20 #2
Iva looked out of her rearview mirror and, sure enough, Hank’s construction truck was a few cars behind them. She had never been right in the middle of Clover and Dash’s drama before and she didn’t want to be a part of it now. She was always there for the aftermath that never lasted very long.
“Why are you slowing down? That nigga is gonna hit your car! Pull over in that parking lot and let me drive.” Clover pointed to a store that they were approaching.
“Are you serious?” Iva looked at her like she was crazy. As soon as she asked, Dash pulled up on the side of them, honking his horn like a nut.
“Well, too late now. Act like you’re gonna pull over and hop on the bridge.”
“Bitch, I do hair. I don’t work for NASCAR. They got too many cars on the road for that. Now, you know I’ll help you square up in a heartbeat, but this is above my paygrade.”
“Use your turn signal and act like you’re about to turn.”
“Oh shit! Clover no, I’m nervous. We’re gonna wreck.”
“Wait, he’s gonna turn and we need to jump in front of this car.”
Iva was scared out of her mind but Clover jerked the wheel just in time, missing another car by an inch. Horns blared and tires screeched, but they did it. Dash turned into the parking lot and they hopped on the bridge.
“Bitch, I think I just pissed on myself.” Iva’s heart was beating fast as she drove to an unknown destination.
“I need a favor.” Clover sighed sadly.
No, she wasn’t crying yet but she knew that it was coming eventually.
She wasn’t a robot and she had feelings.
As crazy as it sounded, she had already braced herself for what was to come.
Women’s intuition was real and hers never let her down.
Still, it didn’t make it hurt any less. It was like her and Dash could never be happy for too long and she was over it.
Yeah, they were still young but they were getting too old for the bullshit.
She needed some time to think and she didn’t wanna be anywhere around Dash when she did it. They needed some time apart to see if being together was really worth it. She was starting to think that they needed to go their separate ways and just coparent like mature adults.
“You ain’t got no muthafucking maids, Dash. Get your ass up and do something.” Diva was pissed when she walked into the living room and saw Dash lounging on the sofa like he didn’t have nothing else to do.
“It’s cool, Diva, we got it.” Fonzo felt bad for his baby brother, so he wasn’t pressed about him helping.
“No, fuck that. Ain’t nobody feeling sorry for his stupid ass. That’s what the fuck he gets. All of the bitches in New Orleans, you picked that dirty dusty-looking hoe. Probably got that hoe Caprice laughing at my daughter and shit.”
Diva was hurt and angry when she learned about what happened between Clover and Dash.
The situation was already bad, but things only got worse when she found out who the other woman was.
Clover didn’t even wanna look in his stupid ass face and she didn’t blame her.
She ended up answering one of his facetime calls and laid everything out for him.
When it was all said and done, she decided that it was best if they went their separate ways.
Now, just like always, he was a complete mess. He hadn’t been to work in three days, and she didn’t remember the last time he ate anything. Even the thought of her moving on had him physically and mentally ill.
Clover needed a few days to clear her head, so Diva, Irie and Iva ran the nursery in her absence. Now, she was ready to get back to it and Diva was making sure she came back to a clean house, just like she always kept it. Dash had it looking a mess and he knew that Clo didn’t play that shit.
“Get your ass up and help your brothers put that shit in the truck, Junior!” Hank yelled when he walked into the room.
Just like his wife, he was heated with their last born.
Dash had straight up lied to him but he knew better.
He peeped the way Sade spoke to him when her and Caprice came to his and Denny’s house all those months ago.
Dash claimed that she had a crush on him but Hank knew that it was more than that.
She felt too comfortable singling him out with a personal greeting.
Now, he was like a zombie, but he had no sympathy or fucks left to give.
Once Clover decided that the relationship was over, Hank told him to pack his shit and come by him and Diva until he found another place to stay.
He wasn’t about to make his granddaughter uncomfortable because he fucked up.
That was her house and she was gonna continue to live in it.
“Come on, bro, I got shit to do today. You need to finish boxing your shit up, so we can bring it by Hank and Diva.” Monty was taking Iva out to dinner later and he wasn’t trying to be too tired to enjoy himself. Dash was stalling but he wasn’t in the mood for it.
“I’m not going over there,” Dash said it low but loud enough for everyone to hear him.
“The fuck you mean, Junior. Where you going at then?” Hank asked.
