Scarlett (10 page)

“Yep, but let the truth be told that I went out with him before I knew about his background. So, don’t forget that, Scarlett.”

“Yeah, don’t remind me,” Scarlett stated. “Can you tell if he’s ready to make a commitment with you?”

“Look at me, my friend. Who wouldn’t want to commit to me?”

Jay wouldn’t,
thought Scarlett.

“Watch me work, my friend. You may wanna take out your pen and paper for this one and jot down some notes.” Sheila picked up the intercom phone.

“Jay, please report to the office. Jay, please report to the office.”

“What are you up to?” Scarlett asked.

“Just watch and learn.” Sheila said as Jay walked into the office.

“What’s up ladies?” he asked, trying to keep his wandering eyes off Scarlett. She looked great in her strapless Coogi sundress.

“Hey boo, I was calling you in here so we can talk.”

“Oh okay. What’s up?” he asked.

“Do you have plans for this weekend?” Sheila asked.

“As a matter of fact, I don’t.” Jay responded.

“I’m renting a cabin at Clarks Hill Lake this weekend and would love for you to come.”

“Oh yeah,” Jay commented.

“Yes, and we can really have a good time. I was thinking I would invite Scarlett and one of her friends to come too.”

Scarlett looked over at her quickly. “No thank you, Sheila. I wouldn’t want to intrude.”

“Nonsense,” Sheila stated. “Bring Kenny with you. I know you’re probably still talking to him, right?”

Jay looked at her sideways.

“Well, Kenny and I aren’t talking anymore. He dismissed me a long time ago.”
I believe you already knew that shit.
“So I’m sorry, but I won’t be making the trip.”

“Awww, you’re such a downer,” Sheila replied. “Isn’t she a downer, Jay?”

“Uh, Scarlett probably wouldn’t want to be a third wheel this weekend.”

“You’re right about that,” she uttered.

Sheila looked Jay in the face. “So—” The office doors opened and a bouquet of fresh yellow roses were being brought in by a deliveryman. Sheila’s face turned bright red.

“I have roses for Scarlett Harper,” the delivery guy said. Sheila was stunned. She just knew they were for her.

Scarlett smiled and stood up. “That would be me.” She was excited.

“So, you’re the pretty lady,” the delivery guy said. Sheila hated that she wasn’t the only pretty lady in the office now. Scarlett blushed and reached for her roses. In all the twenty-five years of her life, she’d never gotten flowers. This was indeed something very special and meant a lot.

Jay smiled at her reaction.

“Nice roses, Scarlett. I wonder who the lucky guy is,” Sheila commented.

Scarlett pulled out the card and read it.

Last night was beautiful, just as you are today.

Sheila looked over at her sniffing the roses.

“So, who got them for you?” Sheila asked, obviously jealous.

“A real woman never kisses and tells,” she responded, placing the bouquet of roses on her desk and the card in her purse.

“So that’s how best friends do one another, huh?” Sheila asked. She was very curious to know who sent Scarlett those roses. She’d only had a makeover for one day, and she was already getting flowers sent to the job.
Damn, I hate this shit.
“We just acting brand new, I see.” Sheila continued.

Jay looked over at Scarlett and winked his eye while Sheila wasn’t looking. He turned to head back inside the shop, feeling pretty good about seeing Scarlett smile.

“Aye Jay baby, what do you think?” Sheila asked. “You never answered me.”

He turned and looked at her. She was sexy as hell standing there in her white Apple Bottom fitted bell-bottom pants and her lavender Apple Bottom blouse. Her lavender Manolo pumps extended her height and she walked gracefully over to him. She leaned in and whispered in his ear. “So, Jay baby, what do you think?” she asked again with a grin.

He smiled back, but quickly noticed Scarlett through his peripheral vision. She pretended to be busy, but he knew she was watching him. Sheila smiled at him seductively and flipped her strawberry blonde hair from over her eye.

“Well?” she asked again.

“Sure, that sounds good. We’ll talk more about it later.” He smiled and walked off.

Chapter Ten

Scarlett walked inside the house and went straight into her bedroom. She sat the vase with the dozen roses on her nightstand by her bed. She smiled at the thought of Jay actually sending her flowers. She was glad the workday was over, but was hoping Jay would want to see her later that night.

She walked out of her bedroom at the same time Anton was walking out of his.

“What’s up? I see you’re still looking good.”

