SIDECHICK: CATCHING FEELINGS

by K NICOLE

  We met when I wasn’t even looking for a relationship. I kept curving him until I gave in to a date and we were inseparable after that. Then came the marriage and the kids. We were together for about a year when he proposed to me. I knew Roman didn’t work a nine to five in corporate when we started talking. He was a street nigga. Him and Zeus, but they were smart ass street niggas.

  Zeus was my favorite. He was rough but once you get to know him, he was really a sweetheart. I couldn’t go up to him and ask was Roman fucking over me because he was loyal to his brother before he was to me. Me and my brother had a good friendship though, and I use to wonder sometimes if I had the wrong brother.

  Don’t misunderstand me. I loved my husband, but the leaving me home alone with the kids and not paying me any attention until it was time for you to get your dick wet was getting old with me. He was treating me like I was his side chick, and I was far from that.

  After dropping the kids off at my parent’s house, I headed to the mall to do some school shopping for the kids. School started back next month and if they weren’t going to big school, they were going to somebody’s school or daycare. Celeste was going to daycare because I needed to get some much work done during the day so I could unwind in the evening with them. I was supposed to, but I couldn’t depend on Roman to be here and help. Lately he had been home with me and helped with the kids, but that could switch up at any moment with his ass.

  Coming out of Children’s Place, I spotted a familiar face. At Rome’s party she seemed uncomfortable, and I wasn’t sure why. The vibe was nice and calm. Everyone I noticed speaking to her was kind. When I was attempting to conversate with her, she spoke, but was still a little standoffish which was odd. I wasn’t a friendly bitch, but I was kind to her. Damn, what was her name again? Patrice? Nah. Nah, that’s ain’t it. I know it started with a “P” though, I thought to myself. Perri!

  “Perri!” I called out to her, as I did a light jog towards her with the few bags I had in my hands. She spun around and then handed me a strained and forced smile. Made me want to go off on her and ask Zeus what the fuck was her problem.

  “He…hey,” she spoke, when I caught up to her. “Diah…right?”

  “Yeah, right.” I looked around. “Are you here by yourself?”

  Perri nodded. I noticed a few bags from the designer stored in her hands and I couldn’t help but wonder if Zeus was paying for all of this. It wasn’t my business, but I still wondered.

  “Yeah. I was out and decided to do a little retail therapy. Are you…um…by yourself?”

  I flicked my hand in the air.

  “Girl yeah. It’s like pulling teeth trying to get Roman to do anything with me.” I rubbed my still flat stomach. “All he knows how to do is make babies.” I laughed and she joined in. “You had lunch? Do you want to take a break from shopping to eat in the food court with me?”

  My best friend, Lyric was a CNA and was traveling all around the world helping other facilities and getting that bread. I missed her, but I wasn’t mad at her at all. Get all the coins you can get! She didn’t have any kids and was currently single. I loved my kids and husband, but I imagined living the life just like the one Lyric was living. Stacking bread with nobody to take care but myself. Going to work and going straight to sleep after a bath. Waking up late on my off days with not a care in the world. I wasn’t pressed for friends, but it wouldn’t hurt for me and Perri to hang sometimes.

  “Um…I really…”

  “Girl come on,” I cut her off before she could give me an excuse as to why she couldn’t sit and have lunch with me. This baby had me hungry and I was ready to stuff my face. I fake pouted and Perri gave in.

  “Okaaaay,” she dragged. “I’m not really by myself. My friend Wes is in Gucci. “Oh, here he comes.”

  He? Is that why she was acting all awkward and weird? She is up in this mall with another nigga!

  Heated, I turned to check this dude out and my mouth clamped shut. This man was switching his hips harder than I could. He was handsome but very much into the same thing I was into. Dick.

  “Um… Wes, this is Diah. Zeus’s um… sister-in-law. Roman’s wife.”

  I caught Wes buck his eyes and then smiled at me. I tilted my head to the side because what was that surprised look for? Was his ass interested in my man or something?

  “Hi!” he finally spoke and held his manicured hand out to me to shake. Hesitantly, I slid my small one in his and instead of shaking it, he brought my hand to his lips and pecked it. I gave him a small smile.

