“I’m calling your boss and telling him you’re not coming in.”
“No, Wayne. I want to go to work. I’m not trying to stay cooped up in this house with Nana.”
“I don’t know, Liana.”
“Please, daddy.”
Wayne shook his head. Liana knew calling him daddy would get him to do anything she wanted.
Wayne broke down “What time do you have to be there?”
“Three o’clock.”
“I’ll be there at two-thirty. Make sure you’re ready.”
“Thank you, daddy.”
Wayne could hear her cheesy grin. “What are you doing?”
“I’m soaking in the bathtub, getting ready for tonight.”
“Tonight?” Wayne asked, thinking he missed something.
“Round two, boo.”
Wayne’s grasp on his phone tightened. We’re moving way too fast.
“You there?” Liana asked when he didn’t respond.
“Yeah, I’m here. Round two. Make sure you’re prepared. I’m not going to take it easy on you like I did last night.”
“Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t you have to stop twice to catch your breath?”
“I thought I heard Nana coming in from church.”
“You’re so full of it.”
Wayne chuckled. “See you at two-thirty.”
“I’ll be waiting.”
***
Reese couldn’t wait to get all the details when Liana showed up for work; everything from the carjacking to the butt-slapping romp with Wayne. She hung on to every word as Liana related the events as they unfolded. Liana even told her how Wayne found the raisin head sucker that did it, and how he put the beats on him, and got all of her stuff back.
“Wayne actually beat him up?” Reese had to say the words aloud to actually believe it.
“Whipped his scarecrow ass.”
“Wayne has got to love you, because he doesn’t put himself out there for nobody. I can’t even remember the last time he had a fight.”
“Well, he fought for me,” Liana said, gleaming.
“Flowers for Miss Thompson,” the FTD courier said standing behind Liana.
God, Ron is really starting to tick me off with his tired flower routine. Liana turned around to sign for them, and almost fainted. The FTD impersonator was Ron.
***
“When Elizabeth called and told me what happened, I got here as fast as I could,” Ron said, as he reached out to touch the fading bruise on Liana’s cheek. She quickly pulled away.
“You didn’t have to come all this way, I’m okay.” She looked around before whispering. “You shouldn’t even be here.”
“I had to come. No one was going to keep me from seeing you.”
The no one he was referring to was Fat Sha. Ron and Fat Sha were like two sharks trying to co-exist in a fish bowl. As far as Ron was concerned, he had more than enough money invested in stocks and bonds, courtesy of his little brother Derrick, to live off for the rest of his life so he no longer needed Sha’s drug money or business savvy. He sold the club/gambling spot, which Fat Sha was a silent partner in, and moved to California where he opened a legit sports bar. When he made that move, Fat Sha sent word, demanding five-hundred thousand, for breeching their verbal agreement. When Fat Sha’s brother went to California to collect, he came back to Albany with a black eye and a message from Ron: The next person you send better have his life insurance paid in full. Ron knew he could never show his face in Albany again. Yet, here he stood in front of Liana. His presence in Albany told her the extent he was willing to go to get her back.
“I came here for two reasons,” he started off, “I had to make sure you were okay, and I’m bringing you back home. This would’ve never happened in Cali.”
“Nah, ah,” Reese mumbled, as she eavesdropped on their conversation.
Liana put her closed sign on top of her register just as a customer walked up. “She’ll take care of you,” she said, pointing toward Reese. The woman gave her a sour look, to which Liana had no problem matching.
She grabbed Ron, and led him to an aisle with hardly any customers in it. “Number one, you know you shouldn’t even be in New York State. And two, what makes you think I would go anywhere with you?”
“Baby, I know I fucked up. I can’t go back in time and make it right. The only thing I can do is make our future right. Did you go to the website?”
“Yes.”
“And what did you think?”
“I think we had a beautiful life together before I found out that you and Bridgette were still sleeping together.”
“Liana, would you just look at everything I did before this one incident and everything afterwards. Don’t end our relationship because of one accident.”
“Accident?” Liana repeated, not believing Ron’s choice of words.
“What part of fucking Bridgette was an accident? Fucking her in our house? Fucking her on our bed? Or was it accidentally thinking that you could get away with it?”
Ron didn’t answer.
“Just go, Ron,” Liana looked away. “And stop sending me flowers and gifts.”
“What do I have to do, Liana? Just tell me.”
“You need to move on, like I’m doing.”
Ron bit back his anger and tears, and took a deep breath. He stared at her for a second that seemed like forever, and then he walked out without bothering to look back.
Liana walked back behind her register and removed the closed sign.
“I know you’re not going to just stand there and act like I don’t want to know what just happened,” Reese said.
“Nothing happened.”
“It must’ve been a whole lot of nothing, ‘cause you were gone for ten minutes.”
“I told him it was over.”
Reese blinked. “You serious?”
“You saw who I was in bed with this morning. What do you think?”
“I thought that was just a booty call or one for old time’s sake. You’re really getting back with Wayne?”
“I don’t know,” Liana said with a huff. “What?” she asked Reese when she caught her staring at her.
