9. Core
core
. . .
“Star Vanducci invited me to an anniversary party for her parents. Me and Skyler are going to go show our faces… want to come?” Capri asked Morgan like he was going to go.
The nigga was in a robe and swimming trunks with a bottle of wine in his hand along with two glasses. He just knew Capri was going to get in the hot tub with his ass tonight and his sick ass was going to be able to make a move on her.
“Me and the Vanducci-Cromwell family don’t really… um, mix well. I don’t get the vibe they like me much,” Morgan replied. “How about you skip that and let’s relax… the last races are tomorrow and then we’ll be on the Island together getting ready for the event of the year.”
Everything that fell out this man’s damn mouth sounded crazy. I sat in Skyler’s room as she was getting ready and had her ear to the door listening. She acted like we couldn’t hear clearly through the damn walls.
I looked down at my laptop and continued working while she kept her ear to the door.
“I already told her I would attend, so kind of can’t break that promise. Plus, I know you have plenty of friends here, so I won’t get in your way. Gonna have my own fun, too, you know.” I didn’t have to see Morgan’s face to know this nigga was pissed.
“Actually, I do have a friend in town that asked to come over,” he lied, and no sooner than he said those words, an alert came through to the app with him requesting a girl. “Yeah, she’s in town for a few more days.”
“Perfect. I will give you some space to entertain your friend. If I don’t come back tonight, I stayed in town with Star.”
“You know each other well?” he asked.
“Other than tonight, no. She seems sweet, and I don’t think she would hurt me. Do you think she would?” Capri lied so damn well I forgot that she knew Star.
She was lying too well because I was about to yell the Vanducci-Cromwell’s could be trusted. “No. I think she’s harmless and probably just wanted to be nice since you rode with her in the race.”
I just knew Quameer was in her room with his gun to the part of the wall where Morgan was standing. I knew he wanted his ass dead right now, especially for the way he kept trying to get Capri alone with him.
They wrapped up their conversation and Morgan went back to his side of the villa before going out back. I knew because I watched his ass on the cameras throughout the house. Skyler removed herself from the door and went into the closet to pull out her clothes, while I finished working.
After approving Morgan’s request for a girl, I made sure to send her with security. If that nigga thought he was doing what he did before, he would be dead before the damn party. Skyler came out the closet in her panties and a strapless bra, making my ass fucking drool on my keyboard.
She was in her phone and then smiled as her phone started to ring. “Hey Stellie Bellie,” she cooed into the phone with the biggest smile on her face.
“Hi Mama… you come home now?”
Skyler laughed, tossing her head back. “Not yet. Mama has some important work to do… okay?”
I could see how much she loved her daughter, and how hard it was being away from her. “Give the phone to Stevie, okay?”
“Mama please more candy?” Her little sweet voice asked, and Skyler smirked in the camera at her baby girl.
“Let me think about it… have some fruit, okay?”
“Otay,” she agreed, and then handed the phone off.
Someone else got on the phone and she smiled. “Thanks again, Stevie, for watching her. You know she loves you.”
“Skyler, you don’t have to ask me to watch my own little cousin… I don’t know what work you have out the country, but I know when that clock strikes twelve, you better have a drink and celebrate your birthday tonight.”
My head popped up and she laughed. “You already know how birthdays are with me… not the same since my mom passed away. She always made them special.” Skyler sighed, and then shook it off.
I noticed that about her. She never stayed in her feelings long enough to feel anything. Soon as she felt it, she shook it off and kept it pushing with her life. I don’t know if I was turned on by her resilience or concerned because that shit couldn’t have been healthy.
“I know… both our moms are looking down on us. Probably shaking their heads at how they got pregnant by two ain’t shit brothers,” she did a light chuckle to lighten the mood.
“Yeah. I love you and appreciate you. Make sure her father don’t try and get her… I don’t want her with him while I’m away.”
“Girl fuck him… he not taking her, anyway. I’m gonna bring her with me to the salon to work tomorrow since her daycare is closed. Cindy said that it was cool, and ever since those men stormed up in there, she’s been renovating the back to make more room for us nail techs… next time you recommend the salon I work in, bitch, don’t bring the whole gang with you,” her cousin joked.
“Look, he asked for it. Anyway, let me get ready for this event. Put my baby on the phone, please.”
“Hi Mama… I got grapes.”
“They’re cut in half!” I heard her cousin holler in the background.
