Hopefully, she was as dumb as she looked, because I needed her to believe everything I’d just told her.
Three days later…
I hadn’t heard from or seen Kaseem since it was the weekend and I was off from work. He too usually took weekends off, so I couldn’t just drop by the Opulence building to see him.
I was stuck, until I remembered his friend Warren. He was always hanging out with him, so I figured if I went by there, I could catch Kaseem or at least find out where he was since he wasn’t replying to my texts or returning my calls.
I wasn’t even the type of woman to chase a man, ever, but I knew I had a needle in a haystack with Kaseem, and I refused to release him. Not to mention, I knew he loved me and didn’t want Kasslyn in the same way that he wanted me. It just wouldn’t make sense for him to. I was damn near perfect, and she was a gutter rat.
I parked near the curb once I got to Warren’s place, and climbed out. Since it was the weekend, I was in a cute yellow dress that hugged my thin body and showed my even more perfect legs.
“Damn,” I heard the man in Warren’s yard mumble. I’d never seen him before. “You lost?”
“Why would I be lost?”
“Because you don’t belong over here. You belong in one of them uppity ass neighborhoods.” The ruffian smirked.
“Oh yeah? Well you’re right about that. But I’m looking for Warren.”
Jerking his neck back, he asked, “For what? You his side?”
“I’m sure he wishes, but no. I’m Kaseem’s girlfriend. You know Kaseem?”
With his tongue against his molars, he nodded, eyeing me even more.
“Kaseem got all the fine ones.”
“All?”
“I mean like… from his past. Every girl I’ve seen him claim is as beautiful as you.”
“I doubt that very seriously.” I adjusted my Chanel. “Everly.” I reached my hand out.
“Roderick.” He licked his lips. “Well uh, Warren ain’t here. He went to get some shit.”
“Hmph.” I was frustrated. “Is he with Seem?”
“Nah, he’s not. Honestly, I think Kaseem is with his other woman.”
“His other woman? He has no other woman.” Wait, this nigga had better be talking about Kasslyn. Yes, that would piss me off, but at least it would mean that Kaseem didn’t have more bitches.
“I mean, I’m sure you’re his main, but he got another girl.”
“Kasslyn.”
“Yeah.” Roderick nodded, again lustfully taking me in. “I’m only telling you because I think you fine as fuck and deserve better.”
“I appreciate the compliments, but I love Kaseem and have no interest in what people think I deserve.” I turned my back to him, folding my arms and shaking my head at my personal life.
“Then in that case, maybe I can help you, but only if you help me.”
“Explain.” I turned back to face him.
“Let’s just say Kaseem has something I want, work wise, and I need help getting it. And in return, I can be sure that Kasslyn loses whatever spot she has in his life.”
“You deal drugs too?”
“Not a dealer, but I’m in the game.” Roderick had one hand palming his fist as he towered over me.
I wanted Kaseem out of the drug game, so this deal would kill two birds with one stone for me.
“You’ve got yourself a deal, Roderick.”
“Cool.” He shook my hand, smiling smugly.
Jamal
One week later…
Yeah, it was true, my feelings for Kasslyn ran about as deep as a puddle, but the fact that she’d left me for Kaseem bruised my ego to no end. The fact that he’d been messing around with her this whole time and I had no real proof, pissed me off. So as much as I tried to just get over it, I couldn’t.
I was angry with my brother, and I was even more furious with Kasslyn. Every night, I dreamt of wrapping my hands around her neck and squeezing until she took her last breath. No matter how much I prayed for God to rid my mind and heart of such wrath-filled thoughts, it hadn’t worked.
Not only had Kasslyn ruined my plan to show my parents that I wasn’t the same little boy that they could make life decisions for, but she’d made me feel like less of a man. She made me feel like the same young ass kid in high school who would sit in the shadows of his better looking, stronger, and more suave older brother.