“I’m staying in my house. Me and Lucky talked already.”
“And she don’t want your lying, cheating ass no more, so get up and do something!” Diva yelled.
“Man, I don’t even give a fuck no more. Y’all can throw all that shit away. I’ll be dead anyway so I won’t need it.” Dash, being as dramatic as he was known to be after a breakup, started crying and pacing the floor.
“Aww shit, here we go with this dying bullshit again.”
Monty wasn’t in the mood. He was about to let them figure it out and go home to his girl.
As much as he loved Clover, he sometimes regretted that her and Dash ever got together.
Their family was too close and their breakups always affected everybody.
It was crazy because they did everything together.
Clover and Dash would have to be around each other whether they wanted to or not.
“Boy, sit your fake suicidal ass down somewhere. Ain’t nobody ‘bout to be pacifying you. You fucked up and you gotta take your lick. It’s as simple as that.” Hank was already fed up, and Dash hadn’t even moved in with them yet.
“And I hope Clo really move on this time and find somebody who really appreciates her,” Diva replied, making her sons and husband look at her like she was crazy. She was adding fuel to an already burning fire that would take forever to contain.
“Man, come on, Diva. Why you even say that?” Monty argued.
That was it for Dash; he grabbed his gun from underneath the sofa where he was resting and put it up to his head. Nobody even made a move to stop him because they already knew the drill.
“Fuck it! Just tell my baby that I love her.” Dash was hard down crying like he was really serious. It was almost as if something clicked in Fonzo, and he was done being nice.
“You know what, nigga, do it. Pull the trigger and put us all out of our misery. Ain’t nobody stopping your crybaby ass. You gon’ muthafucking die today!” Fonzo angrily dropped the box that he was holding.
It was almost as if the world stopped. Nobody moved or said a word. Even Dash had stopped his theatrics for a minute to gaze at his oldest brother in shock. Fonzo was always the calming voice of reason but even he was tired of Dash.
“Now, you know you don’ fucked up anytime you got my baby pissed off,” Diva said.
“I’m gone, y’all. I can be home with my pregnant wife instead of listening to this foolishness. I’m sick of this shit.” Fonzo continued to fuss as he walked out the front door and slammed it behind him.
Monty walked over and grabbed the gun out of Dash’s hands. “Stupid ass nigga. This shit ain’t even loaded.” He threw the gun on the floor and shook his head.
“I got a daughter, nigga. Why would I keep a loaded gun under my sofa?” Dash asked as he gave him a stupid look.
“Man, fuck this, me and my girl got plans. Please, don’t call if y’all need me.” With those parting words, Monty left not too long after Fonzo did.
Admittedly, Dash was in shock. If nobody else, his brothers were always in his corner.
He was used to Diva and Hank going off but he needed the support of his two best friends.
As hurt as he was, he couldn’t even be mad.
He was always acting first and thinking last.
He swore that from that day forward, he was done making stupid moves.
He prayed that God gave him his family back and he swore that he would do everything humanly possible to keep them.
But, for now, he had to grow up and take his lick.
As much as it pained him to do, Dash started taping up the boxes that were already packed. He and Hank loaded them onto the work truck until all of his belongings were out of the house that he and the love of his life were supposed to grow old in.
“I won again!” Kardi yelled and laughed excitedly.
“Aww man, you sure did. Three times in a row. You better not be cheating on me.” Clover smiled, loving to see how happy her baby was.
She had been staying in a suite for the past few days, and it proved to be just what she needed.
She had time to cry, think and clear her head.
She went through all the stages of grief that people said a person should go through after death.
The only difference was, Dash was still alive.
Unfortunately, their relationship wasn’t.
She decided that she loved him and was still in love with him. But she loved herself more.
And that was why she ended up answering one of his many calls.
She and Dash had a much-needed conversation.
She expressed her feelings to him and gave him a chance to do the same.
She was honest with him about her dealings with Trent after their divorce and he did the same.
She wasn’t mad that he dealt with the other woman because they were no longer together.
She was, however, upset that the bitch was always around but she couldn’t blame him for that either.
Caprice was a low down, dirty bitch but she didn’t make Dash do anything.
Still, Clover wished it could have been her that she beat up instead of her cousin.
Once it was all said and done, Clover deiced that it was best if they went their separate ways and just coparented.