by Stacy-Deanne
“What, for tonight?” She scoffed. “You’re telling me you wanna start screwing your wife’s sister?”
“You Oates women drive me crazy!” He walked in a circle. “None of you seem to know what you want. All these years, you acted like you’d give it to me if I’d just take it. Now I come to take you up on your offer, and you’re pulling away?”
“I’m tired of being sucked into doing things where I end up getting hurt.” She raised her arm. “Look at this house, David! Look at this fuckin’ house. It’s just me, and I’m sick of it just being me. I want a man who I can trust and who loves me. I want a family. I want something for me and me alone.”
“I’m stunned.” He fell against the wall with his hands over his eyes. “I’m confused as hell.”
“When you’re sober, you’ll understand.”
“I’m not drunk.” He dropped his hands. “I’m just tired of not being happy in my marriage.”
“Sleeping with me would only make it worse.”
“But it would feel good.” He sighed. “It would make me forget about how Val’s breaking my heart…at least for one night.”
“That’s just temporary relief.” She shook her head. “Believe me, I’ve succumbed to it many times. But when the pain comes back, it’s ten times worse. If we slept together, it would tear this entire family apart. It would kill Val, and I can’t do that. I’ve hurt her enough.”
“Why the change though? Can you just tell me that?”
“I’ve been doing a lot of thinking and reevaluating my life lately.” She swayed her hands back and forth. “I’ve been seeing all the shit and craziness I’ve done in the past. I knew it was there, but I tried to ignore it. I have to face it in order to get the life I really want.”
“You have a great life.”
“But it’s an empty life. I’m empty.” She crossed her arms. “I realize family is all we have in this world. I can’t keep jeopardizing what Val and I have as sisters. I love her, and I want us to be close.”
“But you and Val have never been close.”
“That’s why I want us to come to terms with the past and move on. Hopefully she’ll be on board with that, and we can start a brand new relationship.”
“She can’t even stand to be in the same room with you.”
She shrugged. “If it’s in the plan, then we’ll work it out. If not, then I’ll accept that. But one thing I’m not doing is stabbing her in the back.” She pointed down the hall. “Please wait in the living room until I call you a cab. You can come to get your car in the morning. I would take you home, but the last thing I need is Val throwing a fit seeing us together.”
“I’m not drunk.”
“Please, David. You shouldn’t be driving.”
“Fine, call a cab.” He wobbled. “But I’m going to a motel. The last thing I need tonight is another fight with your pigheaded sister.”
****
“Excuse me.” Shanti made her way through the rowdy partiers who were dancing to chopped and screwed rap.
“Okay, everyone make some noise!” The DJ threw his arms up.
“Yeah!” The partiers jumped up and down and hollered.
Scantily dressed women—of all shapes and sizes—twerked and jiggled their butts.
Guys in sagging jeans and oversized T-shirts swarmed the women like bees, grabbing and groping anything they could hold on to. The way the women gyrated in response proved they didn’t mind. Shanti looked around the crowded living room and didn’t see Aliyah anywhere.
“Hey, what’s up?” asked a tall dude as he passed her.
She got chills and went in the opposite direction.
Another guy passed her with a joint in his mouth. “What’s up?”
She turned yet again. “Nothing.”
Just then, Khalil appeared behind her with that same creepy stare.
“There you are.” He licked his lips. “Why did you go off like that? I told you I was coming back.”
“I’m looking for my sister.”
She squeezed through twisting bodies until she made it to the hall that was even more crowded than the front room.
“Shanti! Yo’ wait!” Once again, Khalil followed in behind her. “What’s your problem, girl?”
“I don’t have a problem, okay?” She swatted at him. “I…I just wanna go home.”
“No, you don’t.” He put his arm around her shoulder and held up his beer bottle. “Drink some of this, and you won’t ever wanna go home.”
“Stop pawing me, all right?” She pushed him away. “Your hands have been all over me since I got here.”
