Two's Enough Three's a Crowd

by Brenda Hampton

  Jaylin came out of his bedroom and called my name, but I ignored him.

  “All right then, Nokea! Have it your way, baby! Remember, though, if you walk out on me, you walk out for good!”

  I slammed the door on my way out. I walked to the BP gas station on Olive Street Road and called Pat to come pick me up. She said she was on her way. I sat on the curb in front of the gas station and cried like a baby. I cried so hard that a man stopped and asked if I needed a doctor. I declined, but I held my stomach in pain. By the time Pat came, she had to get out of the car to help me get in. My body was numb and I shook like a leaf.

  “What happened?” Pat asked anxiously. “Calm down and tell me what happened.” She drove off.

  “You were right,” I sobbed. “But I just didn’t want to listen.”

  “I know I was right, but calm down and tell me what happened.”

  “He left me early this morning.” I wiped my tears. “He left me so he could go home and screw this new chick he’s been seeing. I had just given myself to him and everything.”

  “Nokea, you’re bullshitting, right? Are you telling me he had sex with you and then went home to have sex with her?”

  “Yes. He wasn’t able to perform like he wanted to with me, so he made up a lie about going to help Stephon with his car. In reality, he went home to be with her.”

  “Now, that’s a dirty son of a bitch! You don’t even need him in your life if he’s going to treat you like that. I can’t believe Jaylin. I could just take my ass around to his house and give him a piece of my mind.” Pat made a quick U-turn.

  “Pat, please. Don’t go over there. I don’t want him to see me like this. I just want to let it go and move on with my life. I don’t have anyone to blame but me. I made him believe that for many years it was okay for him to dump on me like this. For God’s sake, that’s all he knew how to do. How can I get mad if I was the one in control of my own happiness?”

  Pat shook her head. “Yeah, you’re right, sweetie, but you deserve so much better. And if I can help in any way by hooking you up with some of Chad’s friends, let me know. They ask about you all the time, and I’d love to hook you up with one of them.”

  I wiped my eyes and chuckled. My best friend always seemed to have the right answer, and I hated like hell that I hadn’t listened to her advice before. Maybe it was time for me to meet someone else, and making myself available was the best thing I could do.

  12

  JAYLIN

  Scorpio and I sat up on my bed, ate popcorn, and watched the Lifetime channel. Snacking in my room and watching a channel that was made for women was definitely not my style, but I went with the flow. I laid my head on her lap and she twirled her fingers around the curls in my hair.

  “Jaylin, I think I’m falling in love with you already. I can’t go a day without thinking about you, and when I’m with you, I forget about the outside world.”

  Now, she was really rushing things. How could you love somebody and know so little about them? This was strictly a fuck thing for me, and love could not, should not be entered into the equation.

  “One day at a time, all right? I mean, I got some deep feelings for you too, but let’s not go talking this love stuff yet. Besides, as you can see, I already got a full plate right now.”

  “I know, but you can’t tell me that you don’t think about me more than any other woman you’ve been with. We have a connection. It’s not only the sex, either. Like now, I feel like I’ve been here with you before.”

  I sat up and looked at her. “I’m not saying I don’t feel different about you, but this love talk got to stop. Can’t we just enjoy ourselves without the hassles of a loving relationship? Hell, I don’t know nothing about you. I don’t know where you live, don’t know what you do for a living, and don’t even know how old you are. I do know that your sex be off the chain, but honestly, that’s it. Women always talking about love, but give me a reason to love you, that’s all I’m saying.”

  “Oh, I can give you several reasons to love me. But first, if you want to know more about me ...I live in Olivette, I’m a playwright who’s starving to write some new material, and I’m twenty-eight years old. When you do get to know me better, you’ll eventually love me because I’m sweet, I’m very kind, and I definitely know how to please my man.”

  I wanted to get to know Scorpio better. At this point, giving her a chance to show that she was worthy of being more than just a sex partner wasn’t going to hurt a thing. “All right, Miss Playwright, sit up here and tell me a story.”

