"That's what Trish said," Birdie explained. "She said that Bari was with Darshon, and Seven took Bari from him. Is that true, Darshon?"
Darshon glanced at Trish, glanced at me, sidestepped his brother, moved to the other side of his father and nodded his head.
"You lyin', Darshon," Major said, before Seven could get a word out. "I can tell when you're lying, and you're lying right now."
"No, I'm not, Dad. I was with Bari first,” Darshon pleaded.
"Ma, Dad, after meeting Bari, do you really believe she's the type to be with Darshon?" Seven asked calmly.
They both turned up their noses and shook their heads.
"He's got a point," Birdie said.
"Damn if he's got a point or not. Ain't no way in hell I'd believe Darshon over Seven," Major said. "Lying ass. I can't believe you just stood there and lied in your mother's face like that."
"Dad, I swear it," Darshon said.
The room was silent.
"What?" Major asked. "You swear it?"
I looked at Seven helplessly. There was nothing that could be said. Seven raised his head at me. I nodded.
"She wasn't with him." I knew the next part would be hard for him. "He raped her. Him and Trish did some scandalous shit, and just so you know, Bari wasn't with Darshon first, but I was with Trish first. Her and Darkie was creeping behind my back."
"Son?" Major asked.
Seven nodded. His father looked at me. I wiped my eyes and nodded also. A sound escaped Birdie's throat. I couldn't tell if it was supposed to be a scream or a moan.
"Raped you?"
I nodded again, tears running down my face.
"That's a lie!" Darshon said.
"Shut your ass up, now.'' His father ordered. "You're bringing your ass home."
"I'm grown. I don't want to come home.''
"Either you come home, or you go to jail, which one will it be?" Major asked.
"But dad ..."
"Bari, I am so, so sorry," Birdie said.
"Y’all believe anything Seven says! That shit ain't true!" Darshon yelled.
Birdie turned to Trish. Major glared at her.
"You were with Seven?" Birdie asked.
She nodded.
"And now you're with Darshon,'' Major chimed in. "And what did you have to do with what Darshon did to Bari?"
"Darshon didn't do anything to Bari!" Trish yelled.
"Sit down, Dad. We might as well start at the beginning," Seven said.
His father took his seat back at the table.
"And you sit your ass down, too,'' Major told Darshon. "Bari," he smiled at me sheepishly.
Seven looked at me gratefully. I left and came back a short time later with a tray covered with thick slices of sweet potato pie, German chocolate cake, pineapple upside down cake, peach cobbler and a half gallon of vanilla ice cream.
"Which one do you want, Seven?" I asked, setting it all down on the table.
"Milkshake," he said, shaking his head. I got a clean plate, and put one of each on it, then topped his peach cobbler with a scoop of ice cream. I winked at him, making him smile. "Thank you, baby."
"Major?" I asked.
He looked around for a minute then decided to try Seven's tactic.
"Milkshake," he said, like it was the key word to open a treasure chest.
Everybody laughed, including Darshon and Trish. I made Major a plate identical to the one I had made for Seven.
"Birdie?"
"I hate to say it, Bari," she laughed.
"Milkshake?" I asked.
"Milkshake," she said, making everyone laugh again.
I made her a plate and handed it to her.
"Now do yours," Seven said.
"Sis, I want....”
My head snapped up. Seven stopped eating and was looking at Darshon as if he had grown antennas out of the top of his head.
"Don't ever," Seven said, sounding like he was having a hard time getting the words out.
"Man..." Darshon began.
"Shut up, heathen!" Major yelled. "How dare you even adjust your lips to call this girl your sis?" He said something in Jamaican that made Seven laugh. "You don' lost you damn mind!" He turned towards me. "Bari!" I juggled the plate to keep it from falling. "Don't you make this ungrateful fruit fly a goddamn thing!" He turned to face Trish. "And this ho neither." Trish stared so far down into her plate that I wouldn't be surprised if she sat up and had spaghetti sauce on her nose. "Now, let's get to the root of the tree," he said, turning towards Seven.
Darshon waited until he thought no one was paying attention and reached for a piece of sweet potato pie.
