by A'zayler
“So, you’re getting the pants, boo?” Alex and Summer looked at each other before turning around to face the boy.
Summer narrowed her eyes at Alex, letting him know not to start no shit before he turned completely around.
“Yeah,” Alex said dryly.
“Good. They were really cute.”
“I keep trying to tell him that it doesn’t matter what he wears, he has so much style he can pull off whatever it is he chooses to wear.” Summer tried to intervene to lighten the mood.
“Say that, honey. I love a supportive sister.”
“Me too,” Alex said, looking past him to Troy.
“Troy, hey boo.” Summer stepped around the boy and hugged Troy.
He hugged her back and kissed her cheek. “How you doing, Summer? You look gorgeous as always, my love.”
“Thank you, boo. I’m good. Still dealing with all my bad kids.”
Troy nodded his head at her. She was sure in appreciation for her efforts in mellowing out the mood. “You got it. You’re a hard ass. I know you can handle it.”
“You know I can.” She smiled. “It was nice seeing you, boo. Don’t be a stranger now. You know we’re better than that.”
“I’ll do my best.”
Summer stepped back around the boy and stood back next to Alex. She could see the questioning eyes Troy’s little friend was giving them both, but she ignored them. If he knew like she did, he would take that up with Troy and not her. She would most definitely fuck him up for being with her best friend’s man.
“You make me sick,” Alex told her once they got to the register.
“So. He was getting on my nerves talking to you.”
“Girl, mine too. I didn’t know how much more I was going to be able to take. I’m sure you know that already, though.”
Summer talked to him the rest of the time they were in the store. They had walked out and were headed down the mall when they heard someone calling Summer’s name. When they turned around, it was the boy. He sped walked to them and touched Alex’ arm.
“What’s your name?”
“Why?” Alex got into defense mode.
“I just want to know.”
“It’s Alex, why?” Summer interrupted.
He pointed his finger and nodded his head. “I knew it was you. He really loved you, ya know?” The boy smiled and began backing up. “Thank you for messing up, though.”
Summers’ grip on his arm was the only thing that stopped Alex from making a fool of himself in the mall.
“Don’t. Just don’t. It’s not that serious. He’s just being messy.”
Alex’s breathing had picked up as water began to cloud his vision. “Let’s just go.”
Summer agreed that it was time to go, so she looped her arm through his and they exited the mall. After dropping Summer back off, Alex went back home and tried his best to evaluate his life and the choices that needed to be made.
Chapter 10: Why Me?
Fallon pulled Jazz from the back seat of her car and bumped the door closed with her hip. She hit the locks and headed for the stairs to her sister-in-law’s house. Because her husband was due back in town the next morning and she didn’t really feel like driving all the way home, she figured her easiest alibi would be to just crash at his family’s house.
Though she was sure she was finally ready to call it quits, she wanted to do it on her own terms. Arguing and fussing about her not being in Albany while he was gone would surely make that hard. With Jazz’ body thrown over her shoulder, Fallon walked to the door. Like she told her she would be, Iesha was in the doorway waiting for her.
She pulled the door completely open and allowed them to walk in. “Hey, boo. You already know the way.” She ushered Fallon to the guest bedroom.
“Thanks so much, girl.”
“No problem. Everything is all set for y’all. See you in the morning.” Iesha closed the door to the small bedroom and left.
She was the sweetest thing while her brother could be mean as a rattlesnake. Fallon set her purse and her and Jazz’ overnight bag down on the chair, before kicking her shoes off. She then pulled the covers back and laid him on the bed. Dakota had already given him a bath and put his pajamas on, so he was good for the night.
Once he was settled, she changed her clothes, wrapped her hair, and got into bed with him. She was knocked out and calling hogs before she knew it. The next morning, she woke up to a baby crying. She knew it had to be Nyla. Iesha had just given birth to her a few months ago, and all she complained about was how much Nyla cried.
Fallon smiled to herself as she rose from the bed. Even though it was only a little after eight o’clock, she still knew it was time for her to get on the road. She changed her clothes and gathered all of their things. Jazz could keep on his pajamas. She unwrapped her hair, threw her scarf back in her bag, and grabbed her baby.
Jazz woke up as soon as she touched him. He wrapped both of his arms around her legs and laid his head against her thighs.
“Sit right here, man, and let Mommy make up the bed.” She sat Jazz on the futon in the corner and made the bed.
Once the room was back how it had been when she came in, Fallon threw her things over her shoulder and picked Jazz up. She opened the door, stepping on various toys, and made her way down the hallway. When she got into the kitchen, she noticed Iesha sitting at the table with the baby. She was feeding her a jar of baby food.
“I’m out, boo.”
Iesha turned around. “Dang, already?”
“Girl, yeah. You know your brother gets back today and he’s going to want Jazz and me there.”
“I understand, boo. Just call me when you get there.”
“I will.” Fallon walked out of the kitchen, then left the house.
She made sure to buckle Jazz in his car seat before throwing their bags in and hopping in the driver’ seat. Once her music was on, she was ready to ride. The hour and a half drive to Albany from Columbus wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t one she cared for. All she could think about was how soon it would all be over.
