The Dirty Divorce (13 page)

“How old are you?” she asked.

“Thirty-eight.”

“What difference would it make how old I was anyway? You’re a married man, right?”

“Baby, I can change your life. Don’t worry about things that don’t matter,” I replied.

“Well, it matters to me, I’m not about to play second. I’m wifey material.”

I smiled. She was feisty, and I liked that. “So, you’re just gonna throw away a winnin’ lottery ticket, or you gonna give me a chance to show you how a man is really supposed to treat a woman.”

“Marisol will be mad. She already told me not to talk to you before we even got here. She must know that you’re a flirt, huh?”

“Look, put my number in your phone. I’ll let you make the call if you’re ready for a real man.”

I didn’t even have to press the issue before she grabbed my phone, and entered her seven digits. It was easy. All I had to do was kick game and she was all in. I knew that I would be inside her tonight. It didn’t matter to me if she had a man or not. As fine as she was, she was gonna be my new side chick. She was good as in my room for the night. Minutes later, Marisol and Carlos raced back to the table as the countdown began.

“Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one…Happy New Year!” the entire club roared wit’ excitement.

Watchin’ Carlos and Marisol made me reminisce on what Lisa and I once had. Tempted to call, I grabbed my phone and quickly realized that I had three missed calls all from Denie. I decided instead of callin’ Lisa, I would send a text to my baby girl instead.

Happy New Year Baby G! Daddy loves you!! 2010 is here! I wrote.

Yeah, but you’re not,” she hit me back.

I knew I’d let my Baby Girl down once again, but when I looked over and saw Jade lickin’ her full lips, any concerns other than me gettin’ my dick sucked quickly faded away.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Lisa

This was the first time that I’d brought in the New Year alone without Rich, besides when he was in prison. After a long hot bath, I took a couple of sleeping pills and watched the Dick Clark Special on T.V. For some reason it was hard for me to get any rest without taking at least one pill or two each night. Rich and I always spent New Year’s Eve together, but I had no regrets on asking him to leave. Though the emptiness and quietness in the house made me feel lonely, I felt it was time I started my year off right. As I stared in a daze at the Christmas tree, I thought of all the meanings and memories of each one of my ornaments. We always exchanged ornaments as a tradition during Christmas, but with the drama going on, that shit never even crossed our minds this year.

How did we get to this, I wondered? One of my favorite ornaments was from Juan. It was a beautiful Swarvoski crystal angel that he’d gotten custom made for me the year before. I missed the holidays when we were all together as one big happy family. I missed them even more now that I knew our family would never be the same.

Snapping out of my daze, I heard Denie still upstairs crying. She’d been in tears for hours. Now, I had a new enemy in my daughter because she blamed me for putting Rich out.

****

The next morning I was awakened by Juan, who came into the family room to congratulate me on finally standing up to Rich. Since he was my first born, he’d witnessed much more than Denie. Juan always had been there to comfort me, since the late night fights that began when he was only five years old. I was grateful that despite what he’d witnessed growing up, he’d still turned out to be a respectful young man, which made me proud. Juan was like the man of the house in a way.

“Ma, I’ll be back to get you around six o’clock, so make sure you’re ready. We’re going out to eat to celebrate you being single and to get 2010 started off right.”

I smiled when he mentioned me being single. “It sounds nice, but I don’t really feel up to it.”

“Listen, I’m not taking no for an answer, so make sure you’re ready.”

Seeing my husband in my sons’ eyes was scary. He had this boss swagger to him and I knew it was a matter of time before he would be a full-fledged spitting image of Rich. He looked just like me, but the way he spoke and carried himself was Rich all the way.

“Okay, fine. I’ll be ready.”

****

At exactly 6:15 p.m., Juan and I headed downtown to Ruth’s Chris on 9th Street. This was the hangout spot for the guys who were getting it and the girls who were trying to score a dude with some cash. Since we rode in Juan’s car, I had to listen to rap and go-go music for the entire ride, which had gotten on my last nerve by the time we pulled up in front of the restaurant. It wasn’t long before an Ethiopian gentleman greeted Juan and opened his door. Juan let him know to keep his car out front to earn an extra tip and the man quickly complied.

