9. Vani
“These are cute,” I held up a pair of dark denim Levi’s. “Do kids still wear Levi’s?” I looked over at Lo.
“Those kids better wear whatever you pick out for them.”
My man had stuck to his word and bought some kids from the hood shoes when they went back to school.
Every time he saw them, they were rocking the shoes, but the clothes they wore were clearly old.
After their first report cards, he promised to buy them clothes if they got good grades.
They were eager to show him when they got them, and he had given me money to shop for them.
I had their sizes and was going to get each of the kids seven outfits each.
Darius had already taken them to get haircuts.
“Darius is so nice,” Lo stated as I picked up a red Polo shirt. “Like this is really nice of him.”
“I know. He’s dope like that. Which is why I’m taking him to Puerto Rico for his birthday, and I’m using my money that I make from braiding hair. I also want to get him a really nice watch and some expensive cologne. I want to go all out for him. I want to spoil him the same way he spoils me.”
“As you should. That man gives you so much money you never have to spend any of your own. And he’s not like some of these men that give their girls money but cheat on them left and right. He treats you good too. You’re winning in every aspect.”
“I know,” I smiled. “I love that man so much it’s scary. Like, I have never loved a man the way I love Darius. If we ever break up, I’m going to be sick.” Just the thought of us ending made a lump form in my throat.
“That’s not happening. You’re crazy about him, and he’s crazy about you, so nobody is going anywhere.”
I hated always thinking the worst because being insecure wasn’t cute. I just tried to look at it as being ready for whatever. Hailey called while I was paying for the items, so I answered the call and cradled the phone between my ear and shoulder. “Hey boo.”
“Hey. Please don’t cuss me out, but can you squeeze me in tomorrow? Lorenzo invited me to Miami for the weekend, and I want braids rather than a hot ass wig.”
“Yeah. I don’t have anybody tomorrow which is rare. But I can get you in around two. I do want to sleep a little late.”
“That’s perfect because I’m going to get waxed at twelve.”
“Wax, braids, you going all out. You gon’ give him some? How long y’all staying?”
“You know I can’t go out of town looking any kind of way.
Even if he doesn’t get any nookie, I’m going to wear the skimpiest bikini I can find, so the peach has to be bare.
But I might give him some. He’s been trying forever, and he stepped correctly inviting me to Miami. And we’re staying for three nights.”
Lorenzo had been trying to get at Hailey for a few months.
He was a truck driver, and he sold weed on the side.
He wasn’t the cutest person in the world, but he could dress his ass off, he was twenty-eight and mature.
He didn’t have kids. I told Hailey more than once she should give him a chance, and she had finally decided to listen.
He wasn’t hideous and at this point in life, all the fine men knew they were fine and dealing with them came with headaches.
Darius seemed to be the exception to that rule, and I was crossing my fingers every day that it stayed that way.
“I love that for you. Is your mom going to be good? I can go check on her if you want.”
“Thank you for the offer, but my aunt is going to stay with her while I’m gone. She’s sick of me anyway. I’m always getting on her about not doing what the doctor said, and then she’ll get an attitude. It’s like she’s the child, and I’m the parent.”
“It be like that sometimes. I’m glad she’s still her usual feisty self. If she was anything else, I’d be worried.”
“I know right. Mean, crazy ass lady.”
Hailey and I got off the phone as Lo and I got inside my car.
“Everyone is going somewhere but me. Tyriq makes me so damn sick. He finally started taking me out on dates, but they’re cheap places we don’t even have to dress up to go to.
Everyone has been on a baecation but me. I’m about to kick his ass to the curb.”
I didn’t respond because Lo had said that more than once.
Her and Tyriq were still young, but Lo knew what she wanted.
I had told her more than once that if she really wanted something, she had to communicate that with him.
If he didn’t correct it then in my opinion, he didn’t care.
All my sister wanted was to be taken out on an occasional date and a trip here and there, and it was like pulling teeth to get Tyriq to comply.
Lo would get mad and ignore him for a few days, but she always ended up going back.
I guess that was just part of the game. Only Lo knew when she would really get fed up enough to leave him alone for good.
“Ohhhh,” my eyes widened. “I almost forgot. Shit, tell him to come to Vegas next month. Me, Darius, Hailey, and Azarius are going to see the fight. Darius had me to book the Airbnb, and it’s super nice. It has two floors, four bedrooms, four bathrooms, and a pool.”
“See that’s what I’m talking about. Hell yeah, I want to go and if he doesn’t, I’m going by myself. And if I have to go by myself, I’m never speaking to him again.”
I would believe it when I saw it. It was cool though.
Experience was the best teacher. I didn’t want my sister to get hurt, but she would have to experience what she didn’t want in order to know what she really did want.
Maybe if she got past this now, it would prevent her from dealing with it in the future.
My sister was grown, and she could handle herself, but I refused to let her do so.
If Tyriq hurt her, he would have to answer to me.
Tyriq didn’t make it to Vegas with us, and Lo was pissed.
She swore she was done with him. I loved my sister dearly, but she was blowing me.
We had been in Vegas for four hours, and her facial muscles hadn’t relaxed yet.
It was like a permanent frown was embedded into her skin.
He claimed it was the weekend, and he couldn’t leave all that money on the table.
Tyriq did okay for himself. He had his own apartment and an old ass Benz.
It wasn’t like he was a bum but with all the time he supposedly spent working one would think he would have much more than he did.
But I wasn’t in the habit of pocket watching so…
We were on the strip, while the guys were gambling, and I had gone to the dispensary and purchased some edibles.
Hailey pitched in, and we were going to share.
I should have known something was off when Lo said she didn’t want anything.