“Just trying to be friendly.” He swayed against her. “Let’s dance.”
“What part of ‘no’ do you not understand?” She shoved him off. “Leave me alone.”
He stood there, staring. Aliyah and A.C. came from downstairs and headed for the front door.
“Liyah!” Shanti ran to her.
“Oh God.” Aliyah rolled her eyes. “What now?”
“Where are you going?” Shanti asked.
“We just wanna be alone for a little bit.” She chewed gum. “I’ll be back in about an hour.”
“An hour?” Shanti moved aside as some guys passed. Not one missed the opportunity to check out her butt. “Are you crazy, Liyah? You can’t leave me here.”
“I said, I’ll be back,” Aliyah snapped. “Damn, just chill all right?”
“No!” Shanti grabbed her arm. “You can’t leave me here.”
“Girl, you are sixteen years old.” Aliyah pulled Shanti’s hand from hers. “Stop acting like a damn baby. If you didn’t wanna be here, your ass shouldn’t have come.”
“Why are you acting like this? Can’t you see I’m afraid?”
“Why are you afraid?” Aliyah put her hand on her hip. “It’s a party, Shanti. That means you’re supposed to have fun.”
“This isn’t fun to me.”
“Then go home.”
“How am I supposed to go home with no ride?” Shanti clutched her purse close to her chest.
Aliyah leaned into her. “I’m going to be with my man for a little while. That’s the reason I came in the first damn place. Sit your ass down somewhere and chill.”
“I told you, I got a bad feeling.” Shanti’s heart pounded. “I think we need to just leave. We don’t even know these people.”
“See, this is why I don’t fool with your ass.” Aliyah waved her finger in Shanti’s face. “You are such a damn baby. I got more important things to think about than you.” She looked at A.C. “This is why I wish I didn’t have a sister sometimes.”
“Fine.” Shanti swallowed the painful comment. “If that’s how you feel.”
“Right now it is,” Aliyah said. “Now, I’ll be back in a little while.”
“You can go upstairs to one of the bedrooms,” A.C. said. “You can sit up there, close the door, and watch TV until we come back. You can hang with Khalil. He’ll look out for you.”
Shanti glanced behind her. Khalil sipped from the bottle.
“Go talk to some guys.” Aliyah pointed. “There are some cute guys in here. Maybe if you had a man of your own, you wouldn’t be worrying about what I’m doing all the time.”
Shanti trembled as another group of guys walked through the front door. “What…what time will you be back?”
Aliyah took A.C.’s hand. “When I get back.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
“Ooh.” Layla sat at the booth of the karaoke bar with her hands over her ears.
“Yeah!” People whistled and egged on the fat couple who butchered “Endless Love” with each note.
“My God.” Cross grimaced from across the table. “I come here all the time, and I gotta say they are the worst.” He pulled at his ears. “It’s the first time I’ve ever wished I was deaf.”
Layla covered her grin. The couple pitifully sang the last note and bowed, as if they’d brought the house down at the Grammys. The audience clapped and whistled
.
“Why in the world are they clapping?” Layla asked.
Cross snickered. “Probably because they finished.”
The host jumped on stage. “Give it up for the Feldermans, everybody!”
The audience clapped. Beaming, the couple waddled their way back to their table.
“Okay, let’s get on with it, folks,” the host said into the microphone. “We’re celebrating couples tonight. The night’s still young, and we need some more singers. Who’s it gonna be?” He waved his arm around. “Come on! Don’t be shy.”
Cross looked at Layla. “You want to?”
“What?” She almost threw up a lung. “Are you kidding me? I’m not making myself look like a fool in front of these people.”
“Ah come on,” the host said. “Don’t make me walk out there and start grabbing people.”
The audience laughed and groaned.
“Come on, Layla.” Cross reached for her hand.
“No.” She pulled her hand back. “You think the Feldermans were bad, you won’t believe how much I suck.”
