Loving Angel (12 page)

“
What other Von do I know?” I asked rhetorically, sitting beside Daisy and bouncing the baby on my lap. “He invited us to a BBQ on his block tomorrow.”

“
I thought the last time you saw him he was mad as hell?” Daisy inquired.

“
He surprised me too. I thought he would have been mad at me or at the very least ignored me, but he was actually happy to see me. He said he misses me.”

“
That nigga still has the Angel fever,” Daisy chuckled.

I was laughing also when I looked up
and saw Keya glaring at me with what seemed like a mix of anger and jealousy; there one moment gone the next. I couldn’t decipher what it meant, she didn’t have any reason to feel those emotions towards me, and it was the first time I ever saw her look at me like that. I gave her an inquiring look in return and she rolled her eyes at me.

“
Let’s put Kiki down for her nap so that I can get my drink on,” she said, taking the baby, who was actually looking very sleepy.

“
Are you going tomorrow?” Daisy asked.

“
If you guys go I’ll go too.”

“
You know I’m down, it’s not like I have any plans.”

“
Keya, are you coming with us tomorrow?” I called to her in the next room. She didn’t reply, so I guess she didn’t hear me. When she came back I repeated the question.

“
Ain’t got nothing better to do,” she said. “How’s your man gonna feel about you going to a Barbeque your ex invited you to?”

“
And how is he going to find out?” I queried. “It’s not like I’m gonna tell him that’s where I’m going.”

“
You do realize that he knows a lot of people and that there is nothing black people love more than talking about other black people. And before you know it, news will get back to him.” She lit up the blunt they rolled earlier. I grabbed a spoon from the kitchen and dug into my ice-cream, while they smoked and drank.

“
It’s not like I’m planning to fuck the nigga or something,” I said in irritation. “It’s a party with lots of other people, we aren’t doing anything illicit.”

“
Girl please don’t let a man dictate your life,” Daisy advised.

“
I’m not and he ain’t trying to rule me.” I licked my spoon.

“
Could’ve fooled me,” Keya quibbled.

I ga
ve her an annoyed look. “You know it’s not like that.”

“
I’m just saying. Don’t try to bite my head off.” She held up her hands in a show of surrender.

We all looked towards the door at the sound of a key turning in the lock
. It was Carter. He was a short light skinned dude with pretty curly hair who liked wearing baggy clothes on his skinny frame.

“
I hope ya’ll ain’t smoking that shit around my baby,” he commented, as he walked by us and into the kitchen.

“
Bite me Carter,” Keya yelled at him.

“
You would like that wouldn’t you, you little freak,” he yelled back. The two of them didn’t get along. She thought he was oppressing her sister and he thought she was trying to turn his woman in a hoe.

“
Not in this life loser,” she retorted.

There was the sound
of cabinets opening and closing and the slamming of the refrigerator door coming from the kitchen. “Daisy, there’s nothing to eat in this place.”

“
There are plenty of things; you just have to cook them.” She returned.

“
Come cook me something ma,” he pleaded, coming into the living room and sitting in the recliner. “A nigga comes home and his woman is sitting around with her family drinking and smoking instead of having dinner on the table, and then you complain when I don’t show up.”

Daisy rolled her eyes at him.
“Call out for something Carter. I’m trying to chill, you knew we’d be hanging here today so don’t pretend like you expected dinner on the table.”

“
You see how she handles her man Angel,” he appealed to me jokingly. “You don’t handle yours like that do you?”

“
Only if he deserves it,” I teased.

“
Why ain’t you drinking or smoking too; you in rehab or something?”

“
Yep, for eight more months.”

“
That’s what’s up; that nigga with those deep pockets done put a bun in the oven.”

“
Why the twenty questions?” Keya demanded. “We’re trying to relax here.”

He sucked his teeth at her and got up.
“I think I’m gonna take myself to the corner store and get something to eat. A brother can’t stay up in this hostile environment.”

“
Why’re you always so unfriendly to him?” I asked Keya, chuckling.

“
Dude gets on my nerves,” she explained with a shrug.

My IPhone was ringing from my purse. I grabbed it, saw it was my
man calling and answered.

“
Hey bay.”

“
What time should I come get you?” he asked. He was like my personal chauffeur; since I moved in he drove me everywhere unless he had something important to do.

“
In about two hours or so.”

“
How did it go at the doctors?”

“
They just did a pregnancy test to confirm I was pregnant and gave me an appointment to return.”

“
Did they figure how many months along you are?”

“
A little over a month,” I informed him.

“
Probably knocked you up the first time I hit it,” he boasted. “I’ve got some super swimmers.”

I giggled.
“Sometimes I think you planned this.”

“
You already know,” he joked. “Saw your sexy little ass and decided to put you on lock. A’ight ma, I’ll let you get back to your girls, I’ll be there in two hours.”

“
Bye bay.” I hung up.

“
Was that your daddy checking on you?” Daisy teased.

“
Yep,” I smiled. I really didn’t care if they thought my bay had me on lock, the important thing was I had him on lock too.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

ANGEL

I was slipping on my Red Bottom silver sandals when my cousin called and said she was downstairs. We were going to Von’s block party. I had just finished locking my door and was throwing my keys into my Louis Vuitton purse when my phone rang again. It was my dad. I guess it was time for another one of his random calls.

