Hakeem & Tasia 3: A Brick City Love Story

by K. C. Mills

  She kept her eyes on me as I moved closer to her, until she eventfully looked up and past me. Her expression quickly changed and she appeared to be nervous as hell, which made me turn to see what caused it. When I caught sight of Riley in the arms of another man, I almost lost it, going from zero to on hundred fast as fuck, and not just any man. It was the same muthafucka that was questioning Tay a few hours ago about Sky.

  Before I knew it, I turned to Janelle and yanked her by her arm. “Get my daughter from that nigga right now.” Janelle walked over and reached for Riley, who smiled and jumped into her mother’s arms. Dude kept his eyes on me, and kissed Janelle on the cheek before he spoke.

  “You have got to be fucking kidding me.” Howard and I glared at each other, and Janelle looked back at forth between us confused.

  “You two know each other?” she asked looking directly at me instead of this nigga.

  Howard chuckled and then smirked, “Not really, but apparently I’m working on a case that his girlfriend is connected to.”

  I could feel my jaw tighten and my fist clench, and if it hadn’t been for Riley, I would have choked the shit out of Janelle and laid this nigga out.

  “You know me right?” I asked looking at Janelle’s dumb ass.

  She looked at dude and then back and me. “Fuck him, I’m talking to you and you know,” my finger was inches away from her face, “so you knew this shit wasn’t gonna fly. The fuck was you thinking?”

  “You got a problem with me?” he asked, now squaring up with me. I looked around the café to calm myself, and realized we now had an audience.

  “Look bruh, I don’t know you and you don’t know me, but this shit right here don’t concern you. You might be fucking her, but that don’t have shit to do with my daughter.”

  He laughed, “Your daughter?” he questioned before his eyes fell on Riley. “DNA don’t make you a father. I’m the only father she’s ever known, and in fact, the only reason why you’re here right now is because I agreed to let it happen.”

  Before I knew what I was doing, I rocked the shit out of dude and Janelle screamed my name. I had zoned out, but quickly snapped out of it when I heard Riley crying.

  He grabbed his jaw and looked at me with a grin before he focused on Janelle and pointed. “I told you this shit isn’t gonna work. This is what you want in her life?”

  “Mason, just leave please, let me handle this. Please just go,” Janell pleaded.

  He looked at her and then me before he spoke again. “I’m leaving because you asked me to but hear me when I say, get this shit under control or I will.”

  I chuckled, “You better tell this muthafucka about me. That badge don’t mean shit to me, trust.”

  “Mason, please just go. This isn’t helping.”

  He eyed Janelle and then me, before he turned and left the café. I knew then that he was gonna be a problem but fuck it, I handle problems and gives no fucks about it.

  “This the kind of shit you bring your daughter into?”

  She looked at me like I was crazy. “That is not on me, that’s on you.”

  “You really believe that shit too, don’t you?” My eyes fell on my daughter, as Janelle held her close and rubbed her back to calm her down. I felt like shit for upsetting Riley, but I was hiding it beneath the anger I was feeling for Janelle’s dumb ass, for letting another muthafucka show up with my daughter.

  As Janelle slid into the booth, I stood there trying to get my shit together so that I wouldn’t kill her dumb ass, and after my hand went over my head and down my face, I finally joined them.

  “I’m sorry, I didn't really-”

  “Don’t Jay, miss me with whatever bullshit is about to come out of your mouth. Don’t act like you don’t know me. You knew that shit was foul before you let it happen.” My tone was harsh and my eyes quickly fell on Riley, who was holding on to Jay. The sound of my voice made her tighten her grip.

  “You kept her from me, but you let another nigga play daddy with her. I knew your ass was selfish Jay, but damn. That shit is beyond reason. How can you even justify that?”

  “I was wrong, I know I was wrong, but that’s why I’m here now,” Janelle said looking like she was about to cry.

