“Yeah, that bullshit that somebody sent out. A few of my homegirls have been hitting me up saying that some chick emailed all of them saying that I was a liar and all types of shit against my character.”
“Well Paul, on some real shit, I'm not one of these naive bitches that you can tell anything to. You thought you had me fooled but I saw right through you from day one.”
“What are you talking about Tiara? Don't tell me you believe that shit too?”
“Well hmm let's see, the bitch mentioned that you said you had a Range and a 5 bedroom house that I've mysteriously never seen. You’re in a hoopty every time I see your ass. Oh and the email also mentioned that you had a daughter, I thought you said you couldn’t have kids? And what about the text messages you send every morning and every night, ‘good morning beautiful’ and ‘good night beautiful’?”
He sucked his teeth. “That's how I talk to all my homegirls, I can't believe how you are coming at me Tiara. And I don’t have no kid, this shit is stupid!” He started cussing and his tone was hostile and defensive. “How do I know it wasn't YOU who sent out that fuckin’ email?” he shot out.
“Excuse me nigga! I don't got SHIT to gain from sending out an email to a bunch of bitches that I don't know. Furthermore I'm not even feeling your wack ass like that. You must got me twisted. I'm not that bitch.”
“Fuck you!” he shouted.
“Fuck me? Nigga I only need to make one phone call and have some niggas from Boston come out here to dig in dat ass.”
“You musta forgot, Tiara. You're in my hood now.”
CLICK!
I couldn’t believe he just straight went off. And I took what that nigga said as a threat. I had about four of Tre's friend's on deck. It was nothing to send them a plane ticket to whoop someone's ass for me. This nigga had the wrong bitch!
Another email showed up in my inbox from that Valerie bitch.
It read:
One more thing ladies and please take heed to this. Run as fast as you can, he's dangerous. If he can lie about the simplest things, he's liable to do anything, trust me. I'm moving away because he's been on some crazy shit since I left him.
I shut down my computer and had to think fast. Then I thought about his homeboy at the car shop, I really think that nigga was trying to warn me. My instinct told me that some shit was up with that nigga but I couldn’t put my finger on it. It was time for me to get myself a Virginia gun license and think about really protecting me and Shayonna. I didn’t grow up in the DMV so I wouldn’t be able to find out the background on any new nigga that I met. After finding out this shit about Paul, I wasn’t taking any more chances.
Chapter 8
“Shayonna go get some clothes on!” I shouted up the stairs. A week had gone by and there had been no sign of Paul. Although he was out of sight, I wasn't going to sleep on this nigga. I hit up Home Depot before they closed. Once I got there, I copped me the sharpest razor blade I could find. I got two of them bitches, one for my car and one to keep under my pillow. Then I reminded myself about getting my gun license in Virginia so that I could carry and feel safe. I couldn't believe I was in another state with new problems. Not only that, but over a nigga that I didn't even fuck with like that.
I stopped by the supermarket on the way home from Home Depot to pick up some Maryland crab cakes to make with dinner. Shayonna loved the way Aunty made them. I hadn’t mastered making them from scratch, so I picked up some Phillips ready-made cakes that I just had to fry up. Them shits were so good, I could eat an entire pack of twelve myself.
Shayonna was sleep in the backseat and I had turned the music up a little and was in my zone listening to Drake. I’m on one. Fuck it, I’m on one.
BOOM!!!!!!!!!!!! I was rear ended out of nowhere!!
My head flew towards the dashboard and I kept my foot on the brakes as my car was pushed forward.
“Ahhhhhhhh!” Shayonna and I both screamed. I got rammed from behind at a red light. If it had been two seconds earlier my car would’ve been pushed into a barrage of cars that sped down the cross street.
“Are you okay Shayonna?” I asked looking back at her. I could see that she wasn’t injured but the shock from the sudden hit had shaken her up.
I watched in my rearview mirror as the hoopty backed up and Paul’s evil grin appeared.
“This motherfucker!” I shouted.
Shayonna’s cries grew louder.
“I’m sorry baby, I didn’t mean to yell.” I said in a panic while eyeing Paul’s car.
He pulled beside my car, his face was balled up like he hated me and wanted my head. I watched him in anguish. He rolled down his window and shouted “BITCH!” as he peeled off.
I rushed out of my car to see the damage. Somehow my bumper was still intact but it was slightly dented and some of the paint had rubbed off.
I dug through my purse for my cellphone and realized that I had no one to call. Not Tony, not Tre, and not a single homey lived close enough to come whip his ass for me ASAP. That nigga was really crazy and I wasn’t chancing being around to see what else he was capable of. One thing was certain; the next time he came after me, I was gonna be prepared.
When I got home, I took my blade and held it under my jacket as I carefully walked us to the front door. I wasn’t tryna be caught off guard anymore.
