Player Haters (16 page)

I waited up for Wil half the night hoping he would come by but he didn’t show, and I was more than a little disappointed. I must have called his cell phone a dozen times, but I got no answer. Yeah, I know his son went to the hospital but he could have at least called. We were trying to build a relationship, weren’t we? When I got to work and his office door was open I think I might have been the happiest woman in New York. Taking out my perfume, I sprayed myself one good time, then unbuttoned the top two buttons on my blouse.

“Hey, Maxine.” Wil smiled as I entered his office. But it wasn’t the same God-I’m-glad-to-see-you smile he usually gave me in the morning. It was more like the “just trying to be friendly” smile he gave everyone else. I wondered why he was calling me Maxine instead of Mimi, too. I got my answer when the chair in front of his desk spun in my direction to reveal that smart-ass bitch, Jeanie Brown from upstairs. Her greedy ass was eating one of the brownies I’d left for Wil.

“Hello, Maxine. We were just talking about you.” Oh, God, this bitch was about to fire me. I could feel it by the way she was staring at my blouse. Why the fuck did she always show up at the most inopportune times?

“Oh, really. What about?” I lifted my hand and tried to nonchalantly button my blouse as I waited for an answer.

“How’d you like to work for the company permanently, Maxine?” Wil asked. “Full benefits and salary.”

“I’d…I’d love it. It’s what I’ve wanted since I started temping here.” I was grinning at them from ear to ear. I’d gone from wanting to smack this bitch Jeanie to wanting to kiss her. “Is this for real? You guys serious?”

“We sure are.” Wil smiled.

“Then I accept.” I wanted to close my eyes and jump up in the air and shout hallelujah. A full-time position working with Wil. God, this was like a dream come true. “Thank you so much. I can’t tell you how happy I am.”

“Good. You start in shipping the first of next month. Congratulations, Maxine.” Jeanie stood up and offered me her hand.

“Shipping? But that’s in the building next door.” I glanced out the office window at the shipping and receiving building. It was only a hundred feet away, but the thought of being in a different building than Wil made it appear miles away.

“It sure is,” Jeanie added with what looked like a smirk as she now adamantly offered me her hand. I took it, but I was no longer grinning.

“But what about this department? It’s busy season. Who’s gonna be the secretary in sales?”

“You will be till the end of the month,” Wil explained.

“Don’t worry about these guys. We’re gonna get them another temp, and Marge will be back soon enough,” Jeanie answered smugly. I wanted to smack her ass because this whole thing smelled like a setup.

I glanced at Wil who was coming around his desk. “They really need a go-getter like you over there in shipping, Maxine. That’s why I called Jeanie this morning and recommended you for the job. Congratulations.” He gave me a very professional hug that was all arms and no body.

“You recommended me?” I gave him a dumb-founded look as I watched him slide back behind his desk and sit down.

“Of course I did. After all the hard work you put in for me during this busy season, I didn’t wanna see anyone else get that job. You deserve it, Maxine.” If he called me Maxine one more time I was gonna wring his neck.

“Well, thanks a lot, Wil,” I replied. It was meant to be sarcastic but I don’t think he took it that way.

“You’re welcome. Now if you don’t mind, Jeanie and I have to go over a few of the temps’ résumés. Can you close the door on your way out?”

Oh, my God, he just dismissed me.
I went back to my desk and sat there irate for almost forty minutes while I waited for Jeanie to leave. When she did, she stopped at my desk, munching on another one of those brownies I’d left in Wil’s office.

“What if I don’t wanna go to shipping?” I asked.

“Then you can stay home, Maxine. I don’t know what’s going on around here, but whatever it is, I’m gonna put a stop to it. Do I make myself clear?”

She didn’t wait for a reply, she just walked away. I watched her disappear down the corridor, then headed straight into Wil’s office, locking the door behind me

“Why the hell did you recommend me for a job in another building?” I shouted.

“What are you saying, Maxine? You don’t want the job?”

“Will you stop calling me Maxine? And yes, I’m saying I don’t want the job. I wanna stay in sales. I don’t wanna go to another building. I wanna be with you, Wil. Don’t you want me to be here?”

“Sit down, Mimi, and lower your voice,” he said sternly.

I sat down and folded my arms with a pout. He got out his chair and walked around until he was standing in front of me. He leaned back against the desk before he spoke.

