It Is What It Is (Short Story) (2 page)

Victoria walked into her multi-million dollar Atlanta mansion to find her husband, Richard Dickerson, waiting for her in his study. It was five in the morning and he was thoroughly pissed. Tale- tale signs of alcohol on his breath and on the end table next to him clued Victoria in that he’d been drinking all night.

Actually, she really didn’t need any clues. Richard was a flirtatious old drunk. Victoria knew it when she married him. It was no secret to anyone, including Richard that she didn’t really love him and only married him for his money. Richard wanted a beautiful trophy wife to show off to his colleagues at the Country Club and Victoria… Well, let’s just say that Victoria wanted a man who could treat her to the finer things in life and enhance her financial portfolio by at least ten million easy dollars.

Already independently wealthy from the settlement of her divorce from a Superstar NBA player, Victoria really didn’t need to remarry. She certainly didn’t need the money as she was awarded an obscene amount of alimony, because her first husband was a serial cheater. Nonetheless, she agreed to marry Richard because she liked him and he promised her a healthy settlement if they should ever divorce.

Sex between them was basically, non- existent as Richard was a Down- Low male hoe who loved eighteen year old boys. So, Victoria never once was asked to fulfill her wifely duties. She got all she needed and more from Mykal, so that was perfectly fine with her. Yes, their marriage was a sham and Victoria was merely a front to hide Richard’s homosexual life style from his overbearing, filthy rich mother. Afraid she’d cut him out of her will, Richard begged Victoria to marry him so his mother wouldn’t suspect he was gay.

Handsome in his own right, the forty five year old was considered one of the most sought after bachelors and in Atlanta when they married. The reality of the situation was that Richard was a sloppy drunk who struggled with his homosexuality and mommy issues.

Victoria knew what she was getting into when she accepted his proposal. Naturally, Mother Dearest insisted upon and iron clad pre-nuptial agreement, which Victoria gracefully signed. Little did Psycho Mom know that Richard had deposited twenty million dollars in an account for Victoria securing her future and her silence.

Uncharacteristically pissy drunk, Richard pounced on her the second she walked through the door. “Well, well, well! Look who finally decided to bring their whoring ass home!” He slurred as he took another swig of his aged Scotch right from the bottle.

Victoria ignored him, she knew how he was when he got drunk, a classless ass. Slipping her designer stilettos off, she headed for her sitting room. Richard followed on her heels dressed only in silk boxer shorts. He reeked of piss and Victoria knew he had somehow found rock bottom, yet had not discover the bottom of his bottle.

“Hi, dear. I see you’ve been drinking. Why don’t you put the bottle down and let me get you some coffee?”

“What?” He slurred as he stumbled into her study and plopped in a chair. “Did I ask you for some fucking coffee? Yes! I’m drunk, but that’s not the issue.”

Victoria took a seat at her desk and opened her laptop. Ignoring the fact that his pissy ass was sitting on her expensive, white Victorian antique love seat, she started pressing keys. “Oh yeah? So what exactly is the problem this time my love?” She asked as she typed in Richard’s username and password to his online banking account. He used the same password for everything and Victoria knew it. It was easy to remember- DickLovesDick! “What a fucking idiot!” She mumbled beneath her breath as his account information popped up.

“So, where were you all night? You think you can just come and go all hours of the night as you please. Huh?”

“Yeah, pretty much. We agreed on that point before we were married. My personal life is my personal life, just as your personal life is yours. I don’t ask you whose dick you suck and you don’t ask me whose dick I suck. It’s in the pre-nupt, remember?” Victoria calmly stated as she examined Richard’s bank statement.

“Oh, I know whose dick you were sucking. I don’t have to ask, the same dick you been swinging on like a great white ape from the first day I met you.”

Victoria could feel her cheeks flush with anger. She suppressed the urge to jump across her desk and knock his bitch ass the fuck out. Instead she chilled. “Dick let me get you something to eat. Did you eat anything?”

“I’m not hungry… I’m thirsty. And stop trying to change the fucking subject!” Richard retorted as he took another gulp of alcohol. Victoria did not respond. She had never seen him so agitated. “You were with that black nigger of yours weren’t you?”

