His Last Name (23 page)

C
HAPTER
49

Zakiya

A
ll we do is argue and that can't continue. I love my husband and I have to make it work. I have to save my marriage. I came up with an idea to surprise Bril on the road. We haven't been getting along and he's acting like he used to act when he was cheating. It was a reality check. I don't want to go back to be where we were when I was pregnant and lost our first baby and was checking blogs to see who he was with and where he was at. So I had to do something.

I decided I was meeting him on the road in Orlando. It was a crazy idea and hopefully it would work. And it would as long as the front desk clerks went along with it. There were two women stationed at the desk, an older Hispanic woman and a young black woman. The older woman appeared like she would follow every procedure in the book. So I put my money on the younger one.

“Hello, my husband is checking in tonight and I arrived early. His name is Jabril Smith.”

I handed her my credit card and she said, “This room is already paid for and reserved by a private company. And the rooms are not listed.”

“Yes, I know there is a separate list. It's my husband's birthday and I'm trying to surprise him.”

“I don't know if I will be able to do this.”

“I can show you my ID and I have this for you.” I slipped three crisp one-hundred-dollar bills across the counter. “I know the rules, but I'll do anything. I can get you tickets to the game.”

“I don't like basketball, but I do need to pay my car note and I can give the tickets to my dad. I'm not going to check you in, but I'll make you a key and then you can take the service elevator up to that floor, because there is security.”

“That's fine and thank you.”

Jabril came into his hotel room and was shocked to see me. I was propped on his bed looking sexy as hell in La Perla lingerie.

“What are you doing here?”

“I wanted to surprise you.”

“You must have been reading my mind, Zakiya,” He dropped his bag and came over to me and I began kissing him. “I've been thinking about you and Brilah all day. I know I've been acting like an ass and I'm sorry. Everything been crazy and I have been taking it out on you.”

“I know, Bril, and I'm sorry for not being more understanding. I just want to be with you and our family. I'll do whatever takes.”

“And I only want you. And right now I'm thinking about making our family bigger. Brilah needs a brother.” He kissed me and then looked me over again. “You look good, Kiya. Can you meet me in every city? And wear this outfit.”

He picked me up and held me against the wall. He took his dick out and inserted it in me. He pushed up and I pressed down. We made love for hours. I felt sexy and loved, like his lover that he missed.

C
HAPTER
50

Shanice

I
missed Jabril so much. I needed to touch his skin, smell his cologne, and feel him inside me. There is only so much sexting you can do. Our schedules have been out of sync for the last few weeks and we haven't been able to see each other.

After taping two times a week for the last three weeks, I had an opening in my schedule so I decided to fly out Cleveland to see him. Our visit would be short, but at least I could spend some time with my boo. When I got to the hotel, he was watching a movie and smoking. I was happy to be with him, but I wanted to go out somewhere. I was tired of us just lying in the bed.

“Did you eat?” I asked.

“Yeah, if you are hungry, get some room service. I ordered something earlier.”

“Okay.” I came up to him, lovingly kissing on him, and gave him a hug and he told me to chill. Didn't he know I had been in the airport for hours and got on two planes to be with him, and he wouldn't even give me a hug?

“Come on, I'm trying to watch this movie. You know I'm out of here in the morning. That's why I told you it didn't make sense for you to fly all the way out here.”

“I know, but I missed you and wanted to see you. I wanted to please my baby.” I got up and began searching for the room service menu. “We are wrapping up taping and I don't know what next week is going to look like. They said soon we have to start promoting.”

“When you are doing those interviews, just make sure you don't mention my name.”

“Why would I say your name?”

“You know how they start asking you who you deal with. There's a lot of drama associated with them type of shows. For your sake I hope it is worth it. And you're not on there looking crazy.”

“I won't. Our producers are nice and they have been real cool.”

“Come on, you are smarter than that, Shanice. Once you get on one of those shows, it is like opening a Pandora's box. I don't want anyone Googling you and somehow my name gets brought up. I don't need that. I don't think I can deal with that. We might have to fall back.”

“So you are saying choose to promote the show or you. That's not even fair.”

“You just have to figure out what you want to do. You know how I feel about you. I just can't have any extra attention on me. I have a wife and child and that's that.”

I was speechless. He was just talking about how unhappy he was and now he's talking about his wife and kid. I was about to be on television and he wanted me to give everything up to be his number two.

“Listen, Jabril, one thing don't have anything to do with the other. I already did the show, and I want to be with you. I need to take care of my mom and daughter, and this television show and all the opportunities that come along with it can help me do it.”

“All right, do the show, but I'm good,” he said as he blew smoke into the air. “We still cool, though, but I'm good. I am a married man. I can't be out here all reckless.”

“So what am I supposed to do? Just be hidden underground with you the rest of my life?”

“Zakiya, get out of here with that shit.”

“My name is Shanice!”

“My bad. Look. You know what it is with me. I may go through things with my wife, but I'm not going to ever leave her. You gotta be able to live with that or be out.”

I wanted to leave him. I hated him right now. I hated the way he was acting like he didn't have any emotions and was just plain mean.

“It's men that would love to have me on their arm and treat me right.”

“The door is always open, Shanice. No one is keeping you here.”

I hated when he spoke to me like he didn't care or like I didn't mean anything to him.

“Then maybe I need to leave.” I got up off the bed and rolled my suitcase out the door. I didn't really want to go anywhere, but he didn't come running after me. I was confused about what had just happened. I came to spend some time with him and that upset him? I'd rather go home than be disrespected.

In the airport I texted Deuce.

