Suspicions (12 page)
Authors: Sasha Campbell
12
Candace
As Jennifer Hudson blared from the speakers of my CD player, I danced around my apartment in a red satin bra that barely contained my 36Ds and matching low-rise bikinis. I moved over to the mirror to make sure my makeup was perfect. Earlier, my girl Tiffany hooked up my hair so it was looking short, sleek, and simply fabulous.
I was nervous about my date. I'd learned long ago not to expect a lot from a man, yet there was just something about Chauncey that had me thinking about him and smiling for no particular reason at all. I tried to remind myself it was only a date, dinner and a movie; yet my armpits were sweating again and I wasn't having that. I moved over to the fan in the corner, raised my arms, and allowed them to air-dry. Chauncey would be here in the next thirty minutes and Tyree still hadn't been by to pick up his daughter. I wanted him long gone before my date arrived. Chances were he wasn't coming, which was nothing new. I hadn't seen him around since he screwed up my date with Deon. I would just have to drop Miasha by my parents' house on the way, and that was probably for the best. The last thing I needed was a repeat of Monday evening.
I still couldn't believe I had almost passed up a chance with Chauncey for that funky breath negro. To think I wasted time on that mess. I cussed Brenda every which way when I got to work the following day.
I moved to the full-length mirror and smiled. I liked what I saw. Thursday, I had gone shopping and found the perfect outfit. It was a short black dress with buttons straight down the front that molded my curves like a glove. I found a pair of red come-fuck-me heels and a matching belt to complement the look. Chauncey was in for a surprise. By the time I had Miasha's overnight bag packed, I heard a knock. I went to the door and was relieved to see if wasn't Tyree.
Chauncey grinned. “Damn, don't you look good.”
I spun around, making sure he saw the view from the back as well, then returned Chauncey's smile. “You don't look bad yourself.” He was wearing the hell out of Sean John jeans, white sneakers, and a T-shirt that hugged every muscle on his chest and arms. His locks hung free around his shoulders and he looked good enough to eat. As soon as I stepped aside and invited him in, Miasha came running down the hall.
He scooped her up in his arms. “Who do we have here?”
“Miasha,” she said shyly, looking from me to him.
“What a pretty name for a beautiful little girl. Here, I brought you something.” He reached inside his pocket and pulled out a large red lollipop. Her eyes lit up. It didn't take much to make my daughter happy.
“Can I have it?” she asked Chauncey.
“Sure, it's yours.”
Miasha looked at me for approval. I nodded and she took it. “Thank you,” she said, and ran down the hall to her room with her ponytail bouncing. I couldn't help but smile at how quickly Chauncey had won her over. Things were definitely looking up and the evening hadn't even started yet.
“You enjoying yourself?” Chauncey asked, taking my hand and squeezing it.
I glanced up at him and smiled. “Absolutely.”
Tonight was probably the best night of my entire life. Chauncey first took me to my parent's house to drop off Miasha. Papa was at the church, but I invited him inside and Mama was falling all over herself, impressed by his charm and good manner. I wasn't surprised since she never cared for Tyree. I had to practically drag Chauncey out the house just to get away from Mama when she started twenty questions. Some of the things she was asking were questions that I had yet to ask him myself because I figured there would be plenty of time for that later.
When Chauncey suggested Italian, I thought he was going to take me to Leona's on Stoney Island or one of these neighborhood restaurants I'd been patronizing for years. Instead, he took me to this place downtown called Little Italy, and let me say that was the best Italian food I had ever had. As soon as I stepped in, I knew this place was a far cry from Olive Garden. I felt like I had stepped into Italy with the lovely décor and the guitarist in the corner playing Italian ballads. When the waiter came up to us dressed in all white and the chef came out of the kitchen to personally introduce himself, I was floored. It was nothing like the restaurants I went where Bubba or some other cat who had just gotten out of the penitentiary stepped out the kitchen wearing a hairnet on his way out back to smoke a cigarette. There was soft lighting and a candle at the center of the table, and we both had a glass of wine, something I never ordered when I had dinner only because I could get it cheaper at the liquor store on the corner. We had appetizers and fresh baked bread, and the seafood Alfredo was to die for. The food was truly authentic Italian food. No two for one or $19.99 specials. I stuffed myself trying to get every bit of my plate cleared off. Afterward, we had tiramisu, which was a coffee flavored cake and a premium blend cup of coffee. The entire meal, we talked about life just trying to get to know one another. I kept staring into Chauncey's gray eyes wondering what is wrong with this man that he is single. Chauncey was hood and I liked it in him, but he knew how to treat a woman.
