“No, it wasn’t me. There were several people fighting so it could’ve been anybody. Besides, did the news say anything about suspects?”
“No, however, I suspect that you just lied to me. You know damn…darn well ain’t nobody bust you up like that and they lived to talk about it.”
“How was school,” I said, quickly changing the subject.
“School is good. After a few more months, you can consider me an upperclassman.”
I reached for the remote and turned on my TV. Desmon looked at my hands.
“Aw, yeah. Whoever was caught on the end of them blows, I’m sure it wasn’t nothing pretty.”
“Desmon, get out of my room. Don’t you have some homework or something else to do?”
“As a matter of fact, I do. Gabrielle coming over in about an hour or so. You don’t mind if I have company, do you?”
“Gabrielle? I thought you and her just had a fight?”
“We did, but we made up. We all ways make up.”
“Man, you gon learn from those fuck-me then fight-me relationships. Trust me, they ain’t no damn good for you.”
“Why don’t you cool out on the cursing when you talking to your son? He just might learn something from you,” he said, and then got off the bed. He smiled and then exited to his room.
“But, I don’t want you to be like me,” I yelled out loudly so he could hear me.
He stood in my doorway. “And, I ain’t trying to be like you either, but sometimes, shit just happens that way.”
I pulled the pillow from behind my back and threw it hard at Desmon. He caught it and held it in his hand.
“You wanna pillow fight?” he said coming up to me. My body was in no condition, so I declined.
“Man, don’t play,” I said. “My body is sore, so don’t hit me with no pillow.”
Of course, he did it anyway and we went at it with the pillows. I quickly got tired from holding the sheet around my waist, but I remained in bed while pounding him with a pillow. I sat back and held my arm up to block his pillow punches.
“Stop,” I yelled while holding my side. “I quit!”
Desmon held the pillow in his hand. “You messed up ain’t you? Or maybe, that body of yours is getting too old.”
I didn’t respond, so he took the pillow and hit me in the face.
“I told you to quit playing, didn’t I?” I said. He dropped the pillow on the floor and I grabbed him by his injured leg. The got his attention.
“Ahhh…don’t play,” He whined. “My leg ain’t fully recovered yet.”
“Good,” I said and pulled his leg on the bed. I put my body weight down on it and didn’t move.
“Oooo, Kiley, man, don’t do that. Please don’t do that.”
“You gon stop playing?”
“Yes, I…I quit. Now, let my leg go.”
“Please.”
“Please, let my leg go.”
“Daddy, please let my leg go.”
“Okay, Kiley, please let my leg go.”
“I said…Daddy, please let my leg go.”
“Oh, Daddy, I love you so much, so would you please let my leg go.”
I couldn’t resist his bullshit choice of words and released his leg. He put his leg on the floor and limped towards the door. Before he left, he picked up the pillow from the floor and threw it at me.
Anna had made it back. She was in the kitchen cooking us something to eat while I lay on the floor and tried to do some sit-ups with a seventy-five pound weight laying flat on my bare stomach. The only way to stop pain was to bring more pain and I was doing just that as I strained to make it to five hundred. After I finished my sit-ups, I sat on the bed and pressed weights above my head. My arms and hands were still sore, but after a while, I didn’t feel a thing.
Dripping with sweat, I placed the weights on the floor and got down on my hands and the tips of my toes. Before I started my push-ups, Anna came in and sat on the bed.
“Don’t you think you’re overdoing it?” she asked.
“Nope,” I said, while kneeled down. “Would you like to help me?”
“Help you how? You seem to have everything under control.”
I pulled Anna from the bed and laid her on the floor. I pulled up on my hands and tips of my toes, while she was underneath me.
“One,” I said, lowering myself to do my push up. I kissed her on my way down. I rose up and went back down. “Two.” I kissed her again. I rose up and lowered myself again. “Ummm,” I mumbled, as my lips smacked with hers for a long time. “Um, um, um,” I continued each time I made my way up and down on her. When I’d gotten to at least the twentieth “Um” Anna wrapped her legs around my waist to stop me. She placed her arms on my shoulders and pulled my head to her. We kissed and I went for the crotch of her panties to move them aside.
