Dirty Lay (5 page)

       “How can he afford these expensive bags anyway?  He some kinda drug dealer?” my mom asked.

       “No he’s not a drug dealer!” I said, but the truth was I didn’t know what Ant did.  I vowed to ask him when I saw him so I could put my mom’s concerns to rest.

       “Then what does he do?” she asked.

       “I’m not sure Mom but I will be sure to ask him soon,” I said.

       “You would wanna do that otherwise you can’t go out with him,” she said.

       “Mom!  What do you mean I can’t go?” I asked poking my lip out like a little kid.

       “I mean you can’t go!  I am not going to let my teenage daughter go out with some guy when you don’t even know what he does for a living!  He could be a drug dealer or something so until I find out what he does for a living you can’t go and that’s final!” she said.

       I stomped off to my room and slammed my door.  My mom made me so mad sometimes because she was so overprotective and over bearing.  I picked up my phone to call Antoine and thought that maybe he could come over a little early so he could meet her.  I knew after she met him that she would allow me to go out with him because Antoine was so smooth and charming.

       “Hey Baby Girl, are you ready for our date?” he said with a smile.

       “Well yes and no.  My mom says I can’t go out with you because you could be a drug dealer and she wants to make sure you aren’t one.  Can you please come over a little early to meet her, pleeeaassseeee?” I begged.

       I could hear Antoine take a deep breath in and thought he was going to cancel our date but instead he said, “Okay sure, I’ll see you at two thirty.”

       “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” I said.

       “You’re welcome,” he said.

       We ended the call and I felt a whole lot better because I knew she would let me go out with him after she met him.  I busied myself throughout the day until it was almost time for Antoine to come over.  I took a quick shower, applied my lotion and perfume then began getting dressed.  I was slipping my feet into my sandals when there was a knock on the door.  I quickly ran to the door because I didn’t want my mom answering it.

       I opened the door to find Antoine standing there looking wonderful!  He didn’t have his grill in and he wore jeans and a polo shirt with some Air Jordan sneakers.  I smiled at the way he smiled when he saw what I had on.

       “Hey,” I said giving him a hug.  Oh my Gosh this man smelled so damn good!

       “Hey yourself,” he said.

       I invited him in just as my mom made her way from her room.

       “Mom this is Antoine, Antoine this is my mom Shelly,” I said as I introduced the two of them.

        Antoine reached his hand out to my mom to shake hers and when she put her hand in his he said, “It’s nice to meet you Ma’am.”

       “Nice to meet you too,” my mom said looking Antoine up and down.

       “Shaniqua told me you had some concerns about our dating.  I’m here to put your concerns to rest, well I hope to do so anyway,” Antoine said.

       “I just wanted to make sure you weren’t a drug dealer, I mean the last thing I need is for my daughter to get caught up in some drug dealings with a drug dealer,” she said.

       “Yes Ma’am I totally understand, but you have nothing to worry about with me because I work for Ensco, the offshore company,” he explained.

       “Oh wow!  That’s a good job!” she said.

       “Yes Ma’am they pay well and I’ve been working there for the past three years,” he said.

      “Three years?  Exactly how old are you Antoine?” my mom asked.

       “Um 20,” he said.

       “You’re 20 years old?  What do you want with my daughter when she’s only 15?  Can’t you find a woman your own age?” mom asked.

  “Oh I know how old she is but I just made 20 and she told me she’s almost 16.  In answer to dating women my age I just think that Shaniqua is a beautiful girl and I just want the chance to take her out and have a good time with her,” he said.

       “By a good time what is it that you mean?” my mom asked.

       “I plan to take her to the aquarium and then I thought we would go to the movies and eat dinner,” Ant responded.

       “Sounds innocent enough, you just make sure that you don’t end up taking my daughter somewhere that’s causes her to put her legs on your shoulders!” my mom said.

       “Mom!” I yelled totally embarrassed.

       “Don’t Mom me!  This young man is four years older than you so I’ll be damned if I am going to let him think that you fixing to give him some of your cookies tonight or any other night for that matter!” she said.

        “Ma’am I have no intentions on taking your daughters cookies.  All I wanna do is show her a good time,” Ant said.

       “Can I go Mom, please?” I begged.

       “Fine, but make sure you have her back by eleven, she has school tomorrow,” my mom said.

       “Yes Ma’am will do and thank you,” Ant said as we hurriedly walked out the door before she changed her mind.

       “Sorry about my mom, she’s a bit overprotective,” I apologized.

       “It’s cool, she loves you and want what’s best for you.  Let’s go have some fun!” he said.

CHAPTER EIGHT-ANTOINE

      
I understood why Shaniqua’s mom had so many questions especially since she was a minor.  If she were my daughter I would have had just as many questions.  And looking at Shaniqua from behind as she walked she was fine.  She may have been a teenager but she had the body of a grown ass woman. 

       “Are we really going to the Aquarium?” Shaniqua asked.

       “You don’t like the Aquarium?” I asked her.

       “I do like it but I was hoping we would go somewhere exciting like the French Quarter or Bourbon Street!” she said.

