by Ivory B.
Two days later Lucky lie in bed curled up in a fetal position with fatigue taking over her entire body. Her menstrual cramps were no joke this time around making her wish she could have some of Matoo’s homemade chicken soup. She really missed her family and was finding it harder and harder to stay gone especially right now. If she had to be honest with herself she missed Carlos more than words could express. There were times like this he would be good to her and rub her back and stomach. His kindness didn’t go without expecting some sexual reward of gratitude though. Lucky let her mind go back to years prior when he was lying in bed with her rubbing her stomach and back trying to comfort her through intense cramps. Lucky was thinking to herself how fortunate she was to have a man who was so good to do this and how understanding he was. That was until she felt his touch become more of a sexual caress. Carlos moaned and pulled her in closer before kissing her neck. Lucky pushed him away and gave him a ‘what the fuck look’. “Carlos!” Lucky snapped with attitude. “What?” He asked as if he didn’t know why she was catching an attitude. “I’m on my damn period and I have cramps that’s what.” “I know… but I’m sayin can I get some head then?” He asked this with a straight face too as if he were asking was there any milk in the fridge. Lucky could remember getting so upset and he couldn’t understand what he had said or done that was so wrong. Lucky came back to the present from that memory cracking the hell up, she could only guess she probably looked really crazy laughing to herself right now. Maybe she was crazy, crazy in love that is. Lucky reached out for the phone on the nightstand and dialed her cellular phone number, punching in the code to her voicemail. That’s how she’d been keeping in touch with Matoo.
“Hey Lady Luck. I miss and love you Sweetie.” her Aunt’s voice came through the line causing Lucky to tear up. “Everything is fine here at home. It’s getting harder and harder to ward off Ty and Keema about your whereabouts. And you know I caught Ty’s sneaky ass snooping through my pocketbook the other day trying to find a number or address on you. Everyone mad with me right now, you got me here taking heat for you,” Tina said with a chuckle. “Oh and that damn man came by here again, girl now you know what’s that all about, for as long as you two been together I ain't never get this many impromptu visits from him. He around here lurkin thinking he may catch you either here or calling while he’s here. At least he always brings me a fresh bouquet of roses when he stops by. Well I’ll keep you posted as I always do, I love you Luck hurry up and come back home.” With that her Aunt hung up and the automatic voicemail system prompted her to push 7 to save or 9 to delete. She saved the message and the next one rolled in.
“Hey Sweetie, I got your email so I know you’re fine but I want you to call me. I need to hear your voice Baby girl. All is well here at home.” There was a pause before her Aunt sighed wearily. “Louchanna now listen, I know you left because you felt like you needed to build up enough strength to look that man in his eyes and tell him it’s over and mean it but what if that day never comes? What if you never feel you’re at that point? Running from your problems ain’t gon solve them and I didn’t raise you to be a quitter. You out here running from heartache but baby that heartache gonna follow you wherever you go. Think on that a little, I love you.” With that last statement her aunt hung up leaving her with a lot to think about. Lucky heard the tone in Matoo’s voice and she knew her absence had to be causing her stress. That didn’t make Lucky feel good at all. The next message really caught Lucky off guard.
“Hey my lil China Doll.” On the first sound of Cathy’s voice Lucky covered her mouth with her hand and tried to muffle the cry that escaped. She really missed Cathy. “Tina told me how to get in touch with you. I hope you don’t get mad with her for doing so and no! I didn’t tell my son. I really miss you and I’m worried about you baby even though Tina assured me that you’re fine. I hope to see you soon Hun. And one more thing Carlos ain’t got no damn baby on the way. Oh no! I got down to the bottom of that. Now I don’t know if that means anything to you anymore but I wanted to let you know. Lucky I told you this before and I’ll say it again whether you with my son or not you gon always be my girl. I love and miss you baby, everyone does, things ain't the same since you been gone so hurry up and come back home.” By the time that message ended Lucky was really crying. This hiatus from home wasn’t turning out at all as she had planned.
By now Lucky should’ve been to the point where she felt she could go to the house she once shared with Los, pack her belongings up and tell Carlos to go fuck himself on her way out the door, yet here she was feeling more torn than ever before. A part of her wanted to try and make things work while another part of her was saying let it go. She rationalized that if she let things go at least her life would be drama free to an extent. She wasn’t naive enough to think anyone’s life could be totally free of drama. However, when she looked at hers she realized that most of the drama in her adult life had been caused by Carlos. The sad thing about it all was that she still loved that man with every strand of DNA that made her, so could she really let him go?
