She accepted the call and placed the phone on her shoulder, putting it up to her ear. “Yes?” she asked as she fished in her purse for her keys.
“Whatchu doin’ baby momma?” he playfully asked her.
She stopped what she was doing. “Cali, don’t call me that.”
“Nah for real though, what are you doin’?” he asked in a more serious tone. “I’m tryna do somethin’ special for my son.”
“That’s nice but your son isn’t here yet Cali,” Aleesha said grabbing her phone with her hand and holding it up to her ear while straightening her neck back up.
“Yeah but I still gotta make sure you straight. I gotta surprise for you.”
“What is it?”
“Come to the house,” he demanded.
“No,” she sternly replied. “I’m not about to be doing all that with you.”
“Please Leelee,” he begged.
“Why can’t you come to me?”
“Because the surprise is too big.”
“Why can’t you just tell me what it is over the phone?” she asked, becoming annoyed.
“Because that’s the point of it being a surprise,” he reminded her. “Aleesha, cuh just do it for my son.”
“I’m not your cuh Cali.”
“My bad,” he said, letting out a slight laugh.
“Okay, I’ll come just this once,” she said, finally giving in. “Don’t think you can use this excuse every time and expect me to jump,” she warned.
“I don’t,” he acknowledged, “but this is important.”
“Okay, I’ll be there in an hour.”
How Life Would Have Been
Aleesha didn’t want to be bothered with Cali, but he did have a right to make sure she was taken care of for the sake of their child. She arrived at his house an hour and thirty minutes later, and was surprised that he greeted her at the door with his daughter, Christina.
“Damn,” he exclaimed, amazed at how stunning Aleesha looked. “You glowin’ BM.”
“Shut up Cali,” she said with an attitude.
“I’m for real,” he said, his tone becoming more serious, “you look beautiful.”
“Thanks,” she said as she began grinning.
“You’re welcome,” he said as they stared into each other’s eyes. “But Aleesha, this is my lil’ angel, Christina. Baby,” he said looking at his daughter, “say hi to your step mommy.” He nodded his head toward Aleesha.
“Really Cali?” Aleesha asked, annoyed.
“Hi step mommy,” Christina happily exclaimed, waving at Aleesha.
“Hi baby,” Aleesha said with a smile.
“She has your lil’ brother in her tummy,” Cali explained.
Christina’s eyes lit up. “Really?” she asked Cali as a huge grin spread across her tiny face.
“Yeah baby,” he happily replied.
“When is he going to be out of her tummy?” she inquisitively asked.
“In a few more months.”
“I can’t wait for him to come.”
“Me too baby. Come in BM,” he said, motioning Aleesha to come inside as he held open the door for her.
“Cali, stop calling me that.”
Aleesha stepped through the door and Cali shut it behind her, then they began walking toward the living room.
“Well, it’s what you are,” he truthfully stated.
“Correction,” Aleesha said turning around and putting her index finger up to him. “I’m the mother of your child.”
“Yeah, you right,” he amusingly agreed. “You know I like fuckin’ wit’ you though Leelee.”
She rolled her eyes before turning and walking away. They walked into the living room and took a seat on the couch.
“Go play in your room baby,” Cali instructed Christina as stood her up.
“Okay daddy. See you later step mommy,” she said waving at Aleesha before running away.
“Okay baby,” Aleesha said after her. “I’ma kill yo ass Cali,” she said with anger in her eyes.
“What I do?” he amusingly asked.
“I’m not her step mom,” she frustratingly stated. “Don’t be having her call me that.”
“Shit, you her lil’ brother mom. What else is she supposed to call you?”
“My name. You think you’re going to have my son calling your other baby momma’s step mommy?” she abrasively asked.
He shrugged his shoulders. “I ain’t gon’ have no other baby momma’s.”
“Yeah right. Anyway, what did you call me over here for?”
