Nude Awakening II (5 page)

CHAPTER

Five

This Can't Be Real

January 21, 2012

Saturday 10:14 am – Coconut Grove

Since when do you get out of bed before noon on the weekend?” Kandi startled Jurnee as she attempted to quietly close the front door.

“Hey girl.” Jurnee smiled nervously at Kandi lying on the sofa. “I had to run to the ATM right quick,” she said, slipping the yellow leather strap of her Coach bag off her shoulder. “I didn't wake you up, did I?”

“Nah,” Kandi replied, sitting up and yawning. “I just got up about ten minutes ago. I came in here to watch the news, but I fell asleep.”

Jurnee grinned as she sat down on the sofa. “Trevon put that ass to bed last night, didn't he?”

“Naturally,” Kandi answered. “And you helped me out too.”

“I take it that you didn't mention what we did to Trevon?”

Kandi nodded.

“It's not good to be keeping secrets from your man,” Jurnee warned, crossing her jean-covered legs.

“It ain't a big deal. Besides, he knew I was bisexual before we hooked up, so I won't stress it, okay?”

“That ain't the point I'm trying to make, girl.”

Kandi rolled her eyes. “What's up with you and your man?”

“We broke up,” Jurnee flatly stated, crossing her arms.

“Over what?”

Jurnee's foot rocked up and down. She sighed, and then cleared her throat. “He hit me and yelled in my face, and you know I don't play that shit. So I left his ass!”

“Are you okay?”

Jurnee shrugged and turned her head toward the floor. “Just need some time to get my life in order about what I want to do.”

“You talk to Janelle yet?”

“Nah. But I plan to do so on Monday.”

“Well, you know you're welcomed here.”

Jurnee looked around the living room. “Is Trevon up?'

“Not yet.”

“So, what did you have to talk to me about?”

Kandi tugged at the edge of the T-shirt she wore with no panties. “Have you ever done something that you regret doing?”

“Uh . . . yeah?”

“What was it?”

“Well, I guess my biggest regret is not allowing myself to fully open up to a man. It's not a day that goes by that I don't think about what it would be like to be in your shoes.”

“My shoes?”

“Yeah. I think about having a child.”

“Really! Shit. You ain't never tell me that.”

“It's true,” Jurnee confessed, rubbing her nose. “I know life isn't perfect, but I want the best for you and Trevon and the baby.”

“Life ain't never perfect,” Kandi muttered with a pout.

Jurnee could see that something was troubling her friend. “What do you feel is wrong? You have Trevon, right? And the baby—”

“Things just ain't perfect, okay!” Kandi said, standing up quickly. She paced the floor, her eyes welling with tears.

“What am I missing, Kandi?” Jurnee stood. “Ever since I've been here, you've been acting funny. Why aren't you happy?”

“It's real fucked up right now.”

“What's fucked up?”

Kandi didn't answer.

Jurnee glanced down the hall before she spoke. “Is Trevon cheating on you or something?” she whispered.

“No,” Kandi groaned, wiping her tears away.

Jurnee walked up to Kandi and laid her hands on her shoulders. “You need to tell me what's going on with you.”

Kandi lowered her chin. “I can't.” She sobbed.

“Yes, the hell you can!” Jurnee pressed, her voice filled with exasperation. She was fighting hard not to mention the abortion paper she found last night. Her hopes stood high on Kandi being open with her about her problem.

Kandi turned from Jurnee to sit back on the sofa. “It's about what happened up in New York.”

Jurnee shook her head. “I thought you said you took care of—”

“Dammit, I lied, okay!”

“I'm starting to notice that.”

“You're not being helpful!”

“How can I when you are keeping shit from me?”

Kandi ran her fingers through her hair, sighing. “It's about the baby.”

“What's wrong with the baby, Kandi?” Jurnee replied mildly.

“When we were up in New York, I—” Kandi paused when her cell phone rang. Hearing the special ring tone, she answered quickly. “Martellus! I told you not to call this number!”

Jurnee shook her head upon hearing Martellus' name. She made no effort to conceal the disappointment on her face as Kandi got up to take the call into the kitchen.

