Youngin' Blues: The Story of Reed and RaKeem (17 page)

Sucking his teeth, RaKeem chuckled. Just when he’d thought that he’d gotten away from her for just a second, she’d returned. Thoughts of her beautiful face rested in his vision. He couldn’t rid himself of her. She was much to perfect, and their union was impossible to separate.

“She left a nigga.” Keem shrugged.

“And you just over there shrugging like it ain’t shit.” Dade was confused. “Nigga, do you know what y’all have?”

Dade hadn’t seen a love so monumental since back in a movie in 2000. The main reason he was hounding Reed about hooking him up was because he’d seen her type before, and he knew that she only fucked with the best. Loyal bitches. Anybody she threw his way, he was catching. Women like her were few and far apart.

“What I had. She ain’t fucking with a nigga like that no more. I did her dirty.”

“And that’s the exact reason you need to be on her rope, not letting up until all is well. See, you young cats don’t know what to do. I’d never let off of a woman like Reed. You can search, but you’ll never be able to find anyone like that in your lifetime. Being that that is the case, boy you losing it. I would put my fucking life on hold if that meant getting my bitch back. No disrespect.” Dade assured Keem. “You want to know the real reason I’m leaving the game?”

“I never cared to ask?” RaKeem admitted. “I was getting paid to help you, and that was all that mattered.

“I feel you, but check this out. Man, I don’t give two shits about this money shit no more, Keem. I’ve had it all, and I’m as miserable as they come. For only so long could I mask my need with money, cars, clothes, and hoes! But shit, as the years passed, that gaping hole grew more and more. No matter how much money, how many cars, and what type of bitch I tried to fill it with, nothing worked. I could patch it for a day or two, but that shit would be bust right up the next week or two.” Dade sighed. “Out of all this shit I’ve acquired over time, I lacked what I needed the most. Love. Everybody needs that shit. I’m not talking about that watered down shit, but that shit that I see in you and Reed. I’m not even talking about that forced shit from the family. They ain’t got no other choice but to love you.” Dade chuckled. “But when a person comes into your life and loves you even though they didn’t have to, that shit is dope. I want that shit, nigga. You had it. Don’t let her get away, Keem. I’m going to get out of here. Go get that girl back. Shit, you trying to ruin my chances at a wife. How she going to hook me up if I never see her?” Dade joked, making light of the situation. However, his words were sincere, and he hoped that they stuck with Keem. “Youngin’ Blues, that’s what y’all got.”

“The Youngin’ Blues,” Keem nodded, agreeing.

15

The mixture of liquor, heartache, lonesomeness, and disgust lead Keem to a much familiar place. The talk that he’d had with Dade had caused him to realize how much of a coward he was. While Reed went on with her life, he’d allowed her. True love didn’t die easily, and Keem now understood. He’d been voicing the fact that he wanted his woman back, but hadn’t taken the necessary actions.

Truthfully, since the first week, he’d allowed her space –too afraid of the rejection that he’d been faced with. Keem thought that giving Reed time would be in their best interest, but it was proving to be wrong. Time was only allowing them to be free, and get over. That was the last thing that Keem wanted, Reed to chose her freedom over them.

Stirring awake as the driver patted him on the side of his face, Keem covered his eyes as the sun beamed down on him. It hurt to even open his eyes. After Dade had departed, Keem turned the rest of the Hennessey bottle up towards the air. He’d ditched the cup and drunk directly from the bottle. As the brown liquid took control of him, he was forced to face his current misfortunes. His precious Reed was gone, and he needed to get her back.

“We’re here, boss.” The driver informed Keem of their arrival.

Not sure how he’d made it from his condo to Philly, RaKeem thanked God for safe travels. He’d surely been with him. Funky drunk, full of the brown, RaKeem fought to hold his balance as he stood –stretching his long legs outside of the car.

“Thank you,” Keem slurred.

“You going to be aight?” his driver asked.

“I…” Keem couldn’t think of what he was trying to say exactly, so he said the first thing that came to mind. “I lost the best thing that ever happened to me.”

“She’ll be back.” His driver patted him on the back, already knowing the place he was coming from. “Do you need me to wait up?”

“Na. These my people. I’m good over here. They’ll take good care of me. I love them. I let them down, though. I fucked up. Meek… Meeeeeeeek. He told me to love her or leave her the fuck alone.” Keem spoke. “And what you think I did?” Before the driver could answer, he finished up, “I kept doing that shit I was doing. That girl pussy ain’t got nothing on Reed, anyway.” Keem spilled the beans. “So I was just going backwards.”

“You need help inside?” The driver asked, not wanting to indulge.

“Na, nigga. I can handle myself.” RaKeem hissed at his buff driver. He could probably break his fucking face with one blow, but Keem didn’t give a damn. He needed someone to talk to, and his driver didn’t seem interested. That infuriated him. “Fuck on home!” Keem waved, walking towards RahMeek and Bella’s home.

