8. Services No Longer Required
Eight
Services No Longer Required
DESTINY
Iwas so nervous that I could throw up.
I stood in my living room staring at the multiple racks of clothing Brick had sent over.
I was too afraid to even pull anything off because it all looked so…
expensive. If that wasn’t enough, he had to have gotten some of them from the strip club he owned because there was no way.
Some of the tops I saw wouldn’t even fit over one of my good bras.
I walked away from the racks and grabbed a bottle of water before I worked myself into a panic attack. As if she heard my inner turmoil, my phone rang, and Eden’s name scrolled across my screen.
“So, are you done being mad at me?” I asked pitifully as soon as I answered the phone.
“Des, I was never mad at you,” she huffed. “I’m worried about you. You can’t keep letting them control you like this! He is using you!”
“I hear you! I swear I do, but Brick isn’t like them.
He didn’t necessarily want this either, but he’s giving me my freedom, and he’s paying me—way more than Daddy.
After everything is said and done, we’ll dissolve the marriage, and I get to keep everything.
This is actually a way for me to save up and finally get out on my own once this is over.
I promise I’ve thought about it, and it’s for the best.”
She went silent for a while before speaking again.
“Okay… but if you ever want to leave. Them niggas are a lil’ off, so call me, I got you.
And let that nigga know that if he hurts my sister, I’ll blow up his fuckin’ car!
” she fussed, making me break into a huge smile.
We were eleven months apart, but you would have sworn that she was the older sister.
She always protected me fiercely, even when I swore I was fine.
“I will. I promise,” I assured her.
“So what you doin’ later? Let's go get faded and twerk on some trust-fund babies faces,” she said, making me burst into laughter.
“E, please. I can't though. I have… a date.”
“What? With who?”
“Brick,” I whispered.
“Wait, what? I thought you said it wasn’t like that?”
“It’s not… I don’t think. But he came by in the middle of the night and said he was taking me out tonight. Then he sent over all these clothes, and I guess someone is coming by later to do my hair and makeup. I’m so nervous.”
“I’m on my way,” she said. I could hear her moving around.
“I thought you were still out of town for that conference,” I said.
“It ended early,” she answered. “A pipe burst in the venue, and it got cancelled.”
“Well, would you like to come help me get ready?” I tried not to beg.
“Girl, I just told you, I’m already on my way!
” I laughed as I fought the urge to tear up.
Angry, worried, or any other emotion, my little sister was pulling up for me, and I was doing the same for her.
She made it over in no time and immediately commenced into making me her own personal Barbie doll.
“Eden,” I whined as I looked in the mirror. “This isn't me.”
After a full afternoon of arguing, we finally settled on a pink milkmaid type of dress.
On the hanger, it looked unassuming, very pretty and girly, but when I put it on, I realized that it put all of my frontal business on display and hugged every curve of my waist. She convinced me to wear my natural hair out, and I kind of felt like a flower the way the curls blossomed from my head and cascaded down over my shoulders.
She had also given me a light face of makeup, unlike the makeup artist Brick hired that I had to send home.
Brick texted me and told me to keep everything that he sent over. Even though half of it was way too revealing for my taste, I appreciated the much needed upgrade to my wardrobe.
“Sis, you look good!” she huffed. I knew she was so tired of my whining and complaining.
“It’s too tight,” I argued as I ran my hands over my waist. “Why did he have to buy everything so tight? Everything is two sizes smaller than what I normally wear!”
“That’s because you normally buy all your shit two sizes too big!
” she corrected, fixing one of my curls that had bounced out of place.
She gently held my chin in her hand and her voice took a serious tone.
“Look, I know they made you feel like you have to dim your shine to make it to heaven. Fuck them. Come visit us down here in hell for a lil’ bit.
They never toned it down, so why should you? ”
I couldn’t help but frown as I thought about all the flashy things they bought while raising me to be modest. The luxury vehicles, the bigger houses, all of it.
Meanwhile, I was told that the righteous path was paved in modesty and grace, and that I needed to be silent and fall in line to make someone a good wife.
I decided right there that wedding or not, some changes had to be made.
The revelation must have been written all over my face because Eden’s face softened.
“Listen,” she said with a sigh. “One day, we'll sit down and discuss the shit-show that is our family, but for tonight, let's leave it on the back burner. Go out, look fine as fuck, enjoy that fine ass man, and let him lick on your coochie a lil’ bit,” she teased.
