Page 11

THE NEXT AFTERNOON…

“You want a middle or side part?”

“Middle, please.” I offered up the biggest smile that I could afford to make.

I relaxed back in the salon chair as my stylist, Chloe, began to put wand curls in my silk press. I needed something to make myself feel good because, lately, I’d been going through it, and it was all because of Unique.

I’d met him about a year ago at one of the Dough Boyz wrap parties—couldn’t remember which season—but I do remember being immediately smitten with him as soon as he approached me.

I’d seen the show several times, and Unique’s character Denim was pretty stoic, emotionless, ruthless, and kind of scary, so for some reason, I expected him to be that way in real life too. I was amazed, however, that he was easy going, funny, and even sexier and taller than he appeared on television.

I just knew he was planning to woo me, sleep with me, and never talk to me again, but I was pleasantly surprised, yet again, when he actually called me a few days after we’d slept together the night of the party.

From there, he actually courted me, taking me on dates when he was available, sometimes even flying me out. Then, when he took me around his brothers, I just knew I’d made it with him. But I soon learned that coming around the family didn’t mean anything to Unique and his brothers who, in the past I’d learned, had brought several side chicks and meaningless flings to the family functions. Bashar being the only exception due to having had a crazy longtime ex or something like that.

I wasn’t worried, though, because I felt like Unique and I truly had something. That was until he came to me and mentioned Daisy.

At first, I thought he was telling me to take my ass on somewhere, but he wasn’t. He kept it honest, stating that while he still liked me a lot, he liked her, too, and wanted to see where it went. Initially, I was pissed off, telling him he needed to choose, but he said he couldn’t and that if I wasn’t gon’ be cool with him talking to us both, I could exit his life with no hard feelings.

Like the weak for Unique ass bitch that I was, I told him it was fine, believing I would surely beat this ho out for him. I became even more confident once I found her social media and saw what type of woman she was—aka ghetto, known for fighting, and classless. I knew then Unique would drop her ass soon enough, but I was wrong.

Shit got worse, with him coming to me and her at the same time, in the same room, explaining that he still liked us both and that past experiences told him he wouldn’t be able to be monogamous.

According to Unique, it wasn’t in him to be. He traveled too much, met too many women, and often found himself growing bored when he courted the same chick for too long, too consistently. He let us know if we didn’t want to be a part of it, that was fine, but it was how he planned to move going forward.

I just knew a jealous, territorial bitch like Daisy wouldn’t go for it, so I agreed. Plus, I was too in love with him, and the thought of letting him go or allowing Daisy to keep him would drive me crazy. However, to my surprise, Daisy agreed as well.

I quickly and immediately realized shortly into the three of us dating that Daisy’s ass had a motive, which was to eventually subtract my ass from the equation. She would constantly interrupt Unique’s and my time together, barge into our conversations, do the most to impress him, and anything else to steal his attention away.

Had I grown up a fighter, I would’ve surely already dog walked that bitch. I hated her.

Daisy, on the other hand, was very much a fighter, having gotten in plenty of public spats, pre-Unique, that went viral, and going against her didn’t appear to be a walk in the park. One thing the bitch could do was kick some ass, and I wouldn’t be added to her list of fatalities.

“You’re all set, girly. You look beautiful.” Chloe beamed at me through the mirror before removing the cape.

“Appreciate it, girl.” I smiled, reaching into my purse to pay her with a hefty tip since Unique had broken me off nicely to get myself pampered a few days ago. He wasn’t usually this generous, but I think he’d been feeling bad for his neglect.

I’d wanted to go to his mother’s salon; however, she was always booked. I’d asked Unique to see if he could get me in, but he claimed it was impossible and that he wanted to respect his mother’s schedule. I believed him until I overheard Asif’s fiancée saying Lisara did her hair and how the shop was cleared out and that it was a surprise. That didn’t sound like an appointment that was booked months in advance. It very much sounded like some skip-the-line favor.

Grabbing my things, I switched out of the shop, loving the smell of my freshly styled hair. After stopping to grab some French fries from Burger King, the only fast food I ate, I took my ass home.

The upside to this situation with Unique was definitely my new living situation. He always claimed he wasn’t as rich as his brothers, but his house was big and beautiful. And while he didn’t exactly blow racks on me like I wanted, he made sure we were comfortable in his home. We didn’t pay bills, take out the trash, put gas in or wash our cars, or even open our own boxes. Unique did it all. I just loved him and I wasn’t about to let Daisy nor Kabrina have him.

Moseying through the house, I went in search of Unique because after those fries, I was still starving. Usually when he was off from filming like this, we’d eat out almost nightly at top-of-the-line eateries, and since it was only five o’clock, I was hoping for that tonight. Even better, Daisy was out with a friend, so it’d just be him and me.

“Hey, baby.” I found him in the den, watching TV.

He was in an open jacket, wife beater, sweats, and socks, looking so handsome. Unique never had less than a fresh haircut which made sense because he was always being seen either at events or on TV. He couldn’t afford to look rough with as much steady working as he did.

“Aye,” he glanced over at me, looking a bit somber, “come sit down.”

“Okay.” I listened, taking the couch cushion next to him and placing my purse off to the side. “Is everything okay?” I rubbed his back, inhaling his woodsy but creamy cologne that I loved. After dinner, I wanted to get fucked for sure.

“Why you do that shit with Kabrina?” His golden-green eyes lasered in on me as he turned from the TV.

Removing my hand from his back in shock, I said, “Because I wanted to be sure what you were telling me was the truth. Yes, I signed up for this situation, but that doesn’t mean you can go and date chicks on the side, Unique. Unless she is joining us, that is cheating.”

