Careful of the Company You Keep

by Angie Daniels

  “Well?” I asked impatiently. “So how are we going to handle this situation?”

  Alvin started popping his knuckles. He knows I hate when he does that. “I need a moment to get my temper in control, because after what my daughter just told me, I’m ready to go to jail.”

  “Jail?” I barked as I glanced over at the smirk that she quickly shut down. “I told you before you went up the stairs that girl is lying.”

  “And you heard what she said. She isn’t lying.”

  Portia dropped her head.

  “She’s lying. That’s all your daughter knows how to do is lie.”

  Alvin was so angry, he was shooting venom. “Face it. Your man messed with my daughter and I’m going to have his thug ass arrested.” He glanced over his shoulder. “Portia, honey, go get your things. You’re going home with me.”

  Obediently, she moved up the stairs.

  Uh-uh, no, he didn’t just come in and make my ass look like I’m the one to blame. I sprang from the chair. “Make sure you take all your shit, because you ain’t coming back here!”

  Alvin stood there and rocked on the back of his heels. “You sound like a fool.”

  “No, you’re the fool believing your daughter, but then she gets it honest so that explains it all.”

  “That’s the reason why we’re not still together.”

  “We’re not together because I left your sorry ass.” I put my fingers in his face and he had the nerve to laugh at me.

  “I blame you for our daughter being pregnant.”

  “What! How is her spreading her legs with some nappy-headed boy my fault?”

  “If you were giving her the guidance she needed instead of chasing after all those young thugs, none of this would have ever happened.”

  I started laughing because I was so angry and because he sounded crazy as hell. “Go right ahead and press charges against Ron, and I’m going to let the entire world know what kind of tramp your daughter is.”

  “Yes, well . . . and I’ll let the world know that if you weren’t so busy dating men half your age, this would never have happened in the first place.”

  “No, if she’d kept her legs closed then none of this would have happened.” I was too through with him. “Listen, I don’t have time to be arguing with you. I’ve got something to do.” I turned on my heels, grabbed my keys and my purse from the living room.

  “Where you going, to find that nigga?”

  I pierced him with an icy look. “Don’t worry about me. Just take your daughter and be out of my house by the time I get back.”

  I hurried to my Durango, then peeled out of the parking lot and immediately put the car in drive. My cell phone rang and I looked down to see it was Mama. I didn’t feel like hearing her mouth because for once in my life, I knew what I was doing. I loved Ron and he was my man and from now on, he had to come first.

  I just don’t know how I could have been so stupid. Something in my gut had told me my daughter, who had a habit of crying wolf, wasn’t telling the truth, but no, I listened to my friends and did the motherly thing and believed my daughter’s word, even though deep down I knew something wasn’t right. Even after Ron pleaded his innocence.

  See, my daughter had been a problem since she started high school. Meeting men over the Internet. Running away, accusing a college student of raping her. Portia had been out of control. And when she accused Ron of seducing her, I believed he fathered her child no matter how much it hurt me, because it was the right thing to do. What a fool I was.

  As I drove, I thought about the last several weeks and had to blame my boo as well. Damn you, Ron! If he had told me months ago that Portia had walked in on him coming out of the shower, then I would have known how Portia knew he was uncircumcised. Instead, everything had spiraled out of my control and left me with no choice but to believe my daughter. What mother wouldn’t? I know several hos that put their men before their kids. I know of a girl in Portia’s class who had tried to tell her mother her stepfather had been sexually abusing her, but her mother refused to believe her and kicked her out onto the streets. Two days later, the girl hanged herself. It had been all over the news. And that was why I had chosen to believe Portia.

  Angry tears streamed down my face as I made a right at the corner and then a left.

