CHAPTER TWO IESHA
CHAPTER TWO
IESHA
“You gon’ tell that nigga the deal? Clearly, that muthafucka think you belong to him.”
I rolled my eyes. Seven knew how to really rub my nerves raw.
I didn’t have time for his bullshit. At the same time, I loved that man.
It was something about him that wouldn’t let me stay away.
The crazy thing was that every time we were around each other, he pissed me off.
Maybe if I broke him off, he would calm his ass down.
We’d been doing this dance for almost two years, it seemed. That shit made me think that I was attracted to his aggressiveness and his bullshit. I huffed as I glanced at Quincy.
“I haven’t talked to Seven in over a month. Why would I clarify anything?”
“He thinks you’ve moved on with me, Iesha. I mean, that is kind of misleading, since I’m your cousin and all,” he said, then chuckled.
I rolled my eyes. I’d picked Quincy up from the airport and took Highway 90 back to Beaumont. I knew they were turning up Henderson style about something involved with them pitching for a documentary. Then Maui texted me to let me know about Noni’s engagement. I decided to stop to congratulate her.
Seeing Seven made me weak, although I was able to pretend I was firm in what I believed.
While I hadn’t given him the goodies yet, I fantasized about it all the time.
All I wanted was for his ass to be more considerate and engage a filter sometimes.
He made my volatile side wanna show up and show out.
“He’s making an assumption. Let him look stupid. He’s so possessive, and we aren’t even together.”
“I hate to tell you, cuz, but it looks like you got a crazy nigga on your hands. If you ain’t gon’ be with him, he gon’ make it hard for you to be with anybody else.”
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.
Quincy was right. Seven was not going to let me live my life.
I felt like even if I gave him an explanation of why we couldn’t be together and a full breakdown of what I needed from a partner, he would still give me a hard time.
That nigga was gon’ make me file charges on his ass.
“I’m going to have to stop working for the family business. I have a damn contract with them.”
“You only provide graphics though, right?”
“Yeah, and I manage their website.”
“Okay. Don’t miss your bag. You ain’t gotta see them in person for none of that shit.”
“You right. Well, I’m gonna go take a shower, then call it a night. I’m tired.”
“A’ight. I’m gonna do the same. Good night.”
“Good night.”
Before I could get down the hallway, there was a banging on my door. Fucking Seven Storm Henderson Junior. There was no one else who would be banging on my door like they were the fucking police. I spun around and stomped to the door.
“I guess you gon’ have to let him know,” Quincy said, then chuckled. “You need me to stay in here?”
“No. This fool is harmless . . . when it comes to women, anyway.”
He chuckled again and went to the guest bathroom.
I checked the peephole and saw his fine ass standing there with his tatts on full display.
He had on a black, graphic T-shirt with the sleeves cut off, a baseball cap that read Henderson Ranch and Farms on it, black jeans, and white Forces.
I slowly shook my head and unlocked the door.
He wore a deep frown. When he looked into my eyes, it eased some.
“What are you doing here, Seven?”
“I need to talk to you. Who is that nigga that was in the car? It just ain’t in your personality to have another nigga that you seeing at my family’s shit.”
My heart quickened slightly. He knew I wasn’t about foolishness like that. Now that he’d had time to cool off and think about it, he knew that couldn’t be right. I huffed and said, “Quincy. He’s my cousin, Seven. I picked him up from the airport and stopped by on my way to Beaumont.”
He slid his hand down his face then stared at me. After licking his lips, he nodded. “Can we talk?”
“Not tonight. I’m tired.”
“But I’m already here.”
“Uninvited.”
He grabbed me by the neck and kissed the hell out of me. My eyes rolled to the back of my head, but I was able to pull away from him. I took a deep breath and wiped my mouth. His thick lips were something to behold. He got those soup coolers from his father.
“Iesha, come on. Please?”
I closed my eyes for a moment. This was how he always talked me into letting him back into my life before he fucked up again.
