Play The Game

by Doug Dixon

Genres: African American; African American Women's Fiction; African American Romance

Synopsis

When Mya LeVeaux discovers that her ex-boyfriend is engaged--and her own father, Bishop Franklyn LeVeaux, is performing the marriage ceremony--there's only one thing to relieve her pain: shopping. And since Mya is new to Atlanta, a couple of new friends wouldn't hurt either--which is exactly what she finds attached to a pair of burgundy boots. . . Childhood pals Stephanie Hall and Tangie Jackson are on their weekly girls' day out at the mall. After a brief tug-of-war over a sexy pair of boots with Mya, the three discover they have more in common than their taste in footwear. Now that Mya has her girls in her life, things are about to change, as each woman deals with the game of love in her own special way--for better or for worse. . . "This is one book to check out." -- THE RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Release date: November 18, 2009

Publisher: Dafina

Print pages: 481

Sample

“Excuse me. Do you have these boots in a size six?” Mya asked the clerk at Nordstrom’s department store.

Mya LeVeaux was out doing her typical Saturday afternoon shopping to relieve stress. Lord knows that was what she needed right about now. Last night Mya had received word from her hometown of New Orleans that her ex-boyfriend, Marvin DuCloux, had just proposed marriage to a neurosurgeon, and asked Mya’s own father, Bishop Franklyn LeVeaux, to do the service. Bishop LeVeaux had graciously accepted the honor, as Marvin’s family had long been members at Greater Mount Olive Full Gospel Baptist Church.

Months earlier, Mya had left New Orleans after the annual church picnic. Marvin, her boyfriend of three years, had shown up two hours late but five minutes before Wendy Landreaux, the Church Hoe, arrived. Earlier that day, the church gossiper, Ms. Thibodaux, had left the two of them alone to finish loading refreshments into the church van for the picnic. No one had seen the two since then. When Wendy arrived she had what appeared to be semen scattered throughout the top of her hair and around her forehead.

“Let me check for you, ma’am,” the clerk replied before walking off toward the storage area. A couple of minutes later the salesclerk appeared, holding the same burgundy boot Mya had given her.

“Ma’am, the only size six we have left is being tried on by those women over there.” The salesclerk pointed out two strangers to Mya—they were sitting in the corner of the shoe department. Stephanie Hall, a high-yella sista with her hair pulled back into a ponytail, was trying to talk her friend Tangie Jackson, a sista with shoulder-length hair and a shiny peanut-butter-color complexion, out of buying the boots that were actually too small for her size-seven foot.

Stephanie and Tangie had grown up together since middle school and were on their weekly girls’ day out. For Stephanie it was a way for her just-out-of-jail boyfriend, Curtis Williams, to spend time with their two-year-old son, Brandon. But for Tangie it was a celebration, especially since her divorce from her second husband had just been finalized the day before. Tangie had very little patience when it came to what she considered a weak-ass man, and she was not afraid to express her opinion, whether it was about sex, the way he dressed, or if he was just getting on her nerves.

“We have a size five in stock. Would you like to try that one on?” the salesclerk asked Mya.

“Oh, no, that would be too small…Well, thanks, anyway,” Mya replied, disappointed. “I’ll just look around for something else,” she added as she walked off, looking at other displays in the department.

Mya picked up another shoe but they didn’t have that one in her size, either. She glanced back over at the two women who were still discussing the boots with their salesclerk. Curious as to what was being said, Mya walked toward them nonchalantly, pretending to browse other merchandise.

Tangie, still not convinced the boots were too small, opened the shoebox and pulled them out once again.

“Let me try them on one more time. They didn’t feel that bad on my feet,” Tangie said, taking off her shoes. Mya stood back and watched as Tangie forced each foot into the boots. As Tangie got up to walk around, she pressed her lips together as she took one step at a time, each one making her frown harder and harder. By the fourth or fifth step, she dropped to her knees in agony. “Girl, get these fucking boots off my feet,” she shouted to Stephanie.

Mya turned her head to hide her laughter. It was obvious this girl wanted those boots at any cost.

