A Love Like This (Book 1) (51 page)

“
Sarah,
 
Nickie, Keisha and
 
Pookie
 
are on the way,
”
 
I say changing the subject

“
Alright,
”
 
She says.
 
 
“
Come into the kitchen and I
’
ll fix you all something to eat.
 
You have to be hungry.
”
 
 
We follow her to the kitchen and she starts pulling out platters of leftovers.
 
We all turn when we hear the front door open.
 
Tucker is instantly on the defense.
 
 
He leaps up with his fists balled.
 
 
“
Why are you so jumpy?
 
Sit down boy,
”
 
My mom says swatting him with a dish towel.
 
He returns to the chair where he was sitting.
 
I walk over and stand in front of him.
 
I feel badly for being so mean earlier.
 
 
I don
’
t know
why he puts up with me.
 
 
I know that he was only trying to protect me.
 
He holds onto my waist and rests his head on my chest.
 
He
’
s always trying to protect me I think to myself as I brush my hand over his hair.

“
Is anyone home,
”
 
Sarah
’
s voice rings out across the living room.
 
She and
 
Nogood
 
are walking hand and hand.
 
He is nearly unrecognizable in his dark chinos and white button down.
 
I had never really noticed before but
 
Nogood
 
is actually handsome.

“
You clean up well,
”
 
I say.

“
Well
 
look at you two,
”
 
my mother says smiling.
 
Sarah is beaming with pride.
 
In just a few days she
’
s managed to get
 
Nogood
 
to look like a man rather than a-wanna-be thug.
 
I guess my grandma Bess was right sometimes it just takes the right woman to bring the good out in a man.
 

Sarah releases
 
Nogood
’
s
 
hand, hugs my mother and waves hello to Shauna.
 
 
“
So what
’
s up?
 
Why did you need us to get over here in such a hurry?
”
 
Nogood
 
says.

“
We
’
ll talk when everyone gets here.
”

“
Oh my goodness
 
are
 
you
 
pregers?
”
 
Sarah squeals.
 
 
“
If you are please stay away from me.
 
It might be contagious.
”
 
 
My mother stops what
’
s she
’
s doing and looks over at me.

“
No I
’
m not pregnant.
 
I jump up and down on one foot after having sex.
 
It
’
s a fool proof birth control method.
”
 
 
Shauna laughs but everyone else just stares at me blankly.
 
 
“
It was a joke.
 
I
’
m not pregnant, jeez.
”
 
 
My mom hands Shauna a plate with food piled high.
 
Shauna just gapes down at the plate in astonishment.
 
It
’
s enough food to feed
three adult men.
 
My mom makes similar plates of food for everyone else in the room.
 
 
“
Mom it isn
’
t even noon yet,
”
 
I say biting into a piece of fried chicken.
”

“
Just call it an early lunch and eat,
”
 
She says as she buzzes around cleaning the kitchen.
 
I watch her realizing she
’
s the reason I
’
m so obsessed with keeping things orderly.
 
“
What are you guys doing here so early?
 
I thought you were taking an architectural tour of LA then coming by later tonight for dinner,
”
 
Dana says.
 
Tucker and
 
I look at each other.
 
He stands up without a word and walks towards the backyard.
 
Not wanting to be left alone in a room full of women
 
Nogood
 
picks up his plate and follows Tucker.
 
My mom puts her hand on her hips and gives me that what did you do now look.
 

“
Someone, I
’
m assuming one of Tucker
’
s ex
’
s has been leaving threatening messages.
”

“
Is that all,
”
 
Dana says continuing to clean.
 
 
“
She
’
s probably just pissed because he broke up with her.
 
Just change your number or ignore the calls.
”

“
I didn
’
t think it was a big deal at first either but I listened to a few of the messages and the woman sound
’
s completely insane.
”

“
Who sounds insane?
”
 
Keisha asks popping up out of nowhere.
 
She has on her standard tight jeans and heels.
 
She actually walks around the shop like this all day, glamour taking precedence over comfort.

“
One of Tucker
’
s crazy ex-girl friends has been stalking Leila,
”
 
Sarah says.

“
Well who is the bitch?
 
Let
’
s go have a talk with her.
”

“
If you feel like she might actually hurt you we
’
d better call the police,
”
 
Shauna says.

“
No
 
offense Shauna but fuck
 
the police,
”
 
Keisha says.
 
Dana throws the dish towel at her.
 

“
You wonder why your son swears so much.
 
Watch your mouth girl.
”

“
I
’
m sorry
Momma
but what are the police going to do?
 
They
’
ll just say their hands are tied until the woman comes to kill Leila.
 
So I say we beat her behind now and call the police later.
”

“
Do we know which ex-girl friend it is?
”
 
Sarah asks.
 

Shauna tells us about going out for drinks with Samantha and Amy.
 
She says she thinks that Amy has moved on but Shauna still thinks there
’
s a chance for her and Tucker to reunite.
 
I feel a twinge of anger listening to Shauna talk about Amy and Samantha.
 

“
Do you know where Samantha lives,
”
 
Keisha asks.

“
You are too old to be fighting,
”
 
Dana says.

“
Oh
 
Momma
please,
”
 
Keisha says waving the comment away.
 
 
“
I
’
m not going to fight.
 
I
’
ll just punch her in the face a few times.
”

“
No
Momma
’
s right.
 
Let
’
s just file a police report and let them handle it.
”

“
That
’
s a very smart idea,
”
 
Dana says drying her hands on a dish towel.
 
 
“
I
’
m going to check on your father,
”
 
She says before leaving the room.

Keisha takes a piece of corn bread from my plate and bites into it.
 
When she
’
s sure my mom is gone she says,
 
“
So we
’
ll swing by
 
Pookie
’
s
 
place and pick up
 
Nickie
 
then head to the airport,
”
Keisha says swinging her purse over her shoulder.

“
I
’
m a ride or die bitch,
”
 
Sarah says.
 
“
Let
’
s roll out.
”
 

“
What the hell is wrong with you two?
 
Whoever is making the calls is in Los Angeles not the Bay Area.
 
She followed us here.
 
In fact I think I might have seen her at my party last night.
”

“
Oh no are you serious,
”
 
Shauna says.

“
I can
’
t say for certain but I
’
m pretty sure.
 
There was a woman wearing dark clothes and a baseball cap.
 
I wouldn
’
t have noticed her if she didn
’
t look so pissed.
”

“
Why didn
’
t you tell someone,
”
 
Keisha says.

“
Look, I
’
m not going to be in LA for much longer.
 
I
’
m not about to let this woman ruin the rest of my stay.
 
I
’
ll file a police report then we
’
ll pick up
 
Nickie
 
and go out.
”

*****

Tucker tells Xavier and
 
Nogood
 
about the calls.

“
So what are you going to do man?
”
 
Nogood
 
asks.

“
I
’
m not sure but I have to do something soon.
 
I don
’
t know if they are just idle threats or if this woman is really planning to do something crazy.
”