Chapter 35 #2
Kamilla hadn’t shared her trauma with the group in whole.
They knew pieces of the story surrounding Martez but not his end and what it cost her.
Involving them in a mess she made was out of the question.
She’d handle Armon at the right time with a long-handled spoon.
This trip couldn’t come at a better time.
Kairo was going to be with Fredo. Nate had business moves he was making, and Dania was swamped with clients.
She’d fill them in with the details once she was home.
“Guys, I’ll handle it. The right way. For now, I need to focus on this, deal?” Kamilla bargained.
“Don’t have me snap that nigga and his tiny mustache in half,” Charlie mumbled, standing up with the bag of sweets and strolling to the door. “You didn’t want this pie, did you?”
Kamilla spotted the apple pie she got for herself in his bare hands. “No, you can have it. Greedy ass.”
Lucci stood, attention focused on his phone. “I’m out; contractions are fifteen minutes apart. Kamilla, make me proud.”
“Congratulations,” she hummed, earning a smile. “I’ll send flowers when I land.”
With Lucci and Charlie gone, Haddon leaned back in his seat and asked, “Why didn’t you hit that nigga over the head when he gave you that bullshit?”
Kamilla sighed and sat back completely in her office chair and looked out the window. A shrug bounced her shoulders before her mouth opened. “I don’t want to be in a position where protecting myself ends up fatal.”
“As opposed to being in a position where all the niggas charged with looking out for you turn him into Swiss cheese?” Haddon mused.
“You ain’t weak. Fredo is your pop, you KP daughter, don’t let no suit and tie nigga dictate your future.
I get you were getting back on the scene, but he was a cornball then, he’s a cornball now. ”
“Why is he a cornball, Haddon?” Kamilla asked for entertainment purposes.
“Because this nigga rolled up on you with me standing there. If I were yo’ nigga, his head would’ve been smacked off his shoulders for that bullshit,” Haddon spoke.
“Well, let’s thank God you aren’t,” she quipped. “Speaking of which, that little date you went on, how was it?”
Haddon cut her a look and curled his lip. “She was a fan. You know how I feel about that shit.”
“Immensely,” Kamilla chuckled. “So no on her.”
“And no on you playing matchmaker,” Haddon pointed.
“I didn’t play matchmaker, I said I knew her from the salon; one of Dania’s girls does her hair. You were blinded by the titties and the ass. So that’s on you, homie. Not me,” Kamilla defended.
“Yeah, aight. You better watch out before I put you on to a real nigga and watch him change your life. Have you all submissive and shit, leaving work at a decent hour,” Haddon quipped back.
“No, thank you. I don’t even want the one I got,” she muttered.
“Then get rid of him and that baby ass ring.” He stood, held his hand out for their signature handshake, and started toward the door. “Get out of here, the flight leaves at six. Oh, and the next time to you to Long’s Bistro, bring me my own damn cookies.”
“I’ll expense it,” Kamilla joked.
“Expense the whole damn weekend. I’m going to be on accounting about it too. This is your first kid-free weekend since I met you. Enjoy yourself and use that golden ear. We got money to make.”
“And money to shake,” Kamilla replied to his back watching his fist pump.
“Muhfuckin’ right,” he stated before leaving.
Closing her laptop and sliding it into her leather carrying case, she unlocked her phone and called Fredo and texted Dania in tandem. True to his motto, he answered after the first ring.
“Baby girl,” he trilled. “What’s going on?”
“I got pulled into a meeting. When do you want to get Little Mr. Tasmanian?”
“Shit, I can get him right now. What you got going on?” Fredo asked with skepticism in his voice. “Going somewhere with that gel polish wearing nigga?”
Kamilla snorted in laughter. “Could you please! It’s not gel polish…it’s like a buff.”
“Keep telling yourself that. You from the hood, you know a nigga with gel polish on his fingers is a pimp and will slap a bitch. I’ll poke that nigga in his chest if the idea crosses his tight-pants wearing mind,” Fredo continued.