  “Nice to meet you,” I told him.

  “Same.”

  “You know my husband?”

  “Roman? No. I just know his name because my girl here is dating his brother,” he answered, but I didn’t believe that shit at all. It was more to it. Had to be.

  “Oh…okay,” I replied, eyeing them both. Perri seemed real off and I was goin’ to keep a close eye on her. “Well let’s go grab a bite to eat.”

  Wes clapped his hands together and then snapped his fingers. “Yes hunny. I’m hungry as hell. Lead the way miss ma’am.” He grabbed a few of Perri’s bags for her and I started walking towards the food court with them behind me. I really wished Lyric was here because she could spot a foul bitch on the spot.

  PERRI

  I was very uncomfortable being around Diah. It was if she was going out of the way to be my friend and if it was under different circumstances…cool, but it wasn’t. I had fucked her husband several times. I had been pregnant by her husband. I had spent her husband's coins. Like, this was really weird being around her.

  We were sitting down at the food court eating Chinese. I was glad Wes was quick on his feet when she started asking him questions. I was so busy stuffing my face and avoiding eye contact with Diah. I knew I had to be making myself appear awkward, but I couldn’t help it.

  “So,” Wes popped his big ole lips, “tell us a little about yourself Diah. You’re gorgeous as fuck.”

  “Aww thanks,” she smiled at him before taking a sip of her tea. “I’m just a regular ass female that is married and I have four kids with one on the way. I have my own business.”

  “Really? What do you do?” he asked her.

  “Crafts if that is what you want to call it,” she shrugged, and Wes' dramatic ass stopped and her and shook his head.

  “No ma’am. When you’re talking about your business, you sit up straight, have them shoulders back, and look the person in the eyes and you describe that business as if it is the only business in the world.”

  “Yeah, you’re right,” Diah nodded. “Thanks.”

  She went on to describe her business and what she makes. It really sounded as if Diah had her head on straight and made a lot of money with her company. If her and Roman ever called it quits, she would be good financially because she had a hustle. I didn’t have shit. I don’t know why Roman fucked with me because Diah was the shit alone. She had me really sitting here wondering what side hustle I could do because I was not wanting to clock into anyone’s timeclock. I wanted to work on my own time and no one else’s. If I hadn’t been in a relationship with her husband, I’d ask her to mentor my ass.

  Her and Wes held a conversation while I sat back and pretended to be interested in this Chinese food. Wes was genuinely interested in whatever Diah was talking about. That was just his bubbly ass character. She was interesting though. Diah then turned to me and asked me what I did for a living. Wes kicked me under the table, and I squinted my eyes at him.

  “Um… I’m really trying to find what I want to do in life. Right now I’m not working,” I answered lowly.

  “What do you like to do? What is your passion?” Diah queried, and I could scream on the inside. I wasn’t expecting her to want to help me. I wish this lunch would hurry up and end. I was uncomfortable and didn’t like it.

  I shrugged. “I’m still trying to figure that out myself. I love to shop, of course. I love fashion. I even thought about opening my own online cl
othing boutique or lash business. I love lashes,” I had to chuckle. “Everybody is selling lashes though.”

  “And that’s okay! Everybody sells them differently and you will always find your own audience,” Diah told me, and Wes agreed by nodding his head.

  “Yeah, you’re right. I’ll sit on it for a minute but not too long. I need some income,” I sighed. Because your husband cut me off because I cut him off.

  ________

  Wes had found him a place and was moving in tomorrow. He had been staying with me for two weeks and I enjoyed his company. It was never a dull moment, but my man wasn’t comfortable coming over all the time. Zeus said I screamed and moaned too loud, and he didn’t want Wes jacking off to him fucking me or imagining shit. It was funny but then it wasn’t. I wanted Zeus comfortable, but luckily Wes loved his own space and was adamant about getting his own place.

  Zeus was out of town for business and wouldn’t be back for two more days. He wouldn’t tell me what type of business he had to handle to be gone for days, but I trusted him not to be on any bullshit like going to spend time with another woman. He swore that’s not the type of shit he was on, and I believed him. He would pick up my FaceTime and respond to my texts immediately, but I wasn’t blowing him up like a crazy bitch. Not yet.

