5. Alisha
ALISHA
Iwoke up with Brittany damn near laying across my neck.
I opened my eyes and looked at her. “Girl…” She was knocked out, mouth wide open, one leg across my stomach, she looked like she had a long night.
I carefully moved her over and climbed out the bed.
My whole body was sore. My hand was still aching from yesterday.
I looked down at it and shook my head. “Yeah that shit was worth it.” I mumbled to myself. I walked into the bathroom and looked at myself in the mirror. My hair was a mess and my eyes were swollen, I looked tired as hell. I splashed some water on my face and stood there for a second.
I didn’t want to think about yesterday. So naturally my mind went straight there.
I grabbed my toothbrush. “Nope I ain’t doing this.
” I said to myself. I brushed my teeth, washed my face, and took a quick shower.
After drying off, I stood in my closet trying to figure out what the hell I was wearing.
I wasn’t trying to look cute because I wasn’t going anywhere fancy.
I just wanted something comfortable. I grabbed a pair of black leggings and a loose gray hoodie.
I threw on my bra, pulled the leggings up, and slipped the hoodie over my head.
I sat on the edge of the bed and put on my socks and slides.
Then I looked in the mirror, my face still looked tired.
I pulled my hair into a messy bun and put a little concealer under my eyes. “That’s good enough.” I wasn’t about to put on a full face of makeup just to go sit at my mama’s house. I walked back over to the bed and rubbed Brittany’s little back. “Come on, baby.”
She groaned. “Five more minutes.”
I looked at her. “Who taught you that?”
She opened one eye. “You.”
I sucked my teeth. “Come on.”
She sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes. “I don’t wanna get up.”
“I know.” I picked her up and carried her into the bathroom. She rested her head on my shoulder while I brushed her teeth. “Open.” She opened her mouth. I brushed her teeth while she looked at me through the mirror.
“Mommy?”
“What’s up?”
“Is Daddy home?”
My hand stopped for a second.
I looked at her through the mirror.
“Nah.”
“Why?” She whined.
I rinsed the toothbrush and handed her a cup.
“He had some grown up stuff to take care of.”
“Is he coming home later on?”
“I don’t know, baby.”
She looked down. “Is he in trouble?”
I swallowed. “Your daddy's gonna be alright.”
She nodded. I helped her wash her face before carrying her back into her bedroom. I opened her dresser. “What do you wanna wear?”
“My pink shirt.”
“Okay.”
I pulled out the pink shirt and a pair of jeans.
She held the shirt against herself. “I want my sparkly pants.”
I looked at her. “Not today.”
“But they sparkle.” She whined.
I laughed. “Girl, put the jeans on I just gave you.”
She started whining. “Mommy…”
“I said no you can wear them another day.”
I helped her get dressed, fixed her hair into two little ponytails, and added her pink bows. Then came the shoes. She wanted her little pink sneakers.
“Those don’t match their two different pinks .”
“I like them.”
I looked at her and she looked at me. I sighed. “Fine.”
She smiled. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
I grabbed my purse while she put her little jacket on.
“Mommy, I forgot my Minnie.”
I looked toward the couch and her stuffed Minnie was sitting right where she’d left it. I picked it up and handed it to her. “Here.”
She hugged it. “Thank you.”
We headed downstairs. I started making her breakfast while she climbed into her chair. She swung her legs underneath the table.
“Mommy?”
“Yea?” I answered.
“Can I have pancakes?”
I looked at her. “You just ate pancakes yesterday.”
“That was yesterday.”
I shook my head. “Girl, you got an answer for everything.”
She smiled, I made her pancakes anyway. I poured my coffee and sat across from her.
My phone was sitting on the counter. I looked at it and I didn’t have any missed calls from Deuce.
Deuce was still locked up. But some stupid part of me still expected to see his name.
I picked up the phone and sat it back down.
I wasn’t gone sit around all day waiting on that man. I had already done enough of that.
“Brittany, finish eating.”
“I am.”
“You been playing with that pancake for ten minutes.”
She took another bite.
“See?”
I shook my head. When she finished, I wiped her face, grabbed my purse, and checked the house before we left.
“Come on.”
“Where we going?” She asked.
“Grandma’s.”
She jumped up. “Yay!”
“Put your shoes on.”
She slipped them on and grabbed my hand. Before we walked out, I looked around the kitchen. Deuce’s coffee cup was still sitting in the cabinet. His shoes were by the back door. His jacket was still hanging over the chair. Little shit I normally wouldn’t even notice, now it was everywhere.
I walked over and touched his jacket. I held it for a second before putting it back.
I hated that I still missed him. After everything that happened yesterday.
I still wanted my husband home. That didn’t mean I trusted him.