The Victorian styled mansion was beautiful. Keem adored it, even in his drunken state. Using the grass, instead of the sidewalk, he took the quickest route to the door. Before he could find his way, however, he stumbled over his own feet. Falling face first into the grass, he cursed. “Fuck.”

He didn’t get up right away. In fact, Keem laid in the same position for over ten minutes. Placing his hands in front of him, he got comfortable –lacking the will to remove himself from the wet grass. The sprinkles that kept the grass watered pointed in his direction soon after he’d landed, wetting him from head to toe. The cold water felt good on his back as he sighed, intoxicated beyond belief.

“RAKEEM!” he heard Bella yell, not after long. He’d dozed off, that quick.

“Huh?” he slurred, head still down.

“What are you doing out here?” she asked.

Bella had just gotten in from the store, and was about to prepare dinner. RahMeek had special requests, and she had to run out to the grocery store to get them. She wasn’t expecting to find RahMeek’s little brother laid out across her front lawn when she got back home.

Seeing as though he was drunk, she shook her head and took off for the house. Bursting through the door, she yelled her husband’s name. “RahMeek. Get down here, now!”

“Whaaaa. What?” RahMeek was in the middle of an evening nap. Bella had put the pussy on him, and he could barely move a muscle just two hours ago.

“RaKeem is out here on the front lawn. He can’t even get up because he’s so damn drunk. Come get him.”

Bella blew out in frustration. This shit had to stop. Reed had the poor guy losing his mind. She’d yet to have a sit down with her, but she needed to do so as soon as possible. Sometimes, men could truly learn a lesson after they fucked up. Just like Meek, she felt as if Keem had learned his. He was a mess without Reed, and Bella could see why. They were perfect for one another. The love they shared was wholesome and rich. Bella wouldn’t have thought in a million years that they’d part ways.

“Where he at?” Meek asked when he reached the bottom of the steps. Without a shirt covering his chest, Bella stared on. Her husband seemed to get better with time. They’d just made love two hours prior, but Bella was desperate for me. She’d nearly said to hell with Keem and lead RahMeek back up the stairs.

“The front lawn.” Bella smirked.

“Chill out.” Meek smacked her on the ass and ran towards the front door.

Pulling out his cell phone, he took RaKeem a picture as he laid out on the ground, wet. The shit was hilarious. After sending the flick to Roc, he put his phone in the pocket of his sweats and went to rescue his little brother. Love was a motherfucker.

Running over before the sprinkles could attack, Meek bent down and placed Keem’s arm around his neck. Lifting him from the ground, he nearly dragged him into the house. With his speech delayed, Keem kept repeating, “Meek, I’ve got to get her back, yo.”

Over and over, he said the same thing. Meek listened to his younger brother’s cry for the love of his life. Meek understood his pain, because he’d been in a much similar situation. The only difference was that he wouldn’t let up. Bella grew so tired of him that she had no other choice but to take him back. He wouldn’t stop until she did.

“You will.” Meek assured his little brother. “Just don’t give up. More importantly, don’t let her think that you’ve given up.”

“Take him to the downstairs bathroom. He is not about to be fucking up my carpet!” Bella yelled when she saw Meek heading for the stairs. She’d put up the groceries and was in care mode. Of course Meek wasn’t about to help his little brother do much more than lay down to sleep, so she would have to do what was necessary to get him cleaned and comfortable.

“Watch your mouth!” RahMeek hissed.

“Whatever, nigga. Just take his ass downstairs.”

Dropping RaKeem on the toilet seat after letting it down, RahMeek ran to Bella. Getting in her personal space, he grabbed her face and squeezed. Her mouth popped open and she groaned from the pain that RahMeek was inflicting. “I said what your motherfucking mouth, Bells.” He chastised. Leaning down, he stuck his tongue inside of her mouth, making her moan. “Now, when you are done, come upstairs so I can put a hurting on that pussy.” He let her face go, and pushed her backwards, laughing. He knew that she was coming for him, so he took off running.

Smiling, Bella massaged her jaws and turned towards Keem. Rolling her eyes into the top of her head, she headed for the shower. Turning it on woke RaKeem. Looking around, he realized he’d made it inside of the house and to the bathroom.

