Chapter 3
Chapter
Three
Fortune
As I drove away from my last client’s house, I couldn’t help but to think about Perrae.
She’d occupied my mind since we first met, but right now, I felt as if her dilemma with her neighbor was more serious than she anticipated.
The way he watched her from his room window when I pulled off bothered me.
My stint of being in the streets taught me a lot. One of those lessons was to believe the facade of a person they first showed me, whether it was real or fake. Our actions and speech slowly revealed our character.
Something was up with that nigga. He appeared to have an agenda. Seeing that I didn’t know what that plan was, I’d let him be for now. If anything else happened, he’d definitely have to see me.
Perrae filled my head again. This time I thought about her pretty brown skin, deep brown eyes, and curvy body. Although she wouldn’t be classified as a BBW, she was definitely a midsized beauty.
As once the head plug in Chicago, I’d been with my share of women, but after growing and maturing, I realized there was a difference between pretty women and beautiful women with substance.
Perrae was a woman of substance. She made it very clear that her time wasn’t to be wasted, and I respected that.
Her boundaries were set, and she refused to allow anybody to break them. Perrae’s character made me want her even more. She was about her family and business, and that shit was a turn on.
I could appreciate a goal-oriented woman now. Madison’s mom, Lina, was the same way. I messed over her a lot when I was in the streets.
Yeah, I supplied her with her needs and wants, but I neglected her for the streets often. Now she was married to a white-collar man that was good for her and baby girl. Jason was surely a square, but he took care of them.
He loved them like I should’ve in the past, but I owned my mistakes, all of them. That was why I was mature and humble enough to respect him. As long as he did right by them, he’d always have my respect.
I exited the expressway and turned down the street to Lina’s house. It only took six minutes to make it there. I parked and headed toward her door once I was out of my truck. My foot had barely graced the top stair when Madison came flying out the house and into my arms.
“Aww, baby girl. I missed you so much.” I held her tightly before I placed her on her feet.
“I missed you too, Daddy. You ready to go?”
I chuckled at her. “Dang, baby girl. Can I at least speak to your mom and Jason?”
Madison sighed. “I guess, Daddy, but remember we have a schedule to keep.”
“Come on, girl.” I laughed a little more at her. I guess I had the fun house since she had her own everything at my place.
She had everything here with Lina and Jason as well. Maybe Madison was just a daddy’s girl. She did enjoy spending all her time with me.
We walked inside their home, hand in hand. Jason sat on the couch and watched some sports show. “What’s up, Jason?”
He turned from the TV and looked at me. “Aye, Fortune! What’s up, man?” He greeted me in his usual proper English tone.
“Just living, man. What’s up with you?”
“I’m doing the same. Just trying to survive.”
I chuckled. “I feel you, bro. Stay up.”
He grinned, nodded, and went back to his sports show. Jason always wanted to appear to be more hood around me. He didn’t need to be. Jason was smart as hell and an executive at the company he worked for. That hood shit was for the birds.
I followed Madison into the kitchen where Lina was. She was at the stove whipping up dinner. I took a seat at their island while Madison ran away somewhere.
Lina turned and looked up. “Hey, Fortune. What’s up with you?”
“I’m good. I can’t complain at all. How are you? How was your day?” I queried in return.
“It was good. Work at the school was long but fulfilling.”
“I bet. You love that place.”
She laughed. “You know I do.” Lina was a teacher at an alternative school. She helped high school dropouts earn their high school diploma at many different ages.
Lina didn’t have to work because Jason made great money, but she enjoyed her independence that way. When I was in the streets, she had to rely on me for everything, but once I got locked up, she had to take care of Madison and herself. She did one hell of a job too.
“Are you hungry?” she probed.
“I am, but I’m taking Madison out for dinner.”
She smirked. “You spoil her so much. Madison expects y’all to eat out every time she’s with you.”
I laughed and watched as she plated her and Jason’s meal. “That’s my princess. You know I don’t know how to say no to her.”
“Oh, I know,” Lina expressed with humor in her voice. Her smile still meant a lot to me. She still meant a lot to me.
Lina was still slim, thick, and kinda tall herself. She was five feet and nine inches with cocoa brown skin. Her long brown hair was still at her waist.
Lina’s hair would always be her pride and joy. It gave her an exotic flare. She definitely caught my attention in my twenties.