“The reason I recommended you is exactly what I said before. Because you deserve it. It’s a permanent position, for twice as much money, and full benefits. You needed the benefits, Max…ah, I mean Mimi. For yourself and your son. Positions like this don’t just pop up. I had to pull a lot of strings to get you this job. We’re in the middle of a hiring freeze.”

I let out a sigh of relief. I didn’t like what he’d done, but at least he was thinking about me and my son. At least he was showing me he cared. “Okay, but I wanna know something. Are you trying to get rid of me? Because I’m getting the feeling you’re trying to push me away.”

He exhaled. “No, Maxine. I’m not trying to get rid of you, but I do think we should keep some distance between us. We’ve been spending too much time together. People are starting to talk.”

“People like who, Jeanie Brown?”
That bitch was gonna have to have an accident.

“Yeah, she’s one of them. She and my wife—”

I cut him off before he could say another word. “Your wife? What does she have to do with this?”

“She doesn’t feel comfortable with you in this department.”

“Who cares what she thinks? She’s having an affair herself. Aren’t you leaving her?” Wil was starting to annoy me.

“No, Mimi, she’s not. And I care what she thinks because I’m not leaving her.”

What was he saying? This couldn’t be happening. I wasn’t gonna let him throw away what we had.

“But, but what about us?”

“Mimi, I’m sorry, but there is no us.”

“What do you mean there is no us? How can you say that after the other night? You liked the way I kissed you, Wil, and don’t you dare say you didn’t.”

He swallowed hard, staring at me. “I like you, Mimi. I like you a lot. You’re the type of woman I would wanna be with
if
I wasn’t married. Only I am married. I have children, and I don’t wanna lose them or my wife. And if you stay in this office, Diane’s gonna take them away from me. Please, you gotta understand.”

I’d never seen him like this. She really had him scared. He looked like he was gonna cry.

“Okay, Wil, I’ll go. But I want you to answer one question for me. Honestly.”

“Sure, all right.” He nodded.

“The other night, when you came over my apartment.”

“What about it?”

“If your friend hadn’t called, would you have slept with me?”

He took a breath and held it in a while as he mulled over my question.

“No, Mimi, I wouldn’t have slept with you,” he answered. But I knew he was lying. His entire face was flush, and for the first time during our conversation he wouldn’t make eye contact with me. His words might not have been what I wanted to hear but his body language told me everything I needed to know. Wil wanted me just as much as I wanted him. It’s just that his wife and Jeanie Brown were getting in the way.

I let out a deep breath of my own. “Okay, then. I guess we’re only going to be working together another couple of weeks.”

“Mimi, I hope you understand. I wish this could have turned out another way.”

“Oh, I understand, Wil.”
And this will turn out another way once I get rid of that wife of yours.
I turned around and walked back to my desk. By the time I sat down I’d formulated a plan. I wasn’t sure how it would work, but I sure as hell was determined not to lose Wil.

I walked into my bedroom, slipped outta my robe and hung it up on my closet door. I glanced at Prince who was snuggled under the covers, ’sleep. We sure put it on each other last night. I was tempted to wake him up for another round but he looked so peaceful sleeping and I really didn’t have time. I’d have to get mine when I got back from my hair appointment. I slipped on some underwear and a bra, then into my jeans and a sweatshirt before looking in the mirror. I added some lip gloss, then pulled my hair back in a ponytail. God, how did I ever live before I had dreads? They just made life so much easier. Picking up my purse, I walked over and kissed my sleeping boyfriend on the cheek. I hoped Andrea finished my hair quick so I could get back, ’cause just kissing him on the cheek was getting me hot.

I’d never had a relationship with a man like Prince before. Not only was he great in bed, he was so attentive and unselfish in every aspect of our relationship. If we ate pizza and watched the game today, the next day he’d take me out to dinner or rent a romantic movie and make popcorn. I could never get any other guy to do something like that without him being all over me before the movie was even over. And we had such intelligent conversations. Yep, not only was my boo fine, but he had to be the most well-rounded man I’d ever met.

“Hey, where you going?” He opened his eyes, reaching for me as my lips left his cheek. I let him pull me down on the bed and we kissed.

“I’m going over to Nu-Tribe to get my hair twisted. I’ll be back in a couple hours. Go back to sleep.”

He sat up immediately. “No, I’ll go with you.” He smiled, then pulled back the sheets. I pulled the sheets back over him.

“Nah, baby, stay here and go back to sleep. I’m already dressed and you’ll just get bored.” I sat up and kissed him again, smiling. “Besides, you’re gonna need some rest for when I get back.” I winked at him.

