Don't Hate the Player
Page 24
“Hey, you, cranberry and Sprite, okay?”
“Yeah, that’s cool. So, who are all these people? Not the celebrities.”
“Oh, that’s my brother Brandon and his girlfriend; this is my brother William and his wife Tiffany. That’s my gorgeous mother; and this good-looking man is my father.”
“She looks like your twin.” I pointed to the picture of her mother. “And him?” I pointed this time at the dude she’s straddling half naked. I knew instantly from the look on her face that she was screwing him.
“A guy I’ve been dating, Hunt.”
I started to leave out of her house, save myself from the hurt and pain I was guaranteed. I wanted her to myself, but I had to face the fact she had a life before me.
“Umm. Y’all serious?”
“No.” She looked unsure. Her answer didn’t sit well with me.
I walked up close to her. With her shoes off, she was rather short, but still in kissing reach. “No need to worry about another man; you mine now.”
She reached up and looked me in the eyes. “Yes, I am yours.”
“Do you want to look around?”
“Yeah.” Anything but standing there looking at these niggas smiling wit’ they arms around her hips, waist, and ass.
“You have a nice house. Platinum Kat payin’ you like that?”
She leaned back onto the wall. “Does that bother you?”
“You dancin’? Yeah, but that was your means before me, so I can’t be mad at that.” I pulled her close to me. “But I’m sure I’ll make you so happy and take care of you so good you’ll leave on your own.”
We moved on to her bedroom, a place I wanted to stay in with her forever. The silver, king-size canopy bed, accentuated with lavender and silver throw pillows, looked like a bed for a flaming sissy. But as long as I’ve waited for Brandie, I’d be a sissy. And the whole ceiling was made of glass, off the chain.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” She asked following my eyes across the ceiling.
“Do you open it?”
“Sometimes, at night when it’s clear.”
“Come here.” She walked over to me with a little hesitation.
“What’s wrong, beautiful?” I asked, pinching her chin.
“It’s just that I’ve been waiting for you so long, but I don’t think that you’re ready for me.”
“I am, Brandie,” I insisted, grabbing her face with both hands. “I asked God to send you to me. The first time I saw you in the mall, I didn’t know your name, how you felt, or that you were a dancer. I don’t care if you were a bum or a prostitute, no hair on your head or soles on your feet; I want to be with you and only you. So stop worrying.”
She looked at me, speechless. “Oh, you are too good to be true. Okay, but just tell me that you won’t try to make me change my lifestyle.”
Without saying a word, I pulled her on top of me and made love to her with the lights on.
Chapter Fifty-Two
Chocolate
The crowd was crunk, but our clique, sitting on the third row—my mom, dad, Joi, Trinket, Trey, Sap, Luvly, Money, me, and Brandie was more hyped. It was the second-to-last championship game between the Hawks and Sixers, Hawks trailing 47-50.
Taeko had been crossin’ ’em up, puttin’ that thang on ’em but seemed sluggish and tired. Probably stayed out all night wit’ some chickenhead.
“Give dat nigga a facial, Shawty! Take us over the top before half time,” I screamed.
Iverson ran the ball but missed the shot. Tae got the ball and started bullshitting.
“Break dat nigga ankles, Tae!” Money yelled, getting overexcited.
“Go, Daddy, go.”
“Go, Uncle Tae.”
The kids jumped out of their seats, screaming with us.
Buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz! Half-time.
“Y’all want something from the concession stand?” I asked.
“I don’t know why y’all insist that we sit down here instead of at the top, anyway. We could be getting first-class service,” Luvly complained.
“Man, stop bein’ so damn spoiled. Whatchu want?” Money snapped.
“Daddy, I want some chips and cheese.” Sap told Money.
“Me too, Uncle Money,” Trinket added.
After taking an order for a million things, me and Money headed to the concession stand by the entrance for family of players.
“I’ma marry Brandie. She the one, Dawg.”
