by Ambria Davis
“Watch my mouth, huh? Have you forgotten that I never did shit to her? She came at me with it. I didn’t go to her ass, now you gon’ sit here and tell me to watch my mouth when I talk about your lady? Nigga, please,” she said, as she tried to turn around to go inside. I reached out and grabbed her arm, stopping her in her tracks.
“Like I said, she was wrong for that, but don’t you ever in your life talk about my lady like that in front of me again, ya hear?” I asked, before letting her go.
“Whatever, nigga, go home to your lady then.”
“I plan to do just that,” I spat back while walking back to my car.
I thought about everything that had just gone down. Mimi’s crazy ass done went loco. I swear this shit ain’t going to be nothing good. I grabbed my phone but then put it back down. Calling her was out of the question. Once you were on Mimi’s shit list, nine times out of ten, you weren’t coming up off of there. I pulled off, shaking my head as I realized what I had just done.
Mimi
I sat quietly in the car, thinking about what just went down, and I became lost in my own thoughts. As I thought of all the good times Kay and I shared, I began to tear up a little. Shit like that rarely happened. I was never the one to wear my emotions on my sleeve. I learned a long time ago, never show a man how you really feel, because he could use that against you. I was stuck in my own zone. Troy was rubbing my back, and the tears I’d tried so hard to hold back were actually falling. Once I realized that, I couldn’t stop. They continued to flow like a damn river. I hated crying. To me, it showed a definite sign of weakness. The last time I cried was when I had to whoop Stacy’s ass.
“Mimi, baby, it’s going to be all right,” she said, as she continued rubbing my back.
“Girl, you just don’t know how tired I am,” I sobbed.
True, I was indeed tired . . . of Kay, but that wasn’t the only thing that had me tired.
“Shit, you need to kick his ass to the curb. You and I both know damn well that you’d be able to take care of you and the kids—without Kaylin’s dog ass,” she said.
“Girl, I will,” I replied, not believing myself because I’ve been saying that shit for a good six months. The truth is that I never had a father figure. It was just me and my mommy. My father had left before I was born, and I never asked about him. What man in they right mind would leave before his child was born? Shit, I guess my daddy wasn’t shit because that nigga left my mommy without batting an eyelash. All the shit that I’ve gone through in my life was because he wasn’t man enough to take care of his responsibilities, and sometimes, I think my mother blamed me for him leaving her. The shit I went through in life, no one should ever have to go through, especially at the hands of their own mother.
My thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of my cell phone. I let it go to voice mail because I didn’t want to be bothered. Whoever that was must really have wanted to talk, because they called right back. I had a feeling it was Kay. If it was him, I was not about to answer it. I looked at my screen and noticed that it was Jayden, the dude that I’d met earlier. A small smile crept across my face as I sat there thinking about him, and I decided to call him back.
“Hello,” I said as soon as he picked up.
“Yo, ma, you all right?” he asked in a low baritone voice. I swear this man was making me forget about my problems at hand.
“I’d be much better if I could see you right now,” I answered.
I swear I had no idea what made me say that, but the words left my mouth before I could think about what I was actually saying.
“Oh, yeah? Tell ya girl to pull over by the park over there,” he replied, catching me off guard. I looked around to check out my surroundings.
“How do you know where I am?” I asked, feeling a little creeped out and curious at the same time.
“I followed y’all to make sure y’all were good,” he replied.
I was about to ask if he was stalking me, but I decided against it.
“Okay,” I replied, hanging up. I then told Troy to pull over by the park.
“What the fuck you mean pull over at the park? What you doing going to the park this late anyway?” she fussed while pulling over. I swear my girl was very overprotective at times.
“Girl, I’m about to meet Jayden. He’s behind us in that all-black Audi right there,” I replied, looking in the rearview mirror.
I pulled down her visor to make sure that I didn’t have any tearstains on my face.
“Jayden? Bitch, who the fuck is Jayden?” she asked, getting all loud and shit.
