5 #3
“These niggas ain’t shit. That nigga was just trying to touch my tonsils with his dick not too long ago.”
Sade frowned angrily, pulling Drea back to the present.
She stupidly believed Dash when he told her that they were gonna be together when he and Clover split up once before.
That was obviously another one of his lies, and she felt stupid when they got back together.
Sade, same as her cousin, wanted the life that she saw Clover living. She wanted a house built just for her and a luxury car to drive around in. But, more than that, she wanted a man to love her the same way Dash loved Clover. He was a cheater but that wasn’t surprising, especially for men his age.
“Y’all need to come to the party. I have more than enough room if y’all wanna stay by me,” Drea said.
She was almost sure that Monty didn’t tell Caprice anything about his grandmother’s upcoming party.
Judging by the look on her face, she knew that she was right.
She’d only seen Hank’s sons a handful of times when they came to Georgia, but they all looked like him.
Apparently, they had his whorish ways too judging by what Caprice and her cousin were saying.
“What party?” Caprice was almost scared to ask but she just had to know.
“Mrs. Leo is having a big seventieth birthday party,” Drea replied, speaking of Hank’s mother, Leona. She was still friends with Hank’s sister, Danae, and she always went to their mother’s party.
In their small town, everybody was invited to everything, so it wasn’t unusual.
Most times, she sat with some of her other friends and watched her ex and his new family enjoy themselves.
She knew that if Caprice and her cousin came, she would have much more fun.
Corey and Shantel’s families were always in attendance as well, but that was nothing new since they were all friends.
Drea hated that she didn’t really know her one time best friend’s only daughter. Clover was raised by Diva, so she probably formed an opinion of her before they even met. It was weird as hell that she had a daughter and was once married to Hank and Diva’s son.
“I’ll damn sure be there,” Caprice spoke up, bringing Drea back to the present.
“And I’ll be right there with you, cousin,” Sade noted.
“Look at how stupid they look.” Caprice frowned when she saw Iva, Jess and Diva playing around and singing on the karaoke machine. Amina was laughing with them as she recorded their uncoordinated dance routine.
That was yet another thing that she hated.
She wanted a close relationship with Diva like the one she had with Iva.
After all, she was Monty’s current woman and Iva was his ex.
Unfortunately, Monty’s family had already made up their minds about her before they even met.
The way that they got together played a big part on how they viewed her.
They all loved Iva, so she never stood a chance.
She should have been having fun with them but she had to play the background instead.
Everybody took turns singing their favorite song and they were having a good time.
When they started playing one of Glorilla’s hit songs, Clover jumped up on the platform that they used as a stage and really had the crowd going.
Dash was all smiles as he recorded her rapping “Yeah Glo”.
Clover changed the lyrics to “Yeah Clo” and they were hyping her up and singing with her.
“Stomp a lil pussy ho with some shell toes.”
“Yeah Clo!”
“Slappin’ rap bitches and makin’ bail, ho.”
“Yeah Clo!”
Clover was all into it as the crowd flashed their cell phone lights and cheered her on. She was looking right at Drea, Caprice and her cousins as she sang the lyrics aggressively.
“The fuck! I know she ain’t talking to nobody over here.” Sade saw how Clover looked their way as she rapped.
“Bitch, you better stop talking so damn loud.”
Caprice was messy but she was no fool. She looked around to see if anybody was close enough to overhear them.
She got pissed when she saw Monty amongst the crowd like he was Clover’s paid hype man.
He was rapping along with her like they were the only two in the room.
She didn’t even know that he was finished working.
Aside from Caprice, Drea, Sade, and some of Clover’s cousins, the entire bar was enjoying her performance.
Iva was twerking, and Monty was looking a little too hard.
Caprice got up and went stood next to him.
She tried to wrap her arm around his waist, but he discreetly moved away.
Monty was nothing like his brothers and he hated PDA.
“Girl, go sit down somewhere and let Monty be. You can watch him as hard as you want to but a nigga will still find a way to do their dirt. Let him breathe.”
Dot looked at Caprice and frowned. If it were anybody else, she would have had a snappy reply but she knew her limit when it came to her man’s grandmother.
It was no secret that Monty was her favorite grandchild and she didn’t play behind him.
It was also a known fact that she loved Iva and wasn’t too fond of Caprice.
“I’m just enjoying the show like everybody else,” Caprice laughed, hoping to lighten the mood.
“Yeah, I hear ya.” Dot didn’t even try to hide the disdain in her voice.
Dot had been in the streets since she was old enough to walk, so she knew how it went.
Monty needed Caprice when he was locked up but he didn’t foresee their situation going beyond the prison walls.
He was a man before anything else, and their relationship was one of obligation, not love.
But she knew her grandson better than his mama did, and Monty was a lot like her.
He was loyal to a fault, but Caprice had to know that their little arrangement wouldn’t last forever.
He was trying to make a name for himself with his tattoos, and she was confident that he would.
Once the impromptu concert was over, Monty called Irie’s husband, Troy, over to show everybody the work that he’d just completed.
“Man, that shit is fire as fuck!” Dash was overly amazed by the artwork that his brother had just done.
Troy had a huge picture on his arm depicting different aspects of New Orleans culture.
He didn’t know how much his brother was paid, but a shop wouldn’t have charged him less than a stack.
The details alone would have run the bill up, but it was worth it.
Dash had a decent following on social media and he always posted his brother’s work in hopes of getting him some more business.
A few of Monty’s customers came as a result of his brother’s advertising.
“Bro, I told you to let me link you with my girl. Her husband got a tattoo shop. You can do your apprenticeship under him. He can help you with certifications and everything. She said he’s always looking out for new inkers,” Clover said as she admired his skills.
“I know sis, but this dude that I was locked up with is trying to link me with his brother-in-law. He got a shop too and that nigga’s work is fire. I’m ‘bout to get at him to see about working in his shop.”
“You’ve been telling me that for weeks, Damont. You better not let that good talent go to waste. You belong in your own shop, not no damn bar room. Don’t forget the promises that you made to me.”
Dot looked at her grandson and frowned. Monty was a procrastinator but she wasn’t letting up on him.
He seemed to have a plan when he was locked up but he hadn’t put any actions behind his words.
“I gotchu, baby. I’ve never broken a promise to you yet, and I’m not about to start. I had to wait until he had time to meet with me. He told me that he’ll have some free time soon. I’m too focused to stop now.” He pulled his grandmother into a hug and kissed the top of her head.
“Clo, ask your friend when her husband is free. Don’t just stop at one person, Monty. If one can’t do it, maybe the other man might be able to.”
Dot didn’t want him to keep putting it off like he’d been doing.
Getting his own shop was only one of the promises that he made to her.
She was hoping like hell that he kept his other promise too.
“All you gotta do is get certified bro. We can build you a shop.” Dash would happily foot the bill to see his brother’s dreams come to fruition. Hank was gonna do it for free but he would gladly help out however he could.
Caprice felt invisible, as Monty discussed his future plans like she wasn’t gonna be a part of it.
Everybody was excited to give their input about a shop that he didn’t even have yet.
She looked at how Dash and Clover were hugged up and kissing in between conversation.
Amina was on Fonzo’s lap as they spoke intimately to one another in their own little world.
Then, there was her man who would rather hug his grandmother than to show her any affection.
Iva was busy working the bar but she didn’t miss how he kept sneaking peeks at her when he thought nobody was paying attention.
They weren’t but Caprice was tuned in. She didn’t know how but she had to find a way to solidify her place in Monty’s life.
But first, she had to think of a way to get Iva out of it.