JAYLIN
29
I rubbed my eyes and sat up in bed. Nokea turned on the lights, reached over, and touched my back.
“Who was that calling here this late?” she asked.
“Scorpio.”
“Scorpio?” Her voice got louder. “What is she calling here for?”
“Shane's been shot,” I said, standing up.
It didn't take long for her eyes to fill with water. “Oh my God. How serious is it? Is he going to be okay?”
“I don't know, Nokea. All I know is he's been shot. If he was dead, I'm sure Scorpio would have told me.”
I walked off to my closet to get some clothes. When I got back, I tossed my black pants and black, ribbed silk sweater on the bed.
Nokea looked at my clothes, then at me with her watery eyes. “Where are you going?”
“Where do you think I'm going? I'm going to St. Louis to see what's up with Shane.”
She dropped her face into her hands. “I can't believe this. Must we go through this all over again? How do you know Scorpio didn't call here and lie to you?”
“Because she wouldn't lie about nothing like that.”
“And I'm sure you know her so well. The least you can do is call the hospital and make sure he's there. That way you can see how he's doing and save yourself a trip to St. Louis. I'm anxious to know, too, but I want to make sure this isn't an attempt by Scorpio toâ”
“Nokea, you're starting to piss me off. Now, I told you that Shane's been shot. I don't give a shit how serious it is. I'm still going to St. Louis. If you want to go, then I suggest you shut your mouth, get out of bed, and put on some clothes.”
She reached for the phone and placed it on the bed in front of me. “Watch your tone with me. Just call the hospital first, please.”
I ignored her and walked back into the closet to get my shoes. By then, she'd picked up the phone herself.
“Do you know what hospital he's at?”
I opened my safe in the closet, then pulled out my gun. Nokea slowly put the phone down.
“Wha ... what are you doing with that?”
I slid the clip inside and placed the gun behind my back. “Nothing,” I said.
“Like hell, Jaylin.” Her voice rose again. “Don't you lie to me! Do you know something that you're not telling me! I demand to know what is going on, right now!” she cried.
“Toughen up, Nokea! I don't have time to explain nothing, and all this crying and shit is working my nerves! Either you're going with me or you're not! In no less than ten minutes, either way, I'm out the door.”
My tone caused her to release her emotions even more. I hated to see her so upset, but hell, I had to go! I left the room and went to give both of my sleeping babies a kiss. Afterward, I stopped in and told Nanny B that Shane had been shot and I had to go. She understood and told me to be careful. She told me not to worry about the kids, because they were in good hands. I knew that and so did Nokea. That was why I couldn't understand, at a time like this, why she was tripping. I went back into our bedroom and stood in the doorway. She was still sitting in bed, dabbing her eyes with a Kleenex.
“Am I taking this journey alone?” I asked. “I'd like for you to come with me. I have a long drive ahead of me, and maybe you can help me drive.”
She wouldn't look up at me. “Why won't you just fly? You know it will be much faster, but you can't get on the plane with that ... that gun.”
“That's why I'm driving. If I don't have to use it, I won't. If I do, I'm sorry.”
She pleaded with me. “What about your family, Jaylin? Are you going to put us through this again? I know that if Shane's really been shot, you're going to do something stupid. Haven't you learned from your previous mistakes? Didn't what we just went through mean anything to you? You promised me that youâ”
“My family needs to learn how to accept me for who I am and trust me when shit like this happens. I might keep on making mistakes, Nokea, but I can't stay here knowing that my best friend needs me.”
“I need you, too,” she yelled. “What if something happens?”
“I don't have time for what-ifs. I love you, Nokea. Tell my babies I love them, too, and I'll see you when I get back.”
Having no more time for the bullshit, I turned and headed for the garage. Last year, I'd purchased a brand-new black Hummer, accessorized with silver chrome, and I rarely ever drove it. I bought it to get up and down the high and rocky hills, but most of the time, Ebay took us where we had to go. I got inside, put on my dark shades, and started the engine. As I backed out into the driveway, Nokea came rushing outside in her housecoat. I lowered the window.
