by La Jill Hunt
“Hey, you’re not alone. You got your girls. I know they got your back. And you got me. You’re my dawg.” He gave her an encouraging look and Kayla shook her head at him. Over the past few weeks, she had learned that Terrell was a great listener. They would share stories and thoughts with each other and he always seemed to understand what she was going through.
“Your dawg?”
“My ace, my buddy, my girl, you know . . . my dawg! Now come on, before we’re late,” he told her and pulled her up from the table.
14
The June heat was bearing down on Kayla as she sat on the hood of her car. She was traveling along the interstate when it went dead. She got out and popped the hood as if she knew what she was looking for. She called Roni, but got no answer on her cell or Yvonne’s. She knew Tia was at work and she wouldn’t be able to reach her. Luckily, her father had her on his AAA account and they came and towed the car to her house. The tow truck driver told her that her transmission was gone and it would take about two thousand dollars to repair. Where the hell am I supposed to get two thousand dollars? She wondered as she rode home in the tow truck. I don’t even have two hundred dollars in my savings account. Her situation was going from bad to worse. How am I gonna raise a baby with no man, no car, and no money?
She slammed the door as she went into her house and sat on the sofa. The phone rang and she picked it up on instinct.
“Hello.”
“Hey, Beautiful. I was calling to see how you were doing.” The sound of Craig’s voice pissed her off even worse.
“Why the hell do you care? All you wanted was for me to have an abortion, right? I didn’t and I haven’t told your wife, yet.”
“I know you didn’t. That’s why I’m calling. I appreciate that, for real. How are you feeling?”
“Not good. My car broke down and I don’t have the money to get it fixed. Are you gonna help me out?”
“How much you need?”
“Two thousand.”
“Dollars? Hell, you can buy another car for that much.”
“Are you gonna give me money to buy another car then?”
“I don’t have no money like that. I mean, I can get you some loot, but it ain’t gonna be no two thousand dollars,” he told Kayla. She was totally surprised. She didn’t think he was gonna offer her any help.
“How much can you get me?” she sat up and asked him.
“Let me check some stuff out and I’ll get back with you,” he told her. She had heard this from him before and she wasn’t even falling for it this time.
“Whatever, Craig. Don’t lie to me. I know you ain’t gonna call me back,” she told him.
“I am, Kayla. I just gotta check on something and then I’ll call you back.” Craig sounded as if he meant what he said.
“I need for you to call me tonight so I’ll know what I need to do,” Kayla told him.
“Okay. I’ll talk to you then,” he said and hung up the phone. That was at quarter after seven. At twelve fifteen, Kayla went to bed. I knew he was lying.
She woke up early the next morning. She had to figure out how she was gonna get to and from work. She went on line and found a bus schedule and mapped out her route. She made it to work twenty minutes early. At least I know I can make it here on time everyday, she thought, relieved. The only bad part was catching the bus home at ten o’clock at night. But Kayla knew she had to do what she had to do. Walking to the bus stop after work, she tried not to panic when she saw a car pull beside her.
“What are you doing, dawg?” she heard Terrell call as the window rolled down.
“Going home. The same thing you’re doing,” she answered.
“Where’s your car?” he asked.
“My electrical system went out. Costs almost two grand to fix.”
“I’ll give you a ride. Come on. Get in.” He reached and opened the door. Kayla looked at him, hesitating.
“Where do you live, Terrell?”
“Do it matter? I’m the one taking you home. Get in, girl.” He smiled.
Kayla got in his Altima and they pulled off.
“So, where am I taking you?” He fumbled with his radio.
“Terrace Gardens, the townhouses.” She sat back.
“That’s not far from where I live. As a matter of fact, it’s on the way. Why didn’t you say anything about your car being broke, yo?”
“Because that’s my problem. I don’t want to be airing my issues to everyone,” she said.
“So you were just gonna catch the bus to and from work, not expecting me to offer you a ride? Come on, we peoples. You know that by now. This is my joint right here.” He turned up the volume on the radio and began to nod to the music. “You don’t know nothing about that, girl.”
