I Heard It All Before

by Chenell Parker

  “Fuck that business. You need to close that shit down and focus on making some real money with Lo,” Asha replied.

  “You sound stupid as fuck!” Randy snapped in anger.

  “Who the fuck are you talking to like that?” Asha yelled.

  “I’m sorry baby, but I need my business to keep up appearances. People are gonna start to wonder how I’m getting so much money without it,” Randy explained.

  “Fuck people Randy. If the business is not making any money, then you’re wasting your time trying to keep it. You’ll be putting out money and not making any in return. I’m not saying that you should close your business right now but, if it don’t make money, it don’t make sense,” Asha argued.

  “Damn man,” Randy said as he sat at the foot of the bed and dropped his head in his hands.

  Cam was right when he said that he wasn’t built for the life that he was trying to live. Randy didn’t think things through when he let Asha pussy whip him into doing what he did. He didn’t know what made him think that Cam was going to continue working for him after finding out what he’d done. He definitely didn’t bank on him opening a business of his own. He didn’t know how that happened, but it had been advertised everywhere he looked for the past two weeks.

  The grand opening was a huge success, per the word on the streets. Cam was not only doing restoration, he was doing paint jobs, body, and fender work; plus, he had a tire shop in the rear. Randy knew that the rumors of him doing well had to be true because he hadn’t seen a customer since Cam and Kobe jumped ship. His other employees were basically sitting around doing nothing. It got so bad one day that Randy had to send them home without pay. He knew that they couldn’t survive like that, and it was only a matter of time before he lost them too.

  Then, there was Nia. He did her wrong for no reason and he was sure that karma was headed his way soon. Nia was so hurt when she called him to ask him if the gossip about him and Asha was true. Her so-called friend and the man that she loved had made a fool out of her and she couldn’t understand why.

  “Look baby, just double up on your order with Lo. You should have more than enough money after my brothers got you right a few months ago,” Asha informed him.

  “Yeah, maybe I will. I have too many bills to be worrying about money problems. See if he can meet with us by Laila’s house next week,” Randy replied.

  He kicked off his shoes and climbed in the bed with Asha, pulling her close to him. He tugged at the night shirt that she had on, and she stopped him before he even tried to get started.

  “Chill out Randy, I’m tired.” Asha yawned while turning her back to him.

  A few weeks ago, Asha was fucking and sucking him like a porn star. She did the same thing every time she wanted to go shopping. The minute he had nothing to give or she didn’t have a motive, sex was out of the question. It was starting to feel like sex was a burden to her, but she denied it every time he mentioned it.

  “I’m going by my mama for a little while. I’ll be back later,” Randy said as he got out of the bed and put his shoes back on. He grabbed his wallet and keys and made his way out of the house.

  ***

  “What exactly do you expect to find by sitting out here watching her house? We’ve done this shit every night for the past few days,” Kobe said to Cam, who was in the passenger side of his car.

  “I don’t know bruh, but some shit just ain’t adding up,” Cam replied.

  “What’s not adding up?” Kobe questioned.

  “I don’t know, but listen,” Cam said before he started running things down to Kobe. “Before I knew that the husband that Demi was referring to was Lo, she told me that Laila’s house is the one that she followed him to. Before I found out that Randy was Asha’s side nigga, she told me her new nigga was making money with Lo.”

  “Okay Perry Mason, what’s your point?” Kobe asked.

  “Quincy is the only nigga that I’ve known Laila to fuck with and he don’t deal with Lo at all. Now, either Laila is fucking Demi’s husband or she’s letting Asha and Randy do business at her house with the nigga. And if that’s the case, cousin or not, I’m done with her. That means that she knew that they were fucking around long before it came out. We’re first cousins, bruh. That shit is just foul,” Cam noted.

  “Aww man, I didn’t even think about that, but the shit makes perfect sense. I thought you were about to say that she’s letting Lo keep his shit at her house or something. Laila dirty as fuck if that’s the case,” Kobe replied.

