Chapter 2
Miki thought Bebe was rather handsome. He had a thuggish quality about him though. The plain white tee, navy Dickies, and black workbooks looked good on him. His soft brown complexion was almost too smooth to go with such attire. His face was trimmed nicely to a thin mustache and a beard with a little length to it. He had deep-set brown eyes, thick eyebrows and long lashes. His lips were nicely shaped, not too full but not thin. And his hair! Again, the deep waves laying to his head did not match what he had on.
Miki watched him as he exited the door. He had to be a little over six feet or right at it. From the look of his toned forearms and the veins popping out Miki could conclude that he probably had a sexy body under that white t-shirt. She could see he had a bow to his legs and his left foot slightly crooked in as he walked. How cute, she thought. He was half pigeon-toed.
Miki took her foot off the brakes and slowly pulled out of her parking spot. A van was blocking her from exiting the lot. Bebe glanced back and saw her. Miki pretended not to see him and looked straight ahead. He had been heading to the curb where he and other parents parked alongside the road.
The van finally moved. As Miki eased her car forward Bebe got right in front of her car wearing a mischievous grin. Miki tried not to, but she smiled. He came around to her side. “What’s up, beautiful?”
Miki noticed he had beautiful teeth. “Nothing.”
“I want your name and your number and you’re gonna give ‘em to me,” he said playfully.
Miki replied, “And what if I don’t?”
“Then I’ll give you mine. Is that cool?”
“Do you not care if I have a man?”
Bebe shook his head, “Nope.”
“Wow. You have no respect for the next man at all huh?”
Bebe said, “Let me keep it real with you. I have no respect for any man that did that to you. Or them love licks on your arms.”
Miki flushed with embarrassment. A part of her felt ashamed but then she felt offended. How was he going to be tacky like that and point out her lip and the bruises on her arms?
“You too pretty of a woman to be getting hit on,” Bebe continued. “Here, take my number. Call me when you want to be treated like a woman should be treated.”
Miki said, “Don’t worry about it. I won’t call you.”
“I tell you what. When you’re ready you can find me here dropping off my daughter who happens to be in your daughter’s room.”
Miki offered him a sweet smile, “Okay Mr. Bebe.”
Bebe looked at her suspiciously, “I didn’t give you my name.”
“Ms. Nicole said it,” Miki said. A car had pulled up behind her.
Bebe looked at her, seduction playing in his eyes. “I’ma let you go. But I’ll see you around.”
Miki watched him saunter in front of her car towards the curb. He got in a navy older model Silverado truck. Her mind wandered dancing around with the idea of being with another man. It was times she wanted to be because everybody knew Redd had many girlfriends. Redd had a wife too that he swore up and down that he did not mess with.
Miki did have a fling with Kendrick, the one she recently got her ass beat about. He was during a time when Redd had violated parole and did nine months of time. That was a couple of years ago. Kendrick still had a thing for her. He was nice and a good friend but that was all Miki let it be.
Miki went in the opposite direction that Bebe’s truck went, however she kept her eyes on it in the rearview mirror until it disappeared.
It was something about Bebe that grabbed her attention. He seemed very collected, confident, and somewhat cocky.
Miki found her way to Kat’s condo. Kat had become Miki’s best friend when they met some years ago. Miki was seventeen and Kat was nineteen. Kat was going with Redd’s friend Oscar. They hooked up because they were always left alone together. Kat went through the same treatment from Oscar as Miki did with Redd. They talked about the two men behind their backs. When Miki was scared and needed someone to confide in, it was Kat and vice versa. Their friendship grew over the years.
“Getcho ass in here,” Kat said holding the door open.
“I hope you made breakfast,” Miki teased. She plopped down on Kat’s ivory sofa. Kat’s condo was decked out very chic and sexy. A person would think no children lived there but Kat had a nine-year-old daughter and a five-year-old son. Both were Oscar’s.
“I don’t cook. You should know that by now,” Kat said going into the open kitchen. “But I got some frozen blueberry waffles and some sausage patties you can throw in the microwave.”
“Girl, I’m good. I was just messing with you. I ate two boiled eggs for breakfast.”
Kat gave Miki a blank look. “Two boiled eggs? I know you ain’t trying that damn dieting shit again.”
Miki grimaced, “I’m fat Kat.”