***

“Fuck you, okay!” Kandi said, seething. “Didn't I make things clear to you yesterday?” She sat alone in the kitchen.

“You know you're wrong, Kandi! How the hell did you expect me to just let this shit go? My views are just as important as yours!” Martellus said.

“No, they're not! I told you I'll take care of this. So now you won't have to worry about breaking your wife's special little heart. And plus you—”

“I'm getting a divorce, Kandi. I was trying to tell you yesterday before you ran out on me,” he said desperately.

“Bullshit!”

“It's true, baby. The papers have been filed, and I've told you you're the woman I need and want in my life.”

“Don't be telling me a lie,” Kandi whined, gripping the phone.

“I'm serious. I do love you, and I'm willing to prove myself to you beyond mere words, baby. But to make this work, you have to give me—give us a chance. Do you love me?”

Kandi sat down at the kitchen table with her lips quivering. “Why are you doing this to me?”

“All I know how to do is love you. Now, if I'm wrong for that. Then it's something I can't explain.”

“I'm with somebody.” She sobbed.

“You don't love him. We have a strong past, and if given the chance we can have a stronger future. He can't make you happy like I can. Why pretend? I'm leaving my wife for you because I've grown to care for you, and I love you, baby.”

“But—”

“Ain't no buts. I've done all that you've asked of me, and I did it out of love, not lust. Think about what we did when you came to New York. It wasn't lust and you know it. I . . . don't want to have an affair with you anymore. I want you firmly in my life, no bullshit.”

“. . . I don't know.” She cried at the table.

“Baby, listen to me. My flight leaves tonight at nine. I need to see you before I go. Can you do that for me?”

“Yes,” she said, wiping her eyes.

“Promise?”

“I promise.”

“I love you, Kandi.”

Kandi closed her eyes and spoke the words he wanted to hear. “. . . I love you the same.”

***

It wasn't until noon when Trevon finally rolled out of bed. Hearing the TV in the living room, he assumed he would find LaToria. To his surprise, Jurnee was sitting alone on the sofa watching
Notorious.

“Hey, what's up?” he asked, having forgotten that Jurnee was visiting.

“Good afternoon, sleepy head.” She smiled at the sight of him wearing nothing but a pair of black satin boxers.

“Damn, it's that late?” He yawned.

“That it is,” Jurnee answered, fingering a lustrous curl of hair that hung near her left breast. She was digging Trevon for sure.

“Um, where LaToria?”

“Left for a nail appointment about an hour ago.” Her eyes moved over his thick muscular torso and descended below his waist. The boxers did little to hide his dick even when it was soft.

“She say when she comin' back?”

Jurnee shook her head. “Why don't you call her?” she suggested, since she felt Kandi had lied to her.

“Nah. Ain't tryin' to argue with her today.”

“Just trying to be helpful.”

“Thanks,” he said, scratching his baldhead. “Um, lemme put some clothes on and start my day.”

“You going somewhere?”

“Wasn't planning to,” he answered. “Just gonna feed my dog, then make breakfast.”

“Let me cook for you.” She stood, pleased to see his eyes moving over her body. Blushing, she smiled. “Something wrong?”

Trevon returned her smile. “Umm, don't get upset, but I was just thinking how—like—you um, sorta favor Jennifer Lopez. But seeing you now, you look more like Paula Abdul.”

“I hope it's in her sober state.” Jurnee smiled, doing all that she could to keep her eyes above his waist. Sure, she had seen him naked and sucked his dick, but it was
before
any feelings were noted between him and Kandi.

Later, she stood in the kitchen frying bacon and eggs while Trevon took a shower. She bit back her words again on what she had discovered in the bathroom about the upcoming abortion. Things weren't right. She wasn't fooled by Kandi's lie. Deep down she knew her friend had rushed out to visit Martellus. Anger started to consume her.
Why do women dog out good men?
She could see the love that Trevon held for Kandi, but behind his back he was being played. This placed Jurnee at the crossroads. Tell Trevon the truth, or stay quiet and respect the bond and friendship she had with Kandi?

