Brothers and Wives (7 page)

Brax dashes away, running in a circle and screaming, “I want some chocolate. I want some chocolate.”

“What’s he talking about?” I ask.

“Not real chocolate,” Neil explains. “Hot chocolate. I don’t understand how he can stand to drink something that hot when it’s probably a hundred degrees outside.”

“When Brax wants what he wants, you know he doesn’t care.”

Brax screams, “I want my choc-late.”

“Well,” I laugh, “are you going to go make him some?”

“No,
you
are.”

“Neil,” I plead, feeling like my sticking around right now is not the best thing to do. Earlier Scottie and I made tentative plans to see each other. But I thought he could meet me at the gas station around the corner, definitely not here at the house. “I–I really gotta be going.”

“She sure does. Follow me,” Scottie says. He strides past me with his head held high, then patiently stands at the foot of the stairs.

“She’s not going anywhere, Scottie. I
knew
this was going to happen. Just because I let you stay with us d–doesn’t mean you can have c–company.”

Neil’s voice is strong yet weak; he’s babbling like a punk.

“Where’s your wife?” Scottie asks. “Let’s hear what your wife has to say about me having company.”

“Okay, you two,” I cut in. “This is nuts. We don’t have to be like this. I’m trying hard to maintain my composure. And more importantly, we shouldn’t be a-r-g-u-i-n-g in front of the baby.”

“Where’s my little brother?” Reese joins us from upstairs,
her big feet stomping all the way till she reaches the bottom. Grinning so wide that all her teeth are showing, she squats till she’s eye-level with her brother, then hugs Brax around his little shoulders. He pushes her off and continues to run in a circle. Just watching him makes me feel dizzy, like I need to sit down.

“You want to go outside and play kickball? I’ll let you win this time. Come on, Brax.”

I watch as the kids race through the rear door in the kitchen that leads to the enclosed patio and backyard.

The tension feels so thick I can barely think. Although I have entertained thoughts of what would happen if I dated Scottie, I’ve tried hard not to overthink things. And right now it seems Neil, Scottie, and I need to have a conversation I’m not ready to have.

Sighing, I go into the den, the room in which the family usually gathers to watch TV and eat. I take a seat on the plush leather love seat, a piece of furniture I’ve sat on many times in the past, back when I first gave birth to Brax. In the early days, I was welcome to stop by the Meadowses’ house. I’d come by, relax on the couch when Anya was here so we could discuss babysitting arrangements whenever I needed help.

But when Brax turned one, Anya convinced Neil that I shouldn’t be the one to drop Brax off. I got carried away one day and came by their house dressed like a porn star. Anya pitched a fit and didn’t want me around anymore. At first we used Riley Dobson, the next-door neighbor, as the go-between for me and Neil. She was safe, supportive, the ultimate peacemaker. But when her schedule changed and she couldn’t drive Brax to my place, we decided that my girlfriend Summer Holiday would take over. That plan worked
at first for an entire year. But earlier this spring, Summer got a new man named Andre, no one else was available to step in, and lately I’ve been the one who finds herself back at the Meadowses’ house. And now that Scottie is living with his brother, the pressure has tripled.

According to what Scottie told me, Neil reluctantly agreed to let his brother live with them last week. Scottie argued that it was better for everyone if he gives Neil money than to fork over four hundred dollars a week to a hotel.

Anya was all for the arrangement. “I can use that money,” she told Neil. And that settled it.

“Well,” I say to the guys, “since I’m going be here for a little while even though I hadn’t planned on it, can some nice gentleman bring me something to drink?”

Scottie trudges to the large, open kitchen, which is visible from the den. Neil is right on his heels. Scottie opens the refrigerator and scans the contents. He reaches for a can of ginger ale. Neil slaps the can from Scottie’s hand. It crashes to the floor and rolls until it hits a baseboard, then comes to a stop.

“She has diabetes and can’t drink that, dummy. She needs to drink something …” Exasperated, Neil stops talking and pulls out a can of Coke Zero and stares knowingly at Scottie.

“Oh, I get it. I’m taking notes, my brother.” Scottie tries to snatch the soda from Neil’s hand, but he chuckles and waves him off.

“If you gonna take notes, then take ’em.”