The vulgarity of what Richard said cut Victoria to her core. Chills shot up her spine as the “N” word leaped out of her husband’s mouth and hung in the air like the stench of rhinoceros shit.

“Wow! That’s a new word for you. When did you add that to your vulgar vocabulary?” She sarcastically responded.

“When that nigger started fucking my wife!” He snapped back in defiance. “What you don’t like it?”

“No, actually I don’t. That’s the most vial word anyone can call anyone else and if it comes out of your mouth one more time there will be consequences and repercussions. Translation say it one more time and I will FUCK your drunk ass up!” She snarled as her eyes locked on him and dared him to utter a syllable that even begin with the letter N. “That word is offensive, and socially unacceptable and I will not allow you or anyone else to use it in my house.”

“Your house? You mean my house!” He chuckled.

“No Bitch! I meant what I said. This is my house. You brought it for me, my name is on the deed, which makes it my house. Now say the N word in my damn house again and see if I don’t kick your fucking ass!” She screamed back.

“Wow aren’t you the defensive one. Last I checked you were white! It’s not like I called you one. Anyway… That’s not the point.”

Victoria stared at her pissy drunk husband of three years. She bit her bottom lip, sighed deeply and considered her options. She realized she didn’t have any. The only person in Miami who even liked her, let alone loved her was on a plane to Atlanta. It was at that moment she came to the chilling conclusion that her sham of a marriage was officially over.

She also made the executive decision to create her own severance package. Victoria noticed that this particular account had a little over twelve million dollars in savings. Transferring ten million to her personal expense account she continued to pretend she was interested in resolving her problems with Richard.

“So what is the point love? Exactly what is all this nonsense about? Dick you’re not a racist, what’s going on with you?” She asked as she confirmed the wire transfer with Richard’s secret, safety passcode-
DickLuvs2SuckBigA$$Dicks!!

It was a very large transfer and every safety precaution had to be taken, so it was no surprise to Victoria when their home phone immediately rang. It was the bank.

“Hello, Dickerson’s resident. Victoria speaking.”

“Hi, this is Mrs. Stewart from Chase Manhattan Bank, sorry to disturb you, but we have to verify a wire transaction. Is this Mrs. Victoria Dickerson?”

“Yes, it’s me. How can I help you?” Placing her palm over the receiver of the phone Victoria mouthed, “It’s Citibank. I moved some money around. I hope you don’t mind. I think she wants you. What should I say?”

“Vicky, I’m drunk. I can’t talk to her right now. Just tell her to give you whatever you want.” He waved her off. “I don’t care, tell her it’s fine.”

“Mrs. Dickerson is your husband home?”

“Yes, do you need to speak to him?”

“Yes, I need him to verbally authorize the bank transfer into your account.”

“Understandable. Let me see if I can get him on the phone.” Victoria put her on speaker phone. “Okay, he’s here, Mrs. Stewart.”

“Hi, Mr. Dickerson, this is Mrs. Stewart from Citibank. I need to confirm a wire transfer you made to your wife’s account.”

“Yes, I can confirm the transfer.” Richard responded in a sober voice.

“Sir, are you aware of the amount of this transfer?”

“What’s your name?” He asked, irritated as his buzz quickly faded leaving him with a pounding headache.

“Mrs. Stewart... My name is Mrs. Stewart. As I was saying…”

“Mrs. Stewart, are you aware that it’s five thirty in the morning. Naturally, I’m aware of the transferred amount. I made the transfer. Now is there anything else I can do for you before I hang up?” Richard quickly cut her off.

“Sorry, to disturb you sir. My apologies. We’re just trying to protect your money. Please enter your safety lock code and I’ll make the transfer immediately.”

“No problem. Sorry, to be rude but my wife and I were in the middle of something when you called.” He apologized.

“No problem Mr. Dickerson, I understand. Please enter your safety lock code and we’ll be finished.”

“Okay.” Richard responded as he entered his safety lock code-
DickLuvs2SuckBigA$$Dicks!!

