How to Lose a Husband

by Toya Wright

  Now, with Trey spending more time away from the house, she had to make the best of times when he was there. She would climb into bed and spoon behind him, rubbing her hands up and down his tall, slender physique. Then she’d find her way down to his manhood, groping him to get him in the mood. He usually laid there until he was fully erect, then turn over and let her climb on top of him.

  Paris sensually rode him back and forth until she came, then he nudged her off of him, next he’d bend her over and sexed her hard from behind until he came. While he pounded her, she felt totally distant, empty. There was no passion, no sensuality, just fucking. It was like, he was doing her a favor by having sex to begin with.

  Their sex life had become so dry and emotionless. Paris really wanted it, she craved physical attention from Trey. She wanted to be held, to be caressed. He just seemed to do what he had to do to keep from catching blue balls. Questions begun to plague her mind about where he was getting loving from. They were barely 35, he was still a young, virile man with needs. He had to be cheating, that was the only logical answer.

  “Aight chicas! Let’s talk about this situation I heard on the radio today,” Paris started while working on a sew-in. There was definitely time to kill. “This girl called in and said she and her husband just had a baby, like a year or two ago I can’t remember. Anyway, her husband doesn’t want sex anymore.”

  “Ooooh, he cheatin’ girl! He cheatin’!” Insisted a client who was getting finger waves with a streak of red.

  “That’s the only answer. He’s getting it from somewhere else.”

  “What man turns down the pooh-na-nny? Nuh uh,” said the wash girl.

  “These men don’t appreciate what our bodies go through to have their babies! The stretch marks, the gas, the cravings, the emotional mood swings, the swelling…”

  “Chile, I was so jacked up when I was pregnant, I would see a lotion commercial and bust out crying. I was hot all the time, just walking around ripping damn clothes off!” Laughed a client.

  “They don’t give a damn! I’ve been thinking about getting a boob job,” one of the stylists said.

  “Huh?” Paris asked in disbelief.

  “Yeah, girl! I breastfed three churrin’, and honey these mom boobs don’t see nothing but the flo’!” They all hollered. The conversation kept going about post-baby bodies, but Paris was stuck on the cheating part.

  When she thought about it, it seemed plausible, but it didn’t seem likely. Unless Miranda was doing more than changing Amarii’s diapers when she was traveling with Trey. He didn’t seem any different. None of his patterns changed, really. Except the sex. Maybe she needed to get one of those mommy makeover surgeries to do some nipping, tucking and lifting.

  “…Crumwell. He is a girl, I’m telling ya!” A client was holding her phone, laughing loudly. All Paris heard was Crumwell and it snapped her out of her daze.

  “What? What did you say about Crumwell?”

  “I’m looking at CelebMail. They put up a post about Thaddeus Crumwell with his agent and a few other guys and I said they are all queens.”

  “No they aren’t!” Paris sat up in her chair instantly defensive.

  “Yes hunnn! My cousin is gay. He knows Thad personally. Thad likes the D.”

  “My husband is his agent.”

  “Is this your husband?” The client handed Paris the phone.

  “Yes.”

  “Well…I don’t know what to tell ya.”

  “How y’all gon’ sit here and…y’all know my husband ain’t gay! You just sitting there, letting this bitch talk about my…”

  “Bitch? I didn’t do shit to you! Don’t be mad at me because ya man likes men!”

  Paris jumped out of her seat. She was done. She couldn’t believe what was happening. The chick was talking sideways out of her mouth about Trey and nobody was stopping her. Nobody was defending him.

  Paris got her shit and left. She didn’t want to be around those messy bitches. They lived for some tea whether it was true of not. Paris knew they were just jealous because on the outside it looked like she had the perfect life, complete with a husband who was hard working and took care of her. He loved their daughter, had good credit, bought her a beautiful house and waited on her damn near hand and foot.

  She thought the surgery thing out and figured it would give her some well-deserved time away from those catty bitches to put some space between them.