Afterward, we headed down to Navy Pier and rode on the Ferris wheel, then decided to take a stroll up and down the pier waiting for the fireworks display to begin at ten.
“I'm glad you decided to give a brotha a chance.”
“I'm glad I did as well.” I stared up at the starlit sky. “This night has been one I will never forget.”
Chauncey stopped walking and pulled me close to him, then pressed his forehead against mine. “Baby, this is only the beginning.” At that moment, he did what I had been waiting all evening for him to do. He locked his lips with mine, and when he pushed with his tongue I parted my lips and let him in. He moved with such skill and confidence, Chauncey had me curious about what else he was good at.
As soon as we pulled apart, fireworks lit up the sky and Chauncey came up from behind and wrapped his arms around me as we watched the show together. The fireworks were just like the ones going on inside my head right now. My body was on fire. I don't remember the last time I had ever been this happy.
Only the beginning?
The beginning of what, I wondered? I was hoping he was implying that he wanted to keep seeing me because I would just die if he didn't. “I'm having such a good time tonight.” I paused and found I was having trouble expressing myself. “I wish we could just stop time and this evening would never end.”
Only the beginning?
The beginning of what, I wondered? I was hoping he was implying that he wanted to keep seeing me because I would just die if he didn't. “I'm having such a good time tonight.” I paused and found I was having trouble expressing myself. “I wish we could just stop time and this evening would never end.”
“So do I, baby girl.” He nuzzled my neck and planted kisses along my face. “I am truly feeling you, Candy.”
I smiled. He had used my nickname. No one called me that but Papa and Tiffany, and Tyree when he was trying to get some. But hearing it coming from Chauncey made it sound just as sweet as the word. I closed my eyes and savored the close contact and felt myself leaned back against him. If this was just the beginning, I couldn't wait to see what happened next.
As soon as the show was over, Chauncey took my hand. “Come on, let's go.”
“Where're we going?”
He gave me a puzzled look. “Sweetheart, I'm taking you to get Miasha, then we're going back to your place.”
We picked up a sleepy Miasha and we were relatively quiet most of the ride. When Chauncey pulled up in front of my building, he put the car in Park and turned off the engine. Before I could find the guts to invite him inside, he reached in back and scooped Miasha in his arms and carried her into the building. Once inside my apartment, I took her from his arms and carried her into the room and lay her in the bed. Mama had already bathed her and she had on pajamas, so all I had to do was slip her under a
The Princess and the Frog
comforter. When I returned to the living room, I expected to find Chauncey lounging across the couch with his shoes off, but instead he was standing near to the door.
The Princess and the Frog
comforter. When I returned to the living room, I expected to find Chauncey lounging across the couch with his shoes off, but instead he was standing near to the door.
“Would you like something to drink?” I asked, and couldn't believe how nervous I sounded.
I was floored when he shook his head. “No, I'm fine, but thanks. I had a good time tonight.”
Of course, I was disappointed that the evening was about to end. The fact that he wasn't trying to get me in bed and get some kind of return for all the money he forked out tonight had me stunned. Trust and believe, I would have clowned his ass if he had even thought about asking for some, but now that he was leaving, it had me thinking that maybe he didn't have as good a time as I had.
Chauncey lowered his head and gave me one of those kisses that made my panties moist; then he released me and moved to the door. “I'll call you tomorrow.”
“Are you serious?”
He swung around and looked confused. “What?”
“You really leaving?”
He had the nerve to laugh like something was funny. “Yes, I'm leaving. Why? You want me to stay?”
“Uh . . . no.” I wasn't sure what I wanted at this moment except that I wasn't ready yet for him to leave. Usually at this particular moment my date was trying to get him some before I shut him down and told him it was time for him to leave. I wasn't used to someone wanting to leave before I was ready for him to go. I guess I should have felt relieved. Except I saw Chauncey leaving as a sign he wasn't really interested. I walked over to him, wrapped my arms around his waist, and kissed him deeply; and when he cradled me in his arms, I felt evidence of his erection against my stomach.