  I met Ron about two and a half years ago. Shop & Save was running a sale on ground chuck and there wasn’t any left in the bin. I rang the bell for the meat department and Ron came out. My tongue was hanging out of my mouth. He was fine as all get-out. Tall, dark, sexy, and a white-toothed smile dripping with charisma. After he brought out a family pack of meat, he asked for my number. That night he called, and by Friday, we’d gone out on our first date. It never bothered me that I was twelve years his senior. Hell, I’d dated men younger than that before. Cornrows braided straight back, jeans hanging off their butts, long white T-shirts and Timberland boots—there wasn’t anything sexier. I didn’t know why I was attracted to those types of men. It wasn’t that I liked young dudes. I just had a thing for thugs, preferably one with a job. As an LPN, I could have dated and probably married a doctor by now. Instead I wanted a man like Ron in my life and I was going to do whatever it took to get him back.

  “He’s gonna forgive me. He’s gonna forgive me.” I chanted that over and over as I drove, and by the time I made it into town, I was sure that he would listen to what I said. After all, Ron loved me as much as I loved him. We’ve split up before but always managed to work it out. A smile curled my lips. Yes, everything was going to be okay, I was certain of it. We had been together two years strong before Portia fucked everything up.

  It didn’t matter what anyone said. Ron was one helluva man. My man. Maybe he didn’t have a legit job and was forever in court for one thing after another. None of that mattered. I loved him and if, correction, when I got him back I’d stand by my man and tell all them haters to kiss my ass. I’m serious, there was just too much time invested in our relationship to just walk away. And that wasn’t happening.

  As I headed east on Providence Road, I started planning the rest of the evening. We definitely needed an entire night of make-up sex. Hopefully, he would just pack his bag and come back home. Hmmm. I would have to remember to drop by the store on my way home. Ron loves getting up in the middle of the night looking for Twinkies. What my man wanted, my man would get. I even planned to take off tomorrow so we could sleep late and then spend the entire day and night together.

  I started smiling and was shaking with excitement as I neared my destination. I was finally going to get Ron back, and this time I wasn’t going to let him go.

  I pulled up in front of his mother’s place in the hood and cursed under my breath when I saw his sister Ursula’s raggedy Honda in front of the house. Damn, that skank always did something to piss me off. I felt like pulling off and coming back another time. The only thing stopping me was that I needed to say what I needed to say to Ron as soon as possible so he could start packing his shit and head on home with me. Yep. It was going to take a lot more than Ursula’s big mouth to stand in my way.

  I climbed out of my SUV, moved past the unkempt yard littered with beer cans, and knocked on a screen door that was hanging off the hinges. As soon as Ursula swung open the door and saw me, she turned up her nose.

  “Uh-uh. No, yo skinny ass didn’t just knock on my mama’s door!” she snarled.

  I rolled my eyes at her. She got a lot of nerve talking about someone with her big forehead. “Where’s Ron?”

  Ursula posted her wide ass in the door. She wore a size twenty and was at least four inches shorter than me. “What the hell you need Ron for?”

  “ ’Cause I need to talk to him, that’s why.”

  She rolled her neck as she spoke. “My brother ain’t got shit to say to you.”

  “Ursula, this doesn’t have anything to do wit you. This is between me and yo brother.”

  “Guess what? I’m making it my business.” She propped her hand on he
r waist. “Mama!”

  A few seconds later I heard someone dragging their feet across the floor.

  “What’s all that noise on my goddamn porch?” Nita said as she moved to the door. Sponge rollers in her hair. Dingy-looking housecoat and raggedy house shoes she wore every day, even to the grocery store. As soon as Nita spotted me standing on her porch, she bunched up her squinty eyes. “What yo boney ass want?”

  “Nita, I came to talk to Ron.”

  “You got a lot of nerve showing up here. He don’t wanna talk to you.”

  I glared at one and then the other. “I don’t have time to be fooling with either of yo ghetto asses. I came to speak to Ron!”

  “Bitch, don’t be on my porch yelling!” his sister screamed.

  I noticed the neighbors next door had come out of their house and were standing on the porch listening to the exchange. At least there would be witnesses if anything was about to go down. “Go get yo brother and I won’t have to scream.”

  Ursula made a show of pulling off her jewelry. “Mama. You would want and go get the Vaseline.”