As Stephanie struggled to get the left boot off, Tangie looked up at Mya as she tried to pull the right boot off. “Hey, don’t just stand there. Help me get this damn boot off my foot,” Tangie yelled at Mya.

Mya dropped her bags, then rushed over and grabbed the right boot and began pulling with all her might. People standing around were laughing as Tangie’s body twisted and turned in all directions.

Stephanie and Mya struggled for two or three minutes, dragging Tangie’s body down the aisle of the shoe department until they managed to get the boots off.

After more laughter, everyone managed to compose themselves while Tangie straightened her clothes and put her hair back in place before sitting down next to the empty shoebox.

Mya paused for a moment, admiring the size six that she so desperately wanted. “Do you mind if I try them on?” she asked politely.

“Hell, no. Be my guest,” Tangie replied, wiping the beads of sweat that had formed on her forehead.

Mya took off her shoes and slipped both her feet into the boots with ease and walked in front of the mirror.

“Well, I’ll be damned,” Tangie said, disappointment in her voice.

“How do you think they look on me?” Mya asked.

“I hate to say it but they really look good on you,” Tangie replied.

“Yeah, they do look nice,” Stephanie said.

Then the salesclerk passed by and saw Mya walking in the boots. “Oh, so you were able to find the last pair of size six, huh?”

Mya smiled and turned toward Tangie, who was sitting with a look of disbelief on her face.

“Well, I guess she did,” Tangie said dryly.

“Okay, well, when you’re ready, I’ll ring them up for you,” the salesclerk replied as she walked off.

Mya smiled and sat down next to the two women, happy to get the boots, and began taking them off and placing them back into the shoebox.

“Thanks, you guys,” Mya said as she stood up to walk to the register.

“Oh, you’re quite welcome…Oh, I’m Stephanie Hall, by the way, and this nut over here is my friend, Tangie Jackson.”

“Nice to meet you both. I’m Mya LeVeaux.”

“LeVeaux?” Tangie repeated, sitting up in her chair. “Surely you’re not from Atlanta?”

“No, I’m from New Orleans. Why?” Mya replied.

“Just never heard the name—”

“Anyway, Mya, so how long have you lived in Atlanta?” Stephanie interrupted.

“Oh, not quite a year yet,” Mya replied. “I teach fourth grade at Austell Middle School near Six Flags.”

“Oh, you teach school, too?” Tangie replied, surprised. “So do Stephanie and me. We teach at Stephenson Middle School in Stone Mountain.”

“Oh, really? That’s a coincidence,” Mya replied.

“Well, Tangie and I∧ are about to grab some lunch and drinks at the Cheesecake Factory down the street. You’re welcome to join us,” Stephanie said.

Surprised at the invitation, Mya agreed, and after paying for her boots, they all exited the store.

From that day on, the three of them found that they all had a lot in common and established a loving friendship.

At three o’clock the school bell rang, ending my last class for the week. I put my books in my desk drawers and placed all of the papers from the day’s lessons in my briefcase to take home and grade over the weekend. I watched as my fourth-grade students rushed out the door with big smiles and filtered into the hallway with the other students.

Tangie put in a good word for me at Stephenson Middle School after the fourth-grade teacher moved out of state. I was glad to get out of Austell Middle School, being that my commute was about seventy miles round-trip. Stephanie teaches second grade, while Tangie teaches third.

After straightening up my classroom, I locked the door behind me and walked down to the teachers’ lounge near the front entrance. When I opened the door I saw Tangie and Stephanie sitting on the couch, looking exhausted.

“Girl, I’m so glad it’s Friday, I don’t know what to do,” Tangie said, pressing her palms against her temples.

“Girl, I’m ready to go home, take a hot bath, and sip on a nice, cool glass of wine,” Stephanie said.

“Wine? Girl, I need some Grey Goose and cranberry juice right about now, with these bad-ass kids,” Tangie said.

“I just want to go home and curl up with a good book,” I said, my eyes closed in thought.

“A book?” Tangie mocked. “Girl, you should be trying to curl up with a man. When was the last time you got some?”

