by Brandie
“I’m not available.”
“Yes, you are. Why you actin’ like that, Luvly? You know I love you, girl. Where’s my other girl?”
“She’s in the backseat about to get a beat down.” I popped the shit out of her, throwing that damn cookie crisp cereal everywhere.
“Ahhhh!” she cried out. “I want my Uncle Money.”
“What the fuck did she say?”
“Mommie.”
“Naw, sound like she cryin’ for that bitch-ass nigga.”
“Diamond, please. Stop your drama. Go fuck wit’ Pila or that new young bitch that I heard is pregnant.”
“Man, fuck Pila! Fuck all dem hoes! I want you and Sapphire. Y’all are where my heart’s at.”
I did not want to hear the same sob story that I’d heard so many times before.
“Fuck her? But you livin’ with her, Diamond. You havin’ ménage à trois with her and Jordan. Why must we keep reliving this nightmare? Ain’t you tired of whuppin’ my ass and tellin’ the horror stories to your other baby mamas to keep them in line?”
“You gon’ make me beat cho ass!” he said, getting loud.
“I can’t believe you. You started that shit when I was young, tryin’ to train me, beat me into submission! And you still bullying me.”
“It didn’t work; you still think you grown as hell. Hot in the ass.”
“Diamond, the world wasn’t built with your master mind. I wasn’t made for you. You are triflin’, abusive, and miserable. Just stay away from me.”
“You use to love me. What happened to all of that?”
“I loved you when you weren’t puttin’ a foot in my ass or mouth. I liked the lifestyle, all the power you possessed, but I’m over that now. I’m finished paying the price for being with you, Diamond.”
“Man, you livin’ in another nigga’s house.”
“Excuse me. My name is on that house.”
“That nigga paid for it. You drivin’ a Range Rover that I ain’t buy for you. So you tell me?”
“Diamond, my nail shop is number one in Atlanta and I’m working on it being number one worldwide.”
“I know Money bought that shit. But all I’m gon’ say is I’m gone fuck yo’ world up if you don’t come home. I’m gone see about you.” He said calmly.
“I’m at the grocery store. I got to run in here and get Sap some snacks for school.”
“Luvly, please . . . I’m going insane,” he said, sounding like a sincere gentleman.
“Pila and Jordan and the rest of your baby mamas are there to pick up the pieces.”
“Luvly, you are mine!” He screamed. “I raised you from shit to sug—”
I just hung up and turned the phone off. I wished I could turn him off. Lord knows I didn’t want to be involved with him, all the shit I had to put up with.
And on top of all of that, his baby mama, Jordan, had the nerve to name her kids Diamond and Sapphire; that was the kind of shit I was dealing with everyday.
I just wanted Money, my daughter, and my surrogate family. My mother and father would always be there for me. I just hoped that I would make it to see all of this happen.
“Come on, Sap, let’s get your snacks.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
“What do you want Mommy to get for you?” I asked, kissing her on the hand.
“Pizza, Mommie.”
“No, you need some healthy snacks, not pizza.”
“You need to get a whole new life,” a voiced screamed from behind me.
“What?” I turned around and was greeted by part of the problem I was running from.
She ranted, with a mean look on her face, “Bitch, you know what I’m talkin’ ’bout! I’m tired of your lame ass stopping my happiness!”
“Look, Pila, I’m shopping with my daughter. I don’t want her around ignorance.”
I tried to push my cart around her, but she blocked me off, walking up on me. Pila was Diamond’s youngest baby’s mother. He had four others, but Pila was the worst. She had two boys by him and thought that made her the shit. Everyone said that we could pass for sisters.
“Ho, please! Don’t give me that good-mother shit. Diamond told me how he beat your ass in front of her. She lives around ignorance everyday if she always with yo’ triflin’ ass.”
“Tri-fling ass,” Sap repeated.
“No, Sap, don’t say that.”
“If she wasn’t with you, I’d whup yo’ ass up and down Kroger.”