  I took a step closer and she took a step back. I laughed. Ursula couldn’t fight and knew it. Hell, everyone knew it after she got her ass beat down by the woman her baby’s daddy was now living with.

  Ursula and I started shouting in each other’s face. Nita got a big kick out of the whole thing and moved out onto the porch, took a seat, and lit up a joint. By the time I had my fist balled up and was ready to take a swing, Ron came to see what all the commotion was about. His right arm was in a sling and his face looked like meatloaf.

  “Can we talk?” I said between breaths.

  He didn’t answer, just opened the screen door and stepped out on the porch. Tears burned at the backs of my eyes. Damn! My brother Kee had done a number on him.

  Only seconds after Portia told him Ron had raped her, Kee tracked Ron down in Church’s Chicken parking lot, yanked him out of his car, then beat him down with a crowbar. Rumor had it that Ron had been in a coma for three days.

  “Can I please talk to you in private?” I asked. I was trying not to smile but was so glad to see him. I wished what happened to him never happened, but I had every intention of making it up to him as soon as we got home. Hmmm, maybe I’ll grill us some steaks.

  Ron moved out toward the curb, then turned and lit a cigarette. “All right, talk.”

  I glanced over at the porch where his mother and sister were both watching. I glared at them, then turned back toward him. “Can we go somewhere more private?”

  “Nope,” he answered as he took a puff. “You either tell me whassup or I’m out.”

  Damn, he wasn’t making this easy for me, was he? I turned so my back was facing them. “I know you’re not the father of Portia’s baby.”

  Ron tossed a fist in the air so fast, I jumped back, afraid he was trying to swing at me. “I told you from the get-go I ain’t touched that girl!”

  “I know, I know, and I’m soooo sorry I didn’t believe you.”

  “Are you sorry for yo brother and his boys jumping my ass? That’s what I want to know.” He glared at me.

  “Yes, I didn’t mean for any of that to happen.”

  He took another puff. “So . . . if I held you down while my cousin Twin came over and whupped yo ass, we’d be even, right?”

  Hell nah! His cousin just got out of jail for attempted murder and was crazy as hell. I glanced over my shoulder at his people and rolled my eyes. “Listen, I’m trying to apologize.”

  Ron leaned forward and the muscle at his jaw twitched the way it did anytime he was pissed off. “And what’s that supposed to solve? You and I were trying to do the damn thang, but you wanted to believe that trick over me even when I swore to you on my daddy’s grave I ain’t touched her mothafuckin’ ass.” It was quite evident in his face that he couldn’t stand Portia.

  “She is my daughter.”

  “And I was your man.”

  I smiled, then put on my seductive voice. “And as far as I’m concerned you’re still my man. What can I do to make it up to you, boo?” Even beat up he was fine as hell. I was ready to beg if I had to.

  “You betta not forgive her!” Ursula yelled from the porch as she passed the joint back to her mama. I glared at her and wanted so badly to pick up a brick and toss it at her wide forehead. “What you looking at?” she asked.

  “You, bitch! Now what?” While I waited for her to respond, I watched a yellow Mustang pull up in front of Nita’s place.

  Ron leaned over and gave me the look that I loved so much. “I need to know how sorry you really is.”

  I returned my attention to him and took a step forward so our thighs brushed. Damn, he smelled good. “Boo-boo, I’m very, very sorry.”

  “You are? Well, check this out. You know what I want you to do?” He leaned in closer. If I didn’t know better, I would have sworn he was going to kiss me.

  “What, boo?” I asked while licking my lips.

  Before I saw it coming, Ron cleared his throat and sent a big wad of spit that landed on my cheek. “You can get the fuck out of my face! That’s what you can do. You lucky I don’t hit women, ’cause I feel like stompin’ yo ass.”

  “Hell naw!” Ursula shrieked.

  It was then that a woman with long blond locks climbed out of the Mustang, chuckling like a hyena. “Baby, you ready?”

  “Yeah, I’m ready.” Ron tossed out his cigarette butt, then turned on the heels of his white sneakers and hopped into the car.

