Hot Girlz: Hot Boyz Sequel (7 page)

“Ewww. No she did not.” Mercedes
turned up her nose.

“Did. And knowing her, I’m sure she
did that more than one time. That’s so Colette.”

“Oh Lord.” Mercedes fanned her hands
through the air. “That’s so nasty, is what it is.”

“Yeah, well, there you have it. Crazy
Colette. And hell, I say we need to check Torino’s crazy level, too. I mean he
hit that repeatedly, even after he knew she was special.”

“She is that.”

Sequoia’s assistant approached. “Mrs.
Wilson. Do you need me to hostess the event, or will you?”

“Oh, I’ll do it. Just have everything
there and ready to go. It won’t be a big party, so I’m fine.”

“Okay. We’ve got the main course in
the freezer, the meatballs and Shepherd’s pie. And we’ll come back tomorrow to
do desserts and vegetables. And those cheese biscuits.”

Mercedes licked her lips, acting like
her mouth was watering. Her hand was to her chin. “Dang that sounds good.”

Sequoia told Mercedes, “I’ll save you
some.” She then told her assistant, “Okay good. Thanks.”

“Sure.” Her assistant walked away.

“So, where’s TJ?” Mercedes asked.

Sequoia looked at her watch and
gathered her things. “Actually, I’m about to run off and get him. He gets out
of pre-school in about thirty minutes.” She got up.

“Okay.” Mercedes stood with her purse
in hand.

“I love you, girl. Thanks for coming
over.”

“No problem.” They hugged. “But, hey,
cheer up. You know you can expect some roller coaster rides with these Wilson
men.”

“Seems Mason’s good. He’s behaving.”

“He is.”

“He’s not tripping about Vegas?”
Sequoia looked like she intended to make a joke.

“No. You’re the only one tripping
about Vegas. Let it go.”

As they walked to the front door,
Sequoia looked at Mercedes with a side angle. “Is something up?”

“No. Stop.”

“Okay,” Sequoia said. “I know you.”

“Actually, I thought you did, but
obviously you don’t.” Mercedes stepped over to her white CLS that was parked in
the driveway next to Sequoia’s white Range Rover.

“I guess if I don’t by now I never
will.”

“Then you never will. I’m good.”
Mercedes put on her burgundy shades. “I’m headed back to the office. Kiss TJ
for me.”

“Will do.
Ciao
, Sis.” Sequoia
smiled, but still knew in her heart, though not in her head, that her
sister-in-law cheated on her husband.

7

Mercedes

“What was that about?”

That evening, Mercedes was back at
home spending time with her mother-in-law, Mattie. Mattie’s hair was thick and
long and wavy just like Star’s. It had always been the texture of an Indian’s
hair, dark with a few platinum strands. It was down her back past her backside.
These days, however, it was fully gray and always cornrowed, flowing down into
a long braided ponytail by either Star or Mercedes or Lucinda. If Mattie
touched the top of her hair and it felt like it was undone, she would point to
whomever and put them to work. She swore by Camay and always smelled of White
Shoulders. She was one who always had it together. An original diva.

Today, like the other days, the smell
of White Shoulders was in full effect.

Mattie’s room was average size with a
queen bed against one wall and a big dresser with a wide mirror along another
wall, positioned perfectly so Mattie could see herself. There was a rocking
chair and a large television, and also a beautiful shelf that had family
pictures ranging from when she first got married to Jesse, to a photo of blue-eyed
Nadia. There was a glass vase full of white tulips along her nightstand. Mason
would make sure to bring her fresh flowers every week.

The décor was green. Always green.
From the chair, to the dresser, to the bedding, to the carpet. Hunter, jade,
moss, it didn’t matter. The only splash of color other than green was a big,
red, framed photo of a heart, and the bold word, LOVE.

Mercedes, barefoot in a short cotton
robe, dialed Mason’s number and he answered, but just as he greeted her through
the phone, she also heard him answer from behind her in the hallway. She turned
around at the same time that he walked in. She hung up looking surprised.
“Where’re you coming from?”

“Starbucks.”

“No, I mean, you were down the hall?”

“Yeah. Looking for Lucinda. I thought
Mom was with her.”

“Mom’s always in this room.”

“No. Lucinda has her in the wheelchair
at the front window of her room so she can look outside at the street. Mom was
just in her room last week.”

Mattie grunted. Her weathered face
told on her years.

“Anyway,” Mason said, coming over to
stand at Mattie’s bedside. “Hey Mom.” He kissed the soft, red-clay skin of her
cheek.

Mattie gave another grunt and turned
her head toward Mercedes.

Mercedes remarked, “She’s saying stop
messing with me.”

He talked to Mattie even though she
still looked at Mercedes. “Mom, she’s the one who asked me where I’m coming
from in my own house.”

“Whatever. Mom knows.”

“What she knows is, you still don’t
trust me.”

“Oh, please. Whatever, man.” Mercedes
put up her hand.

“Next subject. Mom, you look pretty.”
He looked down at her hand. “Got your nails all done up. Can I get some of that
manicure treatment?” He extended his left hand toward her.

Mattie looked at his hand and turned
up her chiseled nose.

Mercedes smiled. “She looked at you
like, not with those claws.”

Mason looked at his own hands. “What’s
wrong with my hands?”

“You need to cut your nails, Mason.”

“They’re fine.”

“They’re long is what they are. Huh,
Mamma?”

Mattie winked, reaching for Mercedes’s
hand.

“Case closed.” Mercedes chuckled. “Sit
down, spend some time.”

His phone rang, “I will. Hold up.”