“Baby, I'm sorry, but my time is minimal,” I said.
“Wait for me,” she said. “Give me fifteen minutes at the most.”
I smiled. “Five minutes and you got yourself a deal.”
She cracked a tiny smile and hurried inside.
Five minutes went by and then ten. Yes, I loudly honked the horn and was getting very impatient. The time we spent arguing could've been time on the road. I was anxious to get to St. Louis, and if Stephon was the one responsible, Lord help us all.
Moments later, Nokea rushed outside with her hair all intact and her makeup on. She wore a pair of tight, huggable jeans that plumped her ass up even more, showing her tiny gap. Her sleeveless blouse was Papaya and matched her rhinestone-studded high-heeled shoes. I removed my glasses just to get a look at how fine she looked.
I intended to get out and open the door for her, but she waved me off. She hurried over to the passenger's side and got in.
I backed up. “No wonder it took you so long. You dressed like you going to a club or something. My friend could be dying, and you in there putting on makeup.”
“Don't talk to me,” she said, putting on a bracelet. “I'm upset with you.”
“Why? Because you're stuck with who you married?”
“I'm never stuck with you, Jaylin. For the time being, I'm just borrowing you. When I get tired of you, I'm going to throw you away.” She smiled.
“I'm going to throw you away, too. Then, when I need some loving, I'll dig you back out, tap that ass, and toss you back in.”
“Same here,” she said. “Besides, sex is all you're good for, anyway.”
“Is that it?” I smirked.
“I'm afraid so. You're definitely not good at listening to your wife, and she always offers you excellent advice.”
“Not all the time. Besides, I've said it before and I'll say it again, my wife was well aware of what kind of man she married. It's too late to have any regrets now. It's a done deal. She's stuck, and ain't no getting out of this ... unless I say so.”
“Don't be so darn sure of yourself. I love you much, but that gun behind your back better not get you in any more trouble. As a matter of fact, you need to hand it over to me.”
“If I hand this gun over to you, it's gon' cost you big, big-time!”
“Whatever it is, I'm willing to pay.”
“All right ... then take off your clothes.”
“What!”
“I said take off your clothes and ride all the way to St. Louis with me naked.”
She laughed. “For what? Why would you want me riding in the car with you naked?”
I placed my hand on her thigh. “You know ... so I can mess around with you while I'm driving. Keep my mind preoccupied and maybe the drive will go faster. Besides, you know why we've been doing all this loving lately, don't you?”
“Yes, because you want to see if we can make another baby. I do, too, but it amazes me where you get all this freaky stuff from. Why would I get naked and allow other people on the road to look over and see me?”
“It's dark, there are not too many cars on the highway, and this Hummer sits up pretty darn high. Not too many cars can see in here, and besides all of that, who better to get freaky with than your husband?”
“So, all I have to do is take off my clothes, let you tease me, and you'll give up the gun?”
“That's it.”
She held out her hand. “Give me the gun.”
I smiled and reached for the gun behind my back. It swung on the tip of my finger, and she took it. She placed it inside of her purse and put her purse on the backseat of the truck. After that, she sat for a while, smiling.
“Hey, you better start getting busy now!” I said. I snapped my fingers and put in a CD by Luther Van-dross. No matter where I was, his music could always set the mood.
“I thought my outfit was enough to turn you on. The way you looked at me when I got into the truck said it all.”
“Yes, I was very aroused while looking at your butt in those tight jeans, but I need something else to perk me up. Clothes off, Mrs. Rogers. We had a deal.”
Nokea turned up the music and started with her blouse. She pulled it over her head, and I turned my head sideways to look at her. She placed her hand on the side of my face and turned it.
“Keep your eyes on the road, please.”
