Suspicions (20 page)

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Authors: Sasha Campbell

BOOK: Suspicions
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26
Candace
“What's that smell?” I stepped into the apartment to find Tiffany sitting on the couch and my apartment smelling like burnt paper. “Tiffany, did you hear what I said. What's that smell?”
She looked at me long enough to say, “Oh, I was burning Kimbel's pictures on the patio.”
“What?” I hurried through the kitchen and out the sliding door to find my barbecue grill lit on my small patio. The blaze was roaring. Right beside it was a bag of charcoal and lighter fluid. Was that chick crazy or what?
The day after Tiffany got back from Jamaica, I made the mistake of inviting her to stay with me. Her mama can be a straight bitch, and I knew she was getting tired of hearing how she had made a big mistake by giving it up so soon, so I suggested she come and stay with me and Miasha while she got herself together and found another place to live. Ever since, she's been half going to work, canceling her hair appointments, and spending the day lying around the house, listening to sad love songs and crying over that infected fool. I honestly didn't know how much more I could take.
I went and grabbed the fire extinguisher from the pantry and put the fire out. “You've got to get yourself together,” I replied when I stepped into the living room to find her staring at the television screen. She had no idea what she was watching. The local news was on and I knew she didn't watch the news. “You got to quit tripping over that dude. He ain't worth it.”
“It's not that,” she finally said, then trained sad eyes in my directions. “I'm now damaged goods. Nobody else is ever gonna want me.”
“You don't even know if you have it yet. Why don't you wait until after you've been tested before you start jumping to conclusions?” She was acting like a CD on repeat. I've been hearing this same song all week and I had it up to here.
“I know I've got it. I have this gut feeling,” Tiffany whined.
“You are starting to sound crazy.”
She cut her eyes in my direction. “Okay, so what would you do in my situation?”
“I would go get tested instead of sitting around moping over that fool.”
“That's easy for you to say; you're not in this situation. I'm just scared.”
“Scared of what?”
“What I might find out.”
“You act like you got AIDS or something.
That's
when you need to be tripping.”
“Who knows? I go get tested and I might discover that herpes is the least of my worries. There ain't no telling what else that bastard might have.” She hopped up from the couch and was pacing back and forth across the length of the room. “I don't know how I was ever in love with that grimy muthafucka.” She looked like she was itching to punch someone.
“Love is blind. Trust me, I know.”
“But this was supposed to be my one and only. He knew the rules from day one, and yet he manipulated my ass into giving him my most precious gift. This is so fucking unbelievable.” She flopped back down on the couch and started crying again. I didn't know what to say at this point.
“Listen, Tiffany, everything is going to be all right.” I took the seat beside her.
“I might have sores growing in my mouth at any moment. I can't believe I went down on him. I had his tainted penis in my mouth. Dammit! How could I be so stupid?”
“Girl, I'm sick of listening to you talking about this. Just bring your behind down to the clinic and get tested.”
“Hell no! I'm not coming down to no freakin' free clinic. Every broke bitch in town goes there, and Thursday night is dirty dick night. I don't think so. I'll make an appointment and go see my own gynecologist.”
“Good. As long as you take the test and get this mess over with, 'cause you're starting to get on my damn nerves. I already told you Chauncey said he could hook you up with one of his boys.”
She rolled her eyes at me, then curled up in a ball on the couch again.
“No, thank you. I don't think I'm ready yet to start dating again.”
I'd be damned before I sit around moping over some muthafucka. “Why don't you come to my company picnic with me and Chauncey?”
She shook her head. “I don't think so.”
I was through trying to talk to her. Just as long as she didn't burn down my apartment, she could lie on my couch all day and mope if she wanted to. I went into the room and changed out of my work clothes and got ready for my afternoon, but I could hear her in the other room, crying again. I think it was time for me to find Tiffany another place to live. Even Chauncey was starting to get annoyed by her behavior. Whenever he came over, Tiffany wasn't even respectable enough to go in the spare bedroom; instead, she would sit out on the couch with us and want to talk about Kimbel. When she wasn't talking about him, she was crying. I had hoped five days in Jamaica would have made her feel better. I had even hoped she would have met some Mandingo who fucked her brains out; but if that happened she sure hadn't told me. All she talked about was that fool Kimbel. Whatever! I pushed my friend's problems aside and got ready for the afternoon.
“Park over there.”
Chauncey pulled into the parking space at the end of the park and turned off the car. I took a deep breath and stared across the seat at his fine ass. I was still amazed how far we had come in such a short time. We had been seeing each other almost every evening I didn't have class, and the days that I did, after I got Miasha to bed Chauncey and I would talk on the phone until we both fell asleep. It was amazing how in such a short time Chauncey had become such an important part of my life. So important that I had invited him to my company picnic.
The city annually gave us a day they called “giving thanks.” It was being held this year at Jackson Park located behind the Museum of Science and Industry. There were amusement rides, food vendors, games, and live music.
I climbed out and helped Miasha from her seat. Together, the three of us moved through the park and it felt like we were a family. When Chauncey took my hand, I smiled up at his handsome face. This was definitely going to be a good day.
Miasha started jumping up and down.“Mommy! Mommy! Can I have a balloon?”
“Sure you can,” Chauncey said before I had a chance to answer. I smiled over at him and took a moment to admire how good my man looked in stonewashed jean shorts, a Chicago Bears' jersey, and fresh white sneakers. I wasn't looking bad either. I was rocking a pink tennis dress with a short pleated skirt and crisscrossed pink sandals.
