11
Caprice looked around the black and silver decorated hall as she sipped from her second drink.
Just about everybody was on the dance floor enjoying themselves, including Monty.
He didn’t really dance but he was engrossed in a conversation with some of his cousins that he didn’t get to see very often.
It was like they were celebrities when he and his brothers visited their family in Georgia.
Their swag, speech and overall mannerisms were different and they always seemed to be impressed.
Monty and his brothers always kept their cousins up to date with the lasted shoes and gear.
Admittedly, she loved the way they loved their cousins, even though they didn’t grow up together.
As usual, Dash was all over Clover, and Diva couldn’t make a move without Hank being all up in her space.
To Caprice, it seemed like he always overdid it whenever Drea was around, like he was trying to prove a point.
If a person didn’t know for sure, it didn’t even seem like they were separated.
Fonzo and Amina were in their own world as they looked in each other’s eyes and danced.
They always did their own thing so that was no surprise.
Caprice wanted to get her alone to see how she was gonna act.
Amina seemed kinda distant to her lately, but they never had any problems before.
Her feelings were kind of hurt when she learned of her pregnancy.
As usual, she eavesdropped on one of Monty’s phone calls and found that out.
She just assumed that their relationship was better than that and Amina would have told her herself.
“Girl, I can’t believe how Kim is dressed.”
“I can’t believe she’s showing her belly.”
“I still can’t believe she got it pierced.”
Clover’s cousins sat around the table at Mrs. Leo’s party and discussed everything that was going on around them.
Although they weren’t directly related to Kim, she was still like family.
Corey was their uncle and Shantel was her auntie, so they all grew up close and did everything together.
She had her new friend with her and she was excited to show off her new look.
Her hair was in a sleek ponytail, and Clover had obviously dressed her.
Kim never wore designer before but her shoes, purse and outfit were definitely her cousin’s style.
She could almost pass for being a city girl until she opened her mouth to speak.
That accent was deep and she couldn’t hide it if she tried.
Her mama was so excited to see her step out the box.
She couldn’t stop smiling and showing her off to everyone.
Caprice heard that she worked at the tattoo shop where Monty was doing his apprenticeship and so did her new friend.
“I guess she’ll be saying how much she hates Riverdale soon too. Hank grew up here and he acts like it’s beneath him now.” Drea frowned as she spoke negatively of her ex once again.
Caprice rolled her eyes discreetly as she and Sade soaked in all the family gossip.
She didn’t understand how Drea was still in love with a man who had moved on so long ago.
Hank had gotten married and had kids and a grandchild while she still lived in the same house that he left her in.
Caprice had been a fool for men before but she was never that dumb.
“They all get to the city and start acting brand new. My uncle Corey did the same thing. He got down there and came back acting like Riverdale was the bottom of the barrel. That’s exactly why he lost his life in the same city that he was praising so much.
The same place that turned his wife into a dope fiend.”
Clover’s cousin, Angie, was usually the voice for them all.
She hated her the most, but that was mainly because Clover beat her ass when they visited a few years ago.
Angie said some slick shit about Shantel then too, and Clover did her dirty.
It also didn’t help that Angie and some of her cousins felt like their grandmother favored Clover over them.
In their minds, they were stuck in Riverdale, barely able to make ends meet while Clover lived a life of luxury in New Orleans.
It was the money that Tilly gave her that helped her start her own business and thrive.
Granted, it was money that their grandmother saved from Corey’s insurance policy but she was the beneficiary, not Clover.
They would have understood if she gave Clover the most but she didn’t even attempt to help them out.
Add that on top of the money that she got from her mother and she was really straight.
Not to mention Dash, who foot the bill for everything that she had now.
It was and always had been a lot of favoritism when it came to Clover.
“Shantel started acting brand new too. We were inseparable at one time before she moved to New Orleans. She got with her new best friend and said fuck me,” Drea, once again, was singing the same song that Caprice was tired of hearing.
Angie was obviously tired of hearing it too because she said exactly what the rest of them were probably thinking.
“Weren’t y’all like teenagers when she left?” Angie didn’t even remember when her uncle and his girlfriend left Riverdale because it was so long ago. Everything that she knew about the situation came from her mother and other family members.
“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.