Skyler smiled at her baby, quickly swiping away a tear. “Mama loves you so much, Stellie Bellie… you know that, right?”
“To the stars and moon… Mama come home please.” Her daughter’s voice broke, and you could hear how much she missed her mother.
“Soon, baby. When I come home, we can get candy, Estella Venus… remember you are mama’s star and her whole universe. Mama is the sky because I hold the stars up, right?”
“Mama, please,” she broke out into tears.
“Estella, come here, baby… Mama is working to give you all the toys, right? Mama has to make money so you can buy candy, too.” Her cousin soothed her screaming daughter. “Go enjoy your night, Skyler… I got her. I know she misses you.”
“Miss her, too. Love you guys,” Skyler replied, and they ended their facetime, as she sat on the edge of the bed, not facing me.
I saw her back and heard the sniffles as she continued to swipe them away quickly. Giving her a few moments to collect herself, she quickly slid her hand down her face and took a deep sigh before standing up.
“What time is the party?”
I closed my laptop and stood up, crossing the room until I was in front of her. “You’re not alright… you don’t have to pretend for me, Geeky.”
She looked up and tears slid down her cheeks. “I am alright.”
“You’re not, and that’s fine with me. Hearing her cry broke my fucking heart and I haven’t even met her… so as her moms, I know that shit got you fucked up. Come here.” She stepped into my arms, wrapping her arms as best as she could around me, as I hugged her, kissing her neck.
“It’s so hard having to be away from her often. With school, I’m always gone for most of the day, and now with working with Capri, I sometimes don’t see her until bedtime. My cousin, Stevie, helps out a lot with her. I feel guilty, but I know I’m doing this for her… I want to give her more, you know?”
I ran my thumb down her chin as I looked down into her brown eyes. “You will give her better. Stop feeling guilty and beating yourself up for doing what you have to for her. I’m not judging you, Geeky. My moms was a single mother and worked a full-time job. I saw the sacrifices, the tears, and hard work she put in to raise me. You doing your job and raising her right. Showing her what a strong woman is… your moms would be proud.”
“Hopefully, I’m not showing her to settle for bums… ‘cause between her father and others… I almost lost my damn life messing with one. I want her to be better… so much better.”
I held the side of her face. “I can bet you not about to fall for no more bums.”
She looked away and I pulled her face back toward mine. “How can you know for sure?”
“Cause I’m standing in front of you and I’m not no fucking bum… Skyler, I already told you what I want. No pressure or rush, but I can tell you that you won’t ever have to struggle again, and my daughter wouldn’t have to miss her mother.”
“Your daughter?” she snorted. “Core, please be so for real.”
“The only thing I can be is so for real, Skyler Rae… I’m on you and what comes with you. If you’re mine, then your daughter is mine and that fuck ass nigga sperm donor is no longer a fucking problem. Add you and Estella in my life insurance soon as you give me the word, baby,” I whispered in her ear before kissing it, as she shuttered in my arms, but tried to play it cool.
“And Jeffie?”
“Same thing applies to her. Ain’t favorites, one over the other. I like you both because you both are different. What I get with Jeffie, I can’t with you, and what I get with you, I can’t get with Jeffie. No need to compete when you both bring big shit to the table… feel me?”
Skyler looked up at me, unsure of what to say. “I…I hear you,” she said.
While she was still staring at me, I kissed her lips. “I don’t like that you didn’t tell me your birthday is tomorrow… don’t hide shit from me, Geeky.” I grabbed her ass and kissed her before going back to my seat and opening my laptop.
Skyler stood there unsure on what to do or where to go before she pulled it together and went to get ready. I watched her for a minute before getting back to work on my laptop.
Me: Skyler’s birthday is tomorrow.
Jeffie: Seriously?? She never mentioned nothing… should we do something for her?
Me: Yeah… I’m gonna pull something together.
Jeffie: I can pull something together… I’m free now.
Me: Nah. If you free, take a nap because I know yo ass haven’t slept with the preparations for the ball… go to sleep. See you tomorrow.
Menace had flown to the island ahead of everyone else with Jeffie. With everything that needed to be prepared, I knew she was running around crazy trying to do everything. A selfie came through and sure enough she was tired as shit. She had circles under her eyes, her locs were pulled up in a bun, and she wore her big framed black glasses.