I was so fucking indecisive with him. I was like that damn 702 song.
I didn’t want him to go, but I didn’t want his ass to stay.
We really needed to get it together before something unfortunate happened.
I could see myself snapping on his ass eventually.
He didn’t know how to control what fell out of his mouth.
“Not tonight, Seven. I have to go to the office Monday. Are you available to talk then?”
“Where are we gonna talk that’s private though? You know the Hendersons nosy as fuck. I’m one of ’em.”
I huffed and stepped aside. He walked through the door as I slowly shook my head. “We aren’t alone here either. My cousin is staying here with me for the week.”
“Where’s he from?”
“New York.”
“That’s cool. You know I miss you. I apologize for losing my cool with your brother. I just be wanting you to myself.”
I glanced at him. “Seven, you just want what’s in my panties.”
He frowned. “I mean . . . I want that shit too. You see how long I been after you without having it? I ain’t even slept with nobody since I met you. That’s a long fucking time. A nigga need to start making videos and uploading them on XNXX or Pornhub or some shit like that.”
I frowned. “What kind of videos if you ain’t had sex?”
“Of me jacking off. Shit, I got all kinds of toys to keep the shit interesting.”
I rolled my eyes as he grabbed my hand. “What do you want me to say, Seven?”
“That you’ll give me another chance. I mean . . . have I ever mistreated you? I know I just say whatever comes to mind, but have I ever said something that wasn’t real to you?”
I looked away as I thought about what he was asking me.
When he told me to pop my titty out my brother’s mouth, I could’ve knocked the fuck out of him.
I did baby my brother. I always had. When we found out he was on the spectrum, it only got worse.
He got away with murder. We tried to teach him to be self-sufficient, but he was so used to us doing things for him, it made it hard.
He did get a job though. He paid his cell phone bill, his car note, and half the bills here, but the fact remained that he lived here with me instead of on his own.
So, when Seven said what he said, I became extremely defensive.
My lil brother was my baby, and if I chose to baby him, that was my business.
“No. But you don’t know how to say shit. There’s a way to say things, so they don’t sound so offensive.”
“Well, why you got so defensive about your brother if what I said was real?”
“Because it’s hard for me to let go. He’s autistic and just doesn’t quite understand some things.”
“I think he does. He knows that you will do it for him, so he will never do it for himself. That ain’t autistic behavior.
That’s human behavior. Now, if he doesn’t eat certain things or only eats a few things, then that could possibly be autistic behavior.
I can understand you being sensitive about him though.
My cousin married a woman with down syndrome.
You met Angel. Her parents were extremely protective of her, but it was only hindering her. She’s so happy now.”
“Seven, if you talked like you had sense all the time, then we wouldn’t be having this conversation. It seems you only talk this way when you’re trying to convince me to do something. It feels like you’re being manipulative.”
He frowned. “Why would I need to be manipulative? I be fighting women off with a stick, girl. I ain’t gotta manipulate shit. I care about you. I wanna be with you. That’s it. I wouldn’t be wasting this much time if that was all it was. Tell me I ain’t wasting my time.”
“I can’t say that with all certainty.”
He rolled his eyes. “A’ight, man. Well, I guess we just gon’ be playing fucking cat and mouse then.
I was trying to be nice and understanding.
You mine. You know that shit. When you done playing and being difficult, then we can move on as a couple.
Until then, I’m just gon’ be a thorn in your fucking flesh.
I get what the fuck I want, Iesha. I want you, girl. ”
“Please leave. I knew this conversation wouldn’t get us anywhere.”
“Because you talking in fucking circles. I can see in your eyes that you want me. If you let me knock the dust off that pussy, you’ll calm down. That’s your fucking problem. You need some dick in your life.”
“Seven . . . get the hell outta my place.”
He stood and shook his head, then walked to the door and swung it open. That nigga walked out and left the door open. He knew just how to get under my damn skin. For some reason, I couldn’t make myself leave his ass in my dust. I stood and went and slammed the door shut, then locked up.