       “Well we can if that’s what you really wanna do, I’m down!” I said.

       “Okay then Bourbon Street here we come!” she said.

       I drove in the direction of Bourbon Street as we listened to music in a comfortable silence.  She obviously liked the music that was playing as she bobbed her head in tune with the beats.

       After I parked my car we walked towards Bourbon Street from Canal Street and who should we run into coming out of Saks but Danayja.  I hoped and pray she wouldn’t start no shit because I wasn’t trying to hear that.

       “Hey Ant, I’m still waiting for my call,” she said looking directly at Shaniqua.

       “Well if it isn’t the poster girl for Starkist Tuna!” Shaniqua said.

       “Look ya lil bitch you don’t know shit about me so you really should,” Danayja was saying.

       “Let’s not start anything in the middle of the sidewalk in front of all these people.  Bye Danayja!” I said grabbing Shaniqua by her waist and pulling her with me.

       “What was that about?” I asked thinking maybe I had misjudged her thinking she was mature for her age.

       “I saw the way she looked at me when she was talking to you so she if she wanted to come for me I was just giving her a reason!” she yelled.

       “You don’t have to buy into her little tactics meant to piss you off!  I don’t want that girl and my being here with you should speak volumes!” I said.

       “You’re right, I’m sorry,” she said.

       “Now that we got that taken care of, that shit was funny yo; poster girl for Starkist!” I burst into laughter because that was pretty funny especially the expression on Danayja’s face.

       “Yea, homegirl looked like someone had slapped her ass!” she said as we laughed.

       We were walking by Big Easy Daiquiri Shop and I wanted something to drink; I would have preferred some Patron, Remy or Grey Goose but this would have to do.

       “Care for a daiquiri?” I asked Shaniqua.

       “I’m underage, they’ll never sell me one,” she said.

       “Maybe not but they will sell me one.  So do you want one?” I asked again.

       “Sure but not too strong,” she said.

       “Aight, any particular kind you’d like to try?” I asked.

       “I don’t know anything about alcohol so surprise me!” she said looking cute as hell.

       I walked into the shop and ordered a large hurricane with two extra shots for me and a medium strawberry with one extra shot for her.  I wasn’t sure how the alcohol would hit her but I wanted to loosen her up a bit and I felt the extra shot would do that.  I handed her the cup and took a sip of mine.

       “Try it,” I told her.

       She took a sip and said, “Mmmmm!  This is really good!  How did you know I liked strawberries?”

       “Don’t all women love strawberries?” I asked.

       “I don’t know about all women but I love strawberries and this drink is the shit!” she said taking a longer sip.

       “Slow down because the shit will hit you hard!” I warned.

       “Then let it hit me!  I came to have some fun!” she said as she slipped her small hand in mine and we continued our walk.

       “So are you single?” I asked.

       “If I already had a man, I would not be here with you,” she said.

       “So how long you been working offshore?” she asked.

       “About two years or so,” I answered.

       “So you like it?” she asked.

       “Yea it’s cool,” I said.

       “You got any kids?” she asked.

       “Nope; no kids, no woman, just me!” I answered.

       “What about you?  You have a job, kids?” I asked.

       “I don’t have a job because I have to watch my little brother and sister in the afternoons til my mom gets home from work,” she said.

       “Oh well that’s cool,” I said glad that wasn’t me.

       “I guess,” she said. 

       We walked until we came across a man playing his trumpet with an open case.  His music was actually pretty good so I hit him with a twenty in his case.  After he saw how much money I put in there it seemed like the music hit his feet because the nigga started dancing like Bo Jangles and shit.  I guess he expected me to throw more in that case but I wasn’t trying to pay him like an employer because I ain’t never put his ass on that corner.

       We continued walking and came across some kids with a jambox radio and the first thing that came to mind was that they were really cute.  They were all tap dancing their little hearts out so I slipped them forty dollars in their little clear jar.  Shaniqua and I began to walk again and I hoped that we didn’t run into anyone else with their little glass jars or instrument case open.

       We walked until we couldn’t walk anymore so I stopped the horse & carriage and paid the man to take us back to the corner of Bourbon and Canal Streets.  Shaniqua was on her second daiquiri and she was feeling really good.  As we rode in the carriage I put my arm on the seat behind her.  She relaxed her head on my shoulder and next thing I knew we were kissing; deep, sensual kisses.  I pulled her closer to me and began kissing her neck then her lips again.  When she let out a moan I quickly ended it because I realized where we actually were.  Kissing her I had forgotten all about where we were.

       The man stopped the ride and we exited the carriage.  As I passed him up I gave him an extra twenty for a tip and thanked him for the ride.  I held Shaniqua around her waist because she was a lil tipsy.  Her mom said she had to be home by eleven and it was a little after six so I needed to sober her up before I took her home.

       After I got her settled in the passenger seat of my car I went around and got behind the wheel.  I started my car and left the paid parking lot, merged onto the street and drove to my place.

       “Where we going Ant?” she asked in a slurred voice.