Black Butterfly (9 page)

             
“You’re something else woman.” He chuckled and leaned over to get a bag of weed from the nightstand drawer. It was all buds.

             
“I know that you smoke joints, but have you ever smoked a blunt?” He asked getting up to get a shirt for me.

             
“Yeah, I know what a blunt is. I’m not slow just because my folks got money. Don’t get it twisted,” I said.

             
He gave me a white tee and sat down on the bed. He’d put his boxers on when I was in the shower.

             
The pizza was delivered a few minutes later. Raheem returned to the room with plates, two cups of ice and two cans of Pepsi. We stayed up until four in the morning laughing and talking. Two more blunts later and we were both snoring. I woke up at nine thirty and Raheem was still knocked out. I slipped out of the bed, got dressed and left. I’d had a really good time and smiled all the way home.

*
    *     *

Seandra

             
I’d just told Maurice that my mother was planning us an engagement party. He’d been with me since his plane hit the ground and I was in total bliss. We hadn’t argued once and he didn’t appear to be high at all. The mention of an engagement party had seemed to alter his mood though.

             
“You don’t want an engagement party?” I asked sensing his agitation.

             
“It’s not that baby. I don’t know. An engagement party is too much. Why don’t we just have a nice dinner with your parents? We don’t need to have everybody in our business,” he said with an irritated edge in his voice. “We already get enough of that with the gossip magazines and websites.”

             
“But Ricey,” I whined. “Mother wants to do this for us. Why don’t we just let her? I’d love to have an engagement party. It’ll be wonderful. You’ll see. We can announce our engagement to the world.” I didn’t understand what his problem was.

             
“When will this party take place?”

             
“It will be in two weeks in the ballroom of daddy’s grandest Miami hotel. I’m telling you baby it’s going to be the biggest social event of the year. Come on baby. I wish you’d be happy like me.” I was disappointed in him. It was like getting married was no big deal.

             
“Damn Seandra. I hate dealing with your sisters. They’re too judgmental for me. Especially Renell.” A frown covered his handsome face, creating wrinkles in his forehead.

             
He couldn’t stand them and the feeling was mutual. Maurice and my sisters did not get along. They felt that I could do better. I loved Maurice, so we hardly went around them when we were together.

             
“You’ll just have to put your differences aside for one night. Besides, Nell isn’t speaking to me anyway. Nor is she speaking to Tay. More than likely she’ll show up alone and quickly leave the same way.”

             
Maurice leaned over and kissed me passionately. “If this engagement party is what you want then I’m with it baby.”

             
I thanked the heavens silently. “So you were going to let the thought of my sisters being there ruin our engagement party?”

             
“Drop the subject,” he said and got up. He disappeared into the bathroom. I hoped he wasn’t going in there to get high.

             
A few minutes later he returned to the room with wide, glassy eyes. “Were you in there using again?” I asked calmly. He’d been to rehab once, but it hadn’t helped. He’d stop for a little while, but just couldn’t seem to stick with it. I loved him enough to ride it out with him.

             
He rubbed his nose and gave me an evil look. “I’m a grown ass man Seandra! I can do what the hell I want!”

             
“You don’t have to yell at me! If you want to marry me you have to stop all of this shit Maurice! The drugs, the women and the damn gambling! It all stops before I say I do!”

             
“Whatever you say Seandra,” he said waving me off. “You will marry me anyway.”

             
I wanted to knock that cocky look off his face. I sighed and shook my head instead. “I’m serious Maurice. We’re not going to make it like this. If you love me and want us to have a future you will check into rehab. You will quit all the destructive shit that you’re doing.”

             
He just brushed me off and left the apartment. I heard his car start and then there was silence. I grabbed a pillow and threw it in frustration. Why did love have to be so complicated? I just didn’t understand Maurice. I just couldn’t fix him. I tried, but I’d run out of ways. I threw on some True Religion jeans and a baby tee.  A baseball cap and some dark Raybann’s were part of my disguise. I didn’t know where he’d gone, but I was going after him.

*
      *      *

Renell

              “Engagement party?” I asked mother. “Why should I go? I am not speaking to Seandra or Seantay.” I was being stubborn, but I didn’t care.

             
“Renell. Listen to yourself. You sister would want you there and I expect for you to be there to support Seandra,” she said in a stern voice.

             
“I don’t know mother. I won’t make any promises.”

             
“Well, I have to go now. Just remember I am counting on all three of you being there.”

             
“Okay,” I sighed. “Bye mother.”

             
I hung up the phone and grabbed my purse. I had to find Ricky’s number. There was no way I was going to Seandra’s engagement party without a date. I didn’t want to use Ricky and really didn’t think he’d oblige after I’d let him down so harshly that night. As much as I didn’t want to go, I knew mother would never stop hounding me about it.

             
I scrolled through the contacts in my cell phone until I found his number. I pressed send and nervously waited for him to answer.

             
“Hello,” his baritone voice caressed my ear.

             
I felt tongue tied, but finally found my voice before he hung up on me. “Ricky.” I cleared my throat. “This is Renell. I was calling to apologize for how I spoke to you the other night. I was tired and stressed and I would like to make it up to you.”

             
Ricky laughed good-naturedly. “Apology accepted and how do you plan on making it up to me Miss Beauvois?”