Now that she had cleared everything up with Dakota and made things right, she had a new outlook on life. Initially, she’d just wanted to make things right so that if her health ever took a turn for the worst that he would take Jazz for her. Her husband was an okay father and could probably take care of Jazz, but only once he was ready.
He wasn’t ready yet. He still had a lot of single man priorities he hadn’t let go of yet, and she didn’t want her baby to be neglected. His father was always going somewhere and doing something, Jazz would probably live with Iesha if something were to happen to her. She trusted Iesha and loved her a lot, but she had her own kids and man to deal with.
Fallon didn’t want Jazz anywhere where he would be mistreated or not given enough attention. She hadn’t known for sure, but she’d always felt that Dakota would be the perfect person for him. He would still be able to tell Jazz about her and their parents while giving him a good home. After staying with them for the weekend, she was even more sure of her decision now.
The love Dakota and Rain showed Jazz was crazy. Especially since they hadn’t even known him long. She’d had to promise everything except her life for Dakota to even let him leave with her this time. Fallon smiled as she thought about how much more Jazz looked like Dakota than his own father. Now that was crazy. What was even crazier was the fact that he had been looking like him since birth.
The time spent with her brother and his circle had been just what she’d needed to get her back on track. They’d given her so much life in just one short weekend. She could only imagine what it would be like once she moved to Columbus permanently. She and Jazz would finally have a family. Something she was sure they’d both been longing for.
“Are we there yet, Mommy? I see the lights,” Jazz said, from the backseat.
Fallon laughed to herself as she thought about the lights he was referring to. They were the large ones from the gas station down the
street from their house. She thought it was cute how he used it to recognize that they were almost home.
“Yep. Almost there.”
Fallon turned her car onto their street and continued driving. She passed four more houses before turning into her driveway. Her husband’s truck was already parked along the street, so she knew he was home. She rolled her eyes in anticipation for what was to come. All he did was complain. Like he had any room to do so. After she turned her car off she got out, grabbed their bags and then opened the door for Jazz. He unlocked his seat belt and hopped out.
He grabbed her hand as they walked down the driveway to the front door. She used her key to let them in before closing the door behind herself. Jazz walked down the hall, to his room she assumed. With all of their bags still on her shoulder, she headed to her room as well. She could smell the smoke before she even opened the door.
When she opened it, her husband, Drake was lying across the bed in his boxers watching TV and smoking a cigarette.
“What have I told you about smoking in the house?”
He took another puff from his cigarette and blew out the smoke. “How you come in the house tripping?”
“Because I came in and you’re doing the very thing I’ve asked you not to do a million times.”
“Well, I’ve asked you to have your ass at home when I’m away, but you don’t do what I tell you, so shid…” He blew out some more smoke. “I guess we’re both two hard-headed muthafuckas.”
“Whatever.” Fallon waved him off and walked into her bathroom.
She hadn’t taken a bath the night before at Dakota’s house because she was on her cycle, and with her disease, she always tried to be extra careful. She turned the shower on and began taking off of her clothes. She was naked from the waist up when the door opened. Drake came in with a frown on his face, which gained him one right back in return.
Fallon turned her nose up. “What?”
“Why the first thing you do when you walk in the door is take a shower?”
“Boy, if you don’t get your behind out of here with that mess.”
Drake grabbed her arm. “I’m not playing with you, Fallon.”
“And I’m not playing with you either. Get your hand off of me. You’ve got some nerve coming in here talking to me, with all the shit you do. Hell, if I did want another nigga, you made sure to ruin that for me.”
Drake cowered once those words left her mouth. As he always did because he knew not only was it the truth, but he knew he was wrong for doing it. He looked her up and down as she bucked her eyes at him, waiting for him to get out. Once the door closed fully, she looked at herself in the mirror. She pushed her dress down the rest of her body so that she was naked.
Anytime she would look at herself and think about how perfect she was she would start feeling bad. You would never know that she was terminally ill just by looking at her. Her shape was banging, her face was pretty, and she looked healthy. Nothing about her said AIDS, but the paper the doctor had given her.
It was so crazy to her, but she’d found a way to deal with it so she wouldn’t let it get her down today. Fallon reached under her sink to grab her shower cap and slid it on her head. She stepped into the shower and slid down to the floor, allowing the water to massage her tired body. She didn’t know how long she stayed in the shower, but once the water started to get cold, she got out.
Being that she hadn’t brought anything in the bathroom with her, she had to leave the bathroom in her towel. Drake was back in his spot on the bed with his phone in his hand. She rolled her eyes and continued to her closet. She didn’t even care who he was talking to. Whatever hoe it was, she was nasty, or on her way to being sick.
Fallon wished she could tattoo his forehead with the word AIDS so that every woman he came in contact with could go the other way. It wasn’t fair to them, just like it hadn’t been fair to her.
“I don’t know why you don’t just leave them girls alone. You ain’t gon do nothing but end their lives early.” Fallon walked past the bed with her panties and tights.
She was closing the bathroom door when she heard him say fuck her. She smiled and put her clothes on then grabbed one of her bras that was hanging on the bathroom door and put it on before exiting again.
