"This is my baby, Bari."
"And ow old are you, Miss Bari?"
"I'm sixteen."
"Yeah, my Milkshake has a birthday coming up in a few months," Seven smiled.
"My nephew has a very sexy lady," Shepard said, looking me up and down.
I blushed. Seven looked at me and winked. I started to say that Seven had a very sexy uncle but kept it to myself.
"And ow long have you been blessed with this an-gel? And does she have a twin?"
"Bari, come see Old Maja." I walked over to see what Major wanted, which turned out to be nothing. "Birdie is being very rude to Maja, Bari. I'll leave it to you to tell her about herself. Go ahead, Bari."
I laughed.
"How do you think I'll look with dreadlocks, Bari?" Uncle Meestake asked.
I conjured up a picture in my mind and fell out laughing. Marion laughed, too. Major got up and put on one of his Ziggy Marley C.D.'s and started dancing.
"Wait for me!"
Mandro got up and danced beside him. Uncle Meestake got up and did his runaway slave dance, causing everyone to burst out in laughter. Soon the dancing was taken to the cement patio, and about thirty people were getting their groove on to the beat. I watched and smiled. Seven took Birdie's hand and took her to the patio floor. So sexy. He was so smooth and sexy. My body started to heat up as I watched him dance. He winked at me and sent my heart racing.
"Are you in love, beautiful an-gel?" Shepard asked, coming to stand next to me.
"Very much so," I snapped.
"Can that be changed?"
"What kind of family member are you? Are you crazy? You need to step off, for real."
My heart was pounding in my chest as I stared into the green eyes. He stared right back. I was the first to look away. I was glad to see Seven walking over to us. He eyed his uncle, then smiled.
"She ain't goin' nowhere, Shep. Give it up."
"It never urts to try, nephew." He gave Seven dap and laughed. "She was about to fight me, I think."
"Sure was," I stated defiantly with my arms folded across my chest.
"Calm down, Milkshake. It's alright." Seven put his arms around me. I hugged him close. "Shep, back off my baby."
"You're lucky I love you, Nephew. I would take her back to the Islands and make her my Queen."
"And you're lucky that Seven loves you. I would take you over to that barbecue pit and cook your ass."
"Milkshake!"
"I was just playing!" I lied.
Shepard laughed.
"Nephew, let's take a walk."
Seven looked at me.
"Come on, Milkshake," he said, taking my hand. Shep looked at Seven. "This is me," he told Shepard. "One and the same."
Shep nodded and smiled. We went to Seven's rec room and sat down on the beige Armani sofa. Shepard took a seat across from Seven.
"As I said, things ave been crazy on the Island, but I never forget about my nephew."
That sounded so strange to me. ‘Nephew.’ They looked more like brothers, maybe even cousins. He reached under the chair and pulled out a black bag that looked like a purse. He handed it to Seven. He unzipped it and pulled out its contents. I gasped.
Chapter 36
Seven looked at me worriedly as I took small bites of my potato salad.
"What, baby?" I asked, knowing good and damn well why he was looking like that.
"You alright?"
"I'm fine. Really."
"Do you want to ask me anything, Milkshake?"
"No, baby."
I was about to take another bite when one of Major's friends began talking loudly. I didn't even look to see who it was. I could tell he had a little too much to drink.
"You can't tell me that ain't her!" He told Major. "That's the girl! She's a dancer down at Rasp Barry's! Well, it's Milkshake's now, but I know that's her." I froze, afraid to look up. "I ain't never seen nobody dance like she did! Ooh-wee!"
I took a chance and looked up. Everybody was looking at me. The man that was talking was pointing in my direction. I put my head down. I had never seen him before in my life, but that didn't mean he hadn't seen me. He had. I was afraid to look at Seven. I stared down into my plate.
"He can't be talking about 'ou’, Bari," Major said to Birdie.
Birdie shook her head.
"No, you must be mistaken," Birdie told him.
"She had on a little black dress and some tall go-go boots!" He ranted.
