Trust A Broken Heart

by Ivy Symone

  With guilt, Nola finally had the courage to look Dinky eye to eye. Sure, he genuinely wanted some of her food, but Nola also knew this was his way of getting a moment with her without it looking suspicious.

  “What Dinky?” she asked in a low voice.

  Dinky was wearing a taunting smirk. “You tell him yet?”

  She shook her head, then lowered it with shame.

  “Nola, you gotta tell him.” His voice was condemning.

  Nola could feel her breathing begin to labor and her heartbeat quicken. “I’m scared.”

  “What’s to be scared of? Get that shit over with, Ma.”

  Nola walked upon Dinky whining and distraught. “Not now. And why haven’t you had your talk with him yet?”

  Dinky laughed. “Shit, I’m scared too. That’s my cousin and I know how he can be.”

  Dinky looked down at Nola’s stomach. “How much longer you got before everybody else, including Bebe, will know?”

  She shrugged her shoulders and let her hand glide over her already pudgy belly.

  Dinky chuckled lightly. “I’d tell him myself, but I think it needs to come from you. But, if you don’t say shit soon, I ain’t gon’ have no choice.”

  “Why can’t you just tell him? He already don’t like me. Coming from you—”

  “Don’t like you? Are you serious?” Dinky was flabbergasted. “Don’t you know before you came over there, and before that nigga laid down on the couch, he was at the window when dude was at your house?”

  “That’s just him being nosey though,” she dismissed.

  “Or maybe his obsession,” Dinky suggested.

  Nola laughed. She backed up against the counter folding her arms over her breasts. “The only thing Bebe is obsessed about is what I’m cooking and trying to control me as his sons’ mother.”

  “There you go! That control is his obsession. Which is why you need to go on and give him the news before shit get uglier than it has to be.”

  Nola cogitated the idea of coming clean to Bebe, but for some reason, she was absolutely terrified to talk to him. She knew what she had to tell him would piss him off. He probably would stop speaking to her for a while, but he would forgive Dinky.

  Before Nola could respond back, someone was knocking at the back door while pushing it open at the same time.

  “Hey!” Nephia called out. “I hope you don’t mind, but I was…”

  Nephia’s voice had trailed off as she saw the seriousness on Nola’s and Dinky’s faces. She even felt the thickness of dilemma in the air. She looked between the two, and asked, “Am I interrupting something here?”

  Nola offered her a friendly smile, “Naw. We were just talking.”

  Searching for an answer, Nephia looked at Dinky.

  “What’s up,” he murmured.

  A flash of suspicion crossed Nephia’s face, but she quickly dismissed the notions circling in her mind. She turned back to Nola. “I wanted to get me some of that food. You have more?”

  “Of course,” Nola said, happily obliging Nephia’s want. She busied herself with preparing a plate.

  Nephia looked to Dinky again. “Who is this new girl Bebe talking to?”

  “That’s some broad he met through Facebook some years ago,” Dinky said casually.

  “So, he keeps adding to his rotation, huh?” she joked.

  Dinky’s expression dulled. “Is that a problem?”

  Nephia appeared contrite. “It’s not a problem. It’s just…”

  Dinky blew a frustrated puff of air. “It’s all good, Neph.”

  “Dinky, I’m not worried about what Bebe do,” she tried to explain.

  “I said it was cool,” he stated. “You ain’t gotta explain nothing to me. That’s your boy.”

  Nephia didn’t have a comeback.

  Dinky threw his hand up toward Nola. “A’ight Ma. Thanks for the food. Y’all be easy.”

  “A’ight. You be careful,” Nola called out to him as he exited through the back door.

  Nephia turned around with her mouth dropped open.

  Nola snickered. “What was that all about?”

  “Guys are just as complex as women,” Nephia stated. “I swear. And then you try not to be misleading and make them think there’s something there when there isn’t. I just don’t know what to do.”

  Nola placed the serving utensil she was using to scoop the food out onto the stove. She placed one hand on her hip, and grinned. “You and Dinky?”

  Nephia shook her head emphatically. “No! Uh-uh…No!”

