by La Jill Hunt
“Yeah, you know when they call babies Precious —that means they’re trying to be nice and not call them ugly.” Paige laughed.
“That’s not true. My mother always said I was a precious baby,” Stanley told them.
“I rest my case,” Meeko teased. “I’m just kidding, baby. You know you’ll always be precious to me, honey.”
“I don’t have to stay here and take this. Come on, son.” He reached and carefully took the baby from Paige’s arms. “We can go into your room and bond without the sarcasm. You two need anything?”
“We’re fine, sweetie.” Meeko smiled at him.
He leaned down and kissed her on the cheek.
“Your mama did some serious praying for you,” Paige said when he left the room.
“What are you talking about?” Meeko sat back on the bed, wincing.
“Still sore?”
“Just a little. The doctor said I can only take Tylenol because I’m breast-feeding.”
“What? Not you?”
“Shut up—it’s what’s best for my son.” Meeko stuck her tongue out. “So what makes you say my mother prayed for me?”
“Come on, Meeko, look at your life—you married a good man, live in a mansion, and just had a beautiful son—it had to be because of your mother.”
“Why couldn’t it be because of my praying for myself?”
“Please. Praying was the farthest thing from your mind when you met Stanley.”
“You’re tripping. And you’re just as blessed as I am. You have a beautiful daughter and a good man. Don’t you wanna marry Quincy?”
She thought about that question. “I don’t know Quincy well enough to say I’m ready to marry him. We just started dating really.”
“Aren’t you in love with him?”
“Of course, I’m in love with him.”
“But you don’t wanna marry him.”
“I didn’t say that. Stop putting words in my mouth.” Paige looked up and saw Celeste standing in the doorway.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt. Mama and I just stopped by to check on you.” Celeste shrugged.
Paige stood up. “I’ll call you later. Take care.”
“Paige, don’t leave, you just got here,” Meeko pleaded. “Come on, I just had a baby. I should be celebrating with my family. My entire family.”
“You’re right, Meeko. That’s why I’m leaving—so other members of your family can celebrate with you.”
“Paige, please. I’m not trying to cause any trouble,” Celeste told her.
“Celeste, I’m not trying to even talk to you, okay. Just let it go. Just because we’re cousins doesn’t mean we have to be friends—that ain’t happening. I’m no longer gonna front like I even like you, okay.” Paige cut her eyes at her.
“What do you want from me, Paige? I apologized more than enough times.” Celeste had the nerve to have tears in her eyes.
“And? I accepted it. So what more do you want from me?”
By now, Celeste was straight-up bawling.
“Paige, don’t be like that,” Meeko said quietly.
“Like what? Here we go once again—Celeste is the victim and everyone is to feel sorry for her. You know what, you should be an actress.” Paige walked out. She knew she was moments away from going off.
“You’re leaving?” Stanley almost startled her when she got to the bottom of the steps. Standing next to him was Aunt Gayle and Meeko’s mother, Aunt Connie.
“Yeah, I gotta get back to work.”
“Good,” Aunt Gayle commented.
“Excuse me,” Paige snapped.
“I said, ‘Good’—I ain’t stutter. The last thing Meeko needs in her house is a bunch of tension caused by you. Whenever you’re around anyone in this family, they feel like they have to walk on eggshells because they’re afraid you’re gonna go off.”
“Aunt Gayle, that’s not true,” Stanley said.
“It is true. Before we go to anyone’s house, we have to ask if Paige is there before coming over. The only reason we ain’t call over here is because I didn’t want the phone to wake the baby, Stanley. If I woulda known she was here, I woulda waited ’til she left.”
“That’s not true, Aunt Gayle, and you know it. You were just at my mother’s house yesterday, and I was there.”
“And when we got there, you left.”
“I was walking out the door when you were walking in.” Paige shook her head. “Aunt Connie, Stanley, I’ll see you all later.”