“I should go with you, Mel.” He had this kind of pleading look on his face.

He reached for the sheets and I pushed him back gently with a sigh. “Prince, lay back down. It’s eight o’clock. You know you don’t get up before ten on Saturday. Plus, I know you’re tired. Aren’t you?”

“Yeah, a little, but…”

“No buts, boo. You’ve been working all week and hanging out with me all night. You need to get some rest.” I stood up. “I’ll be back soon. Keep the bed warm for me, okay?” I looked at him again as I reached for my purse.

“Where’s your roommate? Is she going with you?”

“She went to the store to get some cigarettes.”

“She coming back?”

“I think so. You want me to have her make you breakfast?”

This time he didn’t say anything. He just pulled back the covers and sat on the edge of the bed.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m getting dressed so I can go with you,” he said sternly as he took his pants off my dresser and stepped into them.

“Why? I told you I’d be right back.”

“Look, Mel, either I’m going with you or I’m going home.” He gave me this dead serious look before pulling his shirt over his head. I wasn’t sure what was bothering him, but he sure had an attitude all of a sudden.

“Prince, this is ridiculous. Why are you so insistent on going to the beauty parlor? I told you I’d be back in a couple hours.”

“Yeah, that’s what you said last time.” He had to be referring to when I went to Wil and Diane’s and didn’t get to his house until after midnight.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing, all right? Just let me go to the bathroom. I don’t want you to be late for your appointment.” He walked out the room.

When he returned, I was not about to drop the subject. This wasn’t like Prince. He never had a problem explaining himself. “What’s wrong with you? Why you playing me so close, like you don’t trust me?”

“I don’t trust you?” He chuckled. “Look, baby, let’s not get into it, okay?”

“No, Prince. Let’s get into it. Don’t you trust me?”

“Yeah, I trust you.”

“Then why are you so insistent on going with me?”

He gave me an annoyed sigh. “Why you playing games, Melanie?”

“I’m not playing games, Prince,” I snapped. “Now would you tell me what’s going on?”

He took a deep breath. “Your roommate. She…” He hesitated, studying me with these distant eyes. He really did think I was playing some sort of stupid game. “Melanie, are you trying to test me or something?”

“Test you for what? Why would I test you? I thought you said this has to do with Desiree.” I didn’t know what the hell he was talking about. He had me totally confused.

“You know what this has to do with,” he said in an accusatory tone.

“No, Prince, I don’t. Why don’t you tell me?”

He studied me some more, then came out and said exactly what was on his mind. “Are you trying to test my loyalty? Is that why you had Desiree come on to me?”

I wanted to ask him to repeat himself, but I couldn’t speak because it was hard to breathe. I felt like I was going to faint. When I finally had enough air in my lungs I screamed, “No, you didn’t! No, you didn’t just say that you think I had Desiree coming on to you.”

“Yeah, I did,” he replied. “I thought you put her up to it.”

“Put her up to it? I ain’t put her up to shit,” I spat. “And what you mean she came on to you?”

He stood there in silence.

“I asked you a question, Prince.”

He exhaled. “Remember the other day when you left for work early?”

“The day I had to register for school.”

“Yeah, Wednesday.”

“What about it?”

“Well, when I woke up Desiree was in the bed with me and she was butt ass naked.”

“What the fuck! You lying? Why didn’t you tell me this before?” I wanted to choke him, and when he didn’t answer fast enough for me I answered for him. “Because you fucked her, didn’t you? You fucked my best friend.”

“No, I didn’t, Mel. I swear I didn’t. She wanted to but I told her no.”

“So why didn’t you tell me this before?”

“Because she said she was just testing me. To make sure I wasn’t trying to play you. Said that if I told you, she was gonna say I was lying. That you’d known her all your life and only knew me a month. That’s why I asked you if you were testing me. When you said you were gonna leave me here I thought you were trying to see what I’d do.”

He reached for me and I pulled away. I wanted to cry but I knew that wouldn’t do any good until I got to the bottom of this. There were always two sides to every story. I was just afraid to hear what Desiree’s was.

“I don’t like this, Prince. You better not be lying to me.”

“I have no reason to lie to you, baby.” We both got quiet until he asked, “What’re we gonna do?”

“I’m gonna get my hair done, then me and you and Desiree are gonna have a talk.”

