“Hey grandma, how are you?” Déjà asked, kissing Margaret on the cheek.
“I’m okay, baby, have a seat,” She said, walking toward the kitchen. “Would you like some cold lemonade?”
“No, I’m okay.”
“Your aunt Gail wil be here very soon. She wanted to sit in on this conversation,” she said, re-entering the living room, “you don’t mind do you?”
“Oh no, not at al !”
“Okay, I’m going to fil you in on the things I know and the things your mother told me, but I must warn you it could be a little disturbing, so are you sure you want to hear it?”
“I’m sure.”
Gail came in just as Margaret was getting comfortable in her lazy boy. She hugged, and kissed Déjà.
“Okay, go ahead, Mama,” Gail said, taking a seat next to Déjà.
“Okay, here it goes. Your mom and James met while they were in high school. Your grandfather, James father, was a viscous pimp name Money and your grandmother Rochel e was one of his whore’s. She ended up getting pregnant by Money with James. When she was pregnant, Money would make her have intercourse with men that preferred pregnant prostitutes. He would charge them extra and she wasn’t al owed to object, otherwise, Money would beat her. When your father was 5-years-old, he watched Money beat, and choked the life out of your grandmother Rochel e. After she was kil ed, Money left town, leaving James on the doorstep of your Aunt Marlene’s house,” she explained to a shocked Déjà.
“Marlene was a manager at a local department store. She didn’t have children of her own, so she was ecstatic to raise James. When I found out Charlotte was dating James, I was furious.” Margaret said, taking a sip of her lemonade. “I knew exactly who he was when she brought him in this here house,” she said, pointing to the floor. “I told her not to ever bring him around here again. I demanded that she stop seeing him, but your mother wouldn’t hear of it. I didn’t want my baby with the son of that bastard. You see, I knew Money. I was familiar with the life he lived, and he had done it al . I watched as Money would beat, rape, and sometimes kil his whores. He was a very evil man, but anyhow,” she said, getting angry al over again, “when your mother told me she was pregnant, I told her to either get an abortion, or she had to leave this house.
James persuaded her to keep the baby. He rented a studio apartment in the Garfield Park neighborhood for him, and your mother. She was seven months pregnant with you when they graduated high school. She had been accepted to one of the top col eges in the state of Il inois, but when they noticed she was pregnant, they wouldn’t al ow her to live on campus.”
“Your mother was heartbroken. She had always talked about going off to col ege, and becoming a fashion designer. But, just like that her dream had been snatched away. James had promised her that once he graduated and became prosperous that they could hire a nanny to tend to you so that she could pursue her dream. Because she loved him, she agreed. She ended up staying in that apartment while he resided on campus. After you were born, Charlotte had to move back here because James had stopped paying the rent. He said he was spending al his money on books and tuition, so he didn’t have the extra money for the apartment.”
“When you turned about four and a half, James graduated from col ege. I began to give him the benefit of the doubt because unlike his father he made something of himself. But, I’d spoken to soon. He landed a job as a paralegal. He then rented himself a two bedroom apartment on the north side, but refused to let you and your mother move in with him. He would let you guys come visit on the weekend only. Charlotte tried talking to him about going back to school. He told her that he needed to attend law school, so she had to once again, put her dream on hold.”
“When you were 5-years-old, Charlotte had found a job, working at a department store and she enrol ed you in the after school program over at the Y.M.C.A, but your father made her quit.”
“Charlotte wasn’t too happy, but she quit her job, and pul ed you out the program. She loved having her own money and not having to ask him for any, but like his father he wanted to always be in control. Whenever she needed money, she would have to tel him exactly what she was using it for, and she would have to bring him back a receipt.
“When you were seven years old, James had been promoted to a tax attorney. He bought a house in Orland Park. It was a five bedroom home with a swimming pool, tennis court, and a park area for you. He and Charlotte had begun to argue a lot; he had stopped having sex with her; he wouldn’t even sit at the table with the two of you during dinner. He would take his plate in his den. Your mother cal ed here darn near every day, crying over him. I would tel her to just leave, but she loved him too much to walk away.