Nigga had a thing for women in glasses, and although Jeffie didn’t wear hers all the time, the shit turned me on when she did. Skyler wore hers all the time and every time her ass pushed them up on her face, I wanted to kiss her ass.
Jeffie: Yes, Core. I’ll text Skyler tonight for her birthday… see you tomorrow.
Since I had some work to finish before tonight, I was giving Skyler her space in the bathroom. I could tell she was someone that liked to deal with her own shit, and didn’t like to put her shit onto other people.
Shit, I don’t think she truly ever had someone to lean on after her mother passed, so naturally she learned to deal with her own shit alone. My mom was a big communicator, whenever something was wrong, she wanted to fix it and make sure we were good. I couldn’t help but to communicate and I was the biggest fan of having those hard conversations. I never wanted some shit to come out and bite me in the ass. So, when I told Jeffie and Skyler what I wanted, I needed them to know that this was what I was asking. Upfront and honest, and they had the right to choose not to be involved.
Some would think I was selfish for not wanting just one woman but wanting both Jeffie and Skyler. I’ve always moved on my own and did my own thing, so I never gave a fuck what someone thought. I wanted both Skyler and Jeffie, and I let them know that’s what I wanted, and put the ball in their court.
They knew what I wanted, and the fact of the matter was that I only wanted those two. Skyler’s age scared me at times because when I was that age, I remembered being so selfish and wanting to do me, not be tied down. I wasn’t focused on building a family, and didn’t give a damn about being one woman’s man.
Then again, I didn’t have a seed. Skyler may have been turning twenty-one, but she carried herself differently. She often spoke about Capp saving her life, and I felt like that had a lot to do with it. Her thought process was different from Grasshopper’s, even though they were around the same age.
Closing my laptop and putting it in the safe that was in the closet, I went to the bathroom, tapping on the door before I opened it. Skyler stood in the mirror and I licked my lips at her hair. Her big bouncy curls were now straight and sleek.
“Why you staring at me like that?” She laughed; her makeup completed, too. I saw the red lipstick on the counter, waiting to be applied to her thick lips.
“Damn Geeky, your hair long as shit.” I walked further into the bathroom and ran both my hands through her hair.
She laughed, as I looked at her in the mirror and continued to run my hand through her hair. “Tell me why you like me, Corleon?”
“What is there not to like about you, Geeky? You fucking beautiful, smart, and don’t take shit… I like how you bite your bottom lip when you’re on your computer. You have a habit of biting the end of your pens, so you toss the caps away. I know that you look at the clock and always say a prayer before you eat. You love sneakers, and you’ll find an excuse to where them with anything.” I looked down and laughed. “Except today… heels, we on it like that?”
I continued to massage her head, as she closed her eyes because it felt good. “My mom used to massage my head every night when I was in high school.”
“Mine did, too, whenever I would lay across the couch on her thigh… I didn’t give a fuck that she was messing up my waves, either.” I softly kissed the top of her head, and her eyes slowly opened.
“I ain’t scared of much except losing the people I love. You… Geeky, you scare me.” I stared into her eyes through the mirror.
“Why?”
“Because of your age… the fact that you could walk away because this life isn’t what you want… the fact that if I ever meet your daughter, I might fall even deeper.”
“And Jeffie?”
“She scares me the same. The fact that she has told me no and has walked away has me scared… you both hold the cards. It may look like I’m greedy and selfish and want two women at the same time, but the fact remains that I want to make a family with you both. Fuck what everybody else thinks.”
“I can’t give you an answer today, or even tomorrow… I don’t know when, Core.”
I turned her around to face me, held her chin and placed a kiss on her lips. “I don’t need an answer today, or even tomorrow. I told you when you’re ready, you know where I’m at. Finish getting ready so we can go.” I slapped her ass, and headed out the bathroom.
Rahmeek and Giovanna Vanducci’s anniversary party was New York in Monaco, because soon as we came in this bitch, the hotel’s ball room was bumping with Wu-Tang. Soon as Capri heard music, her ass was on the dance floor, and Meer was doing his signature gallop across the room to make it to her.
Cappadonna adjusted his sling as he leaned on the bar, while we watched everyone enjoying the party. Their flight had come in last night, and they checked into the hotel to sleep since neither of them had slept much.
“How you feel being a father of four?” I took back my drink, and handed him a glass of water, while he watched Capri dancing with Meer.