When Prince and I got home from the hairdresser Desiree wasn’t there, so we sat and waited, silently watching TV for almost two hours. We’d barely said a word to each other and the tension in the apartment was thick enough to cut with a knife. Part of me just wanted to forget the whole thing. For me this was a no-win situation. I was either gonna lose my best friend or my man. There really wasn’t any middle ground, and that gave me a migraine. But that was nothing compared to the nausea I felt when Desiree walked through the door smiling like she’d won the lottery.

“What’s up, y’all?”

Neither of us answered and she didn’t seem to notice until she placed a bag of groceries on the kitchen table.

“What’s wrong with you two? Trouble in paradise already?” She laughed and my whole attitude changed.

“How could you, Desiree?” My eyes got real small and it was a good thing I was sitting on my hands or I mighta jumped up and smacked the shit outta her.

“How could I what?” She gave me this condescending look that sent me into a rage. I had told myself I was gonna act like a lady about this, hear her out, listen to what she had to say, but I’d seen her give that same patronizing look a thousand times. It usually meant she was gloating about something.

I jumped up off the couch and it was lucky for her that Prince grabbed one of my arms to hold me back. “You call yourself my friend, bitch?”

“I am your friend!” She stared at me like I’d lost my mind. “And who you callin’ a bitch?”

“I’m calling you a bitch.” I swung at her wildly with my free hand. “Lemme go, Prince!”

“What the fuck is wrong with her?” Desiree screamed as she jumped out the way of my fist, staring at Prince.

“Calm down, baby,” Prince pleaded.

“I ain’t gonna calm down. I’m gonna kill this bitch! Now lemme go!” I was twisting and turning all over the place trying to get to her ass. Somehow I finally connected with my free hand in a loud
slap!

“Awww!” she screamed, grabbing her face. “What the fuck is wrong with you, Melanie?”

“You! You what’s wrong with me, you stupid bitch! Lemme go, Prince.” I struggled until I was close enough to get in another blow.

“You dirty ho!” she screamed.

“I got your ho, bitch! Lemme go, Prince!”

She touched her face again, then balled up her fist. She finally looked like she was ready to fight. “Yeah, Prince, let her go.”

“You think you gonna play me? You think you can fuck with my man? In my bed? I’ma kill your ass.”

Desiree’s eyes went straight to Prince. “Is that what he told you? That I was trying to fuck him in your bed?” She shot Prince a look, then turned to me.

“You damn right! He ain’t got no reason to lie.”

“Why not? He’s a man, isn’t he? And you called me a stupid bitch.”

That was it. I couldn’t take it no more. I went absolutely berserk. I don’t know if I pulled free of Prince or if he let me go, but within seconds Desiree and I were rolling around on the ground fighting like cats and dogs. I had a hand full of her weave and she’d ripped off half my blouse.

“Stop it! Y’all stop it!” Prince yelled, pulling us apart. I’m not gonna lie. I was glad he did because I was huffing and puffing so much I thought I was gonna pass out. Not to mention Desiree was starting to get the best of me toward the end.

“That nigga is trying to play you,” Desiree huffed.

“The only one trying to play me is you. You call yourself my friend, then you try to fuck my man.”

“I just told you I wasn’t trying to fuck him. That nigga was trying to fuck me!” She backed away and grabbed her bag. I was afraid she was gonna pull out a knife. “Here!” She threw an envelope at me.

“What the fuck is this?”

“It’s a letter I wrote you. I know how much you care about him, Melanie, but he ain’t shit.”

“See,” Prince said, “I told you she was gonna try some shit like this, baby.”

I ignored him and opened the letter.

When I finished reading the letter, I read it again. When I finished reading it the second time, I glanced at Prince, then over at Desiree, who was staring at me, all bruised up with a plug outta her hair. “I’m sorry, Dez,” I whispered. Then I turned around and slapped the shit outta Prince.

“Get the fuck outta my house.”

He took a step back, staring at me in astonishment. “Baby, don’t do this. That bitch is lying. You playin’ right into her hands.”

“You the one lying,” Desiree snapped. Prince took a step in her direction.

“I told you to get out my house, Prince,” I screamed, pointing at the door. He approached me with open arms. “Now I know why you and Trent are so close. Your ass is just like him.”

“Baby, that’s not true. She’s lying. I swear to God she’s lying.” He gave me a pleading look that I ignored.

“Desiree, call the cops. This fool thinks I’m playin’.” Desiree picked up the phone and started dialing. Prince shook his head and walked toward the door.

“I love you, Melanie. I hope you remember that when you find out the truth.”

I watched Prince walk out the door, then turned to Desiree. “You got a cigarette?”