Turned Out by His Hood Mentality 1

by Diamond D Johnson

  “You have a beautiful cry,” Billionaire said after about five minutes of silence.

  I laughed. Leave it to him to break the ice by saying something crazy like that.

  “It shouldn’t be your goal to have me crying,” I told him after I put my make-up bag back in my purse.

  He came over, lifted me in his arms, and kissed me. My arms were around his neck, and his hands were holding me up by my behind. I no longer tried to fight this man off because the truth of the matter was that I loved being in his arms. The caterers were in the room and the DJ, yet I didn’t care. I wasn’t about to continue acting like I didn’t care about him, out of fear that I would get caught, and someone would tell my father.

  “Only time I want to make you cry is when you’re laughing so hard that the shit hurts. I want to see you cry from tears of happiness. When you finally let a nigga in, I want you to cry from passion too. That’s a conversation for another day, though. You got people outside waiting for you, and you done fucked around and got all this makeup on my shirt,” he told me.

  I laughed as I looked down at his shirt and saw that some of my foundation had rubbed off on it.

  “When did you get this shirt? It’s cute. You do have a romantic side to you because I didn’t expect you to ever do this,” I told him.

  “The right person will bring out certain shit in you. Never in a million years did I think that I would be walking around wearing no shit like this either. I know you don’t like the fact that I have two baby mamas, but Normani, on some real ass shit, neither of them can ever fix their mouths to tell you that they ever had me wide the fuck open like this. You bring out sides of me that I swore I didn’t have.

  “Years ago, I would have thought that this was the lamest shit in the world to surprise my shorty with flowers or to be rocking a shirt like this. Don’t listen to shit that your father told you, though. On my kids, I’ll never put my fuckin’ hands on you. I’ll never cheat on you. None of that shit. I know I been calling you my girl and my shorty these past few days, but I never really asked you. You want to give this relationship shit a try? Like, being a couple?” he asked.

  I laughed at the way he asked me.

  “Yes, we can give it a try,” I told him.

  He smiled, shining all his gold teeth my way.

  “Cool. I swear I got you,” he told me.

  We sealed the beginning of a new relationship with one last kiss. Billionaire was holding me in his arms, hands still on my behind, and as we kissed, he slow bounced me on him. My hands were in his hair as he gave me his tongue, and I feasted on it. We were in our own little world, and nothing else mattered.

  “I hate to interrupt you all’s freaky moment, but Normani, sis, the people are ready. It was only so much entertaining that I was able to do,” I heard Twinkle say.

  Hearing her voice had me involuntarily pulling away from Billionaire. Lord knows I wanted to stay wrapped in his arms forever, but he lowered me to the floor. I smoothed down my hair and gave Twinkle the okay to have the security guards that I hired to open the doors and let the people start flowing in. I had a twenty foot table, which was decorated with all of my books, the t-shirts that I was selling, and everything else that I had.

  I stood behind the table, eager to start meeting my readers and taking pictures. I wouldn’t even say that I was putting on a front and only acting like I was happy. The second the doors opened, and my table was rushed by children and their parents, who were eager to get my books, the situation with my father didn’t even matter anymore.

  The event was scheduled to go on until four, and right now, it was a little bit after three. I hadn’t sat down yet or had a moment to eat anything. Customers stayed coming up to the table, and I made sure that I brought boxes and boxes of books, but pretty soon, I was almost sold out.

  I was in the middle of taking an order when I looked to the side of me and saw Billionaire standing there. I smiled because I promise it felt like he was my personal bodyguard for the day. He wasn’t letting me out of his sight. He kept asking me if I needed him to go over and have him make me a plate, but I kept assuring him that I was fine, although I was really starving something crazy.