I was getting pissed now, but I laughed at her to piss her off even more. “See me in the streets, Pila. . . like a real woman, not like the little girl that lets her baby’s daddy other baby mama tell her when and how high to jump. Don’t you have to go lick her cat or something?” I’d heard that Pila and Jordan were sleeping together with and without Diamond.
“Why don’t you just tell Diamond that that little bitch isn’t his and we can all get on with our lives?”
“Why does it worry you so much? You scared that in the end I’ll be the one he chooses?”
She smirked and I knew that I’d hit a nerve. “Look, Luvly, I know you been hanging in there the longest with Diamond, but he don’t love you. How could he? He has had seven kids on you. And you know he’s still seeing Brittanie. I heard she pregnant again. So why hang on to him? Get a blood test and prove that Money Loane is her daddy and go be happy.”
I’d heard all the rumors and knew that they were true, but I was not gon’ let no little young girl think she was gone run me out of my post.
“Well, I heard you were pregnant again, too. Why you keep playin’ baby-maker?”
“I’ve come from nothing. Diamond bought me a house, car, and has me a full bank account at all times.”
“And that’s worth your dignity?” I covered Sap’s ears. “You and all those other women are using your children and pussy as commodity. I give my child love and love her because she comes from me, not to make him love me. And Diamond don’t touch this good pussy, but he still takin’ care of this ass.”
“Diamond will believe anything about that little bastard if it means he can have you,” Pila said, gritting her teeth. “But I’m asking you as a woman. Go be with Money and leave Diamond alone.”
I couldn’t believe this bitch was degrading herself and calling my baby a bastard. “Your kids are the real bastards. I asked Diamond about his sons’ birthdays. He flat out told me that he really didn’t know when it was. The day I asked, it was your sons’ birthday party. How could he not know? They were born on the same day, a year apart. He layed up with me and Sap all day. He doesn’t even claim your boys.”
Then at the top of her lungs, she yelled, “Fuck you, ol’, mixed-up bitch, you and your mut. Diamond ain’t gone never leave me. He gon’ kill yo’ ass one day, and I’m gon’ be there to throw salt on your wounds and spit on your grave. Salone should have killed that little bitch in the womb.”
“Come on, Sap. Get out of the buggy. Mommy is going to count, so you can run.”
“Coun, Mommie! Coun!”
“One, two, three, run.” There was no time to correct her; I had an ass to whup. As soon as her little back was turned, I ram the buggy into Pila. It pushed her into the shelf, and a small jar of pickles fell on her head.
“Bitchhhh! Aaaahhhh,” she screamed, falling to the floor.
I placed my foot on her chest, tried to press my heel through her heart. “Bitch, don’t ever fuck with me when my daughter is around. I don’t want Diamond’s sorry ass. I wish all y’all would leave me the fuck alone. Ain’t none of y’all gon’ be shit but a dope man’s bitch. Look at chu. He got you eatin’ Jordan’s pussy and suckin’ his best friend dick.” Pushing my heel deeper into her chest, “You talk that shit about spittin’ on my grave, but you’re already dead on the inside. I’m just beginnin’ to breathe again.” I could hear Sap’s little shoes tapping around the aisle. “So I guess it’s appropriate to spit on your grave.” I spit in her face.
I met Sap coming around the co
rner. I kneeled down, and she ran into my arms. “I make it, Mommie! I do it!”
“We both did it today, baby.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
Brandie
Antsy in my seat, my attention was on what I did last night. “Miss Wine?” Professor Arendril called.
Wondering if Chinoe’s mother would still remember. . .
Professor Arendril stood in front of my seat. “Miss Wine, are you with us?”
Squirming in my seat, I said, “Yes, Professor Arendril. I was just thinking about the philosophy behind that situation.” Yeah, my situation.
I was not regretful; I just felt guilty. I didn’t even know Chinoe and I let him slip his love all up inside and out of me. Oooohhh Weee! Last night was off the chain. I enjoyed talking to him too. I couldn’t believe we had so much in common. I just hoped and prayed that I didn’t get a disease. But, he was a virgin. What if I gave him something that I didn’t know I had? I’m not nasty or trifling, but some diseases don’t surface, like herpes and other heebie-jeebies that hide.
