Chapter 17 Alicia #2
I was sure that was where my kids would be during his time of having them, and I was going to make another court date to file for full custody.
I wasn’t going to subject my kids to Leo’s bullshit.
If he wasn’t going to be there, then he didn’t get to pawn them off to his mother, no matter how much she loved them.
Although I was happy to be free from him, his betrayal still haunted me, and I’d find myself feeling sad about it. I knew I needed to get over it—for my sake and the kids’ sake.
I still wanted the friendship with Basil. His genuine spirit and words of encouragement gave me the boost I needed to get through the days when I thought of the fuck shit Leo did to me. But I couldn’t expect that from him now that he viewed me as his boss and not a potential love interest.
I wouldn’t deny that I hated the feeling. I wanted him to hold me in those strong arms and tell me everything was going to be okay.
I wanted a hug.
I needed one real bad. And Basil’s hugs felt like the warmest and softest place on Earth. It was protective. It was loving. It was a lollipop after getting a shot and the calm after a storm.
It was everything.
I was still having flashbacks of the way he fucked me, talked dirty to me, and ate me like a fresh peach from the trees of Georgia.
My God.
I started the engine and pulled out of the parking garage.
It was earlier than my usual time, so I had time to stop at the bank to withdraw some cash for Carsyn’s field trip on Friday.
While standing in line, I sent a text to Raeley to confirm our lunch date for tomorrow, since neither of us had work, then I approached the counter with my withdrawal slip and driver’s license.
“Good afternoon, Mrs. Hill. You would like to withdraw just forty today?” the teller asked. I didn’t feel like correcting her on the missus.
I have to change my name back soon.
“Yes, that’s it,” I replied.
“Okay. Just give me one moment.”
I nodded as she walked away, and I pulled up the camera footage at the house.
I looked at all the cameras and noticed they were out back.
Basil helped Carsyn push the lawnmower while Chloe and Carlee jumped on the trampoline.
I zoomed in a little just to see the definition of those refined muscles in his arms, the light sweat that covered his pecan skin, making him shine, and the focused look on his face.
I was staring so long I didn’t even hear the teller call my name until she got louder to get my attention.
I clicked out of the app and focused on the task at hand. “I’m sorry.” I giggled lightly.
“It’s okay. Here you go. Would that be all for you today?”
“Can you tell me the balance on my other account?” I asked, taking the money from her.
“Sure thing.” She typed away on the computer. “It’s 25,582.64.”
I frowned in confusion because I only remembered having fifteen thousand in that account and hadn’t touched it since Carlee turned two. It was an account I had set up for a rainy day. I’d deposit five thousand every six months, and my last deposit was in March of this year.
“Did it gain interest or something?”
“The only interest gained is the 582.64.”
“That’s odd. Could you tell me when the last two deposits were made?”
“Sure.” She clicked around for a second, then spoke. “One deposit was made April 13th, and the most recent one was on May 4th.”
Basil.
It had to be him. But how? Those were his pay dates. We agreed that I’d pay him bi-weekly, and it’d been a little over a month since he started working for me, which meant he never accepted any money from me.
I gave her a light smile. “Okay. Thank you.”
“No problem. Have a good day.”
“You as well.” I hurried out of the bank and headed straight home to find out what exactly was going on.
I pulled in the driveway and pulled all the way in the back.
I could see they were still outside, but now Chloe and Carlee played with their hula hoops, and Carsyn helped Basil rake up the excess grass. I pulled into the garage and got out.
“Mommy!” Chloe exclaimed, rushing over to me. I opened my arms and received her, giving her kisses all over her face.
“Hi, my pretty baby. You have a good day today?”
“Yes! Mr. B let me make us ice cream Sundaes!”
“He did? I’m sure it was good.”
“It was! I made you one too!”
“I can’t wait to eat it.”
Carsyn hurried over to me next. “Mom, Mr. B let me help mow the lawn. You like it?”
“I do. It seems as if Mr. B gave you all some pretty cool tasks today,” I said, looking at him. “Hello, Basil.”