At least he isn't gay
. And he had to be at least a little bit attracted to me for his dick to get hard.
At least he isn't gay
. And he had to be at least a little bit attracted to me for his dick to get hard.
Chauncey was the first to end the kiss. “Yo, I better go.” He winked, then released me. “I'll holla at you tomorrow.”
I saw the way he was looking down at his watch and suddenly it hit me. The reason why Chauncey was leaving was because he had a woman at home. “Yeah, whatever,” I mumbled under my breath.
His brow rose and he moved toward me, then stroked the side of my face. “What's running through your head?”
I moved away from his touch and crossed my arms. “I'm just wondering why you're in such a rush?”
“A rush? Baby girl, if I had my way, I would spend the rest of the night making love to you, but I don't want to rush things between us.”
“Why? 'Cause you got some female at home waiting for you?” Damn, I can't believe I blurted out and said that. The last thing I wanted was for Chauncey to think I was sweating him.
“Not at all.” He shook his head, sending his dreadlocks swinging across his shoulders. It was hard to stay angry at someone who looked that sexy. “I know we didn't talk about it tonight, but I'm not seeing anyone. I hope your situation hasn't changed.”
“It hasn't.”
Chauncey reached for me and brought me close against him. “I like you, Candy. I am truly feeling you, so I don't wanna rush things between us. Yeah, I could have tried to get some tonight, but I'm not 'cause I got mad respect for you.”
Was he for real?
“We can take this thing slow. All I ask is . . . will you keep it real wit your boy?”
I stared up into his beautiful eyes thinking I must be the luckiest woman in all of Chicago right now. “Absolutely. As long as you promise to do the same.”
“No doubt.”
We sealed the end of our evening with another long kiss.
13
Chauncey
I'd had dates before, plenty of them, but none had ever compared to my evening with Candace. That female was smart and intelligent and had a wonderful sense of humor. I liked that she had a good head on her shoulders, and even though I hadn't spent a great deal of time with her and Miasha, I already had a feeling she was also a good mother. All in all, Candace was the total package.
Once I told her I respected her enough to take things slow, we sat in her living room and talked about things such as sports and cars. She was not like other girls I dated who had nothing to discuss other than hair, nails, or their baby's daddy. I had such a good time, I hated to see the night end and couldn't wait to see Candace again on Thursday. I was taking her down to the pool hall to shoot a few. My life was looking up. I could feel it. One day at a time and everything would start to fall in place. For so many years, I had been in an environment that was designed for me to fail. I was determined to prove them all wrong.
I found a parking spot two blocks away from the YMCA. I got out and headed toward the building, grinning like a damn fool, and was moving up the sidewalk when I heard someone calling my name.
“Chauncey! You hear me talking to you!”
Oh, hell naw! I swung around and spotted Tameka running toward me. “Where the hell you been all night?” she spat.
I turned to my left and then my right. “You must be talking to someone else 'cause I know you ain't talking to me.”
“There isn't anybody else out here. I'm talking to you and I want to know where you been. It's one o'clock!”
“Tameka, go home.”
“Not until you answer my question.” She had the nerve to cross her arms and act like she was my wife.
I ignored her and headed up the sidewalk. “You need to go home.”
“I'm not going anywhere!” She ran and stood in front of me and looked mad enough to hit me. I wouldn't put it past her. Tameka was crazy. It wasn't until after I quit fooling with her that I learned she had stabbed her sister in the leg over a pack of cigarettes.
My eyes traveled the length of her and I'm not gonna lie. She looked sexy as hell with her petite self, standing there in low-ride jeans that showed off her beautiful abs. A skintight midriff shirt emphasized her large breasts that were like two succulent melons. But underneath all that beauty was a crazy-ass female who didn't know when to leave well enough alone.
“I've been sitting out here all night waiting to talk to you,” she had the nerve to say with attitude.
I had to take a step back. “I don't remember inviting you to come by.” One thing I hated was for a female to know where I lived. The only reason why Tameka knew my address was because she met me coming out the building.