“Okay well that will do it.” Mrs. Stewart responded. “The sum of ten….”

The crafty Victoria quickly turned off the speaker phone before Richard could hear the amount. “Okay, thank you, Mrs. Stewart.”

“You’re welcome, Mrs. Dickerson. Sorry about the disturbance Mr. Dickerson.”

Victoria quickly switched back to speaker phone. “It’s no problem, right dear?”

“No problem. Thanks Mrs. Stewart. Sorry about my rudeness, as I said you caught me at a bad time.” Richard replied.

“Thanks for choosing Citibank. Have a good day.” Mrs. Stewart responded before hanging up.

Victoria slyly sighed a slow sigh of relief. “Okay, so what’s got you all hyped up? This is so out of character for you.”

Dick drew in a long deep breath and then sighed deeply. “You’re right Vicky, I’m sorry. What I said was insensitive, ignorant and plain wrong. I’m sorry I offended you. I’ll make a donation to a charity or something, next week.”

“Okay, well I guess that’s a start, but I meant what I said, Dick. I will not hesitate to slap that word out of your mouth the next time I hear it. Are we clear?” Victoria assured him as she watched ten million dollars be wired from his bank to her bank. A devious smile transformed her pretty face as the message- “
Transfer completed,”
flashed on the screen.

“Yeah, we’re clear. Vicky, that’s not me and you know it. It’s just that Mother thinks…”

“Let me stop you right there, because you of all people know that I don’t give a flying flea fuck what Catherine Dickerson thinks.”  

“I know, I know, but I have to agree with her on this one.”

“Okay, so what does Mother think?”

Richard hesitated and considered his words. “There’s no easy way to say this.”

“Yeah, there is! Just open your mouth and say it.” Victoria challenged.

“Okay, here goes… Mother thinks it’s time we start a family. I’m her only son and she wants grandchildren.”

Victoria stared at Richard like he was a unicorn that had sprouted a bright purple dick where his horn should be. “You and your mama both lost your damn minds if you think I’m going to ruin my body having a baby for you two snobs to ruin. Oh fuck that bullshit!”

“Just hear me out Vicky…”

“Are you kidding me? Dick, you can’t possibly be serious. This is not what we agreed on!”

“I know, but… Look Vicky, I want a child. I thought eventually I could convince you to…”

“To do what Dick? Huh? Convince me to allow you to fuck me! Oh hell no! Forget it because it’s not going to happen. You two bitches are as crazy as Fruit Loops with buttermilk if you think I’m going to let you knock me up!”

“I’ll pay you! I’ll pay you ten million dollars if you’ll have my child. Please, Vicky?”

“Hell, no! You couldn’t give me fifty million to get pregnant by you.”

“Vicky please… Will you please at least consider it?” Richard begged. “Just sleep on it! You won’t even have to sleep with me, if you don’t want to. We’ll get a fertility specialist. Okay? Just think about it for a few days. Please?”

“Okay, but I’m not promising anything.” Victoria reluctantly agreed to end the discussion, although she knew in her heart that her superficial marriage to Richard Dickerson had reached its expiration date.

Victoria packed her things and flew to Atlanta the following day.

Suniya Simmons was exhausted when she pulled in front of her modest, contemporary Atlanta home. She had worked from sun up to sunset getting her upscale male clothing boutique ready for its grand opening. She had always dreamed of opening a store that catered to the professionally dressed man with a discerning taste for cutting edge fashion. A fashion designer by nature and a former buyer for Saks, Suniya had the talent, connections and expertise to pull it off. Unfortunately, she didn’t have the money. Against her better judgment she turned to her mother for a no interest, generous loan to make her dream a reality.

Suniya and her mother had a long history of resentment and disappointment between them.  Barely sixteen years older than Suniya, her mother was a baby herself when her daughter was born. Understandably, she wasn’t the model mother and depended on her mom, Suniya’s grandmother, to step in as mom.

Unfortunately, this created an unexpected riff in their mother daughter dynamics. Suniya grew up with the preconceived notion that her mother was her sister. It wasn’t until her grandmother passed that her mother told her the truth at twenty years of age. Needless to say Suniya was hurt and betrayed and absolutely refused to accept it. She immediately cut off ties with her mom and took up permanent residence in Atlanta where she attended college.