I kept my eyes on the road, but I could see her from the corner of my eye. She snapped the front of her bra, took it off, and placed it on my head. After that, she rose up a bit and lowered her panties and jeans at the same time. She bent over to pull them over her shoes. I reached over, rubbed her back, and slid my hand down to her ass. I squeezed it in my hand.
“That's right, baby. Show me what ya working with. I am one lucky man.”
“If anybody knows what I'm working with, it's you.”
Nokea rose up and tossed her jeans and panties on the backseat. She placed her left leg on my lap, and I couldn't help but look over at her.
“Keep your eyes on the road,” she said again and removed her bra from my head. She tossed her bra on the backseat as well.
“I am keeping my eyes on the road. I just wanted to take a peek.” I rubbed up and down her smooth leg and massaged it. “Turn your back to the door and scoot closer to me.”
No questions, Nokea did as I had asked.
While attempting to keep my eyes on the road, I worked my right hand as best as I could. I massaged between her upper thighs and lightly slid my fingers up and down her slit. When I made rotations inside of her with my index and middle fingers, she slightly backed up.
“Bring it back to me,” I said, while keeping my fingers inside.
She scooted forward to get back in place, and I let my thumb relax on her clit. I knew that when I started to tease it, she wouldn't be able to maintain her composure for long. I began to work all three fingers, and Nokea couldn't keep still. She rolled her lower body with the rhythm of my fingers and lifted her leg to widen up.
“Let me know when it's coming,” I said, still trying to keep one eye on the road.
“Ohhhh, my sweet, dear, and satisfying husband, it's coming. You'd better get ready ... because it's coming, now!”
I quickly swerved over to the side of the highway, put the car in park, and dropped my face between her legs. I sucked in her juices and closed my eyes as she pulled hard on my curly hair. After she came, she sat still for a few minutes, heavily breathing in and out. I rose up, licked my lips, and puckered.
“Wait a minute,” she said, leaning back on the door. “I can't move. Give me a moment to regroup.”
I sat up. “That was pretty good, wasn't it?”
“Scrumptious,” she said. “We must do that more often.”
I pulled my shirt over my head and tossed it to Nokea. Then I unbuttoned the top button on my pants and unzipped them. I put the car in drive and drove off.
“I guess I know what that means,” she said, wrapping my shirt around her breasts.
“It means it's time to pay for the good services I provided to you.”
Nokea sat up and moved over as close as she could to me. She straightened the curls in my hair with the tips of her fingers and told me she loved me.
“I love you, too,” I said.
“I hope Shane is going to be okay. Do you think he will?”
“I hope so. No doubt, we'll soon know.”
Nokea lowered herself, and I tried hard to stop the fluttering of my eyelids so I could see.
FELICIA
30
Being around Scorpio this long was starting to work my nerves. Thing was, she wasn't leaving the hospital, and neither was I. Her friends, Thelma and Louise, had already left, so that left Scorpio and me in the waiting room together. We said nothing to each other. When I'd overheard her calling me a liar, I almost went off on her. Simply because I didn't purposely lie about Shane being dead. I knew what the paramedic said to me, and if didn't nobody believe me, to hell with them. Maybe I should've waited around a little longer, but the way those bullets went into him, I didn't think he had a chance. Plus, after all of the blood he'd lost, how could anyone survive something so traumatic?
It was already 11:00
A.M.
, and I was tired of drinking coffee to stay awake. I'd only been back one time to see Shane, because his mother was back there with him and I didn't want to intrude. Scorpio had been back several times, and all of us were sitting around waiting until he woke up. His mother promised us that the moment he did, she'd let us know. She even suggested that we go home. But after what happened at my place, and after talking to this guy about handling some business for me, the hospital was where I intended to stay.
As I sat watching the TV in the far corner of the waiting room, I felt my eyes giving up on me. That was until Scorpio came over and sat directly in front of me. I pretended that I didn't see her, but that encouraged her to call my name.
