Hot Girlz: Hot Boyz Sequel (31 page)

At the end of the table was Claude who
was joined by Mr. and Mrs. Cameron Wilson, Cameron and Penny. Both wore gold
wedding bands.

Rashaad and Cameron had gone to a
strip club the night before, hanging out like old times.

“You look happy,” Claude said to
Cameron.

“I am. We both are.”

“Yes. We are indeed,” Penny added, as
her pink glossy lips shimmered. She looked her age, yet sexy like she must have
been a fox back when she was Cameron’s age. Her blouse was unbuttoned just so.

Claude told them, “Glad you could make
it out.”

“Thanks for inviting us,” Penny said.

And then Penny looked over at her new
uncle-in-law, Mason, as she played with her bronze dangle earrings. She gave a
girlie smile.

Mason saw her as he walked up to
Torino. He adjusted his red tie and smiled manly back.

Torino’s voice blasted over the
speaker. “May I have your attention please?” He held the microphone. The music
lowered. The buzz of the crowd subsided as he said, “Tonight is a very special
night. My brother, Mason Wilson, who’s now an author as you all know, has
written his second book. And that title,
Grip It and Rip It
made its
debut today. I’m happy to be able to throw this little shindig for him, and I
just know you all are going to buy a copy, or two, or three. So, without
further adieu, I introduce to you, Mason Wilson. The man.”

They hugged and Torino did the
microphone handoff through the applause.

Mason spoke. He was suited up like he
was going to church. “No, you’re the man. Look at this place. Look what you’ve
done. I’m the one who’s proud of you.” He scanned the crowd. “Hello, everyone.”

The crowd replied back, “Hello.”

“Tonight is special for a few reasons.
And I’ll keep it brief. First of all, my son, Rashaad Wilson, who’s breaking
records and taking names out there in the world of golf, is engaged. His fiancé
is right there with him. Congratulations, happy couple.”

He pointed to where Rashaad and Sasha
were standing. Sasha hugged Rashaad close and Rashaad nodded to everyone who
clapped. They looked just alike. Rashaad held up her hand, exposing her
platinum marquis diamond rock. She beamed and then tried to hide her face into
his embrace. They laughed alike.

“And, my daughter Star, who’s over
there,” Mason said, looking right at her, “is a concert pianist with the
Atlanta Symphony. She got her degree in music education at Howard, in D.C. But
now, she’s moving back to Los Angeles to be part of the L.A. Philharmonic
Orchestra.”

Everyone cheered her while Mason said,
“She’s a shining star, all right.”

Star laughed, being poked in the
stomach by Trinity.

“And I have accepted a full-time
announcer job with ESPN starting next month.”

Claude looked over at Mercedes and
gave her a look like he had no idea. Mercedes mouthed, “Yep.” They clapped
along with everyone else when suddenly a woman with skin like cola, dressed in
orange, walked over and sat at Claude’s table next to him. Claude, the same man
who had talked Mason into the importance of going home, was now separated. Mary
kissed his cheek and he hugged her tightly while she waved a quick hello to
Cameron and Penny, flashing her slight dimple.

Cameron said loudly, “Good to see you
again, Mary.”

“You too,” she said, just as the
applause died down.

“You’re looking hot,” said Penny.

“Thanks. We’ve got to hang out again.”

Claude was all smiles.

Mercedes and Sequoia gave Mary the
once over. Twice. Both frowning.

Mason continued. “Thanks everyone for
sharing this special night with me and my family, the Wilsons. I’ll hand it
back over to Tito. I mean Torino.” Mason laughed and people laughed with him.

Torino did not. He took the microphone
back. “Ha-ha. Very funny. See the thanks I get? Anyway, you can all stay and
party with us, but only after my hilarious brother autographs your hundreds of
books. Thanks for coming.”

As he and
Mason walked to the signing table, the song “Hot Boyz” by Missy played. “Where
you live, is it by yourself? Can I move with you, do you need some help? I cook
boy, I'll give you more, I'm a fly girl, and I like those Hot Boyz.”

Mercedes
and Sequoia bounced in their seats, singing along.

Mason sat down as the long line
formed, along with a publicity representative from his publishing company. Star
and Trinity were Mason’s unofficial assistants. Trinity had two books of her
own to be signed, one for her and one for her father.

In an instant, the volume of the music
ceased and the room was only filled with the club-goers’ voices.

Mason asked, “What’s going on? That
was my song,” when three men walked in dressed in L.A. Police department
uniforms. They approached Mason saying, “Mason Wilson. You’re under arrest. A
warrant was issued for DUI charges last year after a failure to appear.”

Mercedes stood so fast that she
stumbled and fought to balance herself. “No. It can’t be. There must be some
mistake.” She literally hollered, “No!”

Mason, expressionless, put down the
Sharpie and arose from his chair, not saying a word.

Mercedes rushed up to him. “Honey?”
Her face begged him to say it was a mistake. He didn’t. He took his cell from
his pocket and handed it to her. She took it and said in a crying voice,
“Mason. They have the wrong person.” She looked at one of the cops. “Officer,
you have the wrong man. This is Mason Wilson, the golfer. He’s done nothing
wrong.”

