'Til Death (21 page)

              "I mean shit has not been really good between Culprit and I; we've been fighting more often. I’m confused on where we are going and shit is complicated, Ciara."

              "Lo, that doesn’t mean you have sex with your ex fiancé, whom everybody is just finding out about, on top of that."

              "I just wasn’t thinking." I admitted sounded defeated.

              "You can’t tell Culprit."

              "I can’t keep it from him."

              "Shit, do what you think is best."

              "I mean you and Boan cheated, so hopefully, Culprit can forgive me, plus he cheated and got somebody pregnant."

              "Lo, me and Boan are two different people. I told Boan if he cheated again I’m fucking done, but obviously he thinks I’m playing. I don’t know how Culprit is going to take it, but you fucked one of our number one enemies. That’s not a good look, Lo." Ciara began to gather her stuff.

              "You leaving?" I really didn't want her to go because I would have to face what I did alone.

              "Yea, it's getting late."

              "Ok, I guess I’ll go see Culprit." I walked them to the door and left with them. I hugged Heaven and Ciara and watch them pull off. I got into my Jaguar and made my way to the hospital. Visiting hours were not over, but I did not have much time. I walked into his room. Culprit was plugged into so many machines. I touched his hand and rubbed his arm.

              "Baby, I have something to tell you," I said. Before I could finish, Culprit opened his eyes.

Boan

              I was at home chilling in the driveway watching these little niggas across the street, a couple of houses down, playing ball. I’d gotten that long text from Ciara talking about how Sky approached her, talking shit. I knew Ciara was going to be on some tripping shit, and I really didn’t want to hear it. Yeah, I’d been texting Sky, but I wasn’t fucking her. They finally pulled up in my Range, and the little dudes playing basketball watched them as they got out of the car. Ciara gave me the evil eye.  She finally paid attention to the brand new Jeep Wrangler that was sitting in our drive way.

              "Who Jeep is that?" Ciara asked.

              "Look at the license plate," I said. She looked at the license plate, and her eyes got big.

              "It has my name on it," Heaven said.

              "Because it’s yours, kid," I said, tossing Heaven the keys.

              "What?!" they both said in unison.

              "She has to learn how to drive. School starts in a month or so. On top of that, I don’t want her driving my Range, and I know you don’t want her driving your Lexus truck, or your Camaro, so I got her a truck that she can learn how to drive in." Heaven ran to me and wrapped her arms around my waist. She opened up the Jeep and there was another surprise in there.

              "You got me a Yorkie, too," Heaven said. She picked up the little dog and showed her mom.

              "Thank you so much," Heaven said. She carried the dog in the house, and Ciara was right behind her. I walked in and closed and locked the door. I walked upstairs to Heaven’s bedroom. She was bonding with her new pet.

              "What did you name her?" I asked. Heaven looked at me.

              "Bella. Is that lame?"

              "The same name from that Blue Moon and Midnight movie?"

              "It’s
Twilight
and
New Moon,
and yes." I started laughing.

              "Naw, it’s cool." I ressured her while smiling at how she was cradling the dog.

              "Boan, thank you, really. I mean, you don’t have to do all of this for me, or even accept me in your life, but you did, and I really do appreciate it."

              "Don’t sweat it. Your Ciara daughter, so you’re my daughter too," I said. I saw tears coming to Heaven eyes.

              "I’m about to go talk to your mom," I said, and I closed the door. I walked into my bedroom. Ciara was curled on the bed watching television. I crawled into the bed and tried to cuddle with her but she pushed me away.

              "What?" I asked.

Ciara turned to face me. "You must think I’m stupid."

              "Why you say that?" I asked while smirking at her.

              "You did all this shit so I wouldn’t talk about Sky."

              "No I didn’t," I lied.

              "So have you been texting her?" Ciara was staring at me hard, waiting for a crack in my façade.

              "No," I lied again.

              "Boan, I’m not fucking playing with you. Everything I said this morning I mean."

              "Ciara, I have not been texting her."

              "Well, let me see your phone." She extended her hand, waiting for me to do as she say.

I tossed her my iPhone. I had deleted all of the messages, and Sky’s number was saved under another name.

              "What the fuck is your password?"

              "Your birthday, woman," I said, while lying down. I watched Ciara go through my phone. She tossed it back at me when she didn’t find shit.

              "Told you." I couldn't help but laugh at the look on her face.

              "Shut up, your black ass probably deleted it."

I crawled on top of her and she tried to push me off. "Why you acting like that Ciara?" I kissed her neck slightly.

              "You think you slick, don’t you?"

"I’m not doing shit." I looked at her with an innocent face.

              "Whatever, Boan."

              "Suck a dick."

              "You first," Ciara bit back, making me laugh. I kissed her, and she was acting like she didn’t want to kiss me back.

              "You look good today," I was admiring her while she was under me.

              "I look good every day."

              "Conceited," I tried to kiss her again, but she moved, and it landed on her cheek.

              "Can I have a kiss?" I asked. She gave me a quick peck. "What the hell was that? I want a real kiss," I said. She gave me another one. I spread her legs so I could get comfortable. I bit her bottom lip, and she put her hands on my chest, trying to push me away. I began to kiss and suck on her neck and grind up against her.

