by Brandie
“Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday, dear Sapphire,
Happy Birthday to you.”
“Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!”
“Blow out your candles, baby girl.”
She gave it all her wind and blew them out. It seemed like we were all making wishes, all for different reasons.
“Did you make a wish?” my mother asked. Sap nodded yes and rested her head on Money’s shoulder.
“Hey, I’m going to get a drink,” I told Money, pointing at the bar.
“I’ll meet you at the bar,” Money agreed.
I didn’t see Caymin at the singing. I wondered if her boyfriend made her leave because of all the swarming men, ’cause she did look good. Well taken care of. Those karats on her arm and ears weren’t lying.
“Excuse me, Dawg. Let me get a cranberry and Sprite.”
“Mixed, right?” the bartender asked.
“Yeah.”
“A good-looking sister just left here with one of these to go; I thought she was weird. But I made myself one, and it taste pretty damn good.”
“You happen to catch her name?”
I started acting like I was on crack. Shit! I was. Brandie was my crack, the first piece that got me addicted. I was her fiend and I needed a hit of that.
“Yeah, some football player came over trying to push up on her, but home girl was too sassy for that shit. I think she said Brenda. Brittany?”
“Brandie?”
“Yeah, yeah, that sounds about right.”
I jumped off the stool ready to race Marion Jones. “How long ago did she leave?”
“Just a few minutes.”
Running full speed towards the door, I knocked a little girl down. “I’m so sorry.” The little girl was crying loudly, so I picked her up, still looking in every direction. It was hopeless. She was gone—again. Damn! My luck was buzzard!
I took the little girl to her parents and returned to the bar disappointed. “So, man, was she tight?”
“Tight ain’t even the word. She was beautiful. Her and her friend could go for sisters, but this girl was thicker, had a rounder face. Beautiful full face.”
“Damn! Damn! Damn!”
“You messed up with her or something?” he asked, wiping the counter.
“Naw, I never had a chance.”
Chapter Forty-Six
Money
“My baby had a beautiful birthday party. She is getting so big,” Luvly said as she put on some Al Green.
“Yeah, everything turned out nice, but next year will be the bomb, the big five.”
Stretching out on the sofa and laying her head down on my lap, Luvly said, “Sap is sick, Money. I don’t know what’s wrong with my baby.”
“I’m going to make some phone calls tomorrow and get some specialist to look at her.”
“I’m so glad that you are here with me. With us.”
As I kissed her on the forehead, she looked up at me with sexy eyes.
“Kiss me again.” I kissed her again. “Again.” I kissed her longer. “Again.” I kissed her more passionate this time. “Again.”
“Ha! Ha! Ha! Just tell me you want some,” I said, tickling her a little bit.
“Nope. Again.”
I kissed her until my already hard dick began to pulsate. “Get up, Luvly,” I said, pushing her off me. “I wanted this to be about us, not sex. It’s time for us to get to know each other all over again.”
“Why? He raisin’ up for me,” she said, smiling and trying to grab my dick.
We started wrestling.
“Hey, did you see the look on Chocolate’s face when he saw Caymin?” I asked, patting her on the butt, trying to change the mood.
“Yeah, I thought inviting her would be good for him ’cause he don’t seem to really be into Chaise. Don’t get me wrong, she all right, but not for him. I always thought him and Caymin were good together. But I didn’t know she had a man or that, if she did have one, she would bring him to the party.”
“Why you always so concerned about Chocolate’s love life?”
If I didn’t know better I’d swear they messed around before Sap was born. One time I went out of town to football camp and came back a day early. I went straight to Chocolate’s house, and Luvly’s car was in the driveway. (Seal let me in.) Once I get to the basement, the door is locked. It took them too long to open it, but I didn’t stress the situation.
“Are you jealous, Mr. Loane?” she asked, smacking her lips. “I just think he deserves to be happy with the right somebody.”
“Yeah, but Chocolate still chasin’ a dream, a piece of pussy from some chic he don’t even know.”
