My Bestfriend's Man (18 page)

“Yeah, but she still needs to sit
down and talk to him about it.”

“For what? That’s like opening up
fresh wounds.”

“It’s not if the fresh ones still
haven’t healed.”

“I don’t think it’s a good idea,
Vee,” I said looking over at her, praying that she would take her long time
friend’s advice.

“No, Zee is right. I need to
finally finish this thing with Brandon. I think me never sitting down to talk
to him is the reason why I haven’t officially moved on with my life.”

Zaheeda just sealed her fate. I
can’t stand her ass with a passion. I can’t believe Vee up here taking advice
from this basic bitch. Some people just can’t leave well enough alone. I wasn’t
fazed though. Brandon could
deny
all the
hell he wanted to, but I’m sure Vee would believe her own eyes over his truth.
I’m not worried. Now that Bri has finally has moved out there are no strings
attached on my end. Well, with the exception of one skeleton that I prayed
Brandon kept hidden in the closet.

After eating, we were all too
full to continue shopping. We were supposed to catch a movie, but none of us
were in the mood for that either. We decided to call it a night and head home.
I tried to get Vee to ride back with me, but she declined. All the more reason
I need to get rid of this Zaheeda chick. Some bitches will never learn how to
stay in their own lane. Oh well, she gone
learn
today.

Brian

“If two people love each other
what’s the big deal?” I said. The phone line went quiet. Savannah and I were
having a little discussion about moving in together. I think we are ready, but
for some reason she is holding out on me. She has no idea how much I have to
offer. I’m more than willing to build and share my empire with her if she would
just let me. “Hello,” I said before glancing at my phone to make sure she
hadn’t hung up.

“I’m still here,” she whispered.

“Then what’s the problem Savannah?
You know how I feel about you. I just want to make you happy, if you will stop
being stubborn and let me.”

“Brian-,”

“Savannah.”

“We need to talk.”

This time I got quiet. The way
she said ‘we need to talk’ didn’t sit too well with me. My throat was suddenly
dry and a funny feeling entered my stomach. The same funny feeling I got when Macy
told me we needed to talk. I took in a deep breath trying to convince myself
that maybe I’m overreacting.

“Hello,” she said.

“I’m still here babe. What did
you want to talk about?”

“I’d rather not discuss it over
the phone. This is something I would rather talk about in person.”

That did it for me. I knew what
it was about. I balled up my fist and swung at the air, doing everything
possible to keep my emotions in check. Any bitch would be happy to be on my arm
soaking up the luxuries I have to offer, but not Savannah. I couldn’t stand
another heartbreak. I pray she rethinks her decision and quick, it could be
hazardous to her health if she didn’t get her mind right.

“About what?” I asked her again.

She sighed. “About us.”

“What about us.”

“Brian just come over tomorrow so
we can talk.”

“So you’re going to make me wait
until tomorrow? You are going to keep me in suspense?”

“Well, you said you have some
business that you need to handle. Isn’t that what you said earlier?”

She was right. I couldn’t much
fight her on that one. Maybe the longer I held off on this talk she wanted to
have the more time she would have to rethink her decision.

“I’m sorry baby girl, yes I did
say that. Well, I will catch up with you tomorrow then. We can do breakfast,” I
said glancing at the clock on my wall. It was a little after seven. “Aight,
well are you in for the night?”

“Yeah, me and Zee are just
chilling.”

“Zee? Who the hell is Zee?” I
asked feeling my temperature rising a few degrees.

“Chill bruh, I work with her,”
she laughed. “I already told you that.” I ain’t find shit funny.

“Okay.
Well,
lock up and I will call you later. I love you, Savannah.”

“Goodnight Brian, be safe,” she
said.

“Thanks. Goodnight, Savannah,” I
said ending the call.

I sat back in my chair and stared
up at the ceiling. It hurt like hell that Savannah hadn’t bothered to say that
she loved me back. Anything could happen between today and tomorrow and she
didn’t have the decency to say it back. Love is just too complicated and aggravating.
I swear on everything that I love if this thing between me and Savannah doesn’t
work out I’m officially done with it.

I’m a good guy, with a good
heart. Well, I’ve done my dirt along the way. It’s only natural, I’m a man. I’m
trying to do right by the woman that I love and want to spend the rest of my
life with, but she is starting to act like she doesn’t want it. I wonder what
is missing. I’m a good looking guy, easy to get along with, and I don’t mind
taking care of my woman.