“Kiley, no,” she whispered. “Desmon is in the next room and I don’t want him to hear us. Besides, the door is wide open.”
Since we were close by the door, I reached out with my hand, slamming the door shut.
“Now what’s your excuse,” I said, lowering my shorts to my thighs. I reached for her panties to move them aside again.
“I don’t have an excuse, but we just had sex earlier today.”
“So. That was a quickie. It only lasted for about fifteen minutes.”
Anna looked as if she really didn’t want to do it, so I backed up and helped her off the floor. She sat on the bed and scooted back.
“Come on,” she sighed. “Let’s finish.”
“Na, that’s au-ight. Don’t do me no favors.”
She combed her hair back with her fingers. “Are you mad at me?”
“Naw, I’m not mad at you, but I don’t think it’s fair that I can’t have my woman’s pussy when I want it. Then, to change your mind and say you don’t feel like it?”
“I didn’t say that I didn’t feel like it.”
“Reminding me that we already did it earlier means you don’t want to do it now.”
She snapped. “Stop the tedious bickering with me and let’s just do it. Damn!”
“Don’t ever feel as if you have to compromise yourself,” I said, walking to the door. “If you ain’t feeling me enough to let loose sometimes or get creative, then maybe you should be with somebody else.” I opened the door and walked out.
After I looked and saw that Desmon’s door was closed, I went to the bathroom to relax my aching body in the tub.
I’d been chilling in bubbles and water for about thirty minutes I was leaned back with my head against the back of the tub. My eyes were closed and my mind was in deep thought. Sooner, more than later, I knew I had to shake, rattle and roll. I planned on calling Rufus tomorrow, so he could assist me in settling my differences with Dominique. Since he wasn’t already six-feet under, I had to make sure he was put there. If I didn’t, I’d already learned from my procrastination, when I suffered from the lost of Kareem. Therefore, I knew it was in my interest to make the next move and make it as soon as I could. Jada’s husband was on my mind too. I didn’t know when he was going to make his move, but I intended to be very careful.
Still in deep thought, I turned my head when Anna came into the bathroom with the phone in her hand. She had a disturbing look on her face and was quite pissed off.
“Instead of telling her I don’t please you, why couldn’t you tell me? Honestly,” she said, moving her head from side to side. “I don’t even know why I’m still here.”
She tossed the phone to me and it almost dropped in the water. I caught it as it almost slipped through my hands. I quickly placed the phone on my ear because I knew it was Jada.
“What did you say to her?” I asked.
“I told the non-fucking bitch like it is. If she can’t handle the dick, then that’s too bad. I can.”
I hung up on Jada and hurried to get out of the tub. She continued to call back and that’s when I picked up the phone and lost it.
“You’re a stupid ass bitch
, Jada! Don’t call my fucking house no more!” I yelled.
“I wasn’t no bitch when you were fucking me! Just—
I hung up and left the phone disconnected. I wrapped the towel around me and walked into the kitchen to where Anna was. She pretended to be occupied with dinner, but by the way she slammed shit around, I could tell she was mad.
“What did she say to you?” I asked, taking a seat at the table.
She wouldn’t turn around but I saw her wipe a tear from her eye. “She told me that she’d been with you. She said that you went to the Hampton Inn with her and had sex. Did she lie?”
“You damn right she lied! Baby, Jada is always interfering with my relationships. We stayed together for a long time and she has a hard time letting shit go.”
Anna turned around. “Then, when did you…why did you tell her about you and me?”
“I didn’t. The only thing I told her is I’d met somebody who I wanted to be with.”
“Was that before or after you fucked her?”
“I said I didn’t fuck her!”