He gave me a curt nod. “Ms. Alicia.” Then he went back to raking the grass. I put Chloe down and picked Carlee up, giving her the same amount of kisses as I did Chloe while her little giggles filled the air. I put her down, then slowly approached Basil.
“Hey, can I talk to you for a second?”
“What’s up?”
I walked a little ways away from the kids and summoned him over. I made sure the kids were out of earshot before I spoke. “I went to the bank today to withdraw some cash for Carsyn’s trip, and I checked my account.”
His eyebrow raised, and he gave me the and? look. “Did you put money into my account?”
“I did.”
“How and why?”
“I saw your account information on your desk when I went to clean your office one day. I did it because I wanted to.”
“But that’s your money, Basil. I pay you to be a manny to my children, not to do all of this work for free.”
“It’s nothing, Ms. Alicia. I don’t need it for real. I do this because I enjoy it, not because I need the money.”
“But don’t you have employees to pay?”
“They’ll get paid regardless. Like I said, it’s nothing.”
I folded my arms in frustration. “I’m going to send it back. You put too much in there anyway.”
“Then I’ll just send it right back. Like I told you before, I don’t want to play ping-pong with the money.
The bank will eventually think something fraudulent is going on, then you’d have to call customer service and go through the process of unlocking your account, just for me to send it right back. Is that what you want?”
“Why are you being this way?”
“What way? Because I’d rather not take your money and take care of your kids for free?”
“Yes. I don’t want you working for me for free.”
“Why?”
“Because you do a lot and deserve to get paid for your services. It’s not an obligation; it’s a job.”
He chuckled and went back to raking the grass. “I’m going to Home Depot once I’m done with this to grab some grass seeds and flowers. I was going to text you to ask what kind you like, but since you’re here, you can tell me what kind of flowers you want in your flowerbed.”
“No,” I said, defiantly.
“Then I’ll just take a wild guess.”
“Uugh! Whatever, Basil.” I turned, walked away from him, and headed inside the house through the patio doors.
Before I closed them, I stuck my head out and yelled, “And I like daisies!” Then I proceeded inside the house.
Even though I didn’t want him doing all of this for free, it made me a little happy inside that he had given me this much dialogue.
He had been so dry since Sunday, and I didn’t like it.
Later that evening, after the kids were down and Basil left, only giving me a soft goodbye, I marveled over the work he’d done to my flower bed.
My feelings were conflicted because I could see how much he truly cared for the kids and me.
It was just hard to accept because I kept holding on to the bullshit from the man I thought was my forever.
I took my shower, put on my pj’s, then got on a four-way FaceTime call with my mom, Raeley, and my aunt Alexis since I wasn’t sleepy. I missed talking to my aunt, who was worse than my mother when it came to not having a filter.
“I miss you, Aunt Lex. When are you coming to see us?”
“I miss you too, baby. And whenever this man let me damn breathe.”
I smiled. “How is Uncle Charles?”
“A pain in my ass, but don’t tell him I said that. I need him to keep giving me that disability check.”
I laughed. “What? Uncle Charles isn’t disabled!”
“Shhh! Don’t say that too loud. I made his ass play crazy for six months. Had him in the social security office pouring cups of water in his pocket and telling them he was saving it for the fish.”
I laughed so hard I damn near pissed myself.
“Auntie! No, you didn’t!”
“The hell I did.”
“Lex, you are insane, Sis. You’re the one that need that damn check,” my mom said.
“I know you ain’t talking, pot. You had Noah calling the police on you almost every other week, telling them folks you was over there howling at the moon.”
“Oh my God, Mommy! Did Daddy really do that?” I asked, tears coming to my eyes because I couldn’t stop laughing.
“Stop telling my business, Alexis. No, baby. This is why I said her ass need that check instead of Charles.”
“We need to normalize not telling our kids lies. That’s how they grow up lying to they kids.”
Raeley snickered. “Really, Ma?”
“Wanna bet? Ali Cat, did you tell your kids there was a Santa Claus and Easter Bunny?”
I smiled in shame. “I did.”
“Point proven.” We all laughed as I shook my head.
“Anyway. Your mama told me how fine that babysitter was,” Aunt Lex said with a smile on her pretty face. She sipped her glass of wine while she stared at me.