“So what is the damn problem?” I
said out loud to myself.

“She doesn’t appreciate you?” I
answered myself.

“You’re right. I’ve spoiled her
ass. I even fronted her a couple thousand to go shopping today and she ups and tells
me we need to talk. I mean she tried to push the money back at me, but she
eventually took it.”

“She can’t get away with this
dawg. She can’t throw you away like yesterday’s trash and think that shit is
good.”

“I know, but I love her,” I said
leaning forward putting my elbows on the desk and placing my head in my hands.
“I love her,” I whispered. “There has to be another way.”

“What if I told you there is.”

I looked up and searched my empty
office. My heart pounded in my chest. I didn’t take my medicine today and the
voices have been punching in and out of my head like a time clock. I opened my
desk drawer and stared at my meds.

“Not yet. I told you there is
another way.”

“Just say it,” I
snapped
as I stared at the bottle of medication
in my drawer.
 
I nodded my head at the
idea. It’s a risky move, but I’m desperate, and desperate people do crazy
things. Yep, I’m crazy enough to do it. “Good fucking idea.”

“Who the hell you talking too?”
Ace asked as he walked into my office dressed in all black.

“Dang nigga ya hands broke or
something? You don’t know how to knock?” I snapped quickly closing my drawer.

He looked at me and shook his
head. “I did knock,” he said looking around my office before looking back at
me. “So who the hell were you talking too?”

“I was on the phone.” He gave me
this look like he didn’t believe me, but I really didn’t care one way or the
other if he did.

“So you ready?” He asked taking a
seat across from me.

“Yeah, give me a minute,” I
mumbled as I opened up my desk drawer and grabbed a pair of brass knuckles.

“Are you sure?” He asked.

“What I tell you about
questioning me?” I said through gritted teeth.

“Nigga I ain’t one of ya little
flunkies.
You have
been getting real
reckless when you talking to me. I suggest you get that shit in check or we
gone have problems.”

The air surrounding us was thick
with tension. There wasn’t really shit I could say because he was right. We
couldn’t afford to be at each other’s throats right now, we had business to
handle. A nigga we supplied with
product
has been coming up short with his payments, so Ace and I decided it was time to
pay him a little visit.

“Let’s go,” I said standing up
and adjusting my pants. I grabbed the gun strapped underneath my desk and
tucked it inside of my waist. I was ready to get this shit done and over with.
I had other shit to handle. Ace stood up and followed me out of the office
without saying another word. We would squash our beef like always. We had our
differences, but that’s one nigga I knew had my back like no other and I had
his.

Savannah

Zee shook her head at me as I got
off the phone with Brian. “What?” I asked snapping my neck back.

“You should have ended it there,”
she said taking a sip of her soda.

“I can’t do that. You can’t break
up with someone over the phone. That is so high school,” I responded rolling my
eyes.

“Okay, just make sure you tell
him in a public place. Muthafuckas now
days
can’t handle break ups.”

“Brian isn’t like that.”

“Okay chick, if you say so. Can
we get back to this game,” she said holding up her card. We were in the middle
of playing speed when Brian called.

“You basically won any damn way,”
I said rolling my eyes.

“Don’t cheat me out of my
bragging rights,” she said looking at me sideways. I could tell by the
expression on her face that she was dead serious.

“Aight,” I said getting
comfortable and holding up my cards. “Ready?” I asked rolling my neck.

“Yep,” she said nodding her head.

“Let’s go.”

“Speed,” she laughed throwing her
final card down. She got up and began to twerk. “I won, I won,” she chanted.

“Okay, it’s really not that
serious!”

“Oh, but it is boo,” she said
sitting back down. She started fanning herself. “It is that serious when I beat
ya black ass four games to one.”

“Cause you cheated.”

“Don’t get mad.”

“I ain’t mad. It’s all in fun.”

“And bragging rights.”

“Yeah, okay.”

“Aight it’s time for me to
bounce. We are so corny. Here it is a Saturday night, we’re single well you
almost single, no kids and we cooped up in the house playing cards. Did I
mention its summer time?”

I laughed because she was right,
but I’ve never been into the club scene. I preferred to stay home and either
read a good book or watch a movie. Too much drama went down at the club now
days. People act more like their shoe size than their age and I have too much
going on in my life to get caught up in some bullshit. Ain’t nobody got time
for that.

“Aight
chicka
, I’m getting ready to bounce,” Zee said standing back up.

