by Tynessa
“Ronny said they’ll be home tomorrow.”
Shaniqua and Destiny both threw their hands in the air to praise God the same as Debbie had done. “Thank the Lord!” they said in unison then laughed. “Jinx.”
Though they had been talking since the fight broke out, it felt good to laugh together again. Both would be lying if they said they didn’t miss their closeness before they got with Man and Kush. Shaniyah had made up in her mind that she was going to work on the bond that she and her sister once had.
****
Trinity hadn’t heard from Ray’Shun in months, damn near five to be exact. She was missing him but since it looked as if he wasn’t coming back or for the most part, that he didn’t want to have anything to do with her, she decided to move on with her life. She was now dating a guy named Cal.
They were talking once before when she and Ray’Shun had broken up but as always, Ray’Shun whooshed himself right back into her life. She was finally in a drama-free relationship and no longer surrounded herself with negativity.
Plus, it seemed that as long as she wasn’t with Ray’Shun, she never had to worry about Monae and his side chicks coming for her.
“Did you hear me?” Cal said, bringing her out of her own thoughts. Trinity was so engrossed in her own thoughts that she hadn’t heard a thing he said. She liked him a lot but sometimes, he could talk a little too much.
“No, I was all into my phone. Had to let my mama know I would be at my lil sister surprised baby shower she’s having for her.”
“But I thought you was an only child.” When Cal said that, Trinity rolled her eyes upwards while shaking her head at him. She’d already explained to him before that she still refers to Ray’Shun’s family as her very own. After all, they were the closest thing she had to family, besides Grandma Mary.
“Cal, you already know who I’m talking about so let’s not play dumb, boo,” she simply replied.
Cal’s head shook as he stared out the driver side window. It was safe to say that he didn’t like the whole idea of Trinity still referring to them as family. “I was going to ask you did you want to come over and meet my folks but I don’t know how that would work with you being with your other ‘family’ and all,” he had the nerve to state, emphasizing the word family.
That was the only problem Trinity had with Cal. He thought that just because she and Ray’Shun was over with, she supposed to disown his family and flat out not go around them anymore. That wasn’t going to happen and if he couldn’t accept it then they weren’t going to make it. Plain and simple!
“What you mean you don’t know how it’s gon’ work? Really Cal? You’re acting like I’m going to be there forever. It’s just a dang baby shower. Once it’s over you can always come get me when I get home.”
“Oh, so you embarrassed of me now? You don’t want me around your little family?” Cal asked with a chuckle as he reached over and pulled her into his arms playfully. Though he did all that, he was dead ass serious.
“Boy hush. You know damn well I don’t mind letting you meet them but bringing you to their house isn’t gonna happen. Ray’Shun and me ain’t together no more but you know that’s disrespectful and I’m not that bitch,” Trinity let him know. Ray’Shun would beat hers and Cal’s asses if he found out she had Cal at his house. That would be an excuse for his ass to come back home.
“I was just joking. I do want to meet the folks you consider as your family, but I would never go to their house. Now, they may not like me as much as your grandmother, but hopefully I can get some cool points for treating you right.” He flashed her a smile.
Cal wasn’t all that cute in the face and had an okay body, but he was nice and treated her better than Ray’Shun ever had throughout their relationship. And they hadn’t even slept together, yet.
“Yo’ ass wasn’t no damn playing,” Trinity said with a laughter. She could tell in his eyes that he was dead ass serious. “But I’m pretty sure they would like you. Well, Mama Shan would because she is cool as hell, and pops, he’s cool but I can’t really say about him.”
“Well, even if they don’t, you do and—,”
“That’s all that matters.” Puckering her lips, she waited for Cal to bless them with his soft ones.
After saying their goodnights, Trinity went inside the house. Tomorrow was going to be a long day for her and she wanted to at least get a good night’s rest.
****
The next day, Shaniqua woke up bright and early and dropped the kids off at Debbie’s house. Well, all except Shaniyah, and RJ who was at home with his daddy. She wanted to hang with Mommy, today! Besides the adults, she knew all about the baby shower and she was excited to shop for her new niece.
