ADDICTED TO HIM 3 Page 2

  “You good,” he said as he put the pieces back together.

  Candy walked out of the house, reminding me that Rashard is awake. I stood there looking between Candy and Brandon. She had a smirk on her face and he hadn’t looked up yet. “Hey Brandon, I can’t go with you,” I said nervously. I have no idea why I’m nervous but I am. In the two weeks, I’ve never had to tell him no and stick with it. He’s always been able to get me to change my mind or rearrange my plans. The only thing he never tried to interfere with was work and that’s because I let him know upfront that it was very important to me. Trying to stop me from getting the hours could mess with me graduating on time and as far as I’ve come, I was not about to let a man come between me and success.

  “The fuck you mean you can’t come?” he asked, then looked over at Candy.

  “Hey, don’t look at me,” she said with her hands up. “I’ll be in my truck,” she said to me as she walked passed me to get her truck. “Rashard is awake. We’re going to see him,” I explained as I fiddled with my fingernails.

  “Oh ok. Well, call me later,” he said and walked away. I was shocked that it went so well but glad it did.

  Candy

  Living with Tamia has been peachy but I really wish she had listened to me and not got involved with Brandon. Sure, he’s handsome and charming and don’t get me started on his eyes, but that’s like the calm before the storm. I’m a friend to them both so I couldn’t exactly indulge too much, but I let her know he’s crazy and suggested that she not talk to him. I’ve known Brandon awhile and Deuce has known him even longer, and even he asked me why I hook that up. Truth be told, their little match up had nothing to do with me. I’m so glad Rashard is ready to get up because I need him to step up for Tamia and take her away from Brandon.

  When I got the call to come to Doc’s house, I was overjoyed with emotions because I’ve been witnessing the stress him being out of pocket has caused Tamia. I really think she’s been through enough already but now she’s starting to make dumb choices. Most girls get mad when they find out later on down the line that the nigga they fucking with is crazy, but I told her as soon as I saw she was interested. I noticed she fought the attraction for a good week after the accident but I wish she would have held out a little longer. I tried telling Rashard to get it together but being a friend to Tamia, I couldn’t tell him why.

  Rashard has been having this ongoing issue that he’s been trying to fix but I’m going to let him tell you about that.

  When I walked out of the house behind Tamia and saw Brandon, I shook my head. Nigga had the nerve to look at me like I’m the reason she’s cancelling a, probably, unplanned date. I just went ahead to my truck and called Deuce.

  “What’s up?” he answered. I could barely hear him over the music but he’s always in a noisy environment.

  “Can you turn that down for a minute?” I asked with my face screwed up. We finally made this thing official but now we’re taking things one day at a time because neither one of us are used to being in a relationship.

  “Lemme walk outta here,” he said. I crank my truck up as I waited for him to leave out of the noisy room he was in. “What you got going?” he asked, once he was outside.

  “Rashard is ready,” I said.

  “Finally? Took his ass long enough.” he said with this nonchalant attitude. Deuce is the only one, other than myself, that Rashard trusts and I think it’s because Rashard knows I trust Deuce.

  “Tell me about it,” I said, as I watched Tamia and Brandon have a quick exchange.

  “Look, I gotta go but I need you to keep a handle on Brandon for me; you know how it gets,” I said quickly.

  “That man grown as fuck,” Deuce said.

  “Yea, but he’s crazy too and this my girl,” I said.

  “And I’m yo nigga and he my cousin! Leave that shit between them. Shit, you did yo part, now mind yo business. Call me later,” he said and hung the phone up in my ear. I pulled the phone away from ear and stared at the phone in disbelief. I let out a deep frustrated breath as I watched Tamia walk to the truck.

  “That was easy,” she said, as she snapped her seatbelt on.

  “Too easy,” I replied, as I looked behind me. Brandon was taking his time getting in his all black Charger and letting me out. Shit, we couldn’t go anywhere until he moved from behind us but it looked like he was playing on his phone. “What the fuck?” I asked and gestured for Tamia to look back. When she looked at what I was looking at, she rolled her eyes and sat down.

  I laid on the horn to get his attention. It must have pissed him off because he backed his car up and burned rubber. I peeled off in the opposite direction. I hope like hell Rashard knows what he’s doing, I thought to myself as I shook my head.

  “What’s wrong Candy?” Tamia asked. I glanced over at her as she rotated her body, so she could face me. I couldn’t tell her what I was I thinking.

  “It sucks being caught in the middle,” is what I wanted to say. “Deuce’s childish ass,” is what I actually said.

  “What he do?” she asked, but I just shook my head and turned the music up.

  Funny thing is, the song that started playing is perfect for Rashard’s current predicament. I bobbed my head to Smooth Blues Song by Carl Mims, as he sang about being caught up in a two-way love affair. I glanced over at Tamia and she had tears in her eyes. I thought about the lyrics of the song and as fucked up as it is, it’s perfect for her too.