Chauncey scooped Miasha up in his arms and carried her over to buy a balloon. I took the opportunity to glance around, looking for whomever I knew. Everybody at the clinic was required to be there. Chauncey and Miasha returned and we strolled around the park eating cotton candy. I found my supervisor and made sure to walk up to her. Not necessarily so she could meet my man, but to make sure Sylvia knew I was here so I would get paid. She had made it clear, anyone who didn't show up was going to be charged four hours of annual leave.
“Well, well, who do we have here?”
I swung around and Gloria was all up in my face. Whoever did her weave needed to find another profession, because I could see the tracks at the front of her head.
“Hey, what's up, Gloria?” I said, then saw the way she was looking at Chauncey. Her eyes traveled over his body, pausing at his chest. I been around her long enough to know she liked everything she saw. That chick better check herself. “This is Chauncey and you already know Miasha.”
“Of course I know Miasha.” Her eyes were glued to my man. “Chauncey, huh?” she purred seductively. She then had the nerve to stick her flat chest out like she had something for him to look at. Her breasts were like two bumps in the road. “Hmmm . . . you look familiar.”
Chauncey chuckled, then shook his head. “Sorry, but I've never seen you before.”
She wasn't ready to let it go, but I was on to her. Gloria was just looking for an excuse to flirt with Chauncey. “No . . . I've seen you. I just can't seem to put my finger on it. A man as fine as yourself, I never forget a face.”
Well, she needed to forget this face, because
it
and everything else belonged to me. He was my dream come true and I'd be damned before I let some chick steal my man.
“How did your date go with Deon?”
Frowning, she held her nose, then mumbled, “Oooh . . . puhleeze.”
Laughing, I took Chauncey's hand. “We'll see you later.” I dragged him over to the other side of the park. As far away from her as I could. I introduced him to all my coworkers and everyone adored him. We had a ball. Chauncey competed in the potato sack race and even volunteered to go in the dunking booth after he found out the proceeds went to a local charity. On several occasions, I spotted Gloria staring at him from across the park.
“I think you have an admirer,” I said to him as we were eating Chicago dogs.
“Oh yeah, who?”
I nodded my head in the direction of the kissing booth where Gloria was working. “She's waiting for you to come over.” I teased between chews.
He frowned. “There ain't nothing that string bean can do for me.” I couldn't help but grin at his comment. “I like my women with curves.” He leaned down and pressed his lips to mine. I glanced over my shoulder at Gloria in time to see the jealous look on her face. I giggled and wrapped my arms around him. Chauncey was mine and nobody was going to change that.
27
Chauncey
While hugging Candace, I got mustard on the front of my jersey. I went into the men's room to try to get it out. Luckily, it took all of two minutes.
I was having a good time. With the three of us together, I couldn't help it, I felt like I finally had a family. Other than my sister, I didn't have anyone else. But I did now. I wasn't ready yet to think about my relationship with my father. I had already spent too many hours trying to sort out what he had told me and figure out how much of it was true and what part was a lie. Right now I needed to focus on what was important, and that was my new family. I had Candace and Miasha, and I planned to keep them. If things continued to go as well as they did, I planned to talk to her about taking our relationship to the next level—moving in together.
I was walking out the men's room when I spotted Gloria standing against the wall outside the door. The grin on her face told me she had purposely been waiting for me. I saw her watching me long before Candace had mentioned it. Gloria wasn't half bad. Kinda skinny with puppy dog eyes. Her best assets were a small, narrow waist and an ass that I could have balanced a glass of water on top. But I was a titty man and baby girl didn't have any.
“Hey,” she said to me. Her tongue slid across her lips while she stared down at my crotch. I'll have to say it was the first time a woman looked at me and made me feel uncomfortable.
“Whassup . . . uhhh . . . Gloria, right?”
“Yep.” She stepped forward. “I saw you go in there, so I thought I'd wait and see if you needed anything.”
What I needed, she couldn't give me. “I'm good . . . really.”
She moved closer until she was invading my space and pressed her hand against my chest. “You're sexy as hell, but you already knew that, didn't you?” she said, then laughed. “Why don't you call me some time.” She took a piece of paper from her pocket and tried to put it in my hand.
“Nah, boo. No disrespect, but I'm good.” I turned and walked away. I couldn't believe how scandalous she was, trying to holler at me when my girl wasn't looking.
“Chauncey!”
This girl was going to make me say something to her she wasn't going to like. I swung around and met her slick grin. I should have known she was going to be trouble.
“You know . . . I finally figured out where I know you from. You used to mess with my girl, Tameka. I've seen your picture on her phone.”
It took everything I had to hold it together at the mention of that stalker. She hadn't called me once since she saw me out with Candace. I shrugged. “Yeah, that's the past.”
I watched her bring a hand to her waist and rest her weight to one hip. “I don't know, because the way Tameka talks, you still sliding up over there. Matter of fact, you were at her place last week when I called.” She smirked to herself as if she'd just heard a private joke.
I laughed, then shook my head. “You got it wrong. Somebody may have been over there, but it wasn't me. I haven't messed with that girl in months.”
“Really? Then I guess that's her loss.” She licked her lips and I watched her eyes drop to my crotch again. “I heard you are packing, and the way my girl talks about you all the time, I can't blame her for still wanting some of that.”
I glanced over my shoulder to make sure none of Candace's coworkers were around listening. “Listen . . . I've moved on. It's about time Tameka does the same.”
Gloria giggled like she had a secret. “Wait until I tell her I saw you.”
I walked away without even bothering to say good-bye. Damn, I had pretty much thought I had gotten rid of that crazy chick. Now there was no telling how she was going to react. Seeing us at a restaurant was one thing, but knowing I was out doing the family thing in front of one of her friends was another thing altogether. All I can say was, she better not try to mess with Candace; otherwise, she'll have hell to pay.

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