Page 33 of His Four Leaf Clover

“Yeah but nobody could have ever told me that our friendship would have ended that way.”

“Why didn’t you leave with your man like she did? I always did hear people say that Hank begged you to go.”

Drea fidgeted in her seat uncomfortably as she tried to find the right answer to the question. Aside from fear of change, she really didn’t have a reason. She vowed that after that day, she was done reminiscing about a past that Hank had obviously forgotten about. It meant the world to her but it didn’t mean a damn thing to him. She was also done with going to any of his family’s events. That probably made her look even more desperate and pressed. Angie asked all the right questions. Drea just didn’t have the answers. Caprice felt a little second-hand embarrassment, so she quickly changed the subject.

“I don’t know who’s making these drinks but I better slow down. They ain’t playing with the vodka,” Caprice laughed to hopefully ease the tension.

“I know, that’s why I’m sipping slow,” Sade replied.

“Watch my stuff, cousin. I need to run to the bathroom.”

Caprice discreetly looked around for Monty as she made her way to the bathroom. He was in an animated conversation with some of his family and, as usual, Iva wasn’t too far away. She was sitting at a table close by with Jess and Dot. Caprice entered the empty bathroom and rushed into a stall. She heard somebody come in soon after but she handled her business and went to wash her hands. A minute or so later, one of the stall doors opened and Amina came walking out.

“Hey, girl,” Amina spoke with a smile.

“Hey, stranger. I guess congratulations are in order. I feel some kinda way that I had to hear about the pregnancy from other sources.”

“My bad, boo, but it wasn’t like that at all. Fonzo and I just wanted to tell our families before we told anybody else.”

“Damn, now I’m really offended. I thought I was family.”

“You are family. Let me rephrase that. We wanted to tell our parents first. I wasn’t even around when Fonzo told his family. I didn’t even think you were coming. I was looking for you on the bus.”

“What bus?” Caprice was happy that she mentioned it because she was curious. She and Sade drove to Riverdale but they had a huge, chartered bus parked in the empty lot next to Hank’s childhood home.

“Never mind.” Amina wanted to slap her own mouth for talking so much. She didn’t know why she always assumed that Monty told Caprice everything. She obviously didn’t know about the bus that they all came on but she had just spilled the tea.

“It’s all good, girl. I can’t even be mad.”

Although she said she wasn’t, Caprice was pissed. She didn’t know why when Monty constantly showed her what it was. She kept trying to force something that no longer fit and she couldn’t blame nobody else but herself. She noticed that Monty and nobody else had their cars. She had her assumptions about the bus, but Amina had just confirmed it. Monty claimed to be so real but he couldn’t even be honest with her. He didn’t want to be with her no more but he was too much of a coward to tell her.

“I’m sorry, girl, but I promise to keep you updated on the gender reveal and baby shower.” Amina washed her hands, ready to be done with the conversation. She had already said way too much.

“Please do. Hopefully, you have a boy, so he can get some attention.”

“Meaning what?” Amina asked while turning to face her. She was too happy about her upcoming blessing to let Caprice and her negativity ruin it. She hadn’t been in her company in a while and, honestly, she didn’t miss it. She tried to remain neutral on whatever was going on with her and Monty but she was no pushover.

“I’m just saying, they already got Kardi. It’ll be better if you have a boy, so he won’t get overlooked.”

“Trust me, he or she will never be overlooked. It’s a first for me and Fonzo as well as my parents, and that’s good enough for me. Enjoy the party.”

Amina walked away and left Caprice standing there. She tried but she was done tolerating Caprice. Their men were brothers but they didn’t have to be friends. She remained unbiased and tried not to take sides in the family drama. Unfortunately, Caprice was forcing her to choose but she wasn’t gonna like her choice.

When Caprice rejoined the party, the dance floor was packed and it looked like a club. Clover was backing it up on Dash, but that was nothing new. What shocked her was seeing Amina dancing on Fonzo. She was usually the one who sat down and recorded everybody else having fun but she was in the mix of it all. Iva was twerking like she was in a dance video while Diva hyped her up. Even Kardi and some of the other kids were enjoying themselves while dancing to a track by HaSizzle, a popular New Orleans bounce artist. Caprice looked around for Monty but she didn’t have to look far. He had his lip pinched in between his perfectly white teeth as he stared at Iva like she was his favorite piece of meat.

“Bitch, Monty just needs to get a room.” Sade came and stood next to her cousin, as they watched the crowd.

“Girl, fuck Monty and fuck her too. They can have each other.”

“It don’t look like he was asking for permission.” Sade was rubbing salt in her cousin’s freshly opened wound, the same as she’d always done to her.

Caprice was praying that things went according to her auntie’s plan and she would be working again soon. Her auntie was a high ranking deputy at a prison in another parish and she was trying to pull some stings to get her on. Although Caprice had worked in the prison system since she was in her teens, she didn’t leave under the best circumstances. Her first job was as a deputy and that was basically all that she knew. Unfortunately, she couldn’t even put her previous job or past experience on the application. Relationships with inmates were strictly prohibited and they would never hire her if they found that out. With all the knowledge she had, she would be considered a rookie if she did get the job.

After hours of partying, everybody seemed to be drained. The DJ had slowed the music down, making the atmosphere seem more mellow and relaxed. Clover and Dash were the only two on the floor, slow dancing while talking intimately amongst themselves.

“Chile, Dash and Clo look like they’re ready to make another baby.” Caprice saw the way her cousin kept sneaking peeks at them. She was doing a great job at pretending that she didn’t care. Her face held no emotion but Caprice was too petty to let it go. Sade was always trying to throw Iva in her face, and she was returning the favor.

Honestly, she didn’t know why Sade even wasted her time getting upset. Dash was never leaving Clover and they all knew that. He even told her cousin the exact same thing to her face multiple times. Caprice always wished that Monty was more like his brothers when it came to relationships but she wasn’t as lucky.