Anna spoke in a soft tone. “You are such a liar. She told me what an eventful day she had with you and how well you and her sweated together. She also told me you said I didn’t know how to fuck you and that you wish I could fuck you like she does. And you know what, Kiley, I believe her.”
I threw my hand back, knowing damn well I was lying my ass off. “Whateva, Anna! Do you believe her over me! I’m telling you how crazy that bitch is and you won’t even listen to me!”
“Oh, I’ll believe you. After I get tested for STD’s tomorrow, and I come back clean, I’ll certainly believe what you say. Jada told me her husband gave her a STD and she gave it to you. If you haven’t had sex with her, then I should be okay, right?”
My heart dropped but I still kept with my lie. “Yeah…you gon be cool cause I ain’t got nothing.”
“The reason why I didn’t want to have sex with you a little while ago is because I had a heavy discharge earlier. I wasn’t sure what was wrong with me but I guess by now, we both know what it is. I’d hate more than anything to go to the doctor tomorrow and get embarrassed. Why don’t you just tell me the truth so I can be prepared?”
I was silent, and in disgust, I dropped my head. I clinched my hands together and looked up at Anna. “I’ve tried so hard to make this right between us. I’m feeling for you like I’ve never felt for no woman in my entire life. Every time I attempt to show you how much I care about you, I fail. I…I enjoy having sex with you, but I’m a man who likes to get down when I’m having sex. I like to kick up a sweat with my woman and get creative—
“So, that’s why you fucked her?”
“I…yes, I did. Only once. However, it was an acid…
Anna moved forward and smacked the shit out of me. “You will never find a woman who will love you like I did.” She slightly raised her voice. “But my love hasn’t been good enough. I feel so sorry for you, Kiley, and it’s a shame that you were too damn stubborn and stupid to know a good thing when you had it.”
“I don’t like that you’re talking in the past. I know you ain’t gon walk out on me over some bullshit like this. I never made a commitment to you or to anybody. I never said I was having sex with you and only you.”
“You just can’t stop the lies, can you? And neither can I. Jada didn’t tell me that she had an STD. I made that up to get the truth out of you. She did tell me about the hotel, but look what I had to resort to in order to get to the truth. Either way, I’m done with this, Kiley. You can screw whoever you want to screw, but it for damn sure won’t be me anymore. Especially, since I’m not creative enough for you anyway.”
She walked out of the kitchen and into my room. I followed behind her and sat on the bed as she pulled my oversized t-shirt over her head. She stood in her bra and panties and reached for her jeans.
I held my face in my hand, as I could feel a headache coming down. “Don’t go,” I begged. “I know you’re upset with me, but there’s so many things you just don’t understand. For the record, I enjoy having sex with you. Of course I want us to be more creative, but I still enjoy being with you. I said something to that affect to Jada, and explained to her why I didn’t deserve you after having sex with her. If you give me one more chance, I prom…I know I won’t let you down.”
Anna continued to put on her clothes and ignore me. I got up and stood in front of her. “Baby, do you hear what I’m saying to you? Don’t go. Please don’t leave me. I need you. I’ve needed you every day since I met you. I just had a hard time dealing with my feelings, that’s all.”
She reached for the phone on my dresser and called for a taxi. After she gave the dispatcher my address, she plopped down on the bed. She covered her face with her hands, wiping the tears that had fallen from her eyes.
I sat next to her and held her. “Don’t cry like that. You make me feel like shit when you cry like that because of me. I’ve been trying hard to do right by you but I’m not perfect. Nobody’s perfect.”
Anna didn’t say one word as I continued to hold her. And when I heard the horn from the taxi, I asked her again to stay. She stood up and reached for her purse on my dresser. She placed it on her shoulder, grab the few pieces of clothing she’d gotten from her place earlier and headed for the door. By this time, I didn’t care if I’d made a fool of myself. I knew she was the only woman who seemed to genuinely care for me and I wasn’t about to let her leave. I hurried off the bed and grabbed her arm.
