Torn (5 page)

"Quan ... I'm sorry I haven't been able to give you a baby." Her eyes began to water.

"I told you its cool, ma. I love you with or without kids.

You're all I need."

Turning around to face him, Mo gazed into his eyes and whispered, "It's killin' me inside though, baby. Every time I'm around Mina and her son, I wanna break down and cry 'cause I know I'll never be able to experience something like that.

And I know it's a possibility that Sherry's baby is yours--"

"I don't even know why you keep bringing that shit up. I told you that baby ain't mine," Quan said, cutting her off.

"Okay, Quan, but it still hurts."

"I know, baby, but having a baby with you is only going to add to my love for you. You not being able to have one is not going to make me love you any less." He wiped her eyes, stopping her tears. "You my boo and soon a nigga gon' make you his wife, so stop trippin' off that shit."

"You're right." Mo nodded her head.

"A'ight?" he said, lifting her head up to face him.

"A'ight."

"No, I said a'ight." Quan tickled her stomach causing her to double over in laughter.

"Alright, alright!" Mo laughed, pushing his hand away.

"But I really been thinking though," she continued.

"Thinking about what?"

"I really wanna try again to have a baby."

"Where this come from all of a sudden?"

"I think about it all the time. I just ... didn't know if you would want to try again. That's why I didn't say nothing."

"Are you sure, Mo? You remember how it was the last time we tried. I ain't tryin' to go back there, ma."

"I know ... I know exactly how you feel but I really think this time things will be different. Please ... let's just try one more time."

Quan thought about it and gazed into her eyes. There was no way he could deny his boo.

"A'ight. We can try again."

"Thank you, baby. I love you so much." Hearing his phone ring, Quan lifted Mo up so that he could go in his pocket and retrieve it.

"Hello? Yeah ... a'ight ... I'll be there in a minute. What the fuck I just say? I said I'll be there! One." He turned to Mo.

"Look, ma, I'm sorry but I gotta jet. That was West. Me and him gotta go take care of some business."

"Quan, when is all of this dope boy shit gonna end? I mean come on, baby, for real. Enough is enough."

"I'm almost done. Just give me a little more time."

"Okay." Mo threw up her hands in defeat.

Back in the car, Quan started up the engine and said "Open up the glove compartment for me. I think I left something in there."

Doing as she was told, Mo opened it up only to find yet another small blue Tiffany box.

"What is this?" she cooed, flashing a broad grin.

"Just open it."

Once again Mo's stomach was in knots hoping and praying that maybe, just maybe, this time it was the ring she'd always wanted. This time her prayers were answered. Opening the box she was presented with a flawless seven carat princess cut engagement ring with diamonds encrusted into the platinum band.

"Is this for real?"

"What you think? I told you I was gon' make you my wife."

"Oh my God, Quan, we gettin' married for real?" she exclaimed as he placed the ring onto her finger.

"Yep, just set a date and I'll be there."

"Baby, I love you so much! I can't wait to show Mina and them!"

#1

After taking Quan home to retrieve one of his five cars, Mo
hopped back on the highway headed toward Mina's Joint
Salon and Spa.
It was a Friday so the place was packed. Mo was greeted with a warm welcome as soon as she walked through the door.

"What up, Mo?" all the stylists spoke.

"Hey, everybody!"

"Well look what the cat dragged in! We ain't seen yo' ass all week!" Delicious, Mo's friend and stylist, announced.

"Delicious, hush, 'cause a bitch got good news."

"What? Jay-Z left Beyonce for Rihanna? Or no, better yet, Remy Ma finally took that tired-ass blond weave from out the front of her head!"

"Neither." Mo rolled her eyes. "Me and Quan are engaged!" she gushed, showing off her ring.

"The world must be gettin' ready to end!
Gurl
, let me see that ring!" Delicious brought her hand closer so that he could get a better look.

"Oh shit! This muthafucka hot! Ain't got no flaws or nothing! Quan really out did his self! Congratulations, Miss Thang, you finally locked that nigga down!"

"Congratulations, Mo!" everybody in the shop roared.

"Thank you."

"What is going on out here?" asked Mina, her best friend of sixteen years, as she came from the back of the shop.

"
Gurl
you ain't gon' believe it! Quan's trifling ass finally asked Mo to marry him!" Delicious joked.

"Watch it nigga, that's my fiance you talkin' about now."

"You go girl!" Mina hugged her friend. "So when y'all gon' set a date?"

"I don't know. I'm just happy he finally asked," Mo answered, taking a seat in Delicious' empty styling chair.

"All I can say is it's about time you locked that nigga down.

Hell, as much shit that nigga done put you through, he should've gave you a ring years ago," Delicious continued.

"Right. I just hope now he'll act right."

"Let me tell you something, honey, gettin' a ring or having good pussy ain't gon' change no man ... but a fire-ass blow job will make a nigga reconsider his position."

"You ignorant as hell!" Mina couldn't help but laugh.

"Shit, he ain't lyin', he tellin' the truth," Mo agreed. "It took me nine years of dealing wit his bullshit just to get the ring. It's probably gon' take nine more years to get his ass down the aisle."

"I hope not. Don't think like that."

"You're right, girl, I have to stay positive. Plus, we're gonna try to have another baby."

"Really?"

"Yeah, so hopefully Quan will try to change." The words weren't even good out of Mo's mouth when her cell phone began to ring. It was Quan.

"Hold up y'all, this my boo. Hello?"

"Where you at?"

"At the shop. Why? What's up?"

"Nothing, I was just callin' to tell you that I might be home a little late tonight."