I opened my eyes as Tangie broke my train of thought. “What?”

“You heard me—a man. I know your dad is a big-time preacher and all, but c’mon. You’d better jump on one of these fine single brothers out there. What are you waiting for?”

“Tangie, you know Mya is waiting for Mr. Right. You’d better tell her—”

“Mr. Right, huh? Ain’t no such thing,” Tangie responded with assurance.

“Amen to that,” Stephanie replied.

“One thing I do know is that I’m curling up with Mr. Todd Wilson tonight.” Tangie continued.

Todd Wilson had been the quarterback of Tangie and Stephanie’s high-school football team. According to Stephanie it was merely a sexual relationship that lasted throughout their high-school years. After graduation, Todd went to Alabama State University in Montgomery on an athletic scholarship, and never looked back.

“What? Todd Wilson?” Stephanie replied in disbelief. “Last I heard he was married with kids and living in Tennessee.”

“He was living in Tennessee but they moved back to Atlanta about a year ago. We ran into each other at the club this past weekend and exchanged numbers.”

“You mean after all these years you’re just going to spread your legs for this man?” I asked in a shocked tone.

“Hell, yes. Girl, you don’t understand. Todd was my first. Every time we did it, my fucking toes curled. It’s rare that you meet a man that can do all that.”

“Girl, where is your respect for yourself? That man is married with a family,” Stephanie exclaimed.

“Look, I’ve been married twice, and me and those bastards got on each other’s nerves. Hell, if you ask me, I’m doing his wife a favor by getting his ass out of the house every now and then. After all, it’s just sex.”

“Anyway,” Stephanie replied dryly.

“Yeah, Tangie, you can’t trust a man who cheats on his wife,” I said.

“You two just don’t understand. It’s not trust that I want…It’s that ten-inch dick.” Caught off guard, Stephanie and I laughed out loud.

“Now, if you two don’t mind, I will see you later. I have to get ready for my weekend.” Tangie winked at us.

Outside the window from the teachers’ lounge you could see the rain beginning to come down in drizzles. I gathered the rest of my things as Stephanie and I walked outside under the covered walkway.

“I’ll call you later!” I shouted as I ran to my car. Stephanie trotted alongside me as she ran toward hers.

After struggling to get my car door open, I managed to get inside. Heading toward my town house in Lawrenceville, I hit horrible traffic. I sat there for about twenty minutes on I-85, staring at the back of this SUV that blocked my view of the traffic ahead. I turned up the radio to hear my favorite song. During the course of a ten-minute music marathon, a commercial came on about ladies’ night at the newly opened club Nsomnia this Saturday night. Hmm, this might be a good chance to meet some really nice brothers, I thought. Still sitting in traffic, I grabbed a pen from my purse and wrote down the details of the event. I’m going to call the girls and see if they are down for it, I thought.

 

When I made it home I read through my mail, ate dinner, then headed upstairs and put on some shorts and a tee-shirt before lying across my bed. Another lonely weekend, I thought. I turned on the TV and watched the evening news before checking my answering machine. I had one call, from my Grandma LeVeaux. She’s my paternal grandmother and the grandparent I’m closest to. When I was little, I used to spend the weekends at her house and we would stay up all night talking about her childhood. Grandma LeVeaux lives in Metairie, an outskirt of New Orleans. She’s a mixture of French and Creole with a really thick New Orleans drawl. Grandma LeVeaux doesn’t play, either. She keeps a .22-caliber pistol with her at all times and will pull it out in a heartbeat. She spends her day mostly sitting on the porch, drinking her table wine, gossiping with her friends that live down the street, or she sits in front of the TV, watching game shows and soaps. She’s been on her own since my granddad passed ten years ago, but she’s managed to stay strong despite her loss.

“Hey, Grandma. How are you?” I called.

“Mya? Girl, Don’t ’hey, Grandma’ me. Why haven’t you called me lately, baby?”

“I’m sorry, Grandma, I—”

“I haven’t heard from you in over two months. What are you doing out there?”