  “I love your work, Ms. Normani. I have a six-year-old daughter who is fighting cancer, and I’ve been reading your books to her for the past year. When I found out that you were coming out with another story and that your book signing was coming up, I knew I had to be here for this moment. My daughter loves that she can open your books and see little black girls who look just like her. She’s in her last stages of chemo and is much better than she was a year ago. When you sign it, can you please make it out to Jessica Brown? That’s her name. She’s your biggest fan, and my baby girl adores you so much. She says that when she grows up, she wants to be a doctor just like you,” a mother came over and said, melting my heart with what she told me about her daughter.

  I knew that I touched lives all around the world with my writing, but hearing that her daughter was fighting cancer, and she was reading my books to help her get by, I promise you that that moved my heart. I had heard all types of emotional stories all day, and this was like the third time today that I found myself on the verge of tears.

  “Awww, you make sure that you tell Ms. Jessica that I said she can be anything she wants to be. I’m going to be praying for her. Let me go ahead and write her a sweet message in this book. I hope it warms her heart.” I smiled big as I pulled out my pen and began to write something down for Jessica.

  As soon as I finished, I grabbed up a couple of goodie bags for her and all the things that I was selling. I just gave it to the mom for free to give to her daughter. We took a couple of pictures together, and then I was back to servicing the rest of the customers. At exactly four o’clock, I had the security close the doors so no one else could come in. I was down to fifteen books left, and it was going to work out because that looked to be about the number of people who were standing in the line.

  A little bit after four came, and the last customer was walking out the door. The music was fading as I slouched in a chair, feeling defeated. There wasn’t a book in sight, a shirt, a journal, nothing. I completely sold out of everything. As I was sitting, Billionaire came over, holding a plate of food in his hands that he set down in front of me along with something to drink.

  “I’m proud of you, girl. You sold out of everything,” he told me.

  Hearing him tell me how proud of me he was had me smiling.

  “Thank you. I can’t wait to go home, take a nice, hot bath, and just rest my bones. As successful as today was, my body is physically worn out,” I vented to him.

  He came behind me and started massaging my shoulders.

  “Damn, I wish I could take you home with me and wear your body out some more, but I know it ain’t happening. Let me at least assist you with your hot bath. I can help you rest your bones,” he said, putting his mouth to my ear so I could hear him perfectly.

  I closed my eyes at the sound of his voice, picturing him washing me down as I soaked in the tub, but I knew what it would lead. I wasn’t ready yet. Turning in my chair, I looked up at him.

  “Thank you for coming today and helping me. The women loved you. Did you see the way some of them were looking at you?” I asked, changing the subject and being sarcastic at the same time.

  “Yeah, but they also saw my shirt, which is why none of them tried no slick shit. I’m sure everyone saw that my eyes were on you the whole time. You still coming with me next weekend to the party? Don’t change your mind on me. I don’t want to hear that your sister is having another baby, or she needs you to babysit,” he told me, making me laugh.

  “I’ll be there. I just hope your family likes me,” I said.

  “My mama gonna love you. My grandma too. My daddy as well. You straight, Normani. I like you, and that’s all that fuckin’ matters. Eat your food, so we can get you up out of here. I know you’re tired,” he told me and kissed the top of my head before he left.<
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  The party decorators were there, taking everything down. Billionaire said something to one of them, and then he went over to Twinkle, who was talking to one of the women from the catering company. Everything was a success. Now, I just hoped that this party I was attending next weekend for his grandmother would be just as successful. It was obvious that my father didn’t like Billionaire, so I just hoped that his family was kind and accepting enough to like me.

  “You heard about his new bitch? I wonder if Billion is going to be bold enough to bring her ass here. I’m dying to see her because Roheem made it seem like the hoe was toooo bad. I promise you that’s the only reason I came. You know his grandma can’t stand me anyway, so I couldn’t care less about this little party that they were throwing for her tonight. I just want to see Billionaire’s bitch,” I confessed to Denim.

  It was Saturday night, a little bit after nine, and we were at the venue where Billion’s grandmother’s sixtieth surprise birthday party was being held. I felt that Denim and I only received invitations because they wanted our kids to be in attendance. For a sixty-year-old woman, this lady had so many damn friends. Each table was packed. It was a nice little vibe as the DJ played cut after cut, and there was an open bar that I had already been to about three times. The little appetizers that they had until the real food came were good too.