As I made my way back to the room to take a shower, I couldn’t help but think about how I would have to fall out of love with him.
It was going to be tough, but I had to let go.
Somehow, I’d have to convince him to let go too.
He hadn’t even gotten the goodies, and he was clowning hard.
If I gave it to him, he would be trying to run every aspect of my life. No thank you.
At this rate, I would never get married and have kids.
I was my parents’ oldest child, and besides my youngest brother, I was the only one who didn’t have kids.
I was almost twenty-nine, nearly an entire five years older than Seven.
Both my sisters had kids, but they always told me not to rush.
They’d both been married and divorced, because niggas ain’t shit.
Tas’zhane said some of those muthafuckas should’ve just gotten swallowed.
Seven had so much going for him that I loved.
Once people got past his dad’s and siblings’ rough exteriors, they could see that they were a loving family.
His mom and Maui were sweet from the beginning.
His cousins and aunts were amazing. The man had two degrees in business management and marketing.
He didn’t seem country from the outside, but on the inside, he was all cowboy.
He mowed hay fields at times, took care of the cattle with his dad, and sometimes handled the grass and rice farms. He even worked in the business office at times.
He loved his family. I saw that firsthand when he was after Mythic.
He hated that he was with Maui. Mythic was so misunderstood.
He was a good guy, but he’d gotten caught up in that fast life.
Had it not been for that, I probably would have given him a chance to date me.
After a couple of weeks of him flirting, we established a friendship.
Maui was the topic of most of our conversations.
It was at that moment that I knew we weren’t meant to be together anyway.
Once I was out of the shower, I dried off, then made my way back inside my room, where my phone was ringing. When I saw Tas’zhane’s number, I answered.
“Hey, sis.”
“Hey. You sound dry. You okay?”
“Yeah. What’s up?”
“Can you pick up the kids Monday from daycare? Mama just told me that she has to work the middle shift next week and won’t get off until seven. I don’t get off until seven Monday also. I get off at five the rest of the week, so I’ll be able to get them.”
My mama was a nurse, and her shift could change without warning.
Baptist Hospital was a thorn in her flesh.
It was a thorn in mine too, because it seemed it happened at the most inopportune times.
It always happened when I had stuff to get done.
I would have to go into the office early.
Hopefully, Seven’s ass would be out of pocket.
Most likely, he wouldn’t be since he knew I was going to be there.
Just my luck, he would choose to work in the office on Monday.
“Okay. I’ll get them.”
“You sure you okay?”
“Yeah. I’m good. I just got out the shower, so let me call you back.”
“Okay.”
I ended the call and moisturized my skin, then looked around my room.
I was gonna have to clean up tomorrow before I went to get them from daycare.
After this foolishness with Seven, I was mentally tapped out.
He didn’t realize just how crazy his ass was.
He didn’t find it strange that the only person in my family that he’d met was my brother.
The only reason he met him was because he lived with me.
If my dad even got a whiff of that attitude he was sporting, he’d be ready to get that nigga out of my life by any means necessary.
He was a veteran and didn’t play that shit when it came to his daughters.
My mama didn’t play either. As their oldest child, I had a different bond with them than my siblings did.
While I was the one that was assumed to have it all together, my grandmother and my daddy knew the real.
My grandmother and I spent a lot of time together, especially when I was growing up.
My mama had said because of that, I’d been grown for a long time now.
I could only chuckle when she said that.
Kids my age would get on my nerves because they were so immature.
Truth was, I was past my age of maturity.
At fifteen, I was acting like a woman in her twenties, taking care of herself.
I watched soap operas and went to church regularly, not to mention, I drank coffee with my grandmother.
After moisturizing, my mental was drained. I didn’t even feel like doing my hair. I put my headscarf on and got in bed, letting the pillow soak up my tears like they were never there.