Changing Stiles

by Elaine Allen

  "Alieas, Alieas." My mother comes up behind me.

  I suck my teeth and turn to her. "Yes."

  "What is your problem?" she asks me.

  "Nothing," I reply, confused at her question and ask why.

  "I asked you to be nice to Janelle."

  How nice am I supposed to be? I haven’t been nasty to her, so my mother shouldn't be hounding me. I roll my eyes and suck my teeth again. "Gosh, I was civilized to her." What? Does she want me to play with the bitch?

  Sighing heavily with concern for her incredulous child, my mom takes Amira from my arms. She loves children and is completely taken with Amira. I think she fell in love with her the day she met her. I know the feeling.

  "Mom, I'm about to get her something to eat," I protest.

  "I'll get it. Now, I want you to be nice to your cousin. And make sure Carter is ok." She leans in closer to me and whispers, “You gotta feed your man to keep him. Now, go ahead.”

  I frown. "Yes, I know, and she was never nice to me."

  "That's when you were children," she hisses.

  "Yeah, I guess that makes it all better," I say bitterly. My mom walks away with Amira, leaving me to think about my actions.

  I'm not being nice. Ain't no such lie being told, so we can definitely cross that off my list. I'm not the forgiving type.

  Forget her. I'm one of those people that will forever remember things done to me, good and bad.

  "Why you frownin', 'lil sister?" Gray asks, slinging his arm over my shoulder.

  I shake my head and look up at him. Then I smile and shrug. "Your mom be trippin'. As usual," I confide.

  He laughs and tugs my hair. "You know how she wants her dinner parties to be perfect."

  "She shouldn't have invited Janelle then."

  "It's so unlike Nicole Stiles to be deliberately ignorant. So unlike her daughter."

  "She knows how I feel about her," I pout.

  "Times change, boop, and people grow up."

  Hmmm. Is he tryna say I’m being petty? He's right. "Oh, shut up."

  Nesha comes up to us and fits her body tightly against Gray's. He, in turn, kisses her forehead. "You aight? he asks.

  "I'm fine. Just a little tired," she mumbles in a tone that I suppose is for his ears only.

  "Maybe you should sit down," he suggests. There is definitely something going on. Something I know nothing about.

  "I'm fine, Gray. I just came over to tell Lieas to watch out for her man."

  Watch out for my man? I think, even as my eyes scan the room looking for him. What I see isn't a huge shock to my system, but it does get me steaming mad. That hoe has her hands on his shoulders. Things, and people, that belong to me are, without a doubt, off-limits to her ass. I excuse myself from both Gray and Nesha. I have business to take care of.

  “Hey,” Carter speaks, upon noticing me. He must not know that the temptress Eve is standing before him. Carter reaches out his hand to me. Smiling, I take it and am pulled down onto his lap.

  “What are y'all talkin' about?” I inquire.

  “Catching up, actually,” Janelle answers with a smirk. How the hell does she know him? I'm pretty sure that she's not his type. She's skinny, for one thing.

  “You know each other?” I question. Carter tightens his hold on me.

  “Yeah, we went out on a date once.”

  “Really?”

  “It was a blind date,” he clarifies. “And we didn't hit it off at all,” he adds when I look at him.

  “Good,” I retort, wrapping my arms around his neck. Let me put a stamp on the man ‘cause she'd try to take him just to spite me. “Now, you're mine,” I finish. From the corner of my eye, I can see Janelle roll her eyes.

  “I guess I'm going to go over there,” she finally says and before she walks away, she has the nerve to tell him goodbye in a flirtatious tone.

  “Hmfp.” Carter kind of makes a half frown and then shakes his head. I guess he’s decided not to ask me whatever was on his mind.

  “Excuse me. Everyone?” I turn to the direction of my brother's voice. Gray is standing in the middle of the family-filled room with Nesh at his side. Her eyes are glassy, and she has the biggest smile on her face.

  Aww, he asked her; he actually asked her, is all I could think.

  “I'd like to inform everyone that I asked Lynesha to marry me and she said yes!”

