Side Chic 3 (The Ratchetness Continues) (8 page)

              I didn’t reply because I didn’t feel like discussing the issue with her anymore. She was starting to get on my nerves. She was acting like Kisha and I were close kin or like we hung out with each other or something. I wasn’t trying to hear that shit that she was talking. It was easy for her to sit back and judge me and try to tell me what I should or shouldn’t do because her shit was all peachy. She didn’t fully understand how I felt or what I’d been through. Yes, Corey had taken her through some shit but nothing like the things that Mello had taken me through. Corey had never abused her. They may have had a fight or two. He may have even smacked her once or twice but it was nothing like the abuse that I’d suffered at the hands of Mello. She had no idea what it was like to have someone make you strip down to nothing and beat you with an electrical cord and then lock you in a closet with nothing to eat for over twenty-four hours. I did! So she could save that bullshit that she was talking because I didn’t care to hear it. Mello was locked up and I was more than sure that he’d be in there for a while because I was definitely going to press charges and I knew that Mia was too. He was on probation and wasn’t supposed to get in any trouble or else he would automatically have to do eighteen months that he had over his head. This was the perfect time for me to move on. This way I didn’t have to worry about Mello’s crazy ass trying to kill me as soon as he found out that I was dealing with someone else. I could handle Tremaine’s babymamas and any other little ratchet bitches he had chillin’ in the cut! It was time for me to be happy for a change and that is exactly what I planned to do. It wasn’t like I was trying to marry Tremaine or anything. All I was interested in was having a good time. I’d been chained to Mello for the past five years it was time for me to let my hair down and enjoy life a little. Kisha had moved on with Skeet, one of Tremaine’s best friends. So there was no way in hell she could open her mouth to speak on me dealing with Tremaine.

Mina

             
I’d been home from the hospital for a little over a week now. My bruises were starting to fade a little and some of the soreness had even gone away but I still had a ways to go. Nelle and Mia were holding things down at the salon for me and I appreciated it a lot. Nelle, Corey, Mia, Ron, Tremaine and my mama had all been keeping a check on me, calling every other hour to see if I needed anything. I really did appreciate all of the love and concern that they’d been showing me. My mama had taken Simya home with her so that I wouldn’t have to be up and down chasing behind her. She was a handful and into everything. Sore as I was there was no way that I could run behind her even if I wanted to.

             
It was Thursday afternoon and I was lying back on the sofa bored. I’d been in the house since I’d come home from the hospital and it was driving me crazy. During the day was the worst because everyone was at work so that left me with no one to talk to. Tremaine didn’t go in until the evening time but he would be sleep in the mornings and then after he got up he would help Lala with the kids. At least that is what he’d told me. I’d been enjoying getting to know him. I’d found that the two of us had a lot in common. He was a nice guy but I wasn’t trying to get all wrapped up into him or anyone else for that matter at this point. Like I’d said before, I was only interested in having a little fun…doing me. I’d played the role of the good girlfriend, who stayed home and took care of her man for years and all it had gotten me was lots of heartache and pain. The abuse that I’d suffered at the hands of Mello had changed something in me. It had caused me to put up a wall, a wall that would be hard for the next man to tear down. I had no plans of allowing anyone else to get close to my heart. I was ready to be selfish now and only care about me and what made me happy. As bad as it may sound, I didn’t have time to worry about other people’s feelings.

             
My cell phone vibrated causing me to jump. I picked it up and pressed send. “Hello.”

             
“Hey sexy. I was just calling to check on you.” Tremaine said groggily into the phone. “How are you feeling?”

             
“I’m feeling fine. I’m still a little sore but other than that I’m fine.” I appreciated him taking out time to call and check on me. That was really nice of him. “You sound like you just woke up.”

             
“Yeah, I did.” He yawned. “My daughter woke me up, screaming to the top of her lungs. I guess she just missed her daddy because she’s lying here on my chest quiet as a mouse now.”

             
“Awww, isn’t that so sweet.” I giggled into the phone. He talked about his kids all of the time and I must admit that I was very impressed by that. “You are such a good dad.” I told him.

             
“Thank you, I try.” He replied. “You can lay on daddy’s chest later if you like. It made my daughter feel better. It might have the same effect on you.”

             
“Oh really?”

             
“Yep.” I knew that he was flirting and so I played along.

             
“I’m a big girl though and it may take more than laying on daddy’s chest to make me feel better.”

             
“Mmmm…well I think that I can provide whatever else that you might need to make you feel better.”

             
I was about to reply when the doorbell rang. “Tremaine, let me see who this is at my door and then I will call you right back.”

“Okay, that’s cool.”

I hung up and rose slowly to go see who it was. On my way to answer it, it rang again. “I’m coming.” I yelled. I reached the door and looked out through the peephole and saw Corey standing on the other side. I unlocked the door and opened it. “Hey come on in.” I noticed that it was raining.

             
“Hey.” He came inside carrying a white bag in his hand. The smell of food emitted from the bag and invaded my nostrils. “Nelle, told me to bring you this.” He said handing me the bag. “She was worried that you hadn’t eaten anything.”

             
I shook my head laughing as I took the bag. Nelle had been treating me like I was a little kid ever since I’d gotten home from the hospital. “Thank you but you didn’t have to do this. I could’ve made me a sandwich or something.” I told him. “I’m going to take this in the kitchen but you can have a seat in the living room if you want.”

