by Nique Luarks
I laughed. “What?”
“Mmhm…” she mumbled. “And I remember what I was wearing.”
“Tights, a pink tank top, and some white flip flops.” I answered. “I remember that day too. You came outside with that damn ice pop trying to be cute and shit. You had all the hood nuts eyeing yo thick ass.”
She rolled her eyes.
“They were. So, you know I had to make claims quick.” I winked at her.
Chance laughed. “Is that why you sat on my porch with me until it was time for me to go in?”
I frowned, grabbing the wine bottle. “You damn skippy.”
“See? You’ve always been a hater.”
“Nah, but on a serious note, I love you. And I appreciate all the little shit you do for me.”
“And the big?” She eyed me.
Sexy ass...
“There ain’t enough words to express my gratitude.” I ran my thumb slowly across her jaw line. “Just know I got you for life even when we at odds.”
Chance leaned forward. “Apologize.”
“I apologize for making you feel unappreciated and making you cry all the time, not keeping you safe, and not listening to you.”
She took another long sip but kept her gaze on me.
“I wanna be your best friend again. What I gotta do? How can I get us back right?”
“Don’t lie to me.” Her stare hardened. “And don’t play with my emotions because you know I love you.”
“You got my word.” I promised, pulling her seat closer to mine.
She held her pinky out and I smacked my lips. “Pinky swear right now.”
I hooked our pinkies and then locked our fingers into B’s.
She laughed, shaking her head. “Do you always have to be so thuggish?”
I shrugged. “I’ma gangsta, baby.”
7
Mindful…
Chance
“Jelly, grab the door for me!” True yelled from the shower.
I rolled out of his bed and picked up Carlee. “You hear your daddy yelling like he ain’t got no sense, Mama?”
She only stared back at me.
“Chance!”
“I heard you, True.” Kissing Carlee’s cheek, I started for the door.
I hadn’t heard the doorbell or a knock, so I wasn’t sure who was on the other side when I reached the landing. Adjusting Carlee comfortably in my arms, I made my way to the door. Once I looked through the peephole and saw Nisha, I stepped back to take a breather. I’d been having a great couple of days. Whatever drama Nisha was coming with was going to mess up my entire vibe.
After putting any ill feelings I had towards baby mama number three out my mind, I popped the locks and pulled the door open.
“Where True at?” Nisha fixed the hood on Carter’s jacket.
After unlocking the screened door, I took a step back to let them in since it was chilly out. “He’s in the shower.”
She shut the door. “I just talked to him.”
That must’ve been why he told me to get the door before I heard it.
“He should be getting out soon.” I pecked the top of Carlee’s head as I led the way towards the family room. I loved my baby’s soft, curly hair. She had a lot of hair too.
Nisha sat down and began removing Carter’s coat. “I told that nigga I had somewhere to fuckin’ be.”
Carter’s little cute self stared around the room as she fussed.
“He shouldn’t be long.”
“Nah, his ass just moves on his time like other people don’t have shit to do.” She looked up at me. “Are you babysitting?”
“No.”
“Then why are you here?” She looked me up and down.
“Why is that any of your business?”
“What up?” True trekked into the room with grey sweats and house shoes on. He still had water residue on his chest and biceps.
“Damn, baby daddy, you doing it like that?” Nisha purred.
My eyes dropped down to the thick dick print between his thighs. He clearly didn’t have on any underwear.
Really, True?
I started to walk past him, but he stopped me. “Let me see my baby.” He reached for Carlee.
Before handing her over, I kissed her arm.
“Jelly bean...” He pecked her cheek. “You wanna meet your big brother?”
Nisha kissed her teeth and I faced her.
“What you smacking yo gums for?” True asked, bouncing Carlee gently. “Bring me my son.”
I left the room as Nisha stood up.
“What you ‘bout to get into?” Thirty minutes later True stood in the door way holding Carter.
