It Is What it Is

by Ivory B.

  “I thought I saw you pull up this morning while I was parking in the garage. Was that you gettin out of that new red Range Rover?” “Yeah it was.” “So wait, is this dude the same one that drives the Aston Martin?” Oh see here this bitch go again tryna be on that CSI investigation bullshit. Oh who ya man girl? What’s his name? Where he from? Do I know him? “Yes they one in the same,” Ty answered dryly giving the hint that the nigga she was loving wasn’t up for discussion. “Oh okay, I was only asking cause you know I couldn’t get a good look with the tents on the truck and all. That truck is nice though I love them new Ranges, I know they expensive and let’s not even get on that Aston.” Ty’s eyes shot up from her computer monitor obviously Ebony didn’t know what was considered inappropriate. Is this bitch seriously sitting here trying to count my man coins? “Nah the truck really didn’t cost him much all he did was trade the older version in for the new.” Oh Okay, Umm, girl I swear you gon have to introduce me to this man that be having you coming in here smiling from ear to ear, sending you all them damn roses and edible arrangements. I’m so happy for you.” Yeah right, little do you know you done already met him and y’all last encounter didn’t go so well. “For real girl I gotta check him out, make sure he good for my friend. Only thing I do know about ole boy is he make some pretty ass babies.” Ebony said while lifting up a picture frame from Ty’s desk that held a picture of Kynah. “I need to get ready for this meeting I have with Diane.” Ty said trying to give Ebony the hint to take her nosey, thirsten, ass somewhere. Ty rose to her feet and felt a sudden sharp pain rip through her lower abdomen. She gripped her stomach with one hand and held onto the edge of her desk with her other. Oh damn, maybe I shouldn’t have had Nice beat it up like he did this morning. “Ty are you okay?” Ebony asked with concern. “Yeah I’m fine, I caught a cramp. I’ve been slacking on my yoga lately. Let’s get up for lunch later on cause right now I’m going to head over to the café to grab a latte before this meeting.” “Girl I hear ya, I gotta shit load of work to get to myself, I’ll email you later with lunch details.” Ebony said before heading out of Ty’s office.

  As Ty walked towards Diane’s office she couldn’t help but feel as if Diane’s secretary was looking at her funny. Ignoring the look she walked into Diane’s office to be met by not only Diane but Laura from the H.R department too. Yes! Finally they giving me my due pay for all I do for this damn company. “Ms. Williams’ thank you for joining us this morning.” Diane started off addressing Ty formally as she rarely did. Ty figured it was because they were in the presence of Laura that Diane was taking a very professional tone with her. “I know you’re probably wondering why you’re here, so I’ll cut right to the chase. We’ve been receiving some very damaging allegations about you here at the company,” Diane continued. Ty knitted her brows in confusion; had she heard Diane correctly? This was definitely not what she was expecting to hear coming into this meeting. “Excuse me,” Ty said. Diane took a deep breath before she continued.

  “Tyeena for nearly two weeks we’ve been receiving anonymous phone calls here at the office, myself along with the head C.F.O and VP of the company have received several messages in our personal voicemails along with messages being left with our secretaries. We tried to ignore the calls but they’ve become a hindrance and distraction to daily workflow, not to mention the allegations are…well they’re serious enough that we can’t ignore them for the wellbeing of the company that is.”

  Ty was speechless; her facial expression showing every bit of confusion and shock she was feeling. “What allegations? I have the slightest idea of what you’re talking about?” Diane looked towards Laura. “Ms. Williams’ we record phone calls coming into the service lines to ensure quality customer service. The calls that were left on the secretaries lines were recorded. I can play some of the messages for you if you would like,” Laura interjected. “Sure,” Ty said just above a whisper swallowing hard. A light sweat broke out on Ty’s forehead and she could feel her stomach tightening into a nervous knot. Laura pressed a couple of buttons on the phone in the conference room and placed the phone on speaker. A female’s voice came through the speaker that Ty didn’t recognize.