“Okay,” I said standing up with
her. As I stood up I couldn’t help but to think about Roxie. I wish things
could be this simple between she and I. Zee knew how to give me advice without
going
overboard
.

“What’s on your mind now?”

“Roxie,” I said shrugging her
shoulders.

“Oh,” Zee said curling up her
lips.

“And what is that all about?” I
asked.

“Nothing, just keep your friends
close and your enemies closer. All I’m going to say is I got my eye on that
chick. She
does
n’t like me and the
feeling is mutual. It’s all good because I’ve never been one to let a bitch
throw me off my game. I don’t do
petty
.
So as long as she doesn’t disrespect me we can keep it cordial. We don’t have
to be buddy, buddy.”

“Okay Zee,” I said throwing my
hands in the air. I really didn’t want to jump on the bash Roxie
bandwagon
right now.

“I’m just saying. Oh and before I
forget you know you got one more phone call to make right?”

“Huh?’ I asked looking at her
sideways. “What are you talking about?”

“Brandon.”

I looked up towards the ceiling.
I wanted to move on from that chapter in my life, but for the life of me it
feels like I’m stuck. I thought Brian would have fixed that heartache, but he
didn’t. He was only a temporary Band-Aid because my heart still bleeds. It
still hurts just like it was yesterday.

“Hey, you okay?” Zee asked me.

“Yeah,” I said blinking hard to
keep the tears from my broken heart at bay.

“Well, as much as it hurts, I
think this is what you need Savannah.
It’s
been what a year and you still crying over that nigga. He must
got
that keep a bitch kind of
dick
.”

“What?” I laughed. I shook my
head. “No, it wasn’t just about the sex, although he could throw it down,” I
said shaking my head to erase the memories from my head. “It was more than
that, he was my best friend.”

“Don’t let Roxie hear you say
that shit.”

“You are such a nut,” I laughed.
“No, but seriously, he was. I mean I could sit and talk to his ass about
anything. Girl, I’m telling you what we had was magical. I don’t think anybody
else will ever come close to that.”

“You can’t compare every man that
you come in contact with to Brandon. It wouldn’t be fair to you or them.”

“I know,” I sighed. “It’s just so
hard.”

“I hear you. It’s going to take
some time, but you have to talk to him. Some way
somehow
you have to get him out of your system, besides something
just ain’t adding up to me.”

“What you mean?”

“Well, you said you caught him in
the bed with some other chick right?”

“Yeah, and?”

“He also knew what shift you
worked right?”

“Yeah, and your point?” I asked.

“Okay, it just doesn’t make sense
to me that he would have some bitch up in your crib knowing that you were on
your way home from work.”

I got quiet as I actually began
to contemplate what Zee said. I allowed my mind to take a trip down memory
lane. I had just gotten home after working a twelve hour shift at the hospital.
I was tired and all I wanted to do was take a shower and go to bed. The first
thing I noticed when I pulled up to our house was an unrecognizable car parked
in my driveway.

With my suspicion at an all-time
high,
I rushed in the house, but it was quiet.
I walked into the living room, but it was empty. So immediately my suspicion
began to grow. I heard a noise come from the direction of our bedroom. With
slow and precautious steps I began my long journey down the hallway. I didn’t
want to believe that Brandon would put me through that again. I rubbed my
stomach thinking about the life growing e inside of me.

I pushed the door open and as
soon as I did I regretted it. My heart dropped to my stomach. My mind screamed
bloody murder. The anger and hurt that consumed me at that moment couldn’t even
be described in words. There the love of my life lay in bed with another woman.

“So, what happened?” Zee asked me
interrupting my thoughts.

“Well, Brandon was still asleep.
He didn’t even wake up. The bitch he had
lying
in my crib was wide awake. She was scared as hell,” I said shaking my head
laughing.

“So what did you do?”

“Nothing, I just walked away.”

“Girl, you are better than me. I
would have whipped her ass and his too.”

“I couldn’t Zee. I was pregnant
at the time.”

“I didn’t know you were
pregnant.”

“Yeah, nobody knew.”

“So Brandon didn’t know either.”

I shook my head no. “I never got
the chance to tell him.”

“What happened?”

“I had a miscarriage
not too
long after that,” I whispered. I could
feel the tears coming on again. I didn’t want to talk about it anymore.

“I’m sorry for bringing up old
memories,” Zee said to me wrapping her arms around my shoulders.

“It’s all good,” I said wiping
away a lone tear that had escaped.