They return to the den. Neil holds my soda and stands in front of me, still quarreling with Scottie like a boy.

I sit back amazed and watch these two men in action.

Here you have Neil. He’s dressed in a white unbuttoned dress shirt with no tie. He’s just gotten off work from his job
as a finance manager at the Texas Medical Center. I love how he’s wearing a ribbed wife beater tank top. Mmmm … I can remember the times I’d be in bed with Neil, lying on that man’s chest. He’d hold me in his arms and we’d fall asleep with my head on his shoulder. It rarely happened, but the few times it did made me wish I could experience lying next to him every night. Of course, Anya got that privilege even though she rarely took advantage of it—they slept in separate rooms. What a waste!

Neil looks steadily in my eyes and hands me the drink.

“Thanks, Neil. That’s so nice of you.”

“Hey, let me pop it open for you, Mariah.”

“What you call her?”

“She’s beautiful, fun to be around, a little spitfire, so that’s my nickname for her.”

“That sounds so stupid.”

“Neil.” I giggle. “That’s not nice.”

“And?”

Scottie sits next to me on the love seat.

“There’s plenty of room on that sofa over there, boy.”

“Boy?”

“You two are so adorable. Is this how you acted when you were younger?”

“Scottie has always acted like a fool!”

“Oh, really, Neil?”

Scottie ignores Neil’s comments and opens my drink, then places the can against my mouth.

“This is so disgusting. I can’t take it anymore.”

“Okay,” Scottie sings. “Byeeee.”

Neil grunts, then abruptly turns and leaves.

“You are sooo naughty, Scottie. Jeez, that rhymes doesn’t it?”

Scottie tilts the soda can to my mouth again even though I’ve just taken a sip. He raises the can so high that some soda spills all over the top of my lips.

“Hey, let me get that off for you.”

He removes a piece of tissue from a box that’s sitting on the coffee table. With the paper clutched in his fingers, he leans over, then presses his lips against mine.

“Oh,” I try to say, and squirm in my seat.

Scottie’s eyes are closed, and he continues to kiss me. His lips are warm and soft. I relax and let the man kiss me for a few seconds.

“Did you like that? Did I offend you?”

“Oh Scottie, this is a bit much for me.”

“Aw, damn, I’m sorry. I don’t want to pressure you.”

“We are in your brother’s house. What if he walked in on us?”

“He needs to know that I’m trying to date you. He’s going to have to grow up.”

“Yeah, but …”

“But nothing. We’ve been kicking it since I was at your crib. And for a minute, it seemed you didn’t care what Neil thought. Now you act like you shy or something. Where’s my little spitfire, my little I-don’t-give-a-damn woman?”

“She’s still here.”

“Show me!”

“This isn’t the time or the place.”

“You want to go to my room?”

“Be serious, Scottie.” I laugh. “You’re so different from your brother.”

“And do not compare me to him. I’ve been through a lot. You’re probably the most illegal thing Neil has ever gotten himself into. Shit, I’m shocked that y’all hooked up, knowing my brother.”

“Um, yeah,” I say feeling uncomfortable. This house brings back so many memories of when we’d have the hots for each other but couldn’t do much since it felt like Anya’s eyes were on us even when she wasn’t home. And although it’s been over three years since Neil and I were messing around, it feels weird to discuss what happened with Scottie. But since it’s true that the guy definitely ain’t married to me, I should try and be more forthcoming.

“I think it was mostly on my part, the reason we hooked up.”

“Do tell.”

“It’s too damned long of a story.”

Scottie laughs and squeezes my hand. “So you
do
listen to me. Trying to steal my lines.”

“You trying to steal my woman.” Scottie and I both look up. Neil is standing in front of us. He’s no longer dressed in his work clothes. He is wearing a blue tank top and some black workout shorts. His legs are so muscular. I stare harder and notice a bulge in his shorts. Incredible. I want to laugh out loud, but that would be too rude.

So I sit and observe like I’m at a tennis match.

“She
was
your woman. Not anymore.”

“This is the mother of my child. Nothing can change that.”

“Yeah, well, that’s all she is to you, Neil. Y’all not about to go back in the past.”

“You don’t know what we do,” he says a little too loudly.

I gasp. Neil’s just trying to pretend like we’re messing around, even though we’re not.

