His mind was empty of all thoughts. Running was meditative. The sounds of his feet pounding against the ground soothed his troubled spirit.
At Brick’s request, Anya had been calling the hospital daily to check Misty’s status. Brick told her that he didn’t want to bump into his wife at the hospital, and so he sent Anya to visit Misty, requesting that she give Misty a message from him. Anya didn’t like the smell of hospitals. She didn’t like visiting sick people. But she’d do anything for Brick. As far as she was concerned, Brick was her man. Even if his feelings weren’t as strong as hers…she was all in. Committed. She didn’t mind throwing that “L” word around because for her it was real. It had to be love. What else would make a woman come out of her comfort zone and go put in time with her man’s ex. A woman that couldn’t talk back…a woman that was half-dead and in a coma?
Wearing a sundress, shades, and looking respectable, Anya breezed past the nurses’ station. None of the staff even looked up or questioned who she was visiting. She slipped into room 507 and covered her mouth to smother a gasp.
Misty looked like a skeleton. She was surrounded by tubes and machines. The sight of her frail body and deformed face caused Anya to wince. She had to choke back tears, even though she had never known Misty.
This isn’t living. She looks dead! Why would the medical profession allow someone to go on like this? The medical profession should be ashamed to be so cruel as to prolong this girl’s misery.
Anya pulled a chair up close to the bed.
“Hi, Misty.” She waited a few beats, expecting Misty to open her mouth and say something. “Um…you don’t know me. My name is Anya. I’m a friend of Brick’s. Well, I’m more than a friend, if you know what I mean. Just in case you can hear me, I wanted to give you a message from Brick. He said he’s sorry the plan didn’t work.” Anya went silent momentarily and observed Misty…trying to ascertain if there was any intelligent life inside her. But she saw no indication of life. There was nothing more than a corpse lying in the bed. Poor thing. Anya swallowed and then cleared her throat.
She felt a little foolish talking to someone she didn’t know personally—someone barely alive—but it wasn’t about Anya’s feelings. She was there for Brick. Being his eyes and ears. His mouthpiece. Visiting his precious Misty since he couldn’t be there himself.
“Brick said he hopes you found Shane. He said, ‘tell him, whassup.’”
As if reacting to Shane’s name, Misty’s hand twitched. Anya reared back in surprise. Had she imagined Misty response? Anya’s eyes darted from Misty’s hand to the door, hoping no one had popped in. She’d be beyond humiliated if anyone heard what she was saying. No doubt, she’d be considered insane.
Anya rubbed the top of Misty’s fisted hand, telling herself she was doing it for Brick. Doing what he’d do if he were allowed in the room with Misty.
Finally, she stood. She bent over Misty and whispered in her ear, “Brick says to tell you he loves you. Always has; always will.”
It took a lot to share that part of Brick’s message. But Anya wouldn’t be comfortable with herself if she selfishly left out Brick’s parting remarks.
She walked to the door, stopped, and looked back at Misty. “I don’t know what went wrong between you and Brick, but you were a lucky to have a man like him in love with you.”
Anya left the room and hurried to the elevator. Inside the elevator, she released a long breath. If possible, she loved Brick more than ever. No other man would ever measure up to his sensitivity and his strength, the way he was able to put those he loved before himself.
CHAPTER 32
I’ve been seeing Fawn regularly for a minute now. She claims I’m moving too fast, but this dirty bitch got me sprung and I can’t help myself. I don’t know what it is about her. She’s a slut…no doubt about that. I heard when she’s not with me, she’s out there fucking everything that moves.
The reason I dig her so much is the sex. The first night she came over, I didn’t wanna embarrass myself by cumming too quick, so I spent the whole night sucking on her pussy. I wouldn’t even let her suck on my Johnson for fear she’d find out about my cum-quick problem.
I don’t put my business out there with everybody, so I didn’t tell Pretty Boy Blake about my situation. But I confided in Munch. Munch is a cool ass mufucka. He’s crazy, but you can talk to that nigga. So I told him about my issue. And that nigga came through. He put me on with this potion that you get from Chinatown. I didn’t think it would really work, but what the fuck, I was willing to give it a try.