  There is only a second of complete silence but that is quickly followed by loud, thunderous clapping. Has me wondering just how many people are actually in the room.

  My mother is the first person I could see giving both Gray and Nesha a hug. Of course, Nicole had been crying, even though I'm sure she knew that Gray was going to ask Nesha. In my family, you don’t just do things; you talk it over with the parents first.

  Carter and I make our way over to the happy couple. I give Nesha a hug and then give into my own tears. They are both very special to me. And the proof that Gray is finally going to do right by her touches me in a way I can’t explain. Carter is shaking Gray's hand and making idle conversation with him when I grab my brother for a hug. “Don't fuck this up,” I whisper.

  Aww. My best friend gonna make my brother an honest man.

  Fourteen

  Carter

  I had clowned Autumn about being in a group date, and here I am, kicking back, reflecting on my first one. Alieas had somehow successfully managed to plan a six couple date for the theatrical release of Brown Sugar without anyone dropping out or canceling. We ended up going weeks after the release, but it had worked out. It had been a close call; I heard her going back and forth with Trina who doubted if her date would feel out of place amongst a group of men he didn’t know, a group of men who were all cool with her ex.

  Truth be told, dudes usually feel out of place when they are all but forced together in one place and they don’t have any type of relationship with the other guys. Most of us knew each other in one way or another, so that wasn't the case for me. Dates are usually intimate, but this was like a full-blown get-together. In my experience, men will do just about anything to please their women...

  Which brings me to how I got here. It wasn't as cumbersome as I thought group dates to be. In fact, we all had a great time. We ended up taking up a corner at Little Johnson’s Diner up on Ogontz Ave and discussing the movie.

  We all agreed that we loved the music and had even liked the film, but it elicited some thought-provoking discussion on fidelity, friendship, and love. There was a little tension between Gray and Nesha as she detailed catching him with another girl in his car much the way Taye Diggs’s character Dre had with Nicole Ari Parker’s character Reese at the restaurant with Richard Lawson.

  And because they have reconciled, I saw a softer side of Gray, attempting to keep it that way. We debated over each other's hypothetical response to the same situation. Gray and dude that Trina brought said they were straight wildin’ on the spot. Tyree and Tim both copped out by saying they couldn't fathom the possibility of either Bri or Tiff in that situation. Which is funny ‘cause both Bri and Tiff said they were kicking ass if situations had been flipped. Daemon said he’d walk away, and I'm inclined to think at this point in my life, so am I. I had done all that arguing and back and forth shit with dudes before. When Toya first start fucking with her dude, I was ready to hurt a nigga rolling up in what’s mine. But at the end I’d the day, it was her choice. I can intimidate a dude all day, but I ain’t making a spectacle of myself for no one. So, yea. I’m clinking my spoon against the wine glass in celebration of “my divorce”. I'm walking away.

  At some point during the conversation, I observed Alieas smile at the whimsical thought of friends becoming lovers and the possibility of being in love forever. Over, the months she has softened and is not as cynical about love as she used to be. I feel my heart roll over, rumble in my chest, restless at the thought of catching her with another nigga.

  Let me take back my earlier statement. I would probably lose my shit and act crazy as a
mf.

  Alieas is mine and I love her.

  “It was nice, right?” Alieas asks through her yawn.

  We’re stretched out on the couch in her living room, comfortably clad in our nightclothes, recapping the movie again. We're listening to an R&B mix of this year's hottest songs that I burned for her earlier today. We both love music, so this is kind of our wind-down routine. She was extra hype that I also made her a CD with all the commercial pop music she loves. Was ecstatic that I'd included “03 Bonnie and Clyde” by HOV and Beyonce. She was hype as shit about their collaboration and swore that they were getting together.

  The song is a hit. Don’t care nothing about celebrities and their relationships, though. I’m only concerned with mine.

  Y'all know how I meet her.

  We broke up

  Got back together.

  To get her back, I had to sweat her.

  Now she roll with bad boys…

  I rap along with Common, right on time enough to elicit a laugh from her.

