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Authors: Angie Daniels

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BOOK: Careful of the Company You Keep

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Danielle

It took everything I had to hold my head high when Nadine called my man out like that.
Jaycee
. I guess they're his initials. JC Garrett, just like OJ Simpson and TK Carter, which means his first name starts with J and Chance is his middle name. No wonder I had a hard time finding him on Intelius. Ain't that a bitch. I remembered the time I had answered that fool's phone and the woman on the other line had asked for Jaycee. Like a dummy, I told her she had the wrong number. No wonder she got an attitude. She knew more about Chance than I did.

Damn, you're so pathetic.

It was bad enough Chance was screwing a dyke, but to know that he had been servicing two of them at the same time was enough to send my ass over the deep end. I was so humiliated all I could do was run to the bathroom and try to hide. When I finally came out the last thing I wanted was to discuss my problem. And I most definitely did not feel like hearing Renee telling me “I told you so.” I know my friends only wanted to help, but I needed to be alone to think and feel sorry for myself.

I got out of the restaurant as fast as I could, then drove around for an hour, crying my eyes out while trying to get my head together before I made it home.

My life is fucked up. Here I was with a daughter who accused the man I loved of sleeping with her. The man who loved me, I dumped, and now I found another man who I love only to discover he's been fucking me and a pair of dykes at the same damn time. It pissed me off because Chance would have a fit if I had been fucking someone else, yet he'd been giving my dick away to two other women! That's what I get for playing around on Calvin. He was such a good man, yet I was too stupid to appreciate him.
Why, Lord? Why is it that I always have to have drama in my life to feel satisfied?

The longer I drove around, the angrier I got, until I was more than ready to confront Chance. I pulled up to the house to find his car parked in the garage, which meant I had to leave mine in the driveway. I slammed the car door shut and moved into the house, where the smell of food hit my nose. I stepped into the kitchen to find Chance fixing dinner. As soon as I spotted him in front of the stove, my mouth dropped.

He was wearing nothing but a pair of Timberland boots.

He glanced over his shoulder and smiled. “Hey, baby girl. I've got Shake'n Bake pork chops in the oven.”

I tried not to look at his tight ass as I confronted him. “Don't play with me. I want to know who Jaycee is.”

He swung around and all I could do was look down. It was hard to be mad at someone when ten inches was staring right smack at you.

I forced my eyes to his face. “Who's Jaycee?” I repeated. I could tell he started to lie, but the expression on my face must have told him that was not a good idea.

“Baby girl, come, have a seat.”

Reluctantly, I walked over to the kitchen table. Chance moved in the chair across from me with his legs wide open and his dick staring right at me.

“My name is Joshua Chance Garrett III. I've been donating to a sperm bank since college.”

My eyes snapped to his face again. Uh-uh, no, he wasn't about to tell me another lie. “Jordan didn't get your sperm from a sperm bank.”

“I know. I was getting to that.” He leaned back in the chair, reached down, and stroked his meat. I started licking my lips.

“Yo, quit looking at my dick!” he scolded but I could see humor burning at the back of his eyes.

I rolled my neck as I spoke. “If you don't want me to look then go put some clothes on yo naked ass,” I snapped. “Now either quit stalling or get the hell outta my house.”

Chance released a heavy breath, then reached over and cupped my hand. “I grew up with two women. One who I had always thought was my auntie until I asked my mother one day why the two of them slept in the same bed. That's when I found out my mom was a dyke. She told me she and Auntie Mamie wanted a shorty so bad. They couldn't afford to go to a fertility clinic so they ran an ad, looking for a disease-free donor for a small fee. And that is how I was conceived. I grew up around my mom's friends, mostly dykes, who wanted to have babies. Some of them used to joke about how fine I was and that one day I could make a lot of money helping females like them have babies. I thought about that when I went to college and decided that it was a helluva way to fund my education.”

I didn't answer right away because I couldn't get my eyes off his dick. When I finally did, I rolled my eyes. “What does that have to do with the price of tea in China?” When his brow bunched with confusion, I gave an impatient breath. “Why did you sleep with Nadine?”

Chance slid his chair closer to me. “So that she could feel like she was part of the whole conception process. I wanted both women to experience what it was like being with me so I had them share the intimacy together. It's business, baby girl, nothing else. I swear to God I'm not lying.”

For some strange reason that shit made sense to me. Or maybe it was because he was sitting so close and I saw that black snake move.

“There is nothing going on with me and either of those women. I was paid to do a job, that's all. It's not like I'm the first person to do something like that. It happens all the time.”

I gave him a long, skeptical look. “I never heard of it before. I just wish it had been with someone other than one of my best friends.”

“I didn't know. I swear to you. But it doesn't matter. I love you, boo. I don't need no one else. Especially not no dykes.”

I had to smile at that one.