             
“Well, my sister just got engaged and my parents are giving her an engagement party. There will be plenty of people there for you to network with. I would love for you to be my date.” There, it was out and my heart was pounding out of control. I braced myself for the rejection I was surely going to get. There was a long uncomfortable silence and then he finally spoke.

             
“Oh, so
that’s
it. Now you want
me
to escort
you
so that you won’t have to show up alone?” He asked.

             
I felt really bad then, but had no one else to ask. I prayed that he wouldn’t say no. “No Ricky. I really want to make it up to you.” I couldn’t go to that damn party alone.

             
“Alright, I will go with you, but only because I like you. See, I wanted to get to know you. I didn’t just ask you out because I didn’t want to show up alone. After this engagement party you owe me a real date, since you say you’re willing to make it up to me.”

             
Damn his voice was so sexy and I felt awful because he was being so sweet about it. “I thought you’d accepted my apology. Now you’re making me feel bad all over again. I’m sorry I even asked. Just forget that…”

             
“Renell,” he interjected quickly. “I’ll be happy to go with you. I’m not going there to network. It’s all about you. Do you want to meet there or ride together? Oh, and don’t forget to think about where you’re going to take me when we go on our real date.”

             
We ended up staying on the phone for hours. I actually found myself enjoying the conversation. He had a great personality and a funny sense of humor. I didn’t know how I would feel when we were face to face. When we finally ended our conversation, I actually couldn’t wait to make my grand entrance at Seandra and Maurice’s party. I would show them that I could snag a man and a damn good one at that. 

*
    *    *

Seantay

              I couldn’t believe all of the fuss my mother was making over a stupid engagement party. Maurice was an oversexed cokehead and Seandra was a codependent bitch. I could not believe that she’d been stupid enough to accept his pathetic marriage proposal. The way he gambled and snorted coke he would lose everything in no time. It was a good thing she didn’t need his money.

             
Mother was driving herself crazy trying to make everything perfect for her precious Seandra. Lets see her run around like that for Renell and I. It wasn’t jealousy or anything, but it was clear that Seandra was her favorite.

             
“Seantay, did you try your dress on yet? I haven’t even seen it. The party is tomorrow. You should be preparing for it.”

             
“Mother, the dress was delivered the day after you ordered it. I tried it on already and of course it fits. I am prepared for the party. Okay.” I closed my bedroom door in her face and shook my head.

             
The dress was beautiful. It was an elegant, silk, black, strapless number that stopped at my upper thigh. It fit my figure like a glove, showed lots of cleavage and was made by Prada. I had to admit that my mother had taste. She’d even found the perfect shoes to match. They were black three and a half inch Jimmy Choo sandals. The heels of the shoes were made from pure crystal. They were hot.

             
I sat down on my bed and called Raheem. “Hey baby.” He’d been rocking my world since I’d gone to see him that night.

             
“What’s up beautiful?” He asked.

             
“Nothing. I’m just sick and tired of my mother tripping about this damn engagement party tomorrow.”

             
“Oh yeah, your sister’s marrying the CEO of Ruckus Records.”

             
“Yeah and believe me he’s a loser. I need to get my mind off things.”

             
“Why don’t you come over?  I have some things I could do to help you with that.”

             
It didn’t take much for me for me to agree. “I’m on the way.”

Chapter 8

Seantay

It was the “so called” big day. Mother and father had spent over a half a million dollars on Seandra’s party. I could only imagine how much the wedding would cost. Mother had paid top dollar for the best caterer and party planner in the city. Everything was extravagant, which was to be expected. Everyone from the mayor of Miami to the top names in the fashion and entertainment world had made the guest list. I wasn’t impressed at all. As a matter of fact, I was ready to leave as soon as I got there.

Twenty minutes into the party the couple of the hour made their grand entrance into the beautifully decorated ballroom. Seandra looked absolutely stunning. She was wearing a long,
powder blue form fitting Vera Wang gown. The material was silk and cashmere mixed. Her hair was swept up elegantly with a beautiful diamond hair clip. A few curly tendrils framed her flawlessly beautiful face.

“She looks absolutely stunning,” mother whispered clasping her hands together. “Like a porcelain doll.”

I rolled my eyes toward the ceiling. Father simply smiled and put his arm around mother.               “Where’s Renell?” He asked looking around.

I shrugged my shoulders. “She probably won’t show.”

“Yes she will,” mother said walking toward Seandra and Maurice. I put on a smile as father and I followed suit.

“Baby, you look gorgeous,” mother said hugging Seandra. “And Maurice, you look handsome.” She gave him a hug.

Father greeted the glowing duo and all was well, or so it appeared. I loved my sister, but I knew that the union was doomed.

“Congratulations big sister.” I smiled warmly and wrapped my arms around her. “You look beautiful,” I whispered in her ear. When I pulled away tears were glistening in her eyes.

“Thank you Seantay,” she smiled radiantly.

I looked at Maurice and planted a fake smile on my face. “Congratulations future brother in law.”

“Thank you,” he said with his eyes glued to my breasts. I couldn’t blame him for looking, but my sister was standing right there for God’s sake. He was a pig for real. I tried to hide the disgusted look on my face.