Five years had passed since that time. Many things had changed since then. Suniya had a larger than life dream and her mom had a silk multi-million dollar purse. There was just one stipulation, Suniya had to extend an olive branch of friendship to repair their torn relationship. Fortunately, mother and daughter were finally in a position where mending fences and building bridges were possible.

As Suniya gathered her things to go in the house her phone rang. It was here mother. She answered, “Hello!”

“Hey Boots, what are you doing?”

“Hey Sissy, I’m just pulling in. What are you up to?”

“Moving.”

“Again?” Suniya laughed. “Sissy, what did you do?”

“Me?” She burst into laughter. “I didn’t do anything. When it’s over it’s over.”

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah! I’m better than okay. Don’t worry about me I’m happy. When you leave a marriage with peace of mind you have it all. However… When you leave with a healthy alimony settlement… Well, you know what I mean.”

Suniya giggled. “No, actually I don’t. I’ve never been married and when I get married I want to be married forever. So, no… I have no concept of what you’re talking about. Happy you came out ahead in the divorce, but I just want a good faithful husband that can withstand the test of time.”

“God, I pray you find one. So, what is my future son in-law up to? Dare, I even ask?”

“Hopefully getting a job. I told him that he could at least pretend he wants to work.”

“Boots, you’re too beautiful of a woman to be settling for bullshit.  Don’t settle for the first man that can make your toes curl. Life’s about a hell of a lot more than dick. There are two type of people on the planet, male and females. The males all have dicks. Now, your task is to find one with a dick that can put a crack in your back and a dent in the damn mortgage.”

“Sissy!”

“What? I’m just being honest! Gone are the days of fucking for free! Rich men fuck as hard as broke ones… Trust me, I know! I’m a witness! So, kick his freeloading, bad credit, no job, ten baby mama having ass out and find a real man. One who is willing to take on the responsibility of providing for his woman and one day his family.”

“I hear you but…”

“No! No buts Boots! Enough is enough… Can you really see yourself married to this man? Has he even entertained the concept of marrying you?”

“Sissy, I understand you’re concerned about my well-being, but I have this. Okay?”

There was an uncomfortable silence. “You’re right and I’m wrong. You’re a woman now. You’re twenty five years old, which means you’re old enough to fight your own battles and make your own mistakes. If you’re happy then I’m happy.”

Suniya sighed before responding. She knew she had hurt her mom’s feelings, but it wasn’t intentional. They had come a very long way in repairing their relationship, but she still wasn’t at the point where she honestly could take her mother’s motherly advice. The wounds of their past was still too fresh and frankly it was too late in the game for her mother to grow up and start giving motherly advice.

“Thanks for understanding Sissy. I’m not trying to be disrespectful… It’s just that…” Suniya tried to apologize.

“Nonsense. It wasn’t disrespectful. You’re right. This is your relationship so, it’s your decision. I’ll support you whatever you do… You know that right?”

“Yeah… I do. Thanks! Look, I’m exhausted, so I’m going to get in here and cook some dinner, take a shower and go to bed. I love you Sissy. Thanks for everything. I couldn’t have done this without you.”

“No problem. I’m happy I had the resources to bring your dream to fruition. Love you too, Boots.”

Suniya smiled. Her mom was the only one left on the planet that called her Boots. It was a nickname she earned when she was five years old. Her mom brought her a pair of hot pink rain boots and Suniya refused to wear any other shoes from the moment she put them on. Rain, sleet, snow or hail, Suniya had those God awful shiny pink boots on. She even wore them to church. Her grandmother was at her wit’s end, but she couldn’t convince her to abandon her boots.

“When will I see you again?”

“A lot sooner than you think. Call me if you need anything. Love you.”

“Love you too!”

Suniya hung up the phone and burst into tears. She loved her mom so very much it hurt, She just didn’t know how to make their relationship as mother and daughter work without interference from the demons of their past. Little did she know that her mother was across town weeping for the exact same reason.