  I laughed sarcastically. “According to that nigga, you’re here because of him. Guess I ought to be grateful for that muthafucka, right?”

  “Keem, please don’t do that, this is about Riley.”

  “Look at her Jay, she’s holding on to you like her life depends on it. You did that shit. If this was about her, then shit would have played out differently. Your ass hasn’t changed. You show up out of nowhere, putting your damn lips on me, hiding my daughter, and then I find out you had some other nigga playing daddy to her. I swear to God your head is all fucked up. How do you rationalize the shit that you do? Does that nigga know you still on my dick?”

  “I’m not, I mean… I just needed to see if it was still there, if things were the same with us.”

  “Do you even hear yourself? The fuck outta here with that bullshit. The only reason I’m not snapping on your ass right now is because of her,” I pointed to Riley, who still had her head against Janelle’s chest, as she rocked her slowly, rubbing her back.

  “I don’t know what you want me to say.”

  Again, I laughed at her selfish ass. “I don’t want you to say shit Jay. I’m out. I’ll call you tomorrow so that I can see my daughter. Thanks to you, now is not the time, but we’ll do this shit again tomorrow and I suggest you show up without that nigga, if you value his life. Trust me, that was the first and last time he affects my relationship with my daughter, and I put that on everything, now try me if you want.” If looks could kill, Janelle’s parents would be planning a funeral. I slid out the booth and Janelle followed. I leaned towards Jay and her dumb ass flinched, but I simply kissed Riley on the cheek and her little face formed into a frown, which had me all fucked up.

  “Tomorrow Jay. Don’t fuck around and make me have to come find your ass,” I said before I turned to walk way. I had to tell Tasia about Riley and pray that she wouldn’t walk out, because me dealing with Janelle’s dumb ass alone, was a sure fire way for me to end up as a single parent.

  -4-

  Tasia

  When I heard the front door open and close, I smiled because my baby was finally home. The club had him out late most nights, but he tried his best to get in as early as possible. I could hear him moving around in the kitchen, so I climbed out of bed to go see what he was up to and found him in front of the refrigerator with the door wide open, staring blankly inside.

  “You okay?” I asked, as I walked up behind him letting my arms slide around his waist, molding my body to his. Hakeem looked back across his shoulder at me before he let the refrigerator door close, and his hands covered mine.

  “I’m good now,” he said before he turned to face me, lifting my body off the floor and then sitting me on the counter. He forced my legs apart with his body and then kissed me.

  “Was it busy tonight?”

  “About the same,” he said, as his hands moved under the tank top I was wearing and began caressing my back.

  “You’re home early,” I said realizing that it was just after midnight and the club didn’t close until three.

  “I can leave if you want me to,” he said with a smirk, before he pretended to move away from me, but I grabbed his shirt and pulled him back into my body.

  “Don’t play, Keem.”

  He just chuckled and buried his face in my neck. “I thought so, come on. I’m tired as hell and want to shower and lay down.”

  He pulled my waist sliding me off the counter, and once I was on my feet, he guided me to the bedroom. I climbed onto our bed and laid down, while I watched him undress.

  “Keem, what’s going on? You seem so preoccupied lately and I know something’s bothering you.”

  “I’m good Tay, you worry too much.” He walked over and kissed me before he headed for the shower. I got co
mfortable, not convinced, and about twenty minutes later, he came out the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. He opened his drawer and grabbed a pair of boxer briefs before sliding them on under his towel, then the towel landed on top of the hamper.

  Keem slid in bed with me and pulled me into his body. His chin rested on my shoulder, while his arms were securely around my waist. With the rhythm of his heart beating against my back, I relaxed into a peaceful state and even though I still felt like something was going on, I drifted off to sleep.

  The next morning, I woke up and the bed felt empty next to me, so I slowly opened my eyes and looked around, where I found Hakeem sitting at the foot of the bed. He looked back over his shoulder at me when he felt me moving behind him, and I could tell that he hadn’t slept much. His face was stressed and he looked tired.