“Thanks, Ant. I figured it was time for a positive change.” They sat down on the couch beside each other at the same time.

“Ain’t nothing wrong with a positive change. I’ve been feeling the same way lately. I’ve even been considering getting my GED.”

Scarlett was surprised, but thrilled. He was finally starting to see that life could be so much more than drama and foolishness.

“Wow, Anton, I’m proud of you for even thinking about getting your GED.” She smiled. “I honestly feel that things are looking up for us. I know we’re not the ideal family, but things don’t always have to be bad for us.”

“I know, sis.”

“We started out living in a two-bedroom trailer with Gwen for years and when I turned eighteen, I got an apartment of my own and moved you in with me a year later. Even though we lived in the projects, we still managed to make things work together. A couple of years ago we were blessed to get a housing voucher and moved in this nice house.” She paused. “Our neighborhood is even decent and we have a spacious front and backyard.”

“Tell me about it. I have to cut the grass.” He teased.

“Yeah, well it’s a blessing to even have grass,” she laughed. “What I’m trying to say is that we can do bad by ourselves, and better when we work together. But we can’t be blessed to do anything good as long as Gwen stays in the house. It’s time for her to move out.”

Anton looked a little disappointed, but he saw this coming a mile away. “Sis, the only reason why I like Ma being here is so I’ll know she’s alive and not out there dead somewhere in somebody’s crack house.”

“I know, Ant, but Gwen is not going to change. She’s bringing us down. I have to spend extra money buying food, because she comes in here and either eats up all the food when I’m gone, or takes it to her hungry ass friends. That room smells like a rat infested hell-hole. I know my room is not the cleanest in the house, but at least it don’t smell. I’m ashamed to have company over during the day, because I don’t want them to see how bad she looks. Plus, I don’t ever know what kind of mood she’s in and things could really get outta hand between us. She’s very unpredictable and I don’t sleep well at night, because I don’t know if she’ll let some of her roguish friends in here and they steal my shit. It may not be much, but I work hard to put decent things in here for us.”

Anton thought about him walking in on Gwen and Ed that morning and felt where his sister was coming from. 

“I want a big screen TV to watch, but I’m afraid she’ll pawn it or sell it for a twenty dollar hit. Remember when I bought you them Jordon’s a few weeks ago and they went missing?” Scarlett asked.

Anton shook his head. “Yeah, I heard she sold them to some dude who lives in Stonebridge for fifteen dollars and a twenty dollar hit.”

“Stonebridge Apartments?” she questioned.

“Yep, the drug capital of the world,” Anton answered.

“Damn, I figured she sold them, but she really just gave them away. You know it’s bad if she’s making her way all the way across town to get drugs.” Scarlett was pissed. “I paid one-hundred and twenty dollars for them shoes.”

“Yeah, I know. I just didn’t want to tell you when I heard about it, because I knew Ma was going to get it.”

“That’s why she got to go. I can’t deal with her anymore. She doesn’t like me anyway and never has. I only put up with her because of you, but it’s over now and I’m glad you understand.”

Anton was quiet for a moment. He looked over at Scarlett with sincerity. “I know I’m hoping for a miracle, but if she goes to rehab and gets clean can she come back?” Scarlett felt bad for him.

“If she goes to rehab and gets clean I’ll let her come back, but only long enough for her to find her own place.” In her mind, she knew that would never happen.

“Well, that’s better than nothing,” he said, but deep down inside he knew that would never happen either.

As they sat there, Gwen walked in the house.

“Speaking of the devil,” Anton muttered. Scarlett turned and looked at her. She looked and smelled a mess.

“Can I see your house key, Gwen?” Scarlett asked. She knew there was no easy way to put Gwen out. Gwen was so high that she handed over the key without realizing she was being put out.

“I need for you to get the little bit of things you have and get out,” Scarlett demanded.

Gwen looked in her face. She almost didn’t recognize her. “Whatever Scarred. I’m going to lie down.”

“No, you’re going to get your things and leave my house.” She looked over at Anton. “Please go pack Gwen’s things and bring them to her.” Anton hated to be in the middle of putting their mother out, but he wasn’t about to be put out along with Gwen, so he got up and headed into her room to pack her things.