He texted back in less than a minute.

I dialed his number. I felt so alone and I hoped he still wanted me because Jabril and I were over. “Babe, I'm ready now.”

“Okay, when you coming to New York?”

“I'm coming tomorrow.”

I felt tears coming down my face. I was done with Jabril and going back to my teddy bear.

When I made it back to Philly, I got in my car and drove straight to Deuce. He didn't ask any questions. He just took me in. I went to hug him and noticed there was less of him. He had lost weight and Jabril had lost me forever.

C
HAPTER
51

Adrienne

I
was looking for a place every day and there wasn't anything that was nice and affordable. I didn't want to be living in a war zone again and so Warren asked me to stay with him to save my money; plus, he liked having a live-in girlfriend. I had cashed his check and sent some money to my mom and left the rest in the bank. I decided I wasn't going to send any to Ian or his stepmom yet. I still needed to recover my entire two hundred thousand dollars before he got anything. Plus, what was he going to do? Sue me from jail? The script was registered in my name, which meant I owned it.

Warren had everything I needed—money, good looks, and star power. He had a few simple flaws, which could be worked on. He worried a lot and overanalyzed everything. I think he worked himself up sometimes so much, he couldn't concentrate when we were having sex. It's strange, he was very sensual, but sometimes he went all night and other times he came in minutes. It was most certainly not a deal breaker; those things could be fixed. I'd rather have a rich boyfriend with a fifty-fifty stroke than a broke one that could always get it up.

I couldn't wait to get to Georgia and get my Asia. Six months had passed by and I had everything the judge wanted me to have: a steady source of income and I had completed my online parenting classes. This time I walked into the courtroom feeling very confident. Not only did I have my attorney, but Warren hired an additional attorney and sent his uncle with me to court.

DeCarious's mouth dropped when I walked in with my legal team. Needless to say, I won. The judge granted me primary custody and I could take Asia with me to California, effective at the end of the school year. I could live with that, because I wasn't sure exactly what I would be doing or where I would be living.

I thanked my lawyer and called Warren. “Babe, I won. I'm about to pick her up from school and then I'm going to spend a few days out here.”

“That's great news . . . Okay, I will. Give me a minute.” He was in and out of the conversation.

“What are you doing, Warren?”

“Nothing.”

I heard a female voice say, “We need to be out of here in fifteen minutes.”

“Who is that in the background?”

“The publicist for the movie. I have to call you back. She needs to prep me for the red carpet. Congratulations, babe. But I got to go. I can't wait to meet Asia.” He hung up before I could say good-bye.

Warren never called me back and I felt a little uneasy, so I called him back. And he didn't answer. Warren had called me every day, but since the premiere not one phone call. Not one text. What was going on? I didn't even know if he was still in New York or on his way back to L.A.

Now back in L.A., I called his phone and my call went straight to voice mail. I went to work out to get my mind off the fact that I hadn't talked to my man in two days. I felt like I was about to lose my mind. I kept thinking about all of the beautiful, stylish New York supermodels and actresses who would love to date him. I felt a little insecure. I couldn't help it. I wanted to call him again, but instead I decided to go to Morgan's and pick up the last of my things. I could only imagine what she was going to say when I went back to retrieve my things from her house, so I decided to give her a call and let her know I was on my way.

“Hey, Morgan, I'm coming by to get my things.”

“Okay. I have your last paycheck and my new assistant already packed your things.”

When I first met her I was down and out, and Morgan had a life I could only dream of. Now I was standing almost on the same level as her. Granted, I didn't have the alimony and the kids yet. I knocked on her door. Morgan answered and had everything packed neatly for me in storage containers.

“Thanks, Morgan, for everything.”

“Yeah, you're welcome. I hope everything goes well for you. I wish I could tell you that you have a job with me if everything doesn't work out, but I would be lying to you.” She laughed at her own joke and then smiled.

“No, I won't be needing it. Thanks for the opportunity. I owe you.”

“You do and I will come and collect one day. Be careful. I'm happy you found love and got a good one. He would have been nice for me, but who knows . . . RJ is getting a divorce, so anything is possible.”

“It is.”

* * *

I knew people who worked doubles and still managed to call their significant other. And with all the modern technology Warren couldn't find a way to communicate with me in five whole days! That was unacceptable. I was done calling him. Eventually, he would have to come home and then he would have to explain everything. I cleaned out his closet so I would have more room for my belongings.

On the sixth day Warren came in calling out my name. I purposely walked past the door and acted like I didn't see him.

“So what am I, invisible? I know you seen me just come through the door.”

“Well, maybe I'm treating you like you have been treating me for the last six days. How is it possible that you can't answer your phone?”

“I was working.”

“You found time to tweet and post pictures.”

“Are you serious? I don't do that; you know the PR team is in charge of that. I haven't had three hours of straight sleep since I've been gone. Even on the plane they had me working. Interview after interview, radio station after radio station. Since I was in New York, they decided it would be a good idea to have me do some surprise advance screening appearances at a few theaters. I'm exhausted. I have been in nine states in three days.”

“You couldn't have sent one text message? There is no excuse.”

He wrapped his arms around me and said, “You know what, Adrienne. I'm sorry if I didn't answer your call. I'm so tired. Come get in the bed with me.”

I pulled away from him. “No, because I don't know who else you have been sleeping with.”

“Who I have been sleeping with? Whatever. Don't start acting crazy on me. There isn't anything going on. You are my lady and to prove to you and the world I'll let you walk the red carpet at the premiere here. Will that make you happy?”

“Yes, it will.”