Shaniqua had taken it upon herself to invite Man and badly as she didn’t want to, she invited his mother as well. She made a mental note to have herself a shot of Patron and to definitely smoke a blunt because Robyn had one time to jump stupid and that was her ass. It was one thing to disrespect Shaniqua inside her home and even in the parking lot at the doctor’s office, but it’s a whole different ball game to come inside the McDay’s home and do it. Shaniqua had been controlling herself, but today was going to be a time she had no problem slamming Robyn on her head.
“Mama, look… O-M-G this is so freakin’ cute,” Shaniyah said overly excited. Since they’d entered Macy’s she had been OMG’ing about every freaking thing. “Ow, come to think about it, I saw me one similar to it.” She then took off running to the other side of the store. Shaniqua shook her head. She could already tell Shaniyah was about to have her own personal baby doll. When she came back, she showed Shaniqua the outfit similar to the baby’s.
“Niyah, how you know Destiny gonna want you to dress like her baby.”
With a frown, Shaniyah responded, “She ain’t gon’ have no other choice! She better get her an outfit and dress like us, shoot.”
“Child hush,” Shaniqua giggled. “You could’ve at least gotten her one too then.” When Shaniyah disappeared, Shaniqua shook her head once again. She was anxious to see how they were going to be when this baby is born. This was going to be a sight to see.
Approximately three hours later, Shaniqua was setting up for the baby shower with the help of Shaniyah. Ronny was even doing a little help when he wasn’t running after RJ. His little bad ass was into everything and busting all the damn balloons.
“RJ, if you bust another one, I’ma beat yo’ damn ass,” Ronny said in a demanding voice. Because RJ was all too familiar with that voice, he straightened up quick.
The guests had begun to arrive and Shaniqua thought it was time for Ronny to go get Destiny. She couldn’t wait to see her face because she knew Destiny didn’t think she was going to have a shower because they hadn’t mentioned it. Shaniqua was truly happy that Ronny had started back talking to her two months ago, because she hated to have gone behind his back to throw the shower. She just hoped things wouldn’t change between them once he saw that Man was there.
“Baby, you can go get Destiny now,” Shaniqua said, ushering him to the door. She wanted him to leave before Man and Robyn got there.
“Damn, why you rushing a nigga off?” he asked just as he opened the front door. Standing there about to open the door was a pleasant surprise. It was Ray’Shun. Bringing her hand to her mouth with widen eyes, Shaniqua fell into her son’s arm. She wasn’t at all expecting him to be there.
“Why your big head ass didn’t tell me you were coming home yesterday when I talked to you?” she asked.
“Damn Shan, it ain’t that serious,” Ronny said as he dapped Ray’Shun up. Looking at her husband, she told him to shut up before embracing Ray’Shun again. It had been six months so of course she missed his ass. They went to visit only once since he had been gone, but it’s different now that he was home.
“Damn Ma, chill out,” said Ray’Shun with a laughter. He would be lying if he said he didn’t miss her just as much as she’d been missing him, if not more. “So, where y�
�all going? Ain’t y’all supposed to be hosting a baby shower for Destiny? Where they at anyways?” asked Ray’Shun once he got his mother off him. It was like she couldn’t stop hugging him.
“She ain’t going nowhere, but I’m ‘bout to go pick Destiny and Ni-Ni up. RJ and Niyah back there in the back with everybody else,” Ronny explained before exiting out the front door. Sitting his bags down, Ray’Shun informed Shaniqua that he was about to ride with his dad. He wasn’t about to sit around with a bunch of women talking about nothing.
“Okay. Y’all hurry up,” replied Shaniqua as she shut the front door. She was in the kitchen setting up the table and making sure everything was straight when there was a knock on the front door. After wiping her hands on a towel she rushed to it, already knowing who it was. Everybody was there except, Debbie, Destiny and Ni-Ni and they were coming back with Ronny.
“Who is it?” Shaniqua asked just for the hell of it. She knew damn well it was Robyn and Man.
“Man,” he said in a nervous, yet, deep mature voice. Shaniqua head shook as she opened the door. She still couldn’t believe she was hosting a damn baby shower for her teenage daughter. This shit was so surreal. “Hey-Hey, Mrs. Shan,” he stuttered.
