Unfaithful Ties (45 page)

“Life is good. Malik and I are planning our wedding and I’m going to be relocating to Jacksonville soon. I’m going to be working for Brown & Smith’s, and guess what else? They’re bringing me through the door as partner.” She screamed

“Now that’s what I’m talking about” Brandi said. “I’m glad to hear that everybody is doing okay and I can’t wait to see you ladies at my wedding.”

“I can’t wait either” Stacy said.

“I kno-www” Vanessa and Lena sang

“Alright
chicas I’ll talk to you later”

****

Brandi had planned on being in and out of the house quickly. She was only there to change clothes so that she’d be comfortable at the bowling alley but when she saw Trae’s car parked in her driveway she knew that she’d be there longer than she’d planned.

She got out of the car.

“Dang woman I’ve been waiting on you for hours” He said, getting out of the car. “You looking good. I see you’ve lost weight. Got you a new ride and a new house, girl you must’ve hit the lottery?” Trae joked.

“What do you want
Trae?”

“I got something for you. I wrote you letter.” He smiled. “Remember when we use to write each other love notes in high school?” He dug in his pocket and tried to give Brandi the letter.

She refused to take it. “Like I asked the first time, what do you want Trae?”

“I want you back”

“You’re joking right?” She giggled.

“I’m serious I miss you and the kids”

“Well we don’t miss you”

“Come on, what’s the harm in giving me one more chance?”

“Trae I’ve giving you thousands of chances” Brandi said walking by him.

“Hold on a second”

She stopped walking and turned to him. “What? I’m kind of in a hurry”

“Oh what you don’t have time for me no more?”

“As a matter of fact I don’t”

“Oh I get it, you playing hard to get”

She started walking towards the house. “Go home to Cassy Trae”

“
Cassy and I are over” He said walking behind her.

“Good for her”

He yanked her into his chest.

“Let go of me”

“You know you don’t talk to me like that. What’s this?” He asked noticing the rock on her finger. “I see. This is about Roman, Roland whatever the hell his name is, isn’t it?”

She wiggled away and continued walking “His name is Raymond.”

“Well you tell Raymond that his time with you is over. We’re getting back together”

Brandi smacked her lips. “Please. What brings this on? Now that you see that someone else wants me you think that you can just jump back into my life? I don’t think so”

“I’m not letting you go Brandi. I’m not letting you marry another man.”

“How do you plan on stopping me?”

“With this” He said pulling out a silver handgun.

“You think that’s going to scare me back into your arms. Listen to me
. The old Brandi is gone. And she isn’t coming back. I’m beating cancer. I have my life back on track. I’m happier than I’ve ever been in my life. And you think that just because you come over here with a gun I’m going to come running back into your arms? Why don’t you do what you do best and go ruin another woman’s life!” She stuck the key in the knob and went inside shutting the door behind her.

Trae
sat down on the porch; maybe it was the booze that had his mind going over his past. He was thinking about Jason, Brandi, his children and all of the people he’d hurt. For some reason that Friday night on May 21, 1995 was playing in his head. It was like he was watching a mental movie.

It was a Friday night, but not just any
ol’ Friday.  He’d marched across the stage and received his high school diploma earlier that day. He, Jason, and Malik were at Jason’s house waiting on Kenneth to come and pick them up for the big graduation party.

“Aye man you need to start getting dressed. So tell Vanessa that you’ll talk to her later because I
ain’ trying to be late to the graduation bash” Malik said to Jason as he ironed his clothes.

“Aye Dog, worry about you! Because I’m
gon’ be ready”. Jason blabbed back to him.

It was only eight and Kenny wouldn’t be arriving to scoop them up until around ten o’clock.  That was more than enough time to get dressed and besides Jason wasn’t anything like Malik. It never took him an hour to get dressed.  So for the next twenty minutes he continued relaxing on the top bunk, dressed in a pair of sweats and a t-shirt. 
             

Trae
was standing in front of the mirror brushing his hair, and glancing at Jason through the mirror. “A’ight if you get left, it’s on you. You and Vanessa act like ya’ll can’t get enough of each other. You been on the phone with her for damn near the whole day”

“And?  Your Point is? You just mad that you and Brandi
ain’t got it like it.” Jason snapped.

“You wrong partner. I got Brandi so wrapped around my finger that I feel bad for her”

Malik laughed.

“What are you laughing for Malik? You definitely
ain’ got it like that with Stacy”

“Aye
yo Jason you do have a point” Trae giggled.

Jason jumped down from the top bunk with the telephone cord wrapped around his palm. “Baby I’m gone call you back. These brothers are tripping”

“Okay baby. I can’t wait to see you at the party! Love ya! Kisses! Muah!” Vanessa said

“I Love you too”

“Awwww isn’t that so sweet” Malik and Trae joked.

Finally Jason took a quick shower and got dressed in ten quick minutes. He really didn’t even want to go the party. The only reason that he was going was because he knew that if he didn’t Vanessa wasn’t going to give up any booty that night. They all had plans to go to the Marriott after the party.

Malik was lacing up his kicks when Jason entered back into the bedroom. “Hurry up man” Malik shouted.

“I’m ready” Jason snapped back.

“You’re wearing that to the graduation party? Do you know how many chics are going to be up in the party tonight?”

“
Yeh. You know me; I’m not like you two. I ain’ no pretty boy. What’s the big rush anyway?”

“I’m trying to be inside Stacy’s panties by midnight” Malik said.

“My ma-n-nn” Jason cheered. “But aye you need to calm down. Her virginity ain’ going nowhere”

“Easy for you to say! You’ve been banging Vanessa for over a year now. You know how Stacy is. She’s bound to change her mind again.”

