by King, Deja
“I hope they are trying to work it out too,” I said gazing off as my mind was about to go into deep thought before getting interrupted by Justina’s loud outburst.
“No she fuckin’ didn’t!”
“Lower your voice. No who fuckin’ didn’t?” my eyes followed the direction Justina was staring at and there was Aaliyah. “Who’s that man she’s with?”
“D’Mario. Is she trying to get her mother to kill her tonight?” My mind instantly went back to last night when Aaliyah told me about her boyfriend and how her mother didn’t approve because he was a drug dealer.
“Let’s go,” I said taking Justina’s hand and going downstairs.
“You mean let’s go save Aaliyah because she’s going to need it.” By the time we got to the bottom stair, Aaimeom stailiyah was greeting us with her boyfriend.
“Hey you guys. D’Mario, you already know Justina but this is Amir.”
“How you doing, Aaliyah is always saying positive things about you. Good to finally put a face to a name.”
“It’s good to meet you too.” Before I could say anything else, Justina jumped in with her warning.
“Here comes trouble.” We all turned around and saw Precious and Supreme coming in our direction. I hadn’t seen them in the presence of each other for so long that I had forgotten how perfect they looked together. Although Supreme was no longer a superstar rapper he still carried himself with the confidence and swagger of a multi-platinum artist. And Precious was no doubt an undeniable beauty who had just enough toughness and mystic that kept you drawn to her. I understood why she was involved in a love triangle. She was wearing a canary yellow floor length dress with a high slit and a pair of nude pumps that made her legs appear endless. I had to admit she almost had me salivating.
“Hey mom and dad, this is D’Mario.”
“Nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Mills.” Supreme extended his hand so clearly he didn’t know his occupation but the look on Precious’s face was priceless.
“Mom, aren’t you going to speak,” Aaliyah gloated, knowing the ball was in her court.
“Hello, D’Mario. Aaliyah failed to mention she was bringing you tonight.”
“I didn’t think it was necessary. I knew you wouldn’t have a problem with it,” Aaliyah smiled trying her best to get under her mother’s skin and it damn sure was working because the frown hadn’t left her face yet.
“D’Mario, it was good meeting you and hopefully we’ll see you again.”
“You will, daddy.”
“Thank you, Sir. It was an honor to meet you and you too, Mrs. Mills.”
“Come on, Precious, I see a business associate I want to introduce you to.”
“Coming, Supreme, and we’ll talk later.” Precious let it be known that mother and daughter had unfinished business to deal with.
“That was awkward! How in the hell did you get your mother not to slap the shit out of you right here in the middle of this party.” Aaliyah eyed me and I discreetly shook my head letting her know not to even think about coming clean to Justina.
“I’m eighteen now and decided it was time I took a stand.”
“And…because that can’t possibly be it.”
“Justina, can we talk about this later. It’s a party remember, we’re supposed to be celebrating.”
“True! Amir, let’s go out by the pool. I always forget her name but I heard your dad has that new hot artist performing. We gotta catch that.”
“You guys go ahead. I need to run something by Aaliyah right quick.” I peeped the angst on Justina’s face so I cleaned it up. “It’s about a surprise I’m planning for you.”
“Okay then,” Justina beamed. “Come on, D’Mario I’ll introduce you to some people.”
“What the hell were you thinking?” I laid into Aaliyah as soon as they were out of earshot. “I don’t appreciate you using my party to make this round two with your mother.”
“Relax, we didn’t argue.”
“Only because your mother played it cool instead of going upside your head. You told me last night that she said you couldn’t see D’Mario anymore months ago. So to spit in her face you bring him to this party.”
“Why is it that you always seem to defend everybody else but me?”
“Because sometimes, Aaliyah, you act like such a fuckin’ brat. This isn’t a competition with your mother of you hurt me so I’m gonna hurt you back.”
“That’s not what I’m doing.”
“Yes the fuck it is and you need to stop, now.”
“She doesn’t want me dating D’Mario because he’s a drug dealer yet she’s having an affair. What type of hypocritical shit is that? She’s in no position to judge my boyfriend when she can’t even honor the vows she took in marriage.”
“Even if your point is valid, this isn’t how you present it.”
“Whatever, Amir. You’re never on my side so I don’t care what you think.”
“This bullshit attitude you have is the main reason I decided not to fuck with you and make it work with Justina. It always has to be about you.”
“Well thank you for clearing that up. Now excuse me, my boyfriend is waiting for me.”
I was furious at myself for losing my cool. I needed to speak with my father to get some advice on how to fix shit with Aaliyah. As I strolled through the party searching for him, I noticed he was standing in the entrance of the library with my Aunt Nichelle, some young lady that looked familiar like I had seen her in a music video or something and Lorenzo who was leaning against one of the marble columns. They appeared to be in an intense discussion and I didn’t want to interrupt. It did puzzle me what that particular group of people could be discussing that required such seriousness. The match up seemed off.
“There you are.” Justina snuck up behind me wrapping her arms around my waist. “What are you doing over here by yourself?”
