Hot Girlz: Hot Boyz Sequel (5 page)

“Like I said, I do not give a damn.”

“Looks like that thief stole your
son.”

“Sequoia.” Torino turned to face her.

“Look, I’m going to try and be cool
through this.” She took a deep breath. “One thing I know for sure is you need
to take a paternity test. That woman could end up with half of everything
you’ve worked so hard for, everything
we
have, and she’s just the type
to do it. Not to mention the fact that her little boy needs to know for sure
who his real father is. Is he a junior to Kyle or not? The name Torino Jr. is
already taken.” She fluffed her pillow to lie back down, securing herself under
the covers.

“Sequoia, like you said, there’s only
one Torino Jr. and he’s in the next room sleeping.”

“I’m just telling you to handle your
business. Don’t allow this to get us off track after all these years. It’s long
overdue for you to handle this and get a paternity test.”

“I’ve got this. Don’t worry.” He lay
down, as well, and got under the covers facing her, hugging her around her
waist.

“Torino, are you sure you wore a
condom every time you slept with her before we started dating?”

“I’m absolutely sure I did.”

She sighed.

“Look, baby, we’ll get through this.
Come here.” He placed his hand on her thigh and began rubbing between her legs,
aiming his middle finger toward her middle split.

Her voice was bored. “Good night,
Torino.” She moved his hand. “You know I’ve gotta get up early in the morning
and take TJ to the doctor to get his
brown eyes
checked.” Her sarcasm
reeked.

He looked at her like
no you did
not
.

“Good night.”

He said, “I love you.”

“Turn off the light.” She sounded
bossy.

He twisted himself around, reaching
over and turning off the light, lying down again.

She faced him. Eyes closed. Silent.

He faced her. Eyes open. Silent.

She looked at him briefly, almost
through him and turned to face the other way, scooting to the far side of the
bed, assuming the fetal position. She eased into the comfort of the mattress
with the covers to her chin. “I love you, too,” she said barely.

Then he said, “You should know.
Colette said she impregnated herself with sperm from my condom.”

4

Mercedes

“Are you cheating on Dad . . .”

On a bright Monday morning, the second
day of August, Mercedes rushed off to work.

Her office was in a high-rise in
Century City on Century Park West that overlooked Beverly Hills, Hollywood, and
Downtown L.A. She owned Simpson Models. Simpson was her maiden name and the
name of the business she inherited.

The work space was designer quality,
mainly chrome and off-white with two large offices and eight cubicles. Black
and white photos of the many models she represented and shows she had produced
lined the hallway entrance that led to the desk of her long-time assistant,
Vicky.

“How’s it going?” Mercedes asked,
dressed in a black double breasted with wide leg pants, briefcase in one hand,
fuchsia shoulder bag hanging along her arm.

“Good. I see you’re not answering your
phone,” Vicky said to her boss, sporting a Madonna tee shirt, vintage jeans,
and black and white checkered Vans.

“I heard it ringing when I got out of
the elevator, I just couldn’t find it.” She held up her purse. “It’s lost
amongst all of the useless clutter I’ve got in here.”

“Well, Star is on line one. We’ve both
been trying to reach you.”

She walked fast, saying, “Oh, okay.
She never calls here. Thanks. Did you send me photos of the new shoe line for
next week?”

“I did. I emailed it to you a minute
ago.”

“Cool.” Moving a mile a minute, she
tossed her purse onto the guest chair, and slid her briefcase under her desk.
She sat in her leather executive chair and pressed line one and powered up her
computer. Her many rows of framed family pictures stared at her. “Hi, Star.
Sorry I didn’t answer my cell. I’ve been rushing trying to get up here. I have
an open call soon. How are you?”

Without delay, Star said, “Mom, you
know my friend out here in Atlanta named Trinity? I think you’ve heard me talk
about her. Her mom remarried about ten years ago and I was telling you how
Trinity was estranged from her dad and I called you to tell you how much I
appreciated you and Dad being together, raising us.”

“I think so, yeah.”

“Trinity’s last name is Todd, but
that’s her step-father’s name. Her real dad’s last name is Germany.”

“I see.” Mercedes signed on to her
computer.

“And, well, she’s not estranged from
him anymore. She reunited with him a few months back, and she was in L.A.
visiting him recently. His name is Ryan Germany.”

Pop!

“Ryan Germany?” Mercedes turned her
chair away from her desk and faced toward the window view, thinking
, small
ass world
.

“Yes.” Star kind of waited.

“Okay. So what’s up?”

“What’s up is that he’s a member of
the city council there in Los Angeles.”

“I know that.”

“You do?”

“Yes.” Mercedes sighed. “Star, get to
the point.”

“Trinity was at his house when she
came in town. She overheard him tell a friend that he met Mason Wilson’s wife
in Vegas.”

“Oh really?” Mercedes crossed her legs
and bounced her foot.

“That’s what she heard him say. I mean
you would know. Anyway, she heard him say that he wished you weren’t married.
That you and him spent time together. That he didn’t go into detail but Trinity
knew from what she heard that he was attracted to Mercedes Wilson. You. My
mom.”

“Well, first of all, I know my name.
And second of all, that’s really interesting, but I can’t tell you that I know
what that was about.”

“You can’t? You said you know him.”

“No, I heard of him. I can’t remember
meeting anyone like that.”

“But you were in Vegas last month,
right?”

