by La Jill Hunt
Terrell reluctantly took the items off the table and passed them to her. Gary was even giving him a look of sympathy. There was nothing left for him to do or say. He slowly turned and left.
He sat behind the wheel of his car in the parking lot, not knowing where to go or what to do. For the first time in his life, he felt alone. He cursed himself for letting his ego and sexual desires get the best of him. Trying to be a player had cost him his best friend and now his girlfriend, and now the one who always had the answers for everyone else didn’t have any words of wisdom for himself.
Terrell threw himself into his work. He went in early and stayed late working on special projects and developing new procedures for the company. He became a mover and a shaker, causing management to take notice of his skills and abilities. He was offered positions on executive committees and staff councils by managers and department heads left and right. At work, he was the man.
His home life was a different story. He didn’t hang out anymore. His social life consisted of calling Arianna and checking on Nicole. Once a week, he would go to the grocery store and buy everything he thought she would need make her stay in bed more comfortable. He bought her DVDs, novels, puzzle books, and he even bought her a laptop and computer games. He purchased things for the baby in her favorite color, yellow. She still hadn’t told him whether it was a girl or boy, and he didn’t know if she knew or not, because he hadn’t talked to her. When he questioned Arianna about the baby’s sex, she would say she didn’t know.
He was still determined to be faithful to her and a good father to his child, no matter what it took. Working with CJ made it a challenge for him. She was constantly in his office, leaning on his desk, propositioning him every chance she got. He was going over some notes one afternoon when she walked in without knocking.
“What are you doing, sweetheart? Working on something new to wow the powers that be?” She walked around his desk, looking at his computer.
He frowned at her, wondering what she was up to. “What can I do for you, CJ?”
“I tried calling you, but your voice mail kept picking up, so I came to see what you were doing.” Her eyes scanned the computer screen. He was tempted to turn it off while she was standing there being nosy, but didn’t.
“Just going over some notes, that’s all. I must’ve forgotten to turn my voice mail off when we got back from the meeting earlier, that’s all. You act like I’m in here sending out company secrets or something.”
“You never can tell these days, and the way you’ve been moving up the corporate ladder, I’m trying to learn some secrets from you.” She turned and looked out his window, which gave a full view of the parking lot. “So, do you have big plans for next weekend? I heard your brother has a huge party that is off the chain. Think I can tag along?”
“He’s not having one this year, so no, I’m not doing anything special.”
“We could always have our own private party. You could come over and I could throw some steaks on the grill, open a bottle of Dom P.” She winked at him.
“I don’t think so. I have to finish decorating my baby’s room, which I’ve been putting off for a while.”
“How is your girlfriend? I saw an invitation to her baby shower on Kayla’s desk.”
He didn’t even know when her shower was. No one had even mentioned it to him—not even Kayla. Even though they weren’t speaking beyond a polite hello when they passed in the hallway, he knew that she was aware of his and Nicole’s situation.
“She’s fine. Doing great. We’re excited about the baby.” He nodded.
“Speaking of Kayla, looks like she’s got some excitement of her own in the parking lot.” CJ laughed.
Terrell got up to see what she was talking about. He looked out the window to see Kayla screaming angrily at Craig, who was standing nearby. He hurried out of his office and down the staircase, praying he got there before anyone else saw them.
“Yo, what’s going on peeps?” he called to them as he rushed out the door.
“Get the hell away from me, Craig. If you don’t, I’m calling the police to come and haul your ass away from here, and you know your dope dealing behind is already skating on thin ice!” Kayla yelled.
“Call them. I don’t give a damn! I don’t understand why you’re tripping. All I want to do is spend time with my daughter. Is that too much to ask?”
“Nope, it sure isn’t. You can come by the house and see her whenever you want to. I told you that.”
“See how unreasonable she’s being, Terrell? I’m paying daycare and taking damn good care of my daughter, but I can only see her at the house.”
Terrell looked over at Kayla, who was daring him to say something. He decided to take the neutral approach. “Where is it that you want to take Day, Craig? I mean, why can’t you see her at the house?”
“Man, next weekend is my family reunion. I want her to meet my people, which is her people, since she is my child.”
“She’s not even a year old! How the hell is she gonna meet somebody, Craig? No, I’m not letting my child go with you, and that’s the end of that. Now, leave!”
Terrell still didn’t understand what was going on, so he quietly asked, “Kayla, why can’t she go? It’s only his family reunion.”
Kayla looked at him like he was speaking some language she didn’t understand. “How about because his wife is a fucking retard? Do you know how often she calls my house at two and three o’clock in the morning talking about how she hates me, and her son will always be the king of the family? Do you know how many messages she leaves talking about how I got her fired from her job and had food taken from her son’s mouth? How about how she called and asked me why I didn’t let Day call her son and wish him a happy birthday or send him a card? Day can’t talk! And you know what? I really don’t care about her son’s birthday!”
Terrell pulled Kayla away from Craig and told her, “You’re wrong, Kayla.”
“What?”
“You’re wrong. I love you and you’re my dawg, but you’re wrong. Despite what went down between you and Avis, and no matter how stupid and psycho she may be, that boy is still Day’s brother.”
