Best Dressed Lie (Keisha Jackson) (6 page)

We finally arrived at the picnic unannounced. I spotted
Randy from a distance. He was having a good ole time. He had
a beer in his hand and was standing in a circle of three men
and two women laughing his ass off. He had a nervous look
on his face when he saw Zan and me walking up.

He approached me first, kissing me on the cheek. “Hey
baby.”
I stood there unresponsive and stiff. I gave him an evil
stare then said sarcastically, “What happened? You changed
your mind about coming?”
He gently grabbed my arm, put his lips on my ear and
whispered, “Please don’t show out. I’ll tell you about it later.
Okay?”
He walked passed Zan without speaking, grabbed my
hand and walked me towards his friends. “Some of you may
know her and some of you may not. I want to introduce y’all
to my future wife, Keisha.”
As soon as he said the words ‘future wife’, everybody
looked down at my hand. “Hello everyone,” I said, hiding my
hand behind my back.
The group was welcoming but Zan was pissed and felt left
out of the group. I introduced her to everyone.
“Guys, this is my best friend of thirty-some years, Zan.”
She forced a smile and said, “Hi everyone. Randy, when is
your broke ass buying your ‘future wife’ an engagement
ring?”
“Zan!” I yelled. I didn’t want Randy’s coworkers in my
damn business. I was already coming here unannounced; the
last thing I wanted was her making a scene.
“Lying ass,” she mumbled under her breath.
I was livid with Randy for lying to me about not going to
the picnic. However, I was not going to make a fuss in front of
his friends. Zan on the other hand wanted to show her true
colors, she was trying to create drama.
“There are too many old folks at this picnic. Let’s go to the
other side with the young folks, I need a drink,” she said,
pointing towards the other side of the picnic.
I glanced over to where she indicated. My heart dropped
to the bottom of my stomach. Surprisingly Kayla was here. She
was turning up drinks. I asked Kayla to search our phone bill!
The last thing I need was for her to bust me about the favor.
“Where do you see young folks Zan?” I said, giving her the
side eye.
“Keisha, are you blind? Look at all that sexy, young white
chocolate on the other side. Girl lets go so I can find my future
husband!” she grabbed my hand and then stuffed her pack of
cigarettes down her bra.
“We’re speaking and that’s all,” I said, pointing my finger
at Zan. She was ready to turn this picnic up. Free food, free
drinks and white men were right up her alley.
I turned to Randy and tried to whisper in his ear, “Babe,
we’ll be right back.” He was so busy drinking and laughing he
did not hear or noticed me leaving the circle.
We headed over to the other side of the festivities. Kayla
recognized me. She smiled and walked toward us.
“She’s walking like she’s drunk,” I mumbled to Zan.
“Who’s she?” Zan asked, squint her eyes.
“Keisha!” Kayla yelled in a perky tone, waving her hand as
if she was happy to see me.
“Damn she’s fake and drunk.” Zan said aloud, but
thankfully Kayla did not hear her.
“Hey, girl,” I said, accepting her hug. “This is my friend
Zan.”
“We’ve met,” she said vaguely.
“Zan, have you met her before?” I asked curiously.
“I don’t recall meeting her. I don’t keep up with hookers.”
“I’m so happy to see you, Keisha,” she said in an energetic
tone, ignoring Zan’s smart remark.
“I’m here with Randy,” I said proudly. “Who are you here
with?”
“My fiancé BJ was supposed to meet me here,” she said,
flaunting her huge diamond. “He works for the company…”
Zan interrupted with an attitude just realizing who Kayla
was. “I didn’t know you were engaged. Are you with the same
guy who brutally abuses you?”
“Excuse me?”
Before Zan could respond, I saw Randy out of the corner
of my eye, walking towards
us.
Anywhere there was
a
beautiful woman, his fresh-ass suddenly showed up.
“What’s going on over here? I’ve been looking all over for
you,” he said, trying his best not to look at Kayla’s ass.
“Hey Randy,” Kayla said, flirtingly.
He smiled so hard showing all his gums and teeth. “What’s
up Kayla?”
Obviously,
they
were flirting and it pissed me off. I
confided in Kayla in hopes of catching Randy’s cheating
through his conversations on the phone. Because of this, I
tried to stay humble to keep her from spilling the beans. I
asked suspiciously, “Randy why didn’t you tell me Kayla
stopped by the house?”