  Everyone was dressed up for the event. I was in a formal, black jumpsuit, which was squeezing my body in, and I wore pumps that I was strutting in. Billion always liked to act like I went everywhere with my ass out, so I dressed appropriately tonight. That was only because if he brought his bitch, I didn’t need him bad mouthing me to her, so I was chilling tonight with what I chose to wear. I’d gone to the hair salon first thing this morning, so my short cut was perfectly done. My face was beat, and I was dripping in a whole bunch of diamonds and smelling to die for.

  I was watching the door every minute to see if Billion had come in yet with his bitch, but he hadn’t. They’d already made an announcement over the speakers that Billion’s grandmother would be there in twenty minutes. I knew Billion should walk in soon because he wouldn’t get there after the surprise.

  “Girl, I’m ready too. The day before Valentine’s Day, he had all types of designer shopping bags in his trunk along with a bunch of other shit. He obviously likes her if he’s cutting a check on her like that. If the bitch is ugly, I swear I’m clowning him,” Denim said, making me laugh.

  Denim and I weren’t best friends or anything like that, but we could relate in a lot of ways. Plus, she was the only one at the party who I really knew. On top of that, the seats were assigned, and they had us sitting together, so we had no choice but to make conversation. Our kids had run off and were somewhere playing with the other kids, so we were forced to talk.

  I was about to say something back to Denim, when all of a sudden, the double doors opened, and this time, it was Billion walking in. I smiled when I saw that he had come by himself, but my smile was quickly wiped off my face when I saw that he kept the door open like he was waiting for someone to come in. That’s when I saw her. She caught up with him at the door, and I watched as he pulled her in for a kiss and allowed her to come in first.

  I had 20/20 vision, and I could spot a bitch who was around my baby daddy from a mile away, so I had the perfect view of her. Within seconds, it clicked where I’d seen her before. She was at with Twinkle at the club that night for Billion’s welcome home party. Woman to woman, her ass was so fuckin’ pretty. I couldn’t even act like I didn’t see what my baby daddy saw in her because the bitch was gorgeous. The way Roheem was hyping her to me that day on the phone, I could see why, because she was all of that. She wasn’t thick like Denim and I were, but I swear that didn’t mean shit because Billion could always help put weight on her.

  I examined her from the top of her head to the bottom of her shoes. She had long, jet black hair that looked like the beautiful bundles that I ship out. She wore a black, long sleeved shirt with a fur vest and a high waisted leather skirt which kind of flared at the bottom. Black pumps were on her feet. I had to stop looking because I got mad when I couldn’t find a flaw on her.

  “She’s cute. Doesn’t look his type, though. I’m not even hating. I can smell how bougie that bitch is from all the way over here. What the hell she going to do with a nigga like Billion? That nigga is way out of her league,” Denim spoke.

  I nodded my head, agreeing with her. From across the room, I watched as Billion took his date around the room to introduce her to everyone. When he got to his mama, I watched how her phony ass pulled her into a hug. I was trying to read her lips from across the room and make out what she was saying, but I couldn’t. Billion’s mother and I had somewhat of a good relationship, but she made it clear that she didn’t really care for Denim or me to be with her son because she felt that both of us were toxic in his life. As a woman who used to be the leading lady in Billion’s life, I couldn’t even lie, it fucked with me to see this man parade this bitch around like this.

  After they talked, I continued to follow him with my eyes because I wanted to see if he would introduce her to his kids. It didn’t even matter to me if he did or not because if he was serious about her, he would eventually have her around our kids. Finally, he left her with Twinkle, and then he went around the room, speaking to everyone.