“Half-brother,” she corrected him.
“Whatever. They still come from the same father. You should let her go and be with her people some time. Craig takes care of her. He should be allowed time to spend with her.”
“Whose side are you on, Terrell? Mine or Craig’s?” she snapped.
“Day’s,” he told her. “I take it you don’t want to go to the reunion?”
“Hell no! Avis’ fat ghetto behind will be there!”
“Okay, okay. Are you still cool with his parents?”
“I don’t have a problem with them. It’s her psycho self.”
“I don’t have nothing to do with her. All I do is take care of my son the same way I take care of my daughter. I don’t hear you complaining about that.”
“Do I need to call security?” They turned around to see CJ standing in the doorway.
“Does it look like we need security?” Kayla snapped.
“Well, being that this is a place of business and not the parking lot of the projects . . .” CJ began.
“No, we don’t need security, CJ. We’re just out here talking. You can go back inside,” Terrell told her. She hesitated, kissed her teeth then went back inside.
“She makes me sick. Who does she think she’s talking to? Old Amazonian-looking hussy.”
“Let it go, Kayla.” Terrell thought for a minute and then yelled, “Craig!”
“Yeah?”
“Kayla’s gonna let Day come to the family reunion,” Terrell informed him.
“Word?” Craig looked at Kayla to see if she was in agreement, which she obviously was not.
She started to object, but Terrell stopped her.
“But she’s gonna be with your parents. And you’d better keep your ignorant wife—”
“Ex-wife,” Craig corrected.
“You ain’t filed no divorce papers, so she’s still your wife. I don’t care what you wanna call her, but you’d better keep her away from my goddaughter. If I hear about her even breathing on her, I’m coming after you. And I mean that. We may be cool and all, but I don’t play when it comes to Day.”
“That’s my daughter, Terrell, man. I’ma make sure don’t nothing happen to her. Is it all right if I come by later and see her, Kayla?” Craig asked.
“I don’t care, Craig.”
“Thanks, Terrell. I ’preciate it, man.” He shook Terrell’s hand and went to hug Kayla, but she rolled her eyes at him. “I’ll call before I come.”
“Whatever,” she said, and watched as he got into his black Honda and drove off. “I guess I should thank you for coming out here and mediating?”
“You don’t owe me an apology. I was just trying to stop things from getting out of hand, that’s all. It’s all good.” He turned and walked toward the building.
“Terrell, wait a minute. I’m sorry. Look, thanks anyway. I’m glad you came out here when you did. You know how emotional I can get.” She smiled and gave him a hug.
“Naw, for real? Not you, Kayla Hopkins.”
“Shut up. I haven’t forgotten that I’m not talking to you. Don’t push it.”
“A’ight, a’ight. But seriously, Kayla, you’ve got to start thinking about things. You’re blessed enough to have a man that takes responsibility for his child. You know how many women out here would kill for a guy to want to take their child to a family reunion? That’s a good thing.”
“I know, Terrell, but I still don’t feel comfortable with my child being around Avis,” she told him.
“That girl may act crazy, but she’s not stupid. She knows that she’d better not lay a finger on that baby to harm her, and she won’t. She’ll have to answer to you, Craig, me, and Geno!” He laughed.
“You’re right about that,” she told him. “I know I should have told you this a while ago, but I am really proud of the way you’re doing things around here. You are really making a change and handling your business in the office.”
“Thanks, Kayla. Coming from you, that means a lot. I know how you hate to give compliments.”
“Yeah, I really had to struggle to get that one out.”
“So, Nicole is having a baby shower? Can you tell me when?”
“The fifth of July, that Saturday. I heard what went on between you two, and I’m sorry. But what you’re doing is a good thing, and it doesn’t go unnoticed.”
“She still ain’t talking to a brother, though. Think you can sneak me in to see her?”
“Past Arianna the warden? That’s gonna be a hard one. I had to convince her I wasn’t going to talk loudly in the room before she let me in.”
“I can believe you. When I drop stuff off for Nicole, I only get as far as the doorway, and that’s on a good day. Most of the time she meets me in the parking lot of Nicole’s building when I pull up.”
“I like her, though. The fact that she’s so cool took me by surprise. And she don’t play, either.”
“Terrell, Mr. Phillips needs to see you in his office,” CJ walked up and announced.
Kayla scowled and opened her car door. “I’ll talk to you later, Terrell.”
“Do that, and please give Day a kiss for me. Oh, and tell Geno I said what’s up. He ain’t hung out with me in a minute.”
“That’s probably why we’re still together. The only person he needs to be hanging out with is me.” She laughed as she got in. She waved good-bye and cut her eyes at CJ as she pulled away, honking her horn.
“What does Mr. Phillips need to see me for?” Terrell asked as they re-entered his office.
“He doesn’t want you for real. I just decided to rescue you from the likes of her. You all had been out there talking for a while, and I thought you needed an excuse to get away.”
He couldn’t believe the nerve of her. He could see now why the females disliked her so much. She was catty, and in a matter of a few seconds, she seemed less attractive to him.
“I didn’t need you to do that. Kayla is my best friend, not to mention the mother of my godchild. There was nothing to rescue me from.”