It wasn’t until you turned ten when she had noticed a drastic change in his behavior. She thought it was her,” Margaret said, readjusting her body. She continued, “I remember one summer afternoon she decided to do a little shopping at the mal for some new clothes and romantic items. She asked me to go with her, so I did. We were in a store that sold lingerie. She was looking at some corsets when we smel ed a familiar fragrance. When we looked up, there stood James hugged up with a tal caramel skinned woman,” Margaret said, thinking back to that day. “They were picking out some underwear with what looked like just a string, off the end rack. I looked over at your mother and she looked, as if, she was going to faint. He began kissing the woman on her neck.” Margaret played back the scene in her head as she told the story.
Charlotte approached him with tears in her eyes and pain in her heart. ‘What’s going on James?’ Charlotte asked him.
‘ Oh, where are my manners. Baby, this is my wife Charlotte and Charlotte this is Malinda,’ James said, introducing the two as if there was nothing wrong with what he was doing. The woman was like, ‘Oh yes, hello Charlotte, I heard so much about you! ’ The lady said in a sarcastic tone.
‘ What do you mean you heard about me? You knew the man was married and yet you still fuck him?’
‘ I have no preference,’ she said looking at James with a smile.
‘ No preference!’ Charlotte was now screaming. ‘So this is the bitch that is taking your attention away from home and me? Here I am trying to find something to attract you to me again and you’re in here flaunting this bitch off?’
‘ Look, Charlotte, go home. I’ll be there late r,’ he said, brushing pass her.
“I damn near hit that motherfucker in the back of the head with a bottle of lotion, but I caught myself,” Margaret said, gritting her teeth. “I tried to get your mom to move out that day, but she would say she didn’t want to take you from your father. James didn’t come home that night which made her even more upset. After she dropped you off at school the next day, she went to the grocery store to pick up some things for lunch. When she returned home, James Mercedes Benz was parked in the driveway. She walked in the front door, carrying three grocery bags. He walked pass her, and walked up the stairs. Charlotte went upstairs to confront him, but he told her he wasn’t in the mood to talk about it. She cal ed, and told me she couldn’t take it anymore, she had to go. I was so happy that she was about to leave that sick son of a bitch, literal y. But, of course, she changed her mind. That was just the beginning. James began to spend weeks at a time away from home and when he was there, he hardly spoke to Charlotte. He would play with you until you went to bed then he would go sleep in the guest room. When she threatened to leave, he told her she can go, but she couldn’t take you. ‘ You have no job or education, so who you think the courts will give custody to?’ is what he would say whenever she threatened to move out. Charlotte had reached a breaking point. She was tired of being mental y abused by the man she loved, but no longer loved her,” She said now bawling. They al were, as they relived that painful night al over again. “I didn’t know how to accept it, other than, to blame somebody.” Déjà was so upset about what was being told to her about her father and the pain her mother had endured. She didn’t know any of her father’s side of the family and after what
she had just learned, she didn’t want to.
~THIRTEEN~
Xavier and Déjà had planned the ultimate engagement party for Jay and Jade. The party was held at the X Spot. They booked the Latimore’s as the entertainment, DJ Bricks on the mixer, and the best Italian catering service in the city. Xavier and Déjà went shopping for something to dress in for the party. She decided on a white evening gown, a pair of sandals with a 4 inch heel, and a matching handbag. Xavier chose a white Stacy Adam suit, a Dobb hat, and a pair of white Stacy Adams shoes. They stopped in the jewelry store and walked out with a pair of diamond cuff links for Xavier, a diamond necklace, bracelet, and earrings for Déjà. The tab for everything was $17,000.
Déjà had a two o’ clock hair appointment. She picked up Jade from her mother’s house. Ms. Rivera was so happy that she was final y going to be a grandma, she went out and bought al kinds of baby stuff, and didn’t even know what sex the baby was yet.