  “Why you gotta say it like that?”

  “It’s just…Well, that’s Bebe’s cousin…”

  “So!”

  Nephia laughed. “You know how Bebe can be.”

  “Fuck Bebe,” Nola spat. “His entitled ass is getting on my nerves. He act like he’s the regulator or some shit around here. That’s why his ass fell out that tree and broke his damn leg…with his hateful ass.”

  Nephia continued to snicker.

  “Anyway,” Nola sighed. “Dinky is a cool dude. Go on and get with him and tell Bebe to kiss yo’ ass.”

  “Should I discuss it with Bebe beforehand to get his approval?” Nephia asked meekly.

  “Girl, what I say! Fuck Bebe! He doesn’t run shit! Do he run shit by you before he talk to whoever and fuck whoever? Fuck him.”

  Nephia burst into laughter.

  “You better get’chu some of that Dinky dick and be happy,” Nola said. She started moving about in the kitchen again, this time finding something to pour Bebe’s drink in. “So, who’s the girl y’all was talking about with Bebe?”

  “Dinky said some girl Bebe met on Facebook a while back,” Nephia answered.

  “Hmph,” Nola grunted.

  “How does that really make you feel?” Nephia asked.

  Nola gave an indifferent shrug.

  “Nola, you’re giving me all of this advice and telling me to forget Bebe’s ass, but what about you? How long are you gonna—”

  Nola groaned. “Oh, come on! Not yo’ ass too. I’ve already heard this today.”

  “Well, if someone else is telling you this then there’s gotta be some truth to it,” Nephia reasoned.

  Since being brought into Bebe’s circle, Nephia had grown the most comfortable with Bebe’s twin sister, Bless and now there was Nola. Their friendships blossomed because of their interaction and support of Kennedi. If one of the ladies weren’t able to get Kennedi to and from her dance classes, the other one was doing it. And they all, including Bebe’s mother, stepped in to be the motherly influence that was missing in Kennedi’s life.

  “Look,” Nola started carefully. “I still do my own thing. I’m not waiting around on Bebe; it’s just…there’s a very strong connection there. Isn’t that why you’re still around as his ‘friend’ without demanding more.”

  Nephia’s face screwed up with question. “Wait…What are you trying to say?”

  “Bebe is who he is, and for whatever reason, women magnetize to him. It’s probably because he blatantly doesn’t want none of our asses like that and it’s like a polarized effect.”

  “Apparently he wants you because he put two babies in you,” Nephia joked.

  Nola sucked her teeth. “Girl please. Niggas put babies in bitches every day and be with the next hoe. Me having his kids don’t mean anything; I’m just grateful that we’re able to co-parent and get along as well as we do.”

  Nephia cleared her throat and asked cautiously, “I’m curious; do y’all still mess around on a regular basis?”

  Nola gave it some thought before answering. She knew around other people, Bebe rarely discussed his private relationship with her. In fact, it was almost nonexistent. He treated her no different than he treated Stefani. To him, they were just the mother of his children.

  Nola shook her head. “No. We just messed around the two times I got pregnant. And both times he had been drinking. I just happened to be ovulating and boom! Pregnant!”

  �
�Just like that.”

  Nola echoed, “Just like that.”

  “I don’t believe you.”

  “And I don’t care,” Nola retorted in a playful manner.

  Nephia sighed. “Well, let me get out of here. I gotta get home to the kids. Thank you for the food.”

  “No problem,” Nola said extending the securely wrapped plate out to Nephia.

  As soon as Nephia was out the door, Nola retrieved her phone and sent Bebe a text.

  Send someone to get your drink

  Then she thought about the boys and quickly sent another text

  And tell them to bring Yanis. Is Mikael staying with you tonight?

  Bebe was already texting back: You’re not coming back over here?

  Nola: No, I’m tired

  That was far from the truth. Dorian’s and Nephia’s words were affecting her. Had they been words she was hearing for the first time; she would dismiss them. However, different people have been lecturing her about the same thing for the past couple of years. Usually, it was nothing for Nola to tell them to mind their fucking business, but they were right. Something had to give. She couldn’t continue to be foolish behind Bebe.