Gwen looked dumbfounded. “So, you got your new wig on and your car back and you think you’re the hot shit, huh? Well, I’m here to tell you that you ain’t doing shit!” Her words slurred and her breath reeked of liquor. Scarlett was ready for whatever, because she knew Gwen wasn’t going to leave without a fight.

“Gwen I don’t wanna argue with you. I want Anton and me to live in peace and finally be happy. The truth is that you’re gonna have to leave here in order for us to do that,” She calmly explained.

“Scarred, you ain’t shit and you’re never gonna be happy. You don’t get it do you? You may not be on drugs, but you may as well be because you’re just as delusional as me if you think that my leaving here is going to give you a peace of mind and make you happy.”

Scarlett allowed her words to roll off like water gliding over oil. She wasn’t going to let Gwen get to her anymore.

“You know why you ain’t got a man, because don’t no man want your ugly ass! You wanna know why you can’t be happy? Because you don’t know how to love yourself and accept the things you can’t change. You’ll never be able to have babies. That’s why you done took my boy and now trying to be his mother. He knows you’re not his mother and he will hate you for putting me out.” Scarlett was deeply hurt by Gwen’s harsh words and she fought back the tears. “Who wants to marry a woman who can’t have his children?” Gwen looked at Scarlett and rolled her eyes.

“Whose fault is that Gwen?” Scarlett barely whispered.

“Yours!” Gwen lashed out at her. “If you weren’t so hot in the ass at the age of thirteen then I wouldn’t have had to take you over to Brenda’s to get rid of that baby.”

Scarlett walked over and slapped Gwen in the face. Spit flew out of her mouth as Gwen staggered, but she knew that it was best to stand back or she would find herself on the floor. She’d struck a mean nerve in Scarlett.

Flashbacks of Brenda, the in-house wanna-be abortion doctor, sticking that long tool up her vagina hurt like it was yesterday. She had no pain meds or antibiotics and had to be hospitalized for days after it took place. The doctor told her she may never have children of her own and this made her hate Gwen more than she ever did before. She never understood why the social worker allowed her to leave with Gwen when she was well enough to return home. She came to realize that sometimes people overlook things, because they don’t want to be bothered with it themselves.

Anton rushed out the room with a trash bag of Gwen’s things. It wasn’t much, but Scarlett wanted it all gone. He handed the trash bag to Gwen and she snatched it from him.

“So, this is how you’re gonna treat me?” Anton turned his head and headed toward his room. His eyes were filled with water and he didn’t want her to see him cry or know he felt bad for her. “THIS IS HOW YOU’RE GONNA TREAT YOUR MOTHER?” she yelled at him as he slammed his door shut.

“I think it’s in your best interest to leave, before I do something to you that I might regret.”

Gwen looked into Scarlett’s eyes and it was the coldest look she’d ever seen. She knew then, that it was time for her to go. She walked over to the door and turned to face Scarlett one last time.

“You know what, Scarred? You don’t even have real friends, because Sheila paid me to put sugar in your tank.” Scarlett was confused as she listened. “She said she didn’t want you getting beside yourself because you had gotten a ride and wanted to make sure she kept you in your place, beneath her. Now that you’ve gone out and gotten yourself all fixed up, I wonder what she’s got in store for you now since I won’t be around to do her dirty work. I must admit it though, it felt good and I enjoyed spending them two-hundred dollars. Shiiiiiit I woulda took twenty if she had’a known any better.” Gwen smiled and staggered out of the house.

Chapter Eleven

“You say she did what?” Nina asked.

“I said, last night when I put Gwen out, she gloated about Sheila paying her to put sugar in my tank to keep me in my place.”

“To keep you in your place,” Nina repeated. “Are you serious?”

“Yes, I’m serious. I didn’t know what to say. I just stood there looking stupid.”

“Don’t worry, Red. I’ma kick that bitch’s ass for you. I knew she wasn’t your friend.”

“Nina, don’t go doing anything that will get us both locked up. I want to fight her so bad, but I have to be careful with what I do, because I work for her dad. I can’t lose my job over this. Besides, she don’t even know that I know.”

“I don’t understand how you even talked to her this morning to tell her you weren’t coming in. I would’ve cussed that bitch out.”

“I didn’t talk to her. I just text messaged her and explained that Anton wasn’t feeling well and I was taking him to the doctor. I know it was a lie, but I can’t work around her right now, because I know my temper.” They sat on Nina’s couch trying to figure out how to handle Sheila from this point forward.