“I want you to take a trip with me,” he said, pulling a blunt from behind his ear.
Aleesha shook her head. “Cali, I can’t do that.”
He looked at her with pleading eyes. “Please Aleesha.”
“Why?” she curiously asked.
He lit his blunt and took a hit. “Cuh,” he said taking another hit, “I just want you to know that I’ll always take care of you and my son.” He coughed and exhaled the smoke.
Cali tried passing Aleesha the blunt but she refused it. “Cali, I know that. We don’t have to go anywhere for that.”
“Please Aleesha. I have something I need you to see cuz I may never have the opportunity to show you again,” he said with a troubled look in his eyes.
“What are you talking about?” Aleesha nervously asked.
Cali took a hit of his blunt. “I just ain’t been feelin’ right.” He waited a few seconds before exhaling the smoke. “And I can’t trust my other baby momma like I can trust you. If anything was to happen to me I know you would still look out for Christina.”
“Cali, why are you talking like this?” she fearfully asked. “Nothing is going to happen to you.”
“Man, I can never be too sure with the life I’m livin’,” he said taking a hit from his blunt. “Can you please go with me?”
Aleesha let out a huge sigh. “Fine. But this is a one time and one time only thing.”
“I know,” he said with a grin. “I need one more favor from you though.”
“Now you’re asking for too much.”
“I know but I need you to do this. If not for me then for our son.”
“What?” Aleesha asked, annoyed.
Cali took a hit from his blunt. “Passion is comin’ over and I need to talk to both of y’all together.”
“Why?”
“Because I need y’all to get along and I’m not gon’ always be here to be the mediator,” he playfully stated. He took a hit from his blunt. “I want my kids to be close and that won’t happen if you two can’t even be around each other.”
“I guess,” she sighed, reluctantly agreeing.
A knock came at the door and Cali put his blunt out before getting up to answer it. A few seconds later he was walking back into the living room with Passion following behind him. He sat her down next to Aleesha and sat on the coffee table facing them.
“I ain’t gotta introduce y’all to each other. I’m not even tryna have y’all sit here that long,” Cali said while looking back and forth between the two, “but I do want to say that whatever happened in the past is the past and that y’all gotta get over it. Passion, Leelee is pregnant with my son and when he’s born, him and Christina are gon’ be spending time together,” he candidly stated. “I’m not sayin’ I want y’all to become friends, but I need to know that y’all can tolerate being around each other for my kids.”
“So are you two back together?” Passion asked with a hint of jealousy in her voice.
“Bitch would it matter?” Aleesha impulsively shot back.
“Damn Leelee, calm down,” Cali playfully instructed while laughing.
“I am calm. I’m just saying though, what would that change?” Aleesha questioned.
“You didn’t have to call me a bitch,” Passion sensitively stated.
Aleesha huffed, “Whatever.”
Cali shook his head and laughed, “Aleesha.”
“What?”
“C’m
on cuh, think about the kids.”
“Fine,” she said rolling her eyes at him. She put on a fake smile and turned to Passion, “I apologize for calling you a bitch,” she halfheartedly said. “That was disrespectful. But no, Cali and I aren’t together, so whatever you two have going on won’t change.”
“We ain’t got shit going on,” Cali countered.
“Really Cali?” Passion disappointingly asked.
“Yes really.”
“So when you come over and we fuck that means nothing to you?”
“No,” he said with a scowl. “For one, I go over there to see my daughter and for two, that’s all it ever is, us fuckin’,” he bluntly admitted.
Aleesha looked at Passion and could see the hurt in her eyes, and actually felt sorry for her. “Look, I’m cool with you if you cool with me,” she said to Passion in a calmer manner. “I will never treat your daughter any different than my own kids. It’s not her fault she has a dog ass daddy,” she indirectly said to Cali, “just as long as you do the same with my son. And if not, you won’t have to worry about me beating your ass because I’m too grown for that. I have kids to take care of and I’m not risking going to jail over no stupid shit. But what I will do is put a bullet in you,” she threatened. “I don’t play about my kids and I know how to dispose of a body and get away with it. The choice is yours.”