“I needed to speak to my dad but he seems to be in the middle of something serious so I’m waiting for him to finish things up.”
“I see. I tried to get Aaliyah to tell me what that surprise was that you were planning for me but she was so tight lipped. I couldn’t get anything out of her. Now I’m going to work on getting it out of you.”
“Justina, if I tell you then it won’t be a surprise, now will it?”
“Surprises are overrated. I want to know.”
“Give me a second. I think my dad is done over there and what I have to talk to him about can’t wait. I’ll be back.”
“Okay, and I guess I’ll be waiting.”
“Don’t pout. I’ll make it up to you,” I promised giving Justina a quick kiss. I raced over to my dad because I knew it was only a matter of seconds before somebody else would be up in his face wanting to have a discussion with him. “Dad,” I called out to get his attention before somebody else did.
“Amir, I was just asking Nichelle where you were.”
“I saw you guys over here but didn’t want to interrupt.”
“You know she started her modeling agency a few months ago.”
“Yes, I remember when she was looking for an office space.”
“Well Lorenzo knows a young lady that has some modeling experience but needs someone to guide her and give her that big break into the business. So we introduced her to Nichelle. We think it’s a perfect fit.”
“Is she going to sign her up?”
“Yes, she is, but enough about that. I’m sure that’s not the reason you were tracking me down.”
“No, it’s about Aaliyah.”
“Dammit, did she say something already?”
“No, but now I’m wondering how long that will last.”
“Why, did something else happen?”
“Yes, she showed up at the party with a boyfriend she knows her mother doesn’t approve of. Then she rubbed it in Precious’s face as if daring her to go against it in front of Supreme.”
“How did Precious handle it?”
“Surprisingly well unli
ke me. I ripped into Aaliyah for acting so immature and now she’s pissed at me. How do you think I can smooth things over?”
“Amir, women are all delicate, I don’t care how strong they appear. You have to move with caution when dealing with them so pointing out Aaliyah’s immaturity under these circumstances is counterproductive.”
“I know that, that’s why I’m coming to you.”
“Are you in love with, Aaliyah?”
“Where did that come from…no. I’m in love with Justina,” I stuttered being taken off guard with the question.
“I was only checking.”
“Now that we got that out the way are you going to tell me how I can make this right? If Aaliyah doesn’t feel she can confide in me I’m worried she might act out.”
“And start telling people about Lorenzo and Precious.”
“Exactly.”
“The only thing I can suggest is speak to Aaliyah from the heart.”
“Huh?”
“You heard me. Be honest. Only you know how you feel and why. So tell her.”
“That’s it?”
“That’s all you need. If you take my advice that will be enough to convince her to keep her word and not say anything about her mother and Lorenzo.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“I am. Now go handle this thing with Aaliyah because time isn’t on your side.” When my dad walked away I stood and considered what he said. How could something so simple feel so complicated? Maybe there was a part of me that feared the truth but that was all going to change tonight.
I headed outside towards the pool pavilion and from the distance I could see Aaliyah and D’Mario by the hillsides that was filled with orchids. They were holding hands and kissing each other like they were in love. He kept sliding his hand up her white and pink spotted mini dress then she would playfully slap it away. As I got closer they disappeared into the cabana and my mind began visualizing all the things they were about to do to each other and it made my stomach knot up. I turned away and decided the truth about my feelings towards Aaliyah would stay with me.
Aaliyah
The Best I Never Had
As the hours dwindled by, I regretted that the one phone call I was able to make was to my mother. She or nobody else had shown up yet and so of course I blamed her. I was wondering after we hung up did she say fuck me and go back to sleep. I couldn’t think of any reason why either one of my dad’s or my grandfather hadn’t been here to bail me out unless my mother didn’t let them know I was locked up.
If I was going crazy and I hadn’t even been locked up for twenty-four hours there was no way I could survive this for the rest of my life. I was ready to let the tears of defeat flow out but something inside me wouldn’t let me do it. I was a fighter. I was born into a family ofem" a fami fighters and I couldn’t let this break me. It wasn’t too long ago I was in this same predicament—locked up. “If I got through it once I would get through it again”, I said out loud thinking back to how the more things change the more they stay the same.
***
It had been a few weeks since Amir’s birthday party and my mother and I were barely on speaking terms, which was fine by me. At this point I didn’t want to ever speak to her. I hated her for cheating on my dad and I hated it even more that I couldn’t say anything. Although Amir really turned me the fuck off by the stupid shit he said to me at the party I was a person of my word. I told him I wouldn’t let the shit slip out about my mom and Lorenzo so that was a done deal but it made me full of resentment. My dad adored my mother and if he knew some other man had taken his place it would destroy him.
“Aaliyah, we need to talk.” The sound of my mother’s voice broke me out of the depressing place my mind was in.
“I can’t right now. I’m meeting D’Mario and I’m already late.”
“Then he won’t mind waiting a little longer.”
“He won’t but I do.”
“Aaliyah, I’m not going to tolerate your disrespect. I’m your mother.”