“Nothing. Probably pop some popcorn and watch a movie.” I yawned. “Where’s my baby?”
“Sleeping.”
I laid on my side.
“I’m ‘bout to get Carter dressed and drop him off wit’ Granny.” He held Carter up over his head and bounced him.
“Okay.” I rose up. “Can I hold him?”
True looked shocked for a minute. His eyebrows dipped in confusion, but then he quickly fixed his face. “Uh...yeah. If he’ll come to you.”
I got up. “Hi, Carter,” I cooed standing next to them. “Can I hold you, lil man?” I gave his little leg a soft squeeze. “Looking like Chase.”
Surprisingly, he fell into my arms.
“Awww...” I put him on my hip. “You know good people, huh?”
True chuckled. “That lil’ nigga ain’t nothing like Chase when he was that small.”
“No?” Carter wrapped his small hand around my index finger.
“He a fuckin’ crybaby.”
I giggled. “He’s a baby. Carter, tell him to stop hating on you.” I grabbed the baby monitor off the dresser and followed True out of the room I’d been sleeping in.
“Don’t nobody wanna hear that shit all the time.” He tossed over his broad shoulder.
“I haven’t heard him cry once.” I kissed his forehead.
“That’s ‘cause I been holding him. Nisha’s ass babies him all day.”
‘Cause he’s a baby.
I hugged Carter. He was too cute for his own good. True thought he had it bad with Chase, but I couldn’t wait until Carter started walking and talking. I laughed. True had four kids and each one of them were going to give him hell.
“What you giggling about?” True asked from his closet.
“Nothing.” I sat Carter down in the middle of the bed and made a pillow fort around him. “Can you bring me another bottle of wine back?”
I didn’t want to take Carlee in and out of the cold. Her immune system, though much better, was still weak. I couldn’t risk her catching a cold. That hospital stay was enough to last me a lifetime. I loved having my baby at home.
“Yeah, I got you.”
“Thank you.” I pinched Carter’s cheek. “See you later, little man.”
Leaving his room, I went to check on Carlee. She was sound asleep. It was crazy and a little annoying how she would go right to sleep for True. All he had to do was rock her a little and whisper to her. Then she was out like a light. I left the nursery and headed back for my room to take a nap too.
Picking my phone up from the bed, I took a seat and placed the baby monitor on the night stand. A text alert from Drew popped up on the screen. Clenching my jaw, I unlocked my phone. I’d forgotten to place both her and Morgan on the block list. Clicking on the message, I shook my head in irritation.
Drew: And I’ma still fuck yo BD bitch
True
“Look at this family man.” Drake laughed as we locked B’s. “Don’t you got bottles to make and diapers to change?”
Roman chuckled as we locked up. “This nigga’s a comedian.”
“I’m already knowin’. What y’all niggas got up, though?” I took a seat on Drake’s couch.
“Winning this niggas money. Sorry ass.” Drake grabbed a PS4 remote and then sat down in a leather recliner.
“Nig
ga, meet me on a real basketball court.” Roman lit a blunt.
“Yeah, yeah, we all know you could’ve played pro ball.” Drake waved him off.
I chuckled. “Y’all niggas argue more than a married couple.”
“That’s him.” Roman reached for the second controller. “But that ain’t what I called you here for. This sideshow is just a bonus.”
Drake stopped what he was doing on the game. “This nigga just call me a sideshow?”
I passed the L to him. “So, what’s up?”
“Ole boy.” Roman stared at me. “That nigga, Haze? He been moving around like shit sweet. I know you been waiting for the heat to wear off. But he feelin’ hisself.”
“Doing it big at the strip club and shit.” Drake took the blunt from Ro. “We bumped into that nigga last night. You know I had to leave an impression.” He smirked.
Roman chuckled. “Nigga hit him over the head with a bottle.”
I tossed my chin up out of respect.