Even though it was still early, there was a forty-five minute wait on a table, so Juan suggested that we eat in the bar area. He seemed to be quite friendly with all of the bartenders and waitresses, so we got a bar table expeditiously.

“What’s up Steve?” Juan greeted our bartender.

“What’s up man, who’s the beautiful lady?” Steve flirted.

“Slow down man, this is my mother, Mrs. Lisa to you,” Juan emphasized Mrs.

“Hello, Mrs. Beautiful Lisa.”

“Hello Steve, what’s your chef’s special today?” I asked, keeping the conversation strictly about the meal. I was in no mood for flirtation.

Steve must’ve gotten my drift and proceeded to tell us about the specials and what he suggested we order. Juan and I both went with filet mignons and two sweet potato casseroles. Steve approached the table again within minutes with our drinks and some warm bread and butter. The lemon drop with Ciroc he’d made was the best I’d ever tasted.

“Mrs. Lisa, how do you like the lemon drop? It’s my specialty,” Steve asked.

“It’s really good Steve, great job. I mean no…amazing job. Damn, this is so good,” I over exaggerated and it worked because he walked off embarrassed. He was a nice guy, but I just wasn’t in the mood for the flirting or the attention. I just wanted to enjoy my dinner with my son.

“Ma, you’re so nice- nasty.”

I frowned. “What is that suppose to mean?”

“You be shooting dudes down. I mean I don’t wanna see my moms’ with no dudes or nothing don’t get me wrong, but if you and Rich gonna get a divorce, how you gonna plan to date if you don’t even know how to talk to a man.”

“Juan, do you realize your father is the only man I’ve ever dated in my life. I’ve been with him since I was sixteen. I don’t plan on dating anyone in this decade. Do you know what it feels like to be sick and tired of being sick and tired? I just want to focus on living for me and being happy. I’m just taking one day at a time.”

“You’re such a strong woman and I love you.” When Juan reached over and gave me a hug, I began to tear up a little until we were interrupted by some little hoochie.

“Who the fuck is this bitch, Juan? I just had to beat a bitch ass last week cuz you want to be a hoe, I don’t mind....”

“Nicole, I should beat your ass for disrespecting my mother like that. You’re the hoe! Get the fuck away from this table before I smack the shit out of you!” Juan said as he grabbed Nicole by her neck.

Her mouth was open so wide, she could’ve caught a fly. “I’m so sorry, Mrs. Sanchez. It’s just that Juan is always cheating on....,” Nicole tried to say.

“What the fuck did I tell you?” Juan interjected.

“Well, if you learned to call me back then I wouldn’t be tripping out on you,” Nicole said as she walked away feeling and looking stupid. I remembered her calling our house a few times a while back, but Juan never brought her around. I actually have never met any of Juan’s girlfriends since his first love, Ciara, who now had a baby by some other guy. She’d definitely hurt my son.

“Juan, I’m afraid for you. You’re becoming your father more and more everyday and I don’t like it. I always wanted more for you. You’re my first born and I love you so much. I never wanted you to turn to the streets. You have so much potential to be successful in life. It would crush me if anything ever happened to you.”

Before Juan could respond, a busty young waitress named, Lauren, approached the table with our food. “The plates are very hot, so careful please,” she warned with a smile directed at Juan. I knew there was something between the two of them from the look Lauren gave him right before she left. With Juan just like his father, I wouldn’t put it past the fact that my son had fucked her already.

“Ma, I want this evening to be special. I’m sorry that you had to witness so much disrespect at the start of our dinner.”

“It’s okay. I know how these young women can get, but you always need to remain respectful. I don’t ever want to hear that you’re putting your hands on a young lady. It’s just sad because these girls are getting all wrapped up so young, when they really need to be focusing on their futures. I just pray that your sister stays on the right track. It’s so easy to get wrapped up in a man and lose yourself. I just don’t want my daughter to experience the life I’ve lived,” I said as it dawned on me that I should’ve taken my own damn advice.