“If you walk out that door, I’m not coming after you,” I said. She snatched away and continued to make her way to it. When she opened the front door, she turned to face me.
“Goodbye, Kiley. I wish you well.”
I was feeling something I had never felt for a woman inside. I ran up to the door and pounded it as she stood in front of it. “I said don’t go! Please! Do…Don’t you know how much I love you! Can’t you see it! Can’t you feel it! Damn, baby, I tried!”
Just then, Desmon walked out of his room.
“What is up?” he asked. “What’s all the noise?”
I ignored him and looked at Anna as my eyes watered. “Please,” I said, for the last time as a tear had found its way down my cheek.
Desmon stood and waited for an answer with me.
She pointed her finger at me and spoke sternly. “No more bullshit from you, Kiley. I don’t like how you’ve put me on the spot like this and if you ever lie to me again, I’m leaving your behind for good.”
“Deal,” I said, feeling relieved. I pulled her to me, placing her head against my chest. Desmon yelled out at the taxi, “I don’t think she needs you!” As we moved away from the door, he closed it and stood in the foyer.
“I must say, Dad, that was one hell of a plea.” He laughed. I was in no mood to joke around with him, as I still had Anna in my arms.
“Desmon, go back to your room. Now ain’t the time or the place.”
He walked off to his room and closed the door behind him.
Still feeing a bit uneasy about her decision to stay, Anna loosened my arms from around her and walked back into my room. She got in bed with her clothes on and lay on her side. Allowing her some time to chill, I turned down the lights and went to the kitchen to get something to eat. After I ate, I lay across the couch and chilled in the living room for the rest of the night.
MAMA’S BABY,
DADDY’S MAYBE
Chapter Fifteen
“It’s time to shake, rattle and roll”. That’s what Rufus said after I told him about what had went down between Dominique and me. I even told him about Jada’s husband Dwayne and Rufus insisted, as I did, that it was time for everybody to get taken care of.
Desmon hadn’t gone to school because he claimed his leg was hurt from me leaning on it. I knew that was bullshit, but I wasn’t up for arguing with him this morning. As for Anna, she was still asleep. I lie back on the couch and quietly spoke to Rufus because I didn’t want Anna or Desmon to hear
what my plans were.
“So, after we do this, you coming back home, right?”
“I told you I was. Ain’t gon be no need for me to keep hanging around here in the Lou, unless I’m ready to die.”
“You know that fool Dominique got some niggas down here running a petty game for him. I knew that bastard was a playa hater the day I saw him. I also had a feeling some shit was gon go down between y’all.”
“I kind of had that feeling too. I’ll get all his information for you and call you later on in the week with it.”
“See, you need to think, Kiley. You should’ve had that shit a long time ago. If that nigga had taken you out at the racetrack, we would’ve been in the dark. And you know how much I hate being in the dark when it comes to shit like that.”
“You wouldn’t have been in the dark because Anna would have told you.”
“Man, I’on trust no bitch to tell me nothing! How you know her ass ain’t five-o? After what happened to you before, you should be a bit more skeptical about your selection of bitches. If she got a purse or something lying around there, go get it and give me her social security number so I can have her checked out.”
“It ain’t even that serious. You starting to sound more paranoid than me. Now, I’ll call you back with Dominique—
“Too late. I already got it. See, why you been down there in the Lou playing house, I had your back. Dominique got a big mouth. So big that I heard it all the way here in LA. Rumor had it that even though you saved his ass from Candi, he was worried about you ratting him out. That’s why I came to the Lou. I know where the nigga lives. I know where his mama lives, and where every last one of his kids live. If you wanna know the nigga net worth, I know that too.”
I scratched my head, as Rufus’ tone was pissing me off. “Killer, you sound like you got problems with me or something.”
“I got problems because you let them poot-butt rooty-too ass imitation gangstas in the Lous roll on you like that. And, in front of yo bitch too? Those niggas are weak, man. Including Jada ole lousy ten thousand dollars per month making starving druggist ass fool.”
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