The Roof is on Fire (10 page)

“I so want those shoes.” Chase pointed to a picture in the magazine. “But they cost too much.”

Brashaney cleared her throat. I assumed that she noticed the attitude as well. “Hey, Jaylin. Would you do me a favor and get the vacuum cleaner out of my truck? It's kind of heavy.”

I paused the game and left to go get the vacuum cleaner for Brashaney. I was gone for only five minutes, but when I got back, Chase and Jada were looking at me, shaking their heads. Brashaney was standing next to them with a raised brow.

“What?” I questioned.

“You know what,” Brashaney said. “Let's just say that I had an opportunity to shed a little light on our past relationship.”

“Relationship? I don't recall that we had one.”

Jada laughed and stood up. “On that note, I'm goin' to the bathroom.” She looked at Brashaney. “I hope you're not comin' in there anytime soon, because I got some demons to release. My stomach has been bubblin' and boilin' all mornin'.”

“No need to announce it,” I said, frowning. “Just go handle your business.”

Jada rushed out of the room holding her stomach. I told Brashaney the vacuum cleaner was by the door, and for the next several hours
she got busy. Real busy—I must say so myself, especially since I went behind her to make sure things were done the right way. She didn't wrap it up until almost nine o'clock that night. I stood at the door, wrapping the cord around the vacuum cleaner so I could take it back to the truck.

“Thank you,” she said, wiping sweat from her forehead and drinking from a glass of cold lemonade that I had given to her.

“No, thank you. I appreciate this, and you can be sure that I'll be calling for you again real soon.”

“I hope so. This is the most money that I've made all week. Plus, I enjoyed myself. It was good seeing you and it was quite a surprise.”

“Same here.” I reached out to give her a hug. She held on real tight—so tight that it made me wonder what she was feeling inside. I backed away from her, then kissed her cheek.

“I'mma take this outside,” I said, referring to the vacuum cleaner. “Do you need my help with anything else?”

“I do, but I'll settle for another glass of lemonade.”

“Go ahead in the kitchen and tell Roc to get you some more. I'll be outside.”

She nodded and walked away. As I was straightening the items in the truck so I could put the vacuum cleaner in it, Brashaney came outside. She waited until I was done before reaching out for another hug.

I couldn't help but to question her demeanor. “What's up with all of this? Is everything good with you?”

This time, she backed away from me. “Of course. Like I said, it was good seeing you. Take care of yourself, Jaylin, and be good.”

“I'll try, but you know me.”

We laughed. I watched as she got in the truck and left. Afterward, I went back inside, thinking about the strange look in her
eyes. Something was definitely bugging her. Since she didn't say anything, I didn't think much more of it. That was until nearly two hours later, when I was getting ready to call it a night. I had spent some quiet time in the pool with Chase and was on my way into the bedroom where Jada and Roc were sitting on the bed playing cards. The doorbell rang, and after Roc went to the door, he told me that someone was looking for me.

I pointed to my chest, then placed the towel around my neck, after I dried off. “Who, me? Somebody is at the door for me?”

Roc nodded. “Yep. It's that chick who was here earlier.”

I went to the door and saw Brashaney standing on the porch. This time, her SUV was in the driveway, instead of the work truck. Before I asked why she was there, I invited her inside.

“Thanks,” she said, looking up at the cloudy sky. “It looks like it's about to start raining and thundering.”

“Yeah, they mentioned something like that in the forecast, but what's up? What brings you back here?”

She started to fidget. She rubbed her hands together and could barely look me in the eyes. “Is there somewhere we can talk in private? I know it's late, but I really need to say a few things to you.”

I wasn't sure what all of this was about, so I invited her to have a seat in the front room that was right off the foyer. So far, none of us had utilized the small room, per Jeff's request. She took a seat on the sofa and I sat in a chair next to it.