“Paige, now you know you were wrong for disrespecting your aunt like that this afternoon,” her mother said when she went to pick Myla up. Her mother was working in the flowerbed in front of her house.
“Mama, I wasn’t disrespectful at all. Aunt Gayle was straight-up lying, saying I was causing tension in the family. I haven’t done anything.”
“You’re not making things any better either. I know that Celeste is a little upset because you are dating Quincy, but that’s no reason for you to be exchanging words with your aunt.”
“Mama, I didn’t exchange words with anyone. As far as Celeste is concerned, I don’t have any words for her. She lied, she got caught, and I’m over it.”
Nina pulled into the driveway and got out. “Hey there.”
“Hey, girl.” Paige sighed.
“I’ll go inside and get the girls,” Paige’s mom said.
“Did I interrupt?”
“No, she’s just tripping about Celeste and Aunt Gayle, that’s all. I don’t understand why, though.”
“I don’t know either. They were all acting kind of strange after you left though. Your aunts went into the kitchen and were whispering. Celeste just sat on the sofa, barely saying two words. I don’t know what’s going on.”
“Me either. Celeste is probably acting like she is suicidal, since I’m dating Quincy. I don’t care—that girl has some serious issues, and she needs to get checked out,” Paige told her.
“Hey, do you think you can keep Jade this weekend?”
“Sure. What do you have going on?” Paige smiled.
“A romantic evening for a change.” Nina batted her eyelashes.
“With who? Or do I even need to ask?”
“Craig, of course.”
“So . . . this thing with him is getting serious?”
“He’s nice and easy to talk to. He makes me laugh. I like him.”
Paige looked at her best friend. Nina had a twinkle in her eye that Paige hadn’t seen in a while. “I’m happy for you. I would love to take Jade this weekend while you get your groove on.”
“I ain’t say all that, Paige.”
“You ain’t have to say it. I can see it in your eyes.”
Nina’s phone began to ring. “Speak of the devil . . .”
The girls came running out of the house. Paige told her mother and Nina good-bye, and they headed home.
“Mom, you told Daddy I couldn’t come to his house anymore?” Myla asked as she drove.
“Not for a little while, until I get some things straight.”
“Ms. Kasey says that you’re kicking them out because you want our old house back.”
“What?” Paige glanced over at her daughter. “What are you talking about? When did you talk to Ms. Kasey?”
“This afternoon. She called to tell me hi. Then she said that they have to find a new house because you are kicking them out.”
This is not happening to me. There is no way that crazy bitch is calling my child when I told her to leave her alone. She’s just doing this to mess with me.
Paige reached and grabbed her cell phone. She dialed her mother’s number. “Mama, did Kasey call and talk to Myla this afternoon?”
“I don’t know. I’ve been in the yard working,” her mother answered nonchalantly.
“I can’t believe this. I’m going to kill her!”
“Paige, calm down. So what if she did call Myla?—that’s her stepdaughter, you should be glad that she’s making the effort to build
a relationship with her.”
“That’s what you think she’s doing?—building a relationship with Myla? She barely says two words to Myla when she’s at the house, other than making demands to clean up or do some other household chore. She’s doing this to be funny, Mama.” The fact that her mother was acting like it was no big deal only made Paige angrier. “Bye, Mama.”
“Did I do something wrong, Mommy?” Myla asked.
Paige looked over and saw the fear in her daughter’s eyes.
“No, baby, you didn’t do anything wrong. I don’t want you talking to Ms. Kasey anymore, you understand? If she calls, you don’t talk to her.”
“Why not?”
Paige leaned her head back. She hated the fact that Kasey was putting her child in the middle of this drama. “Because it’s just not a good time to be talking to her, that’s all. Understand?”
“Mom,” Myla said, causing Paige to look over again, “are you sure I didn’t do anything wrong?”
“Yes, baby, you are fine.” Paige smiled.
“Then can we go to McDonald’s for dinner?”