I Need You
Ty looked at the clock on her office phone as she only half listened to the Financial Advisor Tom Romano rant and rave, she had already said what she had to say and nothing he said could change that. Tom was a mover and shaker in the financial world but his major concern wasn’t his clients and their well being it was his bottom line. Now it seemed as if his shady and selfish business practices had finally come to bite him in the ass. Shit! Ty thought from the looks of it depending on traffic she might be a little late picking up Ky from her afterschool program. Ty was ready to lose it; unfortunately for her she had no other choice but to sit and listen to this grown ass man throw a tantrum.
Nearly 10 minutes ago Diane called Ty right as she was packing up to leave for the day. Something told Ty to ignore her buzzing office phone and let it run into voicemail but once she saw it was Diane’s extension she answered. Diane informed Ty that one of the sales reps with the company had an angry advisor on the phone that was demanding to speak to management or he would pull all his business out of their company. Ty already knew without it being said that she was on the hook to take care of this since she was new meat in the managerial department. Ty was appreciative and excited about her new position but she wished her pay was equivalent to the work and responsibility that came with the title. Telling Diane she would be late picking up her child from school if this conversation went too long would be like speaking a foreign language. Diane couldn’t relate to the struggles of a working mother, she wouldn’t know anything about it. She had no kids and was two times divorced her life was her work. “Okay you can tell the secretary to put him through,” Ty conceded. So here she was stuck on a phone call with a long winded advisor trying desperately to excuse his neglectful behavior which was going to cause the client to be hit with some stiff IRS penalties.
“Do you understand what I’m saying? She’s threatening to bring me to arbitration this could be a permanent stain on my reputation,” Tom snapped. And it would be well deserved. Ty thought to herself. “I understand that but Tom as her Financial Advisor it was your responsibility to inform her that she had to take a required minimal distribution annually, you let three years go by and now this woman is being penalized by the IRS and audited. As bad as I feel for this situation Icon Financial Group will not take any type of responsibility for this nor will we send the client a letter stating that we had any wrong doing in this matter, this falls on you.” “Says who!” Tom snapped. “Says the S.E.C.” Ty snapped back almost getting downright ghetto on his ass and forgetting she was in a professional setting. “Tom huffed sounding exasperated and defeated, Ty didn’t feel the least sympathetic for him she actually felt bad for the client. From the looks of it after reviewing the client in question accounts, the women had around 5 milli sitting in three accounts total and she hadn’t taken a required minimal distribution on any of them in the last three years. Ty didn’t blame the client fo
r not wanting to take this lying down and threatening to take legal action on her half-assed Financial Advisor. Ty recognized early on how cut throat and underhanded the financial industry was her first year interning at Icon Financial Group. School books didn’t prepare her for the real of the financial world, this industry wasn’t for the faintest of hearts and some who were responsible for other people monies, futures and well being were as cold hearted as they come. There were financial advisors, hedge fund managers and stock brokers who would leave their clients destitute while they lived the high life. In short she learned that the biggest criminals in this world wasn’t the ones who wore snapbacks, had tattoo’s and kept heat on them at all times, they were actually the ones who wore suits and ties everyday and hid behind college degrees, those criminals were the ones people should be more afraid of.
“Tom your best bet is to go at this from a tax angle, this is a tax related issue and your client has a CPA right?” Ty hinted. “Gotdammit that’s right! I mean what the hell is she paying a certified public accountant for? Her accountant should’ve kept her in the know.” Ty shook her head she was going to have trouble sleeping tonight for sure. Once again a slimy advisor was going to get away with financial murder but it is what it is. She couldn’t single handedly save the world from corrupt advisors. Ty knew Tom’s snake ass would blame this all on the CPA that was their battle not hers. The only battle she was concerned about winning was hers against Jersey traffic. Ty’s eyes wondered to her phone again and she knew if she didn’t wrap this call up in the next few minutes she would definitely be late. “Tom I would jump on that if I were you before this situation gets anymore out of hand. Call me in the days coming to keep me posted.” “I sure will and thank you Ms. Williams.” Tom said before hanging up. Ty took a deep breath, exhaling hard trying to literally leave the bullshit at work before snatching up her keys and purse.
