Chapter 13
Verse Thirteen
As they drove, Chaney sat silently, scrolling through her social media.
She wasn’t sure what disturbed her the most—Donovan running to comfort his ex-girlfriend or Kaleela not posting on social media at all.
Her interest piqued once Donovan mentioned Scooter and her possibly sparking up a friendship on their ride to Key West. She wasn’t sure what that meant since she’d never known her to date men, but it did make her realize one thing: she missed her friend when they were real friends.
All of their history wasn’t toxic, and there was a time when they weren’t only lovers.
They were best friends. She’d even taken a liking to Reagan, Kaleela’s roommate during rehab, who had become Kaleela’s other best friend.
On a Friday night, instead of drinking, they’d make root beer floats, eat pizza and wings while they talked shit, and play Spades, Uno, or Connect Four.
She wasn’t all bad, but when it became bad, Chaney was her emotional punching bag.
The last post she saw was her attending an AA meeting. She hoped she was actively working her steps, but despite what others thought, she wanted Kaleela to win at life and maybe at love someday.
Just before she logged out, she froze when a notification alerted her that Kaleela had posted.
Impulsively, her fingers led her to her past when she clicked on the alert, and Kaleela’s page came into view.
She smiled when she saw a post of a new tattoo that sat on her forearm and down her wrist. It was a four-leaf clover with the words, Fuck the bottle, I got God on my side.
Chaney smiled, knowing the significance of the four-leaf clover.
It was symbolic of one having good luck.
After Kaleela’s last time out of rehab, she’d made it her first order of business to stop by a tattoo shop.
While her body was littered with tattoos, she had them add the first four-leaf clover.
For each month that she was sober, she’d add another clover.
They were all linked by a vine. Chaney was proud of her, so she took a leap and decided to comment.
“Keep at it. I knew you could do it.”
Once she was done, she quickly slid her cellphone into her burnt-orange Teflar purse that Donovan had surprised her with. His eyes slid over and lowered to her purse as she tapped her fingers against it. She wasn’t sure if he noticed or not, her guilty conscience close to having her confess.
It was a public response on a public post, but deep down inside, she knew she might’ve sent a message she wasn’t trying to send. Luckily for her, his cell rang. In fact, it had been ringing since they left the hotel.
“You plan to pick that up?” she asked, grateful the attention was off her.
“Naw.”
He knew who it was. Sashay had been calling nonstop in between text messages.
He’d normally put his cell on “do not disturb”, but he wasn’t a monster.
At one point, he did love Sashay, or what he felt was love.
He just couldn’t coddle her like he normally would have, and he didn’t want to.
What he wanted was to see her grandmother, and nothing she said would help him get there any faster.
“Just trying to get there.”
She crossed her arms, processing her feelings.
She honestly had no reason to be upset, considering she agreed to meet his ex’s grandmother.
That, and she’d just commented on her ex-girlfriend’s post. The difference was that she was genuinely proud of Kaleela.
She wasn’t some ex seeking her out, finding ways to remain in her life.
She couldn’t say the same for Sashay. She was the kind who made her presence known simply to annoy her.
“Hey?” he called out after a few beats had passed.
The tone of his voice was soft, playful even.
He pulled on one of her arms, causing both to fall.
She rolled her eyes before she gave them to him, taking in how handsome he was.
She wasn’t mad, but she didn’t want to give in so quickly.
In fact, she liked it when he chased her.
It solidified that she’d made the choice that was better for her.
“I don’t want how we started to be the reason you think I’m fucking with her in a way I’m not. I swear I ain’t. It’s about me showing up for her granny. That’s me, and the same me that would be there for you and your family.”
Chaney scoffed. She didn’t fuck with her mother that way. There were times she’d force her to stay with Kaleela because of what came with her: money. She’d have her hand out before Kaleela could speak.
“Aye.” His tone was more authoritative when she crossed her arms once more. “Don’t penalize me for being a nigga that rides for people that rode for him.”
“I’m not.”
“I hear you, but it feels that way.” He lifted and kissed the back of her hand.
“Once we are there, we’re in, and then we’re out.