"Put it back," Major said quietly. "I want you to practice eating bread and water pies 'cause that's what you gon' be eating by the time I'm through."
He turned back to Seven, who told the entire story.
"And that's how Darshon and Bari met."
Trish looked like she was about to throw up.
"Trying to make the girl strip?" Major asked. Seven nodded. "Trish, you like pussy?"
My head jerked up and around until my eyes found Birdie. I expected her to be sitting there with her hand over her mouth as she silently chastised her husband for using the P word, instead, she was sitting there with her arms folded across her chest waiting for Trish to answer. She looked furious.
"'Cause it sounds to me like your ass needs a little jail time, too."
Birdie nodded in agreement with her husband. Major was on his fourth piece of cobbler and his fifth piece of pineapple cake when Seven told him about how Trish and Darshon had treated my Paw-Paw's passing. I was wondering how he kept his stomach so flat.
"And you flew down there with her?" Birdie asked. "That is so sweet. I'm sorry about your Big Mama, Bari. That must have been quite a blow."
I nodded.
"But Uncle Meestake and Seven helped me through everything."
"I want to meet Meestake so bad," Major said.
"When he comes to visit, I'll have you back over." I promised. "We can have a fish-fry."
Seven looked at me and smiled, then mouthed, "I love you.”
"You better,” Major said. “I feel like I've known ...did you say fish-fry? How is next weekend for you, Bari? I can't wait. Well, when is he coming?"
"Dad, she didn't say he was waiting at the airport or nothing. She said, 'when he comes to visit," Seven laughed.
"Well, that's all good and everything, but I don't see why we should wait so long to get together again.”
Major was trying hard to plead his case, and everyone was laughing.
"You ain't fooling nobody, Major." Birdie said. "And you aren't about to turn Bari into your personal chef," she laughed.
"I'm just saying. Why can't we get together next weekend? This one's been ruined," he said, glaring first at Trish then at Darshon.
"Major, please," Birdie said.
"Aw, come on," Major tried to persuade us. "What do I say again? Milkshake? What does that mean anyway, is that another word for please?"
Seven looked at me and started laughing. I gave him a warning glare. He ignored it.
"Dad, let me tell you about how me and Bari hooked up," Seven laughed.
I sat embarrassed as hell as he told the story from the first day when we got back from Big Mama's.
"Bari, I ain't gon' keep letting you force all this food on me. I absolutely do not want another piece of that peach cobbler," Major said. Birdie looked at him and shook her head. "So, are we on for next weekend?" He wanted to know. "I'll bring you some of the biggest crab you've ever seen."
I looked at Seven, who discreetly shook his head.
"Sounds good to me, Major."
"Yes! I can't wait," he said.
"Bari, don't let him talk you into that," Birdie advised.
"Look y’all, don't be saltin' me up. If y’all don't want to come then you ain't got to. That goes for both of y’all; you, Birdie, and you too, Seven, and y’all ain't even got no option," he said, waving off
Darshon and Trish. He looked at Trish for a moment then flashed. "I want you out of here. I couldn't even enjoy my dessert knowing how you did this girl. Bari, would you mind seeing old Major,” which he pronounced Maja, “with another of dem ens?" His accent was still very prominent.
I looked at Seven.
"A hen, Milkshake. He wants another hen," Seven explained. "That happens when he gets mad. You can't understand shit he says. Dad, are you trying to make sure me and my baby ain't got no food after tonight, or what?"
I glared at Seven and went to get Major another plate of food.
"Here you go, Major."
I put the plate in front of him and watched him dig in. It made me happy to see people eat. I think I inherited that from Big Mama.
At ten thirty, Major decided that he had eaten enough, had me wrap two plates for him to take home, took Birdie and a much pissed off Darshon, and headed for home, which was nestled deep in the Pacific Palisades.
"Milkshake, you got to start putting your foot down. You don't have to commit to things you don't want to do."
"I don't mind though, Seven. I like your parents, and you should be glad they love you and want to spend time with you."
"You mean I should be glad my mother loves me, and my father has a personal goal of eating me out of house and home?" He laughed. "I guess it's okay. But if you change your mind, let me know, and I'll call and get you out of it, okay?"