We were babies in the streets together as I built my empire. You couldn’t tell me that she wouldn’t always be by my side. Sadly, life would forever humble everybody.
“Jason, come eat,” she announced. Lina looked at me. “What’s on your mind, Fortune?”
I smirked. “How you know something on my mind?”
Lina smiled. “You would’ve been grabbed Madison and left. You only sit down when there’s something on your mind. Talk to me. What’s up?” Lina closed her eyes and prayed over her food, then dug into her meal.
I exhaled and folded my hands. Jason shuffled in and took a seat at the island next to me. He dug right into his meal.
Jason had expressed a while ago that he wasn’t a God-fearing person, so I just respected his beliefs. Lina cleared her throat, making me give her my attention.
I sighed. “I have a real date this weekend,” I finally confessed.
Lina’s eyes widened, and she swallowed her bite. “Are you serious? That’s great news, Fortune! Tell me, how did you meet her?”
“That is wonderful news. Spill all the tea, bro,” Jason chimed.
Lina and I glanced at each other and chuckled lightly, trying not to make Jason feel like an outcast. He grew up so privileged, so he sometimes mixed up the slang terms that women and men used. Spilling the tea was more of a woman’s saying than men. I was sure Lina would tell him later on.
“Perrae was the braider that did Madison’s hair. It only took one look, and I was smitten. There’s just something about her that’s calling out to my soul. I gotta find out what that is,” I confessed more to myself than them.
There really was something special about Perrae that I was drawn to. I’d messed around with a few women since my release, but none of them had intrigued me like Perrae. Lina’s voice pulled me from my thoughts.
“It sounds like you really adore her. Do you think she feels the same way about you?” Lina probed before she took a bite of her food.
I exhaled. “Honestly, I believe she does. She has her guards up because I can tell she’s been burned. Plus, there’s a lot on her plate.
“From what I witnessed, she’s running her own salon, raising three kids, and maintaining her first home. Perrae has a kind heart. She puts people first, from what I observed. If she continues to give me a chance, I wanna show her how a man is supposed to put her first.”
Jason gave a low whistle. “That’s real talk right there. If she is as caring and kind as you say she is, then I say go after her and give her your all.”
I gave Jason my attention. We usually didn’t have deep conversations, so I was grateful for his advice. “Thanks, Jason. I appreciate your input.”
He grinned. “No worries, man. I only know that because I refused to give up when I met my queen.
“Lina was completely different than any other woman I had met. Her heart was just golden, and I knew had I let her walk away after that fundraiser, I’d never see her again. I refused to let that happen. Now look at us. We’re happily married. I wish the same happiness and joy on you, Fortune.”
“That was deep, man. I appreciate the love y’all sharing with me today. I’m surely going to pursue Perrae. If it doesn’t work out, then maybe we’re meant to be good friends. Although I plan to be more than friends with her,” I responded.
“That was some great advice and beautiful story, honey.” Lina blew him a kiss before she gave her attention to me. “Do what makes you happy, Fortune.
“If Perrae is that woman for you, then you know I completely support it. The way she saved and styled Madison’s hair, she’s good in my book. I hope it works out because we can all double date!” she voiced excitedly.
I laughed and stood from my seat. “On that note, I’ma head out. Madison! Let’s roll, baby girl,” I shouted from the kitchen.
Lina threw her paper towel at me. I chortled as thunderous steps down the stairs flew into the kitchen. Madison had her backpack on, and her lips were popping from her gloss. That girl loved some lip gloss.
“I’m ready,” Madison announced. She walked over to Jason. “See you later, Jason.”
He wiped his hands and engulfed her in a tight hug. I liked the bond they had. I was a little jealous at first, but it no longer bothered me. “I’ll see you later, jellyfish. I love you.”
“I love you too.” Madison left him, then hugged Lina tightly. “I love you, Mommy.”
Lina kissed all over her face and hugged her once more. “I love you more. Have fun and make smart decisions.”
“I will, Mommy. Let’s roll, Daddy.”
“Alright. The princess has spoken. Y’all take it easy,” I affirmed.
“You all too,” Lina stated, walking us to the door. We exited their home and climbed into my truck. Once she was settled and buckled in, I set off for our daddy and daughter dinner date.
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Tonight was the night. I’d waited days to have some alone time with Perrae. She’d been on my mind heavy. We talked practically every day, but today was the day I’d have her in my arms and feel her full lips.