This bitch had been so into fighting earlier, that she never really noticed Jayden.
“Girl, the dude that I met at the gas station earlier,” I said, looking over at her.
“Oh, girl, that cute li’l dude who looked like Daniel Gibson, only better?”
“Yeah, girl, that’s him.”
I grabbed my purse to get some lotion and rubbed some on my face. Then I got out to meet Jay, but before I walked off, I bent down and said, “Bitch, he got a cute little light-skinned friend. You might want to jump on that.”
“A’ight, but you know I don’t normally meet people like this. Send him over here once you get over there,” she giggled.
“Okay,” I laughed and then walked over to Jayden, who was already waiting outside his car. Once I got over there, he introduced me to his friend.
“Mimi, this Mark, Mark, this Mimi.” Mark was a cutie too. He had to be about five foot nine, light-skinned, with some dreads, and a cut-up body. Dude had it going on. He resembled a much lighter version of Trey Songz.
“Hey, what’s up?” I spoke to Mark.
“Shit, ain’t nothing up, Mike Tyson,” he said laughing, throwing jabs at the air.
I laughed too, because he was obviously talking about what happened at the gas station.
“Shit, I ain’t Mike, but I can definitely pack a mean punch,” I said.
“Oh, I know that. Who that is over there?” he asked, nodding toward Troy’s car.
“That’s my friend, Troy. You should go say hi to her,” I smiled at him.
“I was trying to get her attention at the gas station, but y’all wanted to box and shit,” he replied laughing, revealing two dimples in his cheeks also.
Damn, these niggas are fine, I thought.
“Anyway, let me go see what’s up with ya girl,” he said before walking off.
I watched as he headed over to Troy’s car and knocked on the window. He said something to her, and she spoke back, then he got in the car. I was happy to see my girl at least giving a nigga some attention, because I couldn’t recall the last time I’d actually seen her with a damn man.
I turned around and stared at Jayden. Dude was really fine. He had me thinking all kinds of things, things I shouldn’t have been thinking at the moment.
“See something you like?” he asked, flashing his million-dollar smile.
I started to say that I see someone I like, but I stayed quiet. I didn’t want my mouth saying anything else I didn’t want it to say.
“So what, you don’t have anything to say?” he asked, shaking his head.
I kind of felt embarrassed and shit. There wasn’t a nigga on this earth beside Kay, who could knock me off my square like that. Shit, I was speechless.
“Yeah, I was checking you out. So what?” I asked, suddenly becoming bold.
“Shit, I don’t have a problem with all of that. Just as long as I can return the favor,” he replied smiling. He was making me blush, like a schoolgirl meeting her crush. Here we were, two strangers openly flirting in the park at 2:30 a.m.
“I don’t have a problem with that either,” I said.
“So, Ms. Mimi, are you okay?” he asked.
“Actually, I’m all right. Could’ve been better, but I’m straight,” I said and folded my arms.
Truth be told, the only reason I was feeling a little better was because he was right there. I was sure if I was out of his pr
esence, I would go back to those feelings I had earlier, but he didn’t need to know all that.
“Good, because I was wondering if I could take you out tomorrow,” he said.
“I don’t know. Tomorrow is Monday, and I have to be at my shop early. Mondays are my busiest days,” I said.
Once a week, I’d stop by all my businesses to make sure that they were straight, not to mention that I also did hair at both of my salons. A heffa be beat on a Monday.
“Shit, what’s the name of your shop?”
“Mimi’s, why?” I asked.
“You talking about the shop next to Brother’s barbershop?” he asked.
“Yeah, that’s one of them,” I proudly answered.
I was always proud of my shops. After all, I’ve come a long way to get where I am.
“Mad people be talking about your shop. I might have to come through and let you do what it do,” he replied, laughing.
“I might be able to do that,” I stated.
“What else will you be able to do?” he asked, obviously flirting.