I shook my head. “I don't know. Nadine was pretty upset.”

He frowned. “Yo, it's not my fault she wanted to read more into it than it really was!”

“I got the impression it was more than a job. The two of you met and screwed when Jordan wasn't even around.”

He took my hands in his. “Baby, I was doing a job. I'm paid
well
to do a job.” He gave me that sexy panty-dropping grin of his. “She was the one paying for my services, and I wanted to make sure she got her money's worth. Sure, I might have hustled her into giving me a big tip, but like I said, it's strictly business.”

“She's my friend and I don't turn my back on my friends.”

I could tell he was growing tired of this discussion. “That's cool she's your friend. Just remember who your man is and that I love you and plan to spend the rest of my life with yo sexy ass. If you need me to holla at ya girl, I will. I'll admit I was wrong for pretending I didn't know who she was at the restaurant, but I just didn't want you to find out that way.” He was using that seductive voice of his that he knew always made me weak. I struggled for strength. There was no way I could make this easy for him.

I twisted up my mouth. “How many other times have you done this?”

“In the clinic? Dozens of times. But through an ad, this makes my fourth.”

“How much did you get paid?”

“Ten grand.”

That wasn't anywhere near enough to end a friendship over. But it was definitely enough to go shopping.

“I used the money to put a down payment on something special for my baby girl. But I can't tell you just yet what it is.” He held my hand and started rubbing the second to last finger on my left hand.
A wedding ring! Hell yeah, he paid down on a ring.
I couldn't help but feel excited at the idea.

“Well, if you're going to be with me then you have to give that business up,” I demanded with a pout.

He smoothed an uneasy hand across his hair. “Baby, you don't understand. I'm too high in demand to stop. I've got three new clients. How do you think I pay for my Navigator and afford to keep you looking nice? Weren't you happy when your man lined your pockets last week with enough to go shopping in St. Louis with your girls?”

Last week he broke me off fifteen hundred dollars. Renee and I spent the weekend shopping until my feet started to hurt.

“I can't do those types of things if I give up my job. If you still want to go to Miami next month, I have to keep my job.”

I frowned. “You sound like a gigolo.”

“Hey, and this gigolo is getting paid!” He took my hand and lowered it onto his dick. “This here is a strong, black working man!”

I snatched my hand away and he howled with laughter. I couldn't help but join in. “You're stupid.”

“Nah, baby, just keeping it real, but hey, if you can't handle it, then me and Frank are out.” He rose from the chair with his hard dick in his hand and made a show of getting up and moving over to the stove. “Let me get these pork chops out and then I'll be on my way.” He then got real quiet.

Dammit, Chance had a way of twisting the shit around and making me feel guilty. And Lord knows I wanted to believe that what he said about him and Nadine being just business. She was the fool for making more of the shit than it really was. I was embarrassed and pissed off by the way I found out, but I can't just throw away a good thing. He's right. He's a hustler and a damn good one. I have to accept all or nothing with him. Chance is everything to me. I don't want to lose him. Do I like the idea of sharing my dick with everyone else? Hell nah! But if they're all being tested for diseases first and it's just a bunch of dykes who are more interested in licking pussy than getting dicked down, then why should I be trippin'? Especially if Chance keeps my pockets fat and he does things like making me dinner butt-ass naked. I stared at his ass and my lips curved in a smile. Besides, he had all but admitted he plans to marry me. He can keep doing what he do, for now. Once we're married, I wasn't going to have him doing that mess anymore. The only one who would enjoy that dick would be me.

Chance studied my face. “Well, what's it gonna be?” He sounded impatient. Like time is money or some shit. “Are we cool now?”

“Yeah, I guess.
For now
. Later you're going to have to make it up to me.” He wasn't completely out of the water yet. It was going to take a couple of licks on my clit to get back in my good graces, and some money to get my hair and nails done.

“No doubt, baby girl. I plan on doing a whole lot of making up.” He strolled over and stopped right in front of me, then took my hand and put it on his dick. He had grown hard enough to slam a ball out of the park. “Hope you're ready to touch them toes.”

Renee

I was home dozing off while watching a late-night movie when the phone rang. I ignored it because I had a pretty good idea who was calling, again. A glance at the Caller ID confirmed I was right. Danielle. She refused to tell me what happened when I called her earlier, and now that it was convenient for her, she wanted to call me back. I guarantee Chance told her some lame-ass story to get her to believe him. So now she wants to call me to throw it back in my face. As far as I'm concerned, I'm staying out of it. If she wants to believe that sorry mothafucka, then so be it. I know she better not come running to me when the shit hits the fan. She wants to believe him, then she can deal with the consequences. If she had any sense, she would take Calvin back.

The next morning I went to work, but after an hour my head was hurting so bad I decided to just go home for the day. It was the end of April and school was called off due to an electrical problem. Usually when the kids were home I tried to stay as far away as possible, but the thought of going home and curling underneath my covers was too good to pass up.

