Baby, You're the Best (18 page)

CHAPTER 40

Spencer

 

 

 

I
closed Fabulous’s door, held her arm until we were inside. Sitting beside Alexis, we were at the end toward the center aisle five pews from the back exit. Intentionally, I’d let Blake sit on the very end in case she wanted to go up for altar prayer or some special offering. I wasn’t in favor of having a minister lay hands on me for additional blessings. God gave me what He wanted me to have. What I did with it was pretty much the same as the people who’d thought they’d get more than their share.

I glanced around to see if I knew anyone. A few of these folks I’d seen at the restaurant, the mall, but I didn’t know them enough to say, “I trust them.” Just because it was church didn’t mean half the congregation wasn’t toting a piece on them.

Hearing the choir took me back to the days my mother and I worshipped together. In the middle of the bishop’s sermon, I held Blake’s hand. I whispered, “You good?”

“Yes. You?” she asked.

Not really.
I should’ve been listening to the word but the truth was I was only here for Blake. Sitting next to Alexis was a major distraction. I felt Alexis’s leg next to mine. I wanted to switch seats.

I lied to Blake. “I’m cool.”

Alexis’s shoe touched my shoe. I moved my foot away from hers. She placed hers closer. Touched me again. Okay. I wasn’t going to play this game with her. Not here. Not now. She’d made it clear that she was interested in me but we’d made our choices. She was with LB. I was with Blake.

I’d missed whatever was said after Alexis distracted me. Truth was, I wasn’t mentally present in the word. Had to concentrate on keeping my dick from rising. There’d be no hiding if this thang got loose. I was here with and for Blake.

When the bishop said, “Pull out your cell and tweet this . . .” that gave me the opportunity to check my phone. No text messages or missed calls from Charlotte. That bothered me more than if she’d blown up my car in the church’s parking lot.

Finally, church ended. I didn’t mind still being here but my praying for forgiveness for lusting for Alexis while I was sitting in the house of the Lord was the worst. It wasn’t my fault. I couldn’t call Alexis out. I was ready to go to Fabulous’s place. Oh, yeah. Brunch. Whatever we did next, my time with Fabulous was almost up.

Soaking in Fabulous’s essence while we chilled in her Jacuzzi one last time would be a great way to end a good week. I was going to miss her spot. Six thousand was a lot of square footage for one female.

Looking around the church I’d bet quite a few of these females who just finished praising the Lord had hit up a guy in their rotation during the sermon. What was Alexis’s motivation for being with LB while pushing herself on me? I knew the answer well.

Ego.

“Let’s say hi to the bishop, Mama,” Alexis said, leading the way to the front of the church.

She was definitely a control freak and a real freak in one. Looking straight ahead, I focused on Alexis. LB was to her left. Blake was to my right.

Alexis’s dress rested on the top of her ass. There was a subtle indentation that only a thong or no underwear could allow. I imagined circling my third eye around her asshole wondering if she were the type to strap on for her girl. Did she ride a fake dick or preferred penetrating pussy? Could she take it up her rear like a pro? She was so bad I’d almost forgotten where I was until I heard, “Alexis Crystal, it’s good to see you and your mom.”

LB was looking around as if he were trying to see if any other dudes were checking out Alexis. I was glad he wasn’t tripping on me.

Alexis shook the pastor’s hand. Complimented him on the sermon.

Alexis had my undivided attention until she turned to Blake and me. “We’re outta here, you guys. See you later this evening, Mom.” She winked at me, then said, “Come on, LB.”

“Later, Spence,” LB said, trailing Alexis.

Wow! My boy was gone. I prayed she hadn’t turned him out.

As the pastor reached for Fabulous’s hand, I checked out the people chatting with one another. A woman approached us, extended an envelope. The bishop smiled hard reaching for it. She pulled it back, gave it to Fabulous, then walked away.

I glanced at the bishop, and he stared at me. His smile vanished. Sounded like the whole church shifted to mute when he mouthed,
What’s your name, son?