I told Evette to go grab me a bottle on her lunch break. She brought it home and I’ll be damn… That Chinese love potion bullshit really works. It’s got ginseng and some other shit in it. It’s nasty as hell, but it gets the job done.
Now I’m fucking like a porn star. Banging the headboard against the wall… mattress springs squealing, the bed is rocking. Fawn be screaming and shit when I give her a good dick down. This shit is bananas. While I’m laying pipe, she’s clawing my back up and screaming my name. This is the kind of good fucking I dreamed about all those years I spent in the pen.
Sometimes I hear Evette sobbing in the next room while I’m plundering inside Fawn’s coochie. Fawn makes so much noise, she can’t hear Evette’s mournful sounds. But I do. Hearing her cry her heart out while I’m fucking another bitch brings out the freak in me. The louder Evette sobs, the harder I bang Fawn.
Times like this, I love my life. This shit is bananas. I got a fulltime freak and part-time slut.
My world could be even better if Fawn would cooperate with me.
See, I wanna take it to the next level with Fawn. Move her in here and fuck and suck that good, slutty pussy every day and every night. But Fawn won’t listen. She’s hard-headed and refuses to get serious. That bitch is coming and going outta this crib as she pleases. She’s making me mad and driving me crazy.
But it’s all good. I got a plan. Come hell or high water, I’ma turn that ho into a housewife.
This morning, I wake up to the sound of Evette knocking on the bedroom door. It’s odd for Evette to try to get in the bedroom when I have company, so I pat the side of the bed that Fawn was lying on…you know…to cover her up if she’s exposed. But she’s not here. Her side of the bed is empty.
Evette taps on the door again.
“You can come in,” I say in a sleepy voice.
Evette comes in wearing a bathrobe and one of her corny nightgowns. Fawn keeps it sexy in the lingerie department, so I stopped caring about Evette’s grandma gear.
“Where’s Fawn? In the bathroom?” I ask, hopefully. I like waking up with my shawty lying next to me. But Fawn is independent. She’ll hop up in the middle of the night and roll out without saying a word.
“She left. She said she’ll call you later.”
“Damn!” I sit up. I’m feeling irritated that Fawn keeps pulling this shit. It aggravates me that she slips out without even saying, ‘I’ll see you later, nigga.’ Her behavior is so suspicious that I asked her if she’s got some dick on the side, but she claims I’m the only one she’s dealing with at the moment.
At the moment! That kind of talk made me wonder if she was planning on giving my pussy to somebody else in the future.
Fawn quickly corrected me. “My pussy doesn’t belong to you or any other mufucka. My pussy belongs to me and me only.” She’s strong-willed and feisty. That’s what I like about her. But I still wish I could have a little more control over her.
Evette can tell that Fawn’s got me sprung, but she keeps her mouth shut and stays in her lane.
Fawn comes through about two or three times a week. On the nights she’s here, I demand my space and make Evette sleep in the spare bedroom. Actually, in my quest to keep Fawn from getting suspicious about Evette and me, I made Evette move all her clothes and personal items into the spare bedroom.
I’m still fucking with Evette, but what we do is kept real low-key.
Fawn thinks that E
vette and me are nothing but roommates. In fact, I told Fawn I own this spot. I told her it was left to me by my great uncle, but being that I’m out of work, I rent out a room to Evette.
In Fawn’s mind, Evette ain’t nothing more than a boarder.
Evette doesn’t make any waves when Fawn’s around because she hoping my relationship with Fawn is only phase.
But keeping it real… I’m all in with Fawn. She’s the one I really want to marry. I want her to have my babies.
Fawn has a thing for candles. She’s got a collection of ’em spread all over the top of the bureau. Evette picks up the newest edition and pulls off the cap. She sniffs it and wrinkles her nose. “I don’t like this one.”