“Then act like it. Because the mother I know or I thought I knew wouldn’t be sneaking around having an affair with another man.” My mother swallowed hard and I could see her cheeks turning beet red. Her hair was pulled tightly in a ponytail so there was no hiding what she felt, as every emotion was exposed on her face.
“I’m not going to discuss my relationship with Lorenzo anymore with you. You asked me to consider my marriage and how it would affect Xavier and that’s what I’m doing.”
“Good, I hope you make the right decision, now excuse me I have to go.”
“Wait,” my mother said grabbing my arm as I was walking past her to exit the kitchen. “We need to discuss your relationship with D’Mario.”
“What’s there to discuss, he’s my boyfriend.”
“It’s taking everything in me not to slap the shit out of you.”
“Why? Because I’m being upfront and in the open about my rp hn aboutelationship with D’Mario instead of creeping around like I’m starring in some disastrous Lifetime miniseries.”
“That’s enough, Aaliyah!”
“You’re such a hypocrite. You judge D’Mario because he sells drugs but you’re a married woman having an affair with a man that does the exact same thing.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about!”
“Yes I do. I’m not naïve, mother. I know what Genesis does, my dad, Lorenzo and my grandfather before he retired out the game. So don’t stand there and judge D’Mario. You need to look long and hard at yourself.”
POW!
That slap I knew was coming finally landed across my right cheek. It didn’t shake me up because I knew my mother and if anything I was expecting it to come sooner.
“How dare you. Everything I am, everything I’ve become is out of my love for you. I would walk to the end of this earth for you. I would battle, fight and kill for you. You and Xavier are my life. The reason I don’t want you with D’Mario isn’t because I’m trying to judge him. It’s because I’ve been there and I’ve done it better than you’ll ever be able to do it and one thing I know as fact, is that you can never beat the streets. If you stay too long and don’t get out, the streets will beat you. I don’t want that for you Aaliyah. I didn’t almost die more times than you can count so my only daughter can end up catching the prison term or God forbid the death sentence that I always managed to escape.”
“I hear you, but it won’t happen to me. Now excuse me I have to go.” I bolted out the kitchen before my mother had a chance to stop me. I was tired of listening to her and couldn’t take anymore.
When I got in the car, I turned on the ignition, pressed down on the gas, speeding to D’Mario’s place. If a cop stopped me and gave me a ticket I wouldn’t have cared but it didn’t happen. Why? Because I was one of the lucky ones, bad things didn’t happen to me. For the last couple of months I had been meeting D’Mario’s connect and picking up the envelope with no problems. Why? Because again, I’m one of the lucky ones. That’s what I kept telling myself because believing that was a lot more fun than acknowledging that what my mother had said could end up being true.
What normally was a twenty minute ride to D’Mario’s place, I got there in about ten. I rushed to the front door and unlocked it since he had given me a key. He had been so patient with me and paying generously for my simple pickup services, that I decided today I would reward him. I actually just made the decision after the heated confrontation with my mom. Everything I knew she would loathe, I wanted to do it ’ed to dand it would start with me losing my virginity to D’Mario today.
“Baby, I was starting to think you weren’t coming,” D’Mario said when I opened the door. He was lying on the couch with some sweats on and a wife beater that exposed his lean but muscular arms. The man owned sexy without even trying and I wondered how I was able to go so long without giving it up, but that was about to change.
Without saying a word I mounted myself on top of D’Mario
, letting our tongues interlock promptly. His hands massaged my hardened nipples as I felt his dick growing under me. “Baby, let’s not do this. I don’t feel like jackin’ my shit off.”
“You don’t have to.”
D’Mario gently pushed me away, and asked, “What did you say?”
“You don’t have to because you can cum while we’re making love. Then we’ll stop and start all over again.”
“Are you telling me you’re ready?”
“Yes.”
“But after making me wait so long I wanted to take you to Anguilla or somewhere like that and we have sex on the beach…something romantic.”
“So are you turning me down and saying you want to wait?” I gave him a devilish grin.
“Hell No! You might change your mind and I’ve wanted you so bad since the first time I saw you going into the mall. If you’re going to give yourself to me now then I’ll take you now.”
“I am ready.” I lifted up the gray t-shirt dress I was wearing over my head and D’Mario wasted no time unclipping my bra. He cupped my breasts and his soft wet lips began going back and forth getting a mouthful of my nipples each time. I moaned out in pleasure anticipating how amazing he would feel, filling up my insides. “Take off your shirt,” I whispered wanting to see his ripped abs.
He obliged by not only taking off his shirt but his sweat pants too. When he stood up it was the first time I had ever seen him completely naked and the man was built like a fuckin’ black stallion.
“Damn you fine,” he said to me when I stood up and slid out my panties. “Let me take you upstairs so we can make love in the bed.”
“We can make love here first and then you can take me upstaicolke me urs to your bed…I’m in no rush.” D’Mario smiled at me with those beautiful dimples and pretty white teeth. He laid me down on the couch and spread my legs so his tongue could deflower me first. As I closed my eyes eagerly anticipating this mind blowing experience I heard so much about, somehow in less than sixty seconds with what sounded like an explosion, I went from a dream world to a complete nightmare.