  “Yeah um, I would like to make an anonymous report on one of your workers Tyeena Williams. I wanna let y’all know she leading a double life. She’s dating a man who’s a known drug dealer. The bitch is on drugs herself, Yup I saw her doing drugs even at work. And she’s having an affair with the President of the company; y’all need to look into that shit.” The wind was knocked right out of Ty. Okay is this some type of sick ass joke? Who the hell would call my job and say things like this? If she thought that was bad it only got worse when the second call came in. A deep male voice boomed. “Tyeena bitch! Where the fuck you at? I fronted you coke and you ain’t pay me for that shit yet. You cokehead bitch! Don’t make me come up there and put ya ass on blast in front of all them white people, let em know how you down a dick real good for that yayo!” Ty’s heart was beating so hard it was hurting her chest. Her eyes bulged momentarily in complete embarrassment and shock.

  “That’s a lie!” Ty shouted with anger. As she searched her mentors eyes for some type of comradery in this situation. “Diane you know that isn’t true. It’s obviously someone trying to assassinate my character.” “Ty calm down, I know, trust me I do. But… but these accusations has got some of the higher ups feeling a little uneasy. And these calls are disrupting business.” “So what are you sayin? Are you firing me?” Ty asked with a hint of attitude. She didn’t like what she was hearing from Diane. She really thought her and Diane had a better relationship than this but obviously she was wrong. “No I’m not. I’ll be honest with you a few of the higher ups wanted me to but I refused to. What I have to do though is ask you to either take a mandatory drug test or a leave of absence, it’s your choice” “What?!” Ty asked defensively. “Ty I’m sorry, I was given no other choice. I have to do this,” Diane explained putting emphasis on have. Diane reached across the table to put her hand on Ty’s. “Tyeena take the leave of absence so that you can get your house in order. There seems to be some personal issues you need to clear up and this leave will give you the opportunity to do that. This won’t affect your work record at all. This conversation won’t leave this room. Laura can you please pass the paperwork Ms. Williams’ has to sign.” Laura slid over the papers to Ty. “Just initial and sign there and there.” Ty did as she was instructed with hands that shook with every pen stroke. Tears were threatening to run like a faucet but she refused to give these bastards the satisfaction of seeing her cry. “Is that all she needs to do?” Diane asked “Yes that’s it.” “Well thank you Laura, I can take it from here.” “Okay and good luck to you Ms. Williams.” Laura said with sympathy in her voice. She sympathized for Ty even though she didn’t know her personally. It wasn’t hard to tell the higher- ups in the company were throwing her under the bus to distance themselves from possible scandal. Instead of sticking by Ty’s side amid these allegations they were leaving her out to dry. That’s how the good ole boys club worked in corporate America though they only looked out for their own.

  Once Diane and Ty were alone Diane took the opportunity to speak with Ty frankly. “Ty you know I think so much of you. You remind me a lot of myself when I was your age. That’s why I really want you to take care of yourself. Think of this as a paid vacation, when you come back all will be forgotten and this won’t go on your record. You’re not the only one who’s ever been through things. Do you remember when the President of the company was arrested for a DUI? He took a leave of absence to attend court appointed classes, came back to work and everything was swept under the rug. Or what about the VP who suffers from that horrid disease of ‘beat a wife’ every time he gets drunk. He took a leave to attend domestic violence classes and all was forgotten. You know it’s not ever that easy for us women to bounce back from scandal like that. That’s why I suggested you not take that drug test. This is off the record and just between
you and I… Ty are you using?” Ty screwed her face up with offense. “Have I ever came into work disheveled or disoriented? Better yet does my work reflect someone who uses?” Ty snapped with offense. “Look, I smoke a little marijuana occasionally but that’s it.” Ty shocked herself at how candid she was with Diane but at this point she really didn’t care if she kept or lost her job. Diane actually looked relieved “Well you know this is a drug free workplace. However, I personally don’t see any harm in a little marijuana. To be honest back in my day I had a few experiences with weed myself. Ty I’m concerned about the other things I’ve heard in many of those messages. Especially, about the company you’re keeping. I know what you went through with Douglas and I don’t want to see you make the same mistake. Ty you’re an intelligent young lady with so much potential don’t let a man ruin all that for you.” Ty locked eyes with Diane shifting uncomfortably. Deep down she knew the way Nice was living wasn’t right. She loved him though and had hopes of someday turning him into an honest man and building a life with him. Despite what he did for money no one was going to convince her he wasn’t a good man, she knew he was. Ty never could’ve imagined things coming to this, the day when her two very different worlds collided. She had done so much to keep her personal and professional life separate but here they were involved in a head-on collision. “Thank you for your concern but it’s unnecessary. I’ll go pack my things up to leave.”

