Material Girl 3: Secrets & Betrayals (4 page)

“I did, now do something.” Dylan jumped at her.

“But nobody wants him here.” Billie ignored her sarcasm.

“I do,” Dylan snapped.

“Why?” Angel mean mugged her. “Don’t you think you should’ve run this by me first?”

“Umm,” Dylan said, caught off guard by his attitude. “No, I didn’t think it was a big deal. You know State and I are friends.”

“Yeah, okay.” Angel’s nostril’s flared as State neared.

“Look at you. You wearing that dress ma.” State wrapped his arms around Dylan’s waist and squeezed her tight.

“Thank you.” Dylan eased back from the hug quickly.

“So you finally got married, huh?”

“Yes, sir. You remember Angel don’t you?” Dylan stood beside her man.

“Congratulations, my dude.” State held out his hand for a shake.

“I’ma go get me something to drink.” Angel ignored him and walked away.

“Somebody got an attitude,” Tee-Tee whispered.

“Sorry about that. He’ll come around sooner or later.” Dylan tried her best to smooth over the uncomfortable situation.

“It’s all good. I think I should go though,” State replied, feeling unwelcome.

“Good idea.” Billie cut him off.

“You’re not going anywhere.” Dylan gave Billie the evil eye.

“Nah, I’ma burn out. I ain’t come to start a bunch of confusion,” State insisted.

“I’m tellin’ you. It’s totally cool.” Dylan tried to assure him.

“Umm can I speak to you alone for a minute,” Billie asked, Dylan.

“Yeah.”

“We’ll be right back.” Billie smirked pulling Dylan away by the arm.

“What is your problem?” Dylan yanked her arm away.

“Listen let me give you a crash course in marriage 101. You do not and I repeat do not invite your ex fiancé to any function especially not your reception unless you wanna get shot.”

“But State and I are just friends. I look at him like a brother now. If it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t have my book deal or my show.”

“So the hell what? How would you feel if Angel invited Milania?”

 Suddenly a wave of redness rushed over Dylan.

“You know I hadn’t even looked at it that way. You’re right. I shouldn’t have invited him. But he’s here now and I don’t wanna tell him to leave.”

“No problem. I will.” Billie marched towards him only to be stopped by the party planner.

“Mrs. Christianson can I speak with you for a moment? We’re having a problem with the entertainment for the night.”

“Sure,” Billie said, hesitantly.

As Billie and the party planner walked to the back of the room, Kyrese, her son made his way over to State. This was the perfect opportunity for him to get the autograph he’d been dying for.

“Hey, you’re State, right?” Kyrese asked, curiously.

“Yeah.” State looked down at the li’l boy.

“Like the State,” Kyrese beamed. “Grammy award winning, State?”

“Yeah li’l man and who are you?”

“Aww, my bad. I’m Kyrese. My old bird is the chick over there in the too little black dress,” Kyrese pointed.

“Billie’s your mother?” State questioned shocked.

“Yeah, but that’s nothin’, back to you. Like on the real you’re my idol,” Kyrese stressed, excited. “When I grow up I wanna be just like you. Even though my mom says being a record producer ain’t no real job.”

 “Oh word? That’s what she said,” State sucked his teeth.

“Yeah but I don’t pay her no mind. Ay, can I have yo’ autograph? Every time I ask my mom to get one from you she always says no.” Kyrese handed State a napkin.

“That sounds like Billie alright.” State wrote his name.

“Yo I can’t wait to show everybody in my class this. The honeys really gon’ be on me now. You know everybody at my school say I look just like you.”

“You don’t look nothin’ like him,” Kenzie, Kyrese’s sister came from nowhere and butted in.

“Right,” Kaylee, Kenzie’s twin sister agreed. “You ugly. He fine.”

“Shut up!” Kyrese barked.

As the kids argued, for the first time since Kyrese approached him, State took a good look at the boy. The kids at his school were right. He did look like him, too much like him. They both had skin the color of midnight and smoldering brown eyes. Like Kyrese when he was a young boy, State too was slightly chubby. But what stood out the most was the mole under Kyrese’s right eye. It was the same exact mole that was under States eyes.

“Why don’t you gone somewhere and get you some business lil’ stupid dumb girl!” Kyrese snapped.

“Make me!” Kaylee crossed her arm across her chest.