I nodded.
"But I want to."
"Okay, okay."
"I can't believe we went through all that, and everything still turned out okay, especially after what Trish tried to pull."
"That bitch is crazy. Her and Darkie, they deserve each other. I know what they were trying to do though. They were trying to drop salt on my Milkshake, and the shit backfired."
"That was so dumb. Now he has to live at home, and he and Trish aren't allowed to see each other."
"That was part of Trish’s plan. She got rid of Darkie the only way she saw she could. She knew what she was doing, but I guarantee you, she ain't seen the last of him."
Chapter 26
The week passed quickly, and before I knew it, Friday was knocking on my door. I put Seven's dinner on, then sat down at the kitchen table and did nine homework assignments, then studied for an upcoming test. For the essay portion of the test, I was using Seven as my subject. Seven was the owner and CEO of a production company called Seventh Sign. Wednesday, after school, he picked me up and took me straight to his building, up to his office. I took pages and pages of notes. Then he took me to the bottom floor of the building where the recording studio is. I sat in awe as I listened and watched multi-platinum singers and rappers record their songs. Seven introduced me to everyone and explained to them that I was doing research for a homework assignment. He either didn't notice or didn't care about the strange looks he got from some of the people.
"So, you're in college?" Asked one nosy receptionist.
"She's in high school," Seven answered before I could lie.
"High school?" She asked incredulously.
"That's what he said," I snapped.
"Oh, how interesting."
"Isn't it though? Maybe you can go back and finish one day."
Seven grabbed my hand and led me back to his office.
"Milkshake, you gon' fight the people, baby?"
"I didn't like her attitude."
"That bitch been on my dick since the day she was hired. Trashy ass. Are you ready to go now?"
"How come you've never let me come here before?" I asked.
"For what?"
"I like it here. It's nice. Very business-like."
"Very cheddar like," he smiled. "Your man makes a grip up in this bitch."
"You know a lot of stars."
"I made a lot of stars." I never looked at it that way before. "Let's go." We walked out of his office and took an elevator to the ground floor. "You got enough information?"
"I think so. If I think of anything else, I'll ask at home."
And ask I did, a million and one questions until I fell asleep, note pad in hand. I didn’t see Seven again until the next day.
"Hey Milkshake, you have a good day, baby?" He kissed my lips. "It smells good in here, what'chu makin'?"
“Tacos."
"I got time to shower?"
"Of course."
I finished my homework and carried my books up to my room. I checked on dinner, turned the fire down on the stove and carried a glass up to Seven.
"What's up?" He asked. "You come to join me?"
"No, I didn't, and you said shower, not bubble bath, and that was twenty-five minutes ago." I scolded, handing him a glass of Cristal.
"That's what I'm talking about, Milkshake."
He took a sip of the cold champagne.
"So, when can I expect you to be out?"
"Aw babe, I just reheated my water."
"Okay. Well, by the time you get out, everything will be ready, okay?" I bent to kiss him. "Seven don't!"
Too late, I was in, clothes and all.
"Now you have to take 'em off," he smiled wickedly.
"That's what you think. You want the house to burn down?"
I struggled to get out, stripped off my wet clothes, stepped into the hot shower and let the steam soak into my skin. I left the round glass door open just for the torturous effect it had on Seven.
"Damn, you are so beautiful. Come here."
"Can't."
I turned off the water, dried myself and switched my naked ass right out the door and to the room.
"That was cold." Seven sulked when he came down the stairs and into the dining room. I set his plate in front of him. "You're not eating with me?"
"I'm not hungry."
"What did you eat today that's got you so full?"
"I'm just not hungry right now."
I sat down next to him, sipping on a tall glass of orange juice.
"How does your ass stay like that if you don't ever eat?"
"Like what?"
"Nice, not too big, not too small. Just niiiiice," he said, making me laugh.
"Eat, Seven."
I cleaned up the kitchen and went to join Seven in the living room.
"What's up, Milkshake?"
"What are you watching?" I asked, seeing a picture of a baby leopard on the screen.
