Chapter 9 #2
They all looked at me with their mouths agape as I raised my brow, trying to figure out what the fuck I said wrong.
“Damn, bitch. Is this your wedding or theirs?” Mayani asked.
“Our wedding, their marriage,” I replied.
“It’s hers,” Good Dick Messiah announced. “Because there is no way she asked for half the shit you just said. In the event that it is, nobody asked you to speak for her.”
“That’s my fucking sister. I know what she wants.”
“Arie, I don’t need all of that. That was a childhood dream, sissy.”
“Now, it’s about to be your reality. You ain’t paying for it, so let Mr. Money Rolls roll out the red carpet while you dig deep in his empty-ass pockets.”
Messiah laughed. “If you’re that mad that I didn’t make you cum, just say that. All this hostility can be avoided. I’ll knock that lace front loose, if that’s what you want.”
“Tell her ass, bro! Sis is steaming,” Mike said, taking a sip of his water while laughing.
“If she doesn’t take a drink of water and cool her ass down, she gon’ fuck around and find out what this dick is really hitting for. I’m not one to leave a woman without a happy ending.” He smirked.
I laughed. “The fact that you think I’m angry about your ‘faster than the speed of light’ cumming ass is crazy!”
“Arie, you promised…” Paige hissed through her teeth.
I tossed my hands up. “I’m sorry, sis. Maybe today just isn’t my day.
I apologize for my behavior—it’s not intentional.
I just really don’t like this nigga, and before I send his ass to meet his maker, I’m going to excuse myself.
We’ll catch up another time. Harvey, I think you’re perfect for my sister. Just keep her happy, that’s all I ask.”
“I got you, sis. No worries.”
I stood from the table just as the waitress walked back over with our drinks. I pulled a few hundred dollars from my clutch, placed three of them on the table, and two in the waitress’s apron. I took a glass of Don from her tray, tossed it back like water, then bent down to kiss Paige’s cheek.
“I’m probably going to head up to the cabin for a few days. I need to get some rest and regroup. Call me if you need me,” I told her, hoping she’d forgive me for not playing it cute today.
She sighed. “I will. You be careful. I love you.”
“I love you more.”
My eyes captured Messiah’s once again. This time, there wasn’t a smile in sight. I knew I had to have pissed him off, but I didn’t care. He had pissed me off, playing with me as if I were one to play with. He didn’t know me, but I’m sure he knew now.
Good dick bastard , I thought as I left the restaurant.
Later That Night…
Our family cabin sat on forty acres with a lake, surrounded by nothing but trees and luscious green grass in Commerce, Michigan.
It was two hours away from home and was much needed with all the different thoughts swirling in my head.
I knew I needed to get my life together and figure out why I was so angry inside.
But I knew why, and I had to decompress and try to get over my father essentially abandoning us so that the anger would subside.
I couldn’t help but think there was something else causing this impromptu decision he’d made, and it only made my mood more somber, not knowing what the true cause was.
I was taking my anger out on everyone, and that wasn’t good.
My sister was getting married. I should be there with her right now, helping her find the perfect dress, yet I was in the woods, alone, trying to coach myself to let go and let God.
I was a sinner who was probably going to sin again, but I prayed that God could forgive me for the things that I’d done.
I tried to keep him centered in my life, but with my profession, I was constantly in limbo.
Maybe my father was right about me getting out of the game.
I had acquired way too much to still be putting my life at risk or those around me at risk as well.
Paige didn’t have to say it, but this was her way of slowly detaching herself from the life we led.
She wanted love, marriage, and children.
There was no way she could do that, living the life of a hitter.
I loved her that much not to put up a fight about it. She deserved all the love that was coming her way via Harvey. I just didn’t know what was next for me when I finally bowed out gracefully. Well, I don’t know if I had it in me to quit without creating some chaos.
Sitting out on the deck, I had soft music playing, a bottle of wine, candles to ward off the insects, and my phone in my hand.
Uncle L:
Make sure you’re at Sunday dinner. I need to talk to you about something.
I didn’t bother to reply as I FaceTimed Mooney. He picked up on the fourth ring. When his face popped up on the camera, I could do nothing but laugh, which was something I desperately needed. His ass had on my pink silk robe with some type of face cream on.
I met Mooney four years ago when I was looking for a dog walker.
I usually didn’t take to people so easily, but Monroe, or Mooney as I called him, came with a professional attitude and was ready to work.