Silence soaked the room for a minute, then she released a deep breath. She reached over to touch my hands that were clenched together. “First, let me say, again, that it was so good seeing you today. Over the years, I thought so much about how things went down with us. I have so many regrets. Like you said today, we never really had a relationship or anything like that, but I was so
hurt when I came to your house that night and saw you getting out of the car with that other woman.”

My memory wasn't about nothing. I sat there trying to remember who the hell she was talking about, then it hit me. “You…you're talking about the stripper I hooked up with after my boy's bachelor party, right?”

“I don't know who she was, but I do remember that you played the heck out of me that night. It disturbed me so bad. I liked you a lot, Jaylin, and there were so many things that you had said and done to me that truly hurt my feelings.”

I eased my hands away from hers and sat back in the chair. I never intentionally did things to hurt women's feelings, but it happened that way sometimes. I swallowed the lump in my throat and tried to explain my actions as best as I could.

“Check this out. I was young and going through some personal things at that time. I guess you wanted more than I was willing to offer, and I wasn't prepared to settle down with no one. I don't understand why you still have regrets about us. It was a long time ago and we both have moved on.”

She sighed and started to nibble on her fingernails. “We have moved on, but I wanted to apologize to you for giving you gonorrhea. I figured that's why you had been upset with me and it had been a while before I found out I had it. I had been seeing this other dude too, but when I stopped by your house that night, I wanted to tell you that I was pregnant. I had no idea who fathered my child and I needed, so badly, to talk to you that night. I was confused. I thought about suicide and everything. You have no idea how miserable I was that day, and how you played me didn't help.”

I edged up from my seat, already feeling the beads of sweat dotting my forehead. The gonorrhea thing hadn't shocked me. After all
of this time, I thought the stripper had given it to me. But the news about her being pregnant left my mouth dry.

“You were pregnant and didn't say anything to me? If we couldn't talk that night, there were plenty of more opportunities to do it.”

“I know. But I had a lot of stuff going on. I was embarrassed about giving you a STD, and I wasn't sure if the baby was yours or his.”

My stomach tightened. I couldn't wait to ask what happened to the baby.

Brashaney squeezed her forehead and swallowed. “I aborted the baby. I guess God is punishing me now, because I haven't been able to conceive another child since then. That's why I have so many regrets. I felt a need to tell you how sorry I was for what I did to you.”

I wasn't sure how I felt right now. The ‘what if the baby was mine' kept rushing to my thoughts, and relief was there as well. I had made some horrible mistakes with women, but my only regrets revolved around Nokea.

“Let's just say that I forgive you, only if you can forgive me for the way I acted,” I said. “I'm well aware that I was a piece of work, and you were pretty brave for hanging in there with me. As far as the baby is concerned, I hate that you took that route, but I know that you had to do what was best for you. I hope that you'll be able to conceive again. In due time, I'm sure that you will.”

Unlike earlier, this time around, Brashaney looked relieved. She stood with a huge smile on her face, and opened her arms for another hug.

“Stay sweet for me,” I said as we embraced. “I hope you feel better and thanks for stopping by to get that off your chest.”

“No, thank you for being so understanding. You're a good man, Jaylin. I hope you know that.”

“Sometimes,” I said, as we let go of each other. We walked to the door, where I opened it up and told her to be careful on the drive home.

“I will. Take care.”

Brashaney checked out of Hell House on a good note. Right after she left, Jada and Chase popped out from behind the wall and couldn't wait to grill me.

“I done burnt plenty of niccas in my lifetime,” Jada said, laughing. “But I'll be damned if I 'fess up and tell them about it. She was a brave bitch. And then to turn around and tell you about the abortion? Some hoes don't know when to quit.”

“You gotta give her credit for being honest,” Chase said. “At least she told him.”

“Really? Is that what you call bein' honest? Showin' up years later—Jaylin, how many years has it been?”

“It's been a long time, but none of that matters anymore. She got the closure she needed and that's what's up. For now, I'm feeling up to a pillow fight or some pillow talk tonight. Whatever y'all down for, I'm gaming.”

