QueenImani: dinner for daddy when he gets off work.
She had taken a picture of a plate of food on a table. The only thing of daddy’s that could be seen were his arms. But two things I knew were my kitchen table and Corey’s bitch ass arms. All I could do was chuckle. Clicking my tongue, I stared at the picture. Corey and his bitch were becoming a thorn in my ass.
“What?” Josie took her eyes off the road and looked over at me.
“Corey has this bitch in the house playing house cooking him food and shit. I mean, I can’t say anything because I moved out, and that is his house. I never paid the rent. Not even half of it.”
Once the car came to a complete stop at a red light, Josie eyed the picture with her upper lip curled into a snarl. “Sister, I hate that bastard, and I want to get ahold of her again.”
“I mean I moved on too.” I tried to act like seeing the picture didn’t bother me. “I can’t be mad at him for living his life because the one thing that is for certain is that he will never, and I mean never touch me again.”
“Since he has the time to sit up and play house, he better get his kids this weekend. I’m tired of him disappointing them and blaming it on work. I hate him!”
Josie was vocalizing my exact feelings, but I was too exhausted to even speak the words. For the second time in seven years, I had to thank God that I never married him. It was crazy that he was the one that cheated, but it felt as I was the one being punished. I still had to take care of the girls primarily not just physically but emotionally and financially. Three kids weren’t cheap. This man hadn’t even contributed to a grocery bill. When he wasn’t at work, he could do as he pleased. He could even pick and choose when he spent time with his daughters. And I was just there waiting. Waiting to see when he would show up or when he’d be the fuck nigga that he was most of the time.
It never failed that anytime I was happy, something directly related to him altered my mood, and I was sick of it. My phone vibrated indicating that I had a text message, and when I saw who it was, I bit my bottom lip which did nothing to keep the smile from breaking through.
Hymn: Good morning, beautiful. I hope you’re having an amazing day. I’m sitting here thinking about eating breakfast with you out on my balcony then eating you.
Poking my cheek with my tongue, I read the message for a second time with hiked brows. My daughters were in school, and it was the last day I had before my schedule was full. I was about to go home, take a shower, and go let Hymn eat me for breakfast.
A few days later, I was at London’s house doing her makeup. By the time I was done packing up my things, the film crew and a few of the other ladies were there. I had no desire to be on camera but for some reason, despite me not being a wife or girlfriend, the producers liked me. London was always trying to get me to film, and the other ladies were…the other ladies. I was quiet and humble, but I didn’t do disrespect. I stayed away from all of their petty and shady comments toward one another. The ladies seemed to have respect for London, and I’d never witnessed any one of them come at her too crazy.
That was the only reason I even entertained it when they wanted me on camera as her friend. I was proud of myself because I’d been doing better about wearing real clothes. Plus, I was tired of being caught off guard at London’s house. That day, I’d arrived to do her makeup dressed in denim, cargo shorts that stopped just past my knees and a dark grey sweatshirt with sneakers. My hair was in the usual curls, and I had lash extensions but that was the only extra addition to my face. When I realized the cameras were about to start rolling, I put some gloss on my lips because they felt dry.
I hadn’t asked London if her marriage was back on track. The last two times I’d done her makeup, she seemed to be in a slightly better mood, but she wasn’t her normal bubbly self. The last thing I wanted to do was pry. In the kitchen, Shannon, Mya, Chanel, Vee, and Nyla were gathered around sipping Mimosas and eating finger foods. The topic of discussion was one of the ladies that wasn’t present. Jamie. Jamie’s on again off again boyfriend played for a team in Chicago, and there were rumors that since they got back together a few months ago, a woman wasnow claiming to be pregnant by him. Jamie could be a bit stuck up, and she loved tossing shade at the other ladies. Still, I wasn’t going to join in on the conversation. Moments like that made me unsure why the producers liked me because I didn’t engage in the mess.
“Hi, Brion,” Chanel smiled like she was genuinely happy to see me. She wasn’t a wife or girlfriend, but her ex had played for the Cougars, and they’d been together for three years and shared a child.
“Hi, boo,” I walked over to hug her. I greeted the rest of the ladies and grabbed a Mimosa.
The women perked up when they heard male voices approaching. Isaac entered the room followed by a guy named Ken, Hakeem, and Hymn. He was walking a little better, but he wasn’t able to put his full body weight on his foot. My face flushed as he entered the room. Quickly, I looked away and sipped my drink. The single women like Chanel and Shannon damn near broke their necks to greet Hakeem, Hymn, and Ken. Which was absurd to me because I could have sworn that Ken was married. If he was, the other ladies had to know it too. The men spoke to everyone in the room, and I gave a slight head nod and a small smile.
London was standing at the stove, and Isaac went over and smacked her on the behind. Hopefully, that meant they were back good and not putting on for the cameras. From my peripheral, I saw Hymn approaching me, and my throat tightened. It legit felt as if my airway was constricted. He stood so close to me we may as well have been one.
“What you drinking?” he peered at my glass. “Looks like some girly shit.”
I chuckled. “A Mimosa. Men don’t drink Mimosas?”
I could feel eyes on us, but I tried to ignore them as my face continued to burn. I made the mistake of looking into Hymn’sface, and my yoni contracted instantly. He was staring at me lustfully and when he licked his lips, I almost lost it.
“Nah. I need something that’s not watered down with colorful chasers.”
Playfully, I stuck my tongue out at him, and he released a hearty laugh.
“Brion, how are your babies? You have three, right?” Shannon asked in a syrupy sweet tone. She for sure knew I had triplets. I chuckled at her oh so nice way of trying to cock block. The Mimosa had me feeling so good that I gave her a genuine smile.
“My babies are wonderful. Yes, I have three. Triplets.”
“And I’m trying to give her three more,” Hymn looked me up and down before walking away.
“Oop,” London stated. “I know that’s right. He said three more, boo! You up for that?” she gushed, and I shook my head.
“He must have hurt more than his ankle.”
I had to turn my back on the ladies and get another drink to keep from laughing at the shock that had registered on Shannon’s face. She couldn’t believe that Hymn had openly flirted with me when she threw herself at him every time, she saw him, and he paid her dust. My three kids having ass had gotten the attention she so desperately craved, and she was gagged.
“I didn’t know you two were a thing,” Shannon finally found her voice after I sat back down with my drink.