“I’m just saying, you left Wayne at the altar. You don’t think he’ll hold that against you, like, forever? Besides, Ron has more going for himself.”
“You mean he has more money.”
“That’s another way of putting it.”
Liana shook her head. “It’s not just about money. There’s more to a relationship than just what a man can do for you.”
“Such as?”
Liana threw her hands up in frustration. “I’m not going through this with you.”
“No, tell me what a relationship is based on besides what a man can do for you? Isn’t that why you broke up with Wayne in the first place? He didn’t want to move out of Albany, for you, so you called off the wedding?”
“This conversation is over.”
“Why, because I hit a nerve?”
Liana clasped her hands behind her head and closed her eyes. Reese knew how far to take a delicate conversation with Liana. She knew Liana didn’t have a problem making a scene and getting both of them fired. She couldn’t afford to lose her job.
***
When Wayne picked Liana up from work, he noticed her hard demeanor. He watched Reese as she walked out and jumped into Dexter’s car.
“Reese is messing with Dexter?” he asked, keeping his eyes glued to the car.
“Who isn’t Reese messing with?” Liana responded.
“Dexter and her daughter’s father, Green Eyes, are like gasoline and fire. She’s playing a dangerous game.”
“You know Reese’s middle name is drama.”
Wayne drove off. Instead of turning onto Nana’s block, he kept driving down Central Avenue.
“Where are we going?” Liana asked.
“I have to pick something up.”
Liana reclined the seat and closed her eyes. She opened her eye
s when she felt herself falling into a deep sleep. She didn’t know how long she was sleep, but when she looked up, they were in Arbor Hill. “What are we doing here?”
Wayne pointed with his chin down the block toward Cee’s house. Cee drove Liana’s truck to his house for Wayne to pick up, because he knew Wayne wasn’t going to make it to the garage by closing time.
Liana didn’t wait for Wayne to shut off his engine. She jumped out and quickly walked to her ride. She could see the love Cee put into it. Her truck looked better than when Ron first bought it.
Cee looked up from the group of guys he was talking with and started walking toward her. Liana met him half way and hugged him.
“How you feeling, ma? When Wayne told me what happened—”
“I was a little shaken up at first, but you know me. It’s gonna take a lot more than a carjacking to mess me up. Did you hear what Wayne did to him?”
“I couldn’t shut Taz up. He came by the garage and couldn’t stop talking about it. He was bragging about how he and Wayne were strapped—”
“Strapped?”
“Yeah, and then he went into graphic detail about how every time Wayne knocked dude out, he would pistol whip him awake, and how that went on for about an hour.”
“Wayne didn’t tell me all that.” Liana continued looking at her vehicle. “New rims, Cee? And new tires? Damn, this doesn’t even look like my truck.”
“Wayne was paying, and you know how hard it is to get him to part with money. So, I said fuck it. I’m going to go all out and hook you up.”
“I don’t have a problem parting with money,” Wayne said, walking up on their conversation. “So long as I’m getting what I paid for.”
“Cee did an excellent job,” Liana said, climbing into her ride. “A twelve disc CD charger, Cee?” Liana said, sticking her head out the window.
“Twelve, Cee?” Wayne said, feeling his bank account sinking like the Titanic.
“You told me to hook it up, so, I hooked it up.”
“How much?” Wayne said, cutting to the chase.
Cee dug into his pocket and pulled out a folded up piece of paper, itemizing everything he did.
Wayne read the total and sighed. “I’ll come by the garage tomorrow and take care of you.” He gave Cee a pound as he inspected Liana’s truck. He had to admit Cee had done a damn good job.
Liana followed Wayne to his house. When she pulled into his driveway, she saw his father sitting on his porch across the street reading the newspaper.
“Pop Pop,” she called out to him as she got out of her truck.
Nevel waved her over. “How are you feeling? Wayne told me what happened.”
“I’m okay, as you can see. And I got my truck back.”
“I’m glad to see that.”
“What up, Pop Pop?” Wayne said as he hopped out of his Range. Growing up, Liana considered Nevel to be her father and took to calling him Pop Pop. Nevel only allowed Liana to call him that and Wayne knew that.
“Don’t be here on time tomorrow morning and I’ll Pop Pop you right upside your head.”
Wayne winked at him. “See you in the a.m. Tell mom I said I love her.”
“Umm hmm,” his father grumbled, as he went back to reading his newspaper.
Liana walked into Wayne’s house, kicked off her shoes, and stripped down to her underwear. She couldn’t stand wearing street clothes in the house. She walked into the bathroom, picked up his toothbrush, toothpaste, and walked into the bedroom while brushing her teeth and started unpacking her overnight bag.
Wayne laughed when she pulled out the top dresser drawer and pushed his underwear to the side to make room for hers.
“What?” she mumbled, while still brushing her teeth.
“You’re unbelievable. You just walk up in my spot and make yourself at home as if you got it like that. Who do you think you are?”
Ignoring him, she put her three pairs of underwear in the drawer and went back into the bathroom to finish brushing her teeth. She came back a minute later, and started unbuttoning his shirt.
