The Roof is on Fire

by Brenda Hampton

Hi, Jada. I’m Shelly P. from Detroit. I gotta say that I almost came looking for you myself when you kept playing with Kiley’s heart. I didn’t like the way you handled yawl’s relationship and you seemed like a real gold-digger. All you did was bitch, bitch, bitch about him and his friends. Why would you try to stop him from being a father to his son? That was wrong on so many levels and I’m glad he finally found somebody who had his back.

  See, I was in a good mood, but it was stuff like this that pissed me the fuck off. This surely didn’t sound like a fan—more like a hater. I bit into my lip and punched hard on the keyboard to reply.

  First of all, Shelly, the only woman who ever had Kiley’s back was me. Anna was a fake and he knew it. Sorry that you couldn’t see so for yourself. And my heart was the only one being tampered with, because Kiley was trying to live on both sides of the fence. I do, however, regret my childish behavior with his son, but remember that he lied about that too. It was very difficult living with a man and having his friends and family there all the time disrespecting me. You have no idea what that was like, but I put up with it because I loved Kiley to death. His money came in handy, and as a dope-man’s woman, was I supposed to run around looking raggedy and shit? Was I supposed to not have my hair and nails done, and not rock the finest clothes that I could? Uh, no. He wanted me to have the best, and I wasn’t going to argue with him about that. I’mma end it right here, because you done upset me with yo accusations. The bottom line is I know I contributed to fucking up our relationship, and you already know why I can’t change a damn thing that happened. *Tears*

  I had to sit for a minute and chill out. Thoughts of Kiley flooded my mind, but after a while, I took a deep breath and stood up. When I walked over to where Jaylin was, he acted like he had forgotten about those curls. I interrupted a boxing match him and Roc were playing on PlayStation, while Chase was cooking dinner.

  “What,” Jaylin said as I pushed his shoulder.

  “Uh, did you forget about your hair? You said I could do anything I wanted to with it.”

  He ignored me while finishing the boxing game with Roc. When Roc knocked out his character, Jaylin fell back on the couch.

  “Damn! I want a do-over. Jada interrupted me and I lost focus.”

  Roc laughed and stood to stretch. “No excuse. It’s over. The rematch has to take place after dinner, because I’m hungry.”

  “Please tell me why y’all men are so competitive?” I said. “And you may as well sit back down, Roc, because Chase is takin’ her sweet little time in the kitchen.”

  Roc looked into the kitchen, seeing that there wasn’t much going on. He sat back down and relaxed on the couch.

  “What is it that you’re trying to do with my hair?” Jaylin questioned.

  “I’m not sure yet. I’m thinkin’ like maybe shavin’ some of it off or straightenin’ it. I really want to see you with a baldhead or with straight hair.”

  His eyes widened. “My suggestion would be that you come up with another idea. My hair does not straighten and a baldhead doesn’t work for me.”

  “Excuse me, mister, but you said that I could do anything. You also been around here braggin’ about how you’re a man of your word and what you say, you mean. Are you backtrackin’ now?”

  “I’m not backtracking at all. You just need to come up with other suggestions.”

  “You seriously got a problem with lettin’ people have their way, don’t you? I tell you what, though. If you let me straighten your hair, I’ll shave my puddy hairs and cook breakfast, lunch, and dinner for you, for the next three days.”

  “No deal. For starters, your cooking ain’t all that to me, and your puddy hairs should already be shaved. But if you let Chase wax your hairs and allow her to suck you in front of me, then we may have a deal.”

  I couldn’t help but to frown as him and Roc high-fived each other. “Ugh, that’s nasty. I don’t get down like that, but you can watch Roc suck it. Somethin’ tells me he’ll do a much better job than Chase.”

  “You got that shit right,” Roc said. “And I’ll shave it for you, too.”

  I smiled from the thought of him going down on me. How nice of him to offer. This was getting interesting. I took a seat on the coffee table; it had the nerve to squeak. Jaylin had to go there.

  “You need to back off those tables,” he said. “I don’t want a repeat of the other night, so please sit on the couch.”