Star placed her hand over her mouth,
in shock.

Mason came from around the table as
the officers put him into handcuffs.

Sequoia stood behind Mercedes, placing
her hand on her terrified sister-in-law’s shoulder.

Mason was led away down the stairs.
Star, Mercedes, and Rashaad were behind the officers.

“Dad, no!” Star shouted.

Rashaad asked the policeman, “Where
are you taking him?”

“Downtown.”

Rashaad stayed next to the last
officer, turning to his mom who was one step behind him. “Let’s go.” And then
he said to his sister, “Star, come on.”

All of the patrons simply stared.

Mason called out to his brother,
“Claude,” without even looking back at him.

“I’m right behind you, bro,” Claude
replied as if he were yelling across the street. Mary was right by his side.

The music came back on, still the same
song, and Torino said to his manager, “Hold things down. And call me with the
name of a bail bondsman right away. I’m out.”

As much as it seemed unreal, Mason
Wilson was on his way to jail.

It turned out he had been arrested in
L.A. on his way back from Rashaad’s tournament in San Diego for driving under
the influence, but he did not show up to court. He had been coming back home to
check the mail so Mercedes would not find out. He decided not to pursue a life
in politics for no other reason than because of his own resurfaced addiction.
And returning to church praying to God for His goodness, and mercy was more for
Mason’s salvation alone, than theirs together.

Headed downtown, Mercedes sat in the
passenger seat of Rashaad’s car. Star and Trinity were in the back when Mason’s
cell vibrated. Mercedes’s eyes were tender and she fought to view the screen
while talking to Rashaad, fearful of her husband’s fate. It was an email:
The
council unanimously voted you in today. You’re our next L.A. City Council
member for the 8
^th
District. Congratulations. Ryan Germany.

Pop!

The L.A. Husbands and Wives were not
done yet.

Because I lived through chapter 16,
having watched my mother take her last breath, I’ll say, R.I.P.

Mom—8/17/99. Writing that scene was
the most difficult chapter I’ve penned in all my years!

Mamma you’re the queen of my heart!

Love,

Marissa

IN
HONOR OF MATTIE BELAFONTE WILSON

Soliloquies

Mama
used to say:

1.  Take your time young man

2.  Don’t you rush to get old

3.  Take it in your stride

4.  I brought you in this world
and I can take you out

5.  I ain’t raising no sorry ass man

6.  If it ain’t broke, don’t fix
it

7.  Do it right or don’t do it at
all

8.  This is gonna hurt me more
than it hurts you

9.  The pot calling the kettle
black

10.  And don’t darken my door
again

11.  Don’t half-ass anything

12.
 What people say about you is none of your business

13.
 I'll kill you first before somebody else will

14.
 Two heads are better than one, even if one is a goat head

15.
 Once you open your mouth you remove all doubt

16.
 Black don't crack

17.
 Why you outside so soon after having that baby with your pores open?

18.
 I pay the cost to be the boss

29.
 Don't wait for a man to give you what you can get on your on

20.
 When you do something for someone be sure to do it because you want to

21.
 Be the best you can be

22.
 Won't nobody treat you like your momma will

23.
 Always wear clean underwear. You never know when you’ll be in an accident

24.
 There are two sides to every story

25.
 Two wrongs don't make a right

26.
 It's a bad wind that never changes

27.
 Do right and blessings will come

28.
 Tell the truth and shame the devil

29.
 A woman cannot do what a man does, and still be a lady

30.  Always have your
own money in case your man puts you out

31.
 Every goodbye ain't gone, and every shut eye ain't sleep

32.  What’s done in
the dark comes to light

33.
 Never let your left hand know what your right hand is doing

34.
 The early bird gets the worm

35.
 There ain’t nothing but legs open after 2:00 a.m.

36.
 Use your head for something more than a hat rack

37.  It’s better to fart and be
ashamed than not to fart and bust a vein

38.  Why fart and waste it when
you can burp and taste it?

39.  All that you’re talking, say
it while you’re walking

40.  You can cry until the cows
come home

41.  That boy ain’t got the good
sense God gave him

42.  It’s not what you do, it’s
the way you do it

43.
 We don't borrow, therefore we don't loan

44.
 Put some money away for a rainy day

45.
 Cry, cry, the more you cry, the less you piss

46.
 Stop pissing on my leg and telling me it's raining

47.
 Stop crying those crocodile tears

48.
 Don't let anyone walk all over you

49.
 You can only be a doormat if you lay down

50.
 One monkey don’t stop no show

51.
 God don't like ugly and he sure don't like pretty

52.
 Don’t let your mouth write a check that your body can’t cash

53.
 A hard head makes a soft ass

54.
 Not even a dog wants a bone

55.
 Don’t let him ride you all night and break your body down

56.
 A lady always knows when to leave

(Thank you
Facebook friends for your amazing and hilarious contributions)

AUTHOR’S
NOTE

(
Spoiler
below – you have been warned!)

I hope
you’ve enjoyed the second installment of the Wilson family’s drama. I wanted to
show three couples with great challenges that end up in one of three different
ways: one stays together against all odds, one separates and then finds their
way back, and the other splits up altogether.