“I’ma beat yo’ butt if ya’ll don’t get some where and sit down,” Billie interjected, breaking up the argument. “Kyrese you know better.”

“What? I didn’t even do nothin’,” Kyrese said with an attitude.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah go sit down wit’ Knox. I’ll be over there in a second.”

“Huuuuuuh, I never get to do nothin’ fun. I’ma holla at you State.” Kyrese said, sadly walking away.

“A’ight man,” State said bye.

“Look-a-here,” Billie got up in State’s face. “For some odd reason Dylan wants you here. I, of course don’t, so please do us both a favor and stay the hell away from me and my kids.”

“That’s cool but I got one question for you.” State responded not backing down.

“What?” Billie cocked her head to the side.

“Is he mine?”

“Is who yours?” Billie tried to pretend like her heart wasn’t beating out of her chest.

“Your son, Kyrese. Is he mine?” State gazed deep into her eyes.

Billie swallowed hard. Since the day she learned she was pregnant with Kyrese she’d done everything in her power to avoid this moment. But being the control freak she was, just in case she was ever hit with unwanted questioning she’d practiced what she would say. But now that the moment was here Billie felt trapped. It felt like with every breathe she took the entire world was closing in on her.

“No, he’s not. His father is Cain Townsend. Now, if you don’t mind I have a party to tend to so please once again leave.”

“You know if I find out different me and you gon’ have problems,” State said firmly.

“Why are you still talkin’? You should be in your car heading home by now,” Billie shot back unfazed by his threat.

“Tell Dylan I’ll holla at her later.” State eyed Billie skeptically before leaving.

With her head held high and her shoulders back, Billie watched as State boarded the elevator. Once the elevator doors closed and he was out of sight, she let out a huge sigh of relief. She’d come too far for State to go poking his nose in her life now. No matter the cost she had to keep her secret buried because if the truth was ever revealed she’d lose everything important in her life.

Across the room Dylan searched the crowd for her husband. She was determined to make things right between them. Spotting him by the bar Dylan sauntered over to where he was. Standing behind him, she wrapped her arms around his waist and whispered, “I’m sorry.”

            “You sure are.” Angel took a swig of his drink.

            “Heeeeeey,” Dylan playfully hit him on the arm.

            “You know I’m just fuckin’ wit’ you.” Angel turned and faced her.

            “You better be,” Dylan laughed. “For real I apologize for not asking you would it be okay to invite State. I should’ve been more considerate of your feelings.”

            “Yeah you should’ve but it’s all good, shorty. Tonight we’re celebrating. I ain’t tryin’ to beef wit’ you. Just keep him away from me.”

“Eye-eye captain.” Dylan saluted him.

“Excuse me, Mr. Carter?” A male voice interrupted their conversation.

“Yes.” Angel turned around.

“You’re under arrest. Anything you say can and will be held against you.” The officer said as he handcuffed him.

“What the hell is going on?” Dylan shrieked. “My husband hasn’t done anything. Let go of him.” She tried to push the officer away.

“Ma’am if you touch him again we’re going to place you under arrest too.” The other officer warned.

“Fuck that! This is my husband!”

“Dylan chill!” Angel tried to calm her down.

“Dylan, what’s going on?” Billie rushed over.

“I don’t know. They’re arresting him,” Dylan cried.

“Excuse me. I’m Billie, Angel’s sister. Can you please let us know what is happening?”

“We are placing Mr. Carter under arrest for assault,” the officer replied.

“Assaulting who?”

“A mister,” The officer looked down at his pad. “Javier Cruz.”

“What?” Dylan looked at Angel. “Angel, you didn’t.”

“Just call my lawyer!” Angel said as he was escorted out of the room.

“Okay.” Dylan sniffled shaking her head.

“Everything gon’ be cool.” Angel promised as he watched tears fall from Dylan’s eyes.

Usually Dylan believed her husband when he made promises. Something deep within her soul was telling her that this was just the beginning of her and Angel’s problems, and no matter how much she prayed there was no stopping.

What’s going on in that beautiful mind?

-John Legend, “All of Me”

Chapter 4

Ten hours later after being booked and processed Dylan was able to post Angel’s bail and take him home where he rightfully belonged. But before he could take a shower, grab something to eat and hit the sheets Angel had some major explaining to do.