“Nothing much, just working…I like the new school where I’m teaching.”

“When are you coming to see me? I see all of my grandchildren but you. You know Rodney is out of prison.”

“What? Really?” I replied, surprised.

Rodney LeVeaux is my one cousin who is fucking insane. He is my dad’s brother’s son. We grew up really close until my dad banned him from coming over to the house with what my father called his “devilish ways.” Rodney was in prison for robbing department stores in the malls around New Orleans. He would walk into a store about fifteen minutes before it closed, and hide underneath the clothes rack until the employees left for the night. Afterwards, he would walk around filling trash bags with clothes, then line them up near the fire exit. From there he would call his friends, who were waiting outside in their cars, and he would burst open the door, throwing everything in the trunk before driving off. Because he had prior offenses, the judge threw the book at him and sentenced him to four years in prison.

“Where is he now?” I asked.

“I don’t know. He came by here one day for a while and ate dinner with me but I haven’t seen him since. He asked about you.”

“Really? Has he gone by to see Daddy?”

“You know better than that. You know how your daddy is.”

My dad has a reputation for being a hard-nosed minister. I grew up in a very strict household. I couldn’t wear makeup until I was a senior in high school. Couldn’t talk on the telephone after seven o’clock until I was sixteen, and Marvin, my first love, had to join the choir and get involved in church activities before my father would even consider letting me go out with him. I was so afraid of my dad finding out, I was scared to let Marvin touch me whenever we’d go out on dates. Needless to say, he got tired of my excuses for not kissing him, and we finally broke up for a while until after my first year in college at Louisiana State University—which is where I saw a real, live penis for the first time, by the way. I actually lost my virginity to a basketball player named Lyndell Moody in the backseat of his Ford Mustang. He was so rough with me I was sore for about a week. Not to mention that fucker gave me crabs. The night before I was to go home for Christmas break, I was asleep and felt something crawling all over me between my legs. I jumped up and ran to the bathroom to check myself out. I freaked when I saw what looked to be little, tiny lobsters everywhere. They were on my pubic hairs, my arm, and even my eyelashes. I stayed up all night trying to kill them with rubbing alcohol but it felt like they were crawling all over my body.

I panicked and quickly called my Grandma LeVeaux, who laughed out loud when I told her what I was feeling. “Girl, you got the crabs, and alcohol ain’t gonna do nothing but stir them up. I tell you what—instead of going home, come stay with me for a couple of days until we get you fixed up. Just tell your parents you’re coming over to help me cook my Christmas dinner for the family. Oh, and bring all of the clothes and panties you wore for the week along with your sheets and pillowcases.”

When I arrived at her house early that morning, Grandma LeVeaux was up waiting on me. She had me get into the bathtub and shave all of my pubic hair off, then had me rub this ointment all over my body. She took my clothes that were in this garbage bag and put them in a barrel in the backyard near her porch and set them on fire. When she came back inside, she looked over at me with a grin and cooked us some breakfast.

I love my grandma. I could tell her anything about my life and she would give me straight answers, whether it hurt my feelings or not. It’s hard to believe how different she and my dad are.

In the midst of our conversation the rain started coming down really hard and lightning flashed through the window.

“Ohhh, Grandma, it’s about to storm. I just saw lightning outside my window.”

“Okay, baby, you’d better turn off your lights and get into bed so it won’t strike you.”

I smiled to myself. “Okay, Grandma. I love you and I’ll call you later.” I hung up the phone.

 

The rain continued to come down even harder as the daylight faded into darkness. It was the perfect evening to be curled up with the person you loved. I could hear the hard drops fall on my rooftop and along the leaves on the trees outside my bedroom window, like swishing waves in the ocean. My emotions were running wild as I began to get really horny lying balled in a knot with my pillow between my legs. I started thinking about old killer sex from back in the day with Marvin and how he used to get me right at my climax point before telling me he loved me softly in my ear, making me cum uncontrollably. And how he used to hold me afterwards, his soft, hairy chest pressed against my face. Just as my hand began to slowly move down toward my panties, the thunder suddenly exploded in the air like cannons going off, breaking everything that had a sexual appeal to it in my mind. I tensed up and grabbed the covers and pulled them over my head as my heart pounded from fear. Marvin, I thought to myself. He should be the last person on my mind, the way he did me. Embarrassing me in front of my…Before I knew it, the weight of my hectic day took over and I drifted off to sleep.