“Hey sweetie. How are you?” Shaniqua managed to get out. She had no problem with Man and had come to accept the fact that he would be around forever. Or at least until the baby was eighteen.
“I’m doing good. Um, where do I need to put this?” When Shan called and invited them to the baby shower, he informed her that he would get the matching stroller and car seat set and she was cool with that.
“You can take it to the backyard where all the other things are. Destiny isn’t here yet but y’all can go to the backyard and wait for her.” Moving aside, she let them both in. Robyn walked in with her snobbish ass attitude as she looked around.
“Humph,” Shaniqua heard her say. “Ronny doing it big, I see,” Robyn then said. Shaniqua didn’t know what this woman and her husband had going on back in the day, but she was surely going to find out from him. She was sick of Robyn’s ass.
Clearing her throat, Shaniqua said, “Yes, we’re living comfortable. Y’all can follow me.” With that, she headed to the backyard. That trick was already rubbing her the wrong way.
The weather was nice as hell to be the end of January and everything was going good. Everyone was talking amongst themselves when Ronny sent a text stating they had just pulled up. Shaniqua felt scared and nervous at the same time. She didn’t know how Ronny would react seeing Man at their home. And now, not only did she have to worry about him, but Ray’Shun as well. Hell, she had even forgot to mention to Trinity that Ray’Shun was back.
“Okay y’all… They just pulled up,” Shaniqua informed everyone.
The look on Destiny’s face when everyone screamed ‘surprised’ was priceless. She was so shocked and when she saw Man and his mother, she looked as if she was about to have a heart attack. Looking over at Ronny, he and Ray’Shun held the same scowl on their face, looking just a damn like. Shaniqua instructed Brooke and Star on what to do so she could go have a conversation with her husband and his son before they turned the shower upside down.
“Y’all better let that shit go. Don’t y’all asses turn this baby shower out acting a damn fool!” Shaniqua stood directly in front of them both and said through clenched teeth.
“Ray’Shun, watch that lil punk. Let me holla at you Shan.” Without giving her a chance to respond, Ronny grabbed her by the arm, pulling her in the house. She still managed to holler at Ray’Shun.
“Ray’Shun, sit yo’ ass down somewhere!” she said right before disappearing inside the house.
“What the fuck is that lil nigga doing in my mothafuckin’ house? So, you inviting mothafuckas over without asking me?” Ronny said once they were inside the guest bedrooms’ downstairs with the door shut. Shaniqua looked at him as if he’d grown two heads that fast.
“Without asking you? Mothafucka, this is my shit too and I ain’t gots to ask you a mothafuckin’ thing! That’s that girl’s baby daddy and we,” she pointed between them, “can’t keep him out of Destiny or the baby’s life. Hell, you ain’t saying shit about me letting your ex up in here, but you wanna trip because the father of your daughter’s baby is here. Fuck up out my face with that shit, Ronny.” Shaniqua sat on the bed, crossed her legs and folded her arms underneath her breasts. She was pissed.
The confusion on Ronny’s face told it all. He had no clue on what she was talking about. He wouldn’t say Denise was his ex, but she was his baby mama and before she disappeared, she didn’t know where he rested his head. So what ex was his wife referring to?
“What the fuck is you talking about?” he asked as he leaned against the dresser that was in the room.
“Nigga, don’t act like you don’t know. I’m talking about that bitch out there that’s forever ‘Ronny this’ and Ronny that’. That bitch wants me to know y’all used to fuck so bad!”
That had Ronny letting out a fit of laughter. A laughter that only made his wife want to slap the stupid smile off his face.” I don’t see shit funny!” she said.
“Well, I do! You so damn smart but so fucking dumb! If that was my ex or I fucked her before, why the fuck I wouldn’t have been told you about it? Think about what you saying girl. Believe me, if I fucked the bitch, she would have more to say about me than the little shit she said the day we went to her house. Let you tell it, I done fucked every bitch that speaks to me.” Ronny shut her ass up!