Back in her room, she grabbed her laptop and sat on the bed. “Jazz,” she yelled.
She watched her screen until the picture of her and Jazz popped up on her desktop. She scrolled to the internet and opened it up.
“Yes, ma’am?” Jazz came around the corner.
“What you doing?”
“Watching Spy Kids on Netflix.”
“Oh, okay, well go ahead. I just wanted to see what you were doing.” Fallon smiled at him and he took off running from the room.
“What you looking up apartments for?” Drake asked her.
“None of your business. I’m looking for a divorce attorney next, though. Now that, you can worry about.”
Drake sat up in bed and looked at her. “The hell you been this weekend that got you acting all brand new and shit?”
“Again, I’ll tell you, none of your business,” Fallon said, in her most sarcastic tone.
Drake snatched her computer as she got the number to the apartments Rain had taken her to price.
“What you think you’re doing?”
“Leaving your ass.”
“No, the fuck you ain’t.”
“Yes, my dear, I am. Now give me my computer back please.”
Fallon knew her sarcasm would get next to him and she was glad. Something needed to get to his black ass. Clearly her complaining about being lonely and sad didn’t, so maybe this would.
“Fallon, you’re not taking my son anywhere.”
“Why I’m not? You never see him anyway. You moved us here, and you’ve been gone off doing your own thing ever since.”
“I be working.” He got indignant.
“Yeah, baby, I’m sure you do.”
“Fallon, stop playing so much.”
“I’m not playing, baby. I’m so serious right now. Probably the most serious I’ve been in all of my life. I’m tired of your cheating ass.”
Fallon held her hand up for him when she noticed her cell phone ringing on the dresser. She picked it up and answered. It was Iesha.
“Hey boo, what’s up?”
Fallon could hear a lot of noise in the background before Iesha’s voice became clearer. “You’re the one that keeps cheating. If you would just leave all those other bitches alone, then I wouldn’t be tripping. You stupid fucker!” she yelled.
Fallon pulled the phone away from her ear until Iesha stopped yelling. “Iesha!”
“Yeah. My bad, girl. I’m just so tired of this nigga. He stays out with that bitch all night then comes home like I don’t know. That bastard gets on my nerves. I don’t know what it is about this same girl that he can’t seem to get enough of.”
“Girl, you’re preaching to the choir. Your brother on the same shit.”
“What’s wrong with these niggas, sis?” Iesha asked.
“I wish I knew,” Fallon told her.
In no rush to get back to the conversation she’d been having with Drake, Fallon sat on the phone with Iesha for another thirty minutes, comparing the dirt their men did. Which wasn’t out of the norm. They had their own private vent sessions at least once a month. By the time she got off the phone, Drake was sitting on the bed looking at her like a timid child would look at their mother.
He must have finally realized that she was serious because he stopped trying to act hard. “Baby, come on. Don’t do this. I told you I stopped all that.”
Fallon looked at him. “Oh, you did, huh?”
“Yeah boo, I did.”
Fallon held her hand out toward him. “Well let me see your phone.”
Drake looked down at it, then back up at her. “You’re supposed to trust me. How we gon be together if you don’t trust me?”
“See, you’re a liar. You can�
�t let me see it because you’re lying, but it’s cool. I don’t give a damn. My baby and I are leaving your ass. You can stay right here in this country ass town and continue on doing whatever it is that you’ve been doing.”
“I don’t want to do that. I want to be with you.” He set her computer back down in front of her and she grabbed it quickly.
“Thank you.” Fallon went back to her apartment search.
She stayed on there long enough to get the necessary numbers before switching the website to the local job listings. She was not about to keep playing with Drake. He could take his sick, cheating ass somewhere and kick rocks. She was tired, and she was done with his games.
*****
Love lay on the black weight bench pushing the bar up and down over his head. He took deep breaths and pushed over and over until he reached fifty. Richardson was behind him waiting to spot him if need be, but he hadn’t needed it. Working out was nothing new to him. He had been doing it for years.
“Damn, boy. What you ate this morning? Some Wheaties?” Richardson stuck his hand out for dap as Love stood from the bench.
Love slapped his hand with Richardson’s before grabbing his towel to wipe the sweat from his face.
“Nah, nigga, I’m just a beast like that.”
“Hell, nah. Rain probably at your house fixing you Raisin Brand and protein bars for breakfast and shit. When you was living by yourself, you weren’t knocking down no iron like that.” Richardson referred to the weights Love had just been lifting.
Love laughed and pulled his locs out of the ponytail they were in. “This dude.”
He walked behind the bench and took the place Richardson had just occupied. He looked straight ahead as Richardson lifted the weights.
“Yo, man, you still ain’t figured out who was doing that shit to your girl?”
Love shook his head. “Nah, I been trying my hardest. I got cameras and everything set up at the crib, but ain’t shit happened since she been with me.”
“She don’t know who it was?”
“She said it was some woman, but she ain’t never seen the chick before. That shit just doesn’t make any sense to me, though. I don’t fuck with nobody but her. The other bitches that I had a few run-ins with she knows what they look like. So I don’t know.”