Chapter 8 #2
She set his drink back where Lola had left it and scrolled inconspicuously through her phone as Lola pranced back into the room.
Lola carried a case of Coca-Cola with her, and she finished mixing the drink before proudly carrying it back to Cassidy.
“Here you go,” Lola delivered proudly. She sat next to Cassidy and handed him the drink.
His attraction was in his body language.
He paid attention to this girl when she spoke.
It was surface level, she could tell. Men were visual creatures, and Lola gave a good fucking aesthetic, but it still turned Sloan’s stomach.
She couldn’t hear the conversation taking place, but the hand he placed on Lola’s knee burned her.
When Cassidy reached for the spiked drink, she felt a bit of triumph.
She expected him to have a huge reaction, but he was so fucking cool that when he sipped the tainted drink, he didn’t even react.
She watched him take a tattooed hand to his beard as his brow dipped in confusion.
He picked up his phone and held up a finger for her, indicating that he had a sudden call, and then he stepped out on the back patio.
Sloan put one manicured hand over her mouth to contain her amusement, but she couldn’t stop her laughter.
She was so fucking tickled. It was like she was laughing at an inside joke.
“Bitch, what the fuck you over there giggling at?” Shy asked.
“Nothing,” Sloan answered, holding up her hand to wave them off. But she was so damn amused as she glanced outside and watched him pour the drink into the snow. She hollered, holding her stomach as tears came to her eyes.
“What is so funny?” Ellie asked.
Sloan excused herself to the bathroom and enjoyed her practical joke.
She dabbed at her eyes as her laughter subsided, fixing her makeup, and reapplying her lipstick.
She admired herself. Forty really was the new 20.
Sloan kept her body up, nourished her skin and hair, stayed prayed up and stress free.
She accepted her imperfections and loved every inch of herself.
Body and mind. She was beautiful, yet she was still alone.
Young girls like Lola had the right sentiments.
They hooked ‘em early, secured a bag, and rotated these niggas at their convenience.
Sloan had chased accomplishments, not men, and now she had a bunch of trophies and no dick, no badass kids.
It looked like freedom. It masqueraded as peace, but it was a mental jail cell that made her feel like she would never find the one her heart belonged to.
She dabbed at the corners of her eyes, and then re-emerged from the bathroom and was surprised when Cassidy blocked her path. He backed her into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. She burst into laughter at the sight of his annoyance.
“That’s cold, man,” he said. She was expecting anger, but when he leaned into her and laughed too, she had to cover her mouth to stop from making too much noise. “That’s fucked up, yo.”
“It was just vinegar. It’s not gon’ kill you,” she said, amused. “Shouldn’t have been being friendly.” She shrugged unapologetically. “She’s like five years old, anyway, nigga.”
“You want me to be rude to the girl?” Cassidy asked.
“Absolutely. That’s the expectation,” she said stubbornly, mugging him and gritting her teeth in irritation.
“She’s not who I’m focused on,” he replied. “But a nigga out of his depths, Dr. Martin.”
“You didn’t even speak to me when I got here,” she scoffed.
“You didn’t use the number, Sloan. I’m trying to read the room. I know my past makes you uncomfortable,” Cassidy admitted. “You’re a fucking doctor.”
“So that means you don’t speak?” she questioned. “You acted like you didn’t even see me.”
“I saw you,” he shot back. “You’re art, Sloan. How could I not see you?” The compliment made her feel so good. Her entire body warmed.
“Where you even learn how to game women so well? You been in jail a hundred years, negro,” she fussed, feeling flustered and upset all at the same time. “I’m surprised you could see anything with that young-ass girl in your face,” she demanded. “Stop flirting before I punch that bitch.”
“Wow. That’s diabolical,” he stated, laughing.
“I’m old enough to be that girl’s mom,” she whispered. “Stop making me jealous of fucking college co-eds.”
“She’s 25, Sloan, you ain’t that old,” he said.
“If I was fast like Courtney’s ass, she could be my daughter,” Sloan fussed.
“I don’t mean to change the subject, but have you spoken to your girl?” Cassidy asked.
“Who? Court?” she asked. It was an odd question coming from Cassidy.
“Yeah, I dropped off the stuff you asked me to for her last night, and her dude gave me real weird vibes. She almost seemed scared of that nigga,” Cassidy stated.
“Wait, what?” Sloan’s worry was evident.
“She said everything was fine, but it just ain’t feel right, you know what I mean?
I ain’t want to overstep, but you should check on your friend,” Cassidy stated.
“And if the situation need some straightening, you don’t go nowhere near it.