My neck shrugged backward. He mouthed it again but he wasn’t asking. Seems like he was trying to place me in his mind. As I faced the bishop, my eyes shifted toward Blake. She put the envelope in her purse, then smiled at me.

I was cool until the bishop stared deep into my eyes without blinking. Oh, wow. This nigga is a bishop. Really?

Blake pronounced, “This is my guy, Spencer.”

While Fabulous was telling him my last name, he mouthed,
Leave her alone.

He didn’t want to go there with me. I stared him down, stood nose-to-nose, then I whispered, “You lucky we in church.”

He never looked me in the eyes when he was fucking me in my ass. Faced me to my bedroom wall. My action hero, Superman, on my favorite poster couldn’t save me. My dad could’ve but didn’t! He knew what was happening.

So this is where he’s been.
I hadn’t seen him since my mom left my dad seventeen years ago. This dude fucked me when I was a kid but he acted as though he didn’t know me at all now? If he were so righteous. If he were a man of God back then as opposed to being a child molester. If he were truly his brother’s keeper.

I wanted to beat his ass down!

“You okay, Spencer?” Fabulous asked, touching me on my bicep.

I gave her a serious look. “That’s him.”

She squinted. “Him?” Her eyes widened. “Him? Spencer, are you sure? There must be some mistake.”

“Yes, son. You must be mistaken,” the bishop said. Moving over, he greeted some woman. “Praise God, sister. It’s good to see you back in the house of the Lord.”

I wanted to strangle him with that cross and shove that Bible down his lying throat. Opening up to Fabulous took a heavy weight off my chest yesterday. If I hadn’t released some of my anger I was sure Bishop would be laid out at the altar.

I nodded at him. I had a pine box in my heart for this nigga. The worst part was, he didn’t care.

Shaking my head, I exited the church before I did something even the Lord might not forgive me for.

CHAPTER 41

Blake

 

 

 

O
nce a Christian always a Christian my behind.

I loved the Lord and the people who worshipped Him but some folks went too far with their phoniness. Being a saint wasn’t in one’s DNA like being black or white. All the years I’d attended my church, I’d never step foot in that one again. That man ministered to me, my children, my grandkids. The thought of what’d he done to a defenseless innocent child made me want to expose him.

The gospel message was separate from the deliverer but a rapist and a molester—pastor or not—Bishop was a person I no longer respected. Sure he could’ve repented and reformed but the fact that he showed no remorse toward Spencer pissed me off. I knew long as there was breath in our body everyone had the right to ask God for forgiveness.

Spencer was silent the entire ride back to my house. Refusing to go inside, he sat on the porch rocking back and forth. I made two martinis, went outside, handed him one hoping the vodka would relax him a little.

His fingers were interlocked face up. He shook his head, spoke toward his palms, “I’m good.” I placed the drinks between our chairs, sat in the rocker beside him, then I touched his wrist. He pulled away, telling me, “Blake, you mind?”

Yes. I did. I wanted to be there for him the way he’d done for me.

“Blake! Do you mind! Damn! Leave me alone!”

I left the martinis on the porch in case he changed his mind. I needed to catch up to Mercedes, Devereaux, and Sandara. None of them were at church today. Seeing and hugging my grandbabies would do me good right now. Quietly, I left Spencer rocking with his thoughts.

Staring at my face in the mirror, I removed all of my makeup. The constant application of witch hazel had done an amazing job. The bruises seemed more like skin discoloration. I reapplied a light coat of foundation, a little eye shadow. I hadn’t perfected all those strokes and blends the artist at Sephora showed me. The basics were fine. I didn’t want to spend forty-five minutes to an hour applying makeup unless it was a special occasion.

I felt bad for Spencer. I knew he was hurting yet I could do nothing to alleviate his pain. Staring at myself in the mirror, I shook my head. If Spencer didn’t love me, I wanted to know how he’d treat the woman that he’d fall in love with. I believed one day he might be mine but I didn’t want to seem desperate. For what reason other than love would a man I barely knew tend to me?