Todd called as I was getting out of the shower to let me know he was leaving for lunch. He worked the three-to-eleven shift at a telecommunications company not far from my apartment. By the time I put on something comfortable there was a knock at the door. As soon as I opened it, Todd walked in and we quickly kissed. Instantly it brought back memories from years ago when I would just melt when our tongues met. He moved his hand down the middle of my back and inside my panties, gripping my ass. I pulled back as he stared at me with his light green eyes.

“Damn, I missed those lips,” Todd said, staring down at me.

“What lips are you referring to?” I replied with sarcasm.

Todd dragged his hand from around my ass to the front, feeling my moist kitty. I pulled his hand out and escorted him to my den.

“Would you like something to drink?” I asked, walking toward the kitchen.

“Look, baby. I only get an hour for lunch and I damn sure don’t want to waste it with small talk.”

That’s the kind of man I like. Straight and to the point. I opened the refrigerator and got some bottled water. When I turned around, Todd was standing there with his shirt off, unbuckling his pants. His light-colored chest was still chiseled with rows of brown hair slightly covering his skin tone. I took a sip of my water and walked to my bedroom. By the time I pulled down my shorts, Todd was standing in the doorway butt-ass naked with his cell phone in hand. I scanned his body until my eyes stopped at the ten inches pointing right at me. You could put both my husbands’ penises together and it couldn’t compare to Todd’s. His sex was in a class by itself. Not just because he was well endowed but because of the affection that came along with his sex. By the time I got into bed, Todd had placed his cell phone on my nightstand table and turned me over on my back.

“Is it as sweet as before?” he asked, kissing my breast and working his way down.

“Sweeter,” I replied in a passionate tone.

Todd took his time kissing everything below my waist. His tongue action had me damn near drooling as he worked his magic. Minutes later he moved his kisses back up to my breast and tried to penetrate me.

“Uh-uh, aren’t you forgetting something?” I asked, looking in his eyes.

“What? Oh, a condom? Baby, I’m sorry, but I forgot to bring some. It doesn’t matter, anyway. The only woman I’ve been with is my wife.”

“Fuck that! No glove, no love,” I replied sternly.

There was a moment of silence as we stared at each other. “Wait. I just remembered I have one in my drawer.” I got out of bed.

“Here you go. You better make this work ’cause I don’t have any more.” I handed Todd the condom. It was a Lifestyle condom, although Todd was probably used to wearing magnums. It didn’t matter to me as long as the condom did its job.

When I got back in bed the mood changed quickly and I was more excited than before as Todd and I engaged in pure passion. He tossed my body around in different positions without missing a stroke. I moaned so long and hard that my mouth got extremely dry. His thrust was so powerful I felt it at the pit of my stomach, but enjoyed every minute of it. After climaxing twice, Todd finally reached his peak. His body collapsed on me as his heart pounded out of control. As he continued his soft kisses around my neck, his cell phone rang, interrupting our pleasure. He got out of bed and grabbed it on his way to the bathroom and closed the door behind him. I figured it was his wife, so I rolled over and pulled the covers over my naked body. Within seconds my phone rang. I got up and grabbed my cordless and walked into the den.

“What’s up?” I answered—Burton Williams was on the other end. Burton was an older man who I often went out with. Burton owned a detail shop in Buckhead in downtown Atlanta. His clients include entertainers, athletes, and some wanna-be ballers. He was in his late forties and we met at a car show a few months previously. We’d fooled around a couple of times, hugging and squeezing, but had never had sex.

“Hi, Burt, what’s going on?”

“Nothing much, baby, just had you on my mind and wanted to call and see what you were up to. Did I catch you at a bad time?”