Shayonna was still shaken up and hadn’t stopped crying. I decided to proceed with my dinner agenda and make her some crab cakes so that she wouldn’t feel too thrown off. My hands were shaking and my nerves were getting to me but I couldn’t let her know that this was affecting me. I needed her to feel safe and to know that Mommy had everything under control. I turned on the TV and watched her from the kitchen as she snuggled up on the couch under her Hannah Montana blanket.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
Shayonna jumped, the knocks had startled her.
“Mommy someone's knocking.” She screamed.
I stood frozen wondering who it could be. Goose bumps traveled up my back as I hoped that it wasn’t Paul fuckin’ with me. Ebony was in Boston and Tony's aunt didn’t even know where I lived. I grabbed my blade and put it under my shirt so Shayonna wouldn't see it as I headed towards the door.
“Shayonna, go upstairs.” I instructed.
When she reached the top of the stairs, I crept to the door and looked out the peephole. A well dressed white man in a suit was standing there impatiently. He was looking at his watch and waiting for me to open the door. I quickly tucked the razor in the back of my pant pocket and opened the door.
“Tiara James?” he asked.
“Yes.” I answered.
“You've been served.” He handed me a white piece of paper.
“Huh? I asked.
I snatched the paper and read that it was a summons. There were bold letters stating that I’ve been summoned to appear in court for credit card fraud.
I demanded an answer from the man. “I don't understand. What is this?” I asked in extreme confusion.
“Just show up in court.” The rude white man said walking away.
I stepped inside, shutting the door behind me.
“Credit card fraud, what the fuck is this about?” I asked myself aloud.
Instantly my heart began beating faster than normal and Paul came to mind. Him and his fake charming bullshit! That nigga was setting me up from the beginning. Offering his credit card number for me to order food and that shit wasn't even his fucking credit card. The charges were being brought against me by someone named Valerie Lovell. Obviously that nigga was conning that bitch like shit. Who knows who else he shared her credit card number with to also use at their leisure. But of course, it would be me who was the one caught in this shit. I was almost in tears, I had a daughter to think about. I didn’t need any flaws on my record. I was mad at myself for not cutting that nigga off sooner. I was usually on point to bullshit but I was blindsided by this shit.
I kept re-reading the summons and nodding my head. Just when I thought I ha
d washed my hands of that nigga, he rear ends my car and then hits me right back in the face with some more shit. I almost broke down. Silently I blamed Tony for being a dick head. If he was the man that he was supposed to be, I wouldn't be in no shit like this.
"Mommy, I smell the crab cakes burning.” Shayonna said walking down the stairs.
“Oh baby you're right, I’m so sorry.” I ran into the kitchen and scooped the crab cakes out of the pan.
I exhaled as I watched Shayonna frown at the burnt crab cakes. “How about we go out to eat instead baby?m I asked her while trying to keep myself from going insane.
“Are you okay Mommy, you don't look so good?” she asked.
“I'm fine baby. As long as I see that beautiful face, I'm more than fine.” I said pinching her cheek.
She flashed her adorable smile and again tears almost fell from my eyes.
Washing out the burned pot, I got down on myself. I took my baby out of Boston, out of her comfort zone and it was my duty to make her feel protected. There was no denying the fact that Paul was insane and he posed a threat not only to me, but to Shayonna. After what Shawn did to my baby, there was no way in LIFE that I would let anything happen to her.
__________
It was quiet for about two weeks, I was still cautious about Paul but I was taking the proper precautions. I hit up Eb and she said that she was interested in getting her gun license as well. We took a few courses. It was easy as shit to get my gun license in Virginia. Once my little ass was strapped with a mini 2-2, I finally felt secure. It was time for me to get back into my normal routine. I‘d been a homebody ever since Paul rear ended me. The only outing besides taking Shayonna to school and myself to work was to the closest grocery store. I’d gained weight since I moved to VA, but the weight gain since all the Paul shit had me at least fifteen pounds heavier at that point. My thighs and hips spread and my petite frame was on the borderline of becoming thick. I loved the weight in my thighs and hips, but my clothes didn't agree. I had to squeeze into all of my jeans and work wear. A yeast infection crept up on my ass soon after, so I knew it was time for me to stop squeezing into my clothes and hit the mall. I made a promise to myself that I was not going to let this man trap me in the house any longer and that I would go clothes shopping ASAP. Not to mention, poor Shayonna. She was growing quite bored with watching the Disney Channel after doing her homework everyday instead of going to the park like we used to.
Since there had been no activity from Paul for some time, I was putting my fears behind me and getting back into the swing of things. Shayonna deserved a normal life.
“Good night Shayonna.” I said as I placed a kiss on her cheek.
“Good night Mommy.” She snuggled up comfortably and turned and closed her eyes. I shut off her light and closed the door.
I was tired as shit that night. Work had me exhausted and I couldn’t wait to lie down and relax. I flicked on the TV in my bedroom and turned to shut my door. A shadow emerged from behind my door and Paul jumped out and closed it for me...