As angry as she was and as frustrated as she was with her family at that moment, there was nothing better Paige could think of than having dinner with her daughter at McDonald’s.
Somehow, dinner turned into a stop at the mall, and by the time Paige and Myla made it home, it was dark.
“Myla, didn’t I tell you to cut that TV off this morning before we left.” Paige noticed the flicker of light coming from the living room.
“I did, Mommy.” Myla shrugged.
“Obviously, you didn’t.” Paige cut the truck off and opened the door. “Grab those bags when you get out.”
“Okay.”
Paige fit her keys into the door and turned the knob. As she stepped inside, she saw that, not only did Myla leave the TV on, but her purple Bratz blanket was lying on the floor in front of the sofa. “Myla Seymone Davis, I’m going to beat your behind!”
“What did I do, Mom?”
“You left the TV on, your blanket on the floor.” Paige reached over and picked it up.
“I didn’t leave that there, Mom.”
“Then who did?” Paige turned and asked.
“I did.”
They turned to see Camille, Marlon’s sister, walking out of the kitchen, eating a bowl of cereal.
“Surprise!”
Chapter 6
Yaya stood outside Jason’s door and rang the doorbell. She was tempted to try her key to see if it worked, but she didn’t want to take the chance of being disappointed if it didn’t. She waited a few moments and rang the bell again. She knew Jason was home because she followed him from work. She had given him enough time to take a shower and grab a beer from the fridge, and imagined he was about to stretch out on the couch and watch SportsCenter. After still not getting an answer, she proceeded to knock loudly.
“Jason, come on, I know you’re in there,” she called out. She tiptoed and peered into the small window. She could see him walking around. “Open the door, Jason. I need to talk to you.”
“Go away, Yaya. We don’t have anything to talk about.”
“Yes, we do. Come on, open the door!” She knocked even harder.
“No, get away before I call the police . . . again!”
“Jason, stop tripping. Open the door, please!”
“Leave me alone, Yaya. I told you I don’t have anything to say to you.”
“But I have something to say to you, Jason. It’s been a week. I keep calling you, and you won’t answer your phone.”
“Because I don’t wanna talk to you. Leave, Yaya. I mean it.”
Yaya was mad. This was not turning out like she planned. She thought she would come over, Jason would let her in, she would apologize, he would forgive her, and they would celebrate her news about the opening of After Effex with a glass of wine and a night of lovemaking. Frustrated, she took a chance of putting her key into the lock and turning the knob. She smiled when the door opened.
“Damn, I forgot to change that lock,” Jason huffed when she stepped inside.
“You know you didn’t want to do that anyway.” She walked over and faced him.
“What the hell do you want?” He turned away from her.
“I want you, Jason. I want to talk to you. I’m sorry about last weekend. You can’t really blame me though, can you?” She took a seat on the sofa and made herself comfortable. She looked around and saw that his CDs and DVDs were lined up neatly once again. He had even replaced the shattered glass of the coffee table with a new one.
“Yaya, please, I’ve had a long day, and I’m really not in the mood to deal with this.”
“None of this would’ve happened if it wasn’t for Travis. I don’t even know why you hang out with his trifling ass anyway.”
“This has nothing to do with Travis, Yaya.”
“It was Travis that had some ’ho’ driving my car without my or your permission, wasn’t it?”
“It wasn’t Travis that came over here and vandalized my home though, Yaya. It was you.”
“Okay, you’re right about that part. I was wrong, but you can understand why I was upset, Jason. Think about if you woulda seen another guy driving your Range Rover when I was supposed to be driving it. How would you have reacted?”
“I wouldn’t have gone to your place and did what you did. That was crazy. Crazy, Yaya.” He took a swallow of his beer.
“I know, and that’s why I came over to apologize, Jason.”
“Fine.” He turned and stared at her.
He looked so good wearing nothing but a pair of red basketball shorts and some Adidas flip-flops. She let her gaze drift from his eyes all the way down his body, pausing to admire his well-defined chest and abdomen. Her eyes landed on his crotch.