“He a bitch.” Drake shrugged. “One of the lil’ chicks he was wit’ is a bust down. She told me that nigga in town for the weekend celebrating one of his homies getting married. You know hoes be pillow talkin’.” He took a pull from the blunt. “They gon’ be out tonight.”
“Ah, yeah?” I stroked my chin. “Bet.”
♫ “Niggas say no cap, but they be pretending
FaceTiming my jeweler, ask him what I'm spending
Take a couple seats 'cause this a couple tickets
I never lie to kick it, murderer but not convicted” ♫
I stood with my back against the wall as I watched the club go up. Half-naked bitches were going crazy. They were popping pills, snorting coke, and drinking. Bitches were straight wildin’. Drake loved the shit too. My eyes surfed the crowded building before I tapped Roman twice and walked off towards a section.
“Wassup, True?” A little bitch from around the way jumped in my path.
I pushed her back some. “What’s good, shorty?”
“Nothing. Can me and my girls chill wit’ you tonight?”
I looked past her to see Haze stepping out of one of the VIP’s, talking on the phone. Wrapping my arm around her shoulders, I pulled her close. “What’s your name?”
“Asia.”
“You wanna do me a solid, Asia?”
“Umm...”
I removed a roll of blue faces out of my pocket and her eyes lit up.
“W-what…what you need?” Shorty might as well have been slobbering the way she was eyeing the paper.
Putting my lips to her ear, I smiled. “You see that section right there?”
“Yeah.”
“Go in there and see if you can make a friend and then have one of your home girls come find me before you leave. Wait a minute and then go. A’ight?”
Her head bounced up and down quickly.
“Go sit at the bar for a second.” I handed her the roll before turning back around and disappearing into the crowd.
“Everything straight?” Roman looked around when I approached him, Drake, and now, Royal.
I found my place back on the wall. “We good.”
He chuckled, shaking his head. “I told her hard-headed ass to stay in the house.”
I followed his gaze and when mine landed on Chance and Ava, I frowned.
“You know Ava don’t listen to nobody.” Drake laughed. “She got more balls than a lot of niggas I know.”
Ro pushed off the wall and headed towards them. My gaze stayed on Chance Breon. She sashayed through the club smiling, showcasing her perfect pearly whites. The tight jeans, red heels, and white, ruffled half shirt she had on made me frown. When she noticed Roman, her smile dropped and her red lips formed into a pout.
Roman pointed in my direction and our eyes locked. Reluctantly, she followed him and Ava as they made it over to us. Chance crossed her arms and looked down at the floor. I pushed off the wall and took a few steps until I was in front of her. Wrapping my right hand around her neck, I leaned down and pulled her ear to my lips.
“Where’s my jelly bean?”
Her body shuddered. “With my mommy. She stopped by while Ava was there.”
I gave her neck a soft squeeze and then let go. “What happened to popcorn and movies?” Widening my stance, I crossed my arms and stared down at her fine ass.
Chance shrugged before taking a sip of the liquor in her cup. “Ava didn’t want to come alone. Erin won’t be back from Minnesota until next week.”
I wrapped my arms around her neck and licked my lips. “We ‘bout to go home.”
She sighed. “I’m not. You can, though.”
Ah, yeah?
I smirked, and she looked off. When her body tensed, I followed her gaze. Haze shuffled back to the VIP with Asia’s arm hooked in his. Chance’s head snapped back in my direction. The angry look on her face made me chuckle.
“Is that why you’re here?”
Turning our bodies so her back was against the wall, I placed a hand on each side of her head.
“True, let it go.” She looked up at me.
I stared into her eyes. “You know I can’t do that.”
“You can. Your ego won’t let you.” She gripped my chin. “Let it go. What he did wasn’t right, but I put myself in that position.”
“Fuck all that.” I glanced around. “That nigga disrespected you.”
“And Nisha and Quindelle did too.” Chance shot back. “More than once. But that was because of you, which is why I let you handle them. Let me handle Haze.”