Kayla laughed and directed Terrell to her house. “Thanks, Terrell.”
“No problem, Kayla. I’ll see you tomorrow. Be ready at eleven thirty. I’ll blow the horn. And have me some lunch ready.” He smirked.
“Imagine that.” She got out and closed the door, shaking her head.
“Well, at least be ready on time. I’ll let you slide with the lunch part. Tell your girl Roni I said what’s up, though.”
“She’s out of your league, Terrell. Besides, she’s caught up with another guy right now. I will give her the message, though.” She started to go in the house.
“Peace, Kay. And eat something healthy before you go to bed,” he called out as he pulled off. Kayla shook her head and was grateful that they had become friends.
15
“So what are we gonna do to celebrate the Fourth of July, prego?” Tia asked Kayla as she flipped through the CDs.
“I don’t know,” Kayla answered. They were having a Lonely Hearts Club night at Kayla’s and while they drank wine, Kayla sipped on a Pepsi and they listened to music.
“What did your dad say when you told him you were pregnant, Kay?” Yvonne passed her a bowl of tortillas and she dipped one in the guacamole.
“I haven’t told him,” Kayla said between bites.
“He doesn’t know?” Roni sat up on the sofa.
“He knows. If your mother knows, then he knows,” Roni and Tia looked at each other and said, giggling. There was a knock and Kayla went to answer the door.
“Hey, Terrell. What’s up?” Kayla opened the door and he followed her into the living room where the other ladies were.
“Now this is my type of party. Four beautiful women, all shapes, sizes, and flavors.” He grabbed a handful of chips and sat beside Roni. Kayla looked at her and laughed. She had told Roni of Terrell’s crush, but as she suspected, Roni was not even trying to go there.
“What? You don’t have one of your hot dates tonight?” Yvonne asked him.
“Yeah, I did. But she began to bore me so I decided to check on Kay while I was in the neighborhood. If I would have known y’all were over here chillin’, I would’ve cancelled it and came here from the jump.” He laughed.
“What are you doing tomorrow for the Fourth, Terrell?” Tia asked.
“I am making my rounds. I got some dates lined up, but my brother is having a nice little cookout at his spot. You guys wanna come?” he asked. “You got something to drink?”
“Yeah, look in the fridge. It’s wine, juice, and soda,” Kayla replied. Terrell got up and headed for the kitchen.
“Anybody else need something while I’m in here?” he asked and picked up Kayla’s almost empty glass.
“I’m good.”
“No thanks.”
“I’m cool.”
He returned with a glass of wine for himself and a glass of juice for Kayla. She looked at him and frowned as he took her can of Pepsi away.
“I’m not having my godchild come out all hyper. I told you about that,” he informed her.
“Your godchild? That’s my godchild.” Yvonne threw a pillow at him.
“Correction. Theo and I have already claimed that child as our first joint venture.” Tia laughed.
; “Well, I’m glad it’s my niece or nephew. Kayla is my sister, even if it’s no blood between us,” Roni aimed at all of the other claimants.
“Well, if anyone deserves to be the godfather of this child, it’s me. If it wasn’t for me, the poor kid would be trying to survive on Kool-Aid and Now n’ Laters. You’d better want me to be the godfather, because then the kid is straight. Because I am a pimp,” Terrell joked.
Roni punched him in the arm and told him, “My niece or nephew will not have a pimp for a godfather.”
“If Kayla’s baby is your niece or nephew, yes it will. Now are y’all coming to my brother’s crib tomorrow or what? It’s gonna be plenty of food, plenty of drinks, and plenty of fun.” He looked around at the beautiful women.
“Are there gonna be plenty of men?” Roni asked.
“I’m gonna be there. I’m more than enough. It’s plenty of me to go around.” He moved closer to her.
“You can say that again.” Roni laughed and moved further away.
“I’m down. What time?” Tia asked.