  I threw my hand back at him and remained on the table. “Forget you. I’m stayin’ right here, so listen up. I’mma go in the closet and get this perm I got from Big Lots. I’m gon’ straighten your hair and knock out some of those curls. Then, you gon’ shave me and we both gon’ have the pleasure of watchin’ Roc perform oral sex on me. How about that?”

  Roc looked at Jaylin, but he seemed more interested in his curls. “Why are you so eager to mess with my curls? My hair is natural, baby. You will never get my hair to go straight. In addition to that, what in the hell is Big Lots? Never heard of that before.”

  “That’s because you’ve been sheltered for too long. People who have maids don’t know nothin’ about Big Lots. The perm I got will straighten your hair. I do love your hair, but I think it may look so much better slicked back with some gel on it. You know, some of that gangsta shit, baby. Especially since you’re a pimp anyway. It’s time that you represent.”

  “I’m already representing myself in a major way and no adjustments will be needed,” Jaylin said. “But, since I am a man of my word, do whatever. Again, my hair will not go straight. You’re going to be disappointed, but you still gotta live up to your end of the bargain. I’d rather see Chase do you, and I won’t be satisfied until it’s done.”

  Roc added his two cents. “I’m kind of leanin’ that way as well, but I’m more eager to see you put a perm in this nigga’s hair. Somethin’ tells me that he ain’t got no idea what a relaxer will do.”

  I stood and reached for Jaylin’s soft hair to rub it. “Well, we’re about to see. Are we not?”

  He snatched his head back and cut his eyes. “Only one side, Jada. Sample that shit before you put it all over my head, and let me see if it has any effects.”

  I rushed out of the living room and yelled into the kitchen at Chase. “Hurry up with that food, girl! How much longer we got?”

  “At least another thirty minutes,” she said, huffing and looking like a confused bitch who needed to exit the kitchen fast. “I know you’re not about to do what I think.”

  “Yes, ma’am. I’m goin’ to get my perm now.”

  Chase laughed and shook her head. I hurried to the closet before Jaylin changed his mind. I couldn’t believe he was going to let me do this, but when I returned to the living room area, he took the relaxer box from my hand.

  “What the hell is a relaxer? Is it supposed to relax me?”

  “All its gon’ do is wave your hair more,” Roc said, lying. “I don’t know why Jada so hyped about puttin’ that shit in your hair.”

  Chase had already made her way to the living room to see what was up. “I don’t suspect it’s going to do anything either. You can’t straighten natural curls.”

  Jaylin gave the box back to me. “Wash my hair first. It’s still sweaty from earlier.”

  He made his way to the kitchen, and when I looked at Chase and Roc, they had smirks on their faces. They definitely knew what time it was. This fool was about to burn.

  “Come on, sweetie,” I said to Jaylin as he stood by the sink. “I’m goin’ to get a bath towel and some shampoo.”

  He waited until I returned with the towel and shampoo. By then, he had his shirt off, displaying his perfectly carved chest. His shorts hung low and his bulge always made it appear that he was hard and ready. I swear I wanted to drop to my knees or bend the fuck over in front of him. Either way, I couldn’t go wrong.

  As soon as he bent over and put his head underneath the faucet, I squeezed the shampoo in my hand and got to work.

  “That feels guuud,�
�� Jaylin moaned as I massaged my fingers in his hair, washing it. He had a good grade of healthy hair. I hoped the perm wouldn’t fuck it up too bad. I seriously couldn’t believe he was going to let me do this, but I guess it said a lot about him keeping his word. I now felt better about the money he said he’d give me, if I won this challenge.

  Chase came into the kitchen to check on the baked chicken she had in the oven.

  “Almost done,” she said. “You and Jaylin need to hurry up and get out of the kitchen, especially while I’m trying to cook. Couldn’t you have done that in the bathroom?”

  I ignored Chase’s comment, but whispered for her to come by me and Jaylin.

  “Move his shorts,” I whispered to her.

  She chuckled and didn’t hesitate to reach her hand inside of his shorts.

  “What you doing, Jada?” Jaylin turned his head to the side. His eyes were closed because of the dripping shampoo and water. I kept on massaging his hair while Chase massaged something else.

  “My hands are in your hair,” I said. “I don’t know what you’re referrin’ to.”

  “You know damn well what I’m referrin’ to.”