“When? I don’t recall her stopping by our house,” he said,
nervously.
“I told you that Keisha?” she asked dumbfound, pointing
her finger towards herself. “When did I tell you that?”
“Wow Kayla. You really don’t remember telling me that?” I
said skeptically, with both hands on my hips. Her response
made me feel very uneasy about her.
I did not like the way she was eying down Randy and he
was mighty nervous and defensive at my question.
“Don’t start Keisha,” he mumbled oversensitivity.
I snapped, “I just asked a simple question. You got
something to hide?”
“Keisha…Keisha,” she interrupted, putting her hands on
my shoulder. “Now, I remember telling you. It’s not a big deal,
all I did was drop off the money I owed you. Look, it’s been a
long day and I’ve had one too many drinks. My mind slipped
and I’m sorry about that. Okay? You have a good man that
loves you, don’t mess that up.”
“Bitch, there’s no need for a speech,” Zan mumbled,
sipping out of her cup. She did not believe a word coming out
of Kayla’s mouth.
“Keisha and I are friends! Why I would lie to her?” she
said, frowning at Zan.
She scanned Zan up and down then asked, “Can I speak to
you for a minute?”
Zan hesitated before responding, “What do you need to
speak with me about?”
She smirked. “It won’t take long. I have a private question I
need to ask.”
“Whatever. Keisha, I’ll be back,” Zan said, walking off with
Kayla.
I was shocked Zan walked off with her. What happened to
her talking shit to Kayla? Something was up with the two of
them and Zan better let me know what it was. Friends do not
keep secrets.
“Who is her fiancé?” I asked Randy, since he was so damn
quiet.
He turned up his beer, forcing the last drop down his
throat, burped, then said, “I don’t know him personally, but
everybody calls him BJ. He’s known for lending money to folks
to help with their financial problems and shit like that. If you
ask me, he sells drugs. I know how much money everybody
makes. The car that dude drives, well, let’s just say there is no
way he can afford it.”
“I don’t remember introducing Kayla to you. I know she
dropped the money off that I never received. Why was she so
comfortable speaking to you?” I said, confused.
He rolled his eyes. “How do you get from asking me about
BJ to bringing that girl Kayla up? Damn! If it makes you feel
any better, she comes up to the job all the time to bring ole
boy his lunch and I think she picks him up from work
sometimes. Can we leave? I’m ready to go because you’re
starting that bullshit again.”
“You wasn’t saying ‘that girl’ when she spoke to you,” I
muttered. “I rode with Zan and that’s who I’m leaving with.”
I turned toward Zan and Kayla. I tried to read their body
language. I couldn’t make out what they were saying, but I
could see it was intense.
“Well, well, well if it isn’t Ms. Zan Davis, the exploiter,”
she laughed looking over at me. “You’re a mighty bold bitch,
showing up with Keisha.”
Zan snapped. “You’re drunk and disgusting. Watch your
mouth!”
“I feel like slapping the shit out of you right now. Does she
even know that you are a trifling, evil little whore? Oh, that’s
right. I just thought about it, she can’t know, she’s here with
you.”
“What are you talking about, drunken bitch?” Zan said,
viciously.
“Don’t play dumb with me! It is payback time. I was
looking for you ever since you left Kelsey and me in that
filthy-ass homeless shelter for dead. If I had known that
Keisha knew your petty ass, I would’ve warned her to stay the
fuck away from you.”
Zan started shaking her head. She glared at Kayla and
then said, “You got life twisted if you think Keisha would
believe you over me. I didn’t leave your crazy-ass nowhere. I
got my belongings and got the hell out there. You stayed by
choice.”
“Keisha called me the other night and asked if I would
look up all the anonymous calls she was getting on Randy’s
phone and I found some disturbing information. I know it
would kill her if she knew. Maybe I should walk right over
there and tell her,” she said, laughing with evil in her tone.
Zan panicked, “I’m warning you, shut up!”
Kayla giggled, “I wonder how Keisha would feel if…”
“We all have secrets, don’t we?” Zan interrupted. “Have
you forgotten?” she said, maliciously.
“Zan, you don’t know shit about me!”
I noticed Zan standing stiff. She balled up her fist and
leaned toward Kayla. I rushed over. I was curious to find out
what was going on.
“Zan, what’s wrong?” I asked, ready to fight.
Kayla turned her cup up, drinking the rest of her beer. She
threw the empty cup on the ground and walked away.
