Chapter 7
Jayme
I adjusted my shades on my face and damn near jumped out of my skin when a hand reached over me and into my chip bag. I looked back and punched Arris in the arm. He chuckled as he walked around the bench.
“What’s up?” He collapsed next to me.
“What’s up?” I looked straight ahead at Blake who was running on the field with several other children from his non-contact youth football team.
It was more so a group of kids learning the basics and fundamentals but it was something to have him outside during the summer and fall months. So as long as he wanted to show up, Arris and I were going to support it.
“How you feeling?” Arris asked, reaching over and snatching another one of my chips.
I sucked my teeth. “Here, greedy.” I shoved the bag toward him.
He took it with a smile. “Thank you.”
I shot him a look then laughed at the way he tilted his head back and shook the contents of the bag right into his mouth.
“You not eating at home or what?” I teased.
“I’ve been running errands all day.” He shrugged. “I ate breakfast, but by the time I even thought about lunch, it was like two hours from practice so I figured I’d wait for my junior to get something afterward.”
“Mm.” I dragged my eyes back to the field. Arris nudged me lightly with his elbow and I looked at him again. “What?”
“You didn’t answer me.” He shook the last bit of chips into his mouth then balled the bag up. “How you feeling?”
“I’m good.”
“For real, Jaybird?”
“For real.”
“A’ight.” He looked forward.
I crossed my arms over my chest.
“I talked to Dyani.”
“Oh. Word?”
“Yep.”
“About what?” He licked his lips and looked over at me.
“You, of course.”
“Of course,” he echoed.
A cocky grin took over his face and I tried to fight my own smile but failed.
“She just wanted to make sure she wasn’t breaking up a happy home.”
“And what did you tell her?”
“That we’re still fucking,” I deadpanned, shrugged, and looked back at the game.
“You full of shit and that ain’t fucking funny.” Arris flicked my ear.
I giggled and shoved him lightly.
“Nah. I told her the truth, that we coparent and that’s it. She was really nice about it.”
“She’s always really nice.” Arris crossed his arms and leaned back slightly.
“She is,” I agreed. “I like her.”
“That’s good to know.”
“Yeah, so if you fuck it up, you won’t be mad if I take her out, right?”
“Oh. So you got jokes?” He flicked my ear again.
“I mean she’s fine as hell, Arris.” I glanced over at him.
“I’ve seen her.”
“Shit. Me too.”
“Keep your hands off Dyani.” He laughed. “Hands, lips, tongue, all that shit.”
“What’s that we’re always telling Blake about sharing?” I teased, which only made Arris laugh harder.
“You’re annoying. You realize that?”
I shrugged.
“Oh! And I’m going out for my birthday now,” I added.
“When?”
“This weekend. I’m having it on Friday so I can bring my birthday in drunk somewhere in a handstand. Plus, my parents are keeping Blake if you want to come.”
“At the club?”
“Yep. Let DP know. My sorority sisters said they’re going to be in attendance and it’ll be fun. I was banking on doing stuff with Reena for my birthday but that’s done, so.” I waved my hand absently.
“I’ll come through.” He dug into his pocket and pulled out a roll of cash.
Arris wasn’t a dope boy or super rich by any means but he stayed with money on him and was never shy about sharing or spending it.
He pulled a few hundreds off and offered them to me.
“And what’s that for?”
“Your section.”
“I can afford a section, Arris.”
“I know you can but imagine me letting you pay for your own birthday celebration.” He reached over and jammed the money into my purse. “Consider it a second gift from Blake.”
“Yeah, okay.” I lifted my shades and shimmied my shoulders. “Do you want me to invite our girlfriend?”
“Fuck out of here.” Arris pinched my arm and we both laughed.
I tilted my head back and stuck my tongue out. Both of my older sisters, Janari and Janine, poured a shot down my throat. I swallowed it the best I could then wiped my chin and giggled as I brought my head up.
“You ready to go in, birthday girl?” Janine sang.
I nodded. “Let’s do it.”
“Come on.” Janari leaned over the middle console. “We’re ready!”
The driver climbed out and pulled the door open. We took our time climbing out. I pulled the tight black dress I was wearing down a little bit and glanced at myself in the reflection of the truck. I fixed my hair and rubbed my lips together, effectively spreading my lip gloss.
I led my sisters to the front of the club and straight inside.
“Happy birthday!” several people screamed as I entered the club.
I laughed as I hugged my sorority sisters and accepted the flowers they’d brought me. We made conversation while we walked to the section where there was already a group of DP members spread out. I gave one-armed hugs to them and rolled my eyes but accepted the cash they gave me.