“It’s supposed to start at three. But you know how black folks are. I’d say get there around four, four thirty. It’s gonna be off the hook, for real. My brother can throw a parry. He learned from the best.”
“I’m afraid to ask who that might be,” Yvonne said.
“Me, of course.” His cell phone began to ring and he looked at it. “Well, ladies, duty calls and I must leave you now. I’ll meet y’all here at four and you can follow me to his crib. That cool?”
“That’s cool,” Tia said.
Kayla got up to walk him to the door. “Thanks, Terrell.”
“Be on time. You know how you can get.” He smiled as he closed the door and left.
“You look so cute,” Tia said as Kayla opened the door. Kayla had on her first maternity outfit. She wanted to wear some cute shorts and a midriff top like she usually wore on the Fourth of July, but her condition this year did not allow it. Kayla had on some red maternity shorts and a red and white striped sleeveless top along with some white socks with a red ball on the back and a fresh pair of white Classics.
“I look like a strawberry.” Kayla frowned. “Hey, Theo.”
“You look cute, Kay,” he said as he came inside.
“I can’t believe your stomach. It’s so cute,” Tia continued and touched Kayla’s somewhat noticeable belly.
“Shut up, Tia.” Kayla laughed and slapped her hands away.
“Roni and Yvonne just pulled up,” Kayla said as she looked out the front window. “And there’s Terrell. Go tell them I’m ready. But I need Roni to come put my hair in a ponytail. Don’t tell Terrell. Just tell Roni I need her.”
“Okay. But you know Terrell is gonna be fussing,” Tia said.
“Come on, Theo. Talk him to death to distract him.”
“What are you trying to say,?” she heard Theo ask as they departed.
“What’s up, Kay?” Roni asked as she came in the door.
“I need you to pull my hair up, Ron.”
“I thought something was wrong. Come here, girl.” Roni twisted and twirled Kayla’s hair until it was perfect.
“I don’t see how you do this.” Kayla smiled at herself in the mirror.
“Come on, let’s go!” They heard Terrell’s voice booming from the front. Kayla grabbed her purse and sunglasses and they left.
“Wow. It’s a lot of cars here,” Kayla told Terrell as they parked in front of the pretty condo. “These are big.”
“Yeah, they got three floors,” Terrell commented and got out of the car. He took the time to fix his shirt and made sure his pants fit perfectly over his Timberlands.
“Anybody ever tell you you’re vain?” Roni said as she joined them. She was touching up her lip-gloss.
“I know you not talking, yo.” Terrell smirked.
“Both of you take vanity to a whole other level,” Kayla said and they followed Terrell to the house. He opened the door and there was a crowd of people. They were sitting in the well-decorated living area and there was what sounded like a live deejay coming from the backyard.
“Terry! What’s up, man?” They greeted Terrell like he was a superstar.
“What’s up? Yo, where’s Toby?” he asked.
“He’s out back working the grill,” a tall red-bone told him.
“Come on, y’all. Let me introduce you to your host.” Terrell led them through the living area, down a hall past the dining room and kitchen to the huge backyard where a live deejay was set up. A huge grill was filling the air with the smell of barbecue. Theo nodded toward the fully stocked bar and beer keg. There were long picnic tables full of food—salads, fruit, breads, and vegetables, anything you could ever imagine at a cookout. Kayla looked to her left and saw one guy holding a beer, frying fish in a deep fryer. Yvonne nudged her and pointed to another table with a big container in the middle. Kayla looked at her and they knew what the other was thinking—Crabs!
“Now this is a cookout!” Roni nodded. “What does your brother do again?”
“Here he is now. Yo, Toby!”
“Terry. I knew you was gonna be late.” The voice came from behind the grill. The cover closed and Kayla saw Roni’s jaw drop.
“Hey y’all, this is my brother Toby, otherwise known as Deejay Terror. You know, at Dominic’s.”
“Nice to meet you. Terry has told me a lot about you all.” Toby came and shook all of their hands, stopping at Roni. “I’m glad you could make it.”
“Thank you. I’m glad we were invited,” Roni said, her eyes never leaving Toby’s.
