Get Somebody New

by Lewis, Michael

  Jazz

  When I went to visit my mom I hadn’t prepared for all the questions she asked.

  “Hey baby, I was beginning to think you had forgotten where we lived.”

  “Oh nah mom, I’ve just been really busy. I got a record exec to listen to some of my work and they’re interested. I’ve been in talks with them.”

  “That is great. What I really want to know is who has you glowing like a neon light? Don’t lie to me either, a mother knows her child. You haven’t looked this happy in a long time. I can see it too. Your happiness is from deep down.”

  “Well uh I’ve been seeing someone.”

  “That’s great. I would love to meet the young lady that is putting this happiness into my baby’s life.”

  Sitting with my mouth open, I didn’t know what to say next or even if I should say anything. I didn’t want to act suspicious but I had to find something to say and quick.

  “Well you will get to meet my baby in due time.”

  “So what is her name? What is she like? What does she do?”

  “Whoa Ma’ too many questions. You will find all that out in due time. I have to make sure this is the one.”

  Choosing my words carefully, I tried to be as ambiguous as possible, hoping my mom wouldn’t catch on.

  “We know so little about your life these days. I am just happy to see you happy. I’ve never even been to your place since you moved. That was over a year ago. Are you living with her? That’s okay with me.”

  “So how is dad?”

  “Well he is still Tony, that’s about all I can say. I am glad he has been staying out of trouble. His company is doing really well. He just got 5 new accounts, the two new buildings downtown and 3 other office buildings in College Park. Who would have ever thought he would own a successful landscaping business?”

  “You know he got hustling in his blood. He probably got a side business too.”

  “Let’s hope not. So will I be having any grandkids in the near future?”

  “Wow mom one step at a time.”

  “I just want to keep it on your mind. What’s the matter? You look worried about something. I told you I know my child. Something is on your mind, talk to me.”

  “I um…it’s just…it ain’t nothing mom. Don’t worry, something just came across my mind.”

  “I don’t believe you for a second, but I’ll leave it alone for now.”

  Just about then my dad came home.

  “Hey! You’re looking good son. Some girl is taking good care of you I see. What you know good boy?”

  “Oh I’m good pop. I just told mom I’ve been having some meetings with a record company interested in my work.”

  “Just as long as it doesn’t get in the way of the family business. Nothing comes before that. I have a reputation.”

  “Ahhh, I hate to leave so soon. I didn’t want to leave without seeing you but I have to get back to my side of town.”

  “Alright boy. Don’t be such a stranger. You mom worries when she doesn’t see you for so damn long.”

  “Okay, I will try to come by more often. Love Y’all.”

  ‘Bye baby.”

  “Yeah, later son.”

  It just got too damn thick in there. It felt like I was suffocating or something. I didn’t want my mom to bring up the previous topic in front of my dad. I knew he would know something after I gave one answer. I couldn’t take that chance. The visit put things back in check for me. Zeke had me so happy I had forgotten there was another world out there separate from our personal love nest. A world that’s not opening minded and critical of everything, especially things that went against the status quo. I was carefree in love, but because so many people know me all it would take is the wrong person to see something. I knew it would be in my best interest to take things back low key like at first. Hopefully Zeke would understand.

  When I got home Zeke was working on something in the study. I went in to speak as I usually did when I got home.

  “Hey Sup Zeke?”

  “Hey Jazz. Come in.

  “Nah, you working I won’t disturb you.”

  “I am finished.”

  I didn’t wait for him to finish his sentence before I walked away to the living room to get the bags I’d brought in. Zeke came in and walked over to me. When he went to kiss me I turned away.

  “Nah, watch out Zeke. We’re right in front of the window and shit.”

  He didn’t say anything in response he just gave a knowing nod and walked away. That night instead of sleeping with him, I slept in my own bed, which I hadn’t done in so long I couldn’t remember the last time. I caught hell that night too. I was used to holding Zeke in my arms every night, all night. I tossed and turned all night long and got a solid 30 minutes of sleep all night. The next morning it looked like I’d spent the night in the depths of hell.