  Ty couldn’t find it in her to call Nice and tell him what happened to her at work. Partly because she was too embarrassed and hurt all at the same time. She called Keema once she was in the privacy of her office and cried in Keema’s ear telling her how fucked up her day had been thus far. Nearly 30 minutes later Keema was pulling up in front of the main office building picking Ty up. “I can’t believe this shit!” Keema seethed. “I’m about to go right in there and cuss them muthafuckas out.” Keema grabbed the door handle really attempting to jump out of the car and storm into the office building. “Keem no! Please don’t do that. Fuck it, Keema lets just go.” Ty said with tears threatening to fall from her eyes. Keema running up in there acting a donkey would only make matters worse. Keema exhaled deeply threw her car in drive and pulled off. “So what did that bitch Diane say?” “She really didn’t say anything besides what I told you,” Ty responded dryly. “And I thought she was cool, that’s real fucked up after all you did for that company. If it wasn’t for you that company would probably be bankrupt right now. They were a hot ass second from being featured on an episode of American Greed; everyone would’ve pulled their money outta that company if that embezzlement mess went public. You were the one that discovered that Ponzi scheme before those auditors did and this how they gon do it. If you ask me this is an excuse to get rid of you. They probably wanted to fire you when that mess with Douglas first went down; Bastards probably thought you was down with that shit too. Girl fuck them people!” The more Keema ranted the more upset Ty became. It was true Ty had worked her ass off for Icon Financial Group all through her college internship and her professional career. For the company to show her no type of loyalty was dead wrong. “Keema I don’t even wanna talk about it anymore.” Keema pulled up to a red light and looked over at her Ace Boom, without saying a word she reached over and pulled Ty into a comforting embrace. “It’s gonna be alright. Let’s go do some serious damage to Jah’s credit cards. Retail therapy will make any problem go away.” Ty started laughing and crying at the same time, Keema was a fool for real, always ready to set it off on anybody who did Ty wrong and Ty was the same way about Keema. “No Keem all I wanna do is go home and take a nap.” “Alright I’ll bring you home, and then I gotta bring my ass way out to King of Persia Mall to grab some sneakers they have on hold for Jah. Girl that man gettin on my last damn nerve, got me running around for some sneakers in my condition, this shit don’t make no sense. He talkin bout I’m gonna help him get his sneaker collection back up and the next time I’ll think twice about cutting his shit up.” Ty looked over at Keema and they locked eyes for a brief moment before they both started rollin. “Ty shut the hell up!” Keema demanded through laughter. “Oh my god Keem you and Jah are so damn crazy! Lord knows I needed that laugh,” Ty said through laughter and tears thinking back on how Keema caused some major damage in Jah’s infamous sneaker closet. After all this time Jah was still crying about them sneakers, even though Keema hadn’t even put a dent in the vast collection of sneakers he owned.

  Once Ty was home she was relieved to see Nice wasn’t there, that meant she wouldn’t have to answer any questions about why she was home so early. Ty couldn’t figure for the life of her who would want to do her dirty like this? It was clear their intent was to get her fired by calling her job and leaving all types of crazy messages like that. A thought came to mind but she quickly dispelled it. No Ty you can’t go around accusing people when you don’t know for sure she told herself. Ty was feeling more stressed than ever right now and all she wanted to do was relax. She went up to her room and searched through the closet on the upper self for Nice’s weed stash. “Bingo!” She rolled herself a blunt of that loud and blazed up till her eyes were damn near chinked closed. Ty got so lifted she ended up drifting off to sleep right there on the bedroom floor.