“Toby, I think the meat is ready,” a big girl with long hair called from the grill. She did not seem too pleased that he was in Roni’s face.
“Well, eat, drink, and be merry. Please have a good time. Let me know if you need anything. We’ll talk more later,” Toby said.
“Toby!” the girl called again.
“A’ight, Darla. Gimme a break. If it’s ready, take it out!” he growled at her as he returned to the grill.
“Do you think that was directed at all of us or just Roni?” Tia laughed.
“I think the last part was for Ron,” Theo replied.
“Why didn’t you tell me that was your brother?” Roni fumed and asked Terrell.
“You never asked. I mean, I don’t go around saying my brother is Deejay Terror. That’s some gay type stuff.”
“I can’t believe this.” She shook her head and tried not to look at Toby.
Kayla decided to look for her. The brother was beyond fine. He was dark chocolate in color and at six three, two hundred forty pounds, he was cut just right. His chiseled face had deep set, amber eyes and he had deep dimples when he smiled. I see why she’s digging him.
“Well, let’s eat,” Terrell announced. They set out to fix their plates.
“Hi, I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Darla, Toby’s girlfriend,” the heavy-set girl who had interrupted them earlier walked up and said to Roni.
“I’m Roni,” she said mildly, staring the girl in her face. She was never one to be intimidated by anyone.
“And you are?” she directed at Kayla.
“Kayla.”
“You here with Terrell?” she asked, looking at Kayla’s stomach.
“He invited us.” Kayla looked Darla up and down.
“That’s cool,” she said.
“Darla! Go to the store and get some more ice,” Toby yelled from behind the bar.
“Okay.” She scurried away, leaving Roni and Kayla standing.
“If she’s Toby’s girlfriend, why is she worried about if I’m here with Terrell?” Kayla laughed to Roni.
“She better chill, because she messing with the wrong one. Let me get her boyfriend to fix me a drink.” Roni smiled and headed to join Toby at the bar.
Kayla and her crew feasted and more than enjoyed the food. The deejay, although not as tight as Toby, did an excellent job mixing old school and current favorites. They ate and ate and laughe
d and joked and ate some more. Soon the sun began to set and Toby joined them at their table, sitting next to Roni.
“I don’t think your girlfriend would appreciate you sitting over here with me.” Roni smiled at him as he brought her another margarita.
“What girlfriend?” He looked at Terrell, confused. Terrell just put his head down and shrugged.
“What’s her name, Kay?” Roni turned to Kayla.
“Darla,” Kayla answered.
“Darla? I don’t have a girlfriend, and if I did, it definitely wouldn’t be Darla. That’s just my STD.” He and Terrell looked at each other and laughed.
“What’s a STD?” Tia asked.
“Something To Do. You know. If I get bored and want someone to come over and cook, I’ll call her. I need my dry cleaning picked up or someone to wait for the cable man, I know she’ll do it. She hangs around me at the club, helps me load my equipment in the car.”
“Gives you some,” Roni interrupted.
“I didn’t say that.” He smiled.
“You didn’t have to,” Roni replied and sipped the frozen beverage seductively through a straw. Toby tried not to stare. He glanced down at his watch and checked the time.
“Hey, you know y’all can see the fireworks from back here. They’re about to start in a little while.” Everyone was kicked back, having a good time when Kayla caught a familiar face from the corner of her eye.
“G! What’s up, baby?” Toby called out.
“Deejay Terror!” Geno started for their table and stopped before he made it, noticing who was sitting there.
“Kayla,” Geno said.
“You two know each other? Cool!” Toby got up and offered Geno a seat. “Let me get you a beer, man.”
“Hey, Geno,” Roni offered.
“What’s up, everyone? I didn’t think I’d run into you all here,” he said. Kayla spotted Janice talking to Darla at the opposite end of the yard. Obviously, she didn’t see Geno talking to her. Although he didn’t seem too worried about being caught.
“Where’s the bathroom?” she asked Terrell.