His Last Name

by Daaimah S. Poole

  He got me a Chanel bag and flowers for Valentine’s Day, but I would have preferred for him to be happy and in a good mood. Something else was bothering him, but I wasn’t sure what it was. I was going to a seminar at the church and I would deal with him when I returned.

  “I’m leaving. You sure you are okay? Please get up and watch Brilah; she might be hungry.”

  “I got you. Have a good time. Brilah, say bye, Mommy.”

  “Okay, I’ll only be gone for a few hours.”

  I left and then I snuck quietly back in the house just to make sure he was up feeding Jabrilah. He was up feeding her, but he was also on the phone. I heard him say something and then I heard the name “Shanice.” I knew my husband was not on the phone with his old mistress. I couldn’t confront him right then, so I left and went to the church seminar.

  I entered the convention center. Pastor Richard and First Lady Elise were standing on the side of the stage. Pastor Richard came up to me and greeted me.

  “How is Jabril managing his injury?”

  “He’s healing.”

  “I’ll pray that he heals fast. Well, the good thing is you are here and your message will be heard today about being a good woman before you become a wife.”

  “Thank you.”

  Pastor Richard was having a women’s only program called “Single, Saved, and Searching.” I was one of the lovely panel members. It was my job to inspire the women in the audience. I was introduced and then I began speaking.

  “Good morning, ladies. I’ve been invited here to share my story of marriage and show you what God has in store when you put him first. Marriage is a great thing, but it is not perfect. I met my husband when I was nineteen. My husband has a job that has a lot of temptation and we have had our struggles. But in those dark times I sought and asked God for his mercy. I prayed for him to change, to be a good father and husband. And it worked. It’s not magic, it’s prayer. My husband became the man I asked God for. I’m living proof, keep God first in your life and he will send you the mate you’re destined to be with.” I went on and on saying anything and everything that sounded good and by the time my speech was over, I had a standing ovation. People were running up to the stage to meet me.

  “Wow, sister, your testimony was awesome. I love to see and hear about black love. It is the best. Usually men cheat. And no disrespect, but especially a man of your husband’s stature, but the fact that he remains loyal to you shows you that anything is possible if you put it in God’s hand.”

  “It is.”

  Little did she know that I was a fraud. My husband was home on the sofa ignoring me and calling other women. And here I was telling women not only how to get a husband, but how to keep him. Someone needs to tell me how to do it.

  I made it through the conference without bursting out in tears from anger and embarrassment. As soon as I was in the parking lot, I called Jabril, but he didn’t answer.

  When I got home he was gone and Jabrilah was asleep in the arms of Octavia.

  “Did my husband say where he was going?’

  “No, he just called me and offered me an extra hundred dollars if I came right away.”

  “Okay.”

  I was fuming mad. He got a sitter and left. Where the hell was he going?

  So I looked through my phone and found the e-mail I had sent myself with the number of his whore Shanice. I had saved it just in case I ever needed it. I dialed her and as soon as she answered I screamed, “Why are you talking to my husband?”

  “Who is this?”

  “You know who this is, Shanice. I heard you talking to him earlier.”

  “Girl, bye. I don’t mess with your husband. And if you are looking for your husband, you need to call his phone and not mine.”

  She hung up on me and I called her phone right back, but she didn’t answer.

  CHAPTER 67

  Monique

  All Star Weekend landed on Valentine’s Day weekend. All our hard work had paid off and Kadir had been voted into the Rising Star Challenge game. It was the game between first- and second-year NBA players. I always watched the festivities on television and now I was there. There were so many celebrities and players from every team. I saw Shaq in the lobby of my hotel taking pictures with fans. I was excited to be going to the game. Kadir got me seats in the fourth row. Dele wasn’t playing but was still going to the game. His brothers were in town with him to party.

  Dele and I had a room together and I promised him that after this weekend I wouldn’t delay sitting Kadir down and telling him everything.