None of y’all. You make one phone call and I’ma handle it. I hope I’m wrong.”
“I’m gonna call her now,” Sloan said, concerned as she pushed past him and rushed to her purse.
“Hey, sprinter’s here. You ready to…” Shy paused when she saw Sloan’s face.
“Whoa,” Shy said. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Let’s stop by and check on Court. It doesn’t feel right doing this Friendsmas thing without her,” Sloan said. She didn’t want to ring the alarm if Cassidy were wrong, but there was no way she could avoid checking on her friend.
“Yeah, we were doing that anyway. What are you not saying?” Shy asked.
“Let’s just stop and check.”
The luxury Mercedes Sprinter was tense. Nobody knew why except Sloan and Cassidy, but Shy had her suspicions.
She rode in silence, as the city streets passed her by, and she dialed Courtney’s number every few minutes.
The automatic voicemail was killing her.
Either her phone was dead or on Do Not Disturb.
This was not the vibe she had planned for Friendsmas, but she realized that so much time had passed since they had all been together that they hardly knew what was going on with each other.
Shy glanced over at Sloan, who sat next to Cassidy.
She didn’t miss the intimacy that existed between them.
Sloan was worried, so she was also dialing Courtney back-to-back, but the way Cassidy was rubbing the back of her neck to ease the tension in her shoulders was telling.
If she weren’t so worried, she would be ready to spill the tea, but Courtney had her shook.
When the driver arrived at Courtney’s address, Sloan stood. “I’ma go get her. I’ll be right back.”
Sloan gave Shy a weary look, but it wasn’t one that Ellie missed.
“What’s going on?” Ellie asked. She immediately knew something was aloof.
“Nothing,” Shy said.
“Try again with your lying ass,” Ellie stated. “What the fuck is going on?”
“Look, E, I stopped by here last night to deliver some diapers and shit and shit just felt off,” Cassidy said.
“Off how?” Ellie asked.
“I don’t know, man. Shit seemed tense. She was timid, almost. Her old man was in his body about me coming by so late,” Cassidy stated.
“Like he was gon’ do something to her?” Ellie asked, alarmed.
“I didn’t say that. It just felt off, like he thought I was a nigga she was messing with or some shit,” Cassidy replied. “Look, y’all stay here, and I’ma go knock on the door,” Cassidy said.
“If James thinks you’re her side nigga, you going to the door is just going to make a bad situation worse,” Sloan said.
I’ll go see if she’s coming or not. James is an asshole, but they’ve been together forever.
They lost a kid. They got this new baby.
They’ve been through a lot. They probably just hit a rough patch. ”
Cassidy climbed out of the sprinter and held out his hand to help her down.
“I’ma walk you to the door,” Cassidy stated.
“I don’t think that…”
“I wasn’t asking,” Cassidy stated as he grabbed her hand and helped her navigate the icy path to the door.
Shy glanced over at Ellie.
“Bitch, are you seeing what I’m seeing?” Shy asked under her breath.
Ellie glanced up at Sloan and Cassidy as they stood side by side.
“He’s just being protective,” Ellie stated. “Sloan wouldn’t go there with my brother. We know what type of men she likes. That’s my girl, but she’s a snob.”
“Girl, jailhouse dick will turn her saditty ass inside out,” Shy snickered.
Sloan rang the bell, and James pulled open the door.
“Hey, James, is Court here? She’s supposed to come to the Christmas Tree Farm with us, but she isn’t answering the phone,” Sloan greeted.
“Yeah, she’s here,” James answered unenthusiastically. He pushed open the screen door and stepped back as Sloan and Cassidy walked inside.
“What up, bruh, you a’ight?” Cassidy asked.
“Trying to make it, man,” James said. “My bad about last night. It was late, and you caught me by surprise.”
“It’s all good as long as shit’s good, you feel me,” Cassidy responded.
“Court, your friend here!” James shouted.
Sloan looked around the house. It was a mess.
“Sorry for the chaos, man. The new baby got me pulling doubles, and Court ain’t had a chance to clean up. The baby kicking both our asses, dawg,” James said. Sloan could hear the heaviness in his tone.
Courtney emerged from the back room, holding her son, and Sloan looked her over.
“Are you okay? You aren’t answering your phone,” Sloan said, worried. Courtney was dressed, but she looked tired, like she had been up, crying all night.
“Oh, yeah, I’m good. The baby didn’t sleep well last night so I was up all night with him. I must have forgotten to put my phone on the charger,” Courtney said.
“Did you forget about the Friendsmas plans today?” Sloan asked.
Courtney looked at James.