Maybe I was doing it again. Falling for a man before I knew him and giving him all I had to offer. If Spencer was attracted to Alexis, even if she weren’t my daughter, how could I compete with a twenty-six-year-old woman?

Exchanging my coral dress for a white jumper, I switched to my white and black Michael Kors bag, slid on my sunglasses, got in my Benz, then drove to the exit of my driveway. I glanced in my rearview mirror. He was still looking down, rocking.

“God, I love that man,” I said, driving off.

There were many degrees of love. I didn’t want to analyze how much, or how deep my feelings were for Spencer. Self-acknowledgement of my feelings was good enough for me.

Spencer knew how to contact me. I made sure the volume on my cell was turned up. He could leave my house or stay. He had a key to lock the door. If he called, I’d go back to hold him in my arms. The entire time Spencer was at my house, he hadn’t started any arguments the way Fortune would’ve done. I wasn’t sure which was harder to deal with. A man that shut down or one that bitched more than me?

Tears flowed. What if he was testing me? Giving me the option to be by his side the way he’d been there for me and I’d abandoned him. Wow. I wasn’t five minutes away from my house and my heart ached for Spencer. I made a U-turn, headed back home, parked in the driveway, walked up five steps onto the porch.

This time I refused to walk away. I stood in front of Spencer, opened my arms. “The world can wait.”

For the first time since he’d sat there, he looked up at me. He stood. Hugged me, then started crying on my shoulder.

“You have no idea how fucked up it is to have a man stick his dick in your ass against your will. I was a kid, Blake. I should’ve laid his ass out across the altar. But all I did was walk away. I’m feeling like a bitch right now for punking out,” he said.

“You could never be that. It wasn’t your fault.”

He yelled, “Then who’s to blame! Huh? Tell me! Who’s to fucking blame!”

I refused to let him go. His concerns were valid. The one thing no one should ever question was who was wrong for abusing a child. “Shh.” I held him tight. When I touched the back of his head, he cried louder.

After about ten minutes, he started sobbing. I whispered, “You don’t have to say a word. Let’s go inside. I’ma fill the tub so we can zone out.”

“Everything okay over there, Blake?” Tom was standing in my driveway.

“Yes, Tom. We’re good.”

Tom made an about-face, then headed across the street. Spencer entered my house.

My Jacuzzi had become our sanctuary. A place where we could lay our heads, clear our minds, and open our hearts to each other. Turning on the surround sound I played his favorite smooth jazz CD.

Spencer settled into the water. I sat naked on the side of the tub with my feet in the water. I rested the back of his head on my stomach, dipped the sponge in the warm water. Gently, I washed his neck, shoulders, back. I scrubbed his chest. With each stroke, I stayed well above his waist. This moment was not about stroking his dick or his ego.

He dunked his face into the water. “Get in. I need for you to hold me.”

I eased into the water, sat behind him. I wrapped my arms around him. He gripped my biceps. This was the type of man I’d longed for. Sensitive. Caring. Open.

We chilled. Our energies comforted each other. The connection felt spiritual.

Spencer whispered, “Thank you, Blake.”

I could trust this man, and love him hard.

I cried. He cried.

I whispered, “Thank you, too.”

CHAPTER 42

Spencer

 

 

 

J
ust as I dozed off, my cell rang. Looking at the caller ID, I smiled.

Fabulous was lying next to me asleep. “What’s up?” I eased from underneath the covers, tiptoed to the living room.

“Can you be here in two hours? I need you.”

Now who needed whom? I didn’t want to argue or debate, I was happy somebody genuinely wanted me.

I replied, “You got it. See you in two.”

“Thanks.”

“No. Thank you,” I said, ending the call.

One of the many things my mother, Venus, taught me was being courteous to the right people at the right time is called respect. Pride ain’t worth a dime if you have to step on others to get it or to keep it.