Like a faucet, his words began to spill through his teeth. “Bella. I really fucked up.” He felt the need to tell the world that he’d fucked up, that day. “I did. I really did. Yo, Bella, Reed…” he choked up. “See, you don’t understand. She loved me.” he cried. “No, no. She loves me unconditionally. I think that if I was a broke nigga, she’d love me no less. See, that’s real. You don’t find that to often. That’s why I’m not trying to go looking.” Keem placed his head in his hands. “I may sound like a sucker, but I don’t give a fuck. I loss my girl. She wasn’t just any girl. Reed was the best. I mean, what teenager you know sticks by a nigga’s side that she barely even knows for four whole months, not knowing if he would live or die. I could’ve woke up and not even remembered her. She ain’t give a damn. When I got up…”

Keem heaved, he could no longer stand the pain of his reality. He was broken, and tired of hiding it. He wanted to let it all out, and he knew that Bella would listen. She was the sole reason that he’d come over. He was more than thankful for this moment. “When I got up from that coma, Bella, I searched for her. She’d been there with me everyday. I know because I heard her. I heard her crying and begging me to come back to her. I’ve never heard Reed pray, Bella. Never. Each time she was alone with me in that room, she talked to God. It was because of Reed that I am here. I had given up, but the thought of her kept me fighting to get up. Each time I heard her crying, it pushed me a bit further to my recovery. What type of nigga am I? Huh? I’ve been shitting on Reed since I could walk, again. I couldn’t wait to recover to get my dick sucked, even fuck on the same little bitch that Reed had beat at the movies that time. I mean, Reed was willing to go against her blood for me. This ain’t no way to repay her.” Keem broke down.

Bella’s heart yarned for their reconnection. “I got her a ring, Bella.” He revealed. “I’ve had it for some time, now. I was just too busy doing my thing and didn’t have the courage to ask for her hand in marriage. I was too afraid to commit. I was afraid to disappoint her. I couldn’t fathom asking her to walk into a fucking trap. I wasn’t ready. Now that she’s gone, committing myself to her is all that I can think about. Some days I just sit and stare at the ring. It’s beautiful, just like she is.”

“I’d love to see it.” Bella said.

“I need you to talk to her Bella. I can’t do this anymore. It hurts too much. I’m not a bad dude. I just fucked up. I’m done. I’m done, yo. I just want my girl back.” Keem pulled at his curly locks, seemingly losing it. “Fuck being her nigga, Bella. I want to be her man!”

That was the realist shit that Bella had ever heard before. in that moment, she concluded the fact that she was going to have a talk with Reed. It didn’t matter that Reed was grown and could make decisions on her own. Bella wanted to have a direct influence on this one. She wouldn’t be able to sleep if she didn’t at least have a word with Reed. It was necessary. She had never seen RaKeem so vulnerable and weak.

Even though he was drunk, he was speaking from the heart. It had always been said that a drunk mouth speaks of a sober mind. In this case, RaKeem was just giving her the real. He’d fucked up, and he was ready to right his wrongs.

“I just miss her.”

“I know, RaKeem. Let’s get you showered.”

It wasn’t long before Keem was sound asleep in the downstairs guest bedroom. Bella had made sure that he had clean clothes to throw on for the time being. He and Meek wore the same size, so she didn’t have a problem finding some sweats and a tee shirt. Bella stood beside his bed as she dialed KinZu’s cell. She wanted to slide through without Reed knowing. Had she known, she would’ve probably ran off. Any time RaKeem was brought up, she rushed away. Bella didn’t feel up to her games. Like two adults, they were going to talk.

“Hey Kin.” Bella started. “Is Reed home?” she waited for a response. “Okay. I’m headed over. Don’t mention it to her.” Bella warned.

After hanging up, Bella called Kelly and insisted that she accompany her to Reed’s place. Kelly agreed, anxious to get a word in with Reed as well. This talk was more than necessary on both parties’ behalf. After speaking with Reed, Kelly wanted to have a talk with RaKeem. Reed was well within her rights to shut Keem out, and Kelly supported her to the fullest. It was just hard seeing such a love like theirs wither away. If she could help it, she at least wanted to get them to talk to one another. It was important to get closer. If not, they’d forever be scorn –the suspect and the victim.

Bella stepped out of her Bentley at the same time that Kelly jumped out of her G-Wagon. Her little small belly was so cute, causing Bella to have baby fever immediately. She figured by now, it was time to have a little RahMeek junior.

“Hey!” Kelly sounded exasperated.

“Hey. What’s the matter? You good?”

“Yes. I’m fine. This pregnancy is nothing like the last. This baby is killing me. I can’t even go two hours without thinking about sleep. I just reached my two hour mark on the way over.”

“Oh damn. You should’ve said something. I would’ve come alone.”

“It’s fine. I needed a break. All I do is sit around that house.” Kelly waved off, locking up her truck behind her. She looked stunning in her heather grey PINK two piece.

“You look good.” Bella complimented, hugging Kelly around the neck and then rubbing her tiny bump.

“So do you, baby!” Kelly cooed.

Bella was wearing a pair of black tights and a black crop top. On her feet, she wore a pair of Gucci sneakers. Her hair was pulled back into a sleek ponytail. She reeked of royalty. Even dressed down, one knew that she was that bitch. There wasn’t any denying it.

“Let’s get inside.” Bella looked around, checking their surroundings. Even though her husband had been out of the game for some time now, she was still very cautious. She couldn’t afford to slip up, her husband would never let her live it down if she did.