by Nicety
“Yes sir. I think so.”
“Alrighty, let’s have a look.” Paul smiled as he took my papers and leaned up against the door.
He barely skimmed through my application before he hovered over my resume. I could see his interest in my resume displayed on his face, probably surprised to see that a black man graduated high school with a 3.5 gpa. Then again he was probably wondering why I was at Home Depot for so many years but never got a damn promotion. I used to wonder that same shit myself.
“Okay, everything looks good.” He lied setting the papers down after barely reading them. “So, how’s about you sign this form so I can get the background check underway and while you’re doing that I can write you a ticket so you can go take the drug test. We have a clinic in Oaklawn, so it’s not that far away.”
Paul handed me the form as if he was rushing to finish the paperwork and get me out of there. I think he was so impressed with my floor presentation that he didn’t care about much else. But when both of these results came back, I knew Paul would no longer be one of my friends. The pen lay stagnant in my hand as I hesitated to sign my name on that paper. I just couldn’t see wasting my time or his knowing that I wouldn’t get the job either way.
“Listen, Paul. I need to be honest with you because I know it will spare both of us a lot of grief.” My eyes focused in on my shiny shoes, watching a distorted view of my reflection. “I have a felony that was supposed to be expunged but the state never processed my paperwork seven years ago.”
“Oh…well I’m sorry guy there’s nothing I can do for you here. Good luck in your search though.” Paul threw down the pen faster than he turned to open the door for me.
The man heard my truth and it seemed like he couldn’t wait to get rid of me, meaning less forms he needed to process. I stood searching his eyes for any bit of sympathy wondering if I could work my angle over on the man, seeing as though he did see what I was capable of. But the look in his eye let me know that my skills and level of expertise simply just weren’t enough.
“Thank you for your time sir.” I said as he held the door for me as I walked out. “Oh, and you might wanna get your employees to get up off their asses and actually greet their customers when they come into the store. Just a thought.”
“I appreciate that. Have a nice day.” Paul’s sendoff was cold and as I walked out the door it sounded as if he had slammed it behind me.
One rejection after the other poured into my lap as I damn near hit every store in the entire mall. Not one of those assholes would hire me because of my felony, no matter how long ago or honest I was. There was no use in me lying about it anymore. Nowadays everybody did background checks even McDonalds. Having pounded the pavement all day, I decided to head home. It was going on 4pm and I was beyond tired and more than frustrated, not to mention I had no more resumes left.
I never let you down, I'ma shine on sight
Keep your mind, on your grind, and off of mine's alright? Right…
“Hello?” I answered my Iphone.
“Hey Pop.”
“Little man! Whassup boi boi. You over there minding your grandma?” I replied grinning heavily.
“Yeah, Pop. You know she gon’ dig in my butt if I don’t.” CJ chuckled but he wasn’t lying though.
Mink’s mother, Ms. Pearl, was no push over in her old age. Her driver’s license said one age but her face showed a totally different one. She looked like she was twenty-five and was in impeccable shape. My son loved going over there not just for the summer but also for his little friends whose mothers let them roam the streets at all times of days and nights. I didn’t condone it but my boy was a good ten year old kid and usually followed his own lead.
“Pop, I was calling to ask if I could have $200 to go to Wisconsin Dells with Hector.”
“Who is Hector? The Mexican kid next door to your grandma?”
“Yeah, Pop.” He chuckled.
Honestly I didn’t have $200 to spare. I needed to preserve all the little money I had left to be able to pay one more month of bills and rent before we started getting in the red, and unable to pay shit. How did I explain to this kid who has always been good and done what we’ve asked of him, that I couldn’t afford to give him what he wanted anymore? I couldn’t look him in the eye anymore and call myself a man, his father. A part of me felt like a failure and it resonated all through my voice.
“When you need it by?” I asked hoping he gave me the right answer.