  Dele loved me and I loved him and it was time to be out in the open with our relationship. I called Kadir. I wanted to make sure he was preparing for the game and that he was nowhere close to where we were going to be.

  “Kadir, where are you?”

  “Abby forgave me and she flew out here. I’m at a club with her and her friends.”

  “Where? Which club?”

  “I don’t know, some club. The driver dropped us off.”

  “That’s good. Well, I love you, son, and I’m proud of you and soon I want us to have an important conversation.”

  “About what?”

  “I’ll tell you, but right now just focus on having fun and enjoy the moment.”

  “I will. Mom, where are you staying?”

  “I didn’t check in to my hotel yet.”

  “Okay, well call me when you do.”

  * * *

  Later on that night, I met up with Dele. We had a table in the corner of the VIP section of the club. We were dancing and enjoying ourselves. Our server brought over champagne and we made a toast and then Dele leaned over to kiss me. I kissed him back and we took several glasses of champagne to the head. I didn’t care who saw us. I was in love and not going to hold it in another moment. I looked into his eyes. His heart and his intentions were pure when he said, “I love you, Monique.”

  “I love you, too, Dele.”

  I spent the entire night enjoying this time with my baby. We stayed on the dance floor all night dancing, kissing, and hugging. I felt so relieved that I was finally able to be a real couple with my man. Plus, in the crowded party no one knew us or even cared about who we were.

  * * *

  The next morning the sun was shining into our hotel room. I had a champagne and love hangover. I didn’t remember much from the night before, but I knew I had an amazing time with my babe. I was snuggled on his chest, relaxed with my eyes closed. I heard him typing on his phone. I cracked my eyes open and yawned when he jolted up.

  “Monique, get up. It is important.”

  “What is it?” I didn’t like the blank expression on Dele’s face. “What?” I asked him again, confused.

  He showed me his cell phone screen and I read the headline on some gossip site: “NBA Mom Finds Love in the Club.” There were pictures of Dele and me kissing from the night before.

  Who took pictures of us? I didn’t think that I was that important, that anyone would recognize me with so many more famous people around. I had twenty-three missed calls. I missed calls from CeCe, Kadir, and Carl. The phone rang again and I dropped it. I was too scared to speak to anyone. What was I going to do? How could I talk to Kadir? This was his big weekend and I was ruining it. What could I possibly say that would explain the way I acted last night? I felt like crap. The phone kept ringing, but I didn’t answer.

  “Dele, we are all over every gossip site.”

  “I told you, you should have said something to him.”

  “I don’t need that right now, Dele.”

  I wasn’t sure what to do, but it was out there now. Should I call Kadir or just go to his hotel? I decided to call him just to see how he sounded before I saw him in person.

  “Kadir, I want to talk to you. Are you at your room?”

  “Mom, you know you doing too much. Right? You out here kissing and grinding on people in the club wearing tight clothes like you young, but you’re not. You are embarrassing. Everybody e
lse got good moms and mines want to be a thot. I don’t want to talk to you right now. And don’t come to the game. I’ll see you at home.”

  “Kadir, you know you can’t talk to me like that. I am your mother and you will respect me.”

  “What? You want me to show you some respect. How about show yourself some first. And tell Dele when I see him I’m going to smack him.” Then he hung up on me.

  I didn’t go to Kadir’s game, but I watched my son from the hotel room television. His team won, but I couldn’t congratulate him. I lay in the bed for the next day and a half and Dele tried to comfort me, but there wasn’t anything he could do. I had wronged my son and I had to make it right.

  CHAPTER 68

  Monique

  Monday morning I checked out of the hotel and went straight to the airport. My phone was still ringing. I was happy my nightmare weekend was over. I had on sunglasses for two reasons. One, to cover my eyes and the other, to hide my identity. Not that anyone really knew who I was, but just in case. I cringed every time I saw a picture of me tonguing Dele down. My phone rang again. This time it was Carl and I answered.