I was halfway home when I decided to give Kenny a call just so he wouldn't wake me up after I had fallen asleep. Nothing pissed me off more than to be disturbed when I was dreaming good. And after a dose of medicine that's exactly what I would be doing.

“Hello?” he said, sounding like he was still in bed.

“I thought you were going to the shop this morning.” Sometimes I think Kenny is lazy as hell.

“I started to but the bed felt so good this morning, I decided to just lie here.”

“I can definitely understand. My head is killing me so I'm on my way back home to bed.”

“Who you got meeting you? That other nigga?”

“Whatever.” He could be so ignorant at times. I don't know why I even bothered calling him.

“That's okay, just tell me the truth.”

“Kenny, the kids are at home. How much entertaining do you expect me to be doing?”

“I come over when your kids are there.”

“That's you. They know who you are. I don't make it a habit of having a bunch of men running in and out of my house.” Hell, why do that when I can just meet them at the nearest hotel?

“How I even know you're going home? Why you call me from your cell phone?”

“You are really talking stupid.”

“Yeah, you right. I don't have no right to ask,” he said and waited for a response.

I was already tired of this conversation. “I'll call you when I get home.” I hung up and groaned. I can't stand a jealous-ass man. Never have. Never will. Some women think that shit is cute. Well, I don't.

Now my head was really pounding, and I felt relieved when I finally pulled my car into the garage next to Quinton's. The second they heard school was canceled this morning, they both jumped back into bed and went back to sleep. Which was fine with me, otherwise they'd be wanting me to make them pancakes or something and I wasn't feeling up to doing anything but taking a nap.

I moved into the quiet house and went straight to the bathroom to pee. Once there, I noticed that Quinton had taken a shower and as usual had left the bathroom a mess. I frowned. He kept his room clean, but the bathroom was another story all together. As soon as I washed my hands I moved down the hall to his bedroom and knocked.

He didn't answer.

I turned the knob and found that the door was locked. So I started banging on the door. “Quinton, get your butt up!” I heard mumbling on the other side. Two voices, and one was female. Hell nah! Reaching over the trim of the door, I grabbed the small key and stuck it through the lock. As soon as the knob turned, I barged into the room. The television was on and Quinton was lying in the bed.

“What's going on in here?” I demanded to know because something smelled fishy, and I mean that literally. Whoever was in his room needed a douche.

He rubbed his eyes and tried to act like he was just waking up. “Huh? What are you talking about? I was asleep.”

I pursed my lips and gave him a long look, then dropped down and looked under his bed. He sprang up and the covers fell low and I could tell he didn't have any clothes on.

“Mom, what are you doing?” Panic was apparent in his face. He quickly reached for his boxers.

“Looking for the girl you're screwing.” I rose to my feet, moved over to the closet, and flung the door open. Crunched down in the corner was Alicia. She looked scared to death. And needed to be.

“Get dressed and go home!” I managed between gritted teeth. I wanted to cuss her ass out but decided to save that for Quinton. She stepped out, wearing one of Quinton's shirts, pouting with straight attitude like I'd done something to her. “Don't ever come over here and disrespect my house like this again!”

Quinton tried to take up for his girl. “Mama, it isn't her fault. I invited her over.”

“And she came knowing good and damn well she couldn't do that same shit at her house.”

She sucked her teeth. “Actually, my mother doesn't mind if I have company in my room.”

“Then that's
your
mama, because I don't allow it in my house and Quinton knows it. Now both y'all, get dressed.” I moved out the room and down the hall to mine, where I called Kenny and woke him up again.

“You made it home.”

“Yep. And guess what I walked in on? Your daughter and my son fucking in my house.”

“What!”

“Yep.”

He was quiet. “That's because her mother lets her do whatever she wants.”

“Well, she won't do
whatever
she wants over here. Do you want to talk to her?”

He was quiet. What the hell did he have to think about? “Nah. She'll just get pissed and then run home to tell Reese on me.”

Did I hear him right? “Is that all you care about?”

“Listen, babe, I just don't need that kind of drama right now. I'm getting married in two weeks.”

“Then you need to quit fucking around!” I slammed the phone down because now I was pissed off. So much for getting some sleep.

By the time I moved back down the hall, I heard Quinton's car pulling out of the driveway. I walked over to the window and glanced out in time to see Alicia mean mugging me. I stuck up my middle finger, then turned and went to the bathroom to find some ibuprofen. My head was pounding.

I took a nap and when I woke up around five, I headed to the store. I didn't have any missed calls, so Kenny hadn't even bothered to try and call me back. I was hurt beyond words. I obviously did not mean as much to him as I thought I had. That's what I get for giving my heart to a mothafucka.

