“Sup, what she say?”
“You got her pregnant? Please tell me you did not get her pregnant.” I felt my lip tremble as my vision got blurry from the tears.
“What the fuck did she say, Bri?”
“Nothing.” I cried. “She acted like she didn’t hear me. Tony, she had a bump. Is it yours?” I felt so weak, like physically. This was too much. A baby and him loving her? The only hope I had was that she never took him back.
“What the fuck you think?” He hissed.
Before I could say anything, he hung up the phone. I tried dialing him back, but after the second time I called, I realized that he blocked me.
I was officially done with his ass. I just wished he’d care that I was.
Camarih
Just three days later… around 5:30 p.m.…
I’d gotten my pay from Club Dose deposited, so after coupling that with the money I’d been saving, mainly from Angel Skin and Tony, I had enough to purchase a pretty nice camera. I’d also made a nice amount of cash from promoting clothes on my social media, but I’d stopped because I didn’t like it. I wasn’t a model, and I wanted people to focus on my brand, not someone else’s. So for now, I would leave the promo to other women of social media, and save that as a back-up plan for a rainy day.
Now that my product sales had begun to increase, I wanted to do better with how I promoted them. Yeah, taking photos of myself, showing how good my skin looked, and how clear the skin on my face was had done some positive damage, but I wanted to increase on that. So, I’d gotten the idea to start filming videos in good quality for my page. Doing a YouTube channel was next, but I didn’t have enough for a laptop at the moment for that in-depth editing and such.
After getting dressed in one of my flowy numbers that concealed my belly but hung off the shoulders, I slipped my feet into some sandals and left. I was smiling the whole way to Best Buy and couldn’t wait to film my first video as soon as I got home. I already had the iMovie app on my iPhone, so I was good to go as far as editing small clips for my Instagram.
Just as I parked, my phone rang, but I didn’t recognize the number. I almost didn’t answer but decided to since it looked pretty normal.
“Hello?”
“Hey, baby.”
“Hey, who is—”
“Oh, so that’s how you be out here talking to random niggas, Camarih?” Tony barked. I’d figured out it was him before I’d finished my question, but his crazy ass cut me off. “Yeah, I caught yo’ little hoe ass. Flirting and shit with random niggas like I won’t choke you the fuck out.”
What the fuck was he talking about? I literally only said ‘hey, who is…’ yet somehow, I was flirting.
“Get off my phone, Tony.”
“Let me find out, Camarih. You think I’m playing with yo’ ass. I’ll shoot up that nigga’s whole family and make you watch.”
“There is no imaginary nigga, crazy! I just don’t want you!”
“So why you suck my dick the other night? Yo’ new nigga know you out here putting in work like that?”
Click.
I hung right up on his ass. I hated how I always fell for the dick, and he never let me forget. One minute we were in the kitchen, and next thing I knew, I was on my knees, giving him head against the fridge.
No matter how much I told myself I wouldn’t let him touch me, as soon as he put his hands on my body, my panties danced right off. The dick was already amazing, so was the head, and then being pregnant had me extra horny. I needed therapy or something to help me efficiently and effectively turn down the dick. There had to be a class for women who were addicted to their man or ex man’s dick. If there was, I was signing up as soon as I found it.
I realized I’d been sitting in my car for the last ten minutes, pondering on my obsession with Tony’s dick, so I hopped out, locked my car, and treaded inside.
After picking out the camera and memory card I’d seen online, I spotted the section of Apple computers on display. It wouldn’t hurt to look, so I walked over to admire them. I began playing around, just as another girl came up, but she was talking with a Best Buy employee.
“Okay. Give me a second to think,” she told him and caught me looking at the computer she was touching. “These things are so expensive that I can’t just be impulsive.” She cheesed.
She was a pretty girl, long dark hair, brown skin, and a voluptuous body. But she looked like she worked out even more than me.
“They are. That’s why I’m window shopping right now.”
“I did that for a minute too. Do you make videos or something? Or is it just for school?” she inquired.
“Oh, well I plan to make videos for my YouTube channel when I get one. For now, I’m just getting the camera and some accessories; baby steps.” I lifted the hand basket to show her.
“Oh wow, okay. I have a YouTube channel. Mine is just fitness videos. I started with making short clips on Instagram, but now I’m graduating.”
“Wow, dope. I can follow you.”
“Yeah, I will do the same. What is your username?” She whipped her phone out. We exchanged usernames and followed one another before she said, “It was nice meeting you, Camarih. Did I pronounce it right?”
“You did. Nice meeting you as well, Star.” I’d seen her name in her bio as she’d seen mine.
“I will definitely be purchasing from you. Your skin is beautiful, like you look photoshopped. I only know it’s not because you’re right here.”
We chuckled loudly.
“Thank you. Have a good evening!”
“You too!”
We parted ways, and after I made my purchase, I headed out to my car. As I neared it, tossing my stuff inside, I felt a presence behind me.
“Tony, leave me…” I became short of breath seeing Stallion, Prince’s boss, standing right there. “Can I help you?”
He was so big and scary that it made no sense.