“Look at her, Core… she’s so fucking happy.” He ignored my question as he watched our sister dancing and having the time of her life. She and Aimee were dancing to “Just Kicking It” by Xscape. “There was a time when that smile never existed and look at her. I don’t want to give Meer all the credit because Baby Doll had to find her happiness, too, but that nigga stood by everything he said. I told that nigga to hold her down one time, and he ain’t never let her go… always right there.”
Meer was a real nigga, and the way he didn’t play behind his wife was something to be studied. Capri could tell him that her ice cream cone fell, and that nigga would be ready to fight the ice cream man because she dropped her own cone.
The love they both poured into each other was fucking beautiful. “Shit is beautiful… what you all have is fucking beautiful, Capp.”
He looked over at me, giving me that look that only a big brother could give. My oldest brother wasn’t only my older brother, but he was a father, and a grandfather, too. So, that look he gave me, I could imagine he had given his own son a time or two.
“And what about you? I heard you want both Skyler and Jeffie… how that gonna play out?” he questioned.
“You should know. Your religion is known to have more than one wife.”
“Which is correct. You have to be able to take care of them, though…. I know you can take care of them financially, Corleon, but what about emotionally, and splitting your time between two women… two very different women. I know it looks good, and may even feel good when you close your eyes and think about it, but be real, do you think you can handle two wives?” He chuckled. “I’m not judging and respect what you want… just let us know if we holding a double wedding on the family beach.”
“You never considered having a second wife?”
“Never. My Joy is all I need… especially with the way her damn mood changes, she is three different women. Doesn’t mean I think it’s wrong. What one man eats doesn’t make me shit. Just make sure you can love, protect, and provide for them equally.”
“Skyler has a daughter.”
“So, I’ve heard. Baby father not in the picture?” He raised his eyebrow, while looking at me. Quasim came over and leaned on the bar near us, as he watched Blair dancing with Capri.
“From what she says he’s in and out.”
“And you prepared to play stepfather to her seed. It’s a package deal when it comes to her… With Joy, I already knew her baby inside her stomach was mine. Didn’t even have her yet but knew that she was carrying my daughter.”
“Not playing stepfather, I’m prepared to be her father, if Skyler allows that… she don’t even know if she wants this for real.”
“What about Jeffie?”
“It’s all on their time. I’m not rushing it, and just going with the flow, feel me?”
Capp nodded, as we both watched Quasim smile as Blair danced and did a rope motion so he could come to her. “Michael Myers got your heart all fucked up, Sim.”
Quasim leaned up off the bar and headed toward where Blair was, turning to Capp. “Capp?”
“What up, Sim?”
“Fuck ya!” he flipped his middle finger and went onto the dance floor with Blair who was dancing on him.
“She gonna be the one to break that fucking wall around his heart… already see the pieces chipped away,” Capp said more to himself than to me.
He checked his phone. “I’m heading upstairs to take my pain meds and talk to my wife… see you niggas in the morning.”
Capp searched the room for his twin, and soon as their eyes locked, he nodded toward the door. Capone finished his conversation with Goon and came over toward us. He pulled me into a hug and kissed my head.
“You kept Grandpa company?” Capone laughed.
“Fuck you, Capo… that shit starting to hurt now. I need to call my baby before I go to sleep.” He smirked.
“He need to go rest or something… nigga you just got shot,” I reminded him. “Take it easy before Mama Jean be at your head.”
“I told you to stay behind… you just had seeds, Capp. We could have handled this.”
Capp winced. “As much as I trust that you could and would have got the job done… I have to see this out. Soon as shit done, back on that plane and back home to my family… you, too.”
“Facts. I heard Quasim and Quameer taking Blair and Pri somewhere after… he wanna give her the honeymoon he wasn’t able to give her.”
“She deserves it. Both of them do.” Capp looked back at Capri and Meer slow dancing on the dance floor.
“Come on so I can give you your meds and we can call Erin and Joy… she over at your crib.”
They both dapped me up and looked at Capri once more. “You don’t have to worry about her no more… she got Meer now,” I reminded them.
I watched the both of them walk out of the ballroom before I searched the room for Skyler. Soon as “Jeeps, Lex Coupes, Bimaz and Benz” came on by the Lost Boyz, everybody in the ballroom went crazy and was dancing.
Rah and Giovanna was dancing with each other, while Meer and Capri were rapping with each other. Quasim had a drink in his hand as he held Blair close and they danced. I could tell he was feeling the vibe with the way he kept his hand on her, and they both were just vibing.