  The next morning the aroma of coffee, bacon, and pancakes with maple syrup woke me up. After I washed up I went to the kitchen where Zeke was standing at the stove putting the last of the pancakes on a platter. I tried to kiss him and he turned away from me. I tried again and he dodged me again and said,

  “Watch out Jazz we’re right in front of the kitchen window.”

  I couldn’t say shit because I knew I deserved that. During breakfast, Zeke didn’t say a word to me. After he finished he took his dishes into the kitchen and it sounded like he threw the dishes into the sink and jumped into the sink behind them. By the time I realized he was actually leaving the house, he was already backing out of the garage. I saw him just in time to see him wipe the tears from his eyes as he looked into the visor mirror. He drove off then wiped his eyes again. He was crying and I felt awful. I started to go after him but decided I’d better leave him alone.

  “Oh Shit!” I said as I looked at my watch and remembered my meeting with Marlena was in 15 minutes. I shaved and got dressed quickly. Zeke was on my mind all the way there. I couldn’t get the image of him crying out of my head. I wiped the tears that had started to form in my own eyes and took a deep breath before entering the office.

  “Hey boy you look handsome today.” Shay commented.

  “Thanks a lot.”

  “I’ll tell the cougar you’re here.”

  “You are so bad.” I responded with a laugh.

  Marlena came out immediately to show me into her office.

  “Hello, Jazz.”

  “Hello, I apologize for being late.”

  “Oh don’t worry about it. Have you thought anymore about the business offer I made to you?”

  “You mean the proposition?”

  “No, I make offers.”

  “There was nothing to think about. I know I am talented so if you pass it’ll only be a matter of time before someone else recognizes my talent.”

  “Oh sweet naive one, that’s only if someone else even agrees to see you, which will be a dream after I put the word out about you.”

  “You’d really do that to me? Do you really need some dick that bad?”

  “It’s not what I need, it’s what I want and I get what I want.”

  “Someone must have hurt you and fucked your heart all the way up. You may be used to messing over these wet behind the ear niggas, but I’m a real nigga straight off the block so bitch don’t try to play me. You like my work or you don’t, it’s that simple. My dick ain’t under contract bitch.”

  “Okay, I’ll get back to you.”

  “Yeah aiight. I’m out.”

  I wasn’t as clueless and wet behind the ears as Marlena thought I was. I knew all about her scandalous dick thirsty ass and how she operates. Although she is a manipulating bitch, she is also a shrewd businesswoman. I knew she realized that I was a commodity and she stood to make a lot of money.

  I decided to get Zeke a peace offering on the way home. I knew he loved Jolly Rancher candy so I stopped and got a big bag. I decided to do what I should have done in the first place and explain things to him instead of just pushing him away lik
e I did. When I got home Zeke wasn’t there. I waited for him till the last possible moment before I had to leave for my gig. I got home about 6 A.M. and Zeke still wasn’t home. I gave up calling his cell phone after leaving messages until his voice mailbox was full. I got worried and called Alton.

  “Hello, Alton it’s Jazz. I’m looking for Zeke, have you seen him?”

  “Yeah, I saw him a few minutes ago.”

  “Oh that’s a relief. He is okay then. He hasn’t been home all night. I saw him yesterday morning and haven’t seen him since.”

  “What did Zeke say to you when you last saw him Jazz?”

  “Well, he didn’t say anything.”

  “What did you do to him?”

  Alton it’s a lot going on that I am trying to figure out. I need to explain everything to Zeke. Alton, I love Zeke real talk. Zeke means everything to me.”

  “Jazz, uh man are you crying?”

  “Yeah, I guess I am. I know Zeke is hurt about how I turned away when he tried to kiss me. It ain’t what he thinking man. When I saw him crying I should have tried to stop him, followed him, called him, I should have done somethin’. I can’t lose him, not over a misunderstanding.