“Both,” Chase said, running off to the bedroom. She was giddy as ever. Sexy as ever, too. I couldn't help but to wonder if she would someway or somehow fit into my circle. It was just a thought.

The pillow fight left me with a headache, but all of us were still hyped. We went to the game room to hang out. Roc and Jada started shooting pool, while Chase and I hooked ourselves up at the bar.

“What can I serve you?” Chase asked from behind the bar. She was dressed in a soft blue negligee that hid the good stuff. I had on a burgundy robe, and Sperry house shoes covered my feet. Roc was in his pajama pants, and Jada was in her cotton pajamas with elephant house shoes.

“If you've been paying attention to me like I think you have, then you already know what you can serve me.”

Chase didn't hesitate. “Remy, no ice. Stay right there. I got you.”

While Chase made our drinks, I turned on the swivel stool to watch Jada and Roc shoot pool. Jada was already fussing.

“The only balls I know about are the ones I occasionally put in my mouth. Now, tell me, again. What am I supposed to do with these hard balls on the table?”

Roc was in position to take his shot, so he did. “I can't believe you've never played pool before. Where in the hell have you been?”

“At ya Mama's house washin' yo dirty clothes. I didn't say that I haven't played before. What I'm sayin' is I don't know how. Y'all act like I'm supposed to know how to do all of this stuff, but some people ain't no sports fantastic like y'all are.”

I stared at Jada, shaking my head. She had to be bullshitting with us. I found it hard to believe that her vocabulary was that fucked up. Roc got to her before I did.

“You don't have to be a sports
fanatic
to know how to shoot pool. And what the fuck is a sports fantastic? You know you be trippin,' ma.”

Jada put her hands on her hip and her neck started to roll. She tore into Roc about correcting her and even put the pool stick up to his face, daring him to correct her again.

“Jaylin, you'd better come get this fool before I hurt him. All I'm tryin' to do is learn how to play pool, not be given an English lesson by somebody who ain't got no crudentals to teach me.”

“Leave me out of it,” I said. “But just so you know, the word is
credentials,
baby. I'm just saying, so don't get all flustered with me for telling you. You need to listen to that man. I'm sure he's capable of helping you with the game as well as with your language.”

Roc laughed, but Jada playfully pushed his shoulder. “Ain't nothin' funny, Roc. You know doggone well that yo language ain't intact either. I've heard you say some shit that left me scratchin' my head, but you didn't hear me say nothin'.”

Roc defended himself. “Like what? Tell me what I've said that you didn't understand.”

“I'll think of somethin'. But in the meantime, do you like grapes?”

“Grapes? Why?”

“I want to know because I had a dream that you and Jaylin were feedin' me some grapes.”

“Naw, I don't like grapes. And I definitely wouldn't have fed them to you in a dream. Maybe somethin' else, but fasho not no grapes.”

Jada rolled her eyes. “Now, why doesn't that surprise me? You were mean to me in that dream, but Jaylin was real nice.” Jada looked over at me. “You like grapes, don't you?”

“Love them, especially with a tuna sandwich.”

Jada's eyes widened. She had a startled look on her face. “Sandwich? Did you say sandwich?”

“Yes, did I say it incorrectly? What's the big deal?”

“I'm not gon' even say, but there was definitely a sandwich in my dream too. How did you know that it was? Did you have the same dream?”

“No. But I am a mind reader. I predict that if you don't stop playing around and get back to shooting pool, Roc gon' get real pissed.”

“Too bad. He called me a chunky chick in my dream anyways, so I'm mad at him.”

“I wouldn't even get at you like that, ma, so forget about the dream and handle yo business on this pool table.”

While Jada and Roc continued their game, I turned around on the stool. Chase had just dropped a cherry into her drink that looked
to be mixed with several different alcohols. She placed my drink in front of me and lifted her glass.

“Let's toast to may the best person win this Hell House challenge. I'm sure it'll be me, but you're entitled to keep hoping,” she said.

I picked up my drink, but skipped the toast. I washed the Remy down in two swallows, then put the glass back on the bar.