“Ma, I’m worried about Denie. She seems very withdrawn and I blame Rich.” Juan had stopped calling him Dad about two years ago and it still seemed weird to me. Juan was still very angry ever since Rich went to jail and would always blame him for everything that went wrong in our family. The exact same shit that Denie did to me.

“I know, she worries me, too. All she does is just stay in her room, either painting or writing. Every time I try to reach out to her she just clams up and I don’t know what to do. I feel like I don’t know my daughter. She doesn’t bring friends over anymore, I mean I don’t even know any of her friends, and the ones that call the house are rude as hell!”

“That’s why I get so mad at Rich. When he got locked up, she got pregnant because he wasn’t there to hold us down. Man, he messed Denie up, and now with the stunts he’s pulling it ain’t gonna do nothing but make her worse.”

“Your father ain’t shit and I don’t want you to be like him. That’s why I keep telling you I don’t want you messing around in them streets. Suppose something happens to you? Do you know how that will tear my world apart?” My eyes began to tear up at the thought of my life without my son.

“Okay Ma, we said this would be a peaceful night and you’re working yourself up. Let’s talk about something else,” Juan suggested in a calming tone.

As soon as I was about to take my son’s advice, I laid eyes on that bitch Trixie coming in the restaurant with some dude. As if she knew we were there, she made a b-line straight to the bar area with the dude in tow.

“Damn, your boyfriend hasn’t been dead a month and you’ve got a new victim already,” I taunted as soon as she was within earshot.

Trixie swung her nappy weave over her shoulder. “What? Who the fuck you talking to, Lisa?”

“You. You’re full of shit, Trixie. Faking like you’re my friend, and the whole time, you were fucking my husband. You home wrecking bitch!” By now, everyone was looking at us.

Juan interjected as I got up to get in swinging range. “Hold up, Ma.” He then looked at Trixie’s date. “Man, don’t let your bitch get outta pocket.”

“Slim, you don’t’ wanna any of this,” the guy with Trixie replied.

“Don’t fucking talk to my son like that! Trixie, tell your pimp he outta his league,” I shot back. “You want him and your bitch-ass baby father to be side by side six feet deep, then try me!”

Trixie laughed. “Wow, fly-ass Lisa Sanchez in Ruth’s Chris making a damn fool out of her self. You got so much anger and animosity, all over some dick that every bitch in the city has had. If you think you’re the only one who Rich loves, then you’re tripping. You have no clue.”

“I should’ve listened to Marisol and never trusted your ass.”

“Marisol lucky I ain’t fuck Carlos’ fine-ass anyway. Maybe he’ll be next.”

At that moment, I grabbed my steak knife and lunged toward her, but was quickly stopped by Juan. By that time, even Steve along with two other men who looked liked management had joined the party. They immediately asked Trixie and her guest to leave.

“Why make us leave? She started it,” Trixie said pointing at me.

When the men told her it was best, she shook her head, then headed toward the door.

“This shit ain’t over!” I yelled out. By the time I sat back down, Juan was shaking his head.

“Damn Ma, I didn’t know you had all that fire in you. Look, try and calm down. Remember, this dinner is about us, not your loser ass husband. It’s crazy how Rich can ruin anything without even being present.”

“Juan, I don’t wanna talk about your father, or anything that just happened. I wanna get past all that. I just made a spectacle of myself so just let it go.” Regaining my composure and skipping the subject, I thought of something else to get Rich and Trixie off my mind. “So son, who’s the lucky lady in your life, is it Miss Lauren?”

Juan laughed. “Ma, you think you know me. I just have friends. I let it be known that I’m not looking to get serious with anyone. I don’t know why Ma, but since Ciara, I have a hard time trusting anyone.”

“Baby, you have all of your life to get serious with someone, but for now just be careful. Make sure you don’t bring no babies home. Be respectful to women. Make sure you treat women the way you would want a man to treat me and your sister.”

Just when I was beginning to lecture Juan, his phone rang.

“Yeah wassup, Black,” he answered. “Ain’t shit. Them people cool or they need something else?”