by La Jill Hunt
“It’s going good. Do you miss me?”
“Of course I do. What time are you coming back?” His voice cracked and he cleared his throat, hoping she didn’t catch it.
“Probably around three. Can you meet me at the car rental place?”
“Sure. Which one?” he asked. He located a frozen pizza and popped it in the microwave.
“The one by the mall. What time are you going to work?”
“I’ll be leaving here around eight thirty, I guess. Same time.”
“Then I’ll call you around eight. I have another seminar about to begin, baby. I’ll talk to you later. I love you.”
“Love you too,” he said then hung up the phone. He stared at the floor, still thinking about what he had seen earlier. He felt the anger that had subsided beginning to return. The sound of the microwave beeping brought him back to reality.
He took his food out and placed it on the kitchen table, grabbed a beer out of the fridge and sat down to eat. As he closed his eyes and lowered his head to pray, the image of the guy and girl at the pool interrupted him. He shook his head in an effort to extinguish the mental image. God, help me. I don’t even know how to handle this, he prayed then picked up a slice. He tried to eat, but the appetite he had just moments earlier was gone. He wrapped the food up and put it back in the fridge then poured the untouched beer down the sink. He decided that he was more tired than anything and went to the bedroom. He took off his shoes and climbed into the huge bed and fell into a deep slumber.
52
“That’s not player.” Terrell frowned at Nicole. She was holding a yellow-and-white sleeper with a matching hat. They were in the mall and had been shopping all afternoon. He had been ready to go for a while.
“I’m not worried about it being player, Terrell. I’m worried about it fitting the baby.” She sighed and rolled her eyes at him.
“I want it to fit and be player. I can’t have my son around here sporting yellow footie pajamas.”
“Who said you were having a son? That hasn’t been determined yet, remember?” she asked, putting the outfit back. He laughed as he looked at her belly, which was beginning to poke under her shirt.
“I wouldn’t even want my daughter wearing that.” He laughed, taking her by the hand and leading her out of the store. “Come on, let’s go. I’m hungry.”
“We just ate a little while ago. And I thought I was the pregnant one,” she teased. They left the mall and headed to the car, both carrying large shopping bags. Terrell popped open the trunk and placed the bags inside.
“Better job, more money. Must be nice.”
Terrell looked up and saw Geno and Kayla walking toward his car. Geno was pushing Day in the stroller. Nicole got out of the car when she saw them.
“Aw, don’t you all look like the perfect family? How’s your dad?” He hugged Kayla and greeted Geno with a pound. Day was chewing on a toy and he began teasing her with it.
“Released this morning. He’s home, thank God. We just left there and decided to walk the mall this afternoon. We’re not buying up everything like you all, though,” Kayla told them.
“Girl, please. You know I’m not buying anything, unlike your buddy here.” Nicole laughed.
“Don’t even try it. If y’all think all those bags in there belong to me, then you’re—”
“Exactly right.” Nicole finished the sentence for him. They laughed because there was no doubt in anyone’s mind that the majority of the bags belonged to Terrell. “I’m not even complaining, though. I’m just gonna let him get his shop on now because in a few months the only thing he’ll be shopping for is diapers and formula.”
“I know that’s right.” Geno nodded. “Where are you all headed to now?”
“To eat, of course,” Nicole told them.
“Y’all wanna roll?” Terrell asked.
Kayla looked at Geno, who nodded. “Yeah. Where y’all trying to go?”
They decided on a restaurant and agreed to meet there in an hour. Terrell and Nicole arrived first and gave their name at the door. The hostess advised them that there would be a twenty minute wait, which they expected. Kayla, Geno, and the baby soon arrived and they sat on the benches outside, enjoying the evening air. Terrell told them all about his new job and his new supervisor, CJ.
“I can’t stand her,” Kayla told him. “She talks to me like I’m dumb. She talks to any female that isn’t a manager like she’s dumb, matter of fact.”