Even though Arris and I had broken up a little while ago, my title as a concrete rose was secure.
I was still around a lot, even after our breakup.
We never had a desire to stop talking and never had any issues with coparenting.
We were friends before anything. DP didn’t have a reason not to fuck with me or think I was flaw, so shit hadn’t changed when me and Arris’s relationship status did.
It helped that I was always down to do a little favor for them if needed, they adored Blake, and my baby daddy still had my calling card on his neck.
Everyone was talking and laughing. I joined them easily. Someone handed me a beer. Someone else handed me a shot. I took the shot and chased it with the beer.
I wined my hips and leaned back when I felt hands on them. I knew immediately it was one of my sisters and I laughed as I leaned into her. She danced with me and I welcomed a second shot from another of the DP members.
I was giggling with a concrete rose when I caught sight of Dyani. She was downstairs, making her way through the crowd and looking around. I immediately went to the railing and started waving to get her attention.
She made a beeline toward me and I met her at the entrance of the section.
I hadn’t been joking when I told Arris I was going to invite Dyani out, even if I had been somewhat joking about us competing for her.
I’d never tried to snatch a woman from under his nose, but she was beautiful and Arris and I weren’t actually strangers to sharing women.
We had our fair share of threesomes while we were dating, mostly initiated by me and never regretted, but we cut that off once we had Blake.
The thought of having random women in and out of our spot when we had a baby wasn’t something we could get behind, but fuck, it had been an amazing time.
I gave Dyani a hug as soon as she was close enough and she held up a small gift bag.
“I got you something.”
“And you didn’t have to,” I countered, “But thank you for coming.”
“Thank you for inviting me.”
“Of course.” I shimmied as I let her go. “Where’s Arris?”
“What?” Dyani looked around quickly.
“Arris?” I repeated.
“Uhm,” she cleared her throat, “We didn’t come together.” She leaned into me and spoke into my ear. “We’re kind of keeping things lowkey and there’s a lot of DP here.”
“Oh.” I blinked at her. “Well, anyway, you can hang out with me.” I winked at her.
She grinned.
I linked our fingers together and pulled her back toward the middle of the section.
“Do you want a drink?” I asked.
“Sure.”
“A real drink or a shot?”
“Either one.”
“I’ve got you.” I grabbed two shots and offered her one.
We tapped our glasses together then took them. I set our empty glasses down and grabbed another one for Dyani.
“I’m two ahead of you,” I explained. “Go ahead and get caught up.”
“Alright. Let’s do it.” She took the shot.
I stuck my tongue out and she mirrored the gesture as the song changed.
The women in the section rapped along with the lyrics.
I started dancing in place, putting my hands on my knees and twerking.
Dyani put her hands on my hips and I danced against her for a little before standing up fully.
She threw her arms around my shoulders and I reached back with one hand to touch her hip while we moved together.
I smiled and squealed when I saw my biological sisters. I stopped dancing and waved them over.
“Dyani, these are my sisters, Janine and Janari!” I said loudly. “Y’all, this is my new friend, Dyani.”
“Nice to meet you.”
Each of my sisters hugged her.
“How long have you known Jay?” Janari, the oldest of my sisters, asked.
“Not long,” Dyani said.
“Mhm.” Janari looked her up and down.
I laughed and jokingly pushed her away. I was starting to feel my few shots, but I wasn’t drunk by any means. I definitely felt my exhibitions lowering though.
“We’re just friends,” I said a little louder than intended. “She’s Darryl’s sister.” I threw an arm around Dyani’s neck, pulled her in, and kissed her cheek. “We’re pretty much becoming best friends.” I kissed her cheek again.
“Yeah, okay.” Janine rolled her eyes.
“I’m serious! I’m not trying to fuck her.” I looked at Dyani. “I’m not trying to fuck you.”
“Well, damn. Tell me how you really feel.”
We all laughed. I kissed her cheek one more time.
“If you want me to though, I can,” I whispered.
“Thanks for the offer, birthday girl.”
“Of course.” I grinned. “And you don’t have to worry about Arris being jealous. He’d love to watch… or participate even.”
“Oh.” She whistled. “Alrighty then.”
I laughed and looked around. My biological sisters had been drawn into conversation with some of my sorority sisters and members of DP.
I turned into Dyani and put my hands on her hips. She threw her arms around my neck. We went back to dancing, singing and rapping to the music playing. We made it through three songs and each had another shot before I saw Arris walk into the club.