“Yo, put that candle down. Stop fucking with Fawn’s shit. Don’t nobody care what you like.” I’m mad because Fawn left, but I’m taking it out on Evette. “Whassup, anyway? Why you in here waking me up all early in the morning?”
“Can I lie in the bed with you for a few minutes before I get dressed for work?” she asks, using her pitiful voice, tryna get me to feel sorry for her.
“Damn! Can’t a nigga get some sleep?” I sigh real loud. But her pitiful act is working. Ever since Fawn entered the picture, I’ve been neglecting Evette.
I decide to go easy on Evette and have a heart. “Aye, come on. You can snuggle up. But only for a few minutes.” Evette got two write-ups on the job. One more and she’ll get suspended. We can’t afford for her pay to be cut any worse than it already is.
She knows what it is when she crawls her ass in bed with me. She is well aware that there’s not enough time for me to feed her my special morning nutt shake that revs up her day. There’s so much ginseng in my system, I don’t cum quick anymore. It takes a good twenty or thirty minutes before I pop off.
My thick and delicious nutt shakes are the reason why Evette is only one write-up from getting suspended.
I’m on some new shit, anyway. Something I peeped in a porn flick. It’s so freaky that I can’t control how fast I cum. I’m back to being a two-minute man when I indulge in this freaky morning sex trick.
“Are your underarms shaved?” I whisper in a husky voice.
She nods; she can tell by my voice that I’m ready to get my freak on.
Evette opens the drawer of the nightstand on Fawn’s side of the bed and pulls out a small container of lubrication. Ordinarily, she wouldn’t be allowed to be rustling through Fawn’s personal items, but today is an exception.
Evette squeezes out a generous amount of lube into the palm of my cupped hand.
Now she’s on her back with her arm stretched upward, giving me access to her underarm. I spread the gook all over her smooth, cleanly shaven armpit, and my Johnson is jumping in anticipation.
“Sit up.” I growl the command.
She sits up, and gets in position with her arm pressed tightly to her side.
I’m on my knees, with my back pressed against the headboard. I steady myself by gripping one of her shoulders. Kneeling behind her, I stick my Johnson into the lubed-up space between her upper arm and her armpit. I’m sliding my joint in and out. Evette’s armpit is gooked up and making squishy sounds like a hot pussy.
Seeing the head of my dick protruding from her armpit…seeing it brushing against the side of her titty is about to take me over the edge.
But I hold off. Evette is wiggling around and panting. I know her coochie is feening, so I slip my middle finger into her juicy snatch. “Here you go, baby. Fuck on that.”
Now we’re both fucking. I’m tearing up her armpit and Evette is humping and working her pussy muscles like she’s tryna break off my finger.
As soon as I feel the gush of a pussy eruption, I go ahead and release.
Afterward, I fall on top of her. We’re both breathing hard. She’s lying on her back, shuddering from the big nutt I just gave her. With my chest against hers, our hearts thump together. It’s a tender moment for Evette and me.
“You’re my freak in the sheets,” I whisper tenderly. “Real talk, baby. I ain’t never gon’ let you go nowhere.”
“Are we still getting married?” she asks timidly.
“No doubt.” I kiss her on the side of her neck. I’m getting more and more affectionate with her as time goes by. Who knows, the day may come when I’m tongue-kissing her in the mouth. Evette’s my bitch. Ride or die. I mean…she’s still ugly and everything, but I’m getting used to the way she looks. Her looks don’t bother me as bad as they used to.
“How much longer are you gonna keep Fawn around?”
Now she done pushed me too far. The tender moment is over. I sit up and look at her with one eye squinted because I’m mad. “Ain’t no timeframe with none of my jumpoffs. Don’t be clocking my relationships.”
“The only jumpoff that I know about is Fawn. You’re supposed to be open and honest, but you don’t bring any other women around.”
“Fall back, Evette,” I chastise. “Sowing wild oats doesn’t mean that I’ma act like a male ho. I only want one jumpoff at a time. When the relationship with Fawn runs its course, I’ll get me another one. Understand what I’m saying?”
