The Rolexxx Club - Anniversary Edition

by Meta Smith

  “Yeah, thanks.” Bentley began to relax a little.

  “So my sister told me what happened between you two,” Ginger informed him as she set his plate in front of him. “Yeah?” he answered nonchalantly.

  “Want to hear a story?” Ginger asked him brightly. “What?”

  “Well, Dez and I aren’t blood sisters. I took Dez in when she was sixteen. It was when she first got to Miami,” Ginger explained.

  “You lie just as good as her,” Bentley replied sourly. “You had me fooled. Y’all do look alike, but y’all ain’t real sisters.”

  Ginger silenced him with an intense look. “You know just as well as I do that family ain’t just about blood. So chill and listen to the story. Desi and I are sisters in the strongest sense of the word. We go back a while. When she came to me, I didn’t know she was a runaway or anything, let me just say that. But it probably wouldn’t have mattered to me anyway. I used to be a different woman. Back then I was a dancer, and Desi and I stripped together. A lot of the things she was involved in were due to my influence.”

  “So?” Bentley seemed unaffected. Ginger knew he’d be a tough nut to crack, but she was convinced that she could be a bridge between him and Dez.

  “So you can’t hold her responsible for everything that happened. Some of it was my fault. Now, like I said, I didn’t know she was a kid. If anyone should be mad at her, it should be me, because I committed countless felonies dealing with her. Things I could have gone to jail for. She lied to me big-time. I had her on the beach and drinking and clubbing. Desi was green as hell when I met her. I knew Desiree, not Dez. I know her, you feel me? I know Desi is a good girl, a smart girl, a talented girl. In many ways I saved Desi’s life. Her life hasn’t been easy. She ran away from a foster home she was put in after her stepfather raped and tried to kill her. I’m sure you didn’t know that.”

  “No.” Bentley pushed his food around on his plate.

  “Well, that’s the truth. She’s been to hell and back, and she might have made some mistakes along the way, but she’s sorry. Dez didn’t have any guidance at all growing up. She had to find her way on her own. Even

  you had your brother. She had no one for a long time until she met me. But let me get to the point and tell you something about her. If you let her walk out of your life, you’ll be sorry. She’s special. In many ways she saved my life, and for that I am eternally grateful.” Ginger looked at him with tear-filled eyes.

  “I don’t mean to sound cold, but what does this have to do with me?” Bentley asked her.

  “Look, I’m just trying to show you that Dez is not the horrible person you want to make her out to be. When we lived together, I was really messed up. I knew that the Lord had something better planned for me, but I had no idea what it was or how to do it. I was feeling like a failure. I drank, smoke, and did whatever drugs I could get my hands on to try and forget my pain. See, me and Desi are the same. Our pain comes from the same source, and we’re motivated by the same things. We didn’t have families. We didn’t have homes. I had more of a stable family and homelife than her, and I was a refugee. We both survived horrible sexual abuse. And I don’t rely on that as a cop-out. It explains a lot, but it doesn’t excuse everything, for me or for her. Because once you know better, you should do better, which is so much easier said than done. But I understand her. You would too if you tried.”

  “Your little theory sounds good, but everyone has choices. Dez made some fucked-up ones,” Bentley said.

  “Yes, but everyone also makes mistakes, even you. I used to feel the same way. When I first got saved, I was so judgmental of people who didn’t live the way I thought they should. Especially Dez.”

  “So why did you change your mind?”

  “Because I realized that I was wrong. You know, one night I got really high. I almost OD’d, but Desi took care of me. That night I gave my heart to Jesus. And it wasn’t easy for Desi. I wanted her to change her life just like I was planning to change mine. I must have seemed like the biggest hypocrite. I turned her out, and then I wanted to save her. It messed with her head. She was just a baby, you know. She decided she couldn’t live with me anymore, and that’s when she got involved with Dan.”

  “That’s her fault. You didn’t make her leave.”

  “No. But I wasn’t accepting her for who she was. That’s what love is. Accepting someone as is. I tried to change her, when only God and the person doing the changing can do that. I forced her hand. I promised to help her become a model, and I let her down. I tried to push my dreams onto her, but instead of telling her where I came from, and sharing my experience, I came at her telling her what she had to do. No one responds

  well to that, and you know it. You almost tore my head off when I ordered you around. I hardly know you, imagine how I did Desi.” Thinking about how Ginger came in telling him what he had to do without explaining who she was made Bentley chuckle.

  “Look, I’m not gonna preach to you. But I will tell you this. After I got out of that life, I met a wonderful man that I’m going to marry.” Ginger wiggled her ring finger at him. “It was hard, but I told him my past. He loves me. He’s willing to accept me for who I am now, and not reject me for the things that I’ve done. And trust me, what Dez has done pales in comparison to my escapades. If you love Desi, you’ll do the same. You’ll at least talk to her.”

  “Maybe,” he said slowly, mulling it over.

  “Look, I’m living proof that people can change,” Ginger said. Bentley sat silently digesting what Ginger had told him.

  “Are you a Christian, Bentley?” Ginger asked him, interrupting his thoughts.

  “No doubt.”

