CheckMate 4: Winner Takes All (9 page)

“Stay,” Rico said.

***

 “I can’t,” Mona spouted as she made her way down the stairs and into the kitchen where her mom was at. “I can’t be with a man that doesn’t know what he wants out of life.”

“Well, I can’t exactly blame you for that. At least you’re teaching him early on that you’re not one of those women that will be stepped on and looked over.”

“That’s right mom. I’m not.” Mona agreed.

“So, how are your feelings right now for your daughter’s father?”

“I don’t know,” she sighed with a confused shake of the head. “I honestly don’t know. One minute I love our situation, because it gives me time to get my thoughts together and live my life for me. But then, the next minute, I miss Rico and my life with him in it. I’m just so unsure about things right now.”

Catherine walked over and touched the back of Mona’s hand. “It’s okay to feel that way, baby girl. What’s important right now over everything is that you take care of yourself and that beautiful grandbaby of yours. Rico is more than just your baby’s daddy. He’s also your fiancé.” She said still noticing that Mona hadn’t removed her ring yet.

Mona’s eyes also followed down to her finger as she stared at the glistening diamond ring that at one time made her so happy. “I need to take this off.”

“You don’t have to take it off just because you’re not with him. It could be a reminder of the life that you could have with him, just so you don’t forget about it. I’m proud of you for standing up for yourself and your beliefs, but no man is perfect. However, if he’s willing to change and have proved himself to you then there’s nothing wrong with giving him another chance. Rico isn’t a bad guy. He just makes some of the worst decisions,” she said with a quick thought. “Reminds me of someone else,” she added thinking about Monty.

“Yep, birds of a feather flock together.” Mona said with light laughter to lighten the conversation.

Catherine laughed. “That’s usually a correct statement, but then again. You can never judge a book by its cover.”

Mona agreed with a nod of the head. “You’re so right about that mom.”

“So, what’s been going on with this late night giggling I’ve been hearing through the house? I thought at one point that you were trying to see someone else.” Catherine said just as the doorbell rang.

Mona looked over on the wall at the time, and then said, “Trying and doing are two different things.” She said taking off her engagement ring, and then winking at her mom.

“Mona,” Catherine called out giving her daughter the side eye. “What are you up to?”

“I’m just having a little company, that’s all.” Mona said as the doorbell rang again.

Catherine scooped up the engagement ring and shook her head. “Don’t go getting yourself in trouble.”

“I got this mom. Gracious, I got this,” she repeated while heading toward the front door. “Coming,” she called out. As she opened the front door she smiled. “Hey Ross.”

Ross smiled back. “Well hey you,” he said leaning in and giving Mona a warm hug. They hadn’t officially set eyes on each other in months and the embrace showed it.

Mona inhaled the alluring cologne that Ross had on. “You smell so good.” She whispered then felt somewhat embarrassed, because she meant to say it to herself.

“You do too,” Ross said kissing her in the top of the head.

“Come on in,” Mona told him as he followed her into the house. “Have a seat.”

Ross sat down, but he couldn’t take his eye off of Mona. She was indeed a pretty woman to him and he wanted nothing more than to be with her; if only she’d give him another chance.

“So, what’s been going on?” Mona asked as she sat next to him.

“Nothing much,” Ross responded, and then said, “Just still holding down the club for my sister.”

“I haven’t been out since my cousin had his grand opening.”

“That’s right. I’d forgotten about that. Raven’s Hot Spot is your cousin’s club. I heard that his grand opening was off the chain. Since then, he’s been taking most of the crowd. I told my sister that she gotta step her game up.”

Mona laughed. “Yeah, she gotta do that to compete with Bren.” She said.

Ross grinned at her comment, but he didn’t say anything. He just wanted to take in the moment for what it was, sweet and endearing. “Every time I see you I swear your eyes get tighter.” He joked causing Mona to laugh out loud.

She reached over and hit him. “Stop playing. My eyes are the same size they were when we dated back in high school.”

Ross playfully frowned. “That really wasn’t long ago.” He teased.

Mona sat there smiling from ear to ear. She always liked Ross, but they could never get it together. For one, when they started seeing each other he was a senior to her being a freshman. Not only that, but he was the captain of the football team and as handsome as they come. The women loved him. He drove new rides and wore nothing, but name brand stylish gear. His family owned several businesses and he reaped the benefits. She checked him out from head to toe.

“You’re looking good as always,” she said admiring the baby blue and white Billionaire Boys Club tee-shirt and matching Jacket that he had on. He’d lost a few pounds since she last saw him and even though he still had somewhat of a chubby look, it was only because she’d rather picture him that way. He was like a huggable, sexy teddy bear with a very handsome face.

“You’re looking good too,” he said with a Colgate smile. He was already enjoying the sight of her wearing a pair of Jeggings wrapped around her thighs, hips and legs like they were painted on. She’d gained weight from having the baby, but her weight was definitely in all the right places. “I like your hair like that.” He complimented her as he admired the bob that fit her face perfectly. “Makes you look like a real Chinese.”

Mona laughed. “You got jokes, huh?”

“Nah, you know I love teasing you about your eyes. They shouldn’t be so muthafuckin’ sexy,” he added while biting down on the bottom of his lip like he could eat her out right then and there.

“Don’t you start,” she blushed. “You still got a lot women trying to holla at you?”