At first, he would walk Halo, Heaven, and Hanna for me three times a week.
Each time he’d come, I’d see a little more of his personality and how much he loved my dogs.
One day, I invited him to have lunch with me and learned that he was a jack of all trades but a master of none.
He dabbled in so many things that he still hadn’t found exactly what he wanted to settle on, which is why he was walking dogs for a living.
After getting to know him and finding out that his girlfriend of eight years had decided to end things with him, I offered him a place in my home, and we’ve been locked in ever since.
“Mooney, I’m going to seriously hurt you.”
“And why would you want to do something like that, Evermean?”
“Why do you have on my shit? Let me find out you’re batting for the other team.”
“You know better than that. It’s laundry day for me. I’d been in and out, and hadn’t been able to wash, so I dipped in your closet, and this was the first shit I saw. Wait, where the hell you at now?”
I sipped my wine before I responded, “I’m at the cabin.”
“Oh, you haven’t been there in a while. What prompted you to go there?”
I sighed. “Just needed a few days to myself. I think I may be dealing with a broken heart,” I offered truthfully.
“Who the fuck broke your heart so I can go break their fucking face?”
“Lorenzo…”
“Oh, shit. I can’t help you there, sis.”
I chuckled. “Exactly.”
“What happened?”
“Too much. One, he wants me out of the game.” Mooney took a seat on the couch and stared at me. “What?”
“Can I be honest?”
“Of course.”
“That’s really not a bad idea. It’s a dangerous game you’re in, and you may move with precision, but you know how the saying goes... If you live by the sword, you die by it. I’m not trying to see you laid out in a casket, and I’m sure your pops don’t want that for you either.”
“Whose side are you on?”
“Your side, which is why I’m telling you this. Ya moms, me, Paige, and all three of your Totos would be very heartbroken if we lost you, Evermean. Get out of the way before that house falls on you, mamas.”
I laughed. “I seriously hate you.”
“You love the fuck out of me.”
“I do. You’re the only one who could get me to laugh when I’m feeling down.”
“He doesn’t have to be the only one…”
“Who the fu?—”
I jumped from the couch, grabbed my gun from the table, and aimed it in the direction of the voice. It was dark out here. The only light visible was coming from the house and the candles I had lit.
“Who the fuck is out there?” I asked in alarm, pointing my gun toward the bottom deck as I eased toward the balcony.
“Arie, what’s happening? You need me to call the police?” Mooney asked, just as alarmed as I.
“Nah, I’m about to kill whoever the fuck this is and dump their body in the lake. Show yourself, or I’m shooting.”
I could hear movement as I clicked off the safety.
Mooney’s voice blared through the phone. “Arie, talk to me. What do you want me to do? Shit. Let me get my other phone.”
As the person began to ascend the stairs, my anger heightened even more, seeing Mr. Good Dick Messiah climbing the stairs.
“I thought you would know by now that guns don’t scare me, Miss Mean Ass,” he said with a grin that looked equally good and bad.
“What are you doing here? Did you fucking follow me?” I asked, still ready to shoot his ass.
“Nah, my new sister-in-law dropped your location.”
“I know you fucking lying! Paige knows me well enough to know not to do no shit like that without my permission.” I kept my gun trained on him.
“Who is that?” Mooney asked. “Talk to me, AP, or I’m calling the police.”
“It’s cool, Mooney. I’ll call you back later.” I disconnected the call and glared at this fine, lopsided head-ass nigga. “You really do have some big-ass balls, my nigga.”
“I told you the dick is, too, but you already know that, right?” That famous smirk appeared on his face again.
“What are you doing here? What the fuck do you want?”
“I came to give you what you’ve been stressing over.”
“Oh, really? And what is that?”
He moved over to me quickly, relieving me of my gun and grabbing the back of my neck. Leaning, he whispered, “This dick.”
I quickly snatched away from him, attempting to kick him in his balls, but he blocked it and snatched me up again. I watched him toss my gun on the patio chair before pulling me closer to him.
“Chill out with that bullshit, Arie . You was poppin’ all that big shit earlier. Now you want to hurt a nigga for being accommodating?”
“What? How are you accommodating me by following me like a fucking stalker?”
“You asked for this dick, so I came to deliver it.”
“I don’t remember asking you for shit.”
“No?”
“No!”
“A’ight, then I’ll be on my way,” he said, backing away from me.
“You’re just going to drive two hours here, and then two hours away just to prove a damn point?”