“I need to talk to you.”
“About what?” Now I had attitude. I had a wonderful evening and now she was trying to mess that up for me.
“Us.”
I couldn't help it, but I laughed in her face. “There is no us. We were together and you messed that shit up acting all psycho.”
“That's because you don't know how to act. I don't know how many times I gotta tell you, if you going to be my man, you need to come correct. I don't have time for you trying to be with me and the next bitch and then dodging my calls,” she added with a bite to her tone.
“That's why we're not even together anymore.”
“But we can be. That's why I'm here, so we can work it out.” She rubbed on her breasts trying to intimidate a man. She moved forward, swinging her hips and licking her lips, reminding me how good they had felt wrapped around my dick. “You know you're not ready to let this go,” she replied, then moved close enough for her breasts to rub up against my chest.
I stepped back, trying to put some distance between us. The whole time I was shaking my head in amazement at how persistent she was. Tameka knew damn well it was over between us, so I don't know why she was wasting her time trying to convince me otherwise.
“Sweetheart, you want something that I can't give you.”
“That's where you're wrong. No woman will ever make you feel like I can,” she smirked.
That's where she was wrong. I had spent the evening with a woman who made me feel like anything was possible. She was beautiful and independent. I like Candace a lot. We hadn't talked about a commitment, but I had a good feeling about the two of us. I wanted to get to know her better, and in order to do that, I didn't need any drama coming our way.
“Yo, Tameka. Take your ass home.” I waved good-bye and started up the stairs. Don't you know that crazy chick tossed her purse at me? And I'm not talking about a small clutch purse. I'm talking about one of those big-ass purses women carried around with every damn thing in it like it's a suitcase. “What the fuck!”
She raised her voice. “Don't turn your back on me. We aren't finished until I say we're finished!”
I was still rubbing the back of my head when my cell phone rang. I looked down at the number then hit Talk. “Hey, whassup?”
“Hey, you. Where you at?” said a voice on the other end that made me smile. I guess Tameka noticed because she moved all up in my face.
“Who the fuck you talking to?”
I ignored Tamka's outburst and moved across the grass. “Hey, Linda. What's up wit ya?”
“I need to talk to you,” she replied quickly over the phone. “Where you at?”
“I'm just getting back to the Y,” I said, turning away from the evil look on Tameka's face.
“Meet me around the block in five minutes.”
I glanced down at my watch. “All right. I'm on my way.”
“On your way where?” Tameka demanded to know the second I ended the call. “I asked you a question. Don't make me break my foot off in your ass,” she warned.
Can you believe the audacity of this chick? I glared in her direction. Tameka had her hand on her hips looking at me like she was seconds away from kicking my ass. That's one of the reasons why I couldn't stand her. Straight drama. The other reason was she was too damn ghetto. “I'm gonna go mind my business just like you need to do.” I brushed past her and headed down the street.
Of course, she screamed after me. “Chauncey! It ain't over until I say it's over. You forget . . . I know everything about you.”
The comment made me pause and look over my shoulder. Tameka was right. She knew more about me than I wish she knew. But she had been the first person I been with since my release from prison who hadn't seemed to mind that I had been locked up. Some women had a problem with that. I should have known Tameka would try and throw that back in my face.
“What would your date think if she knew what I knew?” She then had the nerve to smirk. Did that chick really think she had my balls in her hands?
“The best thing for you to do is keep that information to yourself.” There was silence for a while. I thought that maybe I had finally gotten to her. But I should have known better.
“Keep playing with my emotions and watch and see what I do,” she warned.
I flicked her off, then walked away, ignoring her screaming at the top of her lungs. This was one of those times when I didn't mind calling a female a bitch. The chick was straight gutter and there was no telling what she would do. One thing for sure, I didn't want Candace to find out about my past before I had a chance to tell her myself.
I glanced over my shoulder a couple of times to make sure Tameka wasn't following me. Thank goodness she wasn't. By the time I stepped inside Charlie's, a small soul food restaurant with the best barbecue in town, even in the wee hours of the morning, Linda was already sitting at a booth. I moved toward the twenty-two-year-old, voluptuous woman with dark chocolate skin. She was a beautiful big-boned woman with long dark hair, big eyes and full lips, all evidence of her Nigerian background.