“Now what kinda question is that?” He asked with a light chuckle.

“The kind of question I used to ask you back in the day.” She said giving him the side eye.

Ross frowned. “I ain’t fooling with them women. I only have my eyes set on one woman.” He said winking at her. Before he could get out another word, Catherine entered the living room.

“Hey Ross,” she said with a smile. “I haven’t seen you in awhile.”

“That would be on your daughter.” He teased while standing to his feet to give Catherine a hug. Catherine actually liked Ross and always did. However, she knew that he had too much going on, at least to her daughter he did.

Ding dong, ding dong

The doorbell rang.

Mona looked over at her mom with a shrug of the shoulders. “Your son probably lost his key or left it at the office.”

“Or, it’s Joe.” Catherine said knowing that he was coming over as well. Ross sat back down, but this time right beside Mona.

“What?” Mona asked with a smile as Ross stared in her face.

“You’re just so pretty,” he said. 

Mona smiled, but then quickly frowned as she heard Catherine say, “Ricooo,” she dragged like she was a bit surprised to see that it was him. Mona definitely didn’t mention that he’d be coming over.

“Hey, Mrs. Cat.” Rico said giving her a hug.

“Hey Rico,” Catherine spoke back. “Mona,” she called out hoping that she’d get on up and come to the door, but Rico walked right on past her with the box of pampers in his hand. It wasn’t that she couldn’t stop him, but it would’ve seemed like she was getting in the middle of her children business if she did and she didn’t play that.

“Yes ma,” Mona called out, but before she could get up off of the sofa Rico had seen her as he entered the living room.

The first thing he did was look from Mona with an unsure shake of the head as his eyes went back and forth from her then to Ross.

“Uh, what’s up?” he spoke to her. “What you got going on in here?”

Chapter 7

Mona got on up and headed over to him. “Hey, I thought we said that you’d bring these on tomorrow.” She said taking the Pampers out of his hand.

“I did, but while I was out and on this side of town I thought I’d bring them on by. I didn’t realize that you’d have company though.” He said trying his best to maintain his composure, but it felt like the steam was literally coming out of ears.

Mona could see the anger and pain in his eyes just from seeing her with another man. “I’m sorry about that. Ross just stopped by to see me.”

“Are y’all good?” Catherine asked.

“Yeah, we’re good, Mrs. Cat,” Rico said to assure her that he wasn’t going to go ballistic in her house, but had they been outside Ross would have to man up about his.

“Okay, well I’ll be upstairs if you need me,” Catherine said to Mona. “A’ight fella’s, behave yourselves.” She added then disappeared upstairs.

“Can I talk to you outside on the front porch?” Rico asked almost in a whisper.

Mona glanced back at Ross and figured that going outside would be the next best thing to do. She didn’t want them tying up in her mom’s house and breaking up her shit.

The minute they were on the front porch and the door was closed shut behind them, Rico started. “Damn, it ain’t been a good month and you’re already testing the waters?”

“I’m not testing anything.” Mona defended herself.

“You got a nigga over here sittin’ up under you like y’all fucking or something.” He spat. If he wasn’t so serious Mona would’ve laughed out loud at him, but she clearly she could tell that he was hurt, jealous, and fucked up by seeing Ross there.

“It’s not what you’re thinking. Ain’t no fucking going on in this house unless it’s Cat and Joe.” Mona said as she stood there with her arms folded.

“Oh so you got jokes at a time like this?” Rico questioned. “You just gonna do me like that? You don’t think that I know about y’all. I remember when you and Ross used to see each other. You can’t tell me that the relationship was all innocent. I know you’ve fucked the nigga before.”

“Hold up,” Mona said pointing her finger in Rico’s face. “I think you’re taking this a bit too far. So what if I used to fuck him. It ain’t no different than when you used to fuck Monica. Don’t you still visit her?”

Rico frowned with annoyance written across his face. “Are you kidding me right now? That isn’t even the same thing.”

“The only way it’s not the same thing is if you’re still fucking Monica, because Ross and I haven’t been together in I don’t know how long. I know what me and Ross have going on, but what do you and Monica have going on?”

Rico stood there stumped for a moment. Mona had some serious comebacks and if he wasn’t too careful she’d catch him up in something.

“Well,” Mona said like she was waiting for him to be honest about his relationship with Monica.

“Go ‘head on with that foolishness.” Rico said as he stood there feeling like he was the one being interrogated when it was her that should’ve been questioned. “How many times have this nigga been over to visit?”

“This is his first time coming over. That’s because I’d saw him yesterday in the Sprint store and told him that he could come over to visit so that we could chat.”

“Chat about what? Nigga’s don’t wanna chat about nothing if you ain’t giving up the goods.”

“You might be speaking for yourself, but Ross isn’t like that.” Mona said defending Ross which only made Rico madder.

Rico glanced down at Mona’s hand. For the first time he noticed that she wasn’t wearing her ring. “So, where’s your ring?”

Mona glanced down at her hand too. Now she was feeling some type of way, because she knew that more than anything that had to really hurt. “It’s on the kitchen counter.”

“Why is it on the kitchen counter?”

“I was talking to my mama and I just took it off.”

“Is that your way of telling me that you’re moving on?” Rico questioned as he fought back the tears.

“No,” Mona said. “I’m not telling you anything. I’m just living a single life as should you.”