"Man, shut the fuck up!" Seven said, jumping up from the table.
"Seven!" I yelled. "Seven, don't. Just ignore it."
Six and Shepard were by his side in a heartbeat.
"Son," Major said.
Seven looked at his father, then at the man who was standing there with his hands high in the air, like he was surrendering to the authorities.
"Maybe that ain't her," the man said.
"Yeah, maybe it ain't," Seven replied.
He looked back at his father again, then at Six, who said something inaudible in his ear. He turned and looked at me, then started talking to Six and Shepard. He was furious. I was embarrassed. I got up from the table and got a Pepsi out of the cooler. When I turned back around, Seven was gone.
"Where did they go?" I asked Gucci.
"Probably to Seven's play room, baby. Don't even trip. Y’all are alright now."
"I don't know, Gucci. He is pissed."
"Sho'll is."
I hated when she did that. I didn't need her to confirm it for me.
"Just enjoy ya’self, young Bari. Seven is a spoiled brat that needs to learn that tings aren't always going to be in his fava. I should have let Uncle Teodore raise him," Major said, more to himself than to me. "Anyway, it's simply a case of mistaken identity as far as we're all concerned. We know it was you, but the rest of dese people don't know it was you, so really, it wasn't you. Well, it was you, but you know ..." and on and on he went.
I went inside the house to see if I could find Seven. He wasn't anywhere to be found. I called his cell.
"What?"
"Seven, why did you leave? Where are you?"
"I'm where I am," he snapped.
"Why are you trippin'? I thought we had gotten over all that," I said.
"I thought we had, too. Apparently, I was wrong."
"Are you going to come home or not?" I was pissed.
"I am home. I'm in the weight room. I'll be out there when I get there."
He hung up in my face. I sat down at the table across from Gucci. My mind was going at top speed.
"Bari. . . "
"No. I have to get out of here, Gucci. I can't do this. It's always going to be like this. Every time he flashes, it's gonna be like this. He gets mad, and he's up and out; no discussion, nothing. He's going to come back out here and act like he doesn't even know me. Watch," I said sadly.
A short while later, Seven came out with Shepard and Six walking behind him. I looked at him. He glared at me and kept walking. He walked past the deck, down the steps and past the patio. He pulled up a chair, and Six and Shepard followed suit. He sat with his back to me. It didn't matter. They were way on the other side of the yard. Fuck this shit. I didn't even want to be out there anymore.
Uncle Meestake was enjoying himself immensely. He was having a ball with Major and his friends.
"Bari, bitch, you gotta quit letting this shit get you down. You supposed to be having fun and showing your uncle a good time."
I just looked at her, unable to say anything. I thought for a moment.
"You know what? You're right, Gucci. I'm not going to let Seven's issues ruin my time with my uncle. He's moving out here."
"What?" She said excitedly.
"He's moving into the big house. Seven did that shit."
"Ooohhh, I get it. He did that so you wouldn't move." I nodded. "That is so sweet," she said dreamily.
"I don't know how I feel about it. Part of me wants to go, but another part of me doesn't want to be away from him for ev
en five minutes. I want to know what it feels like to be on my own, Gucci."
"I understand. Believe me, I do."
"So, what should I do?"
"Baby, you have to figure this one out on your own."
"Figure what out on her own?" Seven demanded to know.
I didn't even see him walk up.
"Girl talk," Gucci replied.
I just looked at him. He didn't say anything to me, so I returned the favor.
"Gooch, let me holla at Bari for a minute."
Gucci excused herself from the table and walked over to where Six was sitting with Shep. He sat down and leaned in close.
"I already know what you're thinking, and you can forget it," he said quietly. "I don't give a fuck what you and Gucci are plottin' and plannin'."
"I'm not plotting and planning anything, Seven."
"Shut that shit up. I'm telling you, Bari. Keep fuckin' with me, and you're gonna see a side of me that you don't even know exists."
"You mean the side you showed Trish that night? Well, guess what, Seven? I'm not Trish, and don't be fooled, I knew it existed from day one. I just chose to overlook it, but thanks for the warning anyway."