I shook my arms, wiggled my body, tilted my head side to side, then proudly entered the bedroom. Fabulous’s eyes were wide open. “Who was that?”

“I’ve got to go. I’d planned on leaving today anyway.” That was the truth.

“So you’re not going to tell me who it was?”

Telling her my boss, Derrick, needed me wasn’t a problem. I didn’t want Fabulous to show up at my job. Not that it’d be a problem for Fabulous to chill but I’d been with her long enough. A brotha needed some space. And I mean what if Charlotte decided to drop in at the bar?

I opened a new pack of boxer briefs, held up two pair, then asked her, “Black or red?”

I’d been here so long, I’d run out of the new clothes I’d bought at Cumberland Mall and I had to order more underwear online and have them overnight-expressed. All my dirty laundry was in a trash bag. I could’ve used Fabulous’s washer machine but I didn’t want to.

“I have business to tend to,” I said, giving her a kiss.

Fabulous hugged me. “You’re leaving me,” she said with a sad face.

I imagined she didn’t want to be home alone. “Maybe one of your daughters can come over.”

She let go. Turned her back to me. Wrapped her arms around her pillow.

Not committing to a day or time, I said, “I promise I’ll call you.”

Softly, she said, “Sure.”

I was not going to let her make me feel bad about doing what was best for me. Damn, I’d been with her eight, nine, ten days. Shit, I’d lost count. I didn’t want to be insensitive. Refusing to let her make me feel guilty, I kissed her lips, picked up my cell, then headed to the bathroom.

Derrick giving me time off was the proper response to Charlotte’s behavior. The way I’d dismissed Charlotte was a mistake. What if she was parked in the lot waiting for me to return to work? I’d better call her ass.

Noticing the date, I realized the fifth was yesterday. Signing in to my online business account, I saw one of my tenants hadn’t paid their rent. I should employ a management company to take care of my properties for me. I hated being a bill collector. I texted my renter,
Your rent is past due. I’ll wave the late fee if you pay by COB today.
I didn’t want to put a notice on his door but I would, first thing in the morning, if necessary.

Showering, I wondered, could I love two women at the same time? Yes, I believed so. I’d been there once before while I was in college. Could I be in love with two women at the same time? Absolutely. The lying, cheating, and breaking their hearts wasn’t worth it.

I dried myself, dressed in the bathroom, then opened the door. Fabulous wasn’t in the bed or the bedroom. Praying this wasn’t going to be some a-thin-line-between-love-and-hate shit, I called out her name.

There was no answer. I entered the living room. She wasn’t there. Checked the kitchen. No Fabulous. I wasn’t going to play games. Walking out the front door to my car, I heard, “Want me to come over to your house?”

Shit!
She scared me. I watched her rock back and forth.

“Not tonight. I’ll call you.”

Real sexy, she said, “You’d better.” Then she said, “I love you.”

“Cool. I gotta go.” Driving away, I glanced in my rearview. Fabulous was waving at me. I tooted my horn as I exited her driveway. Stopping at the stop sign, I called Charlotte.

No answer.

I left her a voice message. “Hey, boo, Listen. I know I was wrong. Call me when you get this message.”

Ending the call, I wondered, why were women so emotional? They could go from hot to cold or the opposite in a split second. Cry on a dime. Curse me out in a second.

Parking in the garage at my building, I surveyed my surroundings, got out of my car. Constantly, I glanced over my shoulder until I made it to my front door.

I changed my clothes, called Fabulous. She didn’t answer.
Damn!
What did I do to her? I grabbed my cell and keys, then opened my front door.

Wham!
My head snapped to the left.
Wham!
My head went to the right.

“You bastard!” Charlotte yelled. “You motherfucking bastard! I hate your ass!”

She raised her hand to hit me again. I snatched her wrist. She swung at me with her other hand. “Fuck! Bitch!” I dropped my phone and keys in front of my door, caught her arm in midair. Shoved her back against the wall in the hallway.