***

Kandi forced herself to think she was doing the right thing. Sneaking out to see Martellus had her heart twisted. He had spoken the truth earlier about the past they had together. Kandi had met Martellus Hart when she was only nineteen and dancing at the strip club up in Atlanta. Back then she wasn't up to speed on the game that men played to get inside her. Meeting Martellus was a new adventure for Kandi. For starters, she was drawn to him by the way he carried himself in a professional manner. He was twenty years older and married, but Kandi ignored both and dived heart first into an affair that would span over the next five years.

Kandi showed no guilt when she entered Martellus' suite on South Beach. Looking into his brown eyes, she saw the need that drove him to unbutton her blouse.

“I'm glad you came,” he said, brushing his lips against her ears. “Let me make love to you, Kandi. I'm at the point where I can't share you anymore.”

Kandi raised her hands up to his naked waist. He was warm.

“Touch me, baby. Look at what you're doing to me.”

Kandi slid her hands down to grip his solid erection. With her eyes shut, she stroked him slowly. It all felt so right to her.

“Show me how much you love me,” he said, removing the red bra she wore. “I need to feel those soft warm lips. Please, baby.”

Kandi pushed him backward until he fell back on the bed. Going down to her knees, she moaned out his name and then slid her tongue up the underside of his swollen flesh. Unable to stop herself, she wrapped her glossy lips around his dick, bobbing up and down at a slow pace while massaginghis balls.

***

“Is it good?” Jurnee asked, standing at the stove. She already knew the answer since Trevon was asking for seconds.

“Hell yeah! How did you know I like my grits with cheese?”

She shrugged. “Lucky guess.”

“Hey. Did LaToria tell you about the film we got on Swagga?”

“Um, no,” she answered, filling a glass with some milk. “Only thing she said about him is that she was upset about him beating the case.”

“Well, you won't believe it until you see it. But our boy Swagga has some homo tendencies.”

“Stop playing!”

“Nah, for real. It's the reason he went after LaToria. For some reason he thought she had the film of him with a he-she by the name of Chyna.”

“And you got the film?”

“Yep. It's on my phone.”

Jurnee looked down at her food.

“Yeah, you might wanna eat first,” Trevon suggested.

“Does Swagga know you got it?”

“Nope.”

“How long have you had it?”

“Since Christmas.”

Jurnee reached for the pepper shaker. “What do you plan to do with it? I assume that Swagga doesn't want it to be made public.”

“Not sure right now. LaToria don't think it will do any harm to him. She feels that the public's view on being gay isn't the same as it used to be.”

“She has a point. Look at the gay marriage laws being passed in some states. And I myself can't dog Swagga, because I'm bisexual myself.”

“Yeah, but you don't do it in secret and put others at risk. Swagga on some down low homo thug shit.”

Jurnee shrugged. “How are things at Amatory?” she asked, moving to a new topic.

“Good. I went to see Janelle yesterday, and I'm up for five more films. She has my next film being an interracial one with a girl by the name of—”

“Chelsea Kelliebrew.” Jurnee jumped in.

“You know her?”

“Not really. But I did her interview at the office last year. And if Janelle didn't mention it, doing an interracial film is a good move for your career.”

“She said the same,” he replied, failing to keep his eyes off her soft line of cleavage.

After they finished eating, they went outside by the pool. It was now ten minutes past 2 pm.

“Have you and Kandi come up with a name for the baby?”

“Nah.” He smiled. “She wants the gender to be a surprise.

“What are you hoping for?” Jurnee asked, sitting on the pool chair across from Trevon.

“A girl.” He beamed. “Look, don't tell LaToria, but I'ma ask her to marry me after the baby is born.”

“Seriously!” she asked, shielding her eyes from the bright sun.

Trevon nodded. “I just wanna do right by her and do-”

His words came to a halt when his smartphone rung. Seeing the call was coming from LaToria, he answered it. Before he spoke, he reminded himself not to trip over any small shit.

“Hey baby, what's up?”

“Nothing,” she replied tersely.

Silence. Trevon cleared his throat. “Um, I missed you this morning. You coulda woke me up with a goodbye hug or kiss.”