“Ah-!” My scream was cut short as Paul rushed at me, snatching me up and covering my mouth. I was scared as fuck! My heart almost jumped out of my tank top. He held me in a choke hold from behind and whispered in my ear with his deep voice, “If you scream Tiara, you are going to make this more painful than it needs to be. Now I'm going to slowly take my hand away from your mouth and I want your ass to be silent or I will take this knife out of my pocket and poke your pretty little body.”
Slowly he took his hand away from my mouth. I was shaking like shit, my bottom lip was trembling and you could see my heart beating out of my cleavage. I suddenly regretted wearing boy shorts that dug into my ass and a tank top. I tried to choose my words carefully as I mustered up the courage to speak. My nerves had me breathing heavy. “Paul what are you doing in my house?” I asked with my heart beating erratically. I had no idea what he was capable of. I just kept thinking about my baby, I prayed that he wouldn't harm her.
"You know what the fuck I'm doing here. All that work I put in and no pussy? I never met a woman as difficult as you. What the fuck was your problem?" he asked with high attitude while sliding the long blade out of his pocket.
“You're my problem Paul. Now I'm gonna ask you nicely to get out of my house or you will regret ever fuckin' with me?
He smiled showing the pearly whites that had charmed me into giving him a chance in the first place. “Tiara, all your dry threats don't impress me baby girl. I ain't worried about your homies coming from wack ass Boston to handle me.”
He pushed me down on the bed and I slowly kept creeping up to my head board. He grabbed my legs and slid me toward him. He yanked on my boy shorts and pulled them down taking my panties off with them. “Paul, stop, please.” I begged. He spread my legs apart and I could see his eyes looking at the discharge on my pussy from the yeast infection. I was hoping that it would turn him off and that he’d leave.
“I got a yeast infection, you sick fuck!”
He smiled, pushed down on my legs and pinned them apart. He stuck out his tongue and scooped up the bacteria, never losing eye contact. The white yeast on his tongue made my stomach turn. The yeast on his tongue looked like a lump of white baby food and I turned up my face in disgust.
He was crazy as fuck! He closed his mouth and swallowed it, “mmm, you taste better than you look.” He said.
“You’re fuckin’ crazy.” I retorted.
I didn’t know what else to do. This nigga was obviously capable of doing anything, so I tried pleading with him. “Paul, please don’t do this.” I begged.
His crazy ass smiled, “Oh we are doing this Tiara and we are doing this right now.” He put the knife back in his pocket and stood up to unbuckle his jeans. I carefully scooted myself up on the bed, slowly reaching under my pillow to search for my blade. I managed to find it and whipped it out, wasting not a single second flicking it open. I hopped off the bed and sliced him across the face. “Aaahhhh!!!,” he hollered touching the blood that trickled down his face. I ran and reached for my gun inside the shoebox in my closet. I was shaking as I pointed it at his head.
“I’m gonna give you one second to get the fuck out of my house.”
“Put that down Tiara. I just want to give you some of this dick.” He poked out his crotch.
“You are fuckin’ crazy! I promise you Paul, I will take you out execution style if you don’t get the fuck out of my crib!” I threatened.
I was dead fuckin’ serious. This nigga had broken into my house so if I did decide to shoot him, I wouldn’t be in the wrong.
I cocked my gun back.
“Ok, ok.” He said pulling his jeans back up. He backed up with his hands in the air. Blood continued to pour out of the slice in his face. He opened my bedroom door and made his way to the stairs still holding up his hands.
“I’ll see you again.” He smirked at the top of the stairs.
“Wrong, nigga!” I kicked him square in the chest and his ass tumbled down the stairs.
“You fuckin’ bitch.” He hollered as his head hit every other step.
He struggled to recover from the fall. I pointed the gun down the stairs, “Get out!” I screamed.
He stood up and stumbled against the wall. He was totally deranged. He let out a devilish laugh. “Hahahaha, I’ll see you again bitch.”
I prepared to shoot. I was two seconds from pulling the trigger. But when I got halfway down the stairs, he exited my front door. I scurried to the window to watch him get into his car. The same damn hoopty. The psycho ass nigga never had a Range Rover, and I’m sure he didn’t have no damn house. Hell, and clearly he didn’t have no damn brain either.
I threw some clothes in a duffle and rushed me and the baby to Eb’s house. I wasn’t taking any chances of having that nigga return on some crazy shit. Paul said he’d be back and I didn’t take too kindly to threats, I had to go.
Chapter 9
Rita tried hard to convince me to cal
l the police on Paul. Being from the hood, the police was always the last resort. I didn’t fuck with 5-0 and frankly, I didn’t think I needed them since I had a legal firearm for my protection. She helped me convince the powers that be that I had to move into an apartment at one of our other locations and we were able to put it in as an emergency request. No matter if you were an employee or not, our management only moved tenants out of their apartments when they feared for their lives. A police report had to be furnished, and they really had to be convinced that the move was needed. But they hooked me up, especially after leaving work that day to a flat tire and a knife with a note that read “bitch”. I knew it was from Paul, and after that, I kept my gun with me every day.
A Hood Chick's Story pt. 3: The Final Chapter Page 7