“Yeah you’re right.” Trae cosigned. “ She’s stingy with her split. Most women don’t date someone for  four years before she gives it up”

“Unless the man she’s with has weak game” Jason teased while slipping his feet in his kicks.

“Exactly!” Trae chuckled as he nearly drowned himself in the cologne that he was splashing on.

The party was swarmed when what they liked to call themselves back then “THE CREW” entered into the Lounge. The tightly packed room was filled with horny teenagers’ bumping and grinding
to 2pac’s (California Love). This was the spot for teens on Friday’s and it wasn’t a surprise that the club was crammed beyond belief without enough space to maneuver around comfortably. It was graduation night and things were just starting to crank up. After Jason spotted Vanessa he immediately broke away from the fellas and snuck up behind her.

“Hey baby” He told her pulling at the belt loops on her Jeans.

She turned around and they hugged and kissed…and kissed and hugged some more. “I’ve missed you baby” She blushed.

“I missed you too baby! What time are you and your girls going to head to the Marriott?” He was basically yelling, trying to talk over the music.

“I don’t know that depends on what time Stacy is going to be ready to head over there” Vanessa responded, cutting her eyes at her two girlfriends, Stacy and Brandi.

“That depends on your boy. Where is he? I haven’t seen him all night
” Stacy said to Jason.

“I don’t know he’s with
Trae and Kenny somewhere around here.”  Jason was looking around at the crowd of peers pretending that he was trying to spot his friends. Truth was, he knew that the fellas didn’t want to be seen by their girlfriends just yet.

“What’s up with your boy? Why can’t he be like you? I know he’s seen me but he wants to walk around this damn club instead of spending time with me. And he thinks that he’s going to get some tonight. I don’t think so!” Stacy snapped.

“Girl I know that’s right” Brandi chimed in. “Trae is not going to get in these panties tonight either!”

Jason and Vanessa were grinding their bodies, rocking to the new hit by
Ginuwine (Pony).  “I don’t know what’s up with them crazy boys” Jason agreed and changed the subject of the conversation. “Somebody is missing from your clique. Where is your girl Lena?”

“She’s in the ladies room
” Vanessa yelled.             

“OH NO HE IS NOT!”
Brandi shouted glowering at Trae who’d just been spotted hugging another young lady.  She walked towards him furiously and if her legs were a set of tires she would have left tire tracks, as quickly as she hastened over to the two of them. Stacy and Vanessa trailed dead on her heels dragging Jason along.

“Have you lost your mind disrespecting me like this!” Brandi shouted at
Trae as she pushed him away from the other woman.

The young lady grabbed
Trae by his wrist and yanked him back. For a split second the women played tug of war with Trae’s lengthy stature.

“Man, chill out” He roared.

Brandi continued pulled him and Trae eventually pulled away from the other woman. “So you can hug this ugly helfa and you haven’t even spoken to me? What kind of mess is this?” Brandi hollered.

“
She’s just a friend”

“Oh I’m just a friend?” The young lady interjected.

“Slut you know that it’s nothing between us” Trae said.

“Fine the dick wasn’t all of that anyway”

“Did you sleep with her?” Brandi barked pushing Trash into a corner. “Did you?” She shouted angrily pointing her finger in his face.

Trae
stood there with the guiltiest pose as he tried to rationalize with Brandi. Tears had begun to puddle in her eyes. “I ain’ never had sex with that woman I swear” he pleaded.

You know that we were together last night” The young lady blasted, once she was close enough so that Brandi could hear her.

Brandi slapped Trae. “You lying bastard. Is that where you were last night?  I hate you”

 
Trae grabbed her by the shoulders “She’s lying”

“I don’t believe your lying ass” She whimpered,
then broke away shrugging both of Trae’s hands off her shoulders. Embarrassingly she rushed out of the party. Vanessa and Stacy marched behind her. “Skank” They blabbed to the woman.

“You stupid trick”
Trae shouted. “Why did you do that?” He growled violently to the young lady and then jolted behind the trio.

Jason was eager to tell the other fellas what’d just happened with
Trae. He’d been standing there with a smirk on his face during the entire ordeal. He’d only warned Trae a thousand times that one day Brandi was going to find out about his player ways.

“Have you seen Stacy?” Malik
asked as he approached Jason not even five minutes after the drama.             

“You just missed it.
Trae got caught up and went chasing after Brandi. I guess Stacy and Vanessa went out there to convince Brandi that she can do better than Trae. You know how they are” Jason explained.

“What happened?” Malik looked confused.

“You remember the girl whose house that we dropped Trae over to last night?”

“Yeah”

“She just told Brandi everything” He chuckled.

“You’re lying” Malik giggled. “I told ‘
em not to mess with that slut. Everyone on the roster has had a piece of that trick. Where is Kenny? I’m about ready to roll out.”

“Man I don’t know I haven’t seen that fool since we got here. Knowing him he’s probably around here with Lena somewhere. I haven’t seen either one of them all night.”

“There they are right there” Malik said noticing Lena and Kenny walking in his direction.

“I figured you two were together
” Jason told the couple.

“Where is everyone? We are about ready to bounce” Lena said to Malik and Jason.

“They’re all out back” Malik said pointing to the exit door. “Trae and Brandi had it out again”

Lena moved Kenny’s arm from around her neck.

“Let me go and make sure my girl is okay”

  
She rushed away.

The guys joked for nearly twenty minutes until Lena, Vanessa and Stacy came barging back in the club.

“Is everything cool baby?” Malik asked Stacy.