  “How long you been up?” I asked as I scooted towards the edge of the bed and then stood, after my body adjusted to being awake.

  “For a while,” he said with little emotion.

  I walked to the foot of the bed and stood in front of him for a second, just looking down at him.

  “Please tell me what’s going on,” I said with a seriousness that I hoped he could feel.

  He reached for me and with his hands gripping the back of my thighs, his forehead landed on my stomach. I lifted my hands and they went across his head, down his back as I waited. There was a tightening in my chest because I knew that whatever was happening wasn’t about to be good.

  “I need to tell you something and I’ve been trying to tell you for a minute now, but I was afraid of losing you so I just couldn’t.”

  Everything in me said that he cheated again, and I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. I tried to back away, but his arms quickly locked around my waist and he held me close to him.

  “Just stay here, please.”

  “What is going on, what did you do that makes you think I’ll leave you Hakeem?”

  He didn’t speak, he just held me while my pulse raced, and my heart pounded in my chest.

  “Hakeem, tell me now!” I yelled.

  “I have a daughter.” His voice was low, barely above a whisper, but his words were very clear.

  “You have a what?” I asked pulling away, but this time he let me.

  The look in his eyes confirmed what he said, and the wind was knocked out of me, as I stood there feeling like my body was about to give out.

  “I didn't cheat, so don’t think that it-”

  “Then how do you have a daughter if you didn’t cheat Keem, that doesn’t make sense, how old is she?”

  “Two.”

  “With who… wait, is that why she’s back. Did you know?” It was all starting to make sense. Janelle was back. She had been gone for almost three years, which made perfect sense that Keem would have a two-year-old daughter from her.

  “Yes and no, I didn’t know. Do you think I would have a kid out there and not be a father to her? I just found out Tay.”

  “When, when did you find out?” I asked.

  “The night we had dinner with Kendrick and Liyah.”

  “Keem, that was over a month ago, why you didn’t tell me? Have you seen her, have you been spending time with her and Janelle?”

  “I saw her for the first time yesterday but-”

  “Why wouldn’t you tell me that, don’t you think I deserve to know that?”

  “I didn't know how to tell you Tay. I didn’t know what you would do.” Hakeem was standing now, but I stepped back to keep distance between us. I couldn’t really think straight and I didn’t know what I was feeling, but he had a daughter from someone else and didn’t tell me. I get not knowing, but the second he found out he should have told me.

  I just looked at him for a second before I turned to walk away, but he caught my arm to stop me, so I quickly yanked it away.

  “That’s it, you’re not going to say anything?” Hakeem asked looking at me like frustrated.

  “What do you want me to say?”

  “Shit, I don’t know… something.”

  “I have to get dressed for work.” I turned and moved towards the bathroom and once I was inside, I shut and locked the door. I turned on the shower and then sat on the edge of the tub. My mind was going a mile a minute trying to process the situation. Hakeem had a daughter, a two-year-old daughter and with Janelle. How was I supped to deal with that?

  I was more hurt than angry, because I couldn’t really be angry. He was right, he didn’t cheat, it happened before me, but that didn’t change the fact that another woman had his first child. I shed my clothes and stepped into the shower. I didn’t know what to do with myself. I wanted to cry but then I wanted to break something. I just couldn’t figure out which feeling was the strongest.

  After I showered, Keem watched me silently, as I moved around the room getting dressed. He wanted to say something, but he didn’t. He kept quiet while he just watched me. When I was done, I grabbed my purse and headed to the door, and he finally spoke.

  “I didn’t know Tay and as fucked up as that is, I hope you love me enough to understand that this wasn’t something that I could have controlled. You can’t blame me for some shit that I didn’t know about. I can’t even begin to imagine how you feel right now, and trust me, I’m not telling you that you don’t own the right to be hurt, be upset or fucking hate me, I’m just saying don't walk away from me because of it.”