It didn’t mean I wasn’t angry. It just meant love didn’t disappear because somebody fucked up.
I put my phone in my purse. “Come on, Brittany.” She grabbed my hand tighter.
We walked out the front door and headed toward the car.
Something about yesterday had changed everything. I just couldn’t put my finger on what it was yet. All I know is if Deuce has some kids on the way he might as well get ready to sign those divorce papers. I pulled out the driveway and headed toward my mama’s house.
Brittany was in the backseat talking to Minnie like that little stuffed animal could actually answer her. I turned the radio down because I wasn’t in the mood for music. My mind was already doing too much. I kept thinking about Shante.
She’d been in the hospital all night, and I hadn’t talked to her since everything happened. I grabbed my phone at the red light and called her. It rang twice before she answered.
“Hey.” Her voice sounded tired as hell.
“Hey, girl. How are you feeling?”
“I’m alright.” She replied.
“You sure?” I asked.
“Yeah.”
I heard some movement on her end, then Malik’s voice came through faintly in the background. “Do you need anything?”
“I’m good.” She let him know.
I could hear the concern in his voice, that man hadn’t left her side.
“Where you at?” I asked.
“Still at the hospital.” There was a little silence. “You got Brittany?” She asked.
“Yeah, we're on the way to my mama’s.”
“Okay.”
“You scared the shit outta me yesterday.” I let her know.
“I know I scared my damn self..”
I tightened my grip on the steering wheel. “How are the babies doing?”
“They good.”
I let out the breath I’d been holding. “Thank God.”
“Doctors still watching me because my blood pressure is high.”
“Well, don’t be trying to leave there early.”
“I wasn’t.”
“Good.”
I glanced in the rearview mirror and Brittany was still talking to Minnie. I lowered my voice. “You know you can talk to me about anything, right?”
Shante got quiet. “Yeah.”
I frowned. “You okay?”
“I’m just tired, Li.”
“I’ll come see you later.”
“You don’t gotta.”
“I know I don’t gotta, but I want to.”
She didn’t say anything then I heard Malik again. “You need to get some rest.”
She sighed. “I know.”
I smiled a little. “Let that man take care of you.”
“I am but he is annoying sometimes..”
I laughed. “I love you, Shan.”
“I love you too.”
“Get some rest.”
“Aight.”
We hung up. I set my phone in the cup holder and kept driving. Something about that conversation didn’t sit right with me. She sounded tired. But it was like she was choosing every word before she said it.
I knew Shante when something was bothering her, she got quiet and yesterday she was quiet before she ever hit that floor. I looked at the road ahead. Whatever was going on with my best friend, I wasn’t letting it slide.
By the time I pulled up to my mama’s house, it was a little after noon. Brittany was knocked out in the backseat with Minnie tucked underneath her arm. I looked at her through the rearview mirror and shook my head. She had been talking my damn head off all morning, and now she was asleep.
Figures, I parked in the driveway and cut the truck off. For a second, I just sat there. I already knew Mama was gone ask about yesterday. There wasn’t no way around it. I got out, opened the back door, and unbuckled Brittany. She barely woke up. “Come on, sleepyhead.”
She wrapped her arms around my neck. I carried her up the steps and knocked. Mama opened the door before I could knock again.
“Finally.” She smirked.
I rolled my eyes. “Hello to you too.”
She looked down at Brittany. “She sleep?”
“Yep.” I replied.
“Bring her in here.”
I carried Brittany to the couch and laid her down.
Mama grabbed a blanket and covered her.
“She was wide awake when y’all left.” She asked.
“She talked the whole ride here.”
“That’s my baby.”
I shook my head and followed Mama into the kitchen. She had food sitting on the stove. “We already ate.”
“I didn’t ask if you ate.” She looked at me. “I cooked just in case you were hungry.”
“I’m good.”
“Fine.” She poured herself some coffee and sat at the table.
I sat across from her. She stared at me for a few seconds. “Now tell me what happened yesterday.”
I let out a long breath. “Ma…”
“Don’t Ma me.”
I took a sip of my tea. “Everything was fine at first.” I started telling her about the baby shower, the food and decorations. Everybody being together then I got to Kim.
Mama frowned. “Who is Kim?”
I shook my head. “That’s the problem.”
“What problem?” She asked.
“She was some woman Deuce been dealing with apparently.”
Mama sat back. “Deuce got another woman?”
I looked down at my glass. “Apparently.”
“Apparently?” Mama sucked her teeth. “So what happened?”
“She showed up.”
“Where?”
“At the baby shower.”
Mama’s eyes got big. “Why?”
“Attention.”
I shook my head. “She came in with these big gift bags like she was invited.”
“What did she want?”
“Deuce.”
“At your best friend’s baby shower?”
“Yep.”