  “You haven’t lost him. He told me not to tell you I’ve seen him but he is ok. His feelings were was really hurt. He said he felt like a leper. I did get him to see that you weren’t rejecting him but probably didn’t even realize what you did.

  “I’mma talk to him when he gets home, thanks man.”

  Zeke finally came home that evening about 6 and I was standing at the front door waiting. Zeke walked straight past me and went straight to his room so I followed him.

  “Zeke how you gonna just walk past me like that? I need to talk to you.”

  He didn’t answer me.

  “Zeke? I know damn well you hear me!”

  It annoyed me when he pulled that silent treatment shit when he was pissed, I ain’t mean ta' raise my voice at him like I did though. I must have scared him because he jumped. He did speak though.

  “Jazz it took me a while to unconditionally love and be proud of the person I am. I don’t want to be anybody’s little closet secret, but what you did was even worse. In my own home, you shunned me like

  I was a leper. When all I tried to do was show you simple affection. It wasn’t even that you didn’t want me to kiss you in front of the window I could understand that. It was the expression on your face and then the way you turned away with force that was almost violent. Jazz, it made me feel like my kiss was the most disgusting thing on earth. I couldn’t understand why a simple thing to show love to you ended up making me feel like I stepped out of a sewer. That hurt me so bad Jazz, and then I sat there stone faced trying not to cry because I didn’t want you to feel bad. Zeke explained as his eyes filled with tears that ran freely down his face. He didn’t try to stop them this time.

  In that moment I realized four extremely important things:

  1. What I did was selfish because I didn’t even think about how that would make Zeke feel and it really hurt him and I totally understood why.

  2. I realized that I was not alone in my fear. This dude loved me as hard and as strong as you can love a person.

  3. I realized that I loved Zeke right back just as strong if not more. It wasn’t a phase, it wasn’t an experiment, it wasn’t temporary, this nigga was my heart, my world, my life, my air, my everything.

  4. I realized that what I had was true love because I wasn’t afraid of anything anymore, not my dad, not what he expected, not that he would be furious I stopped dealing.

  “Zeke, I’m sorry I never ever meant to make you feel that way. I was selfish and acting out of fear. Babe come here, come close I want you to really hear me right now. Zeke, I love you with every damn thing I got in me. I hate knowing that I made you feel I could ever be disgusted by you. Zeke you are my world man. I went to visit my mom yesterday and saw my pops too and he was asking a bunch of questions. After that visit I felt like I needed to be more careful. So that’s why I acted like that about being in front of the window cause I never know who might be watching, if my pops is watching me, or if he got somebody watching me. The nigga got eyes everywhere.

  He doesn’t even know I am not dealing anymore. You gotta understand getting out of the dope game with my pops is kinda like trying to get out of a gang, but Zeke I did it not just for me but for you too. I love you Zeke. I ain’t mean to hurt you. See Zeke, you know I sold drugs, but you don’t know why. I never chose that, I was forced into that. My pops is “Cold” Tony Hardaway, one of the biggest dudes in the dope game in the South. My pops is just not someone you say no to. If you ask any dealer on the street or any police officer on the east coast about my pops, I guarantee you they will know about him. The feds were after him for years but he was always too slippery to catch. Zeke guess where I was born?”

  “Where?”

  “In prison, because the feds busted my moms doing a pickup for my pops and tried to make her give him up but she didn’t.”

  “Wow! Jazz why didn’t you tell me any of this before now? Now I see why you flipped out when I said you could stop if you wanted. I made it sound so easy and it wasn’t. I also understand all your anger, it’s because you have been carrying all of this. Jazz. I’m sorry.”

  “Nah babe, you ain’t do nothing wrong, you didn’t know, but that’s one reason why I love you man. You’ve pushed me and encouraged me and had my back all because you believed in me. Zeke, I didn’t tell you because I didn’t think you would want to associate with nobody like me.”

