you, but you will watch how you speak to him,” Cindy told her.

  Billie waved Cindy off and Malachi glared over at Billie.

  “Look you can get the fuck out if you wanna trip. Nobody invited your lush, bitch ass anyway,” he said loudly.

  Dreux’s disposition went from calm to irate in a matter of minutes. He moved Billie out of the way and before Malachi could make a run for it, he was on his ass. Dreux handled Malachi as if he weighed nothing as he pumped his fist into his face.

  “What the fuck you call her nigga? Don’t you ever in your fucking life disrespect her!” Dreux yelled brutally attacking Malachi.

  “Oh my god! Stop him!” Deidra yelled.

  Billie stood by quietly as she watched the scene unfold. She always knew Dreux could beat Malachi’s ass but had never imagined it going that far.

  “Aye! Aye, calm down!” Donny yelled pulling his brother off a savagely beaten up Malachi.

  Cindy ran over to help her son stand up and Malachi pushed her away. He licked his bloody lip as his left eye swelled up. His chest heaved up and down as he glared at Dreux.

  “You gone fight me over my baby momma? What kind of nigga is you? She aint shit but a drunk and we all know that shit except you! I used this hoe for money and nothing else. How the fuck you think I was able to pay you back that money for the loan?” he asked and chuckled darkly.

  Billie’s eyes widened as Dreux glared over at her. She slowly shook her head and Malachi laughed harder.

  “Aye this bitch aint shit but a lying ass broad. I can’t believe you still want her ass. She been fucking me anyway,” he lied to Dreux.

  Billie stepped towards Dreux and he shook his head.

  “Stay right there, ma. I’m not even bout to believe you was fucking him, but did you give him that money?” he asked while breathing hard himself.

  Billie’s shoulders sagged and Malachi laughed.

  “Told you nigga!” he quipped loudly.

  Dreux glared over at him and tried to snatch from his brother’s tight hold.

  “I should kill your fat ass!” he said angrily.

  Deidra began to cry as she watched the scene unfold. Cindy glared over at her and shook her head.

  “See what happened? You had them damn boys by my man and they’ve done nothing but ruined our lives. If it wasn’t for him Billie would be with Malachi. You aint shit Deidra!” she yelled.

  Everyone in the room looked to Cindy as she began to cry. Dreux, Donny and Malachi stood in shock as their uncle Larry shook his head.

  “Cindy what the fuck is your drunk as
s talking about now?” he asked.

  Cindy wiped her face as Deidra looked at her sadly.

  “No! You don’t get to make me feel bad for what you’ve done. I want this whole family to know right now that my only sister fucked my man for years and she had to bastard ass boys by him. Our boys that should be cousins are fucking brothers!” Cindy yelled and stormed out of the room.

  Malachi took a step back not believing it as Deidra looked to her sons. Donny stormed out of the room as Dreux glared at his mother.

  “Is it true ma?” he asked lowly.

  The music had long ago been cut off.

  Deidra nodded with tears cascading down her face. She opened her mouth to speak and Dreux walked off. Billie ran after him and caught him as he walked down the hall.

  “Dreux wait! Baby please!” she begged.

  She was in shock and didn’t know what to say but what she did know was that her man needed her, and she needed him.

  “Dreux please,” she begged pulling on his arm.

  Dreux stared straight ahead while breathing hard.

  “Bethany let my arm go. I’ll hit you in a few days,” he said and after pulling away from her grip, he was gone.

  Billie’s legs shook as she watched her man exit the banquet hall. Her cellphone vibrated in her purse and she quickly retrieved it. Hopes of it being Dreux died when she watched Normani’s name slide across the screen.

  “Hello,” she answered sadly.

  Normani breathed into the phone before whimpering.

  “Billie, I need your help. I think I killed Tru,” she whispered, and the last bit of strength Billie had fled from her body.

  She dropped down to the ground and cried as hard as she could.

  to be continued….