“Uh, ooh—” I was interrupted by a pleasant sensation between my legs from the back.

I looked down and Todd was on all fours, licking me between the backs of my thighs. “Look, Burt, let me call you back.” I hung up abruptly.

I was sizzling until I realized that we didn’t have any more condoms. “Hey, wait, wait, wait. We don’t have any more condoms. What happened to the old one?”

“Oh, I flushed it down the toilet. You didn’t expect me to use the same one, did you?” Todd replied, looking up at me.

“Well, your chances of getting some more ass just went down the toilet with it,” I replied, walking to my bedroom.

“Damn, Tangie. It never used to be like this,” Todd reminded me.

“Yeah, and your ass never used to be married. Look, if we’re going to do this, we’re going to have to play by my rules, and the number one rule is a condom.”

Todd chuckled. “A’ight, I hear what you’re saying. Besides, I have to get back to work, anyway. When can we do this again?”

“Give me a call when you can get out and we’ll go from there.”

 

Todd got dressed and I walked him to the door. He gave me one last passionate kiss before leaving, then walked away as I closed the door behind him. Seconds later my phone rang again as I was about to take another shower.

“Hey, baby. What happened earlier? Are you all right?” It was Burt again, concerned about why I got off the phone so suddenly.

“No, I’m fine. I had some issues going on but I’m cool.”

“You in the mood for some Burton Williams tonight?” he asked in a low tone. Man, are you serious? I thought. After what I just got, ain’t nothing an old-ass man like you can do for me tonight.

“Burt, I’m going to have to pass. I’m really not in the mood right now.”

“I hear you, baby. Maybe next time.”

“Yeah,” I replied before hanging up.

After my shower I sat in bed, reliving the evening. It had been years since I’d been with Todd, and he’d left me with the same feelings I’d had years before.

I was awakened at the crack of dawn by Curtis as he staggered in, having been out all night. Curtis and I have been dating for over three years and living together for a year and a half, starting just after he got out of jail for doing a drug run for one of his cousins.

We first met at the wedding of mutual friends. I caught the bridal bouquet and he caught the garter and have been together ever since. When we first started dating, Curtis had a job working at an auto body shop repairing cars with the DeKalb County motor pool. Since his arrest he hasn’t been able to keep a job for more than three months at a time. When he gets in his little moods, he escapes reality by hanging out at all hours of the night with his friends, drinking and smoking. The only reason I put up with his shit is because of our two-year-old son, Brandon, who thinks the world of Curtis. I, on the other hand, am losing patience daily with Curtis’s irresponsible behavior.

Curtis took off his clothes and tossed them on the floor by his side of the bed and got under the covers. The smell of cheap alcohol and weed immediately filled the air. I turned over with my back facing him and pulled the covers over my face to filter the smell. As I drifted off to sleep I suddenly felt Curtis’s manhood stabbing me in my back. I turned over again, this time facing the ceiling. Curtis reached over and rubbed his hand on my stomach, moving it downward and between my legs. I grabbed his hand and pushed it away. Seconds later he tried the same move and again I pushed his hand away.

“What’s up with that shit?” he said in a drunken slur.

“You’re kidding, right?” I replied in disbelief.

“Oh, so I can’t get any attention tonight?”

“Hell, no. I’m trying to sleep. You should have thought about that before you stayed out all night getting drunk.”

“Oh, so that’s what this is about? You know what—forget it,” he replied before rolling over and falling asleep.

I slept for about three more hours before being awakened by Curtis’s annoying snore. I jumped in the shower and went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for Brandon. I walked into Brandon’s bedroom as he lay in bed holding his stuffed teddy bear. When he heard me enter the room, his eyes slowly opened—then he got out of bed and walked toward me with his arms extended.

“Good morning, sweetie.” I hugged him.

