PRETTY BRIGHT (10 page)

“Come here, Teddy Bear,” Tameka weakly called out to her husband. Terrence had been there for her every beck and call on his hands and knees. He had put the streets on hold, and didn't have time for anyone one but his wife.

“How you feeling, baby?” Terrence asked her, sitting at her bedside, then he began to gently rub her face.
“To be honest with you love, I feel a lot better than I look,” she lied to keep him strong. Inside she felt horrible, in pain, and was ready for it to be all over with, but she just couldn't go without making sure that her Teddy Bear would be alright.
A smile appeared across Terrence’s face, then he climbed in bed with her. “That’s what I like to hear,” Terrence said, lying next to her and then gently lifting her head to lie in his arms.
“I remember when we first got married, you said, ‘Tameka, I'ma always take care of you,’” she remembered clearly with a smile on her face.
“I did that shit too, huh, baby? You ain't never wanted or needed for shit, have you?” he said, feeling proud.
“Man of your word,” she laughed. “Even though you cheated a lot, I appreciate that you never put any other woman before me.” Unable to bear children, Tameka blamed herself when she found out about all three of her husband baby mama's, but she stayed because she loved him and couldn't have any for him.
At the moment, Terrence felt bad for the numerous amount of times he cheated on his wife. Tameka was a good detective, and he was never able to get away with anything with her. He knew that if it hadn't been for her illness catching up to her that she would have discovered Bright a long time ago. “That was when I was younger, baby, letting that street life and fame get to my head, but I promise you this, none of them bitches ever meant what you meant to me. None of 'em,” he said. “You've always been the apple of my eye and the blood that runs through my veins to keep my heart pumping, baby, and that’s on everything I love, Tameka.”
“I've always known that, isn't that what I just said to you, Teddy Bear?” Tameka said, letting out a slight laugh. “I forgave you then and still now, you've been a good husband to me,” she said, shifting her head for comfort in his arms with her eyes closed.
“All I ever wanted was to make you happy, Teddy Mama, and I don't want you to ever think that I was out there on that dumb shit because you didn't satisfy me at home, because you did. I was just young, dumb, and thought I was the man because I could hit anything moving.” In the past, Terrence admitted to Tameka that he cheated on her because he wanted to have a baby, but after that he regretted it, because she blamed herself for every single affair he had on her thereafter, which was far from the truth. He was just being a dog.
“We got married very young baby,” Tameka admitted. “We're still young now,” she laughed. “Yeah we are baby, that’s why I believe we gone overcome this cancer shit, we gone grow old together, and I promise you on my life that I’m not gone never, ever, cheat on you again,” Terrence promised. His mind was made up that after this, it was over between him and Bright.
“I don't know about growing old baby, this illness hurts too much for me to keep going on,” she sighed as she gently rubbed Terrence’s forearm.
“You just have to keep on fighting it, Teddy Mama, 'cause I ain't ready for you to leave me yet.”
“It’s not your call or mines, baby, it's that man upstairs call,” Tameka said, pointing her finger up. “And when he calls, baby, I'm going, and I'm okay with it, but now I need to know that you will be.”
Terrence sat up in the bed. “Fuck that, hell naw I ain't gone accept shit, you just keep fighting, Tameka!” he said, raising his voice.
“Shhhh, don't be like that Teddy,” Tameka said, trying to calm him down.
“I’ma be like that, so don't plan on dying no time soon,”
Terrence said, looking his wife in her eyes.
“You’re being so selfish right now, Teddy Bear. Don't you understand that I'm hurting right now, that I'm constantly in pain and that even this medication don't stop it?” Tameka paused to take a few breaths. “I asked God to give me more time to help you deal with this, and you’re not making it easy on me at all, Teddy Bear. So I beg you, baby, please... for me,” Tameka said softly patting her heart, as a tear fell from her eye. “I want to know that when I'm gone, Teddy Bear, that you'll accept that I wasn't afraid to die and that I'll be in a much better place,” she said, looking him in his watery eyes.
“I can’t, no, fuck that, I'm not gone accept the shit. I need you here, Teddy Mama,” Terrence said as he slid off the bed and onto his knees. No matter how much he wanted to make it easier for his wife, he just couldn't. “If God is the one giving you the extra time, then I say ask him to remove and cure this illness, baby, you too young to die. We were supposed to grow old together, Tameka. So please, just ask God to let you stay with me, with your husband where you belong,” he cried, laying his head on her chest. “I'm not ready to say good-bye yet.”
Terrence had never cried in front of her before, and seeing him cry hit her even harder than the cancer did. “I can’t stay any longer,” Tameka said, rubbing Terrence face. “But I'll tell you what…”
“What’s that?” Terrence asked, lifting his head up from her chest.
“I'd sure like some vanilla ice cream,” she smiled. “Can we at least agree on that?”
“We sho can,” he smiled back at her, standing up. “Now while I go grab the ice cream, you better be getting at God about getting rid of this illness,” he fussed as he walked to the kitchen.
“I will, but can I get a kiss first, Teddy Bear?” Tameka smiled.
Terrence turned around and smiled at her. “Now that’s what I'm talking about.” Then he knelt down to kiss Tameka's soft lips slow, soft, and passionately. “I love you, always, Teddy Bear.” Tameka said.
“I love you, baby,” Terrence smiled, then stood back up to get Tameka's ice cream. “Now gone and get back to God, I'll be right back,” he said.
Tameka closed her eyes and smiled. “Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear.”