I mugged her. “What happened to you not caring? You still fuckin’ wit ‘em?” Chance was about to get fucked up if she even hinted around still entertaining that nigga.
“He doesn’t deserve to die or be hurt. He acted out of anger.” She let me go. “And he apologized.”
I checked my surroundings again. “So?”
“So, I’m asking you to please let me take care of it. Can you do that for me? I don’t ask for much from you.” I could barely hear her when her voice softened. “But I’m begging you to let me talk to Haze.”
I shook my head and looked up at the lights on the ceiling. Chance hugged my torso. She was asking too much of me. I couldn’t let Haze slide. He’d dug his own grave.
“True, please.”
“Chance, we’re going to IHOP. Y’all coming?” Ava stood next to us.
My eyes dropped back down to my jelly. The slick bun in her head was one of my favorite hairstyles on her. I liked when her hair was out of her face. Her weaves were cool, but I preferred her natural hair.
“Are you coming?” Chance asked me. Her eyes pleaded for me to say yes.
I looked to the packed VIP. If I left there was a great chance I wouldn’t get to Haze, at least not tonight. And I was done giving that nigga passes. I reached into my pocket for my phone the same time it vibrated. I opened the text from Drake and read it.
D: I got you.
“Yeah,” Chance answered Ava, squeezing me. “You coming?”
8
Cold blooded
Chance
“It’s good to see you back.” Erica let herself in my office with a wide smile plastered on her face.
I chuckled. Her goofy energy was always contagious. “It feels good to be here.”
Thanks to Keri, I was able to focus on my personal life while she took care of business. She’d been handling schedules, payroll, and even new hires. Of course, I checked the books to make sure everything was legit, but she’d been on top of everything. True would stop at each shop once a week and even reported back that she’d been holding it down. I was truly thankful for Keri, which was why I wanted to do something special for her.
“That new baker dude is fine.” Erica grinned, taking a seat. “He asked me to lunch.”
Shaking my head, I shuffled through a stack of papers. “Don’t let Drake find out.”
She kissed her teeth. “I’m not worrying about Drake Jahlil Morris. We’re finished.”
“Why? What happened.” I began making separate piles.
“Morgan.”
My eyes shot up and landed on hers.
“She texted him while he was sleep and I read their messages.”
I sighed.
“He claims it’s nothing, but I’m not nowhere near stupid. His ass is guilty, so he brought over this big-ass cake that I stomped on with my bare feet right in front of him.” Erica was trying to sound tough, but I could hear the disappointment in her soft chords.
“Erica...” I felt responsible since Morgan was my friend at the time.
“It’s cool, Chance. You can’t control what other people do. I knew he was a man whore from the jump.” She shrugged. “I mean he is a Morris.”
I nodded. “Morgan is still wrong, though.”
“She doesn’t owe me no loyalty. And to be for real, Drake don’t either. We’re not even in a committed relationship.”
“But I know how much you’re feeling him.”
She waved me off seemingly unfazed. “I just wish I could’ve been at the shop, so I could’ve got me a couple of licks in.”
I laughed.
“Did her and her sister really jump you?” Erica leaned forward. “When Erin told me what happened I didn’t believe her. I thought you and Morgan were super tight.”
We were...
Or at least that’s the assumption I’d gotten all of these years.
“Morgan isn’t important,” I mumbled. “How’s school?”
Erica was a freshman at Clark Atlanta. Erin was so proud of her.
“I love it. I’m glad I made the choice to go to an HBCU. The parties be so lit. And the niggas...” She rubbed her hands together playfully like Birdman and I cracked up. “Chance, I’ve been in heaven. I told Rome to apply, but you know her.”
Erica and Rome were sisters-in-law and practically best friends. But they were complete opposites in a lot of ways. Erica was spoiled and outgoing versus Rome who was independent and reserved.
“Umm...Chance.” Keri poked her head into my office. The look on her face had me on high alert immediately.