  He soon made it to our table, and it was his turn to speak to us. I just wished the nigga wasn’t so fuckin’ fine. I swear, then, it would make it a little bit easier to get over his black ass. He wore red and black plaid bottoms that fit him just right. They weren’t too tight on him, but they also weren’t too big. He paired it with a black, long sleeved dress shirt which was tucked inside the pants, showing off his black and gold Ferragamo belt. The first buttons on his shirt were undone, so that same chest that I used to rake my nails on when I would ride his dick was visible for all to see. As always, his beard was nice and full, and his waves had him in the lead on any man in attendance tonight with waves. The only jewelry he wore was a pinky ring and a watch on his wrist. Before he was even close enough, I could smell him.

  “What’s good?” was the first thing he asked us both once he made it to our table.

  “Where did you find her? She’s completely opposite of what you usually run around with,” Denim said to him.

  “I know. That’s why I keep sniffing around her ass. Slow down on them drinks, ma. I already smell liquor on your breath. If you get to talking crazy, I won’t hesitate to have security drag your ass the fuck up out of here. We’re here to celebrate my grandma. Ain’t nobody interested in seeing me put my foot in your ass because you can’t behave tonight,” Billion told Denim.

  She sucked her teeth, then turned around and looked at him like he was crazy.

  “Negro, please! I had one drink! If you coming over here to tell me to be nice to your bitch, just say that!” she spat.

  “Watch your mouth, man! I swear you so fuckin’ miserable!” He prepared to walk away, but Denim kept talking slick.

  “I wasn’t miserable when I was coming down to that prison and letting you fuck me! Get the fuck on, Billion!” she snapped.

  I heard the hate in her voice, the anger, and even what sounded like bitterness. Seems to me that I wasn’t the only one who wanted my baby daddy back.

  “Nah, you were desperate, though. Quit fuckin’ trying me like I made you give me your pussy. You had a choice. If you want to take it there, you were giving me pussy while I was locked because you thought a nigga was going to get caught slipping and put another baby in you. Show off in front of Sidnesha if you want to. Denim, I’ll hurt yo’ motha fuckin’ feelings, shorty,” he spat, and then he really left this time.

  Denim stood up and went in the opposite direction. I followed her with my eyes, and she was right back at the bar. I shook my head, knowing that this bitch was going to be fucked up tonight, and I could see her and Billion fighting.

  About five minutes had gone by, and they were telling
everyone to stand up so we could get ready to surprise Billion’s grandmother. At this point, all her grandchildren, her great-grandchildren, and her children were at the front, ready for her to come in. As much as I tried to act like Billion’s grandmother got on my nerves, I had to admit that it was a great feeling to see her be surprised the way she did and be around so much love. This was a woman with a quick tongue, always having something slick to say, but she cried like a baby when she saw how many people had come out tonight to celebrate her.

  Billion’s grandmother greeted her guests then took her seat on the stage in a chair that looked like it was made for a queen. Music was playing, and then they started to serve the food. While they were passing the food out, Denim came back over and took her seat.

  “Damn, where the hell were you?” I questioned because she had been gone for a while.

  “Girl, I had to step out. Baby daddy number one was calling. Bitching as always,” she spat.

  I swear, I didn’t see how she managed to have two baby daddies because the one that I had, kept me ready to take his head off his shoulders every damn time he got around me.

  Denim and I talked through our meal, and I wouldn’t say that she was drunk, but the bitch was tipsy and running off at the fuckin’ mouth. It was cool because the shit she was saying was hilarious.

  “Come with me to the restroom. I need to pee,” she announced, which was fine with me because I needed to go too.

  We both stood and made our way down the stairs, then we turned right and walked down a small hallway, which led to a restroom. There were about five stalls, and one of them was occupied. I knew those black and gold Christian Louboutin pumps because I was eying them when she stepped into the room with Billion. It was his arm candy for the night, and she was in one of the stalls. I smirked to myself, thinking that the timing was going to be perfect for us to finally get our introductions in.

  Although I had to pee, I didn’t want to risk going into one of the stalls, and she left before I could get the introduction that I needed from her.