“Yes,” I said with attitude.
“Now that it's just you and me here, would you mind telling me the truth about you and Shane? He told me something totally different about you and him, but I just want to be sure.”
“I guess you need to ask yourself if you believe him or you believe me. Since I'm such a big liar, why are you relying on me to tell you the truth?”
She clenched her fingers together. “I thought maybe now would be the perfect time for you to come clean. I'm sure you know we broke up because of what you told me, and if you the least bit want to do the right thing, why don't you be honest, Felicia?”
“Okay, so I lied about us having sex multiple times. Now what, Scorpio? Is that all you care about? How about asking me how Shane got shot. Or if I know who did it. You're not asking, because you don't care. All you care about is where he puts his dick and who he gives it to. I had several women to call last night and inform them of what happened to Shane. I got the numbers from his caller ID, and they're not here because you're here. So, if you think I'm such a problem for you, then maybe you should think again.”
“I didn't ask you all of that. I asked you about you and Shane, and not about the women calling his house. I can't believe how desperate you've gotten these days. Youâ”
I darted my finger at her. “No, you need to thank me for coming to you last night, telling you what happened. I didn't have to do it, Scorpio, especially given how I feel about you. I did it for Shane, and don't make me regret my decision. For the record, so you can hurry up and get the hell away from me, I forced Shane inside of me. Yes, he was angry, but it didn't stop him from coming inside of me. If you want more details, wait until he wakes up so you can harass him about it. You and I, we have nothing else to say to each other.”
I rushed out of my seat, and on my way to the door, I bumped into this man smelling too damn good. When I stepped back, I saw it was Jaylin. Motherfucka didn't even say “Excuse me,” and he walked right past me. He went up to Scorpio, and she jumped up from her seat, throwing her arms around him.
“I'm so glad you came,” she said. “Shane is going to be so happy that you're here.”
I was so busy watching the two of them that I didn't notice Nokea until she walked past and ignored me, too. Jaylin hadn't put one arm around Scorpio, and when she saw Mrs. Jaylin Jerome Rogers in the flesh, the bitch took two, maybe three, steps back. I wanted to crack the hell up. She looked as if she'd seen a ghost, and Nokea walked right up beside Jaylin and took his hand. I'd never smoked a day in my life, but I felt as if I needed a cigarette and needed it bad. No doubt, this was going to get interesting. So, to hell with a cigarette. All I needed to do was find the nearest seat.
I stepped over to the soda machine and got a Diet Coke. Afterward, I went right back over to my seat near Scorpio. Jaylin and Nokea had taken a seat close by as well, and we all sat together in one big square. Scorpio was filling Jaylin in on how Shane was doing.
“The doctors said they're not sure if or when he's going to come out of it. Basically, all we can do is wait. His mother has been back there with him for hours, and they're only allowing one visitor at a time.”
Jaylin stood up. “Well, you know me. I don't follow the rules. I'm going back there to see him now.”
Nokea grabbed his hand. “Baby, just sit down for a minute. If his mother is back there, maybe she wants to be alone with him. At least wait until she comes out and talk to her. Then you can go back there.”
“Maybe so,” he said. “Do you want a soda or something?” he asked Nokea.
“Not a soda, but bottled water would be great. Thanks.”
He walked off to get it, and my eyes searched his fine ass from head to toe. I didn't care that Nokea noticed my stares, and I took a sip from my soda can, making a slurping sound while drinking out of it. Scorpio knew she was on fire, too, and after taking a clearer glance of him, she crossed her legs, placing her hands between them. Jaylin came back, handed Nokea her bottled water, and took a seat. He had a can of Pepsi, and as soon as he opened it, it squirted out on his hands. Nokea removed the can from his hands and placed it on the table beside her.
“Let me go to the bathroom and get you a napkin,” she said.
She got up, and I turned my head.