“Hmm, what would you like for me to do?” I asked in a sexy tone.
“Well, there’s a lot I would like for you to do, but first—” he became silent and pulled me into his arms.
He then kissed me. At first, I didn’t return the kiss because I was caught off guard. But after a few seconds, I returned the favor. We kissed for what seemed like hours but was actually only minutes. I’m sure we wouldn’t have stopped if it wasn’t for my phone ringing. I pulled back and looked at my phone to see that it was Kay calling me.
“This nigga got a lot of nerves.” I stood there, shaking my head.
I sent that shit to voice mail. I was about to say something when my phone started ringing again. I looked at it and noticed it was Kaylin calling again. I did the same thing I did before. I sent his ass straight to the voice mail.
“I’m sorry, handsome. Now, where were we?” I asked, pulling Jay close to me, but before my lips could touch his, my phone started ringing again. I swear this nigga was starting to piss me off all over again.
“You might want to get that,” he said.
I shot him a dirty look and rolled my eyes at him.
“I wish the hell I would. You do remember what just happened, not even an hour ago, right?” I asked, with anger in my voice. I was getting mad with him for telling me to answer that shit.
“Hey, don’t get angry with me. I’m just saying, maybe it’s important,” he replied, throwing his hand up as if he surrendered.
I had to check myself. I mean, why was I getting mad with him? He has been nothing but a complete gentleman, and here I was trying to fuck shit up before it happened.
“Look, Jay, my bad for screaming at you and shit. I didn’t really mean to. You just caught me off guard with that shit, but I’m ’bout to bounce on outta here,” I said.
I sent Troy a text, letting her know that I was ready to go. As I turned to leave, Jay stopped me.
“It’s cool, ma. I know you mad and all, but don’t let that nigga get to you like that. From what I’ve seen so far, you’re a real cool and down-to-earth chick, and I like that about you. I wanna get to know you a whole lot better,” he said, letting go of my arms.
“I’d like nothing more than getting to know you also, but things are really complicated right now. There are a lot of things that I have to take care of,” I said, backing away.
“While you’re taking care of everything, tell me, who’s going to be taking care of you?” he asked, stopping me in my tracks.
Shit, how could I respond to his question when I didn’t even have an answer? I came up with the only thing I was able to say.
“I can take care of myself. I’ve basically been doing it my whole life.”
“Let me take care of you, Mimi,” he said.
The way he said it made me swallow real hard. Beside Troy and my kids, I think this was the first time someone actually showed concern for me.
“I don’t know, Jay, I just met you. I’m already going through some shit right now. I don’t have time to be adding another nigga into the equation.”
“We don’t have to start off like that, Mimi. Let’s be friends, take things slow. I’m not like your man. I wouldn’t do you like that, ma. Let me be here for you,” he said.
I really had to think about this. I mean, I didn’t even know dude like that. For all I know, he could be a serial killer or something. He was cute and all, but I’ve learned from Kay that everything that glitters ain’t gold. I was already in a fucked-up situation. I was not trying to go down that road again.
“Let me think about it. Give me some time,” I said. I wasn’t too sure of what I was about to do.
“Okay, that’s fine,” he replied.
I wanted to say something, but then I noticed Mark walking up. I said good night to him, then headed to Troy’s car. I couldn’t even get in the car good enough before she started talking shit.
“It’s about fucking time. Bitch, what took you so damn long? Kay’s been blowing my phone up. I had to power the shit off before Mark went to thinking that I had a man and shit,” she laughed as we left the park, headed in the direction of my house.
“Shit, he was blowing mine up too, but I don’t have time for Kay’s ass. I’m about to do me,” I replied, serious as a heart attack.
“Now, that’s what the fuck I’m talking about,” she said, pulling up in front of my house.
I reached for the blunt that we’d rolled, and then lit it. I let the smoke fill my lungs and then lay back. I didn’t know my plans as of yet, but I did know I wasn’t about to be anyone’s fool anymore. If Jayden knew like I knew, he’d better come correct.