Shaniqua couldn’t say shit. All she could do was sit there with an embarrassed expression on her face while staring down towards the floor as her legs shook uncontrollably.
“Yeah, now yo’ ass sitting there looking slow! You know gotdamn well I ain’t fucked that damn girl!” he said as he took a seat on the bed beside her. “Now, I don’t mind ol’ boy coming to the shower but I feel you should’ve ran the shit by me. And don’t think his ass gon’ sit here all fucking day and I not pull him to the side and talk to him. You know, I respect the lil nigga for trying to step up and be there for his responsibility,” Ronny acknowledged.
Since the first time Man and Robyn showed up at the doctor’s appointment that day, he hadn’t missed not one since. Sometimes he would get dropped off and once it was pouring down raining and that boy had walked there. He was going to walk back, but Shaniqua couldn’t find it in her heart to let him do that, so she dropped him off. He was really trying to do right by Destiny and the baby.
“Just don’t scare him too bad,” Shaniqua said before standing. She was just happy to finally have answers about Ronny and Robyn. She felt like a fool for thinking Ronny would hide something like that from her. Even if it was before her time, she was relieved that nothing happened between them. “Let me get out here and make sure your son ain’t starting no trouble.”
Oh, Ronny wasn’t about to let her off the hook that fast. “Aye, don’t you think you owe me an apology?” he asked with a conniving grin. Those damn green eyes were sparkling and Shaniqua knew exactly what that meant.
“Oh hell no, Ronny. We have a house full of guests.” Ronny wasn’t trying to hear that and before she knew it, Shaniqua was on her knees, pleasing her husband.
Chapter 20
“So, you can’t speak?” Ray’Shun asked as he took a seat next to Trinity.
From the moment he walked out the back door behind Destiny, her heart had been beating rapidly. She didn’t realize just how much she missed him until actually seeing him today. It was taking everything in her to not run up and jump in his arms. In fact, she had been trying to avoid him. When she would see their distance becoming shorter, she would move to the other side of the yard. She didn’t know where his ass came from just now but she wished he would go back where he was.
“Hey,” she simply said, nonchalantly. She was in the middle of texting Cal and wasn’t going to stop just to hold a conversation with Ray’Shun.
“Damn, that’s all a nigga get? No h
ug or nothing! You must be over me?” He was too cocky for his own good.
“Sure is!”
When she said that, Ray’Shun let out an irritating laugh as he tried to steal a peek at her phone. He didn’t see much of anything because at the time, Trinity was hitting send on her text and the photo of her came up.
“What happened to the picture of us?” Ray’Shun was really aggravating the fuck out of her. Would he just go away?
“Look Ray’Shun, would you please leave me the fuck alone?! Why don’t you run back to Jersey like a lil bitch? Ain’t that what you did? Didn’t you go there to get away from me? I mean, that’s what you told me, so why are you over here bothering me? What? You were looking forward to coming back and I fall into your arms again? Tuh! That wasn’t gon’ happen. I’m over you and hell no, you don’t get no hug or nothing. But you can have my ass to kiss!” With that being said, Trinity stood up and walked off leaving him sitting there with a smile on his face. That was until he heard someone laughing from behind. It was Shaniyah.
“Dang. I know you ain’t gon’ take that Ray’Shun,” she said. She was tickled and had never heard Trinity go off on her brother like that.
“Girl, shut up before I beat yo’ lil ass out here.”
“Mama, you heard Ray’Shun curse.” Ray’Shun turned around and looked dead into the eyes of Shaniqua. He was unaware that she was standing there.
“You just got home and already about to get an ass whooping. I’m pretty sure I got a belt laying around here somewhere.” Now, Shaniqua wasn’t going to whoop him for real but she thought by her empty threats, it would cause him to straighten up. It only made him laugh.
“Where Trinity go?” he then asked once he got his laughter under control.
“I thought you didn’t wanna be with her anymore, Ray’Shun?”
“I don’t! I mean, we can still be cool though, right? Just because we’re not in a relationship doesn’t mean we have to be enemies. She must’ve went out and got a nigga now or something?” he asked as he twisted his curly fro.