Growing up, I remembered not even wanting the girls I liked to simply meet Kaseem, because I feared they’d be more interested in him. It wasn’t until I graduated law school and began to come into my own did I start to shed that anxiety and inferiority complex.
It was part of the reason I even slept with Rhea. The euphoric feeling I got knowing a woman that belonged to Kaseem wanted me in that way, was hard to pass up. Yes, Rhea was beautiful, but I’d seen a lot of beautiful women that I didn’t sleep with. My faith and abstaining from sex until marriage, was important to me. However, Rhea found my weak spot, so I succumbed to her advances.
Sending off the last contract to a restaurant that planned to add Opulence to the menu, I shut my computer off. I’d been drawing up these damn contracts all day long. I’d even gone an hour over the end of my workday, so it was now 6:30 p.m.
Just as I grabbed my phone from my desk, it began ringing. I saw Rhea’s name on it. We hadn’t talked in two weeks, which was abnormal. She usually would’ve called me for sex by now, but I guess we’d both been too busy.
“Hey!” I answered, happy that I was about to get some tonight.
“Hey, can you stop by?” She spoke softly. Usually, Rhea was boisterous, almost too loud.
“Sure. I’m actually leaving work now, so I’m gonna go home and change then—”
“No, can you come straight here?”
“Uh… yeah, sure, I guess so. Everything okay, Rhea?”
“See you soon.”
She hung up before she even finished the last word damn near, making me pull the phone away and stare at it momentarily. Figuring it was nothing, I pocketed my device and packed up the rest of my things so I could head out.
As requested, I went straight to Rhea’s place, parking in her driveway. I usually parked down the street, in fear of Kaseem dropping by randomly and seeing my car. But he was so up Kasslyn’s hiney that I felt confident he wouldn’t leave from being up under her to make a trip to see Rhea.
“Wow, we doing role play or something?” I chuckled when Rhea answered the door, wearing tights and a big sweatshirt. She was usually in lingerie or something inappropriate.
“No. Have a seat, Jamal.” Her tone was dry like on the phone.
“You sure everything is good?” I sat down like she’d told me to, and she joined me.
“Jamal, I’m just gonna come right out and say it; I’m pregnant.”
I jumped back out of reflex, so now I was sitting on the arm of the couch, staring down at Rhea like she’d been dipped in poop.
“Pregnant? What are you telling me for?”
“Because it’s very likely that it’s yours. Why do you think I’m telling you!”
“You have a boyfriend! My brother is your boyfriend!” I was panicking like crazy right now.
“Yeah, but you’ve been fucking me this whole time and with no protection!”
“You told me you were on the pill or whatever it is. And this baby is most likely Kaseem’s; you’ve had sex with him more.”
“I got off the pill as suggested by my doctor, to prepare my body for childbirth in the future.” Taking a deep breath, she added, “And yes, I fucked Kaseem more, but last time he did it to me raw, I was still on the pill. Since I’ve been off, he’s been strapping up for some reason.”
“No, no, no, Rhea.” I finally sat down on the regular part of the couch and dropped my head into my hands. “So what are you saying?”
“I’m saying that I am pretty sure this baby is yours. The only other option would be Kaseem, and like I said, unless a condom broke without my knowledge
, it’s unlikely.”
“You lied about that damn pill!” I roared, picking my face up from my hands.
“I did not lie! You aren’t my man, so I didn’t feel the need to disclose that! Hell, I didn’t tell Seem either!”
I shot up off the couch, pacing the living room. This was not how my life was supposed to go. I’d already let Kasslyn ruin part of it, and I wasn’t going to allow Rhea to shake things up any further.
“Look, Rhea. I cannot have a baby with you.”
“Well you’re about to.”
“I can’t. So either you get an abortion, or… maybe pin it on my brother, but us being in any type of co-parenting relationship is not going to work.”
“Wow.” She peered up at me, eyes glazed over as she shook her head. “So it means nothing to you that this child is yours?”