  He let it be known that no one could ever replace Miki many times, so, Nola never tried. She thought she had given him enough space, but all he ever kept doing was throw woman after woman right in her face. And now here he was excited about talking to yet another woman.

  The catering stopped today!

  ~~~~~~~~~~

  Another restless night. There were so many thoughts going on in Bebe’s head. What was Dorian doing over Nola’s earlier? That nigga had been showing up a lot lately. Bebe was aware of Dorian’s and Nola’s friendship, and though he had no right to tell her who she could and couldn’t associate with, he loathed the thought of her sleeping with Dorian or any other man. Period.

  Did that qualify for the jealousy Nephia spoke about? Or was it possessiveness? He couldn’t possess Nola if he never staked his claim, right? She was a free for all. She didn’t belong to him. But she was his two youngest sons’ mother. Didn’t he have some say in that?

  Again, those were his selfish thoughts when it came to Nola. Maybe it was time that he stopped ignoring his overwhelming emotions for her and outright declared his love. But the idea of being attached again scared the shit out of him.

  Sitting on his nightstand, his phone alerted him to a new message received. He grabbed it to see that it was Keyma.

  You sleep?

  He hit her back: Nah can’t sleep

  Keyma: What’s the matter?

  Bebe: A lot of shit on my mind. Why are you up?

  Keyma: Same so I got up to work a little

  Bebe: You still do event planning?

  Keyma: Yep putting together ideas now for this gender reveal

  Bebe: You got your work up on your page?

  Keyma: It’s on my Instagram @keymaskreationz

  Bebe: Gotta check it out. Might need you to put together a couple of things for me soon

  Keyma: For?

  Bebe: One is my son’s first bday July 4th

  Keyma: That’s around the corner. Let me know as soon as possible so I can pen you in. I don’t usually do major holidays outside of my own but since it’s his actual birthday I’ll do it for you

  Bebe: Bet now I just gotta convince his mama lol

  Keyma: lol really?

  Bebe: Yeah, she ain’t into shit like that. She keep things simple

  Keyma: Really? How old is she?

  Bebe: 31

  Keyma: She’s young!

  Bebe: Not her soul. She don’t believe in all of that over the top stuff

  Keyma: So how did the second baby happen?

  Bebe: Actually, it’s the same girl I had my other son with when we were talking

  Keyma: Oh

  Bebe heard the sound of a car pulling up outside. Once the engine died, and the car door shut, he could tell that it was very close. Placing his phone aside, Bebe carefully got up not wanting to bump his leg against anything, but he hurried to peek out of his bedroom window.

  It was Dorian in Nola’s driveway again!

  “Da fuck!” Bebe exclaimed aloud. He watched as Dorian made his way to the front door. He didn’t even knock or ring the doorbell; he was allowed to just walk in which meant Nola was waiting at the door for him already.

  Bebe went back to his bed to snatch up his phone. He abandoned his text thread with Keyma and found Nola’s. He sent her a text.

  I see you got company again

  Bebe tried to relax and lay back down. He even started channel surfing on the television, periodically checking to see if Nola had responded.

  The three minutes it took for her to respond seemed like three hours to Bebe.

  Nola: Mind yo business nigga

  Annoyed, Bebe groaned in frustration. She could really irritate the fuck out of him.

  He text: I’ll be over there in a minute

  Nola: Go yo cripple ass to sleep! (several crying laughing emojis)

  She thought he was playing. He got back up searching frantically in his dark bedroom for his one slide and a shirt to throw on. Less than a minute later, he was hobbling down the hallway to his kitchen.

  Having Nola next door was like having an extended part of his house. They often left their back doors unlocked, and everyone traveled back and forth between houses. Nola even had a doggy door installed so that Shadow could freely go between houses as he pleased.