“Where? The only thing about you that’s fat is your booty. Stop playing.”
“And my thighs...And my arms. Look at this,” Miki said holding up her arm and wiggling it.
Kat sucked air through her teeth. “Ew Miki,” she said with concern. She rushed over to her friend touching her arm where a purple whelp was. “He did this?”
Miki became self-conscious about it. “Yeah. It’s fading now.”
Kat frowned, “He gon’ get his one day. You oughta beat him with a bat in his sleep. Crack him across the head on the first swing. That way he’d be so fucked up he won’t be able to think when you swing that shit on him again.”
Miki giggled, “Girl you crazy.”
“I’m serious,” Kat said. “Ox got one more damn time to try to put his hands on me. I’m sending that mothafucka right back to prison.”
Miki sighed, “But why do we put up with this?”
Kat shrugged. She gestured around her condo, “This. The way we live I guess. I can’t think of another good reason why cause the dick sho’ ain’t all that.”
“You ain’t never lied,” Miki said.
“I only let Ox come around for the money. Miki, you don’t even work. Redd been taking care of you ever since you were seventeen. He put you in that big house and got you in a Range. You always dressed to the nines in designer shit. Hair laid...by me of course. Téa got the best shit. You live real good. Now you tell me why you ain’t left.”
Miki gave it some thought. “I’m scared.”
“Fuck Redd!” Kat exclaimed. She got up and went back to the kitchen. “How many waffles you want?”
“I’m straight,” Miki said sadly. Then she remembered Bebe and smiled. “Kat, this dude tried to talk to me at Téa’s school.”
“What he look like?”
“He was nice looking.”
“Like how? Better than Redd?”
Miki didn’t understand why but all of the ladies thought Montez Jeffries was the finest thing walking. Miki at one point thought so too but over the years he became uglier and uglier. He was mixed with sandy colored dreads and he had hazel green eyes. He was six feet and three inches tall with a large frame. He was solid but not cut up. Their daughter Téa had his eyes and his sandy hair.
Miki said, “Better than Redd.”
“Ooh...better than Redd? Was he light skinned?”
“Nope. He’s brown with a low cut but got waves for days like the Pacific.”
With a faraway look in her eyes, Kat pondered, “Hmmm…Chocolatey brother. If you had to compare him to somebody like a celebrity, who?”
“Uhm...I don’t know,” Miki answered.
“He’s gotta look like somebody Miki,” Kat said.
“He doesn’t really. Not anybody we know. But remember how David Banner’s beard used to be a lil long? That’s how his is.”
“So, you ain’t gon’ talk to him anyway,” Kat teased.
“You’re right. But the nigga had the nerves to say something about my bruises.”
Kat snickered, “What did he say?”
“It doesn’t matter. It was impolite like a child asking an amputee, ‘hey what happen to yo hand’. He coulda act like he didn’t see them.”
“Everybody ain’t you Miki. They can see the obvious when you pretend it doesn’t exist.”
_____________
It was almost two o clock when Bebe bothered to check his phone. “Shit,” he hissed. He dialed his mother.
“What boy?” she answered.
“Mama, did you get Kennedi?”
“Yes. I been got her. Do I gotta get BJ too?” Joyce asked.
“Why you figure you gotta get BJ?” he asked confused.
“Cause Ken-Ken said Stefani brought him to you this morning.”
“I don’t know but he’s in aftercare. I can call Stefani and ask.”
“Blyss?”
“Yeah Mama.”
“Can you check on your brother? Deja said she think he on that stuff again.”
And do what? He knew his brother Silas was using. Shit, he never stopped. Bebe tried to get Silas on the right path time after time. He would straighten up for a couple of weeks then he’d disappear for a month or two until he needed something. Bebe didn’t give him money freely. He made Silas put in a day’s worth of labor with his landscaping and home improvement business.
“Oh, and your twin need you to call her.”
“For what?”
“I think she need you to help her move.”
“Where her nigga at?”
“Blyss, don’t be like that. That’s your sister. Bless needs your help.”
“Alright Mama. Let me call Stefani real quick.”
“Call me back to let me know either way.”
Bebe hung up with his mother and dialed Stefani immediately. She didn’t answer. He sent Bless a text: what you need?
He was about to text Stefani, but she called back. “Whatchu want?”