"Keep that shit up, smart ass. I'll shut this mutha fucka down right now."
I sat back comfortably in my chair.
"Roll with it," I challenged him.
He was furious, glancing back and forth between me and Uncle Meestake.
"I'm trying to be respectful 'cause your uncle is here. Don't make me lose it."
I yawned loudly.
"This is getting boring, Seven. Let's try something new to spice it up a little. How about I go get a knife, and you can hold it up to my throat and pretend like you're going to cut me? Or I can get a pair of stockings, and you can act like you're choking me with them. If it's a show you're looking for, I can give you that. Ain't nobody stupid, they know what's going on, Seven. Why do you think they all keep looking over here? So, don't threaten me with a spotlight because you know how much I love being in it."
"You damn right. Cause you and your friend Gucci got me fucked up. I know what y’all up to."
"If you know already then why are you and Six playing Starsky and Hutch? I heard Six ask Gucci what the hell my plans are, and before you get it in your mind to send Huggy Bear over here," I said, jerking my thumb in Shepard's direction, "With a million questions, under the disguise of trying to get at me, you can think again. He ain't my type. And news flash! I'm starting to feel that way about you, too."
"Is everything okay?" Birdie asked, pulling out a chair and sitting down.
Seven and I continued to stare each other down.
"Maybe you could enlighten your son on the fact that he isn't my father, and he has no right to try to run my life."
"Everybody has their dreams, Bari," he said. "I don't knock you for wanting to be a stripper."
"You shouldn't. As a matter of fact, you're the only one that had a problem with it. Maybe you should talk to your friends and ask them what they really thought." He was fuming, but I didn't stop. "Your friends know you have a job, and they know what hours you work, so why don't you ask them why the only time they call is when you aren't home! Looks to me like it's not you they want to talk to!"
"Maybe you guys should take this inside," Birdie suggested. "This isn't the time or the place for this."
"Maybe it ain't the time, but it's definitely the place! This is my house. It's always the place." Seven pointed out. "Now, back to you, Bitch," he said, turning to face me again.
"Seven!" His mother yelped.
"Who the fuck has been calling my house?" He demanded.
"Who'd you give the number to?" I asked.
"Seven!" Birdie repeated, still unable to believe that her baby had used the 'B' word.
"Stop calling my damn name like that! What? Damn!"
He immediately looked ashamed of himself. Birdie looked hurt.
"Seven," I began. "You need to calm down and get it together. That was so out of line."
I got up and walked inside. When I looked back, everyone was silent and was staring at him with their mouths hanging open.
Chapter 37
"Grab that little one, Gucci. I'll get this one."
I bent down to pick up the box. The last of my belongings that needed to be moved to my new condo.
"I got it," Six said, picking it up effortlessly.
He followed Gucci out the door. As he walked out, Seven walked in. The past two weeks had been hell for us. We argued every day about me moving, and when we weren't arguing about it, we weren't talking at all. He took off his Gucci shades and looked at me for a long time.
"What, Seven?" I asked, knowing he was about to get started again.
He shook his head.
"I won't even ask if I can change your mind. I don't want you to go, Bari."
"I know, but I think it's for the best if I do."
"Best for who? Am I still gon' see you?"
"Of course."
"Damn, Bari."
"I know, baby."
I hugged him tightly, a lump forming in the center of my throat.
"I love you."
"I love you too, Seven. That's the one thing that hasn't changed between us."
He looked at me questioningly, and I knew what he was going to ask before he said the words. I rolled my eyes playfully.
"What?" he laughed.
"Ask."
"Ask what?"
"Quit playing, Seven, and ask. It's going to kill you if you don't."
He smiled.
"Stop trying to act like you know me, Milkshake." He laughed. "And tell me, are you gon' be with anybody?"
It was my turn to laugh.
"I do know you, and no. I don't want anybody else, baby. I love you so much. You don't ever have to worry about that, okay?"
