A Heart Full of Lies (19 page)

              Tone stood up and adjusted his sweats. “Stop pouting.” He made his way over to her and lifted her out the chair sitting her on his desk. “You’re coming with me.”

              Erin grinned. “For real?” She was excited Tone was finally taking her out of town with him and she was psyched about going to California. She knew her job wasn’t approving vacation time right now, so would have to search high and low for people to cover her shifts.

              Tone licked her earlobe and pulled her to the edge of the desk. “Yep. Now take this uniform off and show daddy how much you missed him.”

              Erin licked and sucked on his bottom lip as she pulled her uniform pants off. Maybe keeping a tiny secret wasn’t that bad.

              Jeanette entered the police station and looked around for no one in particular. She’d come to do what she should have done a long time ago. She was filing a restraining order against Kory. She’d finally reached her breaking point. She was fed up with the all the hurt and disappointment that came with being with him.

              Her own friends disowned her because she allowed him to control her mind. As she made her way to the help window she was nearly knocked over by a passing stranger. Catching her balance she turned around with a grimace on her face.

              “Excuse you!” She was tired of being run over, now here was a complete stranger doing it.

              “My bad Jeanette, you good?” TreVell reached out to help her.

              Jeanette recognized TreVell and blew her breath frustrated. “Damn Vell, watch where you going.”

              He raised his hands up and laughed. “I don’t want no problems Nette. What you doing up here? Getting that nigga Kory out?” He noticed the bruises on her face.

              Jeanette rolled her eyes; it was none of TreVell’s business as to why she was here “No, I have something to take care of.” she simply stated.

              TreVell shrugged his shoulders. “Aight then. Tell that nigga Kory to holler at me though. I’ll see you later, stay safe Nette.” He walked off, and Jeanette continued to the help window.

              “Ay Nette!” TreVell called after her.

              She turned around slowly. “What?”

              “Tell Erin I said thank you for bailing a nigga out. She always there when a nigga down to nothing. Tell her I love her too.” He rushed out the double doors.

              Jeanette smirked. So Erin’s ass wasn’t so innocent after all.

                Sasha and Erin sat in Tone’s entertainment room drinking and watching Scarface with Tone. Sasha was wrapped up in a cover and Erin was cuddled up underneath Tone. Sasha was happy Erin was happy. She appreciated Tone making sure she was good as well; he was something like a big brother. Erin could deny it all she wanted but Sasha could sense the love between the two. She only wished she could say the same for her and Shawn. She sipped on her wine as she watched Scarface kill his sister’s husband.

              Erin scoffed. “Why’d he do that? That wasn’t right man.” She gave a disappointed sigh.

              Sasha laughed. Erin could be so dramatic. She watched as Tone pulled Erin closer to him. He spoke in a soft but stern tone. “He did it because he had to. Respect is essential. The minute you let anybody overstep that boundary of respect without consequence, everybody will question your power. Disrespect is non-negotiable.” He rubbed Erin’s back.

              Sasha shook her head in understanding. “That’s exactly why I’m done with Shawn’s ass.”

              Erin lifted her head to look at Sasha. “What happened?”

              Sasha laughed, Erin really did know her better than anybody else. She used to hate it growing up, but now that they were older she appreciated that fact that Erin could read between the lines, without her having to say too much. She put her glass to her lips. “He called me and asked me to come back home.” She took a sip and held the glass tight.

              To her surprise Tone spoke. “Look Sasha, I don’t know the whole situation with dude, but before you go back remember this. People treat you accordingly. Make that nigga work for it ma, can’t nobody tell you how to live your life.”

              Erin sighed. “You going back?”

              Sasha looked down at her glass. “I miss him so much. I thought I hated him, but I don’t. But I can’t just go back. He needs to realize what type of woman he has and appreciate me. I just want to be happy again.” Tears started streaming down her cheeks.