              "Stop Boan, you're trying to have sex," Ciara whispered.

              "So," I said.

My phone rang, and Ciara made a dash for it. "Hello?" Ciara answered. She put it on speaker phone.

              "Hello?" A woman answered.

              "Aw hell no, who the fuck is this?" Ciara asked, while looking at me.

              "It’s Lo, Ciara."

              "Oh, my bad." Ciara starting laughing.

              "Yea, anyway, Culprit is up. He is awake and talking and everything. He told me to tell Boan to bring his bitch ass down here."

              "Aye man, tell that nigga I said fuck him . . . and I’m on my way," I said. Ciara hung up the phone and I got up. “You coming?"

              "Of course."

              I left the room and went into Heaven’s room. I knocked on the door."Come in!" Heaven yelled from the other side.

              "Kid, me and your mom about to go to the hospital real quick. You cool here by yourself?" I wanted to make sure before we left

              "Yea, is everything alright?"

              "Yea, come downstairs and lock up and set the alarm.''

Ciara and I left and made our way to the hospital. Ciara held my hand on the ride there. She had on ripped jeans with a red t-shirt, a white blazer, and white high heeled boots with red bottoms. I shook my head. She was addicted to Manolo and Louboutin’s. I parked and we got out. We made our way to the entrance, and I was excited to see my nigga. I walked into the room and he was sitting up in bed.

              "What up boy," I said. Culprit gave me a head-nod. Ciara hugged him. I sat down in the chair and Ciara sat next to me.

              "How you feeling?" I asked him, looking over him.

              "I’m ready to leave for real." Culprit said. He voice was raspy and barely above a whisper. I was getting angry again just thinking that Tez’s bitch ass had done this, but I promised myself that that nigga would get his in the worst way.

              "What did the doctor say?" Ciara asked.

              "I can feel my legs, so that’s a good thing, but they have to keep me here for another week or so."

              "Where are Av and Tosh?" Culprit asked.

              "Tosh was supposed to go to Miami for a while, but she hasn’t called me," Ciara answered.

              "I was with Av earlier; I think that nigga went home. Or to Tosh crib," I said.

              "Tosh and Av for real?" Culprit asked.

              "It’s a little more complex than that," Ciara said.

              "That nigga was talking all that shit," Culprit replied.

              "When love calls your name . . .” I said, and we all started laughing.

Avery

              I was sitting outside of Tosh’s apartment building, looking like an idiot. I’d been out there for only a minute. I didn’t know if I should go up or not. I didn’t even have her number, so I didn’t know if she was there. Fuck it. I got out of my truck and made my way upstairs. I should have just turned around and left, but I couldn’t; I didn’t want to. I stood outside of her door. I didn’t have any candy or flowers, just me; I hoped that was good enough. I knocked on her door and waited for her to answer. She answered the door in some short-ass shorts and a tank-top. Damn. She looked at me and I looked at her.

              "What the hell are you doing here?" Tosh asked me.

              "I really don’t know," I answered. She was about to close the door, but I stopped her.

              "Wait Shorty. Hear me out," I said.

              She opened up the door and leaned against the doorway. I guessed I wasn’t going to be invited in. "I’m listening." I looked into her hazel eyes and I felt myself melting.

              "I’m sorry. You were right. I shouldn’t have judged you based off of what I thought you were. My thoughts of you were wrong and degrading. I really do apologize for that. I’m here because I just wanted to get this off my chest;  it was bugging me," I said.

Tosh nodded her head and smiled. "I accept." Tosh gave me her glowing smile.

              "Can I have a hug then?" I asked, smiling at her. Tosh stepped out of the hallway. I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her closer. She wrapped her arms around my neck and she felt so good and I didn’t want to let her go, but I did. My phone started vibrating, and I took it out of my pocket and answered. It was Boan telling me that Culprit was awake.

              "Culprit is up, Tosh; do you want to ride with me to go see him?"

              "Yea, just let me change."

I followed her inside her apartment and waited. She came out of her bedroom with a pink jogging outfit on, and UGG boots looking younger then twenty-seven.

              "You ready?" I asked.

              "Yes." I followed her out, and on the way down, we didn’t speak. I liked Tosh, but her perception of me probably had changed. I would have to work harder to get back in her good graces. We rode to the hospital but, we didn’t say much. I didn’t want to sit in silence, at least not with her, anyway.

              "Tosh?"

              "Yes?"

              "Can we start over?" I asked.

              "What do you mean?"

              "I want to get to know you, take you out, all that good shit." I glanced at her to see if I could peep what she was thinking.

              "All that good shit," Tosh repeated while laughing and shaking her head.

              "What?"

              "Avery we had sex. Let’s just leave it at that." Tosh dismissed me.

              "But I don’t want to." Tosh didn’t say anything. Instead she looked out the window. I turned the music up. Within minutes, we were at the hospital. We got out and walked together, but we weren’t together. I had to think of ways to change her mind. I wanted her. We walked into the hospital and went straight into Culprit’s room.