Chapter 27
"I'm telling y'all, I made up my mind…. I’m breaking up with Major."
"Damn, are you sure, sister?" Lyric asked.
"Positive. This whole love triangle shit I've gotten myself into is over with. I only want to be with Cameron."
"Damn, you do really love him," Harmony said.
"I do. And I would've been done with his ass if it wasn't for the money we made together."
"What you gon’ do about that? Major not just gon’ let you cut him off and still hustle with you," Harmony stated.
"Yeah, I thought about that too, but I got some money saved up. There's a few licks I can do on my own. Shid, if I got to get a job, I'll do what I have to do," Melody shrugged.
The room grew quiet for a moment. It was one thing to talk about ending the relationship. It was another thing to talk about walking away from the money that came with it.
Major had been part of Melody's everyday life for so long that it was hard to picture one without the other.
"You really serious, huh?" Lyric’s voice cut through her thoughts.
"I am."
"What if he don't take it well?"
"Then he don't take it well," Melody shrugged.
"That's easy to say now, but you know Major. He ain't about to be happy hearing you in love with another nigga," Harmony replied.
"I know."
"And you know he already suspicious. But besides all that…. He’s a street nigga, and you know Cameron not even like that.”
"I know that too."
Melody leaned back against the couch and sighed.
The truth was, she had spent weeks thinking about every possible outcome. No matter how she played the conversation in her head, none of them ended with Major smiling and wishing her the best.
"I just want to be done with it. I'm tired of lying. I'm tired of making excuses... Shid, Harmony, I don't see how you do it."
"Oh! The shade."
All three sisters burst out laughing.
"I'm serious," Melody said through her laughter.
"Trust me, it ain't easy. One of them needy and the other one controlling." Harmony shook her head.
"Niggas stupid all together," Lyric chimed in.
"You must've talked to Vonte today."
"Fuck Vonte."
That sent the sisters into another round of laughter.
For the next hour, they had their “niggas aint shit” session. Every sister had her own relationship issues, and before long they were all venting.
Eventually, the conversation died down, and everybody started doing their own thing.
Lyric headed into the bedroom with the twins while Harmony disappeared after Nick popped up. Not wanting to sit around watching them play house, Melody decided to leave.
The second she got outside, she realized she was hungry. With a taste for chicken, she grabbed her phone and started pulling up Uncle Remus' number. But before placing the order, she decided to call Cameron first.
"Hey bae, I was headed to your house. You want some chicken?"
"Nah, I’m not even there. I just got to my parents' crib."
"Aww, okay. Call me, and I'll come over later."
"Or you can just be there when I get home… You still got that key, right?"
"Yeah," Melody smiled.
"Okay. I'll see you in a little while."
As much as she tried to play it cool, she loved little moments like that. Cameron had a way of making even the simplest conversations put a smile on her face.
Still smiling to herself after the call ended, Melody placed her order and headed toward Uncle Remus.
The drive wasn't long, and before she knew it, she was pulling into the parking lot. After grabbing her food, she got back in the car and headed toward Cameron's house.
By the time she pulled onto his block, the smell of fried chicken had filled the entire car, and her stomach was growling.
After parking, Melody grabbed the food and headed inside.
She kicked off her shoes by the door before making her way to the kitchen.
Just as she picked up her fork, her phone started ringing.
Seeing Major's name flash across the screen, she rolled her eyes and let it ring until it stopped before turning her attention back to her food.
She had barely made it through a few more bites when her phone started ringing again.
Melody sighed a second time but ignored the call. By the time she finished eating, the food had done exactly what it needed to do. She cleaned up after herself, tossed the trash in the garbage, and washed her hands at the sink. She had just finished drying them when the doorbell rang.
Without giving it much thought, Melody headed to see who it was. She had gotten so comfortable at Cameron's house that she completely forgot she wasn't at her own place. Assuming it was a delivery driver or somebody looking for Cameron, she unlocked the door and pulled it open.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” Melody snapped.
“Nah, what the fuck are youuuu doing here? This the same crib you claimed yo classmate lived at,” Major barked.
“Let’s not talk about being at cribs cuz the last time I pulled up to yours, Patty was there.”
“Man, you lying, cause I know you…. You would’ve came in that motherfucker like Rambo.”
“Nah, see, apparently you don’t know me like you think you do.”
"Man, fuck all that. Where that nigga at?" Major tried looking past Melody and into the house.
"You need to leave and never come back."
"Or what?.. You or that weak ass nigga can't stop me."
"Nah, we can't, but his nosy ass neighbor Officer Rhodes can."
Melody's tone remained calm as she motioned with her head across the street. Major frowned and looked in the direction she was pointing. Parked along the curb was a squad car, and standing beside it was a uniformed officer who appeared to be paying close attention to them.
Major looked from the officer back to Melody. The anger on his face never faded, but he was smart enough to know it wasn't the time or place to push things any further. After a few seconds, he took a couple of steps backward before locking eyes with Melody one last time.
"Mannnn, trust me when I say.... You ain't the only motherfucker crazy."