Yeah, I see ya bitch,
I thought. I wanted to stick my feet out and trip her, but since I wasn't very well liked around here, I was trying to play it cool. If anything, she just wanted to be seen. I'd already peeped her expensive Dolce & Gabbana bag, which matched her shoes. I had something similar to it at home, but only in a different color. And those jeans? I admit, they were cute. But did she have to wear them so tight? I couldn't help but notice that they gave her butt a bit more cushioning. It was obvious that Jaylin thought so, too, because he couldn't keep his eyes off her. When she came back with the napkins, his eyes dropped right between her legs. He was a horny motherfucker, and looking at him gawk at her made me sick.
After Nokea wiped his hands, Jaylin turned to Scorpio. “Does anybody know exactly what happened?”
“I still don't know. I think Felicia knows, but she hasn't been saying much.”
I kept my eyes focused on the TV. I knew Jaylin wasn't going to say anything to me, and he surely didn't. A while later, I even got up and got some cupcakes, just to see if he'd follow, but he never did. But when I walked back to my seat, he made eye contact with me. He stared at me until I sat down in my seat. I took another long sip from my soda and bit into my cupcake. Damn, his eyes were gorgeous. I wondered if being this close to me, Scorpio and Nokea had him thinking about his sexual encounters with all of us. He'd definitely fucked and sucked us good, and to have not one or two, but three women who knew how big his dick was in one room together had to make him uncomfortable.
I couldn't help but gaze over at the hump between his legs, and just thinking of the times we'd spent together made my pussy throb. Then again, Jaylin was probably gloating inside. I was sure he was thinking about every position, all the orgasms, hollering, and screaming he'd caused each and every one of us. No doubt, I haven't found a brotha yet who could screw me as well as he did, but I guess all good things come to an end. Hopefully, Nokea's time was running out, too.
I took a deep breath in discouragement when Scorpio got her big booty ass up, flaunting it around. Jaylin was sure to get a peek, and anybody in their right mind could see and tell that he missed that ass. One of Scorpio's girlfriends was back, and she brought her some breakfast from McDonald's.
“I didn't know if you had eaten anything,” she said. “But here's a little something from McDonald's.”
“Thanks, Bernie,” Scorpio said as they both made their way over to some seats. “I'm not hungry, though. I can't eat a thing.” She paused and looked at Jaylin. “Bernie, you remember Jaylin, don't you?”
“Of course. How could I forget?” Bernie said, waving at him. “It's nice to see you again, but I'm sorry it had to be under these conditions.”
Scorpio intentionally forgot to acknowledge Nokea, who was sitting right next to him. Jaylin, however, wouldn't let her forget. “Bernie,” he said. “This is my wife, Nokea.”
I placed my hand over my mouth and cracked up on the inside. That was what the bitch got for trying to disrespect that man in front of his baby maker. The fakeness was too much for me, and I had to get up and go somewhere else. Just as I did, Shane's mother came through the double wooden doors. All of us rushed up to her.
“He's still not awake,” she said, looking frustrated. “The doctors say this is normal after surgery, but I want you all to go home and get some rest.”
“Before I go,” Scorpio said, “do you mind if I go sit with him? I've been waiting all morningâ”
Jaylin interrupted. “Well, I drove a long way, and I really would like to see him now.” He looked at Scorpio. “I haven't seen him at all soâ”
I had to add my two cents. “And I've only seen him once, and I've been here all night. Ms. Alexander, you know how close Shane and I are. We were just at your house the other day, and all I'd like to do is go back there and see him. I was with him when this happened, and I want to let him know that I'm here for him, as well as tell him that I'm fine.”
Scorpio rolled her eyes at me, and Jaylin walked off. He went straight through the double doors that Shane's mother had exited from and ignored Nokea when she called his name.
“Let him go,” Ms. Alexander said to Nokea. “I know he's been Shane's friend for a very long time.”
On that note, I left. I knew when I wasn't wanted, so to hell with them all.