“Star, I will tell you one thing. I
won’t sit here and let you beat around the bush like some detective, tossing me
pieces of a story about some
he said she said
like this. I am your
mother, not some boyfriend of yours you’re trying to bust because you think
he’s being unfaithful.”

“I didn’t use the word unfaithful.”

“You might as well. You’re saying he
said he spent time with me. That’s just ridiculous. I’m happily married and
wouldn’t do that and you know it.” She turned back toward her desk and began
clicking the mouse, logging in to her email.

“Mom, I’m just asking.”

“No. You’re not asking, you’re
telling, Star. You’re suggesting with a titillating build up of a story and I’m
not having it. Just get to the point if you want to ask me something.”

“Are you cheating on Dad with Ryan
Germany?”

Mercedes looked up at the ceiling, cut
her eyes to the window, and then looked back at the computer screen. “No.”

“Then you won’t mind if I tell Dad
then, right?”

“No. I don’t.”

“Okay. Fine.”

“Fine.”

Star continued though her tone had
abated. “This is embarrassing. She overhears something knowing the conversation
was about her friend’s mom.”

“If he said he was in Vegas, and I was
in Vegas too, maybe we did meet. But your friend can’t jump to conclusions
anymore than you can.”

“It just sounds weird, Mom.”

Mercedes fiddled with her braided gold
necklace with one hand, the other hand on the mouse. “Then maybe she should ask
her dad what’s up to get clarification, versus her eavesdropping on him. She
should ask him to tell her what he’s talking about, and then maybe you can tell
me, and your dad. You know me better than that.”

“I do? Okay. Whatever.” Star could be
heard clicking her tongue.

“What does ‘whatever’ mean?”

“I’ve got rehearsal in a few minutes.
Bye.” Star shoved her mother with her words and clicked her off with the push
of a button.

“Bye,” Mercedes said out loud to no
one as she slammed down the phone. “Shit!”

She fought to shift her focus from the
thunderstorm she heard approaching, wanting to head back home and get back in
bed and wake up again, retrying the day in case it was all a dream.

Vicky sent her an IM.
Hope you’re
okay.
Your nine o’clock open model call is ready to go.

But Mercedes couldn’t go back to bed.

And she couldn’t go back to Sin City
to undo her sins.

She prayed Star’s words were only a
reactionary bluff.

She got up and mumbled, “Maybe she’s
on her damn period.” And then she said loudly to her assistant, “Here I come.”

5

Venus

“Mom, what’s his problem?”

It was a week later.

Venus arrived home from work just
before six-thirty in the evening.

She did not need to pick up Skyy from
pre-K because Claude had taken the day off, but she did stop at Ralph’s in the
Ladera Center to pick up a few things for dinner. Tonight she planned to make
her family their favorite dish, shrimp and chicken fettuccini.

“Welcome home,” Claude said, sitting
on the recliner in the family room doing work on his MacBook.

“Hello, man of leisure.”

“Hardly.” He looked over at her as she
closed the door with her foot, hands full. “You need help?”

“No, I’ve got it. Just a couple of
bags. Where’s Skyy?”

He refocused. “She’s next door playing
with Faith. Faith’s mom asked if they could play together. Her mom even offered
to help out if we ever need back-up during the day.”

“I know. She told me that, too.”

“Yep.”

“You’re really serious about me being
a stay at home mom again, aren’t you?”

“I am.” He glossed over the topic.
“How was your day?”

“Busy.” Venus, wearing an olive green
pantsuit, had even pulled out the emerald earrings and matching heart-shaped
ring Claude bought her while they were in Italy for their anniversary last
year. “Our talent team got Steve Harvey to let one of our kids come on his
radio show and guest host for ten minutes next month. The girl is HIV positive.
Those ten minutes aren’t only going to make her day, they’ll make her life.”

“That was nice of him.
Congratulations.” He looked over at her again. “You look nice, by the way. I’m
feeling that jewelry. Where’d ya get it?”

She winked. “My man bought it for me.”

“Oh really. He must really love you.”

“Oh, he does.”

Claude grinned.

“And your day? How was it?” she asked.

“I picked up Skyy from school and took
her to McDonalds. She played most of the time. Barely ate.”

“I’m not at all surprised. I’m sure
she was excited.” She took the groceries from the bags and put them on the sink.
“Give me about forty-five minutes. I’m making your pasta.”

“That’s what I’m talking about.” He
pressed the keys on his laptop. “So, you think maybe you’ll be able to pick her
up one day next week?”

“I’ll see.” She slipped off her shoes
near the kitchen table.

“Venus, dear, what about if you just
tell them you need time off?”

“I have to fit it in.”

“Fit your daughter in?”

She took a large skillet from the
cabinet. “Claude, leaving early is gonna be tough. It depends on meetings.”

“You’re a director.”

“Yes, I am. And?” She watched his
fingers work while he talked. She frowned. “And what are you working on,
anyway? You’re affixed to that laptop.”

He spoke while reading. “I just got
this email from Attorney Sampson. He’s still working on getting Cameron’s
issues cleared up. Cameron will be home tonight. For now, it looks like the
school is holding steady about his expulsion. It’s gonna be a damn fight.”

“That’s crazy.”

“Turns out there’s a girl who searched
that mess for him on the Internet. Basically did his work for him. Cameron says
he didn’t know she copied it from a website. But when the school interviewed
her, she admitted it. It’s his girlfriend.”