“It does bother me, but this doesn’t go with my life’s plan, and I don’t love you. Just tell Kaseem it’s his, and I will back you up in any way that you need me to.”
“No.”
“I don’t want a child with you!” I stomped my foot like a child.
“I don’t want one with you either, nigga! Trust me. I wish this was your brother’s baby and not yours! You think I want to be pregnant by some man-child who I have to ride to even achieve an orgasm? Sometimes I can’t even believe you’re Kaseem’s brother because you’re such a fucking loser!” Rhea ranted, and the next thing I knew, my hand was around her neck.
“You take back what you just said.” I felt my teeth digging into the skin under my lip as I glared into Rhea’s fearful eyes. “You love Kaseem so much, but you’ve been sleeping with me for years. I don’t want you, and neither does he, but you better make him believe this child is his, or I promise to God I will get rid of you. Is that violent enough? Do I sound like Kaseem now?”
I dropped Rhea from my hold, and she just sniffled and cried.
“Kaseem is smart, Jamal. He’s not gonna believe it.”
“Yes he—”
“He won’t! I already told him I was pregnant, and he hasn’t even come by! If Kaseem thought his baby was inside of me, he would’ve been by here at least once to talk!”
She was right. My brother was a foolish thug, but he wasn’t the type to abandon a woman pregnant with his child. He was very family oriented, even giving my parents money knowing they didn’t like him as much as they did me.
“We’ll figure something out. Okay?”
Rhea nodded, so I brought her into a hug, kissing the top of her head.
We had to figure this out, because I was not having a child out of wedlock. I would make sure of it by any means necessary.
The very next morning…
“Jamal!” My mama happily greeted me, yanking me into a hug. The scent of fresh cornbread and fried chicken hit my nose as I backed her into the house.
“Hey, Ma. I need to talk to you about something serious.”
“Is everything alright?” She pulled away, looking up into my eyes with a worried expression.
“Not quite. Is Dad here?”
“No. He’s out running his errands per usual.”
We both sat down but across from one another in the living room. As my mama crossed her legs, I allowed my elbows to rest on my knees.
“You remember my fiancée, Kasslyn?”
“I do.”
“Well, she and I aren’t together anymore.”
“You’re not? Why, honey? I thought we were going to do some cake tastings next week.”
“That’s been canceled.” I sighed, trying to appear more bothered than I actually was. “She left me for Kaseem.”
My mother’s jaw dropped, picked back up, and then dropped again.
“Kaseem who?”
“Kaseem, your first-born child.”
Silence.
Laughing after a moment of quiet, my mama said, “You’re joking. Is this one of those pranks you young folks do on the VuTube?”
“It’s YouTube, and no. Ma, she’s really with him. He even threatened me about her, saying if I tried to get her back, he was going to harm me,” I lied.
I knew she’d believe it because my parents felt like Kaseem was the most violent person on the streets.
“How did this even happen?”
“His ego, Mama. Kasslyn was the first woman I had that didn’t want him… well, initially. I guess he couldn’t take it, and he made a move on her.” I pretended to sniffle.
“Oh, honey.” She came and sat next to me, rubbing my back.
“Ma, I love this girl, and he just took her. He doesn’t even love her like I do. He has Everly, Rhea, and even this jezebel that works the front desk named Alexis.”
“Don’t worry, baby boy. I will handle this.” She kissed my temple, making me smile as my face rested in my palms.
7
Kaseem
“Hello?” I answered my office phone.
“Hey, boo.”
“Alexis, what have I told you about being unprofessional?” I asked sternly.
“I’m sorry, b—I’m sorry.”
“And stop using the damn work phone for personal calls. Do either one of those again and I’m firing you.”
“Wait, but this isn’t personal. Someone is here to see you. She’s an older lady.”
“What’s her name?” I began looking at my calendar.
“I don’t know.”
“Well ask her, what the fuck?” I barked, closing my eyes and pinching the bridge of my nose to calm down. I swear females like Alexis were only good for slurping nut.