"Okay."

"You gon' wait up for me?"

"Of course." She blushed. "Just call me when you're on your way home."

"A'ight, love you."

"Love you too."

"See, I told you. All you gotta do is have a little faith." Mina teased Mo as she got off the phone.

"I know. I guess he really is trying to change." And Mo was right. Quan was really trying to do right by her this time. He had all the intentions in the world on being faithful and settling down. He was determined to change.

There would be no more kicking it in the club until the wee hours of the morning, drinking and smoking. He wouldn't have sex with random chicks just because he could. From now on, he wanted to keep his fist and dick controlled at all times.

Mo was the number one person in his life. She was special and he knew that a woman of her caliber didn't come around too often. Out of all the chicks he had ever messed with, she was the only one to capture his heart. She stood by his side when most women would have bounced. He knew he had a ride-or-die chick that was willing to do whatever. Niggas out on the streets were feenin' to get with her and Quan took pride in knowing that he was the only man to ever claim her as his.

He had been her first in everything. He was her first sexual partner and her first love, and he planned on keeping it that way. Quan was willing to do anything to keep his woman. And to prove it, now that Mo was to be his wife, he decided to let a couple of honeys he fucked with on the side loose, the main one being Sherry.

Quan could remember the day he got on her like it was yesterday. The year was 2003. He knew by looking in her face she was young but he didn't give a fuck. The fact that she was super thick and that her pussy print looked like a fist was all that mattered to him. Sherry was nineteen, thick and a ghetto-girl. She was everything Mo was not. The only time he would run into her was when she was in Pine Lawn, chilling on "The Hill."

Homegirl's entire life revolved around kicking it on the block. She didn't have a job, so the only thing she was required to do was go to G.E.D. school, but that was only from 8:30 to 12:30 p.m. Braiding hair, selling weed and getting a monthly check from the state was her only source of income.

DFS provided her with childcare, so every day after dropping her daughter Versacharee off at daycare and attending school, she would catch the Lucas & Hunt bus over to Natural Bridge and kick it with her best friend Jahquita.

The two were like Batman and Robin. They were total opposites when it came to looks, though. While Sherry was five foot eight and petite, Jahquita was five foot two and stout.

Sherry was blessed with milk chocolate skin, a slim waist, curvaceous hips and a plump ass. She changed her hair color every month and her nails always stayed over one and a half inches.

Jahquita, not wanting to be outdone by her slim friend's frame, wore the same clothes Sherry did, forgetting that she was a size twenty-two. You couldn't tell her that she wasn't the shit. She didn't give a fuck that her belly hung over pants or that her back held three rolls of fat. Jahquita Jenkins had it going on!

Every day after G.E.D. school, Sherry would come over with her braiding supplies and braid the hair of the dudes on the block. She made pretty good money doing it, too. When she wasn't doing hair, she and Jahquita would do nothing but sit on the porch, smoke trees and watch Quan and his boys talk shit and conduct business. Every now and then they would switch down the street to the corner store where he was posted up at, but that was about it. Sherry was in love with Quan. She'd had a crush on him since she was fourteen. To her he was the epitome of sexiness and cool. She knew he had a girl, but in Sherry's mind he was still fair game.

It took a while but after a few
Hey Quans
, licking her lips and throwing her hips, Quan took notice. He found it kinda cute. Even though it was obvious Sherry was checkin' for him, she still hadn't built up the confidence to holla, so he promised himself the next time he saw her he would break the ice.

It was as hot as a Hebrew slave outside when he spotted her and her girl strutting down the street sucking on a lollipop.

As usual, Sherry was dressed in her ghetto fab, skimpy attire. She was a logo freak. If it didn't have a name on it, she wasn't wearing it. That day she wore a Tommy Hilfiger belly shirt and mini-skirt with the matching red, white and blue tennis shoes. Burgundy zig-zag cornrows made up her hair-style and white eyeliner was on her eyes, while an add-a-bead adorned her neck.

"Yo, what's your name? 'Cause you been sweatin' the hell out of me," he teased, eyeing her body hungrily.

"I don't sweat no nigga ... but if you wanna holla at a lady, you can," Sherry responded skankishly.

"Oh word?"

"What, you ain't know?"

"So what's poppin', shorty? What's your name?" "Sherry." She placed out her hand for a handshake.

"A'ight, Miss Sherry, I'm--"

"Oh you don't have to tell me yo' name, I already know it."

"So you have been checkin' a nigga. What else you know about me? I'ma have to watch you. You might be workin' wit the Feds." He grinned.

"Nah, it ain't even nothing like that. I just be hearing your name come up in conversations sometimes."

"Oh, who braid your hair?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

"Me."

"Word, I should have my girl come to you?"

"Now why would you have your girl come get her hair done by me when you just said I was checkin' for you?"

"You know what, you sho'll right. That wouldn't be a good idea, would it. I like your style, lil' mama. Give me your number so I can call you some time."

"555-2340," Sherry smiled, licking her lips.

"A'ight, I'ma check yo' lil' sexy ass tomorrow." He smiled, too.

"You do that."

The next day didn't come fast enough. Sherry was so excited. After getting her daughter dressed and off to daycare, she skipped school and stayed at home instead. There was no way in hell she was missing Quan's call. But he didn't even call her that day. Quan didn't call Sherry until later on that week.

After their first conversation, the two built up quite the friendship. Sherry told him about her baby daddy Vershawn, who was locked up in jail, and about their three-year-old daughter Versacharee. In return, Quan filled her in on his relationship with Mo. It didn't take long for Sherry and Quan's friendship to turn physical.