by Ms. Neicy
“I’m not feeling like going out tonight man.”
“Daddy, please. I promise you you’ll love the surprise.” She purred into the phone. She wasn’t fooling me, though. I knew exactly what her motherfucking ass wanted. The only reason she wanted me to go was so that I could pay, which is why most bitches wanted me to go places, but they was out they rabbit ass minds, because I didn’t pay for shit like that. I was trying to save some money. That way, I could invest into a cleaning company, and that way, I would never have to work for anyone again. If I had my own shit, that would be great, but I wasn’t ever going to get it if I played around in the clubs and shit, trying to be VIP and popping bottles and shit. Nope, I wasn’t doing all that for this bitch.
“You can come through for that surprise, but I ain’t going out.”
“Daddy, please.”
“Bitch, quit begging! I just said I wasn’t going no damn where, hell. Let me know if you want to come through or not, though.” I said, releasing the call. We didn’t have nothing else to talk about unless she was saying she wanted to swallow my kids. I was ready for today to be over already.
Chapter 3
Renzo
I rolled over and instantly got irritated. Jessa was laying there looking like… hell, I don’t even have the right words for it, but her entire presence pissed me the hell off. Jessa was nothing like she was when we first got married. Before, she would take care of herself; she cooked, she cleaned, and she worked, but the moment we said I do, all that shit went down the drain.
“Good morning, baby.” She said, rolling over trying to give me a kiss. I wasn’t in the mood to be lovey dovey with her. Hell, I was two seconds away from leaving her ass altogether, so she wasn’t getting no affection from me. I really tried to do right by my wife, but her new found attitude wasn’t sitting well with me.
“Hey, Daddy.” Raven said, jumping up and down in the bed.
“Raven, get your bad ass down hell.” Jessa fussed. Raven was only three, and I really didn’t think it was appropriate for her to be talking to a three-year-old that way. I shook my head and walked into the kitchen to make Raven some breakfast. It wasn’t like her sorry ass mother was going to get up and do it or anything like that.
“Momma is mean Daddy. Can I go with you?” Raven said. That little girl was too smart for her own good. I wanted to take my baby girl with me, but I had entirely too much shit to do today, so maybe my mother wouldn’t mind watching her. Me and my father had retired my mother about two years ago, so her ass didn’t do nothing but shop anyway. I loved my mother, but she couldn’t stand Jessa. She would always tell me she didn’t know what I saw in her, and she didn’t trust her, but my love for Jessa ran deep.
Jessa and I were high school sweethearts; she was there when I didn’t have anyone else to talk to, and she even took a few charges for me, which is why I had to give her my last name. I felt like she was a rider, but now, I wasn’t so sure, because her entire attitude seemed to have changed overnight. After making Raven a bowl of Lucky Charms, I decided to call my mom and see if she wanted to keep Raven for the day. She answered on the second ring sounding like her jolly self.
“Hey son. What’s up over there?”
“Nothing, momma. Same old stuff, just a different day. You know how that goes. What you doing over there?” I asked, just making small talk with her, while I straightened up around the kitchen. Just looking at the kitchen had me shaking my head. Jessa didn’t do shit all day, so why couldn’t she clean a few dishes and sweep the floors was beyond me.
“Nothing, I was just getting ready to start dinner.”
“At nine in the morning momma.” I said, chuckling. “Who the hell finna eat a full course dinner this early in the morning?” I asked.
“Well, you know how my men are. I just want to make sure I have some food for you all to eat whenever you all are ready. Quit acting like you don’t already know how your mother gets down boy.” She said. My mother was an old soul; she believed that a woman should stay and take care of home while the man was the provider. She wasn’t a lazy woman though. She did believe that theory that a woman should be domestic, but she got up and went to work as well. She started off as an elementary school teacher, and then, she became a principal, which she did up until two years ago. Her and my father were very well off, which was the reason I was financially set.