  When the song is over, Lieas yawns again, covers her mouth, and stretches out, all over the top of my lap, like I’m some damn pillow. When I look down at her, she yawns again, more dramatic this time, and swipes at the meaningless tears it produces. It’s well after midnight, so fatigue is looming. If I didn't have other plans, I’d be tired too. Propping my hand on her knee, I search her eyes. “You tired?”

  The melody to Nelly and Kelly's latest song Dilemma begins to stream from the stereo speakers. “Not if you have something else in mind,” she sleepily returns, shaking her head. A knowing smile crosses her lips before she catches the bottom one with her teeth. After giving it a quick nibble, she playfully puckers her lips and blows me a kiss.

  “We can read and act something out,” I offer. We've been playing out the fantasies in Zane's book, The Sex Chronicles. Don’t get me wrong; my girl is a straight freak and is seemingly down for whatever and I'm extremely in love with the na-na, but I was surprised at her limited sex game after she had boasted about her expertise and how hooked niggas were. She had some skills, but I had to teach her what I like, though.

  Now, she open. Shit, I can't lie. I'm open.

  The look she's giving me has me wanting to rip this flimsy ass tank top nightgown off. The plump, caramel globes and taut nipples are straining against the purple cotton fabric, beckoning to be licked.

  “Nawl, we don't need the book. We can make a video, though,” she purrs.

  “You gon let me tape this ass,” I playing slap the back of her thigh. “taking this dick? Lieaaass?” I can't hide my excitement. I've been trying to talk her into it for two weeks now. I guess she's a little apprehensive because she think she's fat. She been dropping weight all crazy, and she still has curves for days. My manhood rises to the occasion.

  The smile she gives is wide and inviting, and even though she offers it, something in her eyes days she might still be unsure.

  Joking, I lean down to nibble on a nipple then I give a conciliatory kiss to her nose. “It's cool, babe. I left the camcorder at home. You get points for being game, though.”

  My hand travels lower, brushing over the inside of a bare thigh. Bringing her other knee up and allowing it to gape to the side, Lieas lifts her head to meet my descending lips. I tease her with a light press of my lips to hers. My fingers remain busy, leaving a burning trail of across the span of her soft skin.

  I can feel her urgency in the way her body strains upward to meet both my mouth and my roaming fingers. “I got the remedy for this,” I whisper obligingly in her ear, only a hair's breath away. Slowly, I slip my finger beneath the waistline of her frilly, lace panties.

  “Carteeer!” my name pours out in a long sigh as I begin to delve my fingers into the heart of her passion. Soaking wet, she gyrates her hips upward to meet my stroking fingers.

  Thick thighs and heat envelop my hand as she encloses them in the cradle of her warmth. Probing fingers manipulate her temple until she can't take it. The pleased sighs and moans drive me. I want more.

  Leaning over, I pry her thighs open so I can see how pretty and pert her clit is. Alieas attempts to close her thighs again.

  Swiftly and lightly, I smack her thigh. “Hold them open. I wanna see how much you want me,” I gruffly instruct, inspecting her overflowing juices.

  “Any— Anything, babe. It's whatever you say,” she deliciously obeys, arching up, spreading her apart further.

  Torn between everything I could indulge in at the moment, I listen to her wanton pleas for me not to stop. As I lean down, Alieas arches up and in a quick maneuver, I bury my face in between her thighs, piercing her core with my talented tongue. After licking every quaking inch of her, I French kiss her lady lips and top it off with a lingering, smacking kiss.

  Alieas mildly protests when I make a motion to move away to shed my clothes. It only takes a moment, but impatient as she is, Alieas sits up and pokes her lip out in a pout that has me sliding down to kiss her.

  Our lips mingle, our tongues mate as we descend into the plush sofa. A month ago, she was afraid to taste her own juices; today, she frantically binds me to her, tangling her long arms around my neck. And we kiss, just loving the feel of our warm bodies pressed together as one.

  Turn your lights down low…

  Never—never try to resist…

  Oh no…

  …Oh let your love come shining in...