“Hey girl!” greeted Jade, getting in the car.
“What up?”
“Trying to get my mother to stop buying shit for the baby,” said Jade. “Girl, she turned my old room into a nursery.”
“Get out of here!” Déjà said, laughing.
“Girl, yeah! She is too happy about this baby.”
“Wel , you are her only child and she’s going to need someone to keep her company in that big ass house.”
“I know right!” said Jade, answering her ringing cel phone.
“Hey, baby, you stil at your mom’s?” asked Jay.
“No, I’m in the car with Déjà. We’re on our way to the beauty shop.”
“Oh okay, wel I’l see you back at the house later,” said Jay.
“Okay, babe, I love you!”
“Love you too, beautiful!” he replied before hanging up. Jade had moved in with Jay soon after he proposed.
He had been trying to get her to give up her apartment and move in with him for the longest, but her lease wasn’t up for another six months. He couldn’t wait that long, so he paid her rent for the next six months and ended the lease. The apartment manager didn’t have a problem with that because she could double her rent. He had some movers to come in one Saturday morning and move al her furniture into storage.
Déjà and Jade walked into the beauty salon. “Oh shit, here comes the bride al dressed in white. Wait she’s pregnant, so I got to remix this. Here comes the bride, al dressed in black,” sang Neesy jokingly. They al laughed as she approached and hugged Jade and Déjà. Neesy had been their hair stylist for the past two years. Once again, she hooked them up. Neesy would make you look like you just gotten a relaxer when you had a natural. She was just that good at what she did. Déjà and Jade got done at the salon around 5:30 which gave them about an hour to shoot over to the nail shop for a manicure and pedicure. Déjà dropped Jade off. She decided to go to Xavier’s, instead of going way back home.
He stayed a few blocks from Jay and Jade’s, so it would be much more convenient. She tried cal ing him on his cel , but he didn’t answer. She started to turn around, but she was already turning onto his block. When she got closer to the house, she noticed Latasha’s Chevy Impala in his drive-way.
“What the hel is his baby mama doing here?” she said under her breath. He didn’t tell me she was coming over today and why the hell isn’t he answering his phone, she thought as she pul ed in next to her car. Déjà tried getting Xavier on the phone again, but he didn’t answer.
She went to ring the doorbel , but noticed the door was already cracked.
Déjà walked in. She first checked the living room, nobody. She then checked the dining room, nobody. No one was in the kitchen either. As she climbed the staircase, she heard the shower going. She looked in the first bedroom which was Jeremiah’s room, and he was in his bed napping. She closed the door quietly and went to the next room which was the master bedroom.
When she walked in, she saw Xavier’s clothes on the floor. She grew angry. She walked into the master bathroom only to see Latasha standing in the mirror wrapped in a towel. Latasha looked at her with a smirk on her face.
“What the fuck!” she yel ed, startling Xavier. He pul ed back the shower door and was both shocked and angry to see Latasha standing there wrapped in nothing but a towel. Then he looked at the expression on Déjà’s face and thought to himself, this shit can’t be happening. He knew Latasha wanted him back, but he didn’t think she would pul this bul shit. Before he could say anything, Déjà walked out. She was livid. She dialed Jade’s phone on her cel phone.
“Hel o,” Jade answered.
“Why does this shit keep happening to me?” Déjà cried into the receiver.
“What are you talking about Déjà, what happened?” Jade asked, sitting up on the couch.
“Every man I fal in love with cheats on me, why?”
“What are you talking about Déjà?”
“I just caught Xavier in the shower and Latasha was in the bathroom with him wrapped in nothing but a towel.”
“Latasha, his baby mama?” said Jade now getting Jay’s attention.
“Yes, his trifling ass baby mama.”
“That conniving bitch!” she said now standing and pacing the floor. “You know she’s been salty about your relationship with Xavier since y’al first hooked up. I wouldn’t be surprised if that bitch staged that shit,” she said with Jay in agreement.