  I just looked at him and walked out. I couldn’t handle this right now, and I needed a minute to figure out what was next.

  *****

  I spent most of my day locked in my office, staring of into space. I couldn’t really focus on anything except the conversation I had this morning before I left our apartment. Hakeem had a daughter, a two-year-old daughter with another woman. He was right about one thing and that was the fact that I couldn't blame him for it, but I did. Was I missing something? First he cheated with Sky, and now his past is smacking us both in the face with a child that he didn’t know existed. Was this the universe’s way of telling me that I needed to rethink some choices that I’ve made in my life?

  I picked up my phone and looked at the screen. It was Hakeem calling me again. He had been calling me all day and I had yet to answer any of them. What was I supposed to say?

  I needed a voice of reason, and nowadays that seemed to come from one place. I picked up my phone and dialed, hoping that she could help me figure out my next move.

  “Hey sis, what’s good in the N.Y.?” my sister answered, sounding excited to hear from me.

  “You busy?” I asked.

  “Not really, what’s wrong?” I was sure that she could hear the frustration in my voice. Excluding Hakeem, Brit knew me better than anybody, and even though we didn’t always see eye to eye, when I needed my sister she was there for me.

  “My life is so screwed up right now, Brit.”

  “Screwed up how Tay, I thought things were good? You and Keem having problems again?”

  “I don't really know if I classify it as us having problems, or him having a situation, but either way I don’t know what to do.”

  “Tay, you’re not making since sis, what’s going on?”

  “Keem just found out that he has a daughter.”

  “Wait, did he really cheat on you and get another bitch pregnant? I’ll fuck him up Tay.”

  “Not exactly, she’s two,” I said and waited.

  “Wait two, so what bitch was he fucking with before… awe hell, not Janelle?” Brit said when it all clicked.

  “The one and only.”

  “And he didn’t know?”

  “It’s what he’s saying.”

  “Do you believe him, I mean, believe that he didn’t know?”

  “You know Keem, Brit. There’s no way he had a daughter out there that he knew about and wasn't being a father to. That’s not who he is.”

  Brit was quiet for a minute which meant that she was thinking.

  “What are you gonna do?” Brit
asked.

  I laughed, “Hoe, that’s why I called you.”

  “How the fuck can I tell you what to do? It’s your life Tay,” Brit said and laughed.

  “It’s not though, or at least it’s not the life I planned on.” I let out a sigh and leaned back in my chair. My eyes fell on the pictures of me and Keem that sat on my desk, and all I could think about was how all that was about to change.

  “Do you really think you can walk away, and even if you can, is that fair? He didn’t know.”

  “He knew about Sky though, and now this. Maybe the universe is trying to tell me something.” I released another sigh.

  “Look, you know I personally wanted to fuck him up over the Sky thing, but you made the decision to stay with him so you can’t keep going back and forth with that. Either you forgive him or you don’t, and as far as this kid, as shitty as it is, you can’t be mad about something that happened before you. You don’t have to like it, but you really can’t be mad about it.”

  “You’re not helping Brit.” She laughed.

  “What do you want me to day Tay, that man is your life? He’s not perfect but he’s yours. He slipped up with Sky and yeah, it was messed up, there was no excuse for it, but you can’t forgive him in one breath and then penalize him for it in the next.”

  “Oh my God, I need you not to sound like you have a degree in psychology.”

  “Then I need you not to call me asking for advice.”

  “Shut up, Brit. You’re my sister so you’re legally bound to give me advice. I’m not saying it’s good advice, but it’s in your contract, so you have to do it and you’re not allowed to complain about it.”

  “Exactly, and it’s in your contract to accept it and swear I’ve solved all the problems of the world… well, maybe not the world, but at least in your pathetic life,” Brit said, like she had just solved everything wrong in my life, which made me laugh.

  “I love you, Brit. You’re an idiot, but I love you.”