  Lieas begins to sign along with Lauryn Hill. The CD disc charger must have switched the player after the last song ended on the mixed CD. She winds her hips to the reggae tune, breathing the lyrics into my ear.

  “...I love ya… I love ya. And I want you to know right now…

  …That IIIIII… That I ahahahahah. I wanna give you some love.

  I wanna give you some good—good loving…

  Oh, I—Oh I.

  I wind my hips against her as Lieas clamps her legs around my waist. I press into her waiting softness. She sings, not missing a note as the moist flesh yields to me. Her heat envelops me, pulls me in deeper. I press my forehead to hers and she opens her eyes. Our eyes lock and those sexy lips of her curve into a seductive smirk that matches the daring gaze. Alieas’ breath catches as I press deeply into her. Moaning, she picks right back up on Lauryn’s rap.

  This potion might…

  This ocean might…

  Carry me in a wave of emotion

  To ask you to marry me..

  That line reaches inside me and tightens its hold on my heart.

  I never knew love like this. I get lost in the feel of her beneath me, wrapped around me. Impatiently, I reach out to link our fingers. Pushing our joined hands into the bed above her head, I pound into her. The need to sate this all consuming desire that I have for her has me stroking Lieas into a quick and fenzied orgasm.

  Lieas giggles a little as she comes. And her recovery doesn’t take long. When she is ready, we stroke our way through Dru Hill, Silk, and R. Kelly before I finally collapse on top of her.

  Fifteen

  November 2002

  Carter

  “Whatever, Carter,” Alieas laughs. “Hands down, the best show ever. Not taking opinions.”

  I can imagine her smile as her voice cheerfully declines my thoughts on her favorite TV shows. So, basically, her favorite shows are, in this order:

  1. A Different World. Says Whitley reminds her of her mom, and that kind of cracks me up ‘cause Mrs. Stiles damn sure does. And Dwayne and Whitley's wedding is her all time favorite episode in T.V. history.

  2. Sex and the City. She has Carrie and Big fever and loves NYC.

  3. The Jeffersons ‘cause Florence's mouth is slick as shit, and she ain't never get fired.

  4. Is a three-way tie between Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Charmed, and Dawson's Creek. For some odd reason, she couldn’t choose between any of these whack-ass shows.

  And 5. Amen, ‘cause she loves Thelma's struggles to get Ruben to notice and fall in love with her.

  I entert
ained her by watching Buffy and Charmed a couple times, but there’s no way in hell as a black man that I’m watching some teen soap opera ass drama like Dawson's Creek.

  “Please. And how you not taking opinions when this topic is especially about our personal favorites? I’m entitled to my own thoughts. And I don't see how you don't like The Sopranos but Godfather II is one of your favorite movies,” I shoot back.

  “It’s not the same. And Tony got eer' nigga out here thinking they a part of the mob,” she asserts.

  “True that. I guess it's the same for women and Lifetime,” I breathe. And speaking of Lifetime, we both love cooking shows. So much so that we're exploring international cuisines by trying out recipes in cookbooks from different cultures. “I grabbed a new cookbook while I was at the library with Bug. Now, are you cooking dinner t'night or am I?”

  We've fallen into a rhythm. She stays at my house a couple nights a week, and I stay at her place when Mira is with my parents. It feels natural. Like she belongs there with us.

  “I thought we were making Italian. Every day, I'm closer to thinking you love your women barefoot and pregnant.”

  Barefoot and pregnant… I've never been a male chauvinist, so that is not true. If being a provider and a protector who is respectful and demands the same is perpetuating this conclusion, I might be doing something wrong. And pregnant— well, we haven’t discussed having children together. We both know we eventually want a larger family, but for right now, Lieas is on birth control. “I love my woman. That much is true. I prefer you in heels, though. And if you wanna cook naked, you won't hear me complaining.” In fact, I’m weaving together a fantasy of her in heels and an apron, and it has me hot, instantly aroused.

  “Maybe I can whip up some dessert once Mira goes to sleep.” The offer comes out in a seductive whisper.

  “Think we can meet at lunch for a quickie?” I'm already calculating how long it’s going to take to get to our spot in the park.