“It was special to him.”
“Yeah, his first piece. You move on to the next one after that. Test the waters.” I patted her ass again and kissed it. “Mine was special, too.”
She pushed me away this time, changing the subject that I was ready to start. “Yeah, but look at how it happened. I think it’s kind of romantic that he gave his virginity to someone he hasn’t seen. He felt her and got to know her from eleven forty-five to four a.m. He didn’t judge her for her looks.”
“Yeah, yeah. Like I said, chasing a dream when he has a perfectly good woman who wants to be good to him.”
“Where were you when all this was going on is my concern?”
Jumping on her, pinning her down, I said, “So many questions.” I kissed her, pecking her here and there.
“Caymin invited me to go the Platinum Kat.”
“Damn! Chinoe done turned ’er gay.”
“No, her friend works there. She wants all of us to go to VIP.”
“Like I can’t get that on my own.”
“Whatever. I’m going. I need a grown-up night out. Actually she invited me, but I thought all of us could go: you, me, Chocolate, and Taeko.”
“I’ll call them after you do me a favor.”
“What?”
I picked her up and sat her on the sofa. She didn’t hesitate or resist. She held on to my neck, kissing me. I gently pushed her back into the cushion as far as she would go, kissing her deep and strong.
Her short T-shirt exposed her upper thighs. My hungry lips couldn’t resist kissing them; they smelled like enticing fruit.
My next victims were her legs. Picking up one of them, I kissed and sucked her calves and felt her wiggle with ecstasy. Hearing her moan turned me on even more. I started sucking each toe slowly. From her toes to her inner thigh, my tongue dispensed wetness. “Luvly, I want to love you for a lifetime.”
Grabbing my face with both her hands, she kissed my forehead, cheeks, nose, chin, and then my lips. “I don’t ever want to lose this feeling, or you.”
Chapter Forty-Seven
Chocolate
“Yeah, it was nice. Sap wasn’t feeling well, but she did good.”
“Did you give her my present?” Chaise asked.
“Of course, I did. How is your session going?”
“Going. The models are not as genuine as you, and they aren’t as gorgeous either.”
“When are you coming back to Atlanta?” I asked, not really wanting her here.
“Whenever you ask me to.”
“Well, let me go put Sap in the bed. Call me tomorrow.”
“All right. Bye, I lo—”
Click
I didn’t want her to love me. I knew that I would end up hurtin’ her. Damn! It seemed like I couldn’t get it right with her. I knew why; she wasn’t ‘the one.’ Just like Nikki, Tab, Joslen, Bashea, Wendi,
Sam, or Haven weren’t ‘the one.’
Ring . . . Ring . . . Ring.
“Starr residence.”
“What’s up, boy? You down for the Kat tonight?”
“That’s cool. I need to be in a stress-free atmosphere.”
“Call Taeko and let him know.”
“Man, yeah. Joi gon’ be trippin’, and you know it,” I warned him.
“Man, stop being a pussy and call that man. He needs a break, too.”
“Hold on.”
Ring . . . Ring . . . Ring.
“Hello.”
“What’s up, Joi? Tae home?”
“Yeah, hold on.” She dropped the phone to the floor, letting us catch the loud thump in our ears. “Taeko!” She yelled loudly.
“See, she already got an attitude,” I reminded him.
“Man, she and her sister were born with attitudes.”
“Yeah,” Taeko answered, sounding just as bothered as Joi.
“What’s up, Dawg?” we both greeted him.
“We headed to the Kat tonight.” I was hoping he said no. Joi was good for bustin’ up in strip clubs and pullin’ rank on his ass and fighting with the dancers.
Tonight I wanted to get me a couple of drinks, listen to some tight music, and look at some beautiful, thick sisters shake it fast.
“Yeah, I’m down. What time y’all leavin’?”