  One day, Paris looked in the mirror. She slowly took her clothes off to get into the shower. The water ran hot and steam bellowed out of the glass and marble shower. Standing in front of the bay window mirror, she looked at her body. Her face looked young, she was aging very well. She knew she was pretty, men and women told her so every day. She slid her pants off and turned around. Her legs looked good. A few dimples on her ass, but not bad, most women had them. She slipped off her shirt, pulled down the straps on her bra and unhooked it.

  Staring at her boobs in the mirror, they had a natural sag. She didn’t breastfeed long, they weren’t destroyed, but they didn’t sit up like they used to. She was 35 after all. She put two fingers under one breast and lifted it up slightly, then smiled.

  Her gaze drifted down to the stretch marks on her stomach. There was nothing so bad that could make her understand why Trey acted like he didn’t want to touch her. She turned around again, arched her back and put those same two fingers under her butt to lift it up higher. A faint smile crossed her lips.

  Paris got in the shower and let drops from the shower head wash her cares down the drain. She inhaled the steam deeply and exhaled slowly. She needed love. She needed attention. She had no clue of how to regain her husband’s interest. She took down the removable shower head and let it make love to her. She put it on her vagina and changed the water to a pulsating spray. After she came, she took her shower.

  She decided to go ahead with the surgery. She went in for a consultation and turned out to be a great candidate for the procedure. Going under for an elective procedure is a big deal and Paris was well aware that anything could go wrong. They made her sign her life away saying as such. It seemed so easy to do. So many women were doing it. With a new ass and high, bouncy boobs, she was sure Trey would find whatever he was looking for in her.

  Everything went off without a hitch. Paris had the work done and was very happy with the results. Trey helped by staying with her to help her recoup after surgery. He wasn’t being a total asshole. Miranda helped, too. The two of them made sure she had everything she needed while she was down. Amarrii was too young to understand that her mom could not pick her up, so Miranda would sit her on the couch next to Paris to feel her warmth.

  Over the course of the next three weeks, the ladies bonded. It was still very much a professional relationship, but with nothing but time and space between them, they did a lot of getting to know each other. Paris was grateful that Trey suggested Miranda and Amarii stay there with her.

  Paris noticed that Trey barely said a word about her new boobs and augmented ass. Everybody else sure did. It made her feel good that her body looked better. They both were a natural fit for her, just enhanced what she already had. Trey did not pay her any more attention. They were still only having sex, painstakingly, once a month. Yet, it seemed like sex seemed to be the only topic of conversation around her.

  “I’m sorry I’m late!” A client rushed into the shop. “I overslept!”

  “It’s 10:00, that’s not an early. You shoulda took your lil’ self to sleep last night. Mmmm hmm,” the receptionist replied.

  “My man wants to screw me all the time! He kept me up all damn night.” She sounded exasperated.

  “He should, right?” her stylist said.

  “I guess, but damn! A sista needs a break!”

  “If he gets a break from you, what do you think he’s going to do?”

  “What do you mean?” The client looked in the mirror at her stylist who worked in the station next to Paris.

  “Play dumb if you
want to,” the stylist adjusted her client’s head back where she wanted it. “If he ain’t getting it from you, he’ll get it somewhere else.”

  “Sometimes, they just don’t want it,” Paris said.

  “What man over the age of 13 don’t want a piece of ass? They’ll take it in their sleep, they’ll take it before they eat, after they eat, in the car, on the dresser, before work…”

  “On my fiancée’s days off, if I have to work, I go home on my lunch break with two extra value meals, 2 cokes and a smile. I tell him, he better get this snatch before my fries get cold!” They all busted out laughing, except Paris.

  “Things change so much after a baby,” Paris volunteered.

  “True, it takes some time getting back to normal, but honey listen. Ray Ray is such a freak, that fool couldn’t even wait the whole six weeks. That nigga told me straight up he was going to find him some booty if I didn’t give it up.” The client sat there a moment in thought, “Lil’ Mama came ten months after Xander.” All the ladies laughed again.

  “Damn! It took me and my hubs about a year to get back to normal,” a client volunteered. Paris didn’t say anything, just kept doing hair. She had become much more reserved, especially since the client pulled up the CelebMail post in front of the girls. The surgery was a cry for help. She was quickly losing herself all the while trying not to lose her husband. In the meantime, he was gearing up for a weeklong trip out to Paris.