Ty looked at the dashboard in her Jag then down at the bezel of her Rolex as if the times would magically be different. She couldn’t figure out why she continuously tortured herself by checking the time every few minutes as she inched up little by little with traffic. Ty could see flashing lights from a police cruiser up ahead. She huffed impatiently while stretching her neck to see how far the accident had the highway backed up. Finally the traffic began to move and as she slowly passed the accident she was pissed to see it was nothing but a mere finder binder. The traffic suddenly picked up and she had a clear shot down the highway. “Dumb-asses holding up traffic rubbernecking and shit, mind y’all damn business and drive!” Ty fussed. After passing the accident she was actually making decent timing and on a spur of the moment decision she pulled into a Starbucks a couple of blocks away from Ky’s school. She was in desperate need of a pick me upper and a Caramel Macchiato with an extra shot of espresso would do the trick. Although Ty would never admit it to anyone else but herself she’d been feeling bogged down lately. She couldn’t put her finger on it but she’d been feeling hella drained. One thing was for sure she missed her little cheerleader Lucky. Through everything in Ty’s life all the trials and tribulations Lucky had always been there in the background encouraging and pushing her but right now Lucky was nowhere to be found.
Ty made it to Ky’s school with 15 minutes to spare before the afterschool program was over. Usually she made it there at least half hour before closing but today wasn’t a usual day. Ty sipped on her coffee as she watched Ky pack up her things. Ky stomped her feet in her navy blue, Michael Kors, Mary Jane styled shoes with the little wedge heels on them. Ty watched intently as Ky flung her book bag on her back and pulled her long pigtails over her shoulders. Ky crossed her arms over her chest and pouted with attitude on overload. Ty tried to hold back a laugh at how it looked to see Ky with all this attitude, she had no idea what was wrong with her baby but she was sure to ask her when they got in the car.
“Hi Miss Ty, Ky did good today and her homework is all done, she got really quiet towards the end of the day though,” The daycare worker said in a low voice eyeing Ky along with Ty. “Okay, well thank you for taking care of my princess, see you tomorrow same time,” Ty said playfully. She liked the staff at the afterschool program even though she knew a few of the women there had a thing for Nice. Ty considered them innocent crushes and hell she couldn’t blame them for crushing on him.
“Ky c’mon baby.” Ky walked beside Ty with her arms folded and her shoulders hunched over. Ty paid Ky and her attitude no mind as she held the car door open for her to get in. Once they were both in the car buckled up and driving down the road Ty was just about to question Ky on what her problem was when she heard Ky grunt then kick the back of the seat in front of her. Ty cut her eyes to the rearview mirror to peer back at Ky who had her bottom lip poked out and her eyebrows furrowed. “Ky, baby what’s the matter with you? Did someone bother you at the program today?” Ty asked hoping she didn’t have to bust a U-turn and go off on someone at that school today. Ty was shocked when Ky didn’t answer her; instead she looked out her window as if she didn’t hear Ty. “Ky I know you hear me talking to you. Why do you have an attitude?” Ty pressed. “You forgot me at school today Mommy! You left me till the night time.” Ky shot with accusatory eyes. Tears started sliding down Ky’s pretty little face causing Ty to pull over to the side of the road immediately. Ty screwed her face up in confusion; she was truly confused about what Ky was talking about. “Ky I didn’t forget you at school today. Mommy came to pick you up at the same ti…well no I was a little later than usual because I picked up some coffee but I wasn’t late. If I forgot about you and was late there wouldn’t have been any other kids there right? And although it looks late baby it’s not, it’s called daylight savings; it’s the same time of day it only gets darker outside earlier. See look at the time baby 5:52.” One could actually see the wheels turning in Ky’s head and understanding flashing in her eyes. She wiped her eyes with the back of her wrist and looked up at Ty. Ty couldn’t be mad at Ky she knew where her anxiety about being picked up late from school stemmed from. “Ky Mommy loves you and I can forget a lotta things, I forget my purse at home sometimes, my cell phone, I forget I have meetings sometimes, but the one thing I could never forget is you, Okay.” “Kay,” Ky said in a soft tone. “Okay now come give Mommy a kiss.” Ky hurriedly unsnapped her seatbelt and slid between the counsel to place a kiss on Ty’s turned cheek. “Love you Mommy” “I love you too. Now hurry and get back in ya seat and buckle up so we can swing by Grandma Tina’s house.” “Yayyy!” Hell yeah yayy cause a bitch ain’t gotta cook tonight whoop!