Troy
Now, normally, I didn’t say shit, but things between Mimi and Kay have been real crazy lately. Mimi is my girl, and I would go with her to the end, which is why when she left Louisiana, I left with her. We were supposed to be coming down here to start over fresh, but Kaylin’s ass was always in some shit. To be honest, I don’t know how they lasted this long. If you asked me, she should’ve been left his ass a long time ago. I was ready for my girl to finally open her eyes and see that he really ain’t shit, because if they kept this up, somebody was going to get hurt. It would really hurt me if something was to happen to her.
You see, Mimi and I grew up pretty much alike. Went through the same old bullshit, did almost the same shit. Only thing is, Mimi was an only child. She never knew her father because he left before she was born, which was why her mother had put her through hell. I, on the other hand, have two brothers and a sister I’ve never known. My mother was all fucked up and shit, so I never really fucked with her like that. I knew my father, but not in the way I should have. My father was a heartless man. He had to be for the shit he did to me. One night while I was asleep, my father came into my room and started touching me. I didn’t think much of it because I was so young. Well, one day turned into weeks, weeks into months, and months into years until I got out. I graduated and left with Mimi, which was the best thing that ever happened to me. That’s why I’d do anything for her . . . not because I feel obligated, but because I love her, and she’s family.
* * *
When we first came out here, everything was great. Mimi went back to school and got another degree. I, on the other hand, held down a job. Then, Mimi came up with this brilliant plan to invest her money in some real estate. That’s how she ended up with the club, followed by the salon. Her salon was doing so good that she had to open up a second one, with me being the manager and all. And to top it off, she did it all with Kaylin’s money. I ain’t saying that my girl was a gold digger, but she most definitely wasn’t fucking with no broke nigga.
Like most men, though, Kay had always been a player. He played Mimi when she was in Louisiana, but what he didn’t expect or even know was that Mimi played his ass back. This was why she ended up leaving Louisiana, with hopes of starting off fresh. He ended up coming with her. Kay reall
y thought that he was the only one cheating, but he got another think coming. Once Mimi found out about all the chicks he was messing with, she sought revenge. The straw that broke the camel’s back was when Mimi found out that Kay had slept with our childhood friend, Stacy. Now that wasn’t right at all, because he knew what the girl had been through. Hell, he was the one who ended that situation for her. So I don’t see how he could’ve done some shit like that, but to each his own, I guess.
Mimi just brushed it off as if it was nothing. Well, that’s what I thought until—well, until she did what she did. I couldn’t be mad either. An eye for an eye summed it all up. What neither I nor Mimi expected was for her blast from the past, or her secrets, to resurface. She’d been paying him to keep their secret hidden. Like people say, though, what’s done in the dark comes to the light. I hoped my girl came out on top, but either way, I was going to be right there with her.
Kaylin
I’d been calling Mimi’s phone ever since I left Star’s apartment, but she didn’t answer me once. I knew she could be a li’l stubborn and shit, so I decided to call Troy’s phone instead, but she wasn’t answering either. I hated when that shit happened, and that’s why I been trying my hardest to keep that shit separate from my life, but I guess I wasn’t trying hard enough. Shit had really been crazy out here, so crazy that I was starting to wonder if it was all worth it. I mean, I already had my money stacked, a good business, and my family. It had me wondering why I was still doing all this in the first place. Between working, my side pieces, and my woman, shit, I’d be beat. I barely had enough time to spend with my family. It had been a minute since Mimi had caught me slipping. The last time I got caught messing around was when I was messing with Stacy, and that was a very long-ass time ago. Speaking of Stacy, I swear she’d been getting on my last fucking nerves. Matter of fact, if it wasn’t for my son, her ass would’ve been cut the fuck off. She was starting to get too needy and demanding. I had no idea why I moved her ass up there in the first place, because if Mimi found that shit out, it wouldn’t be anything nice.