“Aw, she’s not that bad. I don’t have any problems with her, myself,” he told her. That was true. People, mostly women, complained about CJ being arrogant, nasty, and short-tempered. Terrell had never seen that side of her, and he had come in contact with her on several occasions.
“I bet you don’t. I mean, you are a man. She doesn’t have a problem with men. Now, let that have been me that got the position, then it would be an entirely different story.” Kayla smirked.
“Oh, so it’s like that, Kayla? He didn’t tell me it was like that,” Nicole uttered.
“Mm-hmm.” Kayla nodded in a gesture of sisterhood.
“Both of y’all need to quit.” Terrell shook his head at them. “It’s not like that. You know Kayla’s gonna exaggerate everything.”
“Oh, so now I’m exaggerating?” Kayla gasped dramatically.
“See, DQ in full effect,” he responded and they all laughed.
Their name was announced over the loudspeaker, so they proceeded inside to be seated. Terrell was holding the door open when he felt his phone vibrating in his pocket. He lingered behind and took it out. Recognizing the number, he told Nicole he would return momentarily. He went out and stood in front of the restaurant, redialing the number that had just appeared on his caller ID.
“Hey, Terrell, I got your message. What’s up?”
“Nothing. I was just calling to check on you. What’s going on with you? Kayla told me your dad was released today.”
“Yeah, he’s home and doing good. When did you talk to her?”
“We’re actually at dinner right now. You should too,” he told her.
“Yeah, right. Family crisis is over, she’s back to hating me, so no thanks. Anyway, I have plans already,” Anjelica told him.
“What plans?”
“None of your business.” She laughed into the phone. “You are a funny dude, you know that?”
“Naw, I ain’t funny. I know you don’t have plans with Jermaine, do you?”
“What difference does it make? Did I ask who you were out with? No, because it’s none of my business.”
“It’s not even like that. I’m telling you that he’s no good for you and I’m telling you because you’re my friend.” He began pacing up and down the sidewalk.
“No, you’re telling me that because you don’t want to even think about the possibility of your boy sleeping with me. That’s what it is.”
He could hear the agitation in her voice and met it with his own. “The fact that we slept together has nothing to do with it. I’m telling you so you won’t get hurt. I know Jermaine; he’s my boy, and I know how he is. I saw that nigga the other night at the bar hollering at another friend of ours. What does that tell you, Anjelica?”
“It tells me that maybe you need to check yourself, putting someone that’s supposed to be your boy on blast like that, telling me all of his business. Now, I don’t know what’s going on with you these days, but you need to chill. I have to go. Like I said, I got plans.” She hung up in his ear.
He stood speechless for a minute, trying to figure out what had just happened. Not only had he pissed Anjelica off, but he had put Jermaine out there like he was trying to play her, which he hadn’t intended to do.
“So, how long you been fucking her?”
The hairs on Terrell’s neck stood up as he realized someone was standing right behind him. He put his phone back in his pocket, trying to think of something to say. He slowly inhaled as he turned around.
“Damn,” was all he could say
.
“Answer me. How long have you been sleeping with her?”
“It’s not like that.”
“Not like what? Oh, don’t tell me. That was another Anjelica you were talking to on the phone, right?”
“Hold up for a minute. Please just let me—”
“Let you what? Explain? What is there to explain? There’s no need. You know what? This kind of explains a lot of things. I thought it was kinda funny that you and she arrived at the hospital together, but I thought that had something to do with her maybe hooking up with Jermaine. But it was you she was with, and Jermaine was covering for you two. Damn, I can’t believe this.” Tears began streaming down her face and Terrell realized how hurt she was. He hadn’t meant for her to find out this way.
“Kayla, wait.” He reached for her arm but she snatched away from him.
“Don’t touch me!”
People entering and exiting the restaurant stopped to look at them. He took a step back, not wanting to appear like he was hurting her.