I continued to search the room and saw Skyler rapping the lyrics and I laughed because this shit was before her time. Checking my watch, I ordered a drink from the bar, made my way through the crowd and came behind her. She spun around while rapping and smiled when she saw it was me.
“Happy birthday, Geeky… take your first drink… although I doubt this is your first drink.”
She took the shot back and continued to rap, hiking her dress up in the process. “Is you down to go pound for pound?” she rapped to me and laughed.
“How you even know this song?”
She continued her little bop while her hair bounced. “My father may have been a pastor, but he was heavily into old school rap. He and my uncle, and I used to listen to it with him… one of the only memories I still cherish.”
The lights lowered as the song “I’ll Be Missing You” came on, and the DJ got on the mic. “Special dedication to Ishmael… we missing you every day.”
Rah and Giovanna held their champagne flutes up in the air along with Karter, as they all danced to the song. I pulled Skyler closer to me as we danced slowly next to each other. She held onto me while I nuzzled my nose in her neck, and she hugged me tightly around the neck.
I watched as Aimee walked over toward Capella and gave him a hug. From the way he was drinking, I can tell the song fucked with him, and probably made him think about his aunt and mother. She pulled him onto the dance floor and wrapped her arms around him as they danced. She was saying something in his ear as he nodded his head and held her tighter to him.
I leaned up and saw Skyler crying as she danced. With how many people was in this bitch with their drink two-stepping, why the fuck would they play this song. Had me thinking about my own damn mother, and I’m sure that was what Skyler was thinking about.
Hugging her tightly, I kissed her cheek. “You good, Geeky. She’s so proud of the mother and woman you are, and will become… you hear me?”
She nodded her head and held onto me, and my fucking heart melted. I needed Geeky more than she knew. “You think so?”
“I fucking know so… wanna know how?”
“How?”
“Cause I’m so fucking proud of you… So, I know she’s proud of you… it’s your birthday, baby. She wouldn’t want you crying.”
“You’re right,” she sniffled, wiped her face as she held onto me, and laid her head on my chest as we continued to dance. “Your mom is proud of you, too, Core. Don’t know how she would feel about having two daughter-in-law’s,” she gave me that pretty ass smile.
I squeezed her and nuzzled my nose in her neck, smelling her sweet scent. “Long as you’re one of them, she wouldn’t mind.” I kissed her neck, as we danced and watched Capri and Meer dancing alongside Blair and Quasim.
When Skyler held me tighter, she didn’t realize how much she had my heart in a vice grip. I didn’t think I could be without her. “Birthday in Monaco, who would have thought.”
“A suite overlooking the harbor for the birthday girl.”
She pulled her face from me and looked shocked. “You didn’t.”
“I did… it’s your birthday. We gonna turn up, Geeky.”
She did a little dance and made this little sound that was so fucking cute. “Coreeeee!”
I laughed as I looked at her. “I told you, Geeky… I’m gonna make shit happen.”
She searched her clutch for her phone that was ringing, and she held the phone so I could see it. Jeffie’s facetime call was coming in as she slid her finger across the screen. “Hey Jeffie… you alright?” she answered, not knowing she knew it was her birthday.
Jeffie had her bonnet on and was already in bed, and she smiled so wide. “Happy birthday, Skyler!”
Skyler looked from the phone to me and smirked. “Did Core tell you?” she turned, so that I was in the camera and Jeffie laughed.
“Big mouth def told me… question is why you didn’t tell us. We’re taking a shot tomorrow. Enjoy your birthday. I know Core has probably planned something really nice… he didn’t let me help.”
“You supposed to be sleeping that’s why.”
Jeffie rolled her eyes. “Whatever, you not my daddy.”
“Oh, word? Sexy, say that’s word?”
Skyler laughed. “Say word, Jeffie.”
Jeffie made like she coughed and said word. “See, I said it.”
“We’ll see tomorrow.”
“Skyler have a good night and enjoy your birthday night, and tomorrow we will take a shot while ignoring Core.”
“Night Jeffie.”
“Night girl… night, Core.”
“Night, Sexy.”
She smiled before ending the call, and Skyler slipped her phone back into her purse, and turned her attention toward me. She stood on her toes, kissing my lips while holding me around the neck. “Thank you.”
“Don’t have to ever tell me thank you… hear me?”
“Yes.” She smiled.