Mercedes said, “Hey. How come I didn’t
hear your phone ring when I just called you?”

“I was on the phone and clicked over.
Dang.”

“Dang, nothing. Always on that phone.”

He answered the call giving Mercedes a
stare of warning. “Hey there, what’s up shining Star?”

Mattie groaned and tried to lift her
head.

Mason asked, “How’s my girl?” He
noticed Mattie’s reaction and put the phone on speaker.

“Fine.” Star’s tone was bland.

Mercedes said, “Hi, Star. We’re here
with Mamma.”

Star’s voice beamed. “Hi, Grammy. Miss
you. Love you. You’re my pretty girl.”

Mattie’s arms shook, and she opened
her mouth like she was preparing to be spoon fed.

“You should see her. She’s so
excited,” Mercedes said.

“My pretty girl,” Star said. “I’m
excited, too.”

“How’s it going?” Mercedes asked her
daughter.

Her tone became lower. “Good. Dad, can
you take me off speaker, please?”

“Sure. Hey. What’s up?” he asked,
walking out of the room, holding up one finger to Mercedes as if asking for a
minute.

~~

Ten minutes later, Mercedes sat in a
chair at the foot of the bed, rubbing vanilla lotion on Mattie’s feet. “I’ll
paint your toes this red color called Hot Sauce. You do look hot, my hot girl.”

Mattie gave a green light smile.

Mason said from behind Mercedes, “That
is a hot red, I’ll say that. Nice color.” He put his phone in his pants pocket.

Mercedes asked right away, “What was
that about?”

“Nothing,” he replied, only looking at
Mattie.

“She’s doing okay?”

“Yep.”

“She couldn’t talk so we could all
hear?”

Mason darted his eyes at Mercedes and
then back to Mattie, raising an eyebrow.

“Oh. Okay. I guess you’ll tell me,”
she said.

“It’s no biggie. She just needs money
as usual.”

“Okay. I can put money in her Bank of America
account. How much does she need?”

“I’ve got it.” He again gave Mercedes
a look like she should drop it. “I’m going downstairs to write.” He stood at
the side of Mattie’s bed again. “See you later, Mom.”

Mercedes asked, “So soon?”

Instead of replying, Mason leaned down
to kiss his mom. She frowned but puckered her lips. He gave her a loud smack on
the cheek and she smiled. “No that’s what I’m talking about.”

“How sweet. Still don’t know why you
can’t spend more time.”

He headed to the door then turned
around and said, “Actually, come here for a second.”

“Okay.” Mercedes stood up. “I’ll be
right outside the door, Mamma.”

Mattie gave a tiny nod.

Mercedes went out into the hallway and
he stepped out too, then he closed the door.

He said, “Listen. What’s up with you
and this Vegas trip you took last month?”

“What do you mean?”

“What’s up? Someone saw you with some
guy.” He looked anxious.

“No they didn’t.”

He spoke fast. “They did.”

“They who?” She put her hands on her
hips.

“I’m asking the questions. Tell me
what happened.”

She looked back at Mattie’s door and
stepped further down the hall.

He followed.

“I was with Sequoia, and only Sequoia.
After the fashion show we went to this club inside of the Mirage. I think it’s
called Jet. Really, no biggie.”

“I would think people would know
Sequoia is not a guy. What went on? With a guy.”

“I danced once. No big deal.”

“I’ll tell you if it’s a big deal or
not. With who in particular?”

“This guy.”

“This guy, huh?” He looked away and
leaned against the banister, crossing his arms. “You let me sit up the other
day and tell you I had a meeting with Ryan Germany. Was he the guy?”

Mercedes aimed her sights anywhere but
on her husband. “Yes.”

He looked nowhere else but at her.

“But it was just one dance,” she said.

He said fast and deep, “Stop it.” His
frown was major.

She now looked right at him. “Mason.”

He stepped a foot closer to her and
spoke like he was fighting to keep it down. “Tell me right now, and cut out all
the bullshit. What happened?”

She put her hand up. “Okay. There was
a guy named Ryan, and he asked me to dance and I did. I had no idea he was with
the city council until he told me.”

“When did he tell you?”

“After we danced.”

“So you spent time with him?”

“He bought us champagne. Mason, there
were a lot of people who went out after the show. Actually, he was in the show.
He was one of the celebrity models.”

He shook his head. “See, you’re making
me put pieces of the puzzle together. You’ve got me working too hard.” His jaw
was tight. “You’re about to piss me off. Where was Sequoia?”

“She was right there. It was the three
of us talking.”

“Cedes. He wishes you were single?”

Mercedes shrugged her shoulders. “I
suppose so. I know Star told you he’s her friend’s dad. I can’t be responsible
for what he wishes. I definitely told him I’m married. Very happily married.”

“He flirted?”

“He did.”

“You flirted?”

“No.”

“Were you attracted?”

“Mason, I’m married.”

He asked again, almost twice as loud
as the first time. “Were you attracted?”

“Yes.” Mercedes spoke, though in her
head holding her breath. “But nothing happened.”

Mason froze and stared. His eyes said,
screw you
, and his body said,
good riddance
. He turned and
stormed off, down the stairs to the front door. He slammed it as he left. The
enormous house shook.

Mercedes took one step in his
direction. Her heart said to run after him and calm him down, assure him she
was innocent. Yet her head said for her to hold up.

Innocent?

So she let him go.

Half dizzy, she took slow, long steps
to Mattie’s door and then a deep breath, adjusting her shoulders and
concentrating on holding her head up high. She opened the door and smiled only
for Mattie, walking over to the bed.