“Next Friday. Grandma says she’ll take me shopping for some clothes if I come up with the money to go out there.” The happiness in his voice shattered my soul knowing he had his heart set on this trip.
“Alright boy. Call me in a few days to remind me. Okay?” My voice cracked.
“Thanks Pop! Love you!”
“Love you too, son. Now gone and get washed up for dinner.”
Once my finger touched that end button, my heart dropped about two feet under the ground. Raindrops slowly dripped onto my screen as I quickly tucked my phone inside of my pants pocket hoping the bus would cross the light before it started to pour down hard. Unfortunately, I had to get the bus that was driving Ms. Daisy rather than the Freddy Kruger bus. The storm kicked in with full force, pouring down within seconds. There was nowhere to run or hide and there was no one else around me, no one to share a fucking umbrella with. The sky grew dark grey as if it was churning in the night scene followed by roaring thunder and flashing lightning.
Finally the Pace bus rolled its happy go lucky slow ass in front of me, whisking open the doors just as slow. I boarded looking up into the driver’s face noticing that he was a bald black dude about my age busting his lips over the phone hollering at some broad who he probably wasn’t even banging. He looked at me then smirked with his bad breath and gold front plate in his mouth and shrugged as I headed to the back of the very empty bus. The scowling look on my face let dude know not to look back at me since I was beyond heated. It killed me that worthless motherfuckas got jobs and didn’t appreciate them but people who were willing to bust their ass for the measly buck never get a chance to.
Chapter 4— Mink
“Girl he won’t even talk to me about it. I tried to tell him but he’s hard headed. You know how niggas are. Their pride won’t let them ask for help for shit.” I whined to Flava.
“Well girl you know your man and if he wants to stay legit then what’s wrong with that? I mean my man is legit too. He just knows how to work his angles. No man wants to be a bum all his life.” Flava spat back at me.
“Ugh, but we broke as hell Flava. I ain’t been shopping in a week. A week, girl!” I laughed. “A bitch ain’t been able to get her nails or toes did let alone get my weave fixed. Can I borrow some money ‘til we get back on our feet?”
“Ah, see now bitch you trippin’. I wouldn’t feel comfortable lending you money that’s for anything other than rent without a job. Speaking of which, what’s wrong with you getting up off your lazy ass to find one? Your man has held you down all these years, even when he was locked up now it’s time for you to return the favor.” She replied sternly.
“I hate when you try to spit knowledge at me, bitch. I ain’t call you for all that, damn. Why can’t you just support what I do?” I asked becoming more heated with the conversation.
“Because, Mink, you’re wrong. Whether you’re my sister or not wrong is wrong and I don’t condone that shit. I love you dearly but bitch you need to quit being lazy and get up and get a job.” Flava spat as she popped her gum through the phone.
“Ugh, I gotta go. I think I hear Cesar coming in the door.”
“Yeah, I’m getting my hair curled anyway ‘cause Yolo’s taking me out to dinner tonight and we ain’t got no kids so you know what that means.” Flava laughed like a hyena in my ear. “Bye!”
When I heard the click, I secretly wished it were a guillotine chopping off that bitch’s head. Yeah, I was jealous of her but it was for good reason. That bitch didn’t deserve to li
ve the good life while I was sitting here near homelessness. She had a college degree in Social Work and could go and get a good ass job where as I only graduated high school and was probably only qualified enough to work at Burger King…again. I didn’t give a fuck about that type of shit though, cause while she was held hostage in somebody’s school for four years I was getting my party on. Still, it seemed Flava rubbed her lifestyle in my face, which cut like a razorblade from ear to ear.
“Hey.” Cesar muttered when I trotted out the room.
“Hey, baby. So, how was the search?” I asked in the sweetest voice.
“Well…it was good practice.” He sighed.
If I wasn’t depressed from the initial shock of the news, it was slowly creeping up on me. Not being able to shop was hard enough but to sit around and deal with a mopey man was unacceptable. My brain was skating a mile a minute trying to figure out what I could do, leaving him was not an option because I know he would never leave CJ.