“So are you ready to tell me what happened, jail bird?” Dylan folded her arms across her chest and leaned against the frame of the bathroom door.

“Seriously, Dylan?” Angel looked at her sideways as he unbuttoned his shirt revealing his firm pecks and rock hard abs.

Although Dylan was majorly pissed at him the visual of his taut physique caused her to temporarily lose her breath but Dylan couldn’t allow her attraction to her husband to take over. She had to stay focused.

“Don’t seriously Dylan me. I asked you fifty million times if there was something you needed to tell me and you said no, Bone Thugs and Harmony.”

“Ha-ha funny.” Angel took off his pants and threw them into the dirty clothes hamper. “Enough of the jail jokes.”

“Mmm,” Dylan popped her lips. “Excuse me. Let me shut my mouth then before I get shanked. I ain’t about that prison life, ya’ feel me.”

“You can stop now,” Angel warned.

“Then tell me the truth. What happened?”

“I didn’t tell you cause I didn’t want you to get upset but the night you came home after gettin’ into it wit’ ole boy I went to go see him.”
            “Please don’t tell me you went and put them paws on him, Scrappy.”

“Yeah, I did ignorant ass,” Angel couldn’t help but laugh.

“But why babe? I handled it.”

“You ain’t handle shit. He slapped the shit outta you. He needed his ass whooped,” Angel turned on the shower.

“But you know you can’t go around putting your hands on people. Your hands are considered lethal weapons,” Dylan shot sternly.

“I know but you’re my wife. I couldn’t let that shit ride.”

“Now you have an assault case. What if you have to go to jail?” Tears formed in Dylan’s eyes. “I’m not writing yo’ ass no letters and I’m most certainly not accepting no high ass collect calls.”

“That’s not gon’ happen.”

“You don’t know that.” Dylan’s bottom lip trembled.

“And neither do you cry baby so stop crying.” Angel wiped her tears away.

“I couldn’t take it if that happened.”

“It’s not.” He held her close. “I’m not gon’ let nothin’ bad happen.”

“I hope not.” Dylan closed her eyes and listened to the soothing sound of his heartbeat. “I hope not.”

“GIVE ME BACK MY SON!” Billie screamed, jumping out of her sleep in a cold sweat.

“Baby, are you okay?” Knox asked, rubbing her arm.

Billie wanted to answer him but she couldn’t catch her breath. All she could focus on was the darkness surrounding her and the rapid thump of her heart.

“Billie,” Knox shook her. “Baby, answer me. Are you okay?”

Billed looked at his face and took a deep gulp of air.

“Babe you’re shaking like a leaf.” Knox brushed her hair out of her face.

Billie didn’t even recognize that she was shaking so bad. The terrifying dream she had shook her to the core of her soul. She was so terrified that she couldn’t decipher if her being awake was a dream or reality.

“Billie do you hear me?” Knox shook her again. “Are you alright?”

“Huh?” She stared at him with a vacant look in her eye.

“You had a nightmare baby.” Knox caressed her face. “Look at you. You’re all sweaty. What were you dreaming about?”

“I-I-I don’t remember.” Billie lied quickly.

“You woke up screaming give me back my son.”

“I did?” Billie swallowed hard.

“Yeah, did you have a dream about Kyrese?” Knox asked, worried.

“My throat is really dry. Let me go get a drink of water,” Billie eased out of bed; avoiding the question.

Inside the master bathroom Billie closed and locked the door to ensure her privacy. With the light on Billie gazed at her reflection in the mirror. She was a wreck. Her hair was disheveled and she was shaking like a drug addict. She hated what she saw staring back at her. What she saw staring back at her was the scared twenty-three year old girl with the weight of the world on her shoulders.

She despised that girl. That girl was a stupid, naive, fool. She was out of control, reckless and hopelessly in love with a man she knew would break her heart. A man that took control of her heart then cast it away like it was trash. For years Billie buried that vulnerable, tarnished girl deep inside her subconscious and vowed never to revisit her again.

But here she was live in the flesh with tears the size of lemon drops in her eyes. All of her mistakes, lies, and secrets were bubbling onto the surface. She had to put the lid on them and keep them hidden. No one could know the real Billie because if they did they wouldn’t like her. Hell, sometimes she didn’t even like herself. If her family and friends knew the real her they  would surely abandon her and in all actuality, she couldn’t blame them if they did.