“I know, nigga. She all you talked our heads off about. You betta marry her . . . and stay married. We gettin’ older. Too much shit goin’ on in this world to not have someone that is genuine and true that you really love to be by your side.”
We heard commotion as we walked past the entrance. “Ma’am, you have to calm down.”
“I will not calm down. I wanna see him right now! It’s half time, so I know that he can bring his triflin’ ass out here to see me!”
“It doesn’t work like that ma’am. Please lower your voice.” The officer pleaded.
Pushing the officer, “Let me in, goddammit!” the young woman screamed.
“If you don’t calm down, you are going to jail.”
“Groupies never learn, that’s why I don’t fuck wit’ nobody but ol’ souls. These new girls get too crazy,” Money assured me.
“That’s why I’m getting married,” I agreed.
We could see a woman with streaked hair jumping up and down. “Look, I’m pregnant and I need to see him . . . or I’m going outside to the media and let them tell ’im.”
“Damn, some nigga gon’ get his shit blown out the water,” I said, glad it wasn’t me or my boys.
The officer looked concerned but probably more about the player’s reputation than the woman’s condition.
He announced into his mic, “Hey, Neal, you need to get Taeko out here or tell him to give Miss—what’s your name?”
“Taeko’s baby mama!”
“Look now, I’m trying to help you out. Chill out and tell me your name.”
We stopped in our tracks. “Ahh, hell, naw. Money, what dis fool done went and done?”
The girl came in full view. Money looked as if he’d seen a ghost. “Man, I can’t believe Taeko fucked that little girl.”
“My name is Morgan. Morgan Fresh,” she said, sucking her teeth and popping her lips.
“Who is that?” I asked, not recognizing her face.
“I hope legal now.” Money headed over to the officer. He read the badge. “I got this, Officer Sol.”
“Money Loane, how you doin’? Do you know this young lady?”
“Yes.” The young cutie looked at Money like he’d saved her from a burning building. “She cool. She wit’ me. Come on, Morgan.”
She stuck her tongue out at the officer, “I tried to tell this toy cop—”
“Shhhh, let’s go, come on.”
“Thank you, Money. I’ve been trying to call him and talk to him, but he won’t return my calls.”
As they get closer to me I recognized the young face. She was one of the girls from the center. I’ma kick his ass myself.
She used to wear one long ponytail and was a little tomboyish, but was well-endowed for someone so young.
All of us were assigned families to see about. The Fresh family was assigned to Money, but Taeko took over one day when Sap got sick.
She looked down at the ground. “What’s goin’ on, Morgan? Why you get caught up like this? How you gon’ take care of a baby when you and your family can’t take care of yourself?”
She got defensive. “How you think we gon’ take care of it?”
Money had anger and sympathy on his face. “This nigga is really fuckin’ up. She only sixteen.”
“Yep,” she smiled, “a rich sixteen-year-old. Now, where that nigga at?”
I could see Taeko had been taking good care of her. The big diamonds in her ears and around her wrist explained a lot . . . but the rowdy attitude, Gucci backpack, and tennis shoes t
old the whole, young story. As we walked back to the dressing room she told us how it started.
“I just want to say thank you to y’all for everything that y’all have done for my family. Money, when you stop sponsoring us that’s when it started. He came to the house and gave my mom our monthly check and food. ‘Anything else you need, Mrs. Fresh, here’s my number,’ he said, staring at me the whole time. ‘Call me.’
I took the card out of the drawer and put it in my purse. A week later I was stranded at school and needed a way home. I called Taeko. He picked me up in a big-boy Lexus, with the biggest rims I’ve ever seen.
“Thanks for picking me up. I had no other choice, but to call you.”
“That’s why you have my number.”
“On the way to my house, can we swing by the mall?”
“Yeah.”
“One store that we went into . . . I tried on sexy dresses for him. He told me that he would buy me some extra things if I didn’t tell my mother or other people at the center. I have to admit I knew what I was doing. He’s a star and I wanted to be a star or at least with one.”