  “Yeah, Carl.”

  “Monique, I don’t care about what you doing or who you are doing with. But you need to be concerned about what you are doing to Kadir. You wanted to chase away everyone and say how everyone’s out to get him. And look who is the one who is actually hurting him and ruining his career. He is where he’s wanted to be his whole life but he can’t enjoy it, because he has to fight to defend his mother.”

  “Kadir was in a fight?”

  “Yes, you know how he feels about you. Somebody said something about you and he went off. How come he had to hear about it on the radio and gossip columns?”

  “Is he okay?”

  “Yeah, he’s fine, but he’s so angry. I’ve never seen him this upset.”

  “You’re right. I’m going to talk to him. I’ll sit him down and we will work it out. I’m going to call him now.”

  My flight was boarding and I decided it would be best to just go to the house and talk to him. As soon as I landed, I pushed my way off of the plane and drove straight to the house.

  Kadir’s car was already there. I took a deep breath. I was going to go in the house and reason with Kadir. I turned the lock and realized my key no longer worked. All I could do was laugh. I was locked out of my own house.

  I rang the doorbell and Abigail answered; not only was she there, but so was her son.

  “Kadir is mad at you. He told me not to let you in, but because you are his momma I’m going to let you in.”

  “Young lady, I’m really trying to be nice to you, but you need to get out of my sight ASAP and mind your business.”

  “Kadir is my business.” She looked at me. I walked past her and saw all my belongings by the door, already in boxes.

  “Kadir, your mom is down here,” Abigail yelled out.

  “Kadir Latif Hall!” I screamed as I stomped up the steps. “Did you lock me out of my own house?”

  Kadir appeared at the top of the steps. “Yeah, I locked you out of my house. I pay the bills.”

  “You better watch your tone.”

  “Why should I? Mom, you on some other ish. You left my dad and now you out here thinking you young.”

  “I don’t think anything.”

  “Well, whatever you want to call it. I guess you’re a cougar or something. You were dealing with Dele like it is cool. I’m in the locker room and the guys are talking shit about you. How could you do this to me? He is almost my age. He’s only seven years older than me. You got people coming at me on Instagram and you were a trending topic on Twitter.”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen.”

  “Well, it did and I hope you told Dele I’m going to knock him out. That’s a promise.”

  “You can’t fight anybody else. Let’s have an adult conversation. Don’t I deserve to be happy, Kadir? He treats me well. And I wanted to tell you, but I didn’t know how to.”

  “I don’t want to talk to you, you got to leave. Go be with your boyfriend. You chose him over me anyway. All the people in the world and you picked him.” He walked back to his room and closed his door. I knocked on the door and he told me to go away.

  “Kadir, I’m not going anywhere.”

  “Mom, get out of my house.”

  I felt like kicking the door and arguing with him, but I was wrong and I knew I needed to give him his space.

  CHAPTER 69

  Shanice

  Jabril’s wife kept calling my phone. The first time she called I didn’t know who she was. The second time I answered, she screamed, “You home-wrecking whore. I got rid of you once and I’ll do it again. Leave my husband alone! They should have kept your whorey ass in jail and thrown away the key. Next time I’m going to make sure it’s enough so that they keep you.”

  I knew immediately what she was talking about. She put the drugs in the car. She finally confessed. What would Jabril think if he knew his precious wife was the one who set him up?

  “I’m sure your husband would love to know that you set him up and tried to ruin him, but call your man, stop calling me. I got a man.”

  I hung up on her. Then I cussed her out and hung up on her again when she called again.

  It was Valentine’s weekend and her husband wasn’t home, but he wasn’t with me. She better check with one of his other side chicks. I was in Atlanta with my baby about to go to the Eye Candy Queen: The Come-up premiere. I wasn’t thinking about Jabril or his wife.

  The phone began ringing again. I picked it up and screamed, “Bitch, didn’t I tell you not to call my phone again?”

