Torn (4 page)

"I should kick yo' ass, you know that?" He took a seat next to her.

"What I do?"

"You've been duckin' and dodging a nigga, that's what."

"I haven't been dodging you. I've just been busy. You see me studying, don't you?"

"Yeah, right. You playin' games, ma, but it's cool. I got you these." He handed her the flowers.

"Ahh, thank you. They're so pretty."

"What you got on the agenda for today?"

"Nothing, really."

"Well I want you to take a ride wit me when you finish getting' yo' wig fixed."

"Okay."

"Don't be on no bullshit, Mo," he warned.

"I won't." She smiled, looking into his pretty brown eyes.

"A'ight ... I don't want to come back and find out yo' ass done already burnt out."

"I'ma be here, I promise."

Just as promised, when Quan returned Mo was right where she said she would be. She looked even better than she did before. Her shiny black hair was flat-ironed straight, with a part in the middle, which gave her an even more exotic appeal.

"So where you taking me?" she asked as he opened the door for her.

"Don't worry about it. Just sit back and chill." That night, Mo and Quan spent the entire evening together. Two months later, she lost her virginity. Quan arrested the coochie and her feelings got cuffed, but Mo still tried to play hard to get. It was of no use, though. Cupid hit a bullseye and the arrow landed directly in the center of her heart. Anybody with eyes could see that the girl was in love.

She had no idea that the feelings she had for Quan would go from a flame to a full blazing inferno. Sometimes she found herself so deep in love that it hurt. He wasn't the man that she'd envisioned as a child, but in reality he was as close to perfection as she would get. She knew that Quan was trouble with a capital T, but for some reason she thought that she could tame his bad boy ways. Despite his selfish attitude, Quan showed her another side of life.

Quan gave Mo what she was longing for the most - a mother. As soon as his mother, Mrs. Mitchell, met her, she fell in love. Even though they had an age difference, Mrs. Mitchell knew that Mo was the one for her son. She had a sincere sweetness about her that most of the girls he brought home didn't.

In return, Mo showed Quan that even though he was having a good run in the streets, being on top in the dope game wouldn't last forever. He would either wind up in jail or dead.

Knowing she was telling the truth, Quan flipped some of his money and went semi-legit. He and Mo were living the fairytale life she always hoped for. Or so everyone thought.

Quan was nothing like the ebony prince in her daydreams.

Her mother never told her that they would curse, cry, scream and lie. She never told her that his royal kiss wouldn't awake her from the evil reality that she would be left alone to pick up the pieces. She never told her that he wouldn't make all her dreams come true. Mo didn't know what part of the story this was.

Sometimes she wondered why she even loved Quan so much. Maybe it was the way he made her feel special and showered her with attention, or the fact that his family welcomed her with open arms. The only thing she knew for sure was that nine years, three miscarriages, numerous flings, heated arguments and a few knock-down drag-out fights later, she was further deep in love and more confused than ever.

3

Wifey Material

The next morning, Mo awoke to a sun-filled room with
only her in it.
Immediately she began to feel stupid, but when she looked over and saw a small blue Tiffany box with a card attached lying on top of Quan's pillow, she lightened up.

Completely naked, she sat up with a smile a mile wide plas-tered on her face, hoping and praying that what was in the box was a ring.

Pulling the ribbon off, she lifted the top, only to find a set of keys. Confused, she placed the keys back into the box and opened the card. It simply read:
Go Outside
. Jumping out of bed she slipped on a pink Agent Provocateur robe and headed down the steps to the door. She was so excited, she thought her heart would jump out of her chest, it was beating so fast.

Mo almost shitted on herself. She couldn't believe her eyes when she walked outside.

Sitting in the driveway was a brand new champagne-colored 2006 Mercedes-Benz G500. The damn thing was kitted out with eighteen-inch chrome Giovanna rims plus tinted windows. Mo couldn't bear to touch it, it was so pretty. The chick was cheesing hella hard as she walked over to her brand new truck. Once Mo got up on the whip, she noticed another envelope under the windshield wiper.

This nigga must really feel guilty
, she smirked while opening the card.
Meet me where we first met at 1:00.

Wondering what time it was, Mo ran back in the house to check the clock. It was 11:15. She knew that it was gonna take her at least an hour to get dressed so she hurried and took a shower. An hour and a half later she was on the highway heading for the Jennings Station Road exit. Mo bumped Mobb Deep's "
Creep
" as she took Jennings Station Road all the way up to Natural Bridge. Spotting the barber shop, she stopped, put the truck in park, hopped out and went inside.

It didn't take much for Mo to spot her man amongst the sea of dudes standing around. Quan always stood out in the crowd. There he was, posted up in his favorite b-boy stance, rocking an Ed Hardy T-shirt, True Religion jeans, belt, biker chain and sneakers. In his ear he donned a six carat diamond stud earring and on his wrist was a $75,000 Audemars Piguet watch. He and his boys were in a deep conversation but Quan still peeped Mo walking up. As soon as she entered, his dick became hard.

Mo had to be about the flyest bitch in St. Louis. She was five foot nine with a body of a goddess and a booty so fat that she turned heads wherever she went. Her face was pure and angelic and her skin was a tantalizing Middle Eastern shade.

She possessed long black hair, doe shaped eyes, high cheek bones, and succulent heart shaped lips. Her 34 C breasts were full but firm and her tiny waist, thick hips and perfect set of dancer legs could fill out any pair of jeans.

Quan had to admit his boo stayed fly. Mo was a dime piece for real, but he hated the way she dressed. Each and every piece of clothing she owned was tight and revealing. He thought she dressed too provocatively, and what she had on that day proved his point.