“Okay, I warned you.” The host walked into the audience.
“Uh-oh, here he comes.” Cross sat up straight.
“He better not bring his ass over here.” Layla sunk down in the booth. “I swear to God, Cross. My singing is horrible. I sound like a goose being run over by a semi.”
He laughed. “You couldn’t be that bad.”
“Shit.” She poked out her lips. “I’m probably worse.”
“Shoot, he’s coming over here,” Cross said.
“Oh no.” Layla closed her eyes and prayed.
“Well!” The host stopped at their booth. “Shine the spotlight on this lovely couple!”
The spotlight settled above Layla and Cross’ table.
Layla moaned, “God.”
“What a cute couple!” The host patted Cross’ shoulder. “You guys been together long?”
“Uh…” Cross fidgeted. “This is our first date.”
“Woo!” The host whistled.
The audience howled.
“Think you’ll get lucky tonight?” The host nudged Cross.
Someone yowled from the back. “Ow!”
Cross smirked. “Oh, I definitely hope so.” The audience laughed.
“Cross,” Layla said.
The host raised his arm. “We wanna see these two sing, don’t we?”
“Yeah!” The audience jumped up.
“Sit down,” Layla said to the man behind her booth.
The host put the microphone in Cross’ face. “Oh, the people have spoken. What’s your name, sir?”
“Cross.”
“Nice to meet you, Cross. You come here a lot, don’t you? I’ve seen you here quite a few times. And who’s your gorgeous friend?”
She put her hand over her face.
“Her name’s Layla,” Cross said into the microphone.
“Layla, ooh.” The host moaned. “That’s a sexy name isn’t it, fellas?”
The men hooted and whistled.
“I think it’s a singer’s name too!” The host grabbed Layla’s hand and pulled her up. “Get on up there!”
“No!” Layla struggled as he dragged her to the stage.
Cross followed, grinning.
“Cross,” Layla called as she got onstage.
“Huh?” He stood beside her in stitches.
“I’m gonna kill you,” she whispered. “I can’t do this. I sound ridiculous.”
“We’ll see.”
“Okay, we have Layla and Cross!” The host waved for the audience to clap. “I think Layla’s a little shy. Grab the mics, pick a song, and get started, folks!”
The host left the stage. Layla did her best not to look at the audience. “I can’t believe you got me doing this.”
Cross handed her a mic and got his. “What you wanna sing?” He scrolled through the songs on the screen.
“I’m telling you, this is a big mistake.” She fixed the back of her blazer. “I’m probably the worst singer on the planet.”
“If Bruce Springsteen can become a legend with his voice, then I’m sure you’re fine.” Cross nudged her. “And he always sounds like he’s on the toilet when he’s singing. You want fast or slow?”
“I want nothing.”
“Here we go.” He stopped the marker on “If This World Were Mine” by Luther Vandross and Cheryl Lynn. “I love this song.”
“Are you crazy?” she shrieked. “Of all songs. You gonna have me butchering Luther? He’ll probably come from the dead just to tell me to shut the hell up.”
“You know the words right?”
“Course I know the words. I could sing this song in my sleep.”
“Good.”
“Wait.” She scrolled through more songs. “Let’s pick something else.”
He laughed. “Stop stalling.”
“Come on!” A man yelled.
“Yeah, we don’t have all night!” A woman shouted.
“Why are you rushing, people?” Cross scoffed. “When he asked, not one of you volunteered.”
A man shouted. “Hurry up and pick something!”
“All right…this.” Layla stopped on “On My Own” by Michael McDonald and Patti Labelle.
Cross nodded. “Yeah, I like that song.”
The song began to play. Layla faced the audience. “You ready?”
“I’m good. Don’t worry.” Cross turned toward the audience, looking all confident. “You ready?”
“I warned you.” She sighed as she brought the mic to her lips.
CHAPTER THIRTY
Shanti got Patrick’s voice mail for the fifth time that night.