“Why didn’t you call me, Morgan, and tell me he was pushing up on you?”
“I started this thing,” she said apologetically; “I just didn’t know it would go this far. When he dropped me off with over eight hundred dollars worth of stuff, I leaned over and kissed him before he had time to think about it. The next week I did it again, but this time I was dressed to impress with a new haircut and makeup.
“From then on, we did everything together. He told me about how his wife be trippin’ on him and don’t be givin’ him none, so I saw my opening and stepped in. He flew me to L.A., New York, Houston, to go shopping.
“Then my body started actin’ crazy. I thought it was because of my birth control pills, but I found out I was pregnant last month. I tried calling Taeko. He said I was starting to act crazy and possessive and hung up on me before I had a chance to tell him.”
“How far are you?”
“Four months.”
My eyes landed on her flat stomach.
“Are you sure Taeko the father?” Money asked, reading my mind.
“Money, I was a virgin; he is the only daddy.” Her soft, hazel eyes welled with tears.
Money went to get Taeko.
She started crying harder. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.”
“Come here.” I pulled her into my arms and comforted her. “Everybody makes mistakes. Even the greatest chef in the world burns food.”
She wiped her face. “Thank you, Chocolate. That is what they call you at the center, right? I just don’t understand why he been treatin’ me like this lately. I haven’t even told him I was pregnant.”
“Every man has a conscience. And every once in a while they wake up and start to use it.”
Taeko and Money walked through the double doors. Taeko was talking and smiling until he made eye contact with Morgan. “What she doin’ here?” Sweat instantly formed on his forehead. “Whatchu doin’ here?”
“Why haven’t you called me back, Taeko?” Morgan said, looking hurt and confused.
“I gave your moms all the stuff y’all needed for the month.”
I couldn’t believe this nigga was gon’ act like he hadn’t been wit’ this girl.
Squinting her eyes in disbelief, she yelled, “My mama? I’m talkin’ ’bout us—me and you.” She pointed her finger at him then to herself.
“Man, she trippin’. You know how young girls act when you show them a little attention.”
Smack! She slapped the shit out of Tae. “Attention? Fuckin’ is not attention. Fuck you!” She spit at his face, missing she started swinging wildly. “Fuck you, bitch! You gon’ take care of this baby.”
Money grabbed her loosely by the waist, dragging her back to the exit.
“Baby?” Taeko acted surprised.
“Yeah, baby twice over; she only sixteen, Tae. You betta hope she fucked somebody else or she lyin’ . . . or you up shit creek. You can kiss yo’ family goodbye, as well as yo’ career.”
I walked away disgusted, leaving him looking dumbfounded. Why do million-dollar niggas purposely mess they life up?
Money met me at the concession stand. “If Joi didn’t leave him before, she is definitely gone now if she find out.”
“You think she tellin’ the truth?”
“I don’t know. When I sponsored them she tried to tell me she was eighteen, but of course, I had all their information. I ain’t gon’ lie, another time, career, and situation . . . I probably would’a hollered at her—look at her. But we got to do some interrogating with her mother and brothers to see if there are any other boys she been seein’. I’ma get her to the doctor to see if she really pregnant.”
“I’m so tired of babysitting that nigga.”
“She already has a soccer scholarship waiting for her,” Money disappointingly told me.
“And she can’t go pregnant or with a baby.”
“Nope. When I mentioned abortion to her, she got uneasy. I know what she thinkin’ about, though—taking care of her six brothers and crack-head mother.”
Money gave Morgan his number and told her all of us would figure out what to do.
We got the food and returned to our seats as if nothing happened. Naturally, Luvly and Brandie were looking at us out the corner of their eyes.
Chapter Fifty-Three
Brandie
Sade sung loudly about her man’s love being king as a dozen lavender and cinnamon candles burned strong and bright.
Ding, Dong. Ding, Dong
“No, no, no. I want to rest, with no company.” I’ve been under Chinoe’s arms every momemt since the day we laid eyes on each other at the club, and now he’s in Cali for a shoot. True enough, I would be with him if I didn’t have a test, but I’m thankful for this break.