              Erin went to sit by her, as Tone put the movie on pause and left the room to give them some privacy. Erin rubbed her back. “You don’t have to act all hard for me Sasha. I know this feeling. I had to suffer through it with Vell. Heartbreak is real, and the shit hurts.”

              Sasha wiped her eyes. “Yea, but you’re so tough E. I never saw you cry over Vell, be sad yea, but cry no. I just wish I could be stronger. He got me feeling so weak man.”

              Erin shook her head, “Sasha I cried every night. I went to work to clear my mind of him, and when that didn’t work I had you.” Erin hugged her. “Just like now you got me.”

Chapter Fifteen: Unfortunate

             
Skyy paced her living room floor, contemplating on how she was going to break the news to Deidra that Skylar was her sister. She knew they wouldn’t be together after it was all said and done, but she owed it to Deidra to keep it real and be upfront. So many questions were running through her head. But the main thing that concerned her was would Deidra hate her? Deidra’s parents had been married almost all her life, and Skyy bringing a baby in was destined to ruin their happy home.

              Skyy finally built up the courage, looking down at her Galaxy 6 to make the dreadful call to Deidra. Her nerves were bad, causing her hands to shake uncontrollably making it nearly impossible to make the call. She took a slow deep breath and coached herself through it. “Skyy this isn’t your fault. How were you supposed to know Derick’s no good, lying ass was Deidra’s daddy? She’ll understand because she loves you.” she tried to convince herself.

              Hitting dial she waited for Deidra to answer the phone. To her surprise Deidra walked through the front cheesing like a Cheshire cat. Skyy hung the phone up and smiled back.

              “Hey baby, I was just calling you.” Skyy didn’t want to have this conversation in person. If she was forced to break Deidra’s heart she would rather do it over the phone, rather than face to face and see the disappointment.

              Deidra sat her keys on the table. “Guess what?” She was almost jumping up and down.

              Skyy laughed at how giddy she was being. She’d never seen Deidra like this. It was sexy how her eyes lit up with excitement. Skyy put her phone in her pocket. “What’s going on?”

              Deidra scooped her up into her arms and hugged her. “You know I love you right? You and Skylar mean everything to me.”

              Skyy felt sadness set in, but she didn’t let Deidra see it. “Yea baby, you mean everything to us too. That’s why-“

              Deidra cut her off, “I bought the house baby. You don’t have to stay in this little ass apartment no more. I broke my lease today.” Deidra held up the keys grinning.

              Skyy’s stomach dropped to her feet. “Baby…wow. I didn’t think you were serious. I know we’ve looked around, but I didn’t think you would actually go through with it.” Tears filled her eyes.

              Deidra hugged her again, “Don’t cry baby, you know I’d do anything for you. Like my mom’s said, it’s time for me to grow up. What better person to grow old with than you?” Deidra wiped the tears from Skyy’s face as they ran down her cheeks.

              Skyy hugged her back. “I know, that’s why I love you so much. I just don’t want things to ever change between us Dee.” Deidra thought she was crying over the house. Skyy was ecstatic about moving into a bigger space, a house, and especially with Deidra. But she knew it could never happen, and that’s what hurt the most.

              Deidra pulled back and looked her in the eyes. “I’m not going anywhere, you ain’t gotta worry about that. We locked in.” Deidra pulled her back in for an embrace.

              Skyy hugged her tight and inhaled her cologne. “There’s something I need to tell you.” Skyy wiped her face and nose with the sleeve of her thermal shirt. Her heart began beating rapidly and her palms became sweaty. She looked down at the floor regretting ever meeting Derick.

              Deidra rubbed her arm; she’d never seen Skyy so upset. She was for sure the news about the house would make her day. Yet here Skyy was acting like someone killed her puppy. “You good? What’s the matter Skyy? Is Skylar ok?” Deidra looked around the apartment for anything out of the ordinary.