“No, I’m cool with you,” Passion cowardly stated. “Your son will always be treated right.”
“Okay, don’t ever let me even think any different.”
“You won’t.”
“Damn,” Cali said shaking his head and laughing. “Ay P, I’m keepin’ Christina for a few more days. I’m takin’ her out of town with me.”
“Okay, just call me the day you bring her back. Don’t forget she has school though,” Passion reminded.
“I ain’t forgot,” he said looking down at his watch. “We need to get goin’ though.”
“Okay I’ma go say bye to Christina and then I’ll go.” Passion got up off the couch and walked toward Christina’s room.
“You are fucked up,” Aleesha whispered to Cali.
“Cuh, fuck her,” he carelessly said aloud.
“Stop banging on me Cali.”
“My bad BM. You don’t know the bullshit she puts me through to make me act like that to her though. She knows I will never fuck with her like that. If she still wanna give her pussy up to me I ain’t gon’ turn it down, but I’m not about to wife her either.”
Aleesha couldn’t say anything so she just shook her head. They sat in silence until Passion left, then Cali got Christina ready and they were out the door. They piled into his 2016 Rolls Royce Phantom, and were soon on their journey. Christina fell asleep twenty minutes into the ride, so they rode with the music on low while they chit chatted amongst each other.
Two hours had passed before Aleesha began wondering where they were and how much longer of a drive they had. “Cali, where are we going?” she curiously asked, looking out the window.
“Don’t trip, we almost there,” he said with a grin. “I hope you didn’t have nothin’ planned for the next few days.”
“What?” she apprehensively asked.
“We gon’ be away for a few days,” he casually stated.
“Cali, this ain’t funny.”
“Does it look like I’m laughing?” he asked, looking her in the eyes, “I’m dead ass serious.”
“I don’t even have any clothes or anything.”
“You know I got you. Oh shit, you remember this song BM?” he asked as “Differences” by Ginuwine began playing through the car speakers.
“Yeah,” she answered with a loving smile, “you dedicated it to me on our one year anniversary.”
“I was serious about what I said too,” he said staring her in the eyes. “Every word he spoke in this song is how I feel. I really love you Aleesha,” he confessed before looking back at the road.
Aleesha knew she would always have a soft spot for Cali in her heart. There was no way she would ever be able to fully get over him no matter how hard she tried. “I love you too,” she said with genuine sincerity.
Twenty minutes later they were in Oceanside and Cali pulled up to a beautiful sky blue two story house, with a fresh manicured lawn and a birdbath on the porch. Cali woke Christina up before they all got out of the car and then he led the way into the house. When they stepped through the door, Christina ran into the living room and turned on the T.V., and Cali could tell Aleesha was stunned at how marvelous it looked inside.
“Whose house is this?” she asked while looking around in fascination. The walls and all of the furniture was crème colored except for the tables, stands, and things of that sort, which were made out of Oakwood. He had polished Breccia marble flooring, and there was an Oakwood winding staircase in the foyer that led upstairs.
“Aleesha, you know me better than that,” he arrogantly stated. “This mine. This just the vacation home for right now though.”
“How did you get this Cali?” she nosily asked. “All the work you do is illegal.”
“I’ll let you know all that later. But this ain’t even the best part. Come with me,” he said taking her hand. Cali led Aleesha upstairs and into the first bedroom on the right. He opened the door and it was a blue and green zoo themed nursery.
“This is for my lil’ nigga,” he proudly stated looking around the room. “Christina’s room is across the hall and the master bedroom is straight down the hall. The room downstairs is the guest bedroom,” he explained as they both looked around the room.
“Wow Cali. This is surprising, but I love it,” she said with a huge smile.