“I’m waiting.”
“Huh?” She turned her attention back to his face.
“You said you came to apologize, so apologize and leave.” He leaned on the counter.
She spotted his bottle of Heineken right behind him. I know him so well. “Jason, I’m sorry. I overreacted, and I’m sorry.” Yaya stood up and walked over to him, placing her hand in the middle of his chest. “Will you accept my apology?”
He put his hand over hers and removed it. “Yes, I do, but I can’t deal with this anymore. It’s too exhausting for me.”
Yaya frowned. “What are you talking about, Jason?”
“This-this back and forth . . . the tantrums . . . I’m just tired. I told you that the last time this happened.”
“Jason, that was almost two years ago. With the exception of last weekend, we’ve been good; you even said that yourself.” Yaya was shocked by this reaction. Jason had always forgiven her, and they would always pick up where they left off.
When they first started dating, she would often let her jealous nature get the best of her. Throwing objects, screaming, and going off was just a part of their relationship, until the incident that left her foot fractured, and a hole in Jason’s wall where she’d kicked it. He had given her an ultimatum—either she calm down or it was over. Slowly, she evolved into the calm, professional woman he desired.
“Well, maybe I was wrong,” he told her.
“No, you weren’t, Jason. Baby, you know how we are . . . how I am.”
“Yeah, I do, Yaya, but I know that I’m tired too. I think maybe we need a break from this, from each other.”
“Jason, baby, please. I need you. Things are happening for me. Taryn and I are opening the shop. I mean, I-I need you with me. I need you to talk to, to be there for me.” Yaya began crying uncontrollably. “I love you, Jason. I can’t do—”
“Yaya, stop. Don’t do this.” Jason looked at her strangely, causing her to cry harder.
“Oh God, please help me, Jason.” She began shaking. “I love you, Jason. We love each other. I’m sorry. I swear it’ll never happen again. I won’t lose my temper.”
“Yaya, listen to me.” Jason grabbed her should
ers. “Calm down and listen.”
Yaya shook her head. “No, this is not happening. You cannot leave me, not now.”
“It’s not about me leaving you; it’s about taking a step back and re-evaluating this entire situation. God, look at us—this is what I’m talking about—look!”
Yaya stopped. Her chest rose and fell with each breath she took. Her heart was pounding, and she could taste vomit in her mouth. Jason was right—she was out of control. Her hands were trembling as she brought them to her face. She caught her reflection in the mirror hanging on the wall above the sofa. Mascara was streaming down her face, leaving a black trail down her cheeks. How had it come to this?
She was embarrassed, not just for now, but for all the times she had acted like this before. This time was different, though. All the other times, after she had promised never to do it again, Jason would pull her into his arms and tell her everything would be fine. He’d lecture her, and they would move on. This time, he just stared.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered and turned away, unable to face him.
Jason walked out of the room and returned with a wet cloth. He handed it to her, but she didn’t move.
“Yaya, come on.”
She took the washcloth and wiped her face. “I guess I look pretty pathetic, huh?”
“I’ve seen you look worse,” he said, smugly. “Look, Yaya, I think we need to take some time apart.”
“But—”
“No, listen. It’s a stressful time for both of us right now. I got shit going on at work, and you’re talking about trying to open a business with Taryn—”
Tears began to form in her eyes again. “That’s why we need each other the most right now, Jason.”
“No, Yaya, I need some time to myself, to think things through and sort through some things. You and I are so chaotic right now that it’s becoming a distraction.”
“So, that’s it. We’re over?”
“We’re not over, Yaya; we’re just taking a break. We’ll still talk and see each other; we just won’t be in each other’s space.”
“Jason, what are you talking about? The reason I was opening the salon with Taryn was so that I wouldn’t have to travel so much and we would have more time to spend with each other, remember?” Yaya was so confused by what he was saying. It sounded like this was something he had been thinking about for some time.