  Scorpio straddled my lap with her beautifully curved, plump titties staring me right in the face.

  “Well,” she said with a smile, “there was this sexy, fine-ass brotha who just couldn’t get enough of this woman who had come into his life and changed his whole world around. She made love to him over and over and over again, until one day, she got tired. He was afraid to love her back, and eventually she left him.”

  “Cut,” I said, putting my hands on her waist. “It’s not that I don’t want to love you, Scorpio. It’s just that I don’t know much about love. Like I said, no woman has given me enough of a reason to love her. If you give me a reason, then maybe I’ll figure this shit out. Right?”

  Scorpio didn’t respond. She leaned forward and gave me a peck on the lips. I knew she probably wanted more, but for now, it was strictly a fuck thing for me.

  Scorpio left late Saturday night. Before I let her go, I went up in her about three more times that day. I was getting so accustomed to her, I hadn’t really thought much about my situation with Nokea or Felicia. I guess it helped that Scorpio hadn’t mentioned them either. I was so glad that she seemed to be a woman who didn’t let my relationships with others intimidate her.

  Sunday was my day. I wanted to be alone. I was tired—exhausted from all the female setbacks—so I took time for myself. I drove to C&K Barbecue on Jennings Station Road and gobbled down a tripe sandwich that I’d craved. Then I drove by North Oaks Bowling Lanes on the corner of Natural Bridge and Lucas and Hunt to see if Stephon and my boys from the barbershop were hanging out. Since I’d moved to Chesterfield, I missed hanging with the fellas, so every opportunity I got, I made my way back to the hood.

  Since Stephon was nowhere to be found, I went back home and cleaned my house until it was spotless. Scorpio had left a towel here and there, which had me a little upset. I cleaned off the desk in my office and vacuumed the carpet throughout the house. My kitchen took up the most time. I mopped the floor and wiped down the stainless steel appliances. There were a few dishes in the sink, so I knocked those out too.

  By early evening, I went into my bonus room and played a game of pool. The thought of calling Nokea to apologize crossed my mind, but I didn’t feel like hearing her cry again. I felt kind of bad about what had happened, but I needed so much more than what Nokea was offering. I didn’t want to settle, and I wasn’t going to pretend that I was happy just to spare her feelings.

  Felicia had been bugging the fuck out of me. I ignored her calls because I wasn’t ready to patch up things with her yet. Scorpio left a message too, saying that she was thinking about me. As hard as I tried not to, I was thinking about her too. I was starting to catch some deep feelings for her—feelings that I hadn’t had for any woman other than Nokea. I worried that my feelings were a bit premature, especially since I knew so little about her. I thought about the way she be putting it on me. Even thought about what she said about me. She said she would tear down my walls and make me love her. The only person who I thought might be a little deserving of my love was Nokea. But since she didn’t want to hang around and find out, what the hell?

  My private line rang in my office. It was Stephon. “Say, man, you busy?” he asked.

  “Nope. Just sitting around chilling, that’s all.”

  “You don’t sound too good, my brotha. What’s ailing you?”

  “Shit... nothing. Just beat. Ready to get back to business tomorrow. The Stock Marke
t been tripping, and it got some of my clients worried.”

  “I know how that is because I’m losing money in that motherfucker too. But the purpose for my call is to tell you I had a visitor today.”

  “Who?”

  “Nokea. She stopped by and apologized for calling me early yesterday morning.”

  “Calling you for what?”

  “She called looking for you, and I didn’t know what to tell her. She said you told her you were coming to help me fix my car, and I didn’t know what the fuck she was talking about. I covered for you, but I really didn’t know what to say.”

  “Man, I’m sorry. I forgot to call and tell you what to say just in case she did call. My mind was so fucked up, I didn’t know whether I was coming or going.”

  “Well, all I wanna know is, did you really play her like that? She was in tears over here telling me about what happened. I kind of felt sorry for her.”