“You know what, you are so right. That bitch probably seen me pul up in the driveway because his door was opened and he never leave his door unlock,” She said, fuming. I’m outside your house can you come out?”
“Come in,” said Jade.
Déjà stepped out the car and entered the house. Jay was already on the phone with Xavier getting the scoop.
“Man what happened over there, dawg?” Jay questioned Xavier.
“Latasha dumb ass popped up over here with my son talking about he wanted to see me. I had just got back from the barbershop, so I told her to put him down in his room, because he was sleep. I told her dumb ass to wait in the living room because I was going to take a shower. The next thing I know, I hear Déjà’s voice and when I look out the damn shower door, Latasha dumb ass was standing in the bathroom in a towel and Déjà was in the doorway. Before I could say anything, Déjà was out the door. I slapped the shit out of that bitch then put her out my shit, dawg!” yel ed Xavier as he paced the floor.
“I tried cal ing Déjà, but her phone is going straight to voicemail,” he said, rubbing his head.
“I swear I’m going to kil that bitch if she fucked up my relationship with Déjà, cuz.”
“She is mad, but I think she know Latasha staged the whole thing.”
“How you know, did Jade talk to her?” he asked, getting a little excited.
“Yeah, she’s over here now,” Jay answered.
“I’l be there, don’t let her leave, Jay,” he said, throwing on a pair of jogging pants and a wife beater.
Xavier grabbed his son, ran out the house, strapped him into his car seat, and pul ed the Navigator out the garage.
He couldn’t get to Jay’s house quick enough.
When Xavier walked in, Déjà was sitting on the sofa with her head buried in her hands. Jay grabbed Jeremiah out of Xavier’s arms, took him upstairs, and laid him down in the guest bedroom. Jay rejoined Jade in the living room.
They went into the kitchen to give Xavier and Déjà a little privacy.
“I’m sorry, baby!” was al he could say to Déjà. She looked up at him with tears in her eyes.
“Jay already told me what happened, but how could you set yourself up for that, Xavier?” she asked.
“I didn’t know she was going to pul some bul shit like that.”
“You know she been salty about our relationship since we first hooked up, so it doesn’t surprise me. But, you know I’m already insecure because of my past, so I can’t handle this kind of shit,” she said, getting up off the couch.
“I’m sorry, baby. I kno
w about your past and I made a promise to you that I would never hurt you. I need you to trust and believe that,” he said, walking over to her.
“I promise to be more alert, so that you would never have a reason to question my loyalty to you.”
“Today is supposed to be about Jay and Jade and here we are with our drama,” she said, wiping away her tears.
“I shouldn’t have popped up at your house unannounced anyway. I tried cal ing you, but you weren’t answering your cel phone.”
“You can come by whenever you want to. As a matter fact, here,” he said, taking an extra key off his key ring and handing it to her. “Now you have a key to the crib.
Use it whenever you feel.”
“I guess I have to give you a key to my place now?” she said, kissing him on the lips.
“You do what you want, it’s your world,” he said as he began tongue kissing her.
“Don’t we have a party to go to tonight?” Jade said, stepping back into the living room.
“She’s right, let’s go. I have to take Jeremiah to my mom’s. I told Latasha she can pick him up there,” Xavier said.
“Leave your car here and hop in with me, Déjà,” he said before disappearing upstairs to get Jeremiah.
It was already 7:10 and the engagement party started at 9:00.
********
“Come shower with me!” Xavier yel ed from the master bathroom.
“Baby we don’t have time for al of that. We have to be dressed and out the door in less than an hour.”
“We don’t have to have sex. We both have to shower. Might as wel do it together,” he said, rubbing his shaft. Just the thought of Déjà’s naked body gave him a hard on.
“You on some bul , Xavier because you just showered.”
“Okay, fine. I just want to shower with you. What’s wrong with that?”
“You on some bul shit!” she said, stepping out her clothing. She was right. He couldn’t resist her nude body.
They’d spent more time in the shower than planned. Xavier couldn’t help himself. His dick took on a mind of its own.
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