  “Paris? You have to go all the way to Paris?” Are NBA teams offering green cards, she thought. Six months before, she would have spoken her mind. Now, she didn’t have the heart. It was like walking on eggshells dealing with him.

  “Some of the team owners and managers are having a serious private meeting about the future of the league.”

  “I don’t have to go to the meetings, I can get some shopping in. We can do some couple shit. How can you go to the city of my name sake and not take me with you?”

  “Paris,” he looked at her in the eyes, almost as if he was disappointing himself by having to tell her, “look. It’s going to be all guys. The meeting is private, which is why they’re having it out of the country. If all of the guys show up in the city with their women, how do you think that’s going to look? Can’t bring attention to ourselves flying in like that.”

  “Sounds like you really just don’t want me there.”

  “Paris. Thad is coming. I told you he was thinking about transitioning to the business side. I’ll keep in touch like I always do, but this meeting is strictly business.”

  He checked in to let her know he had landed and FaceTimed Amarii. She cooed and smiled seeing Daddy. Paris had some big news of her own. She was booked on a photoshoot for a music video. Those types of jobs pay well and the connections are priceless.

  Paris walked onto the set and was ushered over to wardrobe, hair and makeup. No sooner than she walked in, she saw Hendrixx. Yes, he spelled his name with two x’s on the end.

  Hendrixx didn’t ooze uber gay in his appearance, but honey when he spoke the first word, the jig was up! He looked like he got a fresh cut every three days. Never needed a cut, line, or an edge. Nothing. His clothes were always pristine. Hendrixx was certainly one of the most talented stylists around. Clients booked him, flying him all over the country to style them. He was paid too.

  “Hey bitch-uh!” He screamed when he saw Paris. There was no bass in his voice. They were laughing, kee kee cool, not BFF cool. They had worked a few clients together in the past.

  “Hendriiiiiiiiiixx!” she laughed.

  “Yes-uh! Honey, chum on’ show a bitch some love!” They did the air cheek kiss thing. Paris got herself settled in, got her assignments and waited on the first video model to plop in the chair.

  “So what has been going on doll?”

  “Not much love, trying to make this money. What about you?”

  “The same,” he giggled. “Trying to get these coinzzzzz-uh. I needs my checks rolling in.” He pushed back his clear framed glasses. No prescription, they just popped with his outfit.

  “Shit, I feel ya.”

  “How is that baby of yours? I see you got some new babies. Them ta-tas is sitting right gurrrrl.” Hendrixx gave a little shimmy.

  “Oh chile, Amarii is fine. She’s one now, well, 16 months.” They continued on having surface small talk throughout the day. It was always fun being around Hendrixx. He was a live wire. He also spilled tea…all of it…on everybody. He was such a queen, and everybody knew he ran his mouth, but he kept on getting all the good deets. He didn’t care whose name he dropped.

  “They need to come on, girl, I got to go. Low key, I’m hopping on a red eye to Paris.”

  “Paris?” She thought it was odd that two men in her life were going to Paris at the same time.

  “No tea, but I’m hopping on a flight to Paris with my boo.”

  “The same one from the Pretty Sista Magazine shoot last year?”

  “Ooh no! He was trash like holey draws!” He pursed his lips and tilted his head. “This one is Thaddeus and he is fo-ine….fine! Chile, he runs up and down the court like nobody’s business.”

  “He’s in the league?”

  “Crumwell.” BOOM! Thaddeus Crumwell, America’s heartthrob was Trey’s biggest client.

  “Oh really? Yes, him and a few other girls are flying over. We’re doing a weeklong getaway!”

  “Paris will be nice,” she managed. Paris was weak. She didn’t know how to ask who else was going, because by ‘girls’ she knew what he really meant. Was Trey going to be there? Were the ladies in the shop right? It was all too much to deal with, but she had to squeeze out as much as she could.

  “It will be, but we have to do it over there so we can do it big. Over here, these folks be all in ya business.”