  Me and Wes were in the living room with wine and the TV on a messy ass show like always. I really needed his advice on how to handle Diah being so friendly with me. Me and her could not be friends. We just couldn’t. If she knew I fucked her husband, I knew for a fact she’d try to fight me.

  “How do I handle Diah?” I asked Wes, after taking a sip of wine.

  “Chiiile, I don’t know about that. I mean it looks as if she wants to be friends, but how when you have this big ass secret? This too much. She really wants to be your friend most likely because you’re with Zeus and he’s her husband’s brother.” Wes took a sip of his wine and shook his head. I finished my glass and poured up another.

  “What do I do?”

  “She has your number?”

  “No. She didn’t ask, and I didn’t offer.”

  “Well, that’s your solution,” Wes stated. “Try not to be in the same place as her. It may be hard, but honestly that’s it or tell her the truth.”

  I shook my finger at him. “That’s not an option.”

  I wasn’t scared of Diah. We were around the same size and plus, she was pregnant. I wasn’t trying to add any stress to her and make her lose the kid. If she should be mad at anybody, it should be Roman’s ass. He was the one lying and being deceitful. I had just been playing my part and at one point, I was falling for Roman. Crazy? I was really trying to make this man leave his family for me. I’d beat a bitch ass behind Zeus. He was one that I wasn’t ever trying to let go.

  “Bitch, I’m not gon’ lie, Diah was looking crazy as if she didn’t believe me when she asked if I knew her husband. The wheels in her head were probably turning. What if she figures it out on her own? What if she goes through that nigga’s phone and find some shit?”

  I put my face in my hands and groaned in annoyance.

  “Then Roman would be a stupid muthafucka,” I answered.

  ROMAN

  “I want to go on this trip too,” Diah stated, coming into the living where I was playing the game with Rome.

  Earlier, I had let her know that me and Zeus had to go to Miami to get up with the plug because we had sold out of our shit in two damn weeks. Our shit was hot in the streets. What I wasn’t expecting was Diah wanting to go. I had been promising her a vacation, but to Miami wasn’t my choice. That was my time to myself. I loved partying in Miami.

  “You do?” I frowned.

  “Yeah, I do. I promise to not be in your way, but I would love to hit the beach and maybe hop on a boat or something. My parents won’t mind keeping the kids. Is Zeus bringing Perri?”

  I bit back on my back teeth at the sound of those two names in the same sentence. I tried not to show any reaction, but it was hard, and I had to catch myself.

  “I don’t know.”

  Diah flopped down with Celeste in her arms. Rome turned around towards them and waved.

  “I’m beating Daddy, Mama. Show Celeste that I’m beating her Daddy,” he squealed, pointing at the TV. He wasn’t beating me. I was allowing him to get ahead in this racing game because Rome tends to have a fit if he doesn’t win. When my boy starts playing sports in real life, he was goin’ get a taste of taking a few L’s.

  “She sees you hunny,” Diah giggled. She then turned to me. “Are you going to tell me why you and Zeus aren’t speaking to one another? All these years I’ve never seen you two not talk to one another. At Rome’s birthday party… it was weird. You two are always the life of the party even when it’s not y’all’s party.”

  “We just had a business disagreement,” I lied.

  She stood and I praised the Lord. “Something probably so stupid. Life is short, Roman.” After saying that dumb shit, she left for upstairs. My daughters came running in and sitting on the floor to watch me and Rome play the game.

  One thing Zeus wasn’t was a snitch. I could count on him to not tell Diah about Perri and any other females I’ve smashed on my wife. He was still a disloyal ass nigga in my book. Diah wanting to be friends with Perri didn’t sit right with me. She had Lyric. Being on the jet and in Miami for two days around one another was too much. I was going to compromise and tell my wife when I get back from Miami, I’ll take her to Jamaica or wherever she wants to go.