“Well, I don’t like her. She’s disrespectful to me and thinks she’s all that. When we do the department cutbacks next month, hers is gonna be one of the top names on the list.” CJ sat down and crossed her legs. She began examining her nails as if she was pondering what color she should polish them next.
“What are you talking about, CJ? Kayla is one of the best reps we have at this company, not to mention one of the brightest.”
“That may be one of her problems. She’s too smart for her own good. And you see what almost happened in the parking lot. You and I work too hard around here disproving stereotypes and breaking through glass ceilings for our people, and here she comes like she knows every damn thing and someone owes her something.”
“Kayla’s not like that at all. I will admit she has the tendency to get dramatic every now and then, but when it comes to intelligence and hard work, I would put her up against you and myself any day of the week. And I’m not just saying that because she’s my friend, either. You have no reason to fire her.” Terrell was furious. To think that CJ was actually considering letting Kayla go because she was intimidated by her was unthinkable.
“Well, I’ll say this because she is your friend . . . Looks like you just found a reason to make my Fourth of July a little bit hotter.” CJ stood up and smoothed down her skirt.
“What are you saying, CJ?” he asked, trying to control his tone. Never in his life had a female given him an ultimatum, and he wasn’t about to take one from CJ, of all people. He didn’t care how fine she was.
This trick has lost her damn mind. I know she’s not about to do what I think she is.
“I’m saying that if you want—your goddaughter, is it?—to continue to have benefits with this company, you’ll make our little rendezvous on the Fourth happen. It’s not that difficult, Terrell. What’s the big deal? It’s only one date.”
Terrell knew she was serious. He had been putting her off for several weeks, and now she had the leverage she needed to do whatever she wanted. She was the puppet master and he was damn Pinocchio. And the strings are tied around my balls.
61
“So, you mean to tell me that we ain’t doing nothing for the Fourth of July?” Jermaine asked Toby as they installed the security camera. This was the sixth job they had done together, and another one based on a referral from Stanley, their favorite customer.
“I mean, we can throw something on the grill and have some drinks in the backyard, but no, I’m not having a huge cookout.”
“Damn, man. Anjelica and I were hyped up about it and everything. We went to the mall last week and got our outfits.”
Toby stopped what he was doing and looked at his best friend.
“I was gonna be clean, too. We were gonna wear all white. That was gon’ be fly.” Jermaine actually sounded disappointed and Toby shook his head.
“Tell me you’re playing, right?”
“Naw, I ain’t playing. You can call her and ask. And I told Meeko I was chillin’ over here when she called wanting to do something for Isis’s birthday.”
“Isis’s birthday? When is her birthday and why didn’t Meeko call me?”
“Her birthday is on the fourth. And duh, why would she call you if I already told her I was coming to your bash? By the way, she is mad that you didn’t invite her. Pass me those wire cutters.”
Toby passed him the tool and said, “How am I gonna invite her to a party that I’m not even having? I can’t believe I forgot about Isis’s birthday.”
“That’s messed up, Toby. And you see her every day, too. I can’t believe I bought new gear and you’re not having a cookout,” Jermaine said through clenched teeth holding the wire he was cutting. “Are we at least gonna go to a club or something?”
“No. If I step into
a club, they’re gonna be calling for me to come into that booth. I definitely ain’t going to a club,” Toby told him. “Tell you what. I’ll call Meeko and we can have a small get together at the crib. That way we can celebrate Isis’s birthday and all hang out.”
“That’s cool with me. Anjelica and I can wear our new gear,” he winked.
“You’re about as bad as a woman. And the operative word is small—you, Anjelica, Meeko, me, and maybe Terrell. That’s all.”
“What about Isis? I mean it is her birthday, after all.”
“You’re not funny. And Isis.”
They finished up the installation and were loading up the truck when an Infiniti SUV pulled behind them.
“Hey there, fellas! I see you guys are working hard today,” Stanley called from the driver’s side.
“What’s up, Stan? Looks like you’re the one that’s been working hard. I like your new ride,” Toby said as they walked over to him.
“See, Toby, I told you we were in the wrong line of business. The drug game is definitely where it’s at.” Jermaine nudged him and they all laughed.
“I bet you get all the ladies with this, huh, Stan?” Toby joked. “Don’t lie, either.”
“Aw, come on, guys.” Stan shook his head bashfully and pushed his glasses up on his nose. “It’s not even like that. I got this for tax purposes. Besides, I’ve been too busy to get with the women these days.”
“Come on, Stan. You always gotta make time for the ladies. All work and no play makes life dull,” Jermaine said. “Look, I have someone you might be interested in. What are you doing next Friday?”
“Next Friday, that’s Independence Day, right?” Stan asked.
“Yeah. You got plans?”
Toby looked at Jermaine, wondering where he was going with this inquisition and who he was talking about.
“No. I was gonna hang out by the pool and catch up on some reading. That’s about it.” Stan shrugged.
Jermaine raised his eyebrows at Toby then looked back at Stan. “Well, Toby is having a get together Friday evening and she’ll be there. Why don’t you drop by? Toby and I will introduce you.”