“Brandie. Brandie, class is over,” Mesia yelled as she tapped a hole in my shoulder.
“Oh, oh girl, I’m in another world.”
“Are you going to IHOP with me and my girl Caymin?”
“Yeah, where she at?”
“She should be out of class in ten minutes.”
“I’ll be outside in my truck. I need to make a phone call.”
“I’m ridin’ with you.”
“Yeah, okay.”
Hoes always wanted to flex and ride in my shit. My Yukon was not a taxi. I think they were more impressed with who bought it.
I wondered how I could get in touch with Chinoe? I didn’t want to go back over to Money’s house; he might think I’m a stalker or a groupie. I know some girls who mess around with Money, so I’ll put an APB out on Chinoe.
I really didn’t want to be bothered with Mesia, but a girl always needed to keep a down partner on hand, willing to do whatever, whenever. Just like a girl needed to keep more than one pair of strong arms to hang on.
Ring . . . Ring . . . Ring.
“Yeah.” Hunt sounded so confident and business, just downright fuckable.
“Yeah, is that how you speak to your princess?”
“Sorry, Ma. Where you at?”
“Just gettin’ out of class.”
“That’s my girl—fine as hell and loaded with brains.”
In a girlish voice, I asked, “When am I going to see you, Hunt?”
“Now. Can I pick you up for lunch?”
“Am I lunch?”
“You know it.”
I was just juicin’ his head up. He definitely wasn’t gon’ get this today. I just needed to keep him fiending. “Well, I have Mesia riding with me, and this other girl is suppose to meet us there.”
“That’s cool. I’ll bring Robert with me.”
“Okay, I’ll see you.”
“Hey, where you goin’?”
“IHOP, off Highway 85.”
“On my way, Ma.” Hunt was handsome, and he had old money that ran long. But he also had other women, and I wasn’t with being number two or getting lost in the shuffle. I didn’t want a man that belonged to other women and the streets.
He was no Chinoe—sweet, sexy, honest and possible baby daddy. “What am I talking about I don’t even know his damn phone number.”
“Know whose number?”
“Oooh, shit! Mesia, you scared the shit out of me.” Mesia was leaned over in the window of my truck.
“Caymin, you remember Brandie? Brandie, you remember Caymin?”
“Hi.”
“Hi.”
Eyeing Caymin out the corner of my eye, I said, “Oh, this guy, I met last night.” I said with a slight ’tude.
See, Mesia was about to make me snap. I didn’t say this girl could ride with me; I didn’t like too many people in my shit or my business. My truck only pimped one pussy.
“Damn, I should have left with y’all. I know they were paid.”
I gave Mesia the evil eye. I didn’t know Caymin that well for her to be putting her all up in my business. I turned up Erykah Badu.
“So tell me how last night was.” She turned the music down. “Who was there?”
She must not have understood me giving her the damn evil eye. Flossing was her style, not mine. “It was cool, but everybody got wild. So I went upstairs to one of the rooms and chilled until everybody was ready to go.”
“You didn’t dance for Money Loane?”
“No, he was occupied with Red and Peaches.”
“Money Loane?” Caymin asked excitedly. “I went to school with him.”
See, there she go all in my conversation where she wasn’t invited.
“Oh, really? Ya’ll still see each other?” Maybe I could use her ass to get to Chinoe.
“Naw, we didn’t have a relationship. He used to date my girl Luvly; I think they still messin’ around.”
“Umm um, I wanna get some of Money . . . and some of that money.” Mesia licked her lips.
“Mesia, you so crazy. He is freehearted with his money. Even when we all use to go out, he would pay for everything.”
“Maybe he is willing to pay for any and everything,” Mesia said seductively. She was the gold digger from hell that would screw my daddy if he flashed the right amount of money. She could dance her ass off, but she was still a ho. And I hated hoes, and hoes hated me. But like I said, she was a true road dawg, willing to do dirt.
A truck driver tooted his horn at us. “Girl, blow back! He cute.” Mesia jumped up and down in her seat, waving wildly out of the window.
“Mesia, you gon’ get killed one day messin’ wit’ these niggas.”