My father drove 18 wheelers for a living. He was gone most of the time, because you received more money from the out of town hauls. We had about fifteen trucks, so we were bringing in well over five hundred thousand a month. I wasn’t born with a silver spoon in my mouth, but life hadn’t been rough to me either. Jessa either, which is probably why we connected. She had her own everything back then, but now, she only had her damn hand out for me to give it to her, which was fine, but damn, she didn’t want to lift a finger, unless it was to swipe a card; that shit was sad as hell.
“Ok, well I’m surely coming by, because you know Jessa isn’t cooking nothing.”
“Anyway, so where’s Raven.” She said immediately changing the subject. My mother could never hide her feelings, so if she didn’t have anything nice to say, she usually wouldn’t say anything at all, but she was very outspoken and very truthful with her words. A few times, we would clash, because she would always voice her opinion for Jessa, but I wouldn’t just let her sit there and talk about my wife, so she would just stop talking about her altogether. Now, my sister was another topic. She didn’t give a damn how she said it, when she said it, or the way it came out. If she was feeling it, you was sure to find out.
“She just asked if she could come spend the day with you. You know how Jessa is, wanting to sleep in all morning and shop all night.” I said. Jessa was really becoming a burden to me, and I didn’t want to feel that way about my wife, but I definitely couldn’t help it. It’s not like she tried to do anything to show me different.
“Aww, ok. Bring my baby to me. Your sister has already went into the office, so I’ll have your plate ready when you get here.”
“Where’s Marc lazy ass?” I asked, referring to my brother. I don’t know where my mother went wrong with that fool, but he was what you would call a fuck up. I hate to say it, but he was. I was the middle child; it was Gisele, me, then Marc, and when I say I’ve had to go upside his head more times than I care to talk about, I was serious. I guess, if my mother continued to condone the behavior in her house, who was I to tell her otherwise?
“He’s probably still in the bed sleep. Do you know that nigga had the nerve to come in the house at five this morning with some girl? Renzo, I almost lost my religion on his ass. Anyway, bring her by; I’ll be here.” She said. We talked a few more minutes before we finally released the call. By the time I was done, Raven was sitting in front of the TV flipping through the channels. She was getting ready to be four in a few months, and I tell you, each day, she surprised me with something new.
“Come on Princess. Daddy is going to take you to grammy.”
“Yay, ok daddy. Here I come.” She said. We went into her room, packed her a bag, got her dressed, and we were on our way. I stayed in Atascocita, which wasn’t too far from my mother, who stayed in Kingwood. She stayed in Kings Point Village, which was a very nice neighborhood. She had a five-bedroom home, with four full bathrooms, and three and a half baths. Her house overlooked a pond, and she had a big ass backyard with a pool. Raven was her only grandchild, so to say was spoiled would have been an understatement. Raven grabbed her backpack and went into the room to tell her mother bye, but of course, she was being her usual bitchy self. I just shook my head once more before telling Raven to come on.
Chapter 4
Jessa
“Bye-bye, momma. I’m going to grammy’s.” Raven said, jumping all over the bed. That little girl really did drive me crazy. It was sad to say, being that she was my child, but I really don’t think I was ready for children when I had her. I hadn’t told Renzo, but I had gotten two abortions since I had been
with him. I had one before Raven and one after her. The only reason Raven’s ass was here was because he found the damn positive pregnancy test with his nosy ass. I would’ve aborted her little ass too, but when he found out, he was so excited, so I couldn’t do that to him.
“Raven, please stop jumping in the damn bed!” I screamed. Renzo looked at me like I was crazy before shaking his head.
“I’ve told you about talking to my fucking child that way Jessa.” Renzo said, through gritted teeth.
“Well, you need to control her little badass. That little girl don’t listen to shit I say. All she hollers is daddy and grammy.” I hissed. Fuck whatever Renzo was talking about. Shit, I had a spa day planned for the next three hours, and I wasn’t trying to deal with her hyperactive butt. Don’t get me wrong, I loved my daughter dearly, but she was a handful, and sometimes, I really couldn’t deal with her.