“He’s a manny, Auntie,” I corrected her.
“Girl, it’s the same damn thing,” she fussed.
“It’s not, Ma,” Raeley told her.
“Hush, girl. You need to stop working so much and find you somebody to hunch so you can give me grandbabies.”
“I gets mine, thank you. You just want me to have a baby by any ol’ body. You wouldn’t care if it was crackhead John from Mack and Bewick.”
“I know you fucking lying. You think I want my grandbabies coming out searching for a crack pipe instead of a titty?”
The line erupted in laughter as I held my stomach, trying not to pee on my damn self. “Aunt Lex, please!” I yelled.
“I’ve been trying to tell my dear daughter to go for what she know with that fine-ass man, but she acting all scary.”
I huffed. “You guys don’t understand. What Leo did to me really messed me—”
My mom cut me off. “Get over it, pumpkin, and get under Basil. He’s over there cooking, cleaning, and taking care of your kids. Hell, let him take care of you too. Fuck that piece of shit you married.”
“It’s not that easy, Mom. I have three kids to consider. What if things don’t work out with Basil? Then here I am again, lonely and trying to pick up the pieces of a broken heart.”
“I’m not—”
“Hold on, Neek, let me take this.” Aunt Lex halted her.
“Go ahead, Sis.”
“Thank you, toots. Now, I know we cut up all the time, but let’s put all the jokes aside.
I understand you completely, sweetie. It’s hard to get over someone you committed your life, your time, and your patience to.
You both had to grow up together, and while he may have grown up, his maturity level did not.
Essentially, some men are slow learners, and some never learn.
In your case, your nigga didn’t learn shit.
“Think about the pros and cons of that marriage. Did it benefit you in any way? Did the highs of your marriage beat the lows? When y’all argued, did he apologize but go back and do the same shit he apologized for?
Did he carve out time for dates to keep the fire burning in your marriage? Did he carve out time with the kids?
“These are questions you should ask yourself. Then ask yourself, is riding that new manny’s pony worth the sacrifice?
I know it’s his job to care for your kids, but what do you see when you look at him?
What do you feel? I ain’t telling you to run off into the sunset with him if that’s not in your heart to do so, but having a little fun with him ain’t gon’ hurt none.
Your mama already spilled the tea on him, so I know a lil something about him.
Hell, if he got your mama blushing, then I know he must be some kind of special. ”
“He sent me roses.” Mom beamed.
I frowned. “When was this?”
“The other day. The note said: Because you gave birth to an angel, you deserve your flowers too. See.” She switched the camera around to show the Venus et Fleur eternity roses sitting on her mantle. I couldn’t lie. I was a little jealous.
“Oh, wow.”
“Yeah, wow, Cousin. He redid your whole flowerbed, cut your grass, and bought your mama roses. He deserves some head at least.” Raeley laughed.
“Clock it, Daughter!” Aunt Lex yelled.
I already did. That’s why I’m in my feelings now, I thought.
“Look at her, over there considering it,” Mom said. We all burst into laughter again as I talked to them for a little bit longer, then ended the call.
When I went to put my phone down and think about all the questions my aunt told me to ask myself, a text came through from an unknown number.
734-991-1008:
Hi, Alicia. This is Sheena from Helping Hands.
I got your number from the profile you created with our services.
I wanted to cordially invite you to our official grand opening barbecue.
It’s this Saturday at 5:00 p.m. It’s okay if you can’t make it since it’s sort of last minute, but I wanted to reach out to all the parents to let them know about the event.
Here’s the flyer. I hope to see you there! Xoxo Sheena C.
Attached was a pretty black-and-gold flyer of the event, and a photo of Basil in the center. His neck-length locs were loose, and that beautiful canvas he called a face looked as if he were smoldering at me. I bit my bottom lip as I traced his face with my finger and then typed up a reply.
Me:
Thanks for the invite. I’d love to.
734-991-1008:
Awesome! See you there!
I placed my phone on the nightstand, turned off the lamp, grabbed my rose from my drawer, and pleasured myself to his image until I fell asleep.