“You know I have to ask this
question though, right?” She said looking at me sideways.

“What?” I asked really not in the
mood for
any more
painful questions.

“How did that bitch look?”

I rolled my eyes. I couldn’t even
begin to fake the funk because the bitch was put together. “Zee that bitch was
beautiful. She was gorgeous,” I said smacking my lips. “Maybe if she was ugly I
would feel a little better because I could talk shit about her ass.”

“You can still talk shit.”

“It’s not even worth it,” I said
with the shrug of my shoulders. I just wanted to talk to him and understand
why. I’m still holding onto the hurt and guilt of how everything went down. I
blame him for my miscarriage and the fact that he had that bitch up in our home,
in my bed. That was the ultimate betrayal. Those are two things I don’t think I
can ever forgive his ass for.

“If you saw her now what would
you do?” Zee asked me once again barging in on my thoughts.

“Girl, pay her ass no damn mind.
I told you she was scared out of her damn mind when I came busting through that
bedroom door.”

“And he didn’t wake up?” Zee
asked me again.

“No, I guess the sex must have
been good. He was knocked out. He still had his shoes on and everything.”

“What?”

“Yeah, the
only
thing missing was his shirt.”

“Did he have his pants on too?”

“Yeah,” I said getting annoyed
ready to be done with the conversation.

“Did you ever try to investigate
anything? This whole scenario sounds fishy,” Zee said shaking her head putting
her hands on her hips. “Come on Savannah, I don’t think it was that good he
fell asleep with his shoes on.”

“So are you team Brandon now?” I
asked catching an attitude. “That nigga had another bitch up in my house and in
my bed, point blank. There is no need to investigate anything. All I need to
know is why? I just want him to be honest and up front about what he did.”

“What if
he’s being
honest?”

I loved Zee, but right now she
was getting on my nerves and in a very bad way. What in the hell am I supposed
to
investigate?
Am I supposed to think
some crazy, psychotic person set this whole thing up? That just sounds a
little too
far-fetched for me and I wasn’t in
the mood to entertain the bullshit.

“So what about the first time he
cheated?” she asked.

“What about it?” I asked
shrugging my shoulders.

“How did you find out about
that?”

I sighed and looked towards the
ceiling. Why did she have to go and open this can of worms? “He told me, if you
must know.”

“He told you?” she asked with a
shocked look on her face. I nodded my head yes. “Hold up,” she said putting her
hand up for a second. “He actually told you he cheated?” she asked again, like
she didn’t believe me the first time.

“Yeah.”

“Did he say with who?”

“No, I didn’t ask,” I said
getting uncomfortable with the questions. I wasn’t in the mood to play this
game.

“You didn’t ask,” she said with a
frown on her face. “That’s a part of your damn problem you don’t ask questions.
“How the hell this man told you he cheated, I’m assuming without being
prompted.” I nodded my head. “And you didn’t ask questions?”

“I did ask a few questions but my
mother always told me if go looking for something you find it. I probably got
that wrong but you know what I mean. Besides he told me he was sorry and that
it would never happen again, but that was a damn lie. He said he was drunk and
he felt neglected because I was too preoccupied with school. Just a whole bunch
of bull shit. Although I was hurt I figured since he had the decency to tell me
that he cheated he deserved another chance.” She shook her head.

“Are you black?” I rolled my
eyes. I was done with the twenty questions. Brandon and I had an understanding
about the situation. I didn’t want to know who she was. As long as he promised
not to do it again I was fine with that.

“Aight Zee, I’m getting ready to
go to bed.”

“
No,
you’re not, but I get it,” she said walking towards the front door. “I know you
think I’m crazy, but people now days are desperate. You never know what someone
will do to hold onto the one they love. Love can be a beautiful thing, but it
can also make someone do something ugly.”

“
Okay,
talk to you later,” I said not interested in
any
more
of her so called knowledge.

“Call me,” she said over her
shoulder as she opened the door.

“I will,” I said standing in the
doorway to make sure she got inside her truck safely.

“Can I say one more thing?’ She
asked before getting into her truck.

“What is it now Zee?”

“Don’t be like that, Savannah.
Anyway, you know me. I don’t condone cheating of any kind, but I have a gut
feeling that something is up and what you saw may not be really what you saw.”

“That doesn’t even make sense,” I
butted in.

“Just let me finish.”

“Fine.”

“I’m just saying when I get a
hunch about something I’m usually right and something about that little
scenario ain’t right.”