Authors: Alice Dee
“Hey Shamayla.” He took his sunglasses off of his face and looked at the boxes she was carrying.
“She’s moving?” He pointed to the moving truck downstairs. “That’s yours, hers?”
The door squeaked open and there stood Hope, looking down at Dominic. She had hoped she wouldn’t see him. She wanted to make a clean break. He moved passed Shamayla and slowly walked to Hope.
“Why?”
She shrugged. “I found something better.”
“Is it because of me?” He walked into her apartment and looked around. “Everything’s gone.”
“It has nothing to do with you,” she assured him, noticing his faded bruises that looked like mustard and grape stains. His eyes were still blackened near the sides of his nose, but he was looking better.
“Then why?”
“I found a bigger apartment closer to my job.”
When he looked at her she didn’t like what the look conveyed so she looked away. A couple nights before she’d heard him and Tristan going at it on the other side of her living room wall. She could hear Tristan only, unnecessarily moaning and groaning and screaming his name. Still, it killed her to hear that, to know what they were doing. She hated herself for crawling into bed and crying.
“I’ll miss you. I already do-“
The door opened and Shamayla walked in.
“Um, we’re ready to go.” She avoided eye contact with Hope. “Yeah, I’ll just take these down there.” She scooped up two boxes and headed out.
“Do you need any help?”
“Um, I think I got everything.”
“Okay.” He came up to her and wrapped his arms around her. Though it felt sooo good she tensed up and refused to hug him back. She had to harden herself; it was a must. Once she shut down that was it; her emotions were crystalized. There was really nothing to it at all. She robotically, gently pushed him away and scooped up the last box. She walked away and didn’t look back.
40... Back to normal?
Charla was right, as usual. Roping him in with a guilt trip like this was THE surefire way to get Dominic back. Tristan wondered if he loved her still. She wondered if he loved Hope, if he had said it to her yet. Ever since she got with Dominic she felt secure, like as long as the sex was good he wouldn’t stray. And she truly believed she was the best he ever had and ever would have. Why he was into Hope was beyond her understanding. To Tristan, Hope looked prudish and squeamish-the type to be put off by sex. When Tristan thought of Hope in that purple dress, she changed her mind. Hope was the kind of girl that sucked a basket of dicks on occasion.
Tristan often got jealous of other girls although she didn’t think Dominic was cheating on her. She accused him only occasionally, usually during a random fit. After this latest development, Hope had become her nemesis and this was all out war. She never felt this threatened or genuinely suspect of Dominic till Hope forced herself into the picture.
With her indispensable advisor/right hand woman Charla by her side, this was going smoothly. Dominic didn’t say they were getting back together but he started showing up more and more. He was doing total bitch things like bringing her ice cream and movies. He hadn’t done this stuff since back when he was trying to date her. Now the more time he spent with her, obviously the less time he spent with Hope. Tristan wasn’t sure if Dominic was still sleeping with his “hooker girlfriend” but she didn’t want to run before she walked with this. She knew she couldn’t be too clingy or quizzical. She would have to be patient and see where it would go.
Dominic went over to Tristan’s house to spend time with her. He blamed himself for Tristan losing the baby and wanted to somehow make up for it. He knew he couldn’t make up for the loss of an unborn baby, or the fact he neglected her, but he would at least try. He’d always been somewhat sensitive to needs of a woman because of his mom and everything she’d gone through. Despite his desire to be with Hope, he had to kick her to the curb…at least for now.
He took a trip into his mind, back to the past when they had first met. He tried to think about everything that made him lust after Tristan, that made him enjoy her time and attention. What was it that made him laugh, that made him smile and tell her he loved her? He thought of their fights and the heat that followed every time. He could remember this excitement but he couldn’t exactly get it back. Nevertheless, he only wanted to do right by her.