Now who could this be at my front door?
I opened the door without looking to see who it is. “Why haven’t I seen that beautiful, sweet face and sexy body of yours in months?”
“Sean . . . I’ve been busy with school. You know that.”
“You’ve been in school since I met you, and it’s never been a problem before.”
“But I’m about to graduate soon, and there’s a lot that goes along with that.” He gently pushed me by the stomach away from the door, walking into the house, without an invitation. “And I thought you were on tour?”
He closed and locked door. “Yeah, I am, but I had to come home to see if my baby girl was all right.” He exhaled loudly. “So whatchu been doin’, Brandie?” He greeted me with a harsh tone.
I stopped in my tracks, noticing him holding something behind his back. “Excuse me?”
“Just because I’m traveling all over the world . . . I still have a phone.”
“I’ve called Sean. Your assistant must be jealous or something ’cause I leave messages.”
“No hug or kiss, Brandie?” Something in the way he said my name let me know that being far away as possible from him is the safest route.
“I’ve been working out; I’m all sweaty,” I tried to convince him, pulling my short robe tighter.
We walked over the bridge down into the den he stopped at all the pictures. He picked up the picture of him and me that had been laid on its face.
Damn! I forgot to put that back up after Chinoe put it down, but I hadn’t been home. I seen his eyes focus on the pictures of Chinoe and me.
“Um, um, um, you are so goddamn beautiful, girl.” He placed the magazine that was behind his back next to the picture of Chinoe and me. My heart started pumping double time. I took a closer look and it was a picture from the lake. Where did that come from?
“There’s more inside all about how you and Chinoe are the hottest new couple.” He wiped his hand slowly over the long table, knocking all the pictures down one by one. “I thought I had found someone special when I saw you; I had to have you, no matter the cost. Do you think I’m one of these li
ttle, fly-by-night rappers—a nobody?” He screamed, “Shit! I am the greatest; I am the smell on the shit.” Walking up closer to me, I could smell his cologne, what he ate for breakfast, and the anger that lingered on his words. “The question is, who the fuck do you think you are?” he asked, pointing his index finger in my forehead.
For someone that prided herself on never getting caught off guard, always being on time with a response, I was speechless.
His fists were tight and his arms jerked with every word he spoke, “Tell me, Brandie, I give you everything short of the blood running through my veins, and you repay me like this?”
He was right. I had him believing that we were an item. “I don’t know . . . what do you want me to say?”
“You betta tell a nigga somethin’.”
Getting full of myself, I reminded him, “Look, everything that you’ve given me is in my name, so what?”
Running his finger up my thigh, between my legs, he said, “Oh, I know this still got my name on it.”
I pushed his hand away, looking at his mean expression, one that I’d never seen before. It seemed like eternity for us staring each other down, then the battle begin. He snatched my robe from my body, leaving me naked, and I tried to run to the back door. But Sean tackled me, and we landed on the kitchen floor.
His strong body locked me down at the waist. “Please, Sean, don’t do this.”
While pinning my head to the cold floor, he rammed his dick into me hard and dry. “Noooo-ooooooo!” My screams were buried with each thrust he shoved into me, tearing my vagina. “I’m sorry, Sean . . . please, stop,” I screamed, crying hysterically.
With no words, he continued to violate my body while Sade’s sexy melodies continued to play, like we were lovers playing a game of rough sex. My every thought was why is this happening to me? Maybe because I caught an attitude with the salesgirl at Wild Pair, cussed her out, threw a drink on her, and got her fired. What about last year when I wouldn’t sleep with a married police officer, but let him eat my pussy, pay a couple of bills, and keep my reckless driving record clean? Or was it about that tootsie-roll and fat pencil with the big eraser that I stole from the corner when I was nine. Naw, naw, naw, I know the answer, being selfish, a brat, not caring about nobody but my greedy self.