Chapter 7 #2
“I guess it’s my own fault, really. The signs were there.
I just refused to see them. And even after he disrespected our marriage and hurt me beyond repair, he was the one that filed for divorce.
I didn’t want to be with him anymore, anyway, but the fact that he beat me to the punch and filed first was like another slap in the face.
The sheriff actually came to the house and served me.
You know how embarrassing that was?” Her voice cracked, and Brazil hoped she didn’t start crying.
“Damn,” he mumbled. “He sounds like a grade-A fuck nigga.”
Laughing through her tears, Danyelle dabbed at the corner of her eye with her knuckle. “That is a perfect way to describe him. Enough of my sad story. What did you do after college?”
“I started playing professional soccer.”
His comment made Danyelle’s jaw slack. “Really? That is so awesome. I love it. I don’t know any Black boys or men that play soccer.”
“Yeah, I love it. It’s pretty cool doing something that I love as a career.
I have three brothers and cousins, so I don’t really need friends.
If I’m not playing soccer or with family, I used to travel for leisure quite a bit, but I recently got full custody of my daughter, so I’m getting into the rhythm of that. ”
“Congratulations. Children are a blessing. Some of us took that for granted until we started trying for our own and found out it’s not always that easy.”
Brazil finished off his drink and ordered another.
When his food came, he dug in while listening Danyelle bounce from subject to subject.
He could tell when she started feeling the alcohol because she seemed less sad and more flirtatious.
When he was done eating, she boldly asked him what he was doing after.
“I’m gonna go home and catch up on my rest while my daughter is with her cousin.
“Would you care for company?”
“You’re a beautiful woman, but you’re hurt, and you’re tipsy. That’s a combination that I’m not going to take advantage of.”
The flicker in her orbs made Brazil aware that the rejection stung. He meant no harm and actually, some pussy would have been nice. It had been at least a month since he had any, but he was going to refrain from being a rebound fuck that Danyelle just might’ve regretted the next day.
“Ouch.” She chuckled.
“Don’t look at it like that. If I was a little younger, we’d already be out the door, but I try to grow with age. I haven’t always been a decent guy. I’ll give you my number, though, and you can hit me up sometime when you’re sober.”
Instantly, the light came back to Danyelle’s eyes. She pulled out her phone, and he gave her his number before paying both their tabs. He had actually turned down sex from a gorgeous woman to go home and go to bed before ten p.m. Brazil didn’t even know who the hell he was anymore.
“Tighten up.” Tech faked a right while dribbling the basketball in his hand and swiftly moved around Mario. The older man and Block were kicking Mario and Mason’s asses in basketball. “Y’all young cats stay in the house on that game, and you got old men beating you in a young man’s sport.”
“Who old?” Block countered. “You gotta speak for yourself on that one.”
“Compared to them, you old, nigga.” Tech threw the ball and watched it glide through the net. “Game,” he announced before walking over to the bench to grab his water.
“We had to take it easy on you. I didn’t want you to pass out.” Mario trailed behind his father.
“Fuck outta here.” Tech chuckled while unscrewing the cap off his water. Sitting down on the bench, he surveyed his surroundings. Tech’s time was served with his head held high, but he’d be lying if he said he didn’t wake up every day thanking God that he was finally free.
A group of scantily clad teens walked by. “Hey, Mario.” One of them grinned, and Block immediately recognized her as the girl he caught at his house giving Mario head.
Mario’s lips didn’t part, and he barely waved at the girl. Block shook his head. “Not you acting like you don’t know the girl when I caught her in my house doing shit she shouldn’t have been doing.”
Tech stared at his youngest son with raised brows.
“Mannn,” Mario drawled. “She wanted to do it. She practically begged. She worrisome as hell. I don’t have to keep talking to her just because she wanted to give me head.”
“Have you ever been tested for STDs?” Tech inquired before finishing off the bottle of water in his hand.
With a frown, Mario appeared confused by the question. “I use condoms. Block buys them for me, and I buy my own.”
“Newsflash, anything you can get in your genitals, you can get in your mouth. You ‘round here getting head like a grown man, you need to be educated on sex like a grown man. I’m taking you to get tested, and I hope you know that condoms aren’t one hundred percent.