Hope spent her first night in the apartment alone. She left her refrigerator at the old place so until she’d get a new one, she’d have to order out. She ordered Chinese and ate dinner, had some wine in the living room. She was so bummed she didn’t want company. She found it difficult to eat and only did so because she had to. Dominic wasn’t in her life anymore and she hadn’t yet recovered from the burn he left. So soon she was back to her lonely life. Now she was living in a community of strangers and she hadn’t felt more alone in a long time.
She thought of Shamayla and this building suspicion that she was into drugs. What worried her even more were the rumors floating around work that Hammer was pimping out some of the dancers to customers that wanted more than just a show. If it was true, she hoped Shamayla wasn’t amongst those dancers. Lately Shamayla had been talking crazy and acting strangely too. Last she heard of Zefar, he was arrested and jailed indefinitely, just outside of Vegas.
Tristan broke down crying while talking to Dominic. He still seemed distant, even when he was sitting next to her. Feeling particularly lonely, she called him to see what he was doing. He didn’t answer but returned her call, telling her he was on his way home from training. He claimed to be doing lots of that lately… Not sure if he was lying or not, she started sobbing on the phone. Guilt struck down on him like lightening. He felt horrible, like it was his fault. He drove straight to her place.
Tristan looked outside her bedroom window as Dominic made his way up the walkway to her front door. Tristan saw a black car pull up against the curb a few houses away. Dominic walked into her room. She turned from the window, naked faced and red eyed. His insides softened and he took her in his arms.
Hope restlessly tossed in bed. She was starting to hate her nights off. Though she didn’t like clubs, she would rather be encased by blasting music and crazy lights than here in the dark, with nothing to do but float in her own misery.
Tristan moved her head, slowly lifted her chin and pressed her lips to Dominic’s. He wasn’t sure how he felt about her at the moment but he didn’t have time to think. She was unzipping his pants.
Hope rolled over on her back, staring vacantly into the lumpy ceiling, wondering what he was doing at that very moment.
41... Birthday suprises
Since Hope was now making a little more money, she had extra cash to burn. Shamayla was taking her out to celebrate her thirtieth birthday, so Hope went out to have her hair combed in a classy up do and had her makeup done. She went to the mall with Glenna and found a white strapless dress that hugged her body in thick snuggery. It made her natural tan skin look amazing; the dress glowed on her, her skin glowed in it…it was perfect. She found the perfect golden Kenneth Coles that had cubic zirconia sparkling rainbows every time light reflected on them.
She went home, showered her body and lathered on tropical body butter. She wore her gold necklace with the tiny cross and studs in her ears, worrying her gold loops would make her look too slutty. She dressed and strapped on her shoes, went to the kitchen and hovered over the sink, eating a turkey sub stuffed with tomato, avocado, onion rings and pepper jack cheese. The sandwich was fat and messy, worth the ridiculous price. She licked her lips after every bite, crumpled the paper wrap and tossed it in the trash.
Shamayla knocked on her door, her hair neatly combed up.
“Wassup, ready?”
“Yep.” Hope reached for her clutch and followed Shamayla to Justin’s car. The girls headed out as the sun set, ready to do Vegas.
The day died and night came to life, flooding into every street. They went to White Sands which was a city hotspot, usually hard to get into. Not only did Justin have connections, but the girls did as well. They had their own cabana poolside and for once, were catered to. Hope had and halfway through her drink Marisol and Mercedes showed up. Hope was sure Shamayla claimed to hate Mercedes at one time but it wasn’t looking that way these days. Hope casually asked Shamayla what was up with that.
“I’m kinda staying at her place, till I get my things together,” she quickly added.
Hope shrugged it off and sat down, eyeing the practically naked bodies all over the place. There were girls with thong bikinis and even some guys in speedos. Hope cringed and put her straw between her lips, saw Shane and some guy she’d never seen before coming toward them.
“What are you doing here?” Hope asked with a smile.
“Come on, would I miss your birthday?” He handed her a gift bag.
“You didn’t…”
“But I did.”
He sat down next to her.
“You look good.” He leaned in and sniffed. “You smell good too. Is that passion fruit?”