  Spit slid down my cheek onto the concrete. Ursula and Nita screamed with hysterical laughter. The neighbors joined in. I was so embarrassed I climbed into my Durango without saying a word and headed home to find it empty.

  3

  Renee

  Five months later

  We were already pigging out on homemade chips and salsa when my girl Kayla Sparks finally arrived at El Maguey. She headed in our direction and I have to say, she looked fabulous in a wool pantsuit she bought last weekend at Lane Bryant. Her face was glowing with excitement. Shit, I ain’t mad. With a man who was not only wonderful, but fine as hell, life for her was definitely sweet.

  “Hey, sorry I’m late, but my boss waited until four-thirty to tell me he wanted me to get a letter out tonight.” Kayla slid on the bench next to my partner-in-crime Danielle Brooks, then reached for a handful of chips. “What I miss? I know y’all were gossiping about somebody.”

  I met her gray eyes from across the table. “Yeah, John’s faggot ass. He’s been blowing up my phone all day.”

  Kayla gave me a weak smile. “Maybe it’s important.”

  Danielle laughed. “Yeah, and maybe he’s no longer screwing that fag and wants to get back together.”

  “Won’t know unless you talk to him,” Nadine Baker singsonged.

  I glanced at all three of them, then stuck up my middle finger. “Fuck y’all. We don’t have anything to talk about. Unless of course he’s ready to give me a divorce so he and Shemar can get married.”

  Nadine gave a cross between a laugh and a snort. “You’re sick.”

  “No, John’s the one who’s sick. Booty bandit.”

  Danielle started laughing and we all joined in. It felt good being able to finally laugh about this shit, because five months ago it wasn’t that funny.

  I sipped my drink and glanced at my girl Nadine, who was sitting to my right. Sick? How the hell could she talk about anybody? Her big-titty ass just came out of the closet less than three years ago and was now trying to have a baby with her woman. “Nadine. What happened at the clinic last week?” Her face dropped and I almost felt sorry for bringing it up. Remember I said almost.

  “Jordan lost the baby.”

  Okay, now I really did feel sorry for her. The couple had spent thousands of dollars trying artificial means of inseminating Jordan, who was in her early thirties and wanted desperately to have a baby. Nadine already had a grown son and was knocking on forty. I knew they could afford it, but d
amn, enough was enough. I already told Nadine what to do. She just doesn’t want to listen.

  Kayla gave her a sympathetic look. “I’m so sorry. What are you and Jordan going to do now?”

  Nadine shrugged. “We’re looking at some other options.”

  Danielle looked over at me with a raised brow. I reached for another chip, then repeated what I’ve suggested so many times I was starting to think that maybe Nadine was hard of hearing. “I already told you what to do. Find a sperm donor who’s willing to do it the way it’s meant to be done. Some plain old-fashioned fucking.”

  “Renee!” Kayla’s high yellow ass turned three different shades of red.

  I gave them all an innocent look. “What’s the big deal? It’s not like Jordan hasn’t ever had dick before. Why keep wasting all that money? Shit, give that money to me and I’ll find you the perfect man. Then all Jordan has to do is let that mothafucka fuck her long enough to bust a nut, then send his ass on home.”

  Kayla shook her head like I was one of her kids. “Girl, do you know how many diseases are out there?”

  I gave her a dismissive wave. “So have him go get tested first. It’s a helluva lot cheaper. Buy that negro a six-pack and a box of chicken and he’ll be happy as hell.”

  Danielle choked on her drink and laughed along with me. Unfortunately, we were the only two who thought the shit was funny.

  I could see the shock on Kayla’s face. “You’re stupid.” Leave it to Kayla’s holy ass to find something wrong with what I said.

  “I think it’s a wonderful suggestion.” I turned to Nadine. “You and Jordan really need to give it some thought, seriously. Go rent that Spike Lee joint She Hate Me and you’ll see what I’m talking about.”

  Nadine stared down into her drink as if she was embarrassed to reply. “To be honest, Jordan is so desperate, she’s actually thinking about doing what you suggested.”

  See, I’m really not crazy. “Good.”