“You’re lying, Neil.”

“And if it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have a place to stay. As a matter of fact, when you gonna throw down for some rent? You always in the refrigerator. You always playing music all night long, using up electricity.”

“You make the big bucks down there at the great medical center.”

“I’m a real man. That’s what real men do.”

“Man, hold up now.” Scottie stands up and faces Neil. “I’m a man, too. I work hard; it’s just that I’m waiting to hear back from some companies. I’ve been on at least six interviews.”

When Scottie decided he was staying in town, he said he missed Texas and wanted to take his chances here and see if he could get a job and not have to move back to Detroit. In the daily telephone conversations that we’ve held since meeting, Scottie’s told me how he’s doing everything he can to make sure his return to Houston is permanent.

“And what have you been doing the rest of the time, huh, Scottie? Looking for work is a full-time job. You can’t go on two interviews a couple of times a week and expect to get a good job.”

“You don’t need to lecture me, man. I ain’t trying to hear all that.”

“You need to listen to somebody. It’s when you don’t listen that your life gets screwed up.”

“Here we go. You ain’t my daddy.” Scottie’s voice breaks. I can hear the hurt in his words. His eyes look so sad, I want to hug him. But he throws his hands in the air.

“I’m done, Neil. Hey, Mariah, you follow me. We can go to my room.”

Scottie looks at me like he expects me to obey.

I grab my purse and stand. He extends his hand and leads me from the den.

But I walk toward the front door and not upstairs like he wants.

“This is too awkward. I’d rather hang out at my place,” I whisper to Scottie.

“That’s cool. I’m gonna go upstairs and get some music I want you to hear. Be right back.”

I go stand next to the door so I can wait and think. But Neil enters the foyer and pulls no punches.

“Dani, what do you think you’re doing?”

“Do you really have the right to question me?”

Neil is eerily silent. Even though it’s obvious Neil still loves me, I can’t help but feel upset about everything. Let’s face it, Neil chose and has the woman he wants. I’m still waiting to get everything I want.

And now I want to be the one who gets chosen in the end. I want to be somebody’s wife one day.

It’s the last weekend
in August, an entire month since Scottie made LaNecia a promise. Ever since then, she’s waited for Scottie to call and set up a date, but she’s sick of wondering what’s the big holdup.

On this Tuesday morning right before the lunch hour, the skies are so clear it looks like an endless stretch of blue. The sun sparkles with a brilliance that makes the day feel perfect.

A new multimillion-dollar elementary school is being built on the north side of Houston. It’s almost noon by the time LaNecia and her best friend, Karetha, arrive at the construction site of the upcoming school. The last time LaNecia was lucky to catch Scottie on the phone, they spoke briefly; he mentioned how busy he’d been because he’d finally secured a new job as a construction foreman for the school district. He’s been on the job a little over a week and sometimes works ten hours a day. By the time he gets home he’s tired and funky, and that’s the excuse he’s given LaNecia about why he hasn’t been able to hang out with her. LaNecia figures that since he can’t come to her, she’ll go to him.

LaNecia’s wearing a colorful floral-designed maxidress.
Because funds are often low, she’s been spending time painting her own toes and nails and has gotten pretty good at it. Today she feels she looks her best, and she wants Scottie to notice.

LaNecia frantically knocks on Scottie’s construction trailer door, but no one answers.

“Step away from the peephole, fool,” Karetha warns.

“Shut up,” LaNecia says, and keeps tapping loud.

“Girl, why did I ever listen to you? It isn’t a good idea to just show up on this man’s job. Nobody’s here, plus we’re supposed to be registering your ass for school. And on top of that, need I remind you I’m on my lunch break. An
hour
lunch …”

“If you were my real friend you’d …”

Karetha rolls her eyes even though she doubts LaNecia can see her, because the girl is too busy banging her fist against the door. They’re huddled together in front of the Bayou Town Construction trailer and LaNecia is getting angry.

“Is he trying to hide from me?” she asks Karetha. “I see his car big as day sitting there,” she says, keeping watch on the tiny gravel parking lot.

“Hold up a second.” LaNecia leaves Karetha standing next to the trailer while she rushes over to Scottie’s SUV. She touches the hood of the Escalade, then walks back to LaNecia.