  “That nigga Lo ain’t keeping his shit at nobody else’s house. He’s too low key to do something like that. Besides, Demi already said that he kept his shit at their own house. That’s why niggas ran up in there and that’s why she left him,” Cam noted.

  “Man but, on another note, the shop is doing good as hell. I’m happy for you, fam. This shit is like a dream come true for you,” Kobe said, giving Cam dap.

  “Man, it really is. I never saw this day coming, but I’m grateful,” Cam replied.

  “I’m grateful for you hooking a nigga up with a job with more pay. Me and Lacey appreciate that, for real. You know we’re trying to start us a family and shit.”

  “That’s what up, but you know I always got your back. I couldn’t be the boss without having my best friend be the manager,” Cam said.

  “I see your other bestie helped my wife decorate your office and shit too,” Kobe said.

  “Yeah, she thinks she know me and what I like, so I let her have it,” Cam laughed.

  “What’s up with you and her anyway?” Kobe inquired.

  “That’s my baby. She’s scared of a nigga, but I can tell that she’s falling in love,” Cam answered.

  “It sounds like she’s not the only one,” Kobe countered.

  “I can’t even lie, I’m getting there. Shit is moving fast as fuck, but that’s how it be sometimes.” Cam shrugged.

  “My wife gave her the green light, so she’s alright with me too,” Kobe said, right as they saw a black Chevy Tahoe pull up and stop in front of Laila’s house.

  Nobody got out of the truck, so they continued to watch and wait. A few minutes later, Asha’s Benz pulled up in the driveway and her and Randy got out of it soon after. They stopped in front of the truck and waited as Lo and Lawrence got out, carrying three large duffel bags.

  “Told you, nigga!” Cam yelled, excited that he was right.

  “That’s fucked up bruh,” Kobe said, shaking his head as he pulled off and drove towards Cam’s apartment.

  “It’s all good man. Laila is a fool for Quincy, so it doesn’t shock me that she’s a fool for his sister. You can’t always define family by blood these days,” Cam replied.

  “Lacey gon’ be pissed when I tell her this shit,” Kobe said as he continued to drive.

  “You already know how she is,” Cam replied, right as his phone rang, displaying Asha’s number. He fell out laughing as he held the phone up and showed it to Kobe.

  “That bitch is scandalous. She’s with her nigga and sneaking off to call you,” Kobe fussed.

  “His stupid ass might be sitting right there while she’s doing it. Asha is a manipulator and Randy is a duck,” Cam replied while declining her call, just like he always did.

  “Ugh!!” Asha yelled when yet another one of her calls to Cam was declined.

  “The fuck is wrong with you?” Lawrence asked when he came and stood on the porch with her.

  Lo and Randy were conducting business, giving Asha time to slip away to call Cam. Lawrence wanted to smoke, so he stepped outside and lit his cigarette.

  “Nothing,” Asha said while slipping her phone in her pocket.

  “Let me ask you a question,” Lawrence said, while looking back at the front door to make sure no one was listening.

  “Okay,” Asha said, turning to face him.

  “What’s up with you and Cam? I know that him and your new nigga were tight, but what happened with y’all?” Lawrence questioned.

 
; “Nothing really happened with us, we just broke up. Cam wasn’t trying to see no real money and I wasn’t trying to be broke.” Asha shrugged.

  “What do you know about the new chick that he fucks with?” Lawrence asked, making Asha’s heart take a nose dive.

  “What new chick?” she questioned.

  “Man, keep this between us Asha, but that nigga Lo is out for blood. Now, I like Cam and we’ve never had any problems, but he’s out of line for fucking with that man’s wife,” Lawrence replied.

  “What!” Asha yelled. “Cam is fucking with Lo’s wife?”

  “The fuck is you getting so loud for,” Lawrence chastised as he looked back at the front door again.

  “How do you know?” Asha asked.