Up in the Big Bear Mountains, Larry and Bright were having the time of their life. They had done so many aquatic sports in the lake that it wasn't even funny: wakeboarding, water skiing, and parasailing, all of which Bright enjoyed. Their last day there, they all agreed on renting a pontoon boat to just relax and cruise the shoreline. Along the ride, the two girls that Larry's teammates brought along got to putting on yet another freak show. Susan the Asian girl sat on Wendy the white girl’s lap and began bouncing up and down on her and shaking her breasts in Wendy's face.

“Not this shit again,” Bright said under her breath. They watched their freak show the first night in the cabin and she wasn't in the mood to watch them again.

Larry grabbed Bright by the behind and sat her on his lap. “Not enjoying the show, baby?” he asked, then kissed her on the cheek.

“Not at all,” she said moving her hair from her face. “Is she eating her coochie?” Larry asked, looking around Bright's upper body. Bright turned her head. She couldn't believe it, Wendy was eating Susan out like there was no tomorrow, while the guys sat there and watched.
“Suck that pussy, Wendy,” Larry's teammate James said, slapping her on the ass.
“Babe, what the fuck?” Bright asked in disbelief. “They’re not seriously about to do this again, are they?”
“They came here to have a good time with the girls, and I came here to have a good time with my future wife. Don't pay them no mind,” he said as she kept watching the show.
“Well maybe I wouldn't if my man wasn't all up in them bitches’ coochies,” Bright said, turning Larry's face to hers.
“Come on, baby, this shit ain't no worse than us watching porn. And besides, it's a guy thing to watch two girls get down.”
Bright understood, but she liked to keep and have all of her attention especially from her own man.
Fuck Wendy and Susan,
Bright thought as she stood up and removed her bottoms.
“What the fuck you doing?” Larry said, directing his attention to his girlfriend standing in front of him almost nude.
“Getting your attention back, Daddy Lane.” Then she sat back on top of him, pulled his penis out and began to stroke it.
Quickly, Larry took the throw blanket he bought along with them and covered Bright's backside.
“You like that, baby?” Bright asked as she continued to stroke his penis.
“Get on it,” he whispered, “and I'ma show you just how much I like it,” Larry moaned. Bright got on top and as usual did her thing. Riding him and moaning in his ears as he watched Wendy and Susan make out with each other made it all that more exciting, and within seconds he had busted inside of Bright for the seventh time that weekend.
“I think that was our baby that time, Larry,” Bright whispered in Larry's ear.
Larry smiled. “You a fucking freak, girl.”
“For you, I'll do and be it all,” she said, easing her bottoms back on. Larry nodded his head. “That’s why I love you, girl.”

right had been back from Big Bear Lake for a little over a week and was still unable to get in touch with Terrence. She hoped his wife hadn't died

already or that he had got caught up in the streets and got locked up. But then again, those better have been the only reasons and excuses he had for not answering or returning her calls. Deja was days away from being released from juvenile, and Bright needed money to throw her a welcome home party. Not to mention, she needed extra money for new school clothes, cause the two hundred dollars that her mother had given her wasn't going to cut it.
Where are you, Terrence?”
Bright said to herself after she left him yet another voice mail.

Her mother busted into her room. “Happy seventeenth birthday, Queen Bee!” She had a platter in her hand to serve Bright breakfast in bed. It was routine that Rosette served her children breakfast in bed, made them dinner and a cake of their choice, and at least a twenty dollar bill on each birthday. But this year, Rosette had a crispy hundred dollar bill for her eldest daughter's seventeenth birthday. She appreciated Bright for her role around the house, and though she didn't have a lot, she gave what she had where her children were concerned.