  “Shanice, it’s me,” Jabril said from the other end of the phone.

  “Yo, I don’t know what’s going on, but I know you better tell your wife to stop calling me. I don’t deal with you, so I don’t know why she is bothering me.”

  “I don’t know, either, but I need to talk to you.”

  “That’s not going to happen. You had your chance to talk to me. Leave me alone and go work it out with your wife. I’m busy. And just so you know, your wife did it. She was the one who put the drugs in the car. Your sweet Zakiya almost ruined your career.” I felt vindicated. I had no more time to put into Jabril because my baby was waiting in the other room.

  Deuce came into the hotel bedroom. “Babe, what’s going on?”

  “Nothing.”

  “I thought I heard you yelling.”

  “No.”

  “You almost ready?”

  I saw multiple text messages appear in my phone. I turned off my ringer and continued to get dressed. I gave my boo a kiss and we headed to the party.

  * * *

  Our show premiere party was at Prive in Atlanta, Georgia. The ATL was showing us love. Stars from other reality shows were also at the club to see our show. Deuce had on all black with black shoes and I was wearing a black-and-white dress with a slit that stopped right before it reached my hip. My new stylist, Pearsa, had been dressing the fuck out of me. I could not wait to get my clothing line, Ms. Amore, off the ground with her help. We were going to be dressing everyone.

  The club was filled with rows and rows of chairs. The entire Eye Candy Queen crew was there. I saw Ashley V. She gave me a hug. “I see you still with Deuce. He lost so much weight, he looks good.”

  “Thanks. Yes, we’ve been hanging in there. What have you been up to?”

  “I’m filming a movie in May.”

  “I’m so excited for you.”

  “Yes, I’m retiring. No more music videos.”

  “I know what you mean. I have a few more dates on my schedule and then I’m going to start concentrating on my dress line, Ms. Amore.”

  “Okay! You have to send me a dress.”

  “I will. Good seeing you. Let me find my seat.”

  I had invited Courtney, my mom, and Aunt Rhonda. I couldn’t wait to see how I looked on camera.

  “Are you n
ervous?” Deuce asked.

  “A little. I just hope the days they were following me I wasn’t talking too fast. And I seem like I have some smarts.”

  The lights in the club dimmed and I saw my face on television. It wasn’t like a music video, because I was talking. I grabbed Deuce’s side. Then I turned back around and watched myself. It wasn’t bad; it was actually good.

  The rest of the night people were coming over to me and complimenting me. So far the star was definitely Ashley V, and I was okay with that. As long as people knew who I was and I got some screen time I could play a supporting role.

  Deuce went to get us drinks. I was enjoying my moment when I heard a voice say, “Nice work. I guess you’re glad you didn’t listen to me.”

  I turned around and saw Jabril. I was speechless. I never thought I would see him. How did he know about this party?

  “What are you doing here? How did you even know where I was going to be?”

  “Everything is on the Gram, but forget that, I need to talk to you. I was wrong, Shanice.”

  I was holding a smile together, but I was so aggravated. “This is not the time. I’m with someone else now.”

  “I see. You dealing with old out of shape dudes now?”

  “Don’t worry about him. I never have to wonder if he wants me or doesn’t. And he’s not married.”

  “You know I loved you, I just asked you to understand my situation.”

  “He doesn’t have a situation. And I’m not dealing with yours anymore. Good-bye.”

  “All right, Shanice. If that’s the way you want it.”

  “I do. Jabril, you are not going to make me feel bad about being with someone who wants to be with me.” He yanked my arm just as Deuce was walking back over with our drinks. Deuce came over and said, “Babe, who is this?”

  “A friend of mine. He was just saying what’s up and leaving.”

  Deuce put the drinks down and went to shake Jabril’s hand.

  “Nah, I’m not a friend, this is my girl and I’m talking to her,” he said and snatched my hand.