“It’s eight p. m. now, so about midnight.” I said midnight so that Joi wouldn’t let him out. Tae got wild in the strip club, touching dancers, and calling ’em out their name. He could go to the VIP room and fuck ’em, for all the club cared. But damn! He was a professional basketball player and father of two, he shouldn’t be all out on the floor showin’ his ass.
“That’s tight. I’ll be there. VIP?”
“Yeah, one of Caymin’s friend dance there, and she already got a spot for us,” said Money.
“What? Man, hell naw, you playin’ a bitch role,” I told him.
“Aw, man. She gotta, man; she ain’t jockin’ you no more.”
“Man, please. Can’t no woman leave this! Chocolate is addictive.”
“Whatever, pretty nigga. Midnight, Tae,” Money said.
“Midnight.” Tae hung up.
“Man, why you didn’t tell me she gon’ be there?” I asked.
“I didn’t say she was going to be there,” said Money.
“Well, I’m assuming.”
“Making an ass out of yourself.”
“Whatever. Who is her friend?” I wanted to know.
“I don’t know her name. She talked to Luvly.”
“Oh, so Luvly goin’?” My good night was definitely over.
“Yeah.”
“Man, you invitin’ drama all the way around,” I warned him. “You know Diamond has a personal seat in that joint. Luvly hate half dem bitches in there, and you know when she get full she act crazy as Tae. I promise naw, I bet all the money in my pocket Joi gon’ come up in that bitch and start trippin’.”
“Man, Joi might be chill tonight; he been treatin’ her better lately.”
“And Luvly?”
“That’s an unpredictable story,” Money admitted.
“I’m out. Late’a.”
“Late’a.”
Chapter Forty-Eight
Brandie
“It’s off the chain in here,” Caymin said, amazed at all the naked women.
“Some type of game was earlier today.” I knew she wasn’t used to this type of environment, but she would be all right.
“Caramel, who is this luscious lady?” One of my regular customers asked with hunger in his eyes for Caymin.
“Zae, she is not a dancer, just a guest.”
“Hey, baby girl, you should think about working here. Those half karats in your ears could be five karats if you fuck wit’ me.”
“We waitin’ on you, Miss Delite,” Zae said, pinching my chin, winking at Caymin.
Caymin’s facial expression changed from excitement to scared. “Girl, hurry up and get me upstairs to my room.”
“I’ll be doing my show at twelve-thirty. Do you want to stay here or go on up?”
“Can I still see and hear upstairs?”
“Yeah.”
“Upstairs,” she said nervously, walking toward the staircase.
On the way up the stairs men were pulling on Caymin, asking her to marry them, could they have a dance, what was up for a night. One man offered us three gees for a night with both of us. She saw how easy it was to make a grand in minutes.
“Brandie, if I didn’t have Robert I would be your money-making partner. All this money for the shit we do for free-hump.”
Caymin’s hot-pink, strapless sundress truly complemented her figure. And with her hair curled and pulled up, she looked like a slimmer version of me.
“All right, girl, chill out. The intercom,” I informed her, pointing to the arm of the chair, “is to order drinks, food, and . . . women.” I winked at her.
She cut her eyes at me.
“Hey, to each it’s own.” I laughed.
Mesia had walked in the room without making a peep.
Caymin joked, “I’ll order you with a side of—”
“Well, well, what do we have here? Caymin, you turnin’ on me?” She winked her eye at Caymin, passing her tongue through two fingers. “You let me taste it, and I’ll have yo’ ass crawlin’ up and down my walls; you’d swear you had dick up in ya.”
Caymin attempted to smooth things over by hugging her, but Mesia’s hands hung free.
“You might wanna stick wit’ lickin’ pussy ’cause if you fuck wit’ my dick again, you’ll be gummin’ pussy for the rest of your life.”
“I know yo’ lame, wanna-be-somebody ass ain’t threatenin’ me.” Mesia chuckled and tried to walk up close to me, but got cut off by Caymin sliding in between us.
“Try me, ho.” I jumped at her.