“Kayla, I need for you to listen to me. It’s not like that, for real.”
“You were my friend—my best friend, at that. And this entire time you been screwing my sister! Now I know why you defended her every time I said something. I guess you all sit back and have a good ol’ laugh about me, huh?”
“Kayla, chill. Listen.”
“No, you listen. I never want to see or talk to you again! Leave me alone, and I mean that.” Kayla wiped her eyes with the palm of her hand and took a deep breath. She scowled at Terrell as she walked past him and re-entered the restaurant, snatching the door.
Terrell waited a few moments before going in. When he arrived at the table, Geno was putting Day back into the stroller.
“What? You guys leaving?” he asked, avoiding looking at Kayla.
“Yeah, Kay has a migraine and she forgot her medicine. She went to the car to get it, but it wasn’t there,” Geno told him. “Guess we’ll have to take a rain check.”
“Yeah, we’ll have to do that.” He watched Kayla grab her purse and the diaper bag. She paused and looked at Nicole. His heart began pounding, wondering what she was about to say.
She looked over at Terrell then said, “Nicole, give me a call later.”
“Sure thing, girl. I know how those migraines can be. Take care of yourself.” Nicole stood and gave her a hug and watched them as they left.
“You still wanna eat?”
“Yeah, I’m still hungry,” she assured him. “I wonder what happened to Kayla, though. She seemed fine when they first got here. She went to the car, and then when she came back to the table, she was like, ‘Let’s go!”’
“I don’t know.” Terrell seemed to be engrossed in the menu.
“Well, she’s been under a lot of stress these past few weeks, so she’s probably just tired.”
“Yeah, probably.”
Nicole’s phone rang and she took it off the side of her purse. “It’s Gary. He’s probably with Arianna.”
“Who? Who the hell is Arianna?”
“Gary’s girlfriend. She’s a nurse too. Can you believe that?” she said and began chatting into the phone to her brother.
“No, I find that hard to believe,” Terrell muttered. Gary was probably lying to Nicole. His girlfriend being a nurse would require her having some level of intelligence, which obviously she didn’t have if she was with his dumb ass. He had more important things to deal with than Gary and his fake-nurse girlfriend. He had to smooth things over with Kayla, Anjelica, and possibly even Jermaine if Anjelica told him what he had said. I can’t believe I’ve messed up all the way around. Tonight just ain’t my night.
“They’re right around the corner. I told them they could join us. Is that cool?”
“Whatever,” he said, not really paying attention to what she was saying. He told her he’d be right back, got up and walked over to the bar, ordering a Tanqueray and orange juice. He contemplated calling Toby, but thought about the warning Toby gave him when he found out Terrell was messing with Anjelica. He paid for his drink and returned to the table.
“They’re on their way,” Nicole told him when he sat down. “Please be nice—well, at least be civil.”
“What are you talking about?”
“To Gary and his girlfriend,” she replied.
“What about them?”
“I just told you they were eating with us. Matter of fact, here they come now.”
Terrell turned around to see Gary walking toward them, decked out in a two-piece linen suit with matching gator shoes. This guy really thinks he’s a pimp, Terrell thought as Gary threw up a peace sign and waved. Then, Terrell felt as if he was in a Quentin Tarrantino movie and things began moving in slow motion. Gary turned and reached back for someone, and his date appeared by his side. She was beautiful; an attractive blonde who reminded him of one of the girls from the TV show Friends. He had seen her once before, and never in a million years had he thought he would ever see her again—definitely not with Gary, of all people.
“What’s up, peeps?” Gary smiled at them.
“Hey there, you!” Nicole gave her brother a big hug. She faced the girl and said, “You must be Arianna. It’s nice to finally meet you.”
“Nice to meet you too,” the woman replied.
Terrell wanted to run before she saw him. He wondered if she would recognize him. If she did, would she remember from where?