“No, but I can help you. Word on the street is, you and bitch ass Tony ain’t on good terms.”
“You don’t even know what you’re talking about.” I shook my head. I hated Tony, but I wished he was here right now.
He shrugged.
“I don’t really care. You know I got a thing for you, Camarih. And I see what you’ve been doing, trying to get your business off the ground and everything. You know I got the funds to help with that.”
“I don’t want nor need your funds, Stallion, and back up.” I slid into the driver’s seat of my car and tried to close the door, but he blocked it.
“I just got this for you. You telling me I wasted my money?” From behind his back, he revealed a brand-new Mac computer, still in the wrapping. I almost drooled, staring. “Saw you browsing.” He forced it into my hands.
“No, I don’t want your gifts.”
“Not even this?” He pinned a check for $80,000 on top of the computer box in my lap.
My heart began to palpitate, and my breathing became labored as I stared at the two greatest gifts I’d ever witnessed at the moment. I could do so much with $80,000 and this computer that it wouldn’t even be funny.
“No.” I shook my head unconvincingly, trying to stay strong. I felt so weak at the moment.
“Camarih, you too fine to be with a nigga like Wacko. I mean, he got a little money on him,” he tapped my Rolex, “but look what I can do for you, baby. I can take care of you, get yo’ business popping, and have you living the life most females dream of. You’d be wearing the latest Chanel, dripping in diamonds, driving the fanciest whips, and having your brand in stores worldwide by the top of next year.”
As he talked, I slowly began to snap out of my money infused daze. One of the things I loved about Tony was that he didn’t try to impress or buy me with material things. Yeah, he gave me gifts, but it was never the main event between us. We bonded over things we enjoyed and spending time together, not him gifting me the latest Chanel, Gucci, or Louis Vuitton. He could afford it, of course, but what we had wa
s deeper than some material things that I never even cared too much about. I knew he loved me because of how he treated me, not by how many racks he spent on a bag for me.
Not that I was ever or would ever consider Stallion as a mate, but I could see even from here that he was the type of nigga to pacify his woman with tangible things. And for some women, that was enough; a few bags, watches, and shoes would help them get over the bad times, but that wasn’t me. I was perfectly fine never having shit that was sold on Rodeo. I wanted real love.
“Please take your things before I call the police and report you for harassment. And that’s me being nice. Approach me again, and I will let Tony know, which we’re sure you don’t want. Talk all you want about him behind his back, but you surely won’t say any of this to his face.”
“You think—”
“And if you think I would trade my fine ass nigga in for a few funky bags and cars, you’re a bigger dumb ass than I thought you were.”
Scowling hard, with his ego obviously bruised, Stallion rose to his feet, with the box and check pressed between his arm and side.
“I’ll give you some time to think it over. In a few months, when you realize your worth, give me a call.” He dug in his jeans pocket for his card, and then tossed it along with the check into my car before walking off.
Rolling my eyes, I slammed my car door and drove off.
When I got home, it was a little after 7 p.m. I was bummed knowing Tony wasn’t home, even though I knew he wouldn’t be before I’d even gotten here. If he was home, I would have ignored him, but after my encounter with scary Stallion, I still wanted his presence.
I made a pot of pasta and then breaded some chicken to make chicken parmesan, and after scarfing that down, I took a bath, brushed my teeth, and went to bed.
Middle of the night…
Half asleep, I heard Tony in the kitchen eating. I’d purposely left a plate at the front of the fridge because I knew he’d eat it. I was too tired to get up, and it took me a minute to even go to sleep, thinking about Stallion’s scary ass. The look he gave me let me know this wouldn’t be the last time we encountered each other. He was another reason I wished I’d never met Prince.
I dozed off again when I heard Tony shower, but woke again when I heard him gargling with mouthwash after brushing his teeth. He came into the room, so I shut my eyes to play sleep and listened as he got some boxers before leaving. I wanted him to lie with me, but I couldn’t admit it because I was pissed with him.
After ten minutes of not being able to pass out, I got up from the bed and went into the living room. Tony was sleep on the couch, looking so fine. He was shirtless, only in boxers and white cotton sweats, which was what he always wore to sleep. Getting closer, I looked him over before climbing onto the couch and hugging his side tightly so I wouldn’t fall off.
“Camarih.” He groaned, moving over some to give me space. “Fuck is you doing?”
“Sleeping.” I looked up into his sexy face that was frowning hard. He smelled so nice and fresh. I loved his body wash.
“I left a big ass bed in that room for yo’ ass. And you squashing my fucking baby.”
“I wanna lie here.” I whined.
“Annoying as shit.”
Irritated, he shifted onto his side to give me more room and allowing me to cuddle up to him like I wanted. I nuzzled my face into his neck to take in his scent and kissed it out of reflex. When he passed out, I took the opportunity to kiss his lips around ten times since he wouldn’t know.
“I love you,” I whispered so he wouldn’t hear, and moments later, I was fast asleep just like him.
It was only 5 p.m. in the evening, but I decided to take my night shower anyway so that I could film my first video. I’d already looked up how to get the footage onto my phone to be edited, so now I was excited.