“Bitch, you don’t know me.” She held her hand in the air, like she was holding a knife, toward my face. “I’ll slice you from yo’ fo’head, across yo’ eye, down your nose, lips, down to yo’ left titty, pushin’ it into yo’ stanking-ass heart.” She motioned her hand like she was digging into a frozen carton of ice cream. “And I’ma make sure it’s wit’ a dirty, rusty-ass blade.”
She tried to inch closer, pushing her body up against Caymin, but Caymin’s determination held her back.
“Y’all bitches are pitiful. What? You got Caymin in here to show her yo’ musty ass cock that got yo’ men running to me?” She stared at me with dead eyes. Letting me know that she and Hunt had been together.
At that very moment I knew she had no love for me and would take me out at any cost. “Brandie, don’t step on my feet tonight,” she warned as she headed for the door. “Stay in your position, bitch, and I just might stay in mine.”
She cut her eyes at Caymin, flipping me the bird as she exited.
It was taking everything in my power not to knock her the fuck out. And I didn’t want anything to blemish my record—stop me from becoming the lawyer I was working so hard to become.
“How do you put up with her?” Caymin asked.
“She usually works Friday and Sunday from six p.m. to twelve a.m., and I work twelve-thirty a.m. to five a.m. So we miss each other.”
“She crazy.”
“She high as hell.”
Walking to the dressing room to get ready for my show, I scanned the room to see if all my regulars were there.
“Miss Caramel Delite, how are you?”
His smile was already taking me in and making me weak. “Hey,” I greeted him with an intimate hug, “I didn’t expect to see you so soon.”
“But I had to see you. I come see you a lot, but I make it a point for you not to see me.”
“Why don’t you ask for me?”
“I don’t be wantin’ to make you feel cheap. I knew that one day I would get the nerves to ask you out, but I didn’t want it to be in this scene. Whenever I see you, I want you to feel like a million bucks.”
I blushed. That was a hard thing to get me to do; I was not easily impressed. “Well, will you promise to call me up tonight? I need that million-dollar attention.”
He flashed his smile again. “I’m watching you. Give me a special dance on stage.”
I winked at Cartel and went to get dressed. I put on my diamond suit with the mask to match: S
howing a good ass with no face always drove ’em crazy.
I went to the bar to get my favorite drink.
“Looking good, Caramel.”
“Thanks, Tony.”
“Lots of professionals in the house tonight. Not that you have a problem making money, anyway.”
Tony was the coolest bartender/owner. He was always slipping me compliments and invitations to dinner and a movie. I always ran the game that I only worked for my employers, not worked them.
“What time you up?”
“It was twelve-thirty but GP had to go get her baby, so I let her go first. Then li’l mama on stage was short on cash so I let her get in so I’m going on at one-thirty.”
“You got a little while to go. Are you going to hang out with me? Draw ’em to the bar for me?”
I turned to watch the new girl on stage that’s already been turned out. Cute with a pretty bob haircut, she walked in the door frail. Then Mesia got her claws into her the second day she was here. Now she’s getting high and drunk, eating pussy, and taking three dicks at a time. That’s why I need to get the hell on out of this place! It’s not that I feel vulnerable to my surroundings, but I know I’m capable of doing better.
I walked to the deejay booth to pick the music for my set. “What’s up, Caramel? Whatchu makin’ these niggas crazy off of tonight?”
“I ’on’t know, Cappers. I feel like some Prince, Cameo, and I don’t know . . . Whatchu think?”
Capper’s was what I called the perfect package, smooth, dark skin, dimples, and the brightest smile and full lips; his chipped tooth added to his sex appeal.
“Why you always dance off that medium music?”
“Don’t like to sweat.”
“I feel you. You must know something ’bout music ’cause these men walk in hollerin’, ‘Miss Delight, we love you.” He stared at me. “Damn, Brandie! Why you won’t give me a chance?”
“Cappers, why would you want to be involved with someone you work with . . . in this type of place? And then, too, you wouldn’t be able to handle all these men on me. You need to be with a nice college girl that works at a bank or something.”