“Gary has told me so much about you. This is my boyfriend, Terrell.” Nicole took Terrell by the hand and pulled him to her side.
“How are you?” He extended his hand toward her nervously.
She took it into hers and their eyes met. He saw her eyebrows rise, and a look of surprise crossed her face. He knew that she remembered him. She blinked then took a step back. “Nice to meet you.”
“Uh, sweetheart, I need to go to the restroom. I’ll be right back,” Terrell said to Nicole. “Please excuse me.”
Terrell walked into the bathroom and stood over the sink. He turned the water on and let it run while he closed his eyes and tried to calm down. There was no way his life could be turning out this way. Stuff like this didn’t happen to him. Shit was beginning to crumble left and right. Tonight ain’t my night. It just ain’t my night.
53
Toby turned into the parking lot of the car rental company. He spotted Roni getting out of a gold Camry, waving at him. He pulled behind her and got out. She ran over and threw her arms around his neck. He inhaled her sweet scent as he kissed her.
“I missed you, baby,” she whispered into his ear.
“I missed you too.” He cupped her face in his hands and looked at her intensely. She kissed him fully on the mouth and he held her tight. After a few moments, they pulled away.
“I’m going inside and take care of the paperwork. It should only take a few moments,” she told him.
A young guy wearing a uniform came out and began checking the car. Toby had loaded Roni’s things into his truck and was about to get in when the guy yelled for him.
“Yeah?” Toby walked over, thinking maybe Roni had scratched the car or something. “Found this under the seat. You know this guy?” he asked, handing the small piece of plastic to Toby.
He looked at the driver’s license and smiled at it, thanking the guy. “Yeah, that’s her brother. I’ll give it to him. He’ll be glad you found this.”
“No problem. Have a good day,” the guy said.
He drove to the front door and waited for Roni to come out. She finally did, and he walked around to open the door for her to get in.
“Thank you, sweetie,” she said and gave him another kiss.
“You going to my crib or yours?” he asked.
“Mine. I need to unpack and get ready for the week.”
“But what about spending time with me? I thought we’d go to dinner or something this evening. I want to have you in my bed tonight.”
“I know you do, but I’m tired, sweetie. It’s been
a long trip. I’ll make it up to you.” She reached over and began playing with the back of his neck.
“Promise?” he looked over at her.
“I promise. Besides, soon you’re gonna have to start kicking me out of your bed because I’ll be over there so much.”
He asked her to fill him in on her trip and the seminars she attended. She told him about the speakers that attended and the different topics covered, talking all the way to her house. He took her things inside as she checked her mail.
“You want me to go grab you something to eat?” he offered, pulling her into his arms. “Or is there something you’d like for me to eat before I leave?”
“Hmm, that’s an offer I’ll definitely be taking you up on later,” she said as she kissed him. He walked her over to the sofa, both of them falling down onto it. She groaned as his hands crept along her thighs and worked their way up. She was wearing a short jean skirt and tank top. He went to reach under, knowing that she was wearing a thong, but she grabbed his hand.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“I’m just tired, that’s all, babe. I’m sorry.”
“I understand,” he told her, easing up. He stood and reached to help her up. He took a deep breath and said, “I guess I’ma leave. You go ahead and get some rest. I’ll call you later.”
“Okay.”
He opened the door then snapped his fingers. “Man, I almost forgot. The guy found this under the seat of the rental car.”
He reached into his pocket and handed her the license. She took it and looked at it. He waited for her reaction.
“Oh, wow, this is a guy that was at the conference with us. I gave him a ride to his hotel one afternoon.” She laughed nervously. “I know he must be looking for it. He’s not gonna be able to get on the plane without his ID.”
“Good thing you found it, huh? Maybe you should call him. You got his number?” He folded his arms.
“I sure don’t.”
“He had to catch a plane? Where’s he from?”
“I don’t even remember. Philly, I think. Yeah, Philly.”
“It’s right on the license. What’s his name? Dean?”