“What are you doing?” he asked, grabbing her hands.
“I have your bath running. Once I get you soaped up, I’m going to go cook dinner.”
Wayne arched his eyebrow.
“What’s that look for? I can’t take care of you?”
Wayne released her hands and let her finish undressing him. While she waited for the tub to fill, she made him sit on the edge of the bed as she massaged his shoulders. She could hear a faint moan escape his lips as she increased the pressure.
She gripped and rubbed his muscles, feeling a slight quiver between her legs. She walked from behind him and straddled him. She sucked on his bottom lip, and moaned when she felt him swelling against the crotch of her panties.
Wayne’s breathing became faster and hotter. He grabbed a handful of her panties and moved them to the side.
“Not yet,” she said, grabbing his hand.
He held her by the butt, and slid her clit down his pole. She shivered when her clit stopped at the bottom. He positioned her back on top for another ride, but she hopped off him.
“Bathtub. Now,” she said, breathing hard.
***
Wayne came downstairs in a robe. Liana was hard at work cooking dinner.
“When was the last time you cooked in this kitchen?” she asked.
Wayne walked up behind her and kissed her on the side of her neck. “Why are you cooking, anyway, it’s almost twelve o’clock?”
“You act like we never had a midnight dinner before.”
“I just figured you may have wanted to lie down and rest up.”
“For what?”
“We got three years of love making to catch up on.”
“You stupid.” She walked away from him to check the rice. She took the rice off the stove, and the chicken out the oven. “Dish out the food. I’m going to go upstairs and take a quick shower.”
“Hurry up.”
“Shut up and dish out the food.”
Wayne was in the midst of serving their food when Liana’s cell phone rang. He would have ignored it, but the person hung up and called right back. He picked it up and looked at the caller ID to see if it may have been Nana or a number he may have recognized. When he didn’t recognize the number, he put the phone down and let it ring. The person hung up and called right back again. Thinking that it had to be an emergency, he answered it.
“Hello?”
“Wayne?”
“What’s up, Ron?”
“You tell me, seeing how you’re answering, Liana’s phone.”
“It’s too early to tell. We’re just kicking it, you know?”
“Put her on the phone,” Ron demanded.
“Hold on,” Wayne said, raising his voice. “I’m not one of your flunkies who you can bark orders at. I don’t see why you’re getting upset, anyway. You’re the one who got caught cheating.”
“Listen, Wayne,” Ron said in a calmer tone. “Can you put Liana on the phone?”
Wayne thought about it for a second. “Hold on.” He took the phone to the bathroom and knocked on the shower pane.
“What’s up?” Liana asked.
“Ron’s on the phone.”
Liana shut off the shower and slid the glass panel back. Wayne handed her the phone and left.
“What do you want?” Liana said into the phone.
“That’s how it is? We haven’t even been apart a full two months, and you’re already fucking your ex?”
“At least I waited for us to be apart. It wasn’t like you came into our house and caught me fucking him on our bed.”
“I’m just calling to let you know that I put a stop on your credit cards.”
“Whatever.”
“And at your convenience, I would like my ring back.”
“Anything else you want to take back while we’re on the subject?”
“Now that you mentioned it, I want to take back all the words of end
earment I expressed to you in all those cards over the past couple of weeks. I’m glad I found out about your ho-ish ways before we got married. I don’t know how I let Elizabeth talk me into flying up here to see you.”
“Hold the fuck up—” Liana started to light into Ron’s ass, but he hung up. She called him right back, but his phone rolled right into voice mail.
“You straighten that out?” Wayne asked her later on, as they sat at the dining room table.
Liana dug into her food without saying a word.
“You’re just going to sit there in silence?”
Liana got up from the table and went up stairs.
Wayne closed his eyes and took a deep breath. One of them had to keep a level head. Tonight, he had to think for the both of them.
No matter what happens, I’m not going to lose my cool. He cleared the table and headed upstairs. When he got to the bedroom, Liana was packing her stuff.
“What the fuck are you doing?”
Liana ignored him and zipped up her bag.
He grabbed her by the arm as she tried to walk past him. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”
“Get off of me.” She broke free and tried to push past him, but Wayne had enough. He grabbed her by the elbow and flung her onto the bed; so much for not losing his cool.
Liana sprang off the bed, kicking and punching any part of his body she came in contact with. He spun her around and bear hugged her. He fell with her on the bed, immobilizing her with his body weight. She struggled until she had no other recourse but to stop struggling. Wayne let her go and let her curl up into a ball and cry. Wayne calmed down and allowed her to curl up on him.
“I see you’re still the same crazy-ass female I fell in love with back in the day,” he said, catching his breath.
She pinched his stomach. “I’m about to have a nervous breakdown, and you want to joke?”
“What did Ron say to get you all worked up?”
“It has nothing to do with him. I’m mad at myself. I don’t know what I want. I wanted us to be together forever, but I fucked that up, and now, I fucked up my relationship with Ron.”
“Whoa, hold up. He cheated on you, remember?”
“But he’s a man, that’s to be expected.”
Soul Dancing Page 7