"I'm not worried about it at all. You already know what's up. And I feel for the fool that even tries. He better not let me hear about it. Oh, Major said to tell you that he should have sent you to live with Uncle Teodore when he had the chance."
"He never had the chance!" I laughed.
I let Seven pull me back into his arms. I let him kiss me.
"You know you'll be back, right?" I didn't answer. "And when you do, I'll be waiting for you."
"You and who else?" I asked seriously.
I'd been thinking about that a lot lately; about who he would find to take my place. He smiled.
"You know better, Milkshake. These hoes can't do shit for me but s..."
"Seven!" I laughed.
"Listen to me, Bari, seriously. I haven't been with anybody else since the day you moved in here, I swear, and I don't want anybody else.”
"And if Maury gave you a lie detector test, would he find that to be true?" I asked.
We watched Maury Povich together a lot, and I always followed up everything Seven said with that question.
"Maury wouldn't find a mutha fuckin' thing, and if he said he did he'd be lying his damn self. Maury ain't above lying, Milkshake," he said in all seriousness.
I laughed, "Maury doesn't lie, Seven."
"Shiiit, I bet Connie has had to beat his ass a few times for lying. You can't tell me he don’t kick it with them decoys that be in the green room."
I was cracking up.
"I'm going to miss this so much," I confided to him.
"Me too, Bari. I miss it already, and if you change your mind right now, I promise I won't ever bring that shit up again."
"That's not realistic, baby," I said, rolling one of his dreads between my fingers.
"Why not? I'm dead serious. I don't want to be without you, Milkshake. This shit ain't cool at all."
He was starting to get mad again, and I figured it would be best if I made my exit. I released my arms from around him, but he held on.
"I love you, Seven."
"Bari..."
"I love you more than anything in this whole world. Don't ever forget that."
&nb
sp; He let his arms fall to his sides. I bent down and grabbed my last bag and threw it over my shoulder. I didn't want to look back. I was afraid I wouldn't want to go.
"It's not too late," he said quietly.
"Don't, Seven."
"It's never too late, baby. Not for you." I turned around and looked into his eyes, which were shining brightly and wet with tears. "If it takes forever, it won't be too late for you."
I stood there for a moment, then ran back into his arms. My biggest mistake ever.
Chapter 38
What the hell does love really have to do with it? I asked myself that a million times over the past hour and a half. What was I doing? I was going out backwards, as Gucci would have said.
"What's up, Milkshake? You don't seem like you're even into this shit," Seven complained.
I looked down at him positioned between my legs, reacquainting himself with what he hadn't had in weeks. He was right. My mind was elsewhere.
"Seven, this isn't a good idea right now," I said, scooting up and away from him.
He looked at me strangely.
"You ain't had this shit in weeks," he said, more to himself than me. "And if you ain't got it from me and don't want it, that makes me think you've been getting it somewhere else."
That pissed me off.
"Oh really? Like from where? From who? The bum at the airport that blessed me with the sight of his dusty ass dick? Or do you think I paged Trim in the middle of the night and met him outside in the driveway for a quickie? No, no, maybe it was your uncle that's been slobbering all over me since he got here. Get serious Seven, and save that dumb ass shit for a bitch that wants to hear it."
He was fighting mad, and it showed all over his face.
"You better shut the fuck up, Bari," he warned.
"Oh whatever!" I yelled, frustrated and mad at myself for being so stupid in the first place. I got up from the bed, snatched up my panties and headed for the bathroom, slamming and locking the door behind me. "Whatever!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. "Yeah, Bari just stands on the corner, offering up her pussy to any and everybody that passes through! Why don't I just post some flyers on the telephone poles all over town! Free pussy at Seven's crib! And now that I know how you really think of me, I'm going to be exactly what you think I am! You think I'm a ho now, you ain't seen nothing yet! And what are you going to do now? Kick the door in? Drag me out by my hair Caveman style?" I ranted at the bathtub, the double sink, the shower, the toilet, but never thought to yell at the door. "Ha-ha..."
Crazy In Love With A Thug: Bari and Seven Page 18