That girl smoked like a damn chimney but silly me I chalked it up to her being pissed.
Though there had never been a time when being mad or sad stopped Lo from indulging.
However, when we stopped to get food, and she didn’t ask me to order her a drink, I knew something was up.
As I stared at my little sister my heart began to ache.
She had finished high school and that was better than not finishing, but Lo was nowhere near ready to have a child.
I hoped I was jumping the gun, but something told me I wasn’t. Especially when Lo ignored my question.
“Lo, why aren’t you drinking?” When Hailey left to go to the restroom, I repeated the question in a tone that said I already knew the answer.
With a sigh, her orbs darted around the establishment. “I’m pregnant. And before you freak out, I don’t think I’m keeping it.”
All I could do was stare. That was the last thing I wanted to hear.
“Go ahead and tell me how stupid I am,” she mumbled.
I wasn’t going to say anything to make her feel bad because if our parents found out, they were going to be livid. When Lo said she didn’t think she was keeping it that led me to believe that even though she knew she didn’t need a child, she wasn’t completely sure about terminating the pregnancy.
“Whatever you decide, I got your back.”
Lo stared at me with tears in her eyes. More than likely, she had expected me to give her a speech or fuss her out, but I didn’t want to handle it like that. Most times we knew better and still didn’t do better. Making mistakes were a part of life.
“Thank you,” she gave me a small smile as Hailey came back to the table.
“Earlier in the kitchen, Azarius brushed up against me on purpose then he looked at me like he was sizing me up. I’m getting that tonight. Our rooms are right beside each other too. I’m gon’ pull out all my best moves and when we get back to Diamond Cove, I’m gon’ ghost that ass.”
“That’s why he doesn’t want to deal with you,” I chuckled. “He said you like to play games.”
“As long as he knows,” she gave a knowing smirk.
My phone vibrated, and I checked it to see that Darius was calling. “Hey, babe.” I answered as the waitress placed the drink I’d ordered in front of me. It was a strawberry margarita made with two different kinds of tequila.
“Bae, I just won $11,000 in this casino, and I only spent $2,500.”
Darius had seen way more than $11,000 before, but I knew he was geeked because aside from the $2,500 he got back, the rest of his winnings was ‘free money.’ “That’s what’s up,” I grinned. “Now leave out of there before you give it all back,” I joked.
“Oh, for sure. You don’t have to tell me twice. We gon’ blow this shit at the mall. Where y’all at?”
I told Darius the name of the restaurant we were in, and he said him and Azarius were on the way.
“I play with these niggas because most of them aren’t worth shit, but I would like to find a love like you and Darius have one day.
You know I never miss an opportunity to dog a man out, but I don’t have anything bad to say about him.
He really treats you good. And he spoils you.
I love that for you. It’s been a lil’ while, and he hasn’t switched up yet.
As soon as some women move in with men they start cheating, being abusive, all that dumb shit. ”
I couldn’t have stopped myself from blushing if I had tried. He hadn’t switched up on me, and he didn’t hold his money over my head. “I definitely love me some him.”
As I sipped my drink, the restaurant door opened, and Darius and Azarius ambled through it.
I had started taking birth control, and that along with making up for the time that we couldn’t have sex after the miscarriage, had us going at it like rabbits.
Knowing that we could be as nasty as we wanted without the fear of me getting pregnant had turned us up a notch.
I could never get tired of Darius’ dick.
Whether he was sexing me fast or slow, gentle, or aggressive, no one had ever come close to handling my body the way he did.
As soon as he sat down beside me, Darius lifted my glass and sipped my drink. “Damn that’s strong,” his face contorted a bit.
“It’s two different kinds of tequila,” I grinned enjoying the warm, fuzzy feeling that just a few sips had given me.
“I don’t even like those sweet, girly drinks, but that muhfucka is good. Especially since it’s hot as hell outside.” Darius reached into his Louis Vuitton bookbag while he talked. Underneath the table, he swiftly counted through bills. He then passed me a wad of cash which I placed inside my purse.
Of course, I loved money. I loved it a lot, but if I had to choose between the money and Darius, I’d take him all day hands down. I wasn’t with him for the money. I really loved that man more than I had ever loved any man that wasn’t a blood relative.
I was glad when Lo finally loosened up and began talking because I knew she was stressed, so I tried not to let her somber mood kill my vibe.
Two margaritas got me right and back at the Airbnb I ate an edible.
Lit wasn’t the word. When I put on my bikini, looking in the mirror, I felt like the sexiest woman in the world.
The edible and tequila combo had me feeling myself.
When Darius entered the bedroom and laid eyes on me, he shook his head.
“Hell nah. Azarius is my brother, but you can’t walk out there with all that hanging out,” he licked his lips while ogling my ass.
“I have a cover up crazy. I’m going to keep that on until I get in the water.”
“Fuck, Vani,” he groaned lowly while advancing toward me. When Darius was in front of me, he took my hand and placed it on the bulge in his shorts. “You see what you be doing to me.”
“I’m just going to hop in the pool and turn up with my girls for about thirty minutes.
I’m going to have one more drink, then I’m going to come in this room and suck your dick until you shoot your cum down my throat.
Then, I want you to fuck me from behind until I cum.
Then, I want to suck your dick again while I ride your face. ”
Darius stared at me with lust filled eyes. “You need to go ahead and put that cover up on and hurry up to the pool because I already started the timer for you.”
Giggling, I grabbed my cover up. Hailey was plotting on Azarius, and Lo kept saying she was sleepy, so I was sure I wouldn’t have to be at the pool long with them. All I wanted to do was knock my man’s socks off.