“What the hell happened here Zan?” I asked, shoving her
shoulder. Zan was shaking and sweating.
“I need a cigarette, now!”
“What happened? What did Kayla say to you?”
I had never seen Zan like this. I was determined to find out
exactly what Kayla told her.
“Your cigarettes are in the car,” I said, rubbing her back,
trying to calm her down.
“Keisha, I need to leave. I’m sorry, but I’m not feeling well.”
“Okay, I’ll leave with you.” She was scaring me. She never
bowed down to anyone. Kayla made her want to leave the
picnic. I had to know what happened.
“Randy, I’m leaving with Zan. I’ll see you tonight.” I said,
kissing him on the lips. I would deal with his lying-ass later,
my main concern right now was my best friend.
“Okay,” he said, rubbing his lips as if he was shocked at
the kiss.
Even Randy had sympathy for Zan. Normally he would
have said, ‘No, let her ass leave or you are staying with me.’
He actually was okay with me leaving with her.
Once we got into the car, I saw him walking towards
Kayla.
“Why is he talking to her?” I said angrily, staring out the
window.
“Who?” Zan asked, with a nervous look on her face.
“Randy. I see him walking towards Kayla.”
“Keep her away from your man, that bitch is evil,” she said,
starting up the engine.
“What happened back there ?”
Zan’s eyes teared up. She pulled the car over into an
abandoned parking lot. “Keisha, it’s a long story. I will give
you the short version because I know you’re going to keep
asking me what happened,” she said, wiping her tears.
“I met Kayla and her daughter Kelsey at a shelter in New
York, shortly after I left the foster home. We used to hustle on
the streets. We did whatever it took to feed her daughter, even
it meant selling ourselves to old men. I didn’t have Jason at the
time, so I looked out for little Kelsey as if she was my own.
One night
one of
the
men raped me. That’s how I got
pregnant with Jason.”
“Why would you keep something like that from me? You
know I would never judge you.”
“Why is Kayla so upset with you? It sounds like you helped
her. Why did you never mention to me that the two of you
knew each other?”
“First of all, when have you ever introduced me to anyone
at your job?”
“True,” I said, “But you’ve never talked about being
homeless in New York.”
“Let’s drop it Keisha, I don’t want to talk about it anymore,”
she said, pulling out a cigarette. “That part of my life is in the
past. This is the last time I’ll ever speak on it. What you need
to be worried about is that she’s at the picnic alone with your
man.”
As much as I wanted to dig deeper into Zan’s past, Randy
was at the picnic without me.
******
Meanwhile back at the picnic, Randy was curious to find
out exactly what Kayla said to Zan that got her so upset.
“Kayla,” he said, walking towards her like a beast.
“What do you want?” she snorted, another cup of beer in
her hand.
“What happened with you and Zan? I hope you haven’t
been running your damn mouth.”
Kayla was intoxicated after downing four drinks back to
back.
“Ha, I got my eye on you playboy,” She said slurring her
words and pointing at him.
He frowned. “What?”
“You’re a liar, that’s what!”
“Listen, you keep your mouth shut or I’ll send you back
where you came from,” he said, vindictively.
“Are you threatening me?” she said staggering. “You don’t
scare me, Randy.”
“I’m asking you to leave. Now,” he said, tugging at her
arm.
“You piece of shit. You owe BJ some money and he is
pissed!” she shouted, in a drunken tone.
“You are pathetic! Get outta here,” he said, making a
fanning motion with his hands.
“Tonight is your last night seeing Keisha. She has a
surprise waiting for her. Your gambling will take her to the
grave.”
“What are you talking about? You’re drunk and pitiful!”
Kayla was so drunk she hiccupped after almost every
word. But everything she said gave Randy a lot to think about.
He did have to borrow a lump sum of money from BJ behind
Keisha’s back.
Randy was behind on his mortgage. He was on the verge
of losing the home, so he went to BJ for help. He signed a
contract with BJ promising to pay him back with interest. It
had been weeks and Randy didn’t keep his promise. Now, BJ
wanted revenge and would do whatever it took to get Randy’s
attention.
“Damn! I’ve got to get home before she does.”
Randy was scared as hell and freaking out. He dialed her
number as he walked towards his car.
******
“Randy, let me call you right back,” I said, not giving him
time to say anything.
“Wait!” he yelled. “Damn it, she hung up !”