“I got more to show you but that can wait until later. I just wanted you to get a glimpse of where you would be layin’ yo head at the next few days and to see our son’s room. Let’s go shoppin’ and get somethin’ to eat.”
“Okay,” Aleesha eagerly agreed.
They all piled back into Cali’s car and he took them shopping. Then, he surprised them by taking them to the traveling circus that was in town. He bought popcorn, drinks and a few souvenirs, then they all sat back and enjoyed the show as well as themselves. It lasted for over an hour and when they got back to Cali’s house, Christina was sleep again. Cali carried her from the car all the way upstairs to her bedroom and tucked her in. By the time he went downstairs, Aleesha had made herself comfortable on the couch and was watching a movie. He stopped when he got in the middle of the room and stared at her. She was gently rubbing her stomach as she sat there, consumed on what was happening on the screen.
Aleesha took a quick glance at him. “Why are you standing there with that silly ass smirk on your face?”
He walked toward her and took a seat next to her on the couch. “I can’t believe you really pregnant wit’ my child.” He began to rub her stomach as he talked to it, “What’s good lil’ cuh?”
Aleesha glared at him. “Cali, my son is not about to be a gang member.”
“Man, my lil’ nigga gon’ bang the set,” he stubbornly declared.
“No the fuck he’s not,” she angrily spat.
“I’m just kiddin’ Leelee,” he said with a laugh. “But this is still my lil’ cuh. Huh lil’ nigga?” he asked rubbing her stomach. The baby kicked for him and he got excited. “See, what I tell you,” he said looking up at her with a huge grin.
“Whatever Christopher,” Aleesha said as a smile crept up on her face.
“Damn, you had to say a nigga’s government,” Cali playfully pointed out.
“Well, that’s your name,” she naïvely replied.
“Speakin’ of names, what we gon’ name him?” he interestedly asked as he continued to rub her stomach.
“I don’t know,” she said shrugging her shoulders, “I haven’t thought about it yet.”
He curled his lips up at her. “Yes you have, you just don’t wanna hurt yo nigga’s feelings.”
“Whatever,” she murmured, knowing he was tellin
g the truth.
“I wanna name him after me,” he said in a more serious tone.
“Okay,” she humbly agreed.
“Okay?” he asked her, surprised that she agreed with him.
“Yeah, he’s your son too and you should have a say so in every aspect of his life,” she explained.
Cali was ecstatic. “I really love yo gangsta ass.”
“Shut up,” Aleesha playfully hissed.
“For real. I remember when I first realized I was in love wit’ you,” he said staring deep into her eyes.
“When?”
“The day I took you to my family reunion.”
“Oh my God, I remember that day,” she recalled laughing. “Your family is hella crazy.”
“Hell yeah.”
“How’s your sister and brothers?” she asked, getting off topic.
“They all straight,” he casually replied, placing his arm around her on the back of the couch. “Mo bout to graduate and go to college.”
“Damn really? Time sure did fly. I remember she was just in middle school,” she said in disbelief. “What school is she going to?”
“Florida State. She got a full ride scholarship,” he proudly stated.
“Damn, I know your mom is proud of her. What about your brothers?”
“Paul and Kendrick are still in school. They followin’ in Mo’s footsteps, tryna keep them grades up to go to a good college like she is. Ray is supposed to get out the pin sometime next year.”
“That’s good. You and him are the only ones with the same dad right?”
“Yeah and the other three got the same dad. You remember my gay ass cousin?”
“Who, CK?”
“Don’t say that shit,” Cali said with a look of disgust.
“Well that’s her name,” Aleesha replied, laughing.
“Fuck her slob ass name,” he angrily expressed. “That bitch name is Destiny.”
“You’re so disrespectful,” Aleesha disappointingly said shaking her head. “But yes, I remember her. She had everyone doing the cha cha slide and she pressed that one nigga over the ribs.”
Trap Fever Trilogy Page 43