“But what about us? I was hoping that after you and Fawn break up, we could finally start making our wedding plans.”
“Why you still on that? I thought we had an agreement that I could fuck a lot of broads to make up for all the time I lost in the joint? I said I’m gon’ marry you, eventually. But if you keep harping on the subject, you gon’ end up pushing me away. Is that what you want?”
“No.”
“Aye. Let shit run its course. I can’t predict the future. Who knows…I might be ready to take that trip down the aisle after me and Fawn call it quits. I don’t know. You just gotta ride it out. Wait and see. Feel me?”
“Okay, Kaymar. I just hope that I’m not being stupid.”
“Baby, ain’t nothing stupid about a woman that will bend over backwards for her future husband.”
Those words bring a quick smile to her lips.
“If it wasn’t for the fact that time is ticking, I’d do some more freaky shit to you. I want you to come straight home from work tonight, aye? No going out with your girlfriends after work. I want you to bring my kitty straight home.” I stroke her coochie.
“I will.” She’s blushing and smiling like a little kid. This chick loves it when I pay her any amount of attention.
She better have all the fun she can while it lasts. I don’t know how she’s gon’ handle it when I get Fawn pregnant.
For that matter, I wonder how Fawn’s gonna feel about it. My man, Munch, has been checking on some fertility potions in Chinatown. They’re out of stock at the moment, but the shit will be in next week.
Fawn’s a dime piece; she’s soft and feminine. But her problem is that she thinks like a dude. She’s starting to make a habit outta dippin’ out of the crib before I even wake up. I don’t like it and I’m a settle Fawn’s wild ass down.
It’ll be interesting to see whose gon’ be running shit after she starts pushing out my seed. A bitch can’t keep running the streets if you keep her barefoot and pregnant.
CHAPTER 33
“Are you sure she flinched?” Brick asked after Anya told him about Misty’s response to Shane’s name.
“I thought I was imagining it myself, but she moved. Her hand twitched, like she wanted me to know she could hear me.”
Brick gripped his head, anguished. “Damn, I don’t know how to feel about that. I want her to be peaceful in heaven or somewhere in between. And as long as she’s with Shane, I know she’s happy. But if she heard you…that mean’s she’s still stuck in her body. She wanted to be free. Misty hated being stuck!”
Distressed, Brick pressed his fingers to his temples and rubbed. He looked so tormented, Anya wanted to say something to alleviate his pain.
“When I was in the room with Misty, I told her what you said about always loving her. It seemed like the corner of her mouth lifted up a little…like she was
tryna smile.”
“For real?” His troubled eyes instantly brightened.
“I can’t be certain, but that’s how it appeared to me.”
Brick nodded. Anya watched as his facial muscles relaxed, and was pleased to see his mood shifting from agitated to peaceful.
“Any word on that gun?” Anya asked.
“Nah, that nigga ain’t come through yet. Don’t sweat it, though. Aye? My word is bond. I gotchu, baby.”
She gave him a quick smile. “I know you do.”
“So whassup with your pops? Find out anything?”
“No. Nothing online. I’ve been still taking his picture around asking people if they know him. Man, people lie so much. Have me out there following false leads. I’ve been to so many shelters, I can’t even count ’em, but it’s like he doesn’t even exist.” Anya dropped her eyes. “It really hurts…not knowing if he’s dead or alive.”
“What does your heart tell you?” Brick asked.
Anya looked up. She shrugged. “Nothing. I don’t feel any kind of connection. My dad is probably dead.”
“Don’t give up, Anya. When my mom disappeared, I was too young to search for her. By the time I got older, I heard she OD’d. I have to tell myself it’s true. For what other reason would a mother abandon her child?”
“I don’t know, Brick. For the longest, I was so angry with my father for even touching that stuff when he should’ve been concerned about raising me.”
“I feel you. I felt the same anger toward my mom. But she’s been gone so long, I don’t remember much about her. I do forgive her, though. And I hope my son will forgive me because the choice I made that forced me out of his life had nothing to do with the love I have for him.”
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