Let me lay eyes on her, holler at the doctor for myself.
That way, Shay don’t need to give me any updates.
I’ll leave my information after I have Granny Paula put my name down on her list of people to talk to. ”
He slid his fingers through hers while his other hand guided the wheel as he drove.
The trip he planned was also because he knew that time on the road away from her was coming.
So, when Scooter gave him a few days to himself, he jumped at it.
He’d make up them having to leave early, though, as soon as he could.
“What if Shay won’t allow that?”
“Let me worry about that. Her ass called me. I’ll shut that shit down if she’s not on what I’m on.”
“Whatever.” She pursed her lips, staring out the window.
“You trust me?”
She nodded, but her issue wasn’t trust. It was about testing boundaries, and theirs was about to be tested.
She’d seen Sashay’s type. They dry clung to anything and anyone that made them feel seen or heard.
She was often on social media, sharing Donovan’s posts, reels, and even posting old footage of them.
Chaney knew it was intended to have her and Donovan at odds.
That didn’t make her feel any better, though.
When they pulled up, he leaned over and pecked her cheek. “Get out your fucking head, baby. Ignore the noise, and follow my lead.” That was the problem. She always followed someone else’s lead, but he wasn’t Kaleela, so she pushed out a bout of air and nodded her head.
“Fine.”
He slid out his truck and made his way to her side. He’d never done that with any woman, but it came naturally for him, especially when she’d greet him with a cheeky grin. He opened the door, took her hand, and helped her out. A soft whistle escaped his mouth as she stood and giggled.
“And you think I would mess this up?” He dragged his hand down his mouth, then slid his tongue across his teeth.
“I don’t know.” Chaney was thick, ass round, with a washboard stomach.
Her jeans hugged her in all the right places, and her tits sat up perky and full as the half-tank she wore rested just beneath her breasts.
She was easily a size fourteen, but no bitch he ever had could shit on his girl.
Her blonde hair fell effortlessly on one side, in layers, the side shaved.
She never tripped about hair since it always grew before she came up with her next hairstyle that she couldn’t wait to sport, since weaves weren’t exactly her thing.
“Thought we established I was all yours?”
She smirked. “That’s the sound I like to hear. Be good so I can show you how much you’re mine later.”
Once they made it inside and received their visitor passes, she decided to run to the bathroom.
She couldn’t risk him catching her on Kaleela’s page, but after what had just happened, she needed to remove her comment.
She prayed she had time before Kaleela noticed, but it was too late. She’d responded.
“Means a lot coming from you. ‘Preciate you.”
She chewed on her fingernail, her finger hovering over her response. They spoke once in court after the charges were dismissed, but that was it. Fear quickly seeped in as she made the decision to fix the error she’d made.
“Fuck it.”
She quickly tapped the delete feature and shoved her cell back in her purse.
Once she exited, she went inside the elevator and made her way to the seventh floor.
As soon as she stepped out, Chaney could see Sashay’s infamous red hair.
It was hideous from the type of weave she’d selected to exaggerate baby hairs that lifted on the ends and were dry.
Chaney’s mouth twisted at the sound of her loud ass wails, not to mention her flailing arms.
“Donovan, why!” she belted loudly, her body crashing into his. He attempted to pull away, yet her cries grew louder as she held onto him. “She can’t die. She can’t.”
Chaney took a seat and watched her man coddle his ex.
She wasn’t that much of a bitch, but she also wasn’t feeling how a few others who were present glared at her like she was the enemy.
It was clear that her presence was unexpected and unwanted, but she’d be damned if she allowed them to run her off.
She fought one of the baddest bitches on the regular—Kaleela—who was a beast, even in a damn wheelchair.
She’d have no problems activating those same hands if needed.
“What if she dies, though?” she repeated. She then rested her head on his chest, her arms around his torso. Chaney’s chest tightened, but she sat silently, chewing on the inside of her jaw as her legs began to shake.
“Naw, Granny’s strong,” he disputed. “We have to use words that embrace that shit, Shay. Come on now. You’re giving up on her when she ain’t never given up on those she loves.”