  “Jazz, you stopped and showed concern for me on one of the worst nights ever. You could have passed me up and not looked back. You won my friendship then regardless of anything. One thing you can count on no matter what Jazz, I got your back, always.”

  “Zeke thanks. I’d never reject you babe. I saw you in the car wiping your eyes and I knew I had messed up. Zeke when you just disappeared I was scared I’d lost you.

  “I was just confused and hurt but I understand you so much better now. I didn’t mean to worry you and it would take a lot more than that for you to lose me.”

  “Please don’t do that anymore. If you are mad, just pick up the phone and tell me you are. At least I’d know you are okay. Whenever I don’t know you are alright, I’m not alright.”

  “Okay.”

  “Zeke, baby you know I really, really love you right?”

  “Yes.”

  “You love me, babe? I asked with my sad puppy eyes.

  “Yes, Jazz you know I do.” He said with that sexy ass smile that makes me weak.

  “Come here Zeke. Now grab what belongs to you.”

  He reached out and grabbed the bulge that extended down my right thigh. I felt a surge run through me and my dick jumped and got rock hard from his touch. I had to have him. I didn’t say anything I just pulled his shirt off, and started unbuckling his belt. I pulled his pants down over the high, round, bubble-licious mounds of his ass and couldn’t resist. I grabbed two generous hands full and pulled him close to me and kissed him. I told him to lie on his stomach.

  “What are you gonna do Jazz?” he asked.

  “I’m gonna show you why I could never reject you. Cause I am so addicted to every single thing about you.”

  Before he could respond, I spread his legs apart and plunged my tongue between Zeke’s luscious mounds with a force that made his body rise from the bed. He moaned my name over and over and made me weak and hot at the same time. I turned him over and he caught me by surprise when he reached down, grabbed my dick and guided me inside of him.

  He was so warm and soft. I slid deeper and began to thrust. Soon Zeke wrapped his body around mine and began to cry out to me from the intensity of my deep, desperate strokes. I tried to hold back in vain because soon, I exploded deep inside him. After a quick recovery, we began round two. Makeup sex is the Best!

  Ten

  Alton Allen

  Being the forgiving Christian
that I am, I went to pay Nadiah a visit. Nadiah looked like hell. One thing I can say is that no matter what she always kept herself looking good. I think I will always love her in some capacity, but I can never be in love with her again. As the mother of my child she does warrant some consideration from me about her welfare. She was a horrible wife, but I wouldn’t wish harm on her.

  “Hey Nadiah I came to see you and see how you are holding up.”

  “Alton, you are the last person I expected to see. After what I’ve done to you. I want to apologize to you, I feel I owe you that much.”

  “I appreciate that Nadiah.”

  “You are a good man Alton. You didn’t deserve any of the things I did to you.”

  “Nadiah I know you need money, for legal fees and other stuff. I’m willing to settle with you. Here is a cashier’s check for $250,000.00. That should help you get a new start. All you have to do is sign this to accept the settlement.”

  “I do need the money. I appreciate it.” She said before she signed the paper.

  After exchanging a little bit of small talk I got up and walked to the door. I turned to look at Nadiah once more before walking out of her life for good. I drove straight to my lawyer’s office to take the papers and have them recorded. With both our signatures, the divorce was final. From the lawyers office I went to my personal jeweler to pick up the beautiful custom made 5 carat Canary yellow and white diamond engagement ring I’d had crafted especially for Rachel. She had no idea of my plans.

  Elias tried to fight the divorce at first until she reminded him that if they took it to court, she had a very good chance of wiping him out totally. Once he thought about it he changed his tune. He hurried up and signed those papers. So her divorce was expedited and finalized the week before mine.

  I couldn’t wait to get home. I was a little too excited, because I got stopped for speeding. Once the officer heard my story and saw how happy I was, he let me off with a warning and told me to slow down. After making one more stop at my travel agent’s office to pick up some tickets, I went home. While Rachel was still at work, I packed two suitcases for us. When she walked in the house all the lights were off and the suitcases were at the front door.