Tyyy! I’m in here!” Tina yelled from the kitchen once she heard her front door unlock, open, and shut. Tina could hear the pit patter of little fast feet running across her hardwood floors and before she could even make it to the hallway Ky came running into her wrapping her arms around Tina’s legs. “Grandma Tina!” That warmed the hell out of Tina’s heart to see the genuine excitement and love Ky had to see her. “Hey Minnie Sugar bear how was school?” “Good.” “And were you good?” “Unh hunh, I’m always good,” Ky bragged Ty pursed her lips together giving Ky the yeah right look. “Now that’s what I like to hear, go head in there and get comfortable so grown folks can talk. I’ll call you when the food is ready.” “Unh unh ma I ain’t tryna stay for that long,” Ty interjected walking into the kitchen. On that note Ky took off into the living room to watch Nickelodeon. “Geesh I cooked for you and you can’t stay to keep me company” Tina teased. Ty grunted under her breath while walking sluggishly to the fridge to look in it, she stood there for a few seconds indecisive on what to grab. “Ty close my damn fridge ain’t no movie playing in there.” A slow smile spread across Ty’s lips as that phrase brought on a nostalgic feeling. “Ma I’m trying to look for something to hold me over till I get home,” Ty complained before sitting at the kitchen table. “Well if you that hungry make a plate.” “Nah mom, I’ll just take it home I have a lot of work to do.” Tina looked down at her daughter sighed and shook her head before grabbing
a Tupperware container to pack some food in. “Ty you need to take some time for ya’self you look tired.” Damn I sure can’t get anything past this woman. “Mom I’m fine, today was tiring is all.” “Ty bullshit, don’t try and put that S on ya chest in here. I can see right through you, I had you…” “Ooh Ma you made lemon cake,” Ty interrupted her mother’s sermon as she spotted the double layered lemon cake under the crystal cake holder. She didn’t wait for her mother to answer as she rushed across the kitchen to cut a piece of the moist fluffy lemon cake with lemon flavored frosting. “Umm oh my god this is so good,” Ty complimented as she chewed with her eyes closed getting her a little slice of food heaven. Smack! “Awe! Maaa! What you do that for?” Ty asked feeling the sting on her backside from her mother’s hand. “Girl you puttin on weight you better watch it, you know that thang back there can get outta control. You gotta keep it tight, you know we still in the race for that gold medal.” “Gold medal? Ty repeated with a perplexed look on her face. “Umm hmm the gold medal baby, gold medal.” Tina said wiggling her ring finger.” “Oooh! The gold medal,” Ty chuckled. ‘Real cute mom and for your information my man likes all of this back here.” “Um and I’m pretty sure he do, so if he likes it when he gon put a ring on it?” “Oh my god here we go again. Ma I told you I’m not tryna rush into anything, what we have is good right now. I wanna take my time. I mean…of course I want marriage but I’m not going to force him into it and I’m not going to ask him either.” “Oh hell no you ain’t asking no man to marry you! No daughter of mine.” “Ma, Ma calm down. I just said I’m not.” “Oh okay, cause I know you all Miss independent, new generation female and everything but you ain’t that damn non-traditional. All I’m sayin is what’s the wait? Y’all over there playin house, y’all got the baby, the house, the dogs I mean what’s the hold up? Don’t let that man get too comfortable. Don’t be no fool Ty; a man will have you chasing fool’s gold holding onto hope that one day he’ll pop the question while you done popped out numerous kids by him. Tell him what you want and if its marriage you want tell him. Because a man will get content and feel as if nothing in the relationship needs changing not even ya last name. You see I told Lucky that mess thousands of times before and she kept tap dancing around the subject with Los and he got content. And when a man gets content baby listen you gotta do something extreme to wake his ass up. It’ll hurt you to do it but trust and believe me if he loves you it’ll hurt him even more. Sheeit you should see Carlos walkin around here lookin like a puppy who lost his way home. I got more flowers in my damn living room than a funeral parlor. Hmm, he gets no sympathy here. I don’t feel the least bit bad for him.” Ty chuckled and shook her head; Tina was hard on these men. “You and Lucky don’t get that passive mess from me. I ain’t never beat around the bush with a man especially not your father. I don’t know what y’all young girls doing over there with them men, cause please believe it ain’t take me long to get ya Daddy. All it took was six months for him to figure out he wanted me for the rest of his life and couldn’t live without me, hmm once I put this thang on him…” “Uhhh Ma please spare me the details gross.” Ty looked away from her mother then suddenly turned and stared at Tina suspiciously. “Please don’t tell me you put that bug in Lucky’s ear to have her take off on Los as a ploy for him to propose,” Ty said giving her mother an accusatory stare. “Ha? No, I didn’t have anything to do with Lucky leaving but I kinda think it’s a good thing she did, cause now that man is feeling it. Sometimes you gotta make a man see what life is without you to make him realize he can’t live without you. Hell, I even did it to your father; I don’t think you remember that though you and Lucky were pretty young.”