“So, do you have a plan on what we’re gonna do?” I asked taking a seat next to him on the couch as he began to strip out of his suit.
“What we’re gonna do? We ain’t gonna do nothing cause you are too lazy to get out here and get a damn job." He snarled scooting further across the couch away from me.
"I told you I can't work." I fidgeted.
"Yeah whatever—“
“But have you given anymore thought to Yolo’s offer?” I interrupted noticing the aggravation growing within him. “I spoke to Flava today and she told me that he really wants you on his team and would even pay you more than he pays his top men just because you’re family.”
“But I ain’t family.”
“Yeah but you’re like family though. We’ve all been knowing each other for years now, Cesar, don’t be like that.” I replied loving caressing his leg.
The storm outside the window was fierce with the howling wind and the beating rain but it was nothing compared to the one brewing inside of him right then. I couldn’t figure out what he was actually thinking but I tried to keep my voice as calm as possible in his fragile condition.
“Mink, I ain’t trying to go back to dumb shit alright? SO just drop it.” He exhaled leaning his head back on the couch as he blew back a brown one. “I’m done with that shit. Why can’t anyone understand that?”
“I’m just saying you see how hard it is for you to find a decent job out here that’s gonna support an entire family with bills and rent, especially with you being a felon. This shit is only gonna get harder, Cesar. How much money do we have left?” I had never had to ask how much money we had before.
I would ask for a certain amount of money or for a specific thing and Cesar would be the man of the house and go out and get it or hand me the money. He never questioned me and I never questioned him. All of the bills and rent was always paid on time without fail and with all of the extra hours he was pulling at Home Depot he made it all work for us. But it was crunch time and if I was gonna help fix this it was time I got involved in the expenses.
“Enough to get us through another month.” He replied shaking his head in disappointment.
“See, baby. One more month and then what? Fuck you and me but what is your son gonna do for food and you know he’s gonna come to you eventually for something?” I could see him side eyeing me with every word I spoke but the more he sighed the more I knew, he had to break eventually. “Before my daddy died, he used to say that a man is only as good as his family eats.”
His head turned to me slightly shooting a piercing eye my way. It was then that I knew that it was no use. All of the badgering in the world wouldn’t change this nigga’s mind. He was so stubborn that he would eat dirt before he took anyone’s advice or maybe just mine. I know that I hurt him bad with all of my cheating but it was what I needed in order to stay happy in this unhappy relationship. The thrill, the sensuality, and the beginning relationship love that I felt with him was gone forever it seemed. I just needed to get that back somehow and since I wasn’t going to get it from him, it needed to be from somewhere. I just know that next time I need to be more careful with my game and not let him catch me.
As we sat in silence, I thought about taking my son and running away to a place where he couldn’t find us. That way I could have my son and still be rid of him. I mean, we weren’t married so it pissed me off that I felt trapped in this relationship. Still, I loved the thought of him and we had been together for so long that I was just so confused. Cesar is the type of man to put his kids before any woman and has told me during many of our fights that I could go wherever I wanted but I was going without CJ. That’s something that I’m not prepared to do. A mother living her life carefree without her son is crazy. Right?
“Your daddy was a good man.” Cesar finally uttered softly.
“You know he was, I talk about him all the time.” I laughed. “Look, I’m just trying to help you better us. I mean, I love you baby. I just want what’s best for us, just like you do.”
“I know you do.” He replied putting the duct in the ashtray, checking his fingers for burns.
“Baby, I’m sorry for hurting you.” I said as I leaned in gently to kiss his lips.
I was mildly surprised when he kissed me back. After days of living like roommates and barely speaking to each other, he had finally given in to me. He ran his strong hand across my shirt and over my tits thumbing my nipples one after the other trying to get them as hard as they would go. For the first time in a long time I felt a tingling in my pussy from his touch. It was what I missed from him, what I yearned for. After he started working all those long shifts our sex life went from wild and spontaneous to hum drum quickies. We didn’t notice we had a problem until it was too late.