"Wild Kingdom." I laughed. "What's so funny about that?"
"You don't strike me as a ‘Wild Kingdom’ kind of guy."
"You should watch this. It's a good one."
"Okay." I sat next to him on the couch.
"He's from Africa," he said proudly.
"So, you've met?" I asked sarcastically.
"Oh damn! Watch out antelope! Get him leopard!" Seven yelled as the leopard sprang from the ground and latched on to the antelope's back, knocking him to the ground.
The cat quickly swung around and tore a huge chunk out of the antelope's throat. A beard of pure blood soaked into the cat's chest as he feasted on his kill.
"Damn! I tried to warn him, huh, Milkshake?" He asked excitedly. I stared at him in disgust. "What, baby? That's nature." I shook my head in disbelief, picked up the remote and changed the channel. "You can't disrespect the food chain, Milkshake."
"Watch the T.V., Seven."
"Well, what is this?"
"Queer Eye for the Straight Guy." We wrestled for the remote. I couldn't stop laughing. "Seven! Okay!" He pinned me to the couch. I let the remote go. "Fine. Take it, you big baby! You'd rather watch an innocent animal be gutted by a monster than to watch someone’s dreams come true?"
He quickly turned it back to ‘Wild Kingdom’, where the leopard scrapped with a bigger and badder leopard while his extended family jacked him for his goods. I got the stereo remote and pushed play, then jacked up the volume. Nate Dog's sexy voice filled the room.
"Milkshake!" Seven was laughing so hard he couldn't get the words out. "Turn that down."
I stuck the remote in my pan
ts and ran over and stood in front of the giant screen. I started dancing like the girls in the videos.
"Where the hell did you learn that?" He asked, getting serious. I laughed and kept dancing. "For real though, Milkshake, where?"
I only laughed harder. When the song changed and Weezy declared that his girl was a female officer, I switched modes and began a slow and sexy strip act. Seven sat back on the couch and watched me intently. He watched as I pulled the baby yellow tank top over my head and stood swaying before him in my yellow lacy Victoria's Secret bra. He watched as I dropped my ass to the floor and stepped out of my pants all in the same motion and stood up wearing baby yellow boy shorts.
He watched as I turned and faced the T.V., put my hands up on the screen and shook my ass like a salt shaker.
"Bring your ass here," he said when the song went off, and I hit the remote to shut off the power. He reached out to grab my wrist. I dodged out of his reach and walked up the stairs. "You playin' big games, Bari,” he said, coming into the room.
I looked at him. He only called me Bari when he wanted to let me know that he was serious.
"What?"
"Where did you learn all that?"
"When we got back from Big Mama's and you were gone all the time, all I used to watch was videos." He continued to look at me. "What's wrong with it? I only did it for you."
He still didn't say anything, just stood there staring down at me. I put my arms around him and tried to pull him to me. He didn't hug me back, just stood there stiff as a board. He was starting to piss me off, making a big deal out of nothing, acting like I was dancing all over town or something. I started to pull away. He put his arms around me.
"Bari?''
"What, baby?"
"The word," he said quietly.
He kissed me. It took me a minute to get what he was saying. I always told him when he was ready for us to have sex for the first time, to just say the word, and when he did, I immediately got excited and nervous. At the last minute, I realized that I was terrified.
Chapter 27
I silently apologized to Big Mama, Paw-Paw and the good Lord for the things that had just come out of my mouth, just in case they had heard. Who was I fooling? People on other planets had heard me. Little green men in Martian hats were probably looking around in their spaceships trying to find where all the noise was coming from. I looked down at the top of Seven's head and wondered how he had transported me from the Golden state of California, to the green fields of Ireland. I was among rainbows, little green leprechauns and giant pots of gold. I climbed to the top of the rainbow, to its very highest peak, then slid down again and again. Just when I thought I was about to get my slide on one more time, Seven scared away the leprechaun, who selfishly packed up his rainbow and his gold, and stomped off to better places. He settled his body on top of mine and gave me a wicked grin. I wasn't the least bit amused.
Crazy In Love With A Thug: Bari and Seven Page 12