“
Hey dad,” I answered. He insisted I call him dad, even though we only saw each other once per year and talked on the phone when it was convenient for him.

“
Hello Simone.” He and his family were the only people who called me by my first name. “How are you doing?”

“
I’m good,” I replied as I got into the backseat of Daisy’s car and closed the door. “Angel,” I mouthed to my cousins and rolled my eyes to express how annoyed I was by his call. She chuckled, mimed shooting me in the head and then pulled off down the street. Everyone who knew me well knew what a torture it was speaking to my father sometimes. He thought he could call once every four months or so and try parenting me. He usually called after receiving a complaint about me from Mina, so the fact that he was calling after I told her I was pregnant gave me a good idea of what the conversation would entail.

“
Your mother called and told me you’re pregnant. Is it true?” he queried.

“
Yes.”

“
I thought you had your head on straighter than that Simone,” he criticized. “You may not realize it but this could ruin your life. You haven’t even known this guy a year and you’re living with him and having his baby.”

I was beyond pissed. Not only at him
for coming at me like that and he didn’t know shit, but also at Mina for calling his sorry ass and discussing my business. “Are you fucking serious,” I snapped. “I haven’t heard from you in how long?” I didn’t give him a chance to answer the question, I did it myself. “Two fucking months; now you’re calling me acting like you’re a real parent and trying to criticize my life. You’re not really a part of it, so you can’t tell me how to live it.”

He was silent for a
good minute. I guess it was because although we’d had disagreements before I‘d never gone off on him like that. He was probably trying to find the right words to say. “Simone, I know I haven’t been there for you like I should, but I care about you and want what’s best for you.”

“
And you think you know what’s best for me when you don’t really know me?”

“
I may not be a part of your everyday life but I do know you,” he assured. “And like all seventeen year old teenage girls, having a baby is the last thing you should be doing.”

I knew he had a valid point, but what was I supposed to do, get rid of my baby because it came at an inconvenient point in my life. I had nothing against abortion, but this was a child created from love and untimely or not I was keeping it.
“Let’s just agree to disagree.”

“
I really don’t want to argue with you Simone so I’ll let the subject go for now,” he granted. “Would you like to come down for Christmas this year?”

“
I don’t know,” I replied honestly. “I’ll have to think about it.”

“
That’s all I ask.”

“
I got to go dad.” We were close to Von’s block, and Daisy was trying to find parking.

“
Call me and let me know about Christmas.”

“
Will do,” I agreed and ended the call.

“
You went Blade on that nigga,” Daisy chuckled, miming moves with a sword.

“
Please let’s not talk about it,” I pleaded. “I have a damn headache and don’t want to revisit it that soon. Let’s forget all the drama and have some fun.”

“
Fine by me,” approved Keya. “Let’s roll up in this bitch like the bad bitches we are and have some fun.”

We were looking damn fine as we walked onto Von
’s block. I was wearing a Roberto Cavalli silk-chiffon baby doll dress that was doing amazing things to my D-cups. My hair was down in big loose curls and I was rocking my Chanel aviator shades. Daisy had on a yellow flower print DKNY dress with some Mui Mui wedges she borrowed from me, while Keya was wearing black leggings, DKNY baby doll top and Gucci flats. We were constantly parrying advances from niggas on the prowl.

I had to admit
the block was happening. From the scantily clad bitches that came out in droves, to the niggas on their sports bikes doing crazy tricks and those in low rides with the top down who were straight pimping. People were drinking, smoking, barbequing, listening to music and just plain hanging or partying.

I called Von to determine his location and he said he was in front
his building, so we headed that way.

He was with his boy Trance.
Trance was a tall, gook looking, medium build Puerto Rican dude who had some paper and loved spending it on his bitches. He had a bitch for everyday of the week and they all knew about each other. Even Keya was on his pay list. He was always trying to get at me, even when I was going with Von, but I wasn’t trying to play that. After meeting up with them we all walked a little ways down the block to hang with the rest of his crew. They were cooking burgers, hotdogs and chicken on the grill. They were also toting blunts and drinking liquor. We all got a plate and something to drink.

“
Come sit on my lap Angel,” Trance joked, trying to grab my hand. I rolled my eyes at him and ducked out of his grasp. He was always trying to feel up on me.

“
Don’t even think about it,” I warned as I took a seat beside Daisy and he laughed.

“
Why aren’t you ever giving a nigga any play?” he questioned as he sipped from a red plastic cup.

“
Do you really have to ask?”

“
If it’s because of my nigga,” he motioned to Von, who was standing by the grill with Keya talking and waiting for another burger, “he’s not going to mind. Ya’ll not together anymore.”

“
Even if we didn’t take Von into consideration, which would be impossible, you’re a hoe bag. You’ve got a million different bitches and you’re messing with my cousin.”

He chuckled.
“That’s what I love about you ma, you don’t hold anything back. You’ve got a mouth on you, if only you’d let me put something stiff in it.”

I gave him the bird and a look of disgust, which elicited another laugh from him.

“You guys want any chicken?” Von offered as he walked over with Keya in tow and took the seat that separated me and Trance; For some reason that made her roll her eyes at him as she sat beside Daisy.