“Okay.” Alexis pulled the phone from her ear for a moment and then picked it back up. “She says she’s your mother.”
“My what?” I finally sat up. “Send her back here.”
“Okay.”
I hung up, wondering why the fuck my mama had come all the way downtown to see me here. I felt like I never even crossed her fucking mind unless I showed up at her and my pops’ crib to give them some bread. So the fact that she drove all the way down here was alarming. I was hoping some shit hadn’t happened to my father.
“Ma.” I rose up when she entered my office, looking around the room in disdain. Her deep complexion was identical to mine. “You good?”
“I should be asking you the same thing.” She shut the door, so I gestured for her to have a seat on the leather couch in here.
“What you here for?”
“I’m here to find out if you’ve lost your mind, or if you’re doing drugs.”
“What?” I frowned, making myself a drink at my bar before walking over to her. She was seated, but I stayed standing over her.
“Jamal let me know that you preyed on his fiancée and took her.”
“Preyed?” I laughed. “I know you know as well as anybody else that Kaseem Banks doesn’t have to prey on a woman, Ma.” I snickered because the shit was funny, before taking another sip of my drink.
“You think it’s cute and attractive to be some womanizer? You don’t even care that you took your brother’s woman, do you? You’re like a possessed animal, and all these women are pieces of meat to you.”
“Cut the dramatic shit, Ma. Jamal don’t give a fuck about that girl. Can’t you see right through the bullshit? You ain’t never heard him mention Kasslyn, now all of sudden he’s in love and about to marry her ass?”
“He kept her a secret until he was sure.” She shrugged. She’d tell herself anything to protect her image of her precious Jamal.
“Did you know he met her while she was working as an escort.” The shock on my mother’s face was satisfying like a muthafucka. “Or did he tell you that same shoe store story he told me.”
“An escort? That sweet young girl is not an escort.”
“No, not anymore. She’s mine.”
Taking a deep breath, my mom got up from the couch and moved closer to me.
“Kaseem, you can have any woman you want, that’s been proven. Let your brother have her back. Be with Everly, or even Rhea w
ho I don’t care too much for, but leave Kasslyn alone. At this point, you’re just being a greedy showoff.”
“I don’t want Everly, and I don’t want Rhea’s ass either. But what I do want is for you to get out my office with this bullshit. Kasslyn is mine, and it’s gon’ stay that way whether you and Jamal want it to or not.” I walked to the door and opened it.
The only thing my mama could do was look me over and shake her head in disappointment. I didn’t really give a fuck, because she’d been giving me that look my entire life.
Closing the door behind her, I gave it a few minutes before leaving myself to go holla at Jamal’s ass.
Like always, I walked right into his office, seeing that he was on a phone call. Only because I knew he was handling business for my company, I didn’t snatch the shit and hang it up. The whole time he talked, he kept looking at me suspiciously via his peripheral, since he was turned sideways behind his desk.
“Yes, exactly. So I will have my assistant set up an appointment as soon as possible, okay? Great. Thank you, Mr. Kire.” Jamal slowly hung up the phone as I took a seat across from his desk.
“So you running to ya fucking mammy now?” I smirked, shaking my head at his pathetic ass.
“I didn’t run anywhere. I went to our parents’ house for dinner like I do here and there.” He leaned back in his chair, clasping his hands together. “I was visibly upset, and Mama wanted to know what was bothering me.”
Standing, I laughed.
“Jamal, I been around since the day yo’ ass came into this fucking world. Who you think you fooling? What you thought, Mama was gon’ scare me into not fucking with Kasslyn no more?” I cocked my head, towering over him at his desk. I could see the terror in his eyes.
“Kaseem, man, I don’t want things to be like this. We’ve always been close, and now it feels like we’re enemies, all over Kasslyn.”
“So don’t let the shit get there. You ain’t a qualified enemy any fucking way.”
That Bona Fide Hood Love Page 15