  “This lil bitch I be fucking with put me down on it. She saw them out at a restaurant and she said they go there a lot. Me and Lo rolled up on them not too long ago and shit got ugly. He tried to talk to his wife, but she ended up leaving with Cam. I’ve been trying to talk him off the ledge, but he wants Cam’s head. I don’t know how long I can talk some sense into him before he snaps. Demi is trying to divorce the man and everything,” Lawrence revealed.

  “Who is Demi?” Asha questioned.

  “That’s Lo’s wife,” Lawrence answered. “She’s a lawyer.”

  “A lawyer!” Asha screeched, feeling like she wanted to vomit.

  “Yep, she got her shit together,” Lawrence confirmed.

  Unlike Lo, Lawrence always did talk way too much. He was cool in his own way, but Asha wouldn’t trust him to keep her secrets. Lo would have a fit if he knew that his boy was out there telling her so much of his personal business.

  “So, she’s trying to divorce Lo to be with Cam?” Asha asked as she tried to fight back her tears.

  Now, she knew why Cam never answered whenever she called him. He had moved on and they hadn’t even been separated that long. Granted, Asha had moved on too, but she didn’t love Randy. He was convenient at the time, but now he was starting to get under her skin.

  “I don’t know if that’s why she wants a divorce, but that’s how Lo is taking it. My dude is all fucked up behind that shit. It’s like too much is happening to him all at once. First, some niggas ran up in his house, then his wife leaves him, and now he finds out that she’s fucking with a nigga that he was cool with. There’s only so much a man can take,” Lawrence noted.

  “Damn,” Asha sighed. “Y’all still never found out who ran up in his house?”

  “Nah, but it ain’t like we’re not trying,” Lawrence replied.

  “Cam is dumb as fuck to be risking his life for a bitch,” Asha spat, jealousy evident in her tone.

  “He’s definitely risking his life. And if it wasn’t for me, he’d probably already be dead. I got to follow that nigga Lo around like he’s a child, just to make sure he’s straight. His head is not in the game right now. That nigga sat outside of Cam’s shop for six hours one day, just watching him. That shit ain’t normal. I had to point out all the surveillance cameras to him, just to make sure he stayed his ass in the car. It’s like the nigga is obsessed.”

  “This bitch better look good for them to be fighting behind her and shit.” Asha frowned.

  “It ain’t about looks man. Demi is all that Lo knows. It’s a long story, but I know that he ain’t just gon’ give her up without a fight,” Lawrence assured her.

  “Wow,” Asha said, for lack of anything better to say.

  “I thought about going at Cam on some grown man shit to resolve everything, but Lo is my dude. I can’t go behind his back like that,” Lawrence explained.

  Asha didn’t say anything else because she didn’t have anything to say. She did want to see who this Demi bitch was and what was so special that two fine ass niggas would be fighting over her. That wasn’t even like Cam, so he must have really like her. They both had Asha fucked up though. If they thought they were gonna live happily ever after, they were sadly mistaken. Lo wasn’t the only one who wanted them apart. He now had some help from Asha, even though he wouldn’t know it.

  Chapter 22

  Cam turned off his GPS when he arrived at his destination. He sat in awe as he drove around the winding driveway that led up to the huge house that he’d just parked in front of. The number of acres that the land sat on was impossible to be measured by one man alone. The fresh colorful flowers that surrounded the area looked artificial, but the smells of them all let Cam know that they were real. He felt like he was on the set of a movie looking at one of the houses that was used as a prop.

  After weeks of procrastinating, he’d finally called his grandparents to see what they wanted with him. Cam wanted to decline when they invited him for lunch, but he decided to play nice and accept the invitation. He wished that Demi could have been with him, but she was busy running the streets with Lacey, shopping for the house. Since he had gotten his business up and running, moving into his house, with or without Demi, was his focus. He had a lot on his plate, but he was up for the challenge. The one place that he didn’t want to be was where he was now. His mother told him that he was missing out on his blessings by not having a relationship with his family, and maybe she was right. His father had blessed him from beyond the grave and Cam having a cordial relationship with his grandparents was what he would have wanted. After staring in amazement for a while, Cam exited the car and made his way up the marbled walkway that led to the huge, frosted glass double doors. He lifted his hand to ring the bell, but the door was opened before he had a chance to.