On my way back home, I reached for my phone and called Kayla. I just needed someone to just listen to me without passing judgment. Maybe she might throw in a scripture or two to help me come to terms with what was going on.

“Hello?”

“Hey, girl. Where you at?”

“I'm at Wal-Mart in the jewelry department talking to Reese about her wedding.”

I hit my brakes. “Is she still there?”

“Uh-huh, standing a few feet away.” Her voice was low so that she wouldn't be overheard. “I can't believe I'm telling you this.”

I hit a U-turn. “Neither can I, but I'm glad you did. I'll be there in a few.” I pushed my foot on the gas and went as fast as I thought I could get away with. A couple of weeks ago Kenny had shown me a picture of Reese, but nothing would be like seeing her in person.

Five minutes later I was jumping out of my car and making my way into Wal-Mart. I dialed Kayla back. “Where is she now?”

“I don't know. She said she was going over to the cosmetics department.”

“As ugly as everyone says she is, I doubt makeup can help.”

Kayla breathed heavily in the phone. I know she was regretting even telling me.

“What's she wearing?”

“She's wearing navy blue capris and a white sparkle T-shirt.”

I moved into the store and headed to the cosmetics department, scanning each aisle as fast as I could, looking both ways. I reached the end and was in the pet department. “I don't see her.”

“She's here unless she left.”

I started walking down the main aisle and moved past each of the checkout lanes hoping to see her.

“She can't be too far. All she was talking about was her wedding and all of her arrangements. I wouldn't have even told you, but she's having a bridal shower and didn't even bother inviting me. I thought she and I were friends.”

“I doubt that. She would have confronted me. She's like that. A whole lot of talk.”

I moved to the other side of the store where the groceries are and found Kayla and her daughter Asia in the bread aisle. I hung up my phone and moved over to her cart.

“Hey, Asia.” I gave her a hug. “How's school?”

“Good,” she answered with a shy smile. She's a pretty girl. Tall with pretty light brown skin and long jet-black hair. She's only ten but looks every bit of thirteen.

I hugged her once more, then turned my attention to Kayla. “Where's she at?” I mumbled so Asia wouldn't know who we were talking about.

She shrugged. “She was just here. Maybe she left. She did talk about going to Tropical Liquors for a drink afterward.”

I huffed out a frustrated breath and reached for a loaf of bread. I was sure we could use some at home. I glanced over her shoulder and my eyes grew round. “Is that her over there?”

Kayla turned around and tried to act like she was grabbing a pack of bagels. “Yep, that's her.”

Before she could stop me, I walked in Reese's direction so I could get a closer look. She was standing in the meat department examining the lunch meat. As soon as I saw her pick up a pack of hot dogs, I started cracking up laughing. She turned and looked in my direction.
Ugh
was right. She looked like she'd had a hard life. She was close to fifty and looked every bit of it. She had big round eyes and high cheekbones that, like her breasts, were starting to sag. I moved closer and could tell that she once had severe acne because it left black spots and craters in her face. I wouldn't call her skinny or fat, but she did have a tire around her middle section that you just couldn't stuff in a pair of capri pants.

I moved over just so I would have a chance to see if she recognized me. Up close and personal. I reached over and grabbed a pack of bacon and looked up to find her staring at me.

“Aren't you the writer, Caeramel?” Reese asked.

The shit I write I have to pen under a pseudonym. “Yep, that's me,” I said, trying to be polite.

“I thought so. I read your last book
Feignin
'. It was really good.”

I couldn't help but grin at the compliment. “Well, thanks. I have a new book coming out at Christmastime called
A Delight Before Christmas.
”

“I'll have to grab a copy. Well, keep up the good work.” Her smile was genuine.

“Thanks,” I said and watched her head over to the milk.

As soon as she wasn't looking, I turned and headed back down the bread aisle. Kayla's eyes were wide as saucers. I know she was dying to know what the two of us were talking about. I didn't want Reese to know we knew each other if the shit ever hit the fan, so I called Kayla on my phone and told her to meet me in the photo department. She must have run because she beat me there.

“Oh my God! What were the two of you talking about?”

I looked around to make sure Reese wasn't around because people have a way of popping up on you. “She was complimenting me on my book.”

“Man, do you think she knows?”

I thought about it for a second, then shook my head. “Nope, or she doesn't know that Renee Moore and Caeramel are the same person.”

“Maybe that's it. She's looking for Renee.” She started laughing. “Wouldn't that be something when she finds out?”

I snapped my fingers. “No, come to think of it, she would know it was me because when I ignore those blocked calls, my voice mail picks up and it says Renee Moore loud and clear.”

“Then maybe it isn't her calling you.”

“Maybe not.” If not, then who?

I reached for a roll of film. “Have you spoken to Nadine?”

Kayla nodded. “Briefly this morning. She's still pretty pissed off about that whole thing.”

BOOK: Careful of the Company You Keep

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