  “Aw, that. Roc, please get your hands off that man’s nuts so I can finish washin’ his hair.”

  Jaylin jumped up and backed away from the sink. His face was drenched with shampoo and water dripping down it. So was his chest, but the most exciting part to see was his hard dick poking through his shorts.

  Chase and I stood like two innocent angels who hadn’t done a thing. Roc walked by the kitchen, shaking his head. “I know you didn’t think my hands were on yo shit, did you?”

  “No, I didn’t, but I jumped up because somebody was about to get a handful of sperm.”

  Jaylin winked at Chase. For whatever reason, I didn’t like it. He was starting to give her way too much attention. She loved every bit of it.

  “The pleasure would’ve been all mine,” she said. “Maybe next time, huh?”

  “Next time,” Roc said, turning to walk away. “Keep me out of it. I’m gettin’ ready to wash some clothes. Chase, before you touch my food, be sure to wash your hands.”

  I guess he was still hot with Chase from earlier. His tone said so. Or it probably bothered him that Chase was now riding Jaylin’s dick. She had been riding it all along, but more so within the past week. I had to keep my eyes on this trick for sure.

  I threw the towel over Jaylin’s head, watching as he took his time tucking the monster back into his shorts.

  “You proud of that bad boy, ain’t you?” I teased. “Just lettin’ it all hang out. But, uh, now that I’m done washin’ your hair, go have a seat on the couch so I can get this party started.”

  Jaylin put the towel around his neck, cocking it from side to side. “Jada, do you think I’m a fool or a damn fool? Baby, I’m not about to let you put no five-dollar perm from a place called Big Lots in my hair. I’m not about to let you cut it either, so whatever plans you had for me, you can forget it. I needed my hair washed, so thanks for doing it for me.”

  He kissed my cheek and left me shaking my head. “Oooo, you are dir-tee. I thought you were a man of your word. Shame on you for gettin’ me hyped about this.”

  “I am a man of my word, and when I say that you’re not fucking with my hair, I mean it. Again, thanks for washing it for me. I needed that. Needed something else too.”

  That comment was addressed to Chase and she blushed. As Jaylin walked away, I could tell things were getting pretty serious. I guess it was my fault for asking her to play with him. I didn’t expect for her to do that good of a job, and it surprised me that she was starting to win him over. Bitch.

  I was so mad that, immediately after dinner, I got ready for bed early. I also couldn’t stop thinking about that email I’d gotten earlier about Kiley. It was heavy on my mind. I fell asleep dreaming about men.

  “There’s Some Whores in This House” was playing in the background, and Jaylin stood in front of the bed with no clothes on, doing the percolator. A serious look was washed across his face, but his eyes were narrow as they zoned in on me with seduction. A bag of green grapes was in my hand. I chomped down on them, refusing to turn my eyes in another direction. Jaylin had me hooked, and his dick was hanging close to his knees.

  “I’m a ho, you know I’m a ho. How do you know? Because I showed you so,” he said.

  “Yes, you’ve been representin’ very well, so keep on hoein’ and turn around so I can see how you doin’ it from the back.”

  Jaylin stopped percolating and turned around. He stuck his dick between his legs, causing one of the grapes to drop from my wide opened mouth. I was on cloud nine, ten, and eleven, and when the direction of my eyes shifted to the right of Jaylin, I saw Roc twirling around on a stripper pole. With no clothes on, he was grinding the hell out of the pole while smacking his ass. I wanted to get out of the bed to go touch him and Jaylin, but for whatever reason, I couldn’t move. I had to wait for them to come to me.

  Minutes later, they did. Both of them crawled on the bed, and when Roc growled at me, I growled back. He snatched the grapes from my hand, causing me to frown.

  “What are you doin’?” I pouted. “I want my grapes back.”

  “But you’re too fat, ma. You don’t need them.”

  No this motherfucker didn’t just go there. I snatched my bag of grapes from his hand and started eating more of them. Roc tried to make it up to me by rubbing my legs and Jaylin picked up a few of the grapes, popping them into my mouth. Juice from the grapes squirted on his face and all he did was laugh.

  “I love juice, but you can give me much more than that,” he said.