“Do I need to get BJ?”
“Nah, I got him. But can you get him Friday until Sunday night?”
“Uhm...this is my free weekend. I had him last weekend and the weekend before that...and the weekend before that one.”
“I know but Bebe, I’ve been invited to go to Vegas for the weekend,” she said excitedly.
“I’m sorry but am I supposed to be happy for you?” he asked sarcastically.
“Yes! I’ve never been.”
This right here...this was the shit he had to deal with. When it came to his children he did whatever he had to. If that meant putting his personal life aside, then so be it. But Stefani had to do better. “I’ll get him Stefani.”
“Thanks! Oh...and can I get five hundred dollars?”
Bebe hung up on her.
“Bebe, that lady said she didn’t want that red mulch,” Dinky said walking up on him.
“What she talking about? She asked for that.” Bebe said annoyed.
Dinky removed the toothpick from his mouth, “She said she wanted the dark mulch.”
“I hate dealing with her ass,” Bebe groaned. He walked back in the lady’s yard with Dinky. It took him ten minutes to convince the old white lady to go with the red mulch as initially ordered. He didn’t prefer it because it looked unnatural and it faded eventually. However, it could make a yard pop out. With her red shutters and white siding, the red mulch would look good. Today, this lady was getting red mulch because that’s what she ordered.
Bebe called his mother back to inform her she didn’t have to get BJ. Bless text back: I’m trying to move by this weekend. I need some help
Bebe text back: what day?
Bless: Saturday, in the morning
Bebe had his bank contracts to fulfill on Saturday mornings along with other commercial locations closed on the weekends. Bebe: how about I let u borrow my truck and Marvin can get somebody to help him move
Bless: Marvin ain’t coming with me, he ain’t helping
Bebe had to call her on that. When she answered Bebe shouted into the phone, “What!”
Bless laughed. “Shut up boy. You so retarded.”
“What is this? You leaving that nigga?”
“I am. I got me a duplex for me and my two boys.”
“Oh-oh! I get my twin back!”
“Bebe, stop that,” she said. “So, can you help me?”
“Are y’all getting a divorce?”
“Right now I’m filing for a separation.”
“Well, that’s a start. I’ll help you personally Saturday morning. And that mothafucka bet not trip either.”
“He won’t,” she sighed. “I’m just tired of his stuff.”
“Say ‘shit’ Bless. It sound better.”
Bless giggled. “I will not use such language.”
“You’re so suburban. Where is this duplex?”
“It’s close to your house actually. It’s right there when you first turn into Northridge from Caruthers.”
“I know what duplexes you’re talking about. Shit, that’s walking distance from me.”
“Yep. Lil Marvin and Marcus will be bothering you every day.”
“I wouldn’t mind. I’m just glad to have you closer and away from dickface.”
“Bebe. That’s not nice.”
“When it comes to niggas like him I don’t have nothing nice to say. I met this girl this morning. Fine ass woman! But I recognized right away her dude had laid them hands on her. She had whelps on her forearms and her lip was cut. Just like you, she in a Range, one of the new ones. She was kept up real nice. I mean, is the luxury lifestyle really worth it?”
“When you’re at that place in your life, for women like us it feels like it’s worth it. But I’m at a different place now...I want real happiness,” Bless said.
“I’m glad ‘cause them boys don’t need to see that shit.”
“But you saw it Bebe. You came out alright.”
“That coulda went either way though. Hell, I still suffered from anger issues.”
“You’re a good guy Bebe. The black community need more of you.”
Bebe blushed. In his modesty he said, “Its other men out there that set a better example than I do.”
“Why do you do that?”
“What?”
“You don’t know how to take a compliment.”
“I do Bless. It’s just...I’m afraid I might fuck up at some point.”
“You haven’t in all these years. What you need is a good woman in your life. I’ma find you one...Down there at the church.”
“Oh, hell nah! I’m good sis,” Bebe exclaimed.
“I’ma hook you up,” she sang.
“Hook your other brother up with some rehab.” Bebe threw out.
Bless’ tone changed to a sullen one. “Yeah, Mama told me about him. But what can we do Bebe?”
“I don’t know,” he sighed.
“What we won’t do is totally give up on him. Right Bebe?”
“I guess,” he said carelessly.
“Bebe!”
“Okay. We won’t. Damn...”