“It’s over between us! You’re crazy. I can’t deal.” I was serious this time.

Tears poured down her face. “You don’t know what happened to me in Vegas. I had no money. You have no idea, Spencer. You didn’t even care enough to check on me. You could’ve paid for the room so . . . so . . .” She screamed, “I wouldn’t have had to do those . . .” Her words trailed off.

Staring at her with wide eyes, I didn’t know what to think. Had some guy taken advantage of my boo? I got angry for a moment. What if Charlotte had made this shit up?

“Let me go!” Charlotte yelled, struggling to free herself.

I let her go. She faced my door. I stepped in front of her, blocked her entrance. No way was she getting into my place to break up my shit again. Pissed off as Charlotte was she might take a knife to my furniture, rip out the cushions, then attack me.

True. I could’ve made sure she had a place to stay. After I saw Fabulous’s face, I wasn’t tripping off of Charlotte. I took a deep breath. I was about to be the biggest sucker or the worst ex Charlotte has had.

Charlotte might’ve had an incredible time in Vegas or the unimaginable could’ve really happened to my gurl.

Kissing her lips, I told her, “Boo, it’s over between us. For real this time.”

“Hey, Domino.”

Aw shit. I was already knowing who that was. Turning, I saw Alexis. I shook my head. She was sexy as hell. Another short-ass dress. Candy-apple red. Blue high heels. Her legs were shiny sexy. Hair flowed down her back.

I looked at Charlotte, then told Alexis, “This is my ex, Charlotte.”

“Oh, really?” Alexis said, moving in closer.

“Ex my ass! Who’s that bitch?” Charlotte asked.

Wham! Slam! Slap! Slam! Wham!
Standing inches from Charlotte’s face, Alexis said, “Call me a bitch again.”

Wham!
She hit Charlotte again. “That’s for calling my mother a bitch, bitch.”

Oh, shit. I sensed some shit was about to go down but I had no idea Alexis got down like that. I put my back to Charlotte, stood in front of Alexis.

Charlotte screamed, “Kick her ass, Spencer.”

Was she serious? Did Charlotte believe for a second I wanted some of what she’d just got? It wasn’t cool that a female had smacked up on my gurl, I meant, ex-gurl, but Charlotte needed to know everybody wasn’t backing down from her.

Alexis reached into her purse, pulled out a brown band, gathered her hair, secured it into a ponytail. She dug in her bag again, pulled out a 9mm, tried to move me out of the way.

“Nah, now this is what’s not going to happen,” I told Alexis. Calmly, I said, “Put your gun away. Don’t make me take it from you.”

Alexis said, “I dare you, bitch.”

Did she just call me a bitch?
She could talk shit but there was no way I was going to let Alexis shoot Charlotte.

Charlotte’s eyes narrowed. Her face turned bright red. She stared at me. I wasn’t sure what she expected me to do. She’d showed up at my front door unannounced, hit me in my head twice, now she wanted my protection.

Alexis stepped back. Held the gun with both hands over her right shoulder. Damn, she looked like one of those women who could lure a man into bed then kill him. She lowered her piece to her side.

I had a flashback of her sucking me off in her mom’s kitchen.

Charlotte said, “We’re done. I won’t bother you ever again. You’re not worth it.”

Hell, I’d almost forgotten Charlotte was here.

Hunching my shoulders, I said, “Cool.” She’d made my decision to be chill with Fabulous easier. Alexis made it harder.

“You can have him,” she said to Alexis, then stumped away. Her legs wobbled. Each step Charlotte took I thought she was going to fall.

“I don’t need your permission, bitch! Don’t bring your ass back here or let me catch you anywhere near my man!”

All I could do was shake my head. I didn’t want to laugh but soon as Charlotte was out of our sight we busted up.

Alexis put her gun in her purse, then strutted away, jiggling her booty.

I’d be telling the truth if I’d said, “That shit turned me on!”