“Eden!” I popped her arm as she cackled wildly.
“Fine… but you know it's coming sooner or later, right?”
My face went warm as I thought about how he almost kissed me the night before. I knew if I told her that, the teasing would never stop, so I kept it to myself.
“Girl, it's not like that. This is like a business thing. We're just doing this for appearances,” I said softly, unsure of whether I was lying or not. I didn’t want anything more with him.
I knew that going down that road would lead to nothing but trouble.
My body locked up completely when I heard him knocking on my door like the SWAT team.
“Hey,” Eden said in a soothing voice, holding my face again. “You know I’d never lie to you. You look beautiful. It doesn’t have to mean anything. Just go out and have a little fun. You deserve it.”
And I did. I shook away my nerves as she walked away from me.
“Nigga, you better treat my sister right tonight!” Eden fussed as she opened the door. I stood in the corner awkwardly, wishing I could disappear for a moment.
“Eden, get the fuck on. Ain't nobody about to do shit–” His voice trailed off when his gaze landed on me. His jaw tensed, and his eyes narrowed as I raised my brows awkwardly.
“Hi,” I whispered. He looked good in a dark gray button up, black slacks and his signature jewelry. I couldn’t hear him, but it looked like he mouthed a four-letter word that I wouldn’t dare repeat.
Crap, did I pick the wrong dress?
I smoothed my hands over it, my smile turning into an awkward cringe. I had just made the decision to flee to my room and put on one of my church dresses when Eden stepped forward and punched Brick so hard in his chest that I stumbled back.
“Girl, what the fuck?” he choked out before drawing a deep breath.
“You’re welcome! You looked like you were having a hard time breathing. Now, pick your jaw up and compliment my sister, fuck nigga!” He cut his eyes at her like he wanted to hit her back, then cleared his throat and turned back to me.
“What’s good, Peep? You look… amazing… fuck.” There was the four-letter word again.
“Thank you,” I said with a nervous giggle as I tucked a curl behind my ear. He had never complimented me like that, and for some reason it had me feeling all the flutters of a first crush.
“Yeah, that's what I thought! Bye you two! Y’all have fun!” she said as she brushed past him. My eyes widened when she turned around and made a V sign with her fingers while flicking her tongue through it. Luckily, Brick had his back to her, so he missed the gesture.
“Bye Eden!” I said before turning back to Brick, whose eyes never left me.
“You good?” I asked. I had never heard him so quiet.
“I’m good… oh, shit!” he paused before turning and grabbing a bouquet of tulips from the table next to my front door. “These are yours.”
“Oh, thank you!” I squealed. I couldn’t remember the last time a man bought me flowers before him… actually, I could, and it was because he had really messed up.
“You’re welcome,” he said, handing them to me.
I quickly put them in water and we headed downstairs.
The whole walk down, I tried to act like I was unfazed by the way his hand guided my mid back.
What wasn’t foreign to me, was how careful he was when he opened the door and helped me inside his truck, making sure both me and my dress made it in safely before closing the door.
I watched as he mumbled to himself for his entire walk to the driver’s side.
I saw his lips utter one more curse before he opened his door and climbed in.
He took a deep, frustrated breath before starting the car up.
“What’s wrong?” I asked nervously.
“Nothing,” he grumbled.
“Something is obviously wrong. What is it?” I tried again. “You changed your mind? If so, it’s okay. We don’t have to go.” My feelings would be a little hurt, but I would rather go back upstairs than force him to go out with me if he didn’t really want to.
“Fuck no!” he answered quickly, making my eyes widen. “Sorry, I just…” He chuckled then looked off, still unable to find the words.
“Brick,” I said softly, grabbing his hand in a sudden rush of boldness. “It’s me. What’s wrong?” I was the same person that he had just had a two-hour long debate over basketball players and music with, and now he was acting like he didn’t know me or like I had done something.
“Aight listen… I’m… nervous,” he barely whispered. My eyes widened, and I went silent before I burst out laughing.
“Are you—are you for real right now?” I choked out through my bouts of laughter. My giggling stopped abruptly, and the smile fell right off my face when I noticed how offended he looked.
“Yes, I’m for real,” he growled and looked off.
“But you have girls chasing you all the time… Why would you be nervous about me?”