  After trekking across the back yards, Bebe let himself in through Nola’s backdoor which opened into her dimly lit kitchen. The food she had cooked earlier still faintly lingered in the air conflated with the evidence of thorough cleaning. Nola was usually a lazy person and got to her chores whenever she felt like it, but whenever her house was spotless, Bebe knew she was bothered. That was something he had learned about her earlier on; especially if she changed into a homemade dress she created by sewing together a maroon t-shirt and a maroon, floral-patterned skirt. Bebe knew to just steer clear of her for a couple of days and give her some space.

  Before making his presence known, he tried to listen for any signs of them and what they were doing. He could hear them talking coming from her living room. Confident that they weren’t engaged in anything sexual, Bebe made his way to where they were.

  Nola coolly turned in his direction, wearing a smirk. That let him know that she was aware that he had entered the house. Dorian shot him an angry scowl. To Bebe’s surprise, Shadow was already present player-hating and blocking the nigga.

  “You just had to come over here, huh?” Nola teased.

  “I came for Shadow,” Bebe lied.

  Nola let off a dubious grunt.

  From what Bebe could see, Dorian and Nola were just standing in the living room. Nola wasn’t wearing that raggedy dress, but she was in a pair of tight gray cotton shorts and a matching tank tee. Nothing prevented her nipples from pressing against the fabric of her shirt, and the fatness of her center was on display. Shouldn’t any man get to see her like that unless she was fucking him. Those were Bebe’s thoughts, and he suddenly became infuriated; however, he had to keep his cool in front of Dorian.

  “Where yo’ clothes at?” Bebe asked.

  Nola started laughing. “Boy, don’t start with me.”

  “I see homie on that trip shit,” Dorian mumbled under his breath.

  “What’chu say?” Bebe spat as he neared them. Now Shadow was on high alert and started getting worked up.

  “Don’t you start too,” Nola warned Shadow. She looked at Bebe. “You and your dog need to carry y’all asses on back next door.”

  “Naw, what that nigga say?” Bebe asked again.

  Nola could see that Bebe was ready to square up with Dorian despite his disadvantage. And for what? “Bebe, the boys are sleep. Please don’t wake them up, okay?”

  Dorian chuckled while shaking his head. “That’s the shit I’m talking about, Nola. But you got this. Thanks for finding
that for me; I’ll talk to you later, ma.”

  Just to get under Bebe’s skin, Dorian leaned over and placed a kiss on Nola’s forehead, and rubbed her arm lovingly.

  “Okay,” she said softly and began to walk him to the front door. Shadow followed behind her letting out a few rough gruffs.

  Once she locked the door behind Dorian, she turned around tickled. “You and Shadow are a trip. I’ve never seen a dog and its owner be a whole team of cock-blocking and hating.”

  Bebe’s eyes roamed Nola’s body as she walked upon him. “What was he over here for anyway?”

  “His wallet must’ve fallen out earlier and he came back to get it,” she explained.

  Bebe didn’t believe that. “Dude be on some slick shit.”

  “Yeah, well he says the same thing about you,” she countered.

  “Fuck him and the shit he says.”

  Nola cocked her head to side and squinted her eyes in question. “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah.”

  “You sure? Cause—”

  “I’m fine!” he insisted.

  She pointed to her sofa. “Sit down. You’re not okay. You didn’t seem okay earlier…Didn’t I say sit down?”

  He didn’t want to follow her orders, but he really wanted to sit down, so he was a little hesitant. Shadow barked at him. He hated when his own dog went against him. He didn’t know what it was, but Nola had more power over Shadow than he did.

  Bebe pretended to be hesitant, but he plopped down.

  “What’s really bothering you?” she asked as she walked around the back of the sofa. With skill, she began to sensually massage his shoulders and arms.

  Bebe didn’t want to talk anymore; he just wanted to enjoy her talented hands. This wasn’t the first time he had had the pleasure of enjoying one of Nola’s massages. Whenever she felt he was tense or stressed out, she would take it upon herself to ease the tension.

  “Is it the anniversary of Miki’s death?” she asked.

  “It might be.”

  “Bebe,” Nola started. Her hands paused at their task.

  Bebe groaned out in frustration. “C’mon Nola. Don’t start that, okay. I don’t wanna hear any lectures right now.”