“What you know about passion fruit?” Hope reached in the bag.
“All right, I’m going to go stand over there.”
“Why?”
“I get shy when people open my gifts in front of me.”
She quickly whipped out whatever it was in the bag. “It’s heavy…” It was wrapped in tissue paper with little glitter squares on it. Her mouth dropped a bit.
“Who told you?”
Shane eased back to his seat next to her.
“Your girl Shamayla. I asked her what kind of things you like, what you’re into.”
Hope held up the water globe. The opaque glitter shimmered in pearly pink and purple as it rained down in the water. In the center, a ballerina.
“Looks like you,” he said with a sexy smile.
“It’s very pretty.” She wrapped an arm around his neck and hugged him, her chest pressed to his. She smelled his cologne and as she inched away, her smooth face brushed the roughness of his. “Thank you, Shane.”
“You’re welcome.” They locked eyes and then he got up suddenly. “Drinks… you good?”
“I’m good,” she said, holding up hers.
Marisol, a ponytail long and curled midway down her back, licked her red lips and watched Shane and Justin walk to the bar. She casually stuck her hand down her shirt and lifted her left boob higher inside her bra, then did the same with the right one. She pulled down her unbuttoned, tight blouse a bit and held her shoulders back. When Shane and Justin got back, she was staring right at Shane, darkened brows, tip of tongue against the roof of her mouth. He did a double take when he thought he saw her staring. She was giving him the eye he realized, and wasn’t being subtle about it. He smiled back and took a shot of tequila.
The DJ spun records and music beat out of the speakers. At one point Marisol crossed her legs and sat directly across from Shane. A waiter came to the group with a cake, sparkler jabbed in the middle. Hope’s eyes lit up, Shane stood beside her as she made her “wish” and the sparks fizzled. While Hope sliced through the cake, Marisol moved up close to Shane and brushed her arm against his. He turned his head to see her black hair shining against the pool and the whites of her eyes bright against her super dark makeup.
Hope licked frosting off her thumb and turned to hand Shane a plate. He wasn’t next to her anymore, but feet away with his hands in his pockets, hunched over. Marisol was leaning in his ear whispering something. Hope felt that sensation again- that ill dread she felt when Dominic let her go. She looked at Shamayla who was laughing out loud, feeding Justin cake.
Shane walked away from Marisol smiling, eyebrows raised high.
“What’s that about?” Justin asked curiously. Yeah, he noticed.
Shane shrugged and licked his lips and looked back at Marisol, sipping her cocktail poolside.
Shane and his friend spoke amongst each other and laughed. Marisol blatantly stared at him and then puckered up her lips and blew him a kiss. Hope sat down and stared at him too. She stirred melting cubes in red liquid and glanced at Marisol, stripping down to a bikini. Feeling awkward like a third eye, he looked away, slowly rolled his eyes to Hope who quickly looked elsewhere and sipped her drink.
“Someone’s DTF!” Justin exclaimed.
“Shut up!” Shamayla whispered. “You’re not as quiet as you think!”
He playfully grabbed Shamayla by the chin and forced her to look at Marisol who was practically naked.
“I think she wants some Canadian bacon,” Justin laughed.
Everyone laughed except for Hope. The jealousy tide was washing up over her. Her head was heating up.
Marisol came out of the pool all wet, a little vexed that Shane turned away from her. She saw him making his way back to Hope. Before he could, he was lifted in the air by total drunken strangers and thrown in the pool.
“Oh my gawd!” someone screamed.
Hope stood up on her feet with her hand on her chest. Shane came to surface and pulled himself out of the pool with assistance from two security guards.
“I’m not drunk, Sir. I’m not drunk. I was thrown in!”
Justin had to go over to security and corroborated his story. The guys who threw him in the pool took off and disappeared in the crowd.
Shane was pissed off. Security ended up finding and escorting the men away. They insisted it was a joke, that their friend told them to do it. Marisol did but stayed away from that circus and sat back with a drink, thinking it was funny.