  “What’s the best thing Jesus did for us?” She quizzed him like he was one of her Sunday school pupils.

  “He died for us,” Bentley answered smugly. “Very good. And what did that accomplish?”

  “You know,” Bentley said, avoiding the question. “What are you, some kind of Sunday school teacher?”

  “Yes” - Ginger grinned - “I am. And I’ll be marrying a minister in three months. What is your point?”

  “You went from the strip club to Sunday school?”

  “Yeah! Look, it’s like I told you, people change. But this ain’t all about me. To answer the question, when Jesus died, we were forgiven all our sins.” Ginger raised an eyebrow.

  “Well, I ain’t Jesus!” Bentley remarked sardonically.

  “No. You most certainly are not. And it’s a good thing you aren’t. We might still be hell-bound if we had to count on you for forgiveness. Now, if God can forgive the whole world for committing sins far greater than anything Desi’s ever even thought of, can’t you forgive her? Are you better than Jesus?” Ginger put the pressure on.

  “Okay, I get your point. I’ll talk to her. But I’m not making any

  promises. It’s just crazy seeing her all the time and not peaking. It could be bad for business.”

  “Right, business,” Ginger said sarcastically. She could see right through Bentley. He wasn’t a bad guy; he was just young and full of pride.

  “You do love her, don’t you? If you don’t, don’t waste your time or hers. Let her go.” Ginger couldn’t help being protective; she didn’t want to see Dez hurt any more.

  “Yeah, I love her,” Bentley admitted.

  “Can’t help it, can you?” Ginger rubbed his arm in a matronly fashion. “Nah. There’s just something about her...”

  “I know. You were lucky enough to meet the real Desi. Now, be smart enough not to let her walk away,” Ginger said.

  Bentley smiled at her. “You’re something else, you know that?” He cocked his head and looked at Ginger curiously. How was it that some woman he’d never seen was able to get him to talk to Dez when no one, not even Dez herself, could? Bentley chalked it up to her sincerity. Ginger seemed as real as they came. Despite all the God talk, she seemed to be accepting and nonjudgmental, unlike most religious people he knew. It didn’t hurt that she was f
ine too.

  Ginger laughed. “That’s what they say.”

  “Is Dez home?” Bentley inquired. “I got something to tell her.”

  “Yeah, she’s here.” Ginger stayed planted in her seat but yelled at the top of her lungs for Dez to come downstairs. She looked at Bentley and laughed again.

  “You can take the girl out of the ghetto, but you can’t take the ghetto out of the girl.” Ginger grinned and shrugged her shoulders.

  Dez came bounding down the steps in a sports bra and yoga pants. She wanted to look sexy, but she also wanted it to look like she wasn’t trying. Ginger winked at her when she appeared in the kitchen.

  “Bentley. This is a surprise,” Dez lied, feigning shock. “Hey, babe,” he said, smiling at her.

  Babe! He called me babe again! Dez’s heart leapt with joy. She had no idea

  what Ginger had said to Bentley, but she could sense that whatever it was had helped. Bentley stood and crossed the floor to where Dez stood. Her heart was palpitating wildly.

  “I was here to talk to Sparks, but this has everything to do with you.” He grabbed her hand and smiled.

  “What?” Dez could barely utter a syllable. Ginger sat silently spectating from the sideline.

  “I’ve been nominated for several BET Awards,” he began cockily. “That’s great!” Dez replied enthusiastically. She’d been so busy with

  Ginger that she’d forgotten about the nominations announcement. She still saw Bentley as her man and couldn’t help supporting his efforts. She wanted so badly to give him a congratulatory kiss.

  “And one of them is for the song with you! We’ve been nominated for Best Rap Collabo for the remix!” Bentley announced.

  “Oh my God!” Dez shrieked. “You’ve got to be kidding! We’re nominated for a BET Award?” Dez did a little dance and jumped up and down. Ginger hopped up from her chair and hugged Dez with all her might.

  “Oh, Desi! I’m so happy for you! You deserve it. I know you’re going to win!” Ginger cried.

  “You know, without you, I wouldn’t be here,” Dez responded.

  “All that matters is that you’re here,” Ginger answered modestly. “Congratulations, Bentley!” Ginger gave Bentley a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. “Talk to her,” she whispered in his ear before joining their hands and leaving the kitchen with a mischievous smile on her face.

  Bentley looked into Dez’s feline eyes and couldn’t believe that he’d allowed himself to remain angry with her for so long. She was so beautiful and so sweet.

  “Bentley, I’m sorry,” she began.

  He interrupted her apology with a kiss. “Dez, we’ve got a lot to work out. But I do want to work it out. I love you,” he murmured in her ear, stroking her hair as he held her tightly.

  “I love you too,” she whispered back. Then she cast her eyes toward the ceiling and silently mouthed an amen for all her granted blessings.

  LEILANI STOOD AT THE DELTA AIRLINES GATE AT MIAMI

  International Airport, eagerly awaiting Sparks’s arrival. He was one of the last people to exit the plane. He looked exhausted, but Leilani figured that one of her special massages would get his juices flowing. But when she greeted him, she couldn’t help but notice that there was absolutely no passion in his kiss.