Brandon kissed me on my cheek as I picked him up, taking him in the hall bathroom to wash his face before giving him his bowl of cream of wheat. I made a cup of coffee and took a seat next to Brandon as I opened the morning paper that Curtis had left on the table. The first thing I did each morning was read my daily horoscope, applying what it said to my everyday life. It was sort of like a guide to help me through my day. My friends and family thought I was crazy for actually believing in it, but they don’t know how much it helped me in getting my job and winning money at lotteries—even when Curtis was fighting his legal battles, I used our horoscope to guide us through the tough times.

Minutes later, Curtis woke up and walked into the bathroom. When Brandon heard this, he jumped from his chair and ran toward Curtis as he washed his hands.

“Brandon, come back here and finish your breakfast,” I yelled in a polite tone.

Brandon ignored me and continued in the direction of Curtis. By the time Brandon got to the door, Curtis was coming out and they met outside the door.

“Good morning, son,” Curtis said as he picked Brandon up.

Brandon just giggled as Curtis carried him back into the kitchen and sat him down at the table to finish his breakfast.

“Good morning,” Curtis said, directing his attention to me.

I looked up at him as he walked over to the coffeepot with his do-rag tied around his braided hair. “Good morning,” I replied dryly.

“What’s for breakfast?” he asked.

“Oh, so you’ve got the munchies now?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” he replied.

“You know what I mean. Did you forget why you went to jail? You, coming in here at odd hours of the night, drinking and smoking with your friends—”

“I was drinking, yes. But I didn’t touch drugs of any kind…Is that why you have an attitude this morning?”

“I don’t have an attitude. I just want you to understand that what you do out there in those streets affects us,” I replied.

“Well, being out in them streets last night landed me a job working on a couple of cars today.”

I took a sip of my coffee.

“Can I please get a bacon and egg sandwich before I go to work?” He stared at me.

I looked up at him as I got up to make him a sandwich. After all, Curtis was doing all he could to keep a steady flow of money coming. I was doing just fine on my teacher’s salary but I wanted more out of life than just getting by. Curtis had dreams of one day owning his own body shop, and I guess this was the way he had to build up his reputation. My horoscope said that I should have more patience with troubled situations, and I could see that if I kept going back and forth with him it could have escalated.

As I made Curtis a breakfast sandwich, Brandon sat in front of the TV while Curtis showered. By the time he got dressed I had his sandwich and had filled his thermos with coffee.

He walked over to me and kissed me on the lips. “Baby, I’m sorry for disrespecting you last night, okay?”

I smiled as the words wiped away the little anger I had inside of me. My horoscope was right again, I thought.

Curtis walked over to Brandon and kissed him on the cheek before going out the door. I began cleaning up the kitchen and parts of the other rooms before doing laundry. In the midst of this, Mya called.

“Hi, Mya,” I said.

“Girl, what’s up?” Mya asked.

“Nothing. Just doing my usual weekend cleaning.”

“There’s a ladies’ night party at Club Nsomnia tonight. I don’t want to go by myself. Are you down for it?”

“Have you talked to Tangie?” I asked.

“No, but let’s call her on the three-way,” Mya said as she clicked over to call.

“Hello?” Tangie answered in an exhausted tone.

“Girl, you still sleep?” Stephanie asked.

“No, I’m awake. What’s up?”

“Hey, Tangie,” Mya cut in. “There’s a ladies’ night at Club Nsomnia tonight. You down for hanging out?”

“Nsomnia? Hell, yeah. Saturday is when the ballers come out,” Tangie replied, excited.

“What about you, Stephanie?” Mya asked.

“I don’t know about that. You know how Curtis is about me going to a club.”

“What?” Tangie shrieked. “As much as Curtis hangs his ass out in the streets, you deserve at least one night on the town. Make his ass stay home with Brandon for a change.”

“Yeah, Stephanie. Just tell him we’re having a ladies’ night out tonight,” Mya said.

I paused for a moment. “You know what? You’re right. He dragged his ass in here this morning at around four o’clock. Yeah, count me in.”

“Great,” Mya replied. “Let’s meet over to my house at around six o’clock and we can ride to the club together.”

“That sounds like a plan. I’ll see you guys later,” Tangie said before hanging up.

“Okay, Mya. I’ll see you then. I’m just goi. . .