“If you spent a little more time with your child, maybe she would listen to you, but you don’t, so that’s why she acts that way.”
“Well, you need to correct it, Renzo. That little girl walks around here doing whatever the hell she wants, and I’m tired of that shit.”
“Have a good day, Jessa.” Renzo said, turning to walk out of the room. You too, I thought before rolling back over in the bed. I could sleep about an hour more, then I could get up and get ready for my day. I was glad he was taking Raven with his ass, because she would bother me until I got up, and I just really wasn’t in the mood for all of that today.
Waking up an hour later, I felt a little more energized, but I was still tired. I probably needed to go see my doctor about that, because something wasn’t right. No matter how much sleep I got, whenever I woke up, I was always so irritable. My girl, Tasha, had called not long after I woke up. Tasha and I were one in the same, but she hadn’t gotten as lucky as myself.
“Girl, what the fuck you doing?”
“Girl, nothing. Just getting up standing in the closet to look for some shit to throw on. What you doing?” I asked her, as I stood in the closet with a blank expression. Fuck all this; I’mma throw on a PINK outfit and keep it pushing. I don’t feel like dealing with all the extra stuff today, I thought, before going to the draw to pull out my PINK sweats with the matching shirt. I decided to wear my Tory Burch slides and the matching tote. I was going to keep it simple but still cute at the same time.
“Are we still on for today?”
“You know this.” I responded.
“Where’s Raven girl? Is the lil’ diva tagging alone today?” she asked. Like I said, Tasha and I were one in the same, so I could be honest with her.
“She’s with her damn daddy, girl. He probably gonna drop her spoiled ass off to his momma. That lil’ girl is too much.” I complained.
“Girl, you a hot ass mess. That’s your damn child. What you mean she’s too much?”
“They have her ass to spoiled, Tasha. Quit acting brand new.”
“I know you better stop playing for that man start thinking something.” She said. I surely wasn’t trying to hear that shit right now, so I immediately changed the subject.
“Anyway, so you gonna be ready on time or what?” I asked her. Tasha’s ass was never ready, but today, she would most definitely get left, because I had a one o’clock appointment with Staci, and I wasn’t trying to be late. Staci was the best damn masseuse in River Oaks Advanced Bodyworks. She was located on upper Kirby, which was about ten minutes from the Galleria, but I didn’t give a damn. That girl had me so relaxed every time I walked out of there, so I didn’t mind that hour drive.
“Yes, I’mma be ready, shit. This is on you, since you the one went and married the big balling nigga and shit. A bitch like me over here broke.” Tasha fussed.
“Now, when in the hell have I ever made you pay for your own shit? Stop playing with me; you know I got you. Anyway, I’m finna shower and get ready. I’ll be to you in about forty-five minutes.” I said. We wrapped up the call, and I went and hopped in the shower. I only had about two more hours before my appointment, so I needed to get a move on it.
After I showered, I threw on a splash of makeup, I put my weave into a messy bun, and then I sprayed myself before walking out of the door. I jumped into the Mercedes C-Class before letting the garage up. Being with Renzo definitely provided me with the finer things in life, but lately, we hadn’t been on the best of terms. Most nights, we wouldn’t even have sex, and I knew the way my husband liked sex. I didn’t think he was sleeping around or nothing like that, but something was definitely going on. I didn’t want to lose my husband, but it seemed as though my marriage was falling apart, and I honestly didn’t know what to do to fix it. There would be so many women that would jump at the chance to have all the shit I had, but even that wasn’t feeling like enough to me.
I had a loving, devoted husband, a beautiful daughter, a big ass house, the nice cars, and a Black Card, but something was still missing. I couldn’t quite place my finger on it but I’m sure it would come up when I least expected it. I came from money so this shit was nothing to me I needed more. I needed a little fun in my life or something, and it seemed like everything with Renzo and I had become routine. Yes, I had him in bed with me every night, but it seemed like he was staying out later and later. He claimed he was at the office working, which wasn’t unusual, but what he was doing at the office, I’m sure his damn big mouth ass sister knew how to do it too.