“You know you can date multiple people. You don’t gotta sleep with them, you can just get to know them. ”
“I really don’t want to date anyone. I barely have time for this,” she huffed.
“‘Cause you don’t make time for anything but checking in on the cleaners, your actual job, and your family. Anything else, forget it.”
“Exactly. Anyway, I just got a promotion with conditions,” she announced.
“What’s the conditions? Listen, I love Lucci and Don, but I will whoop those niggas’ asses,” Fredo fired back.
“Calm down, old man,” Kamilla laughed. “Please. I can’t have you having another heart attack.”
“I didn’t have a damn heart attack. Those doctors don’t know shit. I had gas.”
“You had a heart attack because you won’t eat right. I’m not going back and forth with you,” Kamilla huffed.
“Good, now where the hell are they sending you?” Fredo questioned.
“La Bega for the festival. If I land a producer, artist, and writer, the A she was trying to thicken it up,” Fredo returned. “She can’t help that Kairo got his daddy’s genes. Soft ass hair. Little baby silk.”
“Not too much on my child’s hair,” Kamilla chuckled and added. “The only thing she managed to thicken up is you.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Fredo huffed. “Let me know when you take off and when you land. Enjoy yourself, okay?”
“I’ll try.”
“Love you girl,” Fredo offered.
“Love you too, Pop. Send me pictures.”
“Girl, leave us alone,” Fredo huffed before hanging up.
Dania confirmed squeezing her in if she arrived within the hour, forcing her to have a little bit more pep in her step. When she got to the salon, Dania was finishing up training her new receptionist and sending her client off with a care bag.
“You got it from here, Carrie?” Dania questioned before stepping away upon confirmation. She hooked Kamilla’s arm in hers and walked in step to her private suite located in the back of the salon. “What’s the 911?”
Kamilla waited until Dania closed the door with her hip before holding up the finger with the ring on it. “This won’t come off.”
“Bitch, did he propose to you?!” Dania screeched with terror. Not for Kamilla but for Armon.
“Ew, no. I haven’t even kissed the man. He put this on my finger as a promise of commitment or whatever the hell it was. I’ve been trying to get this off and I can’t,” Kamilla whined. “You got something in here don’t you?”
Dania took her hand and examined the ring. “I do but I can’t get that off.”
“Why not?’ Kamilla asked.
“Because boo boo, that’s a forever ring. It’s not meant to come off. Not without a key. That he has. Do you have the box?”
Kamilla slapped her forehead. “No, I left it on the table. I should’ve known better.”
Dania snickered. “Little slimy nigga is determined to get you one way or the other. You gotta get rid of him.”
“Considering he put a ring on my hand I can’t get off, getting rid of him might not be so easy,” she grumbled, plopping down in the chair. “I’m never doing this dating shit again, I swear.”
“I know you’re mad because you’re cursing,” Dania replied with a soft laugh. “Getting out there isn’t bad, Mila.”
“How would you know? Nate isn’t letting you go anywhere. Furthermore, getting out there is a waste of my time, especially with this new position, I can’t balance a man who wants me to conform to his world on top of everything else I have going on. So when I get rid of him, I’m done with this.”
“Don’t count yourself out so fast; you never know what’s going to happen,” Dania spoke.
“Mm,” Kamilla groaned. “Another date and man and his representative trying to get in my pants or play daddy to a child that has five strong male figures in his life. I’m cool.”
Dania shook Kamilla’s hair out, keeping her comments to herself. “What am I doing with this?”
“Wash and go, I’m not going to have time to curl and wrap and retouch in the desert,” she replied. “Just the curls. Big and free.”
“Great idea. Going into your next season free. Make sure you keep me updated on all the tea.”
Kamilla rolled her eyes and laughed. “You’re so nosy.”
“You love it.”
“I love you; it comes with the package.”