“Daddy, please call me as soon as you can.” She put her hand over her free ear to block out the loud music from downstairs. “I need you to pick me up.” She gave the address again. “Call me back.”
As she hung up, Khalil opened the door and slinked inside the bedroom. “There you are.”
She sighed and put her phone in her purse.
“Why are you sitting up here by yourself?” He chugged beer from the bottle. “Ahhh!”
“How many of those have you had?”
“Not enough.” He swayed toward the bed. “What’s up with you, girl? Why you don’t wanna have any fun?”
“This is not my idea of fun.” She crossed her legs. “I can’t believe Aliyah left me here.” She checked her watch. “I gotta get home.”
“You know what you need?” He sat beside her on the bed. “You need to relax.” He held the bottle in front of her. “Have some of this, and it’ll calm you down in no time.”
“I told you.” She pushed his hand away. “I don’t want it. Please just leave.”
“Leave?”
“I wanna be left alone. That’s why I came up here.”
He looked at the bottle and then back at her.
“You’re some piece of work, aren’t you? I’ve been nice to you, haven’t I?” He leaned his head toward her. “Don’t I get a kiss at least?”
“You must be out of your damn mind.” She pushed his head away. “Please leave.”
“You don’t own this house.” He sipped beer. “I can stay in here if I want.”
“Fine.” She stood. “I’ll leave.” Then she headed toward the door.
“Wait, wait, wait.” He ran behind her and grabbed her by the arm. “Hold up.”
She jerked away. “Let go of me!”
“Shh.” He held her tighter. “I just wanna talk. There’s nothing wrong with that, right?”
“I don’t wanna talk to you.” She tried to free herself. “Let me go, Khalil!”
“What you gonna do if I don’t?” His thick eyebrows furrowed. “I’m sick of this shit.” He threw the beer bottle in the trash. “What the hell is your problem?”
“I don’t have a problem.” She struggled. “Let me go, or I’ll scream!”
“So what? They can’t hear you over the music.”
She pri
ed at his hand. “Let go!”
“Why you gotta be like that?” He held her to him. “All I want is a kiss. That’s all.”
He lowered his mouth to hers.
“Stop.” She turned her head away. “Let me go!” She slapped him. “I’m leaving.”
She passed him, but he pulled her back. “You ain’t going no damn where! Give me a kiss. That’s all I want…shit…you think you too good for me?” He walked toward her, while she backed away. “Is that what you think? You’re just a stuck up little bitch.”
She raised her purse. “Get out of my way or…I swear to God—”
“Why? You ain’t gonna do shit.”
She looked into his eyes and saw nothing. No emotion. No feeling. Just hollow emptiness.
She backed up until she bumped into the bed. “All I want to do is leave, all right?” She panted. “That’s all.”
He looked her up and down.
“All I want is a kiss.”
“I’m not kissing you.”
“Well, I guess you ain’t leaving either, huh?” He bumped into her, knocking her on the bed. “It’s your choice.”
She shoved him and got back up.
“Aw, you’re feisty aren’t you?” He nodded. “I knew there was a reason I liked you.”
“Listen…I called my dad.” She gripped her purse. “He’s coming to get me. If he finds out you were bothering me, you’re gonna wish you’d never met him.”
“I don’t give a fuck about your punk ass daddy. Let his ass come in here and see what happens.”
Her heart nearly burst out of her chest.
“But right now, this is about me and you.” He licked his lips, while staring at hers. “A kiss for your freedom.” He grinned.
She fought the bile rising in her stomach. She held her breath and moved closer to him.
“See, that’s more like it.” He put his arms around her and gave her a hard kiss that almost suffocated her. “You like that?” he asked as he touched her hair.
“Okay, you got your kiss.” She wiped her mouth, fighting the urge to vomit from the smell of his beer-cigarette breath. “Get out of my way.”
“Let me see your titties.”
Her breath caught in her throat. “Wh…what did you say?”