I can’t make you stop having sex, but you need to be responsible.
A baby is what you don’t need. You also don’t need a STD or a charge. ”
“What you mean a charge?” Mario’s brows snapped together.
“I was behind those walls with quite a few men that swore they had consensual sex but when it was convenient for the woman, she hollered rape. A hypocrite is something I’m not.
I was for sure having sex when I was your age, but I’d be a bad-ass father, if I didn’t put you up on game.
Sex can change your life forever in more than one way.
Being careful about who you stick your dick in can literally save your life.
” Tech looked over at Mason. “I’m talking to you, too. ”
He knew that Symphony’s nephew didn’t have a father, and his mother was dead. Block was a positive male figure in the young man’s life, and Tech had no issue joining in. From what he knew, Mason was a good kid, and he wanted it to stay that way.
Mason was a year younger than Mario, and he wasn’t sexually active, yet, so he shifted uncomfortably on the bench and nodded.
Tech was a grown man, and he had no problem admitting that he was avoiding Selena.
She was still mad that he hadn’t seen her, and he didn’t have the energy to argue.
For that reason, he let Block take Mario home, and he went home to shower and prepare to cook dinner for Blossom.
He hadn’t scared her off, and she had agreed to come to his place for dinner.
He promised her that he wasn’t going to be on any creep shit and try to have sex with her.
After a shower, Tech smoked a blunt, sipped some cognac and walked into the kitchen.
He had cooked a few times since being home, but he was hoping he hadn’t lost his touch.
For Blossom, Tech was going to prepare lambchops, garlic mashed potatoes, asparagus, and candied yams. A lot of things he did before going away, was like riding a bike.
He might be a little rusty, but he hadn’t forgotten.
The weed coupled with the alcohol had Tech feeling nice.
His phone rang, and Tech saw that Mario was calling. “What’s up, G?”
“You still acting funny I see. You really came home acting brand new, and I don’t like it.”
With a frown and shake of his head, Tech put the call on speaker and placed the phone on the counter. “Acting funny? Please explain to me how I’ve been acting funny.”
“You act like you can’t come see me. I. know we aren’t together, and we probably won’t be together, but what hoe got you not wanting to hit your baby mama off?”
All Tech could do was shake his head. He had been gone for almost twelve years, and she still hadn’t matured.
That was what he didn’t want. He was too old to be coming home to toxicity and drama.
Her actions were showing him that he’d be a fool to stick dick to her.
She was already tripping, and she hadn’t had it in damn near thirteen years.
“The fact that we haven’t been together in a long ass time makes this conversation dumb as fuck.
I’m not answering any questions pertaining to my personal life.
You are my son’s mother, and I respect you.
I don’t want to have sex with you, and you shouldn’t take that personal.
All that should matter to you is that I take care of Mario. ”
“Fuck you!” she snapped before ending the call and making him laugh.
Selena was really pissed. Tech doubted that she still loved him after all those years.
Whether he went back to selling drugs or getting money the legit way, she knew Tech wasn’t a slouch.
Selena was certain that once he came home and got on his shit, he’d go right back to living the kind of life he was before he got locked up.
Selena wanted in on that money, and he didn’t have anything for her.
Tech had just flipped the lambchops when Blossom texted and let him know she was on the way.
A sexy ass woman that could play ball, had a great career, she was mature, and didn’t want any more kids.
He couldn’t ask for anything better. Dating wasn’t supposed to be at the forefront of his mind, but Tech was human, and he had needs.
After taking the asparagus out of the pan, Tech fixed himself another drink.
Three sips in, he got an alert that Blossom was outside.
He entered the code to let her in the lobby and continued sipping his drink until the doorbell rang.
When he opened the door and observed Blossom standing there dressed in tight black jeans with rips in the knees and a black fitted tee with Muhammad Ali on the front, his dick jumped.
The braids were gone, and her thick hair was in a fresh blow out and fell past her shoulders.
There was no makeup on her face, and she was still as beautiful as ever. “What’s up, Pretty Lady?”