He scoffed.

“I explained to you that Kabrina was a friend and wasn’t shit romantic there.” His eyes narrowed. “I ain’t yo’ fucking child, Aurora. You don’t need to go check up on what the fuck I be telling you. If it’s all like that, then you don’t need to be fucking with me.”

“Right. You’re right.” I nodded, but I was still glad I put the bug in that bitch’s ear. And she wasn’t his typical type, so that put me at ease.

“And I don’t like that sneaky shit. I ain’t think you had that in you, but now that I know you do?—”

“I don’t, Unique. I have never done anything like that before. But I’ve also never felt anything like this, and I panicked.” I caressed the back of his head. “I promise I won’t do anything else like that again. It was a moment of immaturity and nothing more.”

He stared in my eyes like he was surveying, reading me. He then nodded.

“Aight. Cool.”

“Maybe we can go out to eat? My hair is done, and I’m hungry.”

“I’m not in the mood, love, but we can order some shit, or I can have my assistant pick something up.”

“That’s fine. Can she go to Ruth’s Chris?” I beamed, and he chuckled, but it was so half-hearted that I couldn’t appreciate it.

Unique was a man who seemed to always be happy and lighthearted, so to see him be sort of sullen was strange, and I wanted to know what was bothering him.

“She can.” He sent off a text.

“Baby, what’s wrong? Usually, I would’ve been splitting my side right now by your comments. I told you I apologize for the situation with Kabrina.”

He’d put his hood on and let his head rest against the back of the couch as he stared at the TV.

“Wish I could tell you, love. In the future, understand that everything has consequences, aight?”

I didn’t know what that meant, but I nodded just before his phone dinged, and he asked me what I wanted from the restaurant.

* * *

The sun was shining as I lay by the pool, shades on and trying to relax. I’d attempted to read, but I couldn’t stop thinking about Unique’s harrowing words last night enough to consume the novel.

As soon as I was about to get up, I smelled Daisy’s strong ass perfume as she plopped her big ass next to me. She wasn’t big; she was just thick in all the right places, but it bothered her ass just the way I wanted when I called her big. I did it every time she claimed I had no ass or titties.

I looked over at her, shades still on, watching her cover her deep caramel complexion in sunscreen. Truthfully, I was envious of Daisy’s body, even though it was fake. The size of her ass alone had doubled since I’d met her, and that was because she ate like someone featuring on My 600 lb. Life , but it all went to her ass since that was where her stomach fat was.

“Hey, you know anything about someone named Kabrina?” I sat up, trying to have a cordial, bonding conversation with her for once. Daisy started this feud between us, and after getting tired of being the bigger person, I gave into the shit.

“Kabrina?” She squinted. “Oh, ain’t she the bitch all over social media for fucking Nique’s co-star, even though he married?” She shook her head.

“I mean, yes, but now she’s fucking Unique,” I said, making Daisy’s head fly up in surprise before she guffawed.

“Girl, please! That man ain’t fucking no one else. As much as I put it on him, I’m surprised he still fucks you .” She sighed happily and lay back against the poolside chaise.

Ignoring her dig so I could stay on topic, I replied, “Think about it for a second. He spends a lot of time with her and sometimes comes back super late after.” I glanced toward the house to be sure we were alone, even though I knew he was currently in a meeting. “Then, notice that whenever he comes back from her house, he isn’t in the mood to fuck or spend time together. He’s always sleepy and sleeps in his own bedroom. This is a man who never turned me down. I know you think you tire him out, but I can confirm you don’t.” I smirked, and she sucked her teeth.

“I mean, he works hard, so of course he gets tired.” Daisy pled Unique’s case, though she knew that was some bullshit. I could see the confidence she once held draining from her face.

“I confronted the ho, and after I did it, she told Unique, and he’s been in a sour ass mood since.” I stared at her. “Looking depressed and shit, and my guess is the bitch cut him off. Now why would he care so much about that? He’s gonna leave, and he’s gonna be with her.”

I didn’t know how much I believed my last sentence, because I couldn’t see Unique choosing one woman and settling down. But I did think he was having an affair with her ass or trying to, and I needed Daisy to do something about it. She was the fighter, the hot head, and I kind of thought Unique liked her fiery attitude. When I tried to be snappy with him, however, it turned him off. I could tell.

Daisy chewed on my words, and though she was staring off into the pool, I could see the wheels turning in her head.

“I won’t let that shit happen. You can bet that.” She sat back up, and I could tell she was bothered just like me. “In fact, I’m gonna get rid of both you hos.”

“Ha! Good luck with that!”

“Girl, you not even no real competition! Your body is trash, you let him doormat you, and you’re boring as fuck!” She shot up from the chaise.

So, I followed suit, now standing too.

“If you could make him leave me, Daisy, why hasn’t he done it? He would’ve been left me, but he hasn’t, and you know why? Because you’re a good time and nothing else. You ain’t wifey material, no matter how big your ass gets, you big hefty bitch!”

“Ho—”

I darted away, thinking she was going to hit me, and once realizing that, she laughed, waving me off.

“Yeah, you better go inside!” I shouted to her back.

“And you better enjoy this house while you can ’cause I’m about to turn the heat up, and before you know it, Unique will be dropping you and that other bitch.” She switched off, her ass jiggling in the thong bathing suit she had on.

I didn’t think she could make Unique leave me because he loved me the most. Daisy was just fun. But I did think she could at least relieve us of our Kabrina problem.