  He attempted to pull my nightgown over my head, but for a minute, it got stuck. Roc yanked on it and tossed it on the bed beside us. It was the first time I’d ever let any man see my entire naked body, and they seemed pleased by how voluptuous it was.

  “You get the front,” Jaylin said to Roc. “I’ll get the back.”

  I happily lay sideways and they made a thick sandwich out of me.

  “Did anybody bring any mayonnaise or mustard?” I asked.

  Jaylin reached behind him and brought forth a jar of Grey Poupon. “Forget the mustard, let’s settle for the Grey Poupon.”

  We released a hearty laugh, but Jaylin couldn’t get the jar open. He passed it to Roc and he couldn’t get it open either.

  “Forget it,” Roc said. “She didn’t need it anyway.”

  Roc’s insults were working me, and since he was in front of me, I let him have it. I sucked his thick lips and lowered my hand to touch his package. Unfortunately, it was so small—felt like it melted in my hands.

  “What in the hell am I supposed to do with this?” I asked.

  “Anything you want to. Just don’t eat it, fatty.”

  I pushed Roc on the floor, tossing him out of the picture. Jaylin, however, was still behind me. He threw my leg over his and whispered sweet nothings in my ear.

  “You’re so fucking fine, Jada. I want this pussy, baby, give me all of it.”

  By now, I was hot and sho’nuff bothered. Jaylin’s whole hand was cupped over my pussy, and as he started to finger me, I sucked in a heap of air.

  “You really need to shave, baby, and the sharp nails on your toes are cutting my leg. I don’t understand why a woman as beautiful as you are won’t take care of herself.”

  “I will,” I replied. “Just be sure to give me all of your money, and I will look better than any bitch you ever laid your eyes on.”

  “Not a chance in hell,” Roc said, peeking over the bed. I shooed that hater away like a pesky fly, and right before Jaylin was getting ready to hit me with his snake, the bedroom door flew open. In walked Kiley, surrounded by a white light. The room fell silent and an orchestra appeared, playing R. Kelly’s, “When a Woman Loves a Man.” Kiley was naked too, and all of these big dicks in the room made me nervous. I had been caught red-handed in the bed with Jaylin, and Kiley didn’t like it one b
it. His bald head was sweating and his fists were tightened. His eyes had turned red and his buffed chest heaved in and out.

  “Bitch, what you doin’?” he yelled. “How many niggas am I gon’ catch you in the bed with?”

  “Ju…just one,” I said, easing away from Jaylin.

  He reached for my hand, trying to stop me from moving away from him. “Baby, don’t go. I need you right now. I thought we were in this shit together, and you know how I feel about you, don’t you?”

  I batted my lashes, wanting to cry. But the way Kiley was looking at me, I wouldn’t dare shed one tear. To show him how sorry I was, I dropped to my knees and prepared myself to give him head. That would surely put a smile on his face, but Jaylin and Roc weren’t too happy.

  “Don’t do it,” Jaylin said softly. “Baby, please don’t do it. If you do, save some for me.”

  “Gon’ ahead and let that ho do her thing,” Roc spat. “All she gon’ do is bite that shit anyway.”

  I’d just about had it with Roc, and as I stood to go after him, the door opened again. Prince strutted into the room. He was also naked. It was now time for me to wake the hell up before something popped off that I didn’t want to.

  “Get out! Now!” I shouted to Prince.

  “Why should I leave when I hear there’s a head hunter in here? You got plenty mo brothas outside of that door waitin’, so you need to speed up yo game and get busy.”

  They all laughed and charged toward me. I screamed “no,” and that was when I jumped out of my dream.

  I sat up in bed with a heaving chest. Roc was lying next to me sound asleep. Jaylin was sitting up in his bed with the nightlight on, reading. He was in his boxer shorts and the book was propped up in front of his dick.

  “What in the hell is wrong with you?” he asked.

  I squeezed my achy forehead. “Nothin’. Just had a bad dream, that’s all.”

  He ignored me and got back to reading his book. I wasn’t sure where Chase was, but that was one messed up dream. I couldn’t even go back to sleep. I lay there wondering what the purpose was for all of that foolishness.

  “Say, Jaylin. Do you like grapes?”