  Nice walked into the dark house hours later with Ky. He had been calling Ty non-stop but she hadn’t answered his calls and he was a little concerned. The last time he’d heard from Ty was earlier that morning when she sent him a text telling him not to pick her up from work that Keema was going to. “Is Mommy here? I wanna show her my picture I made for her.” “In a second baby girl, why don’t you go play with your Barbies for a lil while.” Ky hesitated for a split second knowing this was a deviation from the norm usually she got a snack while she read aloud to either Ty or her father. “Yayy!” Kynah screamed running off towards her playroom before he changed his mind.

  Nice climbed the stairs and headed towards his bedroom. He could smell the strong stench of premium weed all the way from downstairs, that’s why he told Ky to go play in her playroom. He walked into the bedroom hurriedly closing and locking the door behind him. “Ayo Ty what the hell? If you blazin why didn’t you have the balcony doors open to air it out in here?” Ty groaned as she started to come to from her sleep stupor. Nice only gave her a quick glance as he walked past her opening the French doors that led out to the balcony. A gush of fresh air flooded the bedroom bringing along a chilly night breeze with it. Ty grunted showing her apparent aggravation to the cold air. “Ty what’s wrong with you? What if Ky came in here? Yo Ty is you even listening to me?” Nice asked as he approached Ty to pick her up from the floor and place her on the bed. It was apparent she was high as a kite and nothing he was saying was getting through. He bent over to pick her up and Ty lost it; she jumped to her feet fast and stood in his face. “Don’t fuckin touch me nigga!” Nice jerked his head back looking at Ty as if she’d lost her mind. “Ty don’t let that Purp have you write a check wit ya mouth that ya ass can’t cash. Maaann if you don’t sit ya crazy ass down somewhere, fuck wrong wit you?” Nice gritted. Ty glared at him not backing down for a few seconds then suddenly tears started falling from her eyes and her knees seemed to have buckled under all the stress. Nice grabbed her before she could fall and held her tight as she sobbed into his chest blubbering incoherently. He held her for awhile gently pressing the back of her head to his chest as she let it all out. Nice was wondering what the hell had gotten into her? “Ty what happened?” Ty attempted to say something but her words came out garbled. He ushered her into the bathroom to douse water on her face trying to lessen the high she was on, his efforts proved futile. Ty had been in his stash, she’d smoked that Cali Budd he had stashed in the closet and she would be high for awhile. The best thing for her to do was sleep it off.

  Ty awoke to having the worst case of dry mouth ever. She was so groggy it was hard for her to even sit up. Her body felt as if bricks were weighing her down. She opened her eyes and saw Nice’s tatted forearm draped
over her protectively. Nice had his arms wrapped around her from behind tight to ensure she didn’t get up and do something crazy to hurt herself while she was high. Her movements stirred him up out of his sleep. “Hey you up?” He asked his words laced heavily with sleep. “Yeah,” Ty responded just above a whisper. Ty’s voice was raspy making it sound as if it hurt her to even speak. Nice got up to get a bottled water from the mini fridge in their walk-in closet. When he returned Ty was sitting Indian style in bed looking as if her whole world had ended. Nice climbed back in bed handing her the water and pulling her into his arms. Ty sipped the water slowly staring off into space.

  “You know lil mama upset wit you right? She wanted to see her Mommy before she turned in for the night but I told her you was tired and sleeping. She made you that picture right there,” Nice said nodding towards the nightstand at a piece of brown construction paper. Ty smiled before wiping her eyes with the back of her wrist. Nice leaned in and kissed her gently on her forehead then on her pretty lips. “What’s good Ty? What happened?” Nice asked with concern. “I got suspended from my job today, but I guess I should be appreciative that they’re coding it as a leave. I bust my ass for that company. I earned that position, no fuck that I should be in a higher position. I gotta be on my A game every day. I gotta work harder, be smarter and still make less than some of my white male counterparts with less experience and education. Late nights, ass kissing, swallowed my pride and even turned a blind eye to a lotta shady shit and all that didn’t matter,” Ty blurted out through angry tears. “What?! Suspended for what?” Nice asked truly shocked and upset too. He knew the type of work ethic Ty had and how much of herself she gave that job. Ty told him the entire story leaving nothing out.