  I handed my oldest the controller and stood up, stretched my legs, and bolted upstairs to talk to Diah about this trip. She was peeling out of her clothes to take a shower and I almost forgot what I had come up here for. She was getting a pudge now. After every baby, Diah would snap back after dieting and working out in the home gym we had three to five times a week.

  “Hey. What’s up?” she asked, now fully naked.

  “I…uh…You sure you want to go to Miami with me? When I get back, I’ll take you wherever you want to go. Jamaica? Puerto Rico? Cancun?”

  “Nooo,” Diah stressed. “I want to go to Miami. Why the hell are you so hell bent in not wanting me to go with you?” Diah moved around and my eyes landed on her breasts that were flinging around. They weren’t exactly still perky because she breastfed four kids going on five soon. That was one part of her body she was self-conscious with. Diah always talked about getting a breast lift. I was with whatever she wanted to do. I was still goin’ to suck on ‘em whether they touched the floor or sat up. They were mine.

  “I don’t want to be so busy in Miami and have to put you on the backburner.”

  “You mean like you do at home?” she snapped. “I’m going and that’s fucking that!” Diah stomped to the bathroom with her booty jiggling and my dick stood just watching it. The kids were downstairs and unattended so I headed back down there even though I wanted to join my wife in the shower, mad and all.

  I guess Diah would be coming along with me to Miami. I just hoped it went smooth and Perri didn’t decide to come to my wife as a woman. Diah was a mother, and she was classy, but my bitch could be gangsta.

  ZEUS

  “It’s just so weird,” Perri sighed. “Can’t we just take another jet?”

  “No,” I chortled. “You’ll be fine. I hate that my brother had you before me, but that doesn’t change how I feel about you. I hate holding secrets like this from my sister-in-law, but it’s not my place to tell her. Knowing Diah, she’ll try to fight you and my brother, starting with Roman, but I ain’t gon’ let shit like that happen. If she wants to be mad at someone, it needs to be Roman.”

  “That’s it!” Perri squealed, tossing some of her clothes in a suitcase. “But bae, she is trying to befriend me, and I don’t want to fake a friendship with her. I would rather just not go to Miami. The last time I went to Miami, I was with Roman. Your brother. Now I’m going and I’m with you. This shit doesn’t bother you?”

  I shook my head and stared into her bro
wn eyes that were shaded by her long false lashes. “Nope.”

  “And why not?”

  “Because I do what the fuck I want.” Reaching out, I grabbed and pulled her small body into mine. “I get who I want.” I pushed her orange knotless braids out of her face. When I was younger, I use to think females with colored hair…bright hair like this was ghetto, but it fit Perri, and I loved how it was her color. Just like that woman I see on IG all the time…Oloris Swank with the blue hair. That was her color and I fucked with that shit.

  “She’s pregnant, Zeus. If she found out about me and Roman, she might just spaz out and lose the baby. Stress will cause a woman to lose a baby. You know that right?

  It was good to know Perri wasn’t full of hate and selfish because she actually cared about Diah’s feelings and wellbeing. Maybe not while she was fucking and draining my brother’s pockets.

  “You do know eventually Diah is going to find out. This some shit that will come to light eventually. You think Roman is over you?” I snorted. “That nigga is gon’ dig himself a ditch he won’t be able to get out of. I hate to say that shit, but it is the truth. Anyway, enough about Roman and Diah, you want to come with me to check on my mama before we be gone for a few days?”

  Perri hesitated and I pouted. She mushed my head back and agreed, but only if she could just stay in the car. I told her she could, but that was a lie. It wasn’t no running in real quick to holla at my mama. I was goin’ to sit, and chop it up with my number one lady, so Perri was gon’ have to bring her ass in the house whether she wanted to or not.

  _________

  “Noooo Zeus. I knew I shouldn’t have come with you. I should have known you were on some bullshit,” whined Perri, when I rounded her side of the car and opened the door. She tried to hit the lock button so fast but wasn’t quick enough. Plus, I had my keys. It wasn’t like I couldn’t unlock my own car doors.

  “Man get yo’ ass out before I act a fool on my mama’s property with all the white neighbors outside staring. I’m sure there is a Karen around here.”