I set up all the products I would be using, then figured out my camera angles before hopping into the shower. Once clean, I took care of the bottom half of my body, then cut the camera on to film the bust area of myself. I kept my towel with Velcro at the top on and began showing how I used my face oils, then I went to the body butter. I would do a voice over later to add more description and helpful tips.
I started doing last minute shots and poses to show the glow in my skin from my products, and just as I did the last pose, the bathroom door opened abruptly, scaring the shit out of me.
“Fuck you in here on? You doing porn or some shit?” Tony frowned deeply, getting all in front of my camera lens and ruining my whole video. “Fuck you in here half naked, smiling, posing and shit for, Camarih?”
If I wasn’t upset, I would laugh because he was so extra.
“It’s not porn, stupid! It’s for a video!”
Snatching my camera from the shelf I had it on, he surveyed it.
“Who the fuck you filming this shit for?”
Massaging my temples, I replied, “Houston, this is a skincare video for my social media page!”
“This shit is porn! Oiling up yo’ fucking shoulders, grinning and shit like a hoe. Gon’ have niggas thinking about sliding they balls all across yo’ collarbone and shit!”
“I hate you!” I roared, reaching for my camera, but he moved.
“You gon’ delete this porn?”
“Yes, I will.”
He landed a kiss on me since I wasn’t expecting it, then gave me back my camera.
“Don’t be mad ’cause I caught yo’ ass up in here hoeing. Let me film a video spreading oil on my dick, and you’d be hot!” He ran off as he left the bathroom. Yeah, because his dick and my shoulders were equal.
Plopping down onto the toilet after I closed the bathroom door, I watched the video back. I got angry at myself for laughing softly when Tony burst into the bathroom, jarring me and putting his mug all in the camera.
I couldn’t wait to move out, and it was gonna be soon!
Shanece Porter
“Okay, Mrs. Porter, your tests came back all clear and good. Your HIV test was negative as well.” My doctor leaned against the counter in the examination room.
“Oh great. Thank you.”
“Of course. I will give you a copy.”
“Oh, no need. I believe you.” I giggled nervously.
She set the folder down beside her.
“Mrs. Porter, I do hope you don’t mind me asking, but why did you need this test?”
“Just to make sure everything is copacetic down there.”
“Right, but you’re married. Do you believe Mr. Porter has been unfaithful to you?”
My words got caught in my throat. It was funny how people always assumed the husband was the cheater, when really, it was me. And you’re damn right I got tested after fucking Rahim.
It was a foolish mistake made with a man I barely knew. So even though we used protection, I needed to be sure. The last thing I wanted to do was bring my already sickly husband some sexually transmitted disease that would probably kill him. The simple thought of how I’d betrayed him made me want to crawl into a dark hole and never come out.
“No, absolutely not. I just like to get tested every now and again.”
“Since when? Last time you got tested was before your wedding, years ago.”
“It’s a new thing I’m doing. You know, nowadays you can catch something from touching the damn knob of a public restroom door.”
“Oh, okay. Well was there anything else I could do? Any questions for me? How is Paul doing?”
“He’s great, and no, I’m good. I will see you for my next round of testing.” I got down from the bed, grabbed my purse, and switched out.
I was able to breathe easily now that I knew I was clean from any diseases. I’d been so paranoid even though I’d used protection, I guess out of guilt.
I still wasn’t sure why I had done what I’d done, but I was beyond disappointed in myself. It’d been weeks since it’d happened, and it was all I thought about. I felt like a different person and like the bond between Paul and I
was gone. I was no longer the faithful Shanece; I was the whore who cheated on her sick husband.
At least I’d cut Rahim off. He’d tried calling me a few times since the incident, and by the fourth day, I blocked his number. I also began wondering if he was calling me to tell me he had herpes or something, but now I was sure that wasn’t it. He and I had absolutely nothing to talk about. I never wanted to see him again, let alone talk to him.
I picked up some groceries so I could make a feast for my husband tonight. I was in a good mood, knowing I was clean, so I wanted to celebrate, unbeknownst to him. I planned to get back to who I was, and to do that, I needed to cut off the new shit like Camarih.
Once I had everything I needed from the store, I went straight home so I could get to work.
“Baby, tonight I—” I stopped in my tracks at the front door.
“Oh hey, baby.” Paul smiled. He was seated next to a woman with deep skin and a short haircut. “You know Kiera.”
“Umm, no, no, I don’t.” I kicked the door closed and then walked the bags to the kitchen before returning.
“My nurse Kiera. She’s always my afternoon nurse when I have to stay overnight at the hospital,” Paul explained while frowning.
“Oh shit, sorry. Yeah, I do remember. I’m usually away at work during your shifts with him, so I’d forgotten. I apologize. And your hair is different.”
“It’s okay. I totally get it. You did always work a lot.” She nodded. “Well, I just came by to check on Paul. He told me he hadn’t been feeling great, so I dropped by.” Keira rose from her seat like she was leaving.
“That was nice of you. Did you maybe want to stay for dinner?” I inquired, hoping she declined.
“No, no. Just came to make sure he was good.” She looked me up and down before adding, “I guess I will see you guys later.”
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