              Skyy shook her head. “Skylar’s fine, I dropped her off with my mom.” Skyy looked into Deidra’s eyes seeing how concerned she was. She couldn’t do it; she couldn’t end their relationship like this. She was so zoned out in her thoughts she didn’t realize Deidra was calling her name until she shook her gently.

              “Skyy what the fuck is going on?” Deidra was getting aggravated out of fear. “Tell me something, shit. You’re standing here crying, what happened?”

              Skyy sighed, “I … I can’t break my lease. I can’t afford to.” She’d chickened out. She couldn’t ruin something so great with Deidra like this. Maybe she could talk to Derick and come up with a different conclusion. Derick had already ruined her life once, there was no way she was about to let him do it again.

              Deidra gave a sigh of relief. “Shit, you had me thinking you was cheating or something. Don’t worry about your lease, I got that. You just worry about packing you and Skylar up, and coming home with me.”

              Sasha stood in the mirror looking at her reflection, pleased at how well her outfit had come out. Since it was damn near in the negatives she’d decided on a simple skin tight bodycon long sleeve dress that stopped right at her thighs and her black Jimmy Choo stilettoes. Her signature bob was slayed in red and her makeup was beat.  It was two days before Christmas, and she was meeting Skyy down at The Well, a local bar in the Waldo area, for a few drinks.

              She grabbed her clutch and made her way out the door. Erin had gone out to California with Tone so she was all alone. She was happy when Skyy practically begged her to go out. It was bad enough she was spending Christmas alone, so when the offer came she didn’t hesitate to say hell yes. Sasha pulled off making sure to drive extra careful because of the freezing rain that was now falling from the sky.

              She parked her car and made her way into the packed bar. Men tried to get her attention but she wasn’t feeling it. She’d come to have a few drinks with her girl and leave, not to mix and mingle with the opposite sex. Skyy waved at her from the bar and she headed in her direction. The bar was crowded for a Thursday night making it difficult for Sasha to push through the massive crowd of people. She finally made it to the bar and sat down in the open seat Skyy saved for her.

              They shared a side hug. “Girl it’s packed!” Sasha looked around the room fanning her face.

              Skyy nodded. “I know, I think its somebody’s birthday.” She ushered for the bartender. After ordering two shots of Patron for both of them, Skyy faced Sasha. “So what you been up to? I haven’t seen you since that shit at Erin’s? Is she still mad at me?” Erin wouldn’t openly admit she was still mad about her and Jeanette fighting in her house, but Skyy knew better.

              Sasha took her first shot. “She said she over it, but you know how Erin is, aint no telling. How’s everything with Deidra?” Sasha grabbed for her second shot.

              Skyy rolled her eyes. “Everything with Deidra is fucked up.” Skyy told her how she’d met up with Derick and how he was demanding to have a relationship with Skylar. She then went on to tell her how Deidra had bought a house and she wasn’t able to break the news to her.

              Sasha sighed. “Damn…I swear I hate him for you.” She waved to the bartender for two more shots. “So you’re telling her? I think you should before he pulls a fast one, and then she’s really going to hate you.”

              Skyy reached for her shots. “I know, I have to tell her. I just don’t know how.” She threw back her shots and let the Patron ease her mind, even though it would only be temporary relief. 

              Sasha and Skyy were now on their way out of the bar feeling themselves, giggling uncontrollably. They held each other up as they headed out the door and into the brisk cold air. Skyy tripped over her own two feet nearly sending both of them crashing down. Sasha gripped her with all her might, and once she was sure they were safe from a fall she burst out in a fit of laughter.

              “Bitch...you, you gone make us fall wit your drunk ass.” Sasha slurred as she held on to Skyy. Skyy ignored her and started to cross the street. Sasha felt herself being snatched back as a car zoomed past them almost running them over. She screamed late.

              “Are y’all ok, let me call a cab.” an unfamiliar voice spoke behind Sasha. She turned to face the stranger that had just saved her and Skyy, and to her surprise Malcolm stood in front her.