  “My husband, is flying over for…”

  “Trey? Mmm hmm, I know.” BOOM! Paris could barely breathe. It couldn’t be true. It wasn’t true. But, Hendrixx was talking to her like it was nothing, like he expected her to know. There was no way her husband was gay. They used to have sex all the time. They even had a baby. It wasn’t possible. It just wasn’t. She didn’t know how to go about finding the truth. If she asked, of course he would say no. But why would he marry her if he wasn’t in love with her? If he wasn’t attracted to her? It just didn’t make any sense.

  She tried to play it smart. This was not a conversation to have over the phone, or FaceTime. His being away would give her time to work things out in her head. What to say. What to do. How to react. When they did speak, she asked baiting questions to pull deets out of him. When they FaceTimed, she observed his surroundings hoping to see a glimpse of something out of place or any tell-tale signs. Nothing.

  The week crept by and when he made it home, Miranda and Amarii were there to greet him. Paris had to work. He spent two days being jet lagged, so they saw each other and held light convos, then he was back to sleep and she was off to work. On the third day, when Paris came home, she decided she was going to confront him. She had to ask. Had to. She had finally gotten up the nerve. Except Miranda was there with Amarii.

  “Paris, we need to talk.” Miranda barked as soon as Paris walked in the door. That was not her usual greeting or demeanor. Miranda was always pleasant and always upbeat.

  “Where is Amarii?” Paris immediately noticed how quiet it was.

  “She’s in her crib taking a late nap.”

  “Ok…” Paris spoke very cautiously.

  “When Trey came home the other day…he, they…Thad…”

  “Spit it out.”

  “I saw him and Thad…you know, together.”

  “No, I don’t know.”

  “They were together, making out.”

  “Making out?” It took a second for her to process what she was hearing.

  “Thad was in the car that dropped Trey off that morning. What was that?” Miranda looked up in the air like she was thinking, “Tuesday? Yeah, Tuesday. At first, I caught them just like pecking. T
hey saw me and stopped, then Trey pulled Thaddeus and they just started going at it. Like grabbing dicks and…”

  “I get! I get it!” Paris couldn’t catch the tears before they fell.

  “I know I’m going to lose my job for telling you this, especially since I signed a non-disclosure, but sista to sista, I had to tell you what’s going on.”

  “Sista to sis…” Her voice trailed off, “Miranda you’re white.”

  “Well, woman to woman. I think that’s disgusting for him to carry on like that and you not know. It’s been hell for me to keep this from you. But he’s always been in the house every day when you came home from work. Anyway, I don’t think they went on a business trip, there was another flamboyantly gay guy with him.”

  Paris staggered back. She couldn’t even keep her footing. Miranda grabbed her arm and put her in a chair. Paris completely crumbled in her nanny’s arms. Paris stopped breathing and started crying all at the same time. She didn’t know what to do or how to feel. She was completely caught off guard. She glanced up at Miranda through a wall of tears in her eyes. She just started shaking her head.

  She was so embarrassed. Clearly, she was the last to know. How could this be happening to her? What had she done wrong? Were there any signs she missed? Did she really just find out from the nanny? Her mind was swirling in a thousand different directions. She went from hurt to pain to disappointment to fear. Paris was completely overwhelmed. Miranda rubbed her back. Of course, she wanted to give her boss words of encouragement. In that moment, there was nothing to say.

  “I’ll take Amarii home with me tonight,” Miranda said not seeking approval. Paris was too weak to even object. “…and I’m returning this Chanel to Trey. I can’t be bought.” Miranda placed a bag on the coffee table. Paris just cried harder.

  Paris made her way into her bedroom. It was adjacent to the living room where they were. She threw herself on the bed. She cried and cried. It was like the sorrow of her soul was pouring out.

  She reflected on so many conversations, mannerisms, him not wanting to be with her and it all made sense. Thinking back on all of the jokes, snide remarks and snickers at the salon, she could see now what everybody else seemed to have already known. She had been so naïve. She let Trey dictate so much of the marriage, but she was his beard.