Authors: Carl Weber
Baby Momma Drama (25 page)
“No, I guess you’re not.” She took my hand and smiled weakly. “If you’d like, I’ll go in and wait with you. Travis might not act so crazy if I’m here when you tell him.”
“Nah, it’s not gonna make any difference.” I shook my head. “You go on home. Besides, I made this mess by myself, so I gotta clean it up by myself. I just hope I can think of a way to do that before Travis gets home.”
“Don’t play games with this, Stephanie,” she advised. “Tell him the truth. Lying is just gonna make it worse.” She grabbed my hand as I moved to step out of the car. “I love you, little sister. I’m here if you need me.”
“You know what, Jasmine?” I smiled at my sister with newfound respect. “I’m really starting to believe that. But why? I’ve been a bitch to you all my life.”
“Yeah, but you’re also my sister. Except for Momma and Derrick, you’re all I got.”
“I hope you feel that way after I tell Travis about this gonorrhea. ’Cause I might be knocking on your door to sleep on your couch.”
“I don’t think it’s gonna come down to that.” Jasmine tried to sound upbeat. “But if it does, you’re always welcome.”
“You’re serious, aren’t you?” This newfound sisterhood was hard to believe, although it was touching me. Me and Jasmine had never been close, but it was great to have someone to lean on, especially now that I’d made such a mess of my life.
“Yeah, I am serious,” Jasmine said.
I leaned over and kissed my sister’s cheek.
“Thanks, Jazz, for everything. I don’t think I coulda made it through this without you.” I stepped out of the car but stuck my head back in when a thought came to me. “Listen. I’m not sure if I’ll still be gettin’ married after all this, but if I do, I’d like you to be my maid of honor. I was gonna ask LaShawn, but with everything that’s happened, I want it to be you.” I smiled at my sister. “Think you can handle the job?”
“You damn right. I’ll be the best maid of honor a sister could ever have. I’ma throw you a shower you’ll never forget,” she promised.
“Good.” I felt good until I remembered the CVS package I was holding. “Lemme go inside and take this medicine.
“I love you, Stephanie.”
“I love you, too, Jasmine.” I closed the car door and walked toward the house, dreading the rest of my evening.
Today had probably been the worst day of my life. I had made a big mistake messin’ around with Malek, and now I was payin’ for my mistakes big-time. And I knew things would only get worse once I told Travis the truth. But as bad as things were, I was glad. I’d made a new friend today. I just couldn’t believe it was my sister.
21
Jasmine
I walked into the house and collapsed on my couch. I was so tired, I felt like I was gonna pass out right then and there. Becky, Sabrina, and I had gone down to Petersburg to celebrate Dylan’s birthday, and I don’t think I’ve ever had that much fun celebrating a birthday, including my own. Unfortunately, I was paying for it now. By the time we left the club and had breakfast at the Waffle House, it was almost seven o‘clock in the morning. I didn’t get home until seven-thirty, which left me barely enough time to take a shower and drag my ass to work. I should’ve called in sick like Becky and Sabrina, ’cause I can’t remember the last time I’d been this damn tired.
I felt like I was glued to my couch. Thankfully, Dylan was going outta town for the weekend. Usually, on Friday night we would go out to dinner and see a movie. Just the thought of getting up made me wanna cry. Of course, whoever started banging on my door didn’t care how damn tired I was. I tried to ignore it, but the knocking just got louder and louder.
“Who is it?” I finally whined from the couch.
“It’s me!” Sabrina let herself in, looking spry and energetic. I wanted to slap her. She probably slept all day.
“Damn, girl. Think you coulda waited for me to say ‘come in’ or something? I coulda been in here getting my groove on.” She didn’t have to know I didn’t have the strength to undo a zipper right about now.
“Gettin’ your groove on with who, yourself?” Sabrina shoved my feet aside and sat next to me.
“Very funny, Sabrina. I coulda had a man in here,” I protested.
“Please, Jasmine. I already know Dylan went outta town.”
“Why you always gotta bring up Dylan?” I tried to sound offended as I hid the grin on my face. “Like he’s my man or somethin’.”
“He is,” Sabrina said matter-of-factly as she lit a cigarette. “You know you luuuuuuuuv him.”
“Girl, please. He is just a friend. I got a man, remember?” I waved my hand, hoping to put an end to the conversation.
“How could I forget,” she mocked. “The almighty Derrick.” She exhaled her smoke. “So you don’t want Dylan, huh?”
“I told you. We’re just friends.”
“You didn’t answer my question, Jasmine.” Sabrina rolled her eyes. “And you sure wasn’t acting like you were just friends last night at the club. I was about to go upstairs and see about getting y’all a room.”
“Sabrina, you need to stop. We were just dancin’, that’s all,” I insisted.
“Just dancin’! Girl, you were all over that man. You two looked like Siamese twins joined at the hip. Y’all didn’t even separate on the fast songs.”
I blushed. She was right. We were dancing kinda close.
“Joe said you was shaking your ass so much you mighta been havin’ an orgasm,” Sabrina laughed.
“Oh, please. Joe needs to mind his business.” I turned my head, hoping she wouldn’t see my embarrassment. I wasn’t that lucky.
“Oh, my God! He did it, didn’t he?” Sabrina shouted, eyes wide with a grin from ear to ear. “He made you come on the dance floor, didn’t he?”
“No, he didn’t.”
“Yes, he did.” Sabrina wasn’t giving up that easy.
“No, he didn’t. But . . .” I knew she wouldn’t let up until I confessed. “But there was a couple o’ times there that I came damn close to an orgasm. I had to stop myself.”
“You call a man who can do that to you ‘just a friend’?”