Speaking of his sister, I couldn’t stand that bitch, Gisele. She didn’t like me, and she made that shit very obvious. That was one thing that would upset me about Renzo. When it came to her, he would never stick up for me. I wanted to beat her ass so many times, but I knew that would only cause issues in my home, and I didn’t really want those types of problems, so most of the time, I bit my tongue; it was only so many times I was going to let that chick try me.
Pulling up to Tasha’s apartment, which was located right off the beltway and Wilson Road, I sent her a text to let her know I was outside. Just as I sent her a text, another came through. I smiled unknowingly as Tasha got in the car.
“What the hell you smiling so hard for?” she asked as she put her seatbelt on.
“Eww, you nosy. I’m smiling at the text my husband just sent me if you must know.” I said, before pressing send.
“Um huh, that was a good answer.” She said, eyeing me. I didn’t find a need to respond to her accusations hell. We talked and laughed the rest of the way to the appointment. I was going to relax today and try to get my mind right for later. I really wanted to sit down and have a talk with my husband, because things were getting out of hand.
Chapter 5
Renee
I had never been happier to see six o’clock in my life. Mr. Bill got on my nerves the entire damn day. I was trying to work, and he was steady fucking with me; I really didn’t understand why. Not only was he irritating me, but so was Jacob. He texted me at least fifty times within the last hour. I mean, the shit was really sad. I was just glad to be getting off and going home to have some damn peace and quiet. Good thing I moved not long ago, because at my old apartments, there was no telling what I was coming home to. Jacob used to pop up more times than enough. Sometimes, I wouldn’t even bother to go straight home, because there was no telling if he was there or not, so I would stop by my mom’s, run to the grocery store, or whatever to ensure that I didn’t run into his ass. I couldn’t believe I actually tried to make that shit with him work. I hated forced connections, and that shit was so forced it wasn’t even funny. I had been let down so many times that I probably wouldn’t even be able to tell a real man if he was sitting at my front door.
Getting in my car, I put my radio on, and I was en route to the house. My best friend, Daria, called while I was on my way home. Daria and I had been down since second grade. It was funny, because I couldn’t stand her ass when we first met. We actually had a shoving match over who was in line first for the slide, but seeing as how she didn’t back down and neither did I, we be
came the best of friends. She was more than a friend to me, though. She was something like a sister. I’m talking about me and this girl shared everything.
“Hey Dee, baby. What you got up over there?”
“Girl, nothing. Just trying to see what you up to. You know it’s Friday night, so I wanted to get out and hit the city or something.” She said. I knew that meant her and Drake were probably into it. Drake and Daria had the craziest fucking relationship to me, but the love they had for one another was so real you could see it. I loved Drake like I loved Daria, but I wanted him to do better with his life. Drake was nothing more than a street nigga, and I mean that was cool, whatever paid the bills, but I hoped that he wasn’t planning on being a dope boy the rest of his life. He would take my girl on shopping sprees and shit whenever she was mad, give her money, just because it was Monday, or fly out just because she said she was sick of Houston. I wanted a man like that, and most times, I felt Daria took that shit for granted, but you couldn’t tell her hardheaded ass anything. It was either her way or no way, and wasn’t no REAL nigga finna deal with that type of shit, but hey, whatever worked for them.
“Now, you know good and well Drake not finna let you out of his sight.”
“Girl, what Drake? Do you hear his ass anywhere here? Hell no, fuck him. Shit, I’m not finna sit up in this motherfucker all by myself and shit. I want to go somewhere, so if you don’t agree, I’m going to come drag you out of the house myself.” She said. I definitely believed that shit too. I just shook my head as we made small talk. The entire time we were on the phone, Jacob had been calling. I was trying to ignore the shit, but the clicking was making it hard as hell for me to concentrate on anything my girl was saying.