  “Negro, please. I didn’t play nobody. Nokea knew what time it was. She fucked around that night, so I left. Came home and got some from a for-real woman. Now she’s running over there telling you about it. Man, I tell you, women be doing some fucked up shit.”

  “Yeah, they do, but I ain’t never seen you diss her to that level. This Scorpio chick must be a bad motherfucker.”

  I laughed. “As a matter of fact, she is. I kind of like her ass too.”

  “You like that pu-tain she be whippin’ on you. I had a chick set me out like that before, and at times, I still think about her. But it was over before it started. She got all demanding and shit. Wanted me to fuck her all the time and I couldn’t. You remember that chick named Claire, don’t you?”

  “Yeah, I remember, but I thought the reason you stopped seeing her was because she got married.”

  “Yeah, that’s right. And I got my feelings hurt too. All I’m saying is take it easy with this chick. I have one other question for you too.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Is she worth losing Nokea over? That gal’s been in your corner for a long time.”

  “Stephon, you know better than I do how tight Nokea and me are. She’s playing that role right now, but she’ll have a change of heart in a couple of days.”

  “For your sake, I hope so, because today when we talked, she seemed pretty confident that it was over.”

  “Confident, huh? Did she tell you I tried to make love to her on her birthday?”

  “Naw, man, you lying. She finally let you tackle those panties?”

  “Yep, that’s how I know she ain’t going nowhere.”

  “How was it, dog? Was it everything you expected it to be?”

  “It was all right, man. You know how it is when you dealing with a virgin. I’m too old for that ‘let me train you how to fuck me’ shit, but I was willing to do it for her, so it was cool.”

  “Cool, huh? I don’t know what you’re going to do, but I got your back if you need me.”

  “Thanks, cuz, I’ll call you later.”

  “Holla back,” Stephon said and hung up.

  I sat in my office for a while and played solitaire on my computer. I couldn’t concentrate, as I thought about what Stephon said about Nokea.

  I picked up the phone to call her, wanting to see why she had gone to Stephon’s house to dump on me. Who was I fooling? I was actually calling because I hadn’t heard her squeaky little voice today. When I dialed her number, a recorded voice answered.

  “We’re sorry, the number you have dialed has been changed. At the customer’s request, the new number is not listed.” I hung up and tried again. I thought I’d dialed the wrong number.

  Again, “We’re sorry, the number...”

  Damn, she’d gotten her number changed already? Was she that upset with me that she didn’t even want to talk? I thought about going to see her so we could discuss our unfortunate situation, but not today. I’d give her time to cool off and then see if I could persuade her to forgive me. Hopefully, that wouldn’t be too hard.

  13

  FELICIA

  Now, Jaylin was really pissing me off. My phone calls weren’t working, so I decided to make my way to his office today. Clowning or not, I needed to know where things stood between us. I knew what I said the other night, but I missed the hell out of him. Missed his touch, his kiss, and of course, his loving. I put my braids into a bun, threw on my gray DKNY jogging suit, and my white DKNY tennis shoes. I left my jacket open so he could see my bare midriff and my orange sports bra underneath. I wanted to pretend like I’d been to the gym working out because Jaylin loved a woman who kept herself fit and trim.

  I got off the elevator on the ninth floor of the Berkshire’s Building, and went to the water fountain to splash water on me like I’d been working hard. I walked through the lobby and found myself standing in front of that bitch, Angela.

  “May I help you?” she said, knowing damn well who I was, and who I was there to see.

  “Don’t play with me, bitch. You know who I’m here to see.”

  “Do you have an appointment?” She tried to sound professional, but she wasn’t nothing but a two-dollar ho.

  “Angela, I’m going to say this as nicely as I can.... Bitch, call Jaylin and tell him I’m here to see him.”

  She rolled her eyes and called him.

  “He said have a seat; he’ll be out shortly.”

  “Thank you,” I said sharply then walked over to one of the leather chairs to wait.