Every nigga in the shop had to adjust his dick as she approached. Mo looked good as hell. She rocked a white fitted tee tied in the front, a pair of extra-tight skinny-leg jeans and red Christian Louboutin platform heels. Soft curls framed her face. Silver hoop earrings were in her ears, three necklaces were draped around her neck and silver bracelets filled her wrist. Chanel lip gloss adorned her lips.

"What you doing up in here?" West asked as he eyed Mo up and down with a lustful hint in his eye.

"Mind ya business, homeboy. I came to see my man. What, you got a problem wit that?" she challenged, giving him the same look.

West was sexy as hell but Mo knew that she would never take it there with him. He was Quan's man and fucking him would most definitely be going against the code, so she kept her flirtatious and lustful glances at a minimum, hoping and praying that Quan would never notice.

"Nah, I ain't got no problem wit that. Do you?"

"Why would I ... but anyway thanks for the truck, baby." Mo wrapped her arms around her man's neck and hugged him tight.

"It's all about you, ma. You know that." He pulled her away from the crowd, hugging her back just as tight. "But why you got these tight-ass jeans on?"

"Come on, Quan, don't start."

"I'm just sayin' though, ma, look at the way you got these thirsty-ass niggas staring at you. They can barely keep they tongue in they mouth. I don't like that shit. You gon' fuck around and make me have to put one in a muthafucka." "I can't help that I have a cute shape. There ain't nothing I can do about that."

"Whateva, conceited, just watch what you put on when you around my boys from now on, alright."

"A'ight, a'ight, whateva, but how did you get down here?

All of your cars were still in the garage when I left home."

"I had West come get me. We had to take care of some business, but I'm done now, so I'm tryin' to spend the day wit you."

"Word, that's what's up?"

"Yep, so c'mon." Quan took her by the waist and led her out the shop and over to her truck.

"This muthafucka fly, ain't it?"

"Hell yeah! These bitches really gon' be hatin' now," Mo boasted as she passed him the keys and slid into the passenger seat.

"So, baby, where we going?"

"It's a surprise. Just sit back and chill. I got this." Twenty-five minutes later, they pulled up to Spanish Lake.

"Quan, I can't believe you remembered!" Mo exclaimed excitedly as she jumped out of the truck. She loved being near lakes, oceans and waterfalls. The sound of water trickling or splashing just soothed her.

"We haven't been here in years!"

"I know. I figured you'd be happy," he replied, meeting her in the front of the car.

"Yes. Baby, thank you. I love you so much." She hugged him tight.

"I love you too, ma."

Gently holding her hand, Quan led Mo over to the lake. It couldn't have been a more beautiful day. The sun was beam-ing brightly from the sky and not a cloud was in sight. There was a slight breeze in the air causing the tree branches to sway from side to side, but other than that it was perfect summer day. For the first time in a long time, Mo felt whole.

Moments like this made her remember why she loved Quan so much. He felt the same way. Putting a smile on her face and making her happy was all he cared about.

She was his everything. There was nobody in the world he trusted or needed more. Mo was most definitely wifey material. Quan loved her more than she knew. She was the apple of his eye; just looking at her brightened up his day. Mo was his best friend, his lover and his reason for living and breathing.

Her smile made him smile. When she hurt he hurt. She completed him and stayed on his mind at all times.

Mo thought that he didn't give a fuck about her or her feelings, but he really, truly did. She was the reason he grinded so hard in the streets. She was his reason for everything.

Quan knew it was his fault her feelings weren't the same.

There was a time when all he had to do was walk in the room to make Mo smile. But now it seemed like the only thing that made her happy were trinkets and gifts.

"This is so nice," she sighed, leaning her head up against his chest as they gazed at the lake.

"Yeah it is."

"I wish we could spend more days like this together."

"Me too, but you know a nigga gotta make moves, ma."

"I know. It's just that I hate all the arguing and fighting we've been doing lately. I just want things to go back to the way they used to be. Like ... remember when we used to catch the bus together?"

"That was so fuckin' long ago. A nigga was straight bus-passin' it back then." Quan laughed, shaking his head at the thought. "Yo, remember when before I got my Cutlass I used to pick you up in crack head Willie's car?" "Yeah, I could've killed you! Had me ridin' around in that car thinkin' it was yours." Mo giggled.

"And remember when yo' ole dude caught me in yo' room that day when you was supposed to be at school?"

"How could I forget? My daddy beat my ass when you left." Mo cracked up laughing.

"You was scared as hell."

"Don't front, you know you was, too. Up there trying to hide in my closet."

"Shiiit, yo' daddy wasn't gon' kick my ass."

"Punk!" she teased playfully, hitting him in the chest. "Yo, you hear that? Oh my God, somebody playin' our song." Mo shrilled in delight as he led her over to a park bench to sit.

"What song?" he asked as he sat her down on his lap.

"Don't play wit me. You know good and well '
They Don't
Know
' by Jon B is our song."

"Oh yeah I hear it now.
Don't listen to ... what people say

... they don't know about ... bout you and me.
"

"Baby stop, that right there ain't even for you." Mo giggled as he sang into her ear.

"See what happen when a nigga try to be nice."

"You know I was just playin'. I love it when you sing to me." She laughed, giving him a light kiss on the lips. "But on the real, I couldn't have asked for a better day."

"Me either. I needed this. I don't hardly ever get a chance to just chill."

"Ahh, look at that lil' boy over there." Mo pointed to a little three-year-old boy with caramel brown skin and curly black hair.

"He is so cute."

"Yeah, he is."