“Niggas love it when you a naughty girl.” Mesia clucked her tongue, jumped onto her knees and reached around her back.
“Girl, unhn, I know you ain’t finna do—”
Mesia pulled up her shirt and shook her titties at the truck driver.
“Girl, you need to let me suck them big thangs at the same time. Or put my dick between ’em,” the truck driver yelled, tooting his loud horn again.
I sped away. We laughed and high-fived each other.
* * *
Pullin’ into IHOP, I scanned the parking lot to see if Hunt’s Tahoe was present. It was so damn noticeable, twenty-two inch chrome rims.
Once inside, heads instantly turned. I knew Mesia’s loud ass would let them know we didn’t appreciate the stares. “Damn, can a sister eat without everyone knowing what color drawers she has on!” They all did their ums and ahs and cut their eyes. “I don’t know why women be starin’ anyway unless they gay or payin’.”
I guess three attractive women would cause a little ruckus. I had to admit, Caymin was a pretty girl. She didn’t have anything on me, but she was cute. Her long hair was the same color as mine; it was just cut a little different. It complemented her face. And the girl could dress her butt off. I’d seen her a few times around campus and wondered where she got her shoes and purses.
As soon as we got our table, Hunt walked in.
“Ooh, look at that. He is fine.” Caymin let loose. She looked outside to see what new cars had pulled up. “I wonder if that is his Tahoe? Damn!!”
I let him stand at the door and look for me, to show them hoes what my name truly was.
Mesia was already pushing her breast in the air to catch anybody’s slob. And the look on Caymin’s face said she’d struck gold. Right then I knew she had to go if she liked the same type of men I did.
Hunt spotted me and walked over to the table. “Hey, Ma.” He reached for my hand to kiss it.
“Helloooooo.” I smiled from ear to ear. Sitting on the end of the booth made it easy for him to place warm sweet kisses on my neck.
I guess that wasn’t enough for him so he pulled me out of my seat and into his arms.
“You smell so damn delicious.” His smooth skin brushed my cheek.
Hunt continued
to be the gentleman that he was. “What’s up ladies?”
Caymin’s Cheshire cat grin dropped to a mere smirk.
“Mesia, this is Robert. Robert, this is Mesia.” They both smiled at each other. But his eyes were full of Caymin. “Oh, I’m sorry. Caymin, this is my very special friend, Hunt, and this is his friend, Robert.”
Robert pulled up a chair and placed it across the table from Mesia and Caymin, trying not to be bias.
Caymin had something about her I just didn’t like. She looked at me through jealous eyes when Hunt kissed me on my neck.
All I knew was that she had better get at Robert before Mesia gobbled him up.
Robert was an all right looking dude, tall and kind of on the stout side, with an acne problem. But what he lacked, his beautiful mane of hair made up for. He was a successful producer from Ohio.
“Caymin? I like that name. Is it Hawaiian?” Robert asked with lust in his eyes.
“No, American ghetto,” she answered cutely.
Everyone laughed but me. I just couldn’t get comfortable with her. I wasn’t jealous, but like I said, I didn’t like new problems—female friends.
“Brandie, y’all cousins? Y’all look alike,” Robert asked, still noticeably admiring Caymin. We both smiled uneasily at each other, shaking our heads no.
“So, baby, are we on for tonight or what?” Hunt playfully squeezed my waist.
“I work tonight. You know that.”
“What club is it that you work at Brandie?” Robert asked as he looked around the room for the missing waitress.
“We work at Platinum Kat,” Mesia answered, feeling left out.
“Aye, Dawg, let’s check that out tonight,” Robert suggested, his eyes still glued to Caymin.
“You know I’m game to see my Boo any time.” Hunt winked.
“Caymin, you work there, too?” Robert asked hopefully.
“Nooo!” she said, like dancing was beyond her or something. “I work at Wachovia.”
“Why you say it like something wrong with dancin’?” I asked, irritated.
“I didn’t say anything was wrong with it, but I do think it’s a little bit degrading.”
“What’s degrading about dancin’? I make my money and go home. I don’t trick . . . so—” I tried to explain, defensively.