  Jaylin came out with one of his clients, smiling as he shook the man’s hand. He looked scrumptious in a dark blue Brooks Brothers suit with a cream-colored shirt underneath and some dark-blue-and-cream, square-toed shoes to match. His hair looked like it had just been freshly cut, his thin beard was trimmed to perfection, and the goatee he wore fit his chin well.

  I stood up as he looked at me with his catlike gray eyes, and he motioned for me to come back to his office. He stopped and told Angela to hold his calls. She nodded and cut her eyes at me.

  Jaylin closed the door behind us and walked around his desk to sit in his chair. The first thing I did was look around to see if the gold pen set I’d purchased for him from Things Remembered was still on his desk. He’d always kept it on display, but now I didn’t see it.

  “So, what’s up, Felicia? Why you bugging, baby? If my memory serves me correctly, you said you were finished with my black ass, didn’t you?”

  “Where are my pens at, Jaylin?”

  “Cut with the bullshit, Felicia. You didn’t come all the way over here to talk about no damn pens. What do you want?”

  “Jaylin, calm down. I know you ain’t trying to act a fool up in here, are you?”

  “You got one minute to state your business. After that, I’m calling security. So, go,” he said, looking at his diamond Rolex.

  “All right, look. I’m sorry about the other night. I was wrong for trying to give you an ultimatum like that, but I was upset. From now on, who you see is your business. I don’t care to know about your other women; just keep them far away from me.

  “All I’m saying is I miss you. I miss what we shared on Friday nights, and I want to know if you wouldn’t mind having me back in your so-called world.”

  Jaylin glared at me from across his desk and remained silent. Of course I wasn’t going to put up with another woman being in the picture, and if Scorpio was going to remain in his life, Jaylin and her both were going to catch hell from me. For now, though, I had to say whatever to get my man back.

  He rubbed his fingers across his lips and slowly stroked his goatee. “Felicia, you don’t miss me. You don’t miss a damn thing about me. That is, of course, with the exception of my big dick. Go ahead, tell me .

  . . and be honest. That’s what it is. You miss my dick, don’t you?”

  “No, Jaylin, that’s not it. I really miss what we had. We shared something special, just in case you can’t remember.”

  “Something special? Yeah, I’ve been hearing that shit a lot lately. We ain’t got nothing s
pecial, Felicia. All we’ve ever had was a fuck thang, baby. I like to take good care of my fuck thangs, so that’s why every once in a while we go do something special. You see, there are those famous words again: something special. Don’t get confused. There really ain’t a damn thing special about it.”

  “So, what are you saying? I’ve wasted my time coming here? Listen, do you want to do this or not?”

  “You wanna do this, Felicia?” He pulled a condom from his drawer and got out of his chair. “You really want to do this? Come on, baby. Let me fuck you. That’s what you came here for, so let’s just get it over with.” He removed his belt and unzipped his pants.

  “Jaylin, no, stop!” I pulled myself away from him as he tried to lower my sweatpants. He grabbed my face and kissed me hard on the lips. I smacked his face, but he didn’t flinch. He must’ve known that I was turned on by his aggressiveness. When he reached over and turned off the lights, I was turned on even more. He lifted me on his desk.

  “Felicia, don’t you ever walk out on me again. If you do, you will never, and I mean never, be able to come back to me.” He forced himself inside me.

  The feel of him was too good to turn away, and the only reply that I could offer was, “I will never be that foolish again. I promise you I won’t.”

  I felt like a million dollars leaving Jaylin’s office. There was no way in hell for me to allow another woman to come in and take what was mine. Scorpio had a good fight awaiting her. I wasn’t about to give up Jaylin so easily.

  When I passed Angela on my way out, she tooted her lips and rolled her eyes again. I’m sure she knew sex was on the agenda, because when she knocked on the door, Jaylin hadn’t answered.

  “See you later, bitch,” I said as I exited with my leather Coach purse clutched to my side. I went home, took a shower, and drove to the office to get something else accomplished for the day. First order of business was to figure out how I could make Scorpio and Nokea disappear.