  “What’s wrong, Sparky?” she asked him, fearful of his answer. In the few short months they had been seeing each other, Leilani had grown attached to Sparks. At first she had mainly been interested in who he was and what he could do for her. However, she felt no shame about that, because at least what she felt now was real. It was hard for a woman to make it in the entertainment industry, and it’s not like he was interested in her only for her mind. He wanted a trophy, and she provided that service for him. The way she saw it, one hand washed the other. But now she had feelings for him, strong ones. She couldn’t imagine her life without

  Sparks. She thought about him all day and dreamed about him all night. Who would she find better than him? He was the epitome of a man, the pinnacle, a true catch.

  “Can we go somewhere and talk?” he asked her. He hated when she called him Sparky. That name only sounded right coming from Dez’s lips. He was going to cut to the chase, then check into a hotel, handle some business, and head back to New York.

  “Aren’t you staying with me?” she asked.

  “I don’t think that’s such a good idea,” he said softly.

  Leilani stopped walking, dropped his hand, and stood in front of him. “Hold up. What’s the deal? Before, you couldn’t get enough of me. Now you don’t even want to stay with me?” she asked him, her voice getting slightly louder.

  “Can we just go grab a bite to eat and talk about this?” Sparks didn’t want to draw too much attention to himself. He preferred to keep a low profile.

  “I had a feeling something was wrong! Are you going to dump me?” she asked, bypassing the bullshit. This caught Sparks off guard. He’d planned a speech to give her over dinner. He was confident that she would handle the situation like a lady, but he could see that he had overestimated her.

  “You’re fucking dumping me, aren’t you? I could tell something was up from that tired-ass kiss you gave me. Plus, you haven’t been calling me like usual. I knew it!” Leilani screamed. Several people began to point and whisper.

  “Lower your voice, Leilani, please. I said we need to talk, but here is not the place,” he said evenly.

  “Don’t tell me what the place is. The place is where I make it! You’re dumping me, and I want to know why. Does it have something to do with that bitch Dez? She got to you, didn’t she? You all have been fucking, haven’t you?” she asked, jealousy dripping from her lips.

  “Relax, Leilani. Let’s get my bag and get out of here!” Sparks was willing to say or do anything to get her out of the airport and somewhere with more privacy. It was obvious that a restaurant wasn’t going to work either. “Let’s just go to your house.”

  “So you’re not dumping me?” Leilani looked hopeful. Not answering her, Sparks kissed her on the cheek and walked around her toward baggage claim. Crazy broad! he thought.

  Thankfully, his baggage arrived in a short time, and soon they were in Leilani’s convertible and on their way to her apartment. They rode in silence, Leilani staring out the window pensively as she whipped her tiny

  car through the Miami streets. Her almond eyes were narrowed to slits, and her expression was hostile, but when she noticed Sparks looking at her, she gave him a big smile.

  As soon as they were across the threshold of Leilani’s apartment, she pounced. She smothered Sparks with kisses, clawing at his clothes and grinding her pelvis against his. She snaked her hand down to his crotch to get him nice and hard, but something was drastically wrong. His penis was totally limp. “Okay, nigga. You need to explain some shit!” she barked, pushing him away.

  “Leilani, calm down.”

  “I will not fucking calm down, motherfucker. Are you a fag or something? A batty boy? Did you meet someone else? What? What’s the deal? It’s got to be something because there is no way you could not want this!” Leilani said, running her hands across her body.

  “Look, Leilani. I like you, but I think you’re better off with someone else. We aren’t gonna work out.” Sparks decided to come right out with it. Leilani would be mad, but she’d get over it. She was a beautiful girl, she’d meet someone new.

  “Fuck you!” she spat. “That’s bullshit. There’s only one reason why a nigga flips the script all of a sudden, and that’s because he’s fucking somebody else. Who are you fucking?” Leilani’s Jamaican accent appeared out of nowhere, thick as molasses.

  “I’m outta here.” This is too much drama! Sparks thought, picking up

  his cell phone to call a cab. Leilani snatched it and hurled it at the wall, smashing it into myriad pieces.

  “I hate you!” Leilani shrieked. Then she began to rant in patois, spewing forth expletives like a geyser. It was bumbaclot this, batty boy that, and rasclot the o
ther. Sparks observed her tirade, unsure of what to do next. He could try and calm her down, but that probably wouldn’t work. Leilani was liable to haul off and hit him or, worse, try to really hurt him. Then he’d go to jail, because he’d surely kill her crazy ass. He didn’t want to put his label or artists’ careers in jeopardy. A scandal surrounding Dez was one thing, but a scandal surrounding him was another story altogether. Sparks’s thoughts were interrupted by a shoe hitting him squarely upside the head.

  “What the fuck?” Sparks had to stop himself from choking the life out of Leilani. Not an easy task. “Yo, I’m up outta here.” Sparks grabbed his bag, shoved Leilani out of the way, and made his escape. He didn’t care if he had to walk all the way back to New York; he just knew he wasn’t going to spend another minute in Leilani’s presence.