Cesar ran his hand down my smooth belly massaging my skin relieving the tension that had built up within. I felt almost as if a weight was lifted off my shoulders, feeling that we were about to put ourselves, our relationship back together.
“Open your eyes,” he whispered. “See what’s in front of your face.”
My eyes focused in on every single pore of his skin. I looked into his dark eyes before he moved his lips down to my neck, kissing as he laid me down on the couch, securing his hand under the small of my back so I’d go back with ease. I couldn’t help but grasp hold to his bulging shoulders, getting a handful of each because of how broad they were. I loved it. Every bit of his body was beautifully crafted, like a masculine piece of fine art. I loosened his dark blue tie then began unbuttoning his all white Oxford, needing to get a glimpse of his carved chest and suck on his brunette nipples.
Once Cesar got wind of my trying to strip him, he grabbed my wrists forcefully pushing them down beside me. He lifted my t-shirt above my breasts revealing their brown loveliness poking out from the top of my green lace bra. It was his favorite color. Immediately, he began trying to devour them; playfully biting and using his teeth to unveil my nipples. When he found them, my soul literally melted as his tongue rolled across them giving light, sensual tickles. He moaned as he sucked them, scrolling simultaneously from left to right to give each of them his undivided attention.
“Get up.” He demanded leaving me breathless as I did what he asked.
With one knee on the couch and his other foot planted on the floor, he unbuckled his pants to release his chocolate serpent. My mouth waited for it kneeling down getting ready without him having to ask me to do it. I was ready. Sucking dick? It was nothing to me and I considered myself a professional. I didn’t like to do half ass fake jobs like most chicks, only wanting to get their man hard enough to bang their backs out. Nope, that wasn’t me. I need to feel the cum squirt into my mouth and roll down the back of my throat. I needed to feel the head beat against my windpipe. It was like an addiction and I was most definitely hooked. The problem was I didn’t give a shit whose dick it was as long as there was one in my mouth. That’s another area where Cesar and I go wrong.
“You better suck the black off this motherfucka
if you want me to forgive you this time.” He puffed as he stroked the long limp cock in his hand. “I’m saying that shit better be some super head.”
“Whatever you say, baby.” I replied eagerly and seductively, jumping into position.
I wrapped my hands around his piece and interlocked my fingers squeezing firm but remaining tender. I placed my mouth on him, keeping it open as wide as it would go; only allowing my tongue to scathe it, moistening it for my hands. As my hands went down so did my mouth; both moving in a half circular direction from left to right. His leg was trembling, that was sign number one that I had him. I tightened my lips as I motioned up and down permitting them to give an extra oral massage. More saliva filled up in my mouth but rather than swallow it, I let it ooze out of my mouth like a leaky faucet using it as a natural lubrication.
“Ooo, shit!” He bellowed and puffed.
That was sign number two. I continued on with bobbing and pleasuring him from every angle. I would release his piece, propping it up to get a good suck on his balls before returning to the main junk and going to work on it every five minutes. A good nut from him takes discipline but done the right way I was sure I could make him bust just the way he wanted to. Cesar grabbed the back of my head and began fucking my mouth hard like he was fucking me in the ass, a beating that I enjoyed on many other occasions as well. This was sign number three and it was the one that assured me that he would definitely not go limp or back out. He was about to climax and it surprised me because it was a little faster than usual. Then again I could do this all night and never get tired so long as I relaxed my jaws.
“Fuck! I’m bout to cum!” He growled ramming into my mouth harder and faster.
I removed my hands from the equation bringing them around to his nice firm squeezable backside, aiding him in his pumping. My gag reflexes were calmer and nearly nonexistent since I had been doing this for so long. I tried to deep throat his cock every time he shoved it back inside. Cesar clenched my weave tightly as his muscles tensed up, flexing with every move he made.