             
“I guess, I could stay for a few minutes. I know that you must be bored to death sitting up in this house all day by yourself.” He laughed revealing a mouthful of perfect teeth. He had one of the sexiest smiles that I’d ever seen. “TV is alright but the same stuff comes on over and over and eventually you get tired of watching that too.”

             
“You have no idea.” I went on in the kitchen and he went in the living room. I placed the bag of food on the counter and got my soda out of the refrigerator before going to join Corey in the living room. He was sitting on the love seat. I took my seat back on the sofa, where I’d been before he’d came. “So why aren’t you at work?” I took a sip of my soda and then placed it on the end table that sat next to the sofa. I grabbed my pack of Newports and lit one.

             
“You know that I do roofing work. When it rains we don’t work. So they let me off early.” He answered leaning back and getting comfortable with his long legs stretched out in front of him.

             
“Oh okay. Do you like doing that?” I inquired.

             
“Yeah, I like being outdoors and I make good money. So yeah.” He nodded his head causing his shoulder length dreads to sway back and forth. He licked those full lips of his and traced his goat-tee with his fingers.
Damn, Nelle is one lucky chic.
I thought to myself.
“Plus it’s a job.”

             
“Yeah, you’re right about that.” I agreed eyeing him in his work uniform. He had on a long-sleeved dark blue shirt with the company logo on it that clung to his body showing of the outline of his hard chest and muscular arms. He was also wearing a pair of dark blue Dickies and some work boots. I couldn’t help but wonder what he looked like beneath those clothes. I took a long pull of my cigarette and released the smoke through my nose. I needed something stronger than a cigarette. I realized that I hadn’t smoked a blunt in almost two weeks.

“Do you have anything good with you?” I asked Corey.

A grin formed on his lips. “Girl c’mon now. You know who you are talking to? Of course I got something good.” He got up from the loveseat. “I’ll be right back.” He went outside and returned with a blunt stuck between his lips. He reached in his pocket and pulled out a lighter and fired it up. He hit it twice and began coughing and then passed it to me.

“You must’ve already had this rolled.” I said as I took the blunt from him and took a toke.

“I always keep something rolled.” He was still coughing. By now he’d taken a seat on the couch next to me. “Nelle told me that you fucks with Tre now.” He eyed me waiting for my response.

I took another toke of the blunt before passing it back to him. “We talk but I wouldn’t say that I fuck with him. I mean, he’s cool but I’m not on it like that.”

“I feel you.”

“After all that I have been through with Mello. I am taking some time for me to do the things that I want to do. To explore and experience new things.” I eyed him licking my lips.

“Ain’t nothing wrong with that, you should. Not only that but you know how Tre gets down. I don’t have anything to do with your business but there is no need in investing too much of yourself into someone like him. He’s a player. Always have been.” He warned handing me the blunt back but I declined. He leaned forward and put it out in the ashtray.

“I appreciate you being concerned but trust me there’s no need. I can handle Tremaine.” I giggled feeling the effects of the weed.
I’d become relax and was feeling quite bold. “Can I ask you a question, just between you and me?”

“Yeah sure but first can I have something to drink? My mouth is dry as fuck.”

“You can go in the kitchen and get something if you want. Help yourself.” I told him.

He started laughing. “Man, I don’t feel like getting up. Shit, I’m at yo’ crib. Where’s the hospitality?” He licked those full lips again. I hadn’t had any dick
in over two months and the sight of him licking his lips sent electric currents throughout my body. I felt the area between my legs become drenched. I knew I was wrong for lusting after my cousin’s husband but Corey was one fine mothafucka and always had been. I’d been telling myself for years that I shouldn’t look at him the way that I did but I couldn’t help it. As fucked up as it may seem, Mello had been the main reason why I never tried anything with Corey. There had been a period in time where Corey wasn’t with Nelle, he was fucking with this white chic named Amy. That would’ve been the perfect time for me to make my move. It wasn’t like I wanted to be his woman, I just wanted to sample the goods but I knew that if I ever cheated on Mello, he would kill my ass. So I only watched from a distance, not only Corey but any other man that I found attractive. Cheating was not an option with Mello but now that he was gone I felt like a different woman. Like the shackles had finally been removed and I was free to do anything that I wanted and that included Corey.

I looked at him looking like a chocolate god,
as much as I wanted to be selfish and not give a damn about anyone’s feelings. I did care about Nelle. She’d always had my back no matter what and I knew that I would be dead ass wrong for fucking Corey behind her back.
Why do I have to have a fuckin’ conscience?
I wondered to myself.

Corey was snapping his fingers in front of my face, which caused me to snap back to reality. “My bad, I was thinking about something.” I told him.

“Yeah, I see. Are you going to get me something to drink before I die?” He asked.

“Yeah…my bad.” I replied getting up. “What do you want? I have some soda, some Kool-Aid…”

“Man, it don’t even matter. I don’t care what you bring me.”

             
I went into the kitchen and poured him a glass of Kool-Aid and brought it back to him. “Here you go.” I handed him the glass and then took my seat back where I’d been sitting before.

             
He drank half of the Kool-Aid before taking the glass from his mouth. “Damn that hit the spot.” He said taking another sip. “So what was it that you wanted to ask me?”

             
Nelle crossed my mind and I shook my head. “Nothing…it wasn’t important.”

             
“Are you sure?”

             
“Yeah, I’m sure.” My mouth was saying that I was sure but my pussy was screaming something totally different. I wasn’t sure of how long my conscience would win this battle but it had won this round.