“Hey, you,” I said with a smile and flopped down on the bench across from her.
“How you been, big brother?” Linda rose and leaned over the table and kissed my cheek. She looked so much like the small picture I kept in my top drawer of my father. He was the same man my mother put out when I was barely four. The way my uncle Jeff told it, Linda's mother appeared on our doorstep with baby Linda on her hip, demanding to speak to my father. It seemed he had been shacking up with her only a couple of blocks away. My mother put him out on his ass and never forgave him for messing around with Linda's mama. The tripped out part about it was, I hadn't even known I had a sister until I was locked up and received a letter from her. Linda told me her daddy handed her the newspaper, pointed to my picture, and said, “That's your brother,” then walked out the room. That evening, she wrote me a letter and soon we became pen pals. Linda even kept money on my books. Something no one else bothered to do for me. Not even my own mama.
I try not to go there, but every time I let myself, it pissed me off. The day I was convicted, Mama turned her back on me and never once looked back. When I was released, I was sent to a halfway house and I tried calling Mama, but the second she realized it was me, she slammed the phone down.
“You all dressed up. Where you been?” Linda asked, snapping my mind from the past. I couldn't do anything but grin.
“You're nosy, aren't you?”
Nodding, she pushed a strand of hair from her face. “I'm your little sister. We're supposed to be nosy.”
I laughed because I often wondered what it would have been like if we'd had the chance to grow up together. “I had a date.”
Linda sat back with a look of disgust. “A date? I hope it wasn't another one of them chicken heads you seem to be attracted to.”
I shook my head. “Nah, this girl is different.”
My sister must have read something in my eyes because she suddenly sat up on the chair. “Different . . . how?”
I smiled proudly. It felt good having someone in my life I could honestly talk about. “Linda, this chick ain't about what she can get or what I can do for her. She works, goes to school at night, and when she's not doing that, she is trying to raise her three-year-old daughter.”
Linda looked impressed. “I like her already.”
I sighed. “So do I. I can already tell she's going to be really special.”
One of her eyebrows flew up. “Ooh! Big brother, this sounds serious.”
I shrugged and took a moment because I didn't want to get ahead of myself. “I wouldn't say all that. However, I'm not counting out that possibility.”
“Well, that's a lot better than your bed hopping.”
Linda assumed I slept with every female I've gone out with. I know one thing for sure. I never slept with her best friend, Trina. She was sexy as all get out, but the second that chick slipped off her panties, I caught a whiff of her funky coochie and my dick refused to get hard. A woman had to have good hygiene to be with me. I guess her girl was too embarrassed to tell Linda the truth.
She leaned in closer to the table. “So when do I get to meet her?”
I laughed. My sister can be so persistent. “When the time comes, you'll be the first to meet her.”
“I guess I can settle for that for now.” The waitress arrived and we both ordered strawberry soda pop and rib tips. As soon as she moved to the next table, Linda cleared her throat and looked down at her acrylic fingernails. I instantly knew something was up. “I need to ask you a favor.”
“Sure, what?” I had a feeling I wasn't going to like what she had to say.
Linda reached across the table and took my hand. “Next month is our family reunion and I would like for you to come.”
I hesitated. “And what does dear old Dad have to say about that?”
She gave me a devilish grin. “I was planning to surprise him.”
“No thanks. I'll pass.” My father hadn't made an attempt to be in my life since I was 6 years old, so why the fuck should I? Back then he used to come by Ms. Hattie's house. She was the old lady who kept me until she passed away. Dad used to come by after work and spend time with me playing in the yard or just sitting and talking in the living room. But after Ms. Hattie died, all that stopped and I never saw him again. When I asked my mother why, she said he was too busy with his other family to have time for me.
“Come on. I think it's time you and Daddy talked,” she pleaded with her eyes.
“Daddy knew where I was for five years and never once did he bother to send me a letter.” I didn't mean to snap, but it was what it was.
“No, maybe he didn't; but he told me about you and knew we were writing each other,” she quickly said in his defense, and pulled her hand back. “Come on. It would really mean the world to your little sister.”
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