Page 24 of Fraudulent Beauty

“If I find out who he is, I’m still gon’ beat his ass,” I mumbled, and Tahli wrapped her arms around my neck.

“I already told you you’re not getting caught up in any of my bullshit especially when it comes to your job. I already learned my lesson. I went to work yesterday and was honest. My boss told me I could just resign. I’m going to go hard with the social media posts over the next thirty days and my next check will determine whether or not I apply for other jobs. I hate that I have this charge on my record now, but it’s my fault.”

Tahli’s eyes were filled with regret, and I believed that she had learned her lesson. “It’s gon’ all work out for you,” I assured her before placing my lips back on hers.

“I’ve been in here arranging, cleaning, and organizing all day. I need to take a shower,” she spoke against my lips.

“I’m like ole buddy from Sinners. I don’t mind it with a lil’ stank on it.”

“If you don’t get the fuck,” Tahli laughed backing away from me. “I have a bookshelf that you can put together while I’m in the bathroom. Follow me.”

My eyes zeroed in on Tahli’s ass as I followed her into the second bedroom. Hopefully, the bookshelf wouldn’t take long because I was past ready to slide up in that. I was prepared to walk into Tahli’s apartment and apologize to her even before I found out that she didn’t do anything that day besides be in possession of a fake ID. However, I was glad to know that she hadn’t actively been committing fraud when she was arrested. I even hoped everything worked out with her lawsuit. If the police department ended up having to pay her, that was their issue not mine.

I wasn’t rushing just because I had full custody of Sierra, but in due time, I wanted to give her a family dynamic. Her grandmothers were great female role models for her, but I wanted a woman in the home that my daughter could see me love properly. I was the one that was supposed to teach her how a man was supposed to treat a woman. A nigga would never be perfect, but I knew the behavior that I refused to exhibit in front of my daughter. She’d never see me treat a woman with anything other than respect and despite how much I disliked Gina, I never talked bad about her in front of Sierra.

How my daughter saw me as a parent and a man, was way more important than how I felt about Gina.

Holding onto Sierra’s hand, I whipped the spoon in the mixing bowl we’d put brownie batter in. “Your arm tired?” I asked.

Sierra whipped her head back and forth. “Okay. We only have to do this for like one more minute. Then we can pour it into the cupcake paper.”

“We’re making cupcakes?” she asked in a confused tone.

“No, but we’re going to put the brownies in cupcake paper and bake them in a cupcake pan, so they’re brownies, but they’re shaped like cupcakes.”

“Ohhhh.”

It had been one month since I moved into my apartment and two weeks since the first time I met Sierra. She was the sweetest little girl, and I loved watching Khalif be a father. He could definitely teach mine a thing or ten. I still didn’t have a regular job, but I prayed daily that social media would continue being good to me. I still primarily posted wigs, but I had started a little series about my new apartment and showing how I decorated each room. I had gained so many followers, and they always asked me where I got things from, so I joined an affiliate link with Amazon.

Each time someone clicked my link and purchased something from Amazon, I got a commission. I had more than one hundred items linked in my storefront. Everything from edge control and edge brushes to home décor and my favorite kitchen gadgets. Once my apartment was decorated, I was going to start another little series talking about books I read and review them. I loved everything from urban romance to thrillers and suspense.

When I checked my account and saw that my upcoming social media payout was for $22,000, I screamed so loud, I was surprised the neighbors didn’t call the police. Lord knows, I had done wrong in my life by way of scamming and fraud, but things were looking really good for me, and I was so grateful. I had a court date approaching, but my lawyer was sure the case would get dismissed because of what the officer said to me and the fact that he had been fired.

Khalif walked into my apartment with Sheniah behind him. “I found a stray in the parking lot,” he joked.

Sheniah punched Khalif playfully making Sierra squeal. “Daddy she punched you!”

“She sure did. I’m about to arrest her.”

“Anyway,” Sheniah rolled her eyes and walked into the kitchen. “Hey Pretty Girl,” she greeted Sierra.

Placing the shopping bags he had on the counter, Khalif shook his head. “She done already cost me a friend, and now she’s abusing me. I need a restraining order.”

“If I cost you a friend that looney tune was never your friend,” she declared.

“That part,” I co-signed.

One night, I was at a bar with Khalif and his co-worker, Tony. Sheniah wanted to pull up on us, and she did. She hit it off with Tony, and all Khalif could do was shake his head and say he wanted no parts of it. He absolutely had nothing to do with them hitting it off. They’d been dating for three weeks, and when Nook found out, he not only went off on Sheniah, but he went off on Khalif. He was so drunk and belligerent yelling in Khalif’s face that Khalif knocked him out. Straight put Nook to sleep. He was laid out in the grass snoring and all. Nook hadn’t spoken to Khalif since.

“You know I don’t care. That smells good, Stink.”

“Daddy, I don’t stink.”

“No, you don’t.”

Khalif settled on the couch while Sierra and I poured the batter into the baking cups. Khalif and Sierra were spending the night with me, and I invited Sheniah over to watch the fight. When she told Tony he asked why he wasn’t invited, and I told him he could come. I couldn’t care less about Nook or his temper tantrums. Sheniah was my friend first. I didn’t give a damn what he was talking about.

She said she was simply having fun with Tony and even if they didn’t work out, she’d never go back to Nook, and I believed her. My girl’s life was so peaceful without Nook around. Her only regret was that they didn’t break up sooner. I couldn’t fathom being miserable with someone for ten years. But familiarity could make people do strange things.