  “Camden, I’m so happy that you could make it,” his grandmother said while giving him a tight hug.

  Cam stiffened for a moment, but he relaxed a bit and greeted her the same way.

  “Thanks for inviting me,” Cam politely replied.

  “Your father would be so pleased. Come on in. Your grandfather is in the dining area waiting on you,” she said while grabbing his hand and leading the way.

  Cam was wowed once again, as he was guided through the expensive but tastefully decorated home. When they got to the dining area, Cam’s grandfather stood up from a long table that was big enough to seat at least twenty other people. He had a huge smile on his face as he walked over and shook Cam’s hand.

  “Camden, it’s good to see you again,” his grandfather said, sounding genuinely happy.

  “Same here,” Cam said with a smile of his own.

  “Are you ready for lunch Camden? I was unsure of what you liked to eat, so I had a few things delivered. I hope this is okay,” his grandmother said while pointing to about ten covered pans that were on warmers in the corner of the room.

  “All of this is for lunch? Are you expecting some more people?” Cam asked.

  “Oh no, I just wanted to make sure that I had a variety for you to choose from. I have seafood, pastas, vegetables, chicken, dressing, and lots of sweets. Your father always told us how much you love sweets. He was the exact same way,” his grandmother replied with a sad smile.

  “Wait a minute Trudy. Before we sit down to eat, I need to show him the real reason for his visit. Follow me out back Camden,” his grandfather instructed while walking away.

  Cam followed him to a four-car garage and waited for him to turn on the lights. Once the area was illuminated, Cam’s eyes damn near bulged out of their sockets. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. It was a classic car lover’s dream and he had to be dreaming. The 1968, fully restored, electric-blue Dodge Charger with white seats that he was staring at was proof of that. He remembered falling in love with the exact same car at the car show that he and his father went to.

  “Your father had it done especially for you before he died. It got delivered a week after he was laid to rest, but he made me promise that I’d see to you getting it. Here, take a look inside,” his grandfather said while handing him the keys.

  Cam was like a kid in a toy store as he got inside and played around with all the features. He didn’t notice it before, but his initials were engraved in the
headrest, giving the car a more personal feel.

  “This bitch is nice. Oh, sorry about that,” Cam said, almost forgetting where he was.

  “It’s okay,” his grandfather chuckled. “I’m just happy you like it.”

  “What’s not to like?” Cam asked.

  “Camden, listen, I know that we haven’t always physically been around, but I want you to know that your grandmother and I love you very much. Granted, we weren’t thrilled when your mother got pregnant, but it had nothing to do with the color of her skin. Your father was a founding partner at a law firm and he was married. Still, when you came along, we were happy because you were a part of us. I admit that I wasn’t the best father to your dad and he obviously followed my lead with you. But, you’re our only grandchild and we want the best for you. Your father already had money in place for you in his will, but I wanted you to have a home and a business of your own. That’s why everything was purchased in my name and transferred over to you. That way, it can never be taken away. God forbid but, if anything ever happens to me or your grandmother, you’ll have even more. After all, you’re our only living heir,” his grandfather said, putting everything out in the open.

  “I’m an adult, so I see things through the eyes of a grown man now. As a child, I just didn’t understand why I was treated like an outcast. I’m not trying to keep living in the past though. I’ve done that enough already and I’m learning to do better. I do wish I would have had more time with my father before he died, but it’s cool. I don’t have any hard feelings anymore,” Cam said, finally freeing himself of the hate that he’d held on to for most of his life.

  For years, Cam had only known his mother’s parents because they were the only ones who wanted him around. His father’s parents had their own lives, but he wasn’t a part of it. Their finances were always there, but they weren’t. Cam saw that they were trying now and the least he could do was meet them halfway.

  “I’m happy to hear that son. Maybe you and Demi can come over for dinner sometimes. No pressure, but if you’re ever free,” his grandfather said.