“Mmm-hmm.” I nodded. I know it sounded ridiculous, and Sabrina definitely felt the same.
“Girl, you crazy.” Sabrina took a long drag of her cigarette. “So tell me again why you don’t want him.”
“It’s not that I don’t want him. Believe me, I lose sleep at night thinking about that man.”
“Then what is it? It’s obvious he likes you, too. And don’t tell me you don’t wanna cheat on Derrick, ’cause girl, whether you like it or not, you crossed that line a long time ago.” Her words were true, and my conscience ached from the guilt I’d been struggling with ever since I met Dylan. Sabrina was not the one to worry about feeling bad or staying faithful.
“You might as well just go for it. Find out if he’s the one for you, before Derrick gets out,” was her advice. “Hell, as fine as Dylan is, you might fuck around and learn something new.”
The phone rang and I groaned. My body was sore from all the dancing, but I stretched to reach the phone. Even though it hurt to move, I was thankful for a break from Sabrina’s interrogation. I didn’t really mind her questions so much. Hell, that was the way me and my girls got down. I’d done the same thing to her and Becky many a night. What was bothering me was that she was right. My feelings for Dylan
had
crossed the line a long time ago, and everyone could see it wasn’t fooling anyone but myself.
had
crossed the line a long time ago, and everyone could see it wasn’t fooling anyone but myself.
“Hello?”
“This is the AT&T operator with a collect call from Derrick. Will you accept?”
I thought about hanging up the phone. This was just what I didn’t need right now. I was tired, frustrated, and, thanks to Sabrina, heavy with Dylan on my mind. The last thing I needed was to talk to Derrick.
“Miss, will you accept the call?
”
”
“Yes, operator. I’ll accept.”
“Hey, baby, guess what?” Derrick didn’t waste any time with formalities. He sounded too excited for even a hello.
“What?” I stifled a yawn.
“I’m coming home on Sunday.”
“That’s not funny, Derrick.”
“I’m not joking. They’re releasing me early.” I found that hard to believe.
“But you got two months to go.” This news was so sudden. Maybe I was just overtired, but he wasn’t making much sense.
“Not anymore.” I could hear him smiling through the phone. “They said something about the prison being overcrowded. They need the beds. Everyone who’s on parole had their release date moved up two months,” he explained, his voice like a child on Christmas morning. “Baby, I’m coming home!”
“Oh, my God. You’re serious, aren’t you?” I wanted to be happy for him. For us. And before I had met Dylan, I would’ve been. This would have been the happiest day of my life. But now I had to watch my tone so I didn’t sound too disappointed. Or at least confused. I didn’t know whether to be happy or sad. I was still trying to figure out my feelings for Dylan, and I damn sure thought I was gonna have more than two days to do it. Life just wasn’t fair.
“Yeah, I’m serious, baby.” Derrick got quiet for a second. “God, I can’t believe I’m going home!”
“Neither can I,” I replied, not nearly as overjoyed as he was. “Neither can I.”
I talked to Derrick for about twenty more minutes. He’d done most of the talking, and thankfully, I don’t think he noticed how quiet I was. I just listened. My mind was too preoccupied. I was nervous about how his release would affect my relationship with Dylan. Derrick would never stand for it if he knew Dylan and I were friends. That much I was sure about. He was too jealous for that. Problem is, I don’t think I could stand not being able to talk to Dylan.
“Did I hear you right? Derrick’s coming home early?” Sabrina was staring at me as I hung up the phone.
“Sunday,” I mumbled. “He’s coming home Sunday. I’ve gotta pick him up at nine o’clock.”
“Damn. What are you gonna do about Dylan?” She waited for a reply, which, of course, I couldn’t give. I had some serious choices to make all of a sudden, but I had some serious thinking to do first.
“To be honest, Jasmine,” Sabrina offered her opinion, “I think Dylan’s the one for you. I just wish you could see how you two look when you’re together.”
I laughed, “That’s exactly what Big Momma said.”
“Well, you know what they say. Old people are wise people when it comes to the ways of love.” She patted my leg, then stood to leave. “Ultimately, you gotta do what’s best for you. ’Cause whatever decision you make, you’re the one who’s gotta live with it. You can’t have both of them.”
“I know. I just wish I knew what I was gonna do. I love them both.”
“Well, then, girlfriend, you got a problem.”
I fell asleep on the couch right after Becky left, but I wasn’t asleep more than an hour before I heard a knock on the door. I was still totally exhausted, so I damn sure wasn’t in the mood for company. I figured it was Sabrina, back with relationship advice for me, so I just ignored it. But unfortunately, the knocking didn’t stop and Sabrina didn’t let herself in again, so I finally got off the couch and went to the door.
“Who?” I shouted.
“Wendy” I looked through the peephole, and there was Derrick’s ex, standing at my door with her son. She must’ve heard through the grapevine that Derrick was coming home, ’cause this was the first time she ever showed up at my door. And if she knew what was good for her, it would be her last.
“What do you want, Wendy?” I opened the door with a clenched fist. Last time I ran into her was at the prison when I ripped half that cheap-ass weave outta her head.
“Derrick said that if I ever needed anything I should come by here.” She shoved a small knapsack in my arms. “Well, I need a baby-sitter.”
“So, what’s that got to do with me?” I stared at the knapsack.
“Look, I gotta catch the bus up to Roanoke to bring Derrick a package. My mother’s drunk and I can’t find Derrick’s mother anywhere. You’re the only one I know who’d be home on a Friday night. So you’re my baby-sitter.”
“I am, huh? Well, contrary to popular belief, I do have a life. So you’re gonna have to find another baby-sitter.” I tried to hand her the knapsack but she refused to take it.
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