“Thanks, Maaa!” Bright said, sitting up in bed waiting for her breakfast tray. A sausage, cheese, and onion egg omelet with hash browns and toast on the side was Bright's favorite breakfast dish, and nobody prepared it better than her mother did.

“Take a picture of me serving and kissing the Queen,” Rosette yelled out for Cordell to do. Memories were everything to Rosette, and she took as many pictures of happy moments as she could with her children. Cordell took three good snaps of them.

“What you want for dinner, Queen Bee?” her mot her asked with a smile on her face.
“I'll take some of your nachos, a strawberry cake, and root beer floats!”
“You got it, Queen Bee,” her mother said as she passed Bright a birthday card. “Now go on and open your birthday card up, so I can get a picture of you reading it before I go to the grocery store.”
When Bright opened the birthday card a one hundred dollar bill fell out of it. “Aww, thanks Ma,” she said, reaching out for another hug. Then she read the card out loud
:“Happy Birthday to the best daughter and sister that a mom, sisters, and brothers could ever ask for! We all love you and appreciate you Bright! Happy Birthday from all of us!!!!”
“Smile, big sis, smile!” Cordell said, snapping another picture of her. Bright mustered up the biggest smile that she could, then she winked at him, initiating it a truce. After Cordell snitched on her about smoking weed in the house, she had barely spoken two words to him at a time.
“That was too sweet,” Bright said. “My first customized birthday card! Thanks all of y'all, and I love y'all so much too, group hug!” she yelled with her arms extended.
Later the house was rocking. All of Bright’s friends came over to celebrate her birthday, and bring her gifts. Nicole had even stopped by with a gift and had a plate of her mom's delicious nachos. For Bright's Birthday, Larry got her name tattooed on his chest and bought her a Victoria Secret Bath and Body set. Bright was happy about the tattoo and loved the fragrance that he picked for her. By ten p.m., the party had turned to her mom's normal card party when her longtime friends and boyfriend Vince stopped by.
“Aye, I'm surprised your uncle hasn't stopped by,” Larry said to Bright while they sat on the livingroom couch. He was enjoying watching the old-timers play cards, cha-cha, and talk trash to one another, particularly Bright's Mom.
“He's out of town,” Bright lied. Her spirits were somewhat down.
“Why the long face?” Larry asked, directing his attention back to Bright. “I know it's not about the baby, is it?”
After taking a pregnancy test earlier that day and learning that she was pregnant, Bright began to worry, and the reality of telling her mother and disappointing her became her fear.
“Yes, it's about the baby!” Bright responded in a loud whisper so that Larry could hear her over the loud music. “I'm scared to tell my mother now, and what if she stops liking you?” she asked.
“I seriously doubt that,” Larry said with confidence. “Yo moms know that you’re dealing with a good dude and that I'll always be here and have your back.” He smiled, hoping to lift her spirits. “Everything will be alright, Pretty Bright.” He was overwhelmed with joy about becoming a father.
His words alone raised Bright's spirits, making her smile. “I love you, Larry Lane.”
“I love you more,” Larry replied.
Preparing to go in for a kiss, their rhythm was broken by her mother.
“Oh shit, that’s my song right there! Come on and chacha with me, Queen Bee,” her mother said as she danced across the floor and grabbed Bright's arm to dance with her. Whenever her mother had house parties, it was routine that she cha-cha with her children, mainly Bright.
“Aww Ma, I don't feel like it,” Bright complained.
“Gone and dance wit ya mama, girl,” her mother's friends, Gale and Lyn, yelled out to her.
“I ain't in the mood!” Bright replied.
“I got you, Mom's.” Larry stood up and grabbed Rosette's hand to cha-cha with her. He knew Bright was in an emotional state of mind and didn't want to be bothered, so he took the dance for her.
“Alright now, let me see if my son-in-law can handle this,”
Rosette teased, sliding across the living room floor doing the cha-cha with Larry.
“I got this, Mom's...what you know about this?” Larry asked, spinning Rosette around and then dipped her down. The cha-cha was a tradition in his family, and was carried out at every family function.
“That boy think he know something, Rose,” Vince said, cutting in. “Let me pluck this chicken,” he added in a competitive tone.
The ladies began to laugh, drunk Lyn yelled out, “That's right Vince, show 'em!”
“I'm out ya way O.G.,” Larry laughed, backing up with his hands in the air. Then he sat back down with Bright and talked for the remainder of the evening.