  Being that I’m friends with them all, it’s not much I can do at this moment but change the station. “I never fucked Wayne. I never fucked Drake,” Nicki Minaj said, which wasn’t any better since Tamia hadn’t fucked Rashard or Brandon. The song made with Drake and Wayne called Only blared through the speakers.

  Fuck it, this my song. Tamia gonna have to tough it out, I thought myself as I continued to drive. I glanced over at her and she still had tears welled up in her eyes but she didn’t let them fall. I’m not going to push the issue because I honestly just don’t feel like I can hold anymore secrets. Hell, lately, I’ve been wanting to just quit talking to all these mufuckers because they’re all forcing me to keep secrets that I didn’t ask to hold.

  A few minutes later, I was pulling up to Doc’s house. I took a deep breath and looked over at Tamia. She was so excited that she didn’t wait for me to get out before she was walking to the door. “God, please don’t let this go left,” I said out loud. I shook my head and followed her to the door.

  Rashard

  I sat in Doc’s living room a nervous fucking wreck after I told Candy that I was finally ready to face the music. Chardae is indeed pregnant and she’s far enough along to know what she’s having. It’s a boy. Wait, let me take you back so you won’t be confused.

  The day of the accident, I passed out on my way to Doc’s house. Well, we were in the operating room alone when I woke up. I gave Doc a quick rundown on the bullshit that was happening in my life and he agreed to help me out. I gave him $6,000 to make Tamia think I was in a coma while I got things straightened out with Chardae. Call it what you want but I’m not trying to lose Tamia and I’m going to be a father to my child. Well, if he’s mines.

  Anyway, Doc has it set up to where she has to call before she comes. After she calls him, he calls me, and I leave Chardae and come back to Doc’s house where he puts me under until Tamia leaves. Now, Candy knows what’s been going on and, believe me, she curses me out every damn chance she gets, but I know Candy will never betray me.

  Before you go to turning your nose up at me for making Tamia think I’ve been in a coma, try thinking about it from my side of things. I’ve just really started to get close to Tamia and I know the possibility of me having a child will ruin that. Tamia deserves a life that only I can provide for her. All I want to do is make her fall in love with me before Chardae has the baby. That way, if the baby is mine, she won’t want to leave me and if it isn’t, then we won’t have a problem at all. Either way, I’m not telling her about Chardae po
ssibly being pregnant with my child. Hell, she’s not going to know a thing about a baby until after the results and that’s only if the baby is mine.

  “I think you should wait in the bed she’s been visiting you in,” Doc suggested.

  “Why?” I asked with a confused look on my face.

  “A person that’s been in a coma for three weeks doesn’t just get up and walk away, Shard. Tamia is smart as fuck and she will know something is off,” Doc explained.

  “Iight,” I said, as I stood to my feet. I got up to follow him to the back, just as his front door was opening. “Fuck!” I said softly to myself.

  “Tamia, wait!” I heard Candy yell. I peeked slightly around the wall and noticed Tamia had her back to me. I hauled ass through Doc’s house and hopped on the cot he had been having me lay in, in his late wife’s room. Well, I don’t really know if I should say late wife since her stuffed corpse is still here at the vanity station. I glanced over at her and wondered what he do to keep her hair up. Shit’s weird.

  I could feel my phone vibrating in my pocket but I could hear them walking this way. I quickly pulled out my phone and shut it completely off without checking the message first. I slid it back into my pocket just as Tamia turned the corner with tears in her eyes. “Cut all that out baby, I’m good. I made it,” I said as I smiled at her. I didn’t miss the look Candy gave me as she stood there with her arms folded.

  “Oh my gosh, I’m so happy you’re ok! Listen, you don’t have to worry about school because Myra’s been getting your assignments and I’ve been doing the work. Graduation is still set, so we just have to get your strength up,” she said all in one breath. I nodded my head at her and gestured for her to get me a cup of water. She walked off immediately and came back with a cup of water for me. She helped me sit up and drink the water from the cup. “Don’t try to drink it too fast,” Tamia said. I looked over at Candy, who was rolling her eyes up in her head.

  “What’s up sis?” I asked because she wasn’t acting like a nigga just woke up out a coma. She was about to fuck everything up with her attitude.

  “Nothing much. You don’t act like you been a coma,” she said sarcastically. I almost choked on my spit when she let that shit fly out her mouth. I see now that she really is pissed about how I handled the shit, so I’m not going to hold that against her.

  I looked at Tamia, who had a weird expression on her face, but she didn’t say anything. “Can ya mans get a hug or something damn?” I asked in a joking manner. I needed to lighten the mood because I could see the wheels turning in Tamia’s head after Candy’s little comment. She hesitated, looked at Candy, then reached her arms around my neck to hug me. She smelled so good and I closed my eyes to take in her scent.

  “Have you tried getting up?” Tamia asked with her phone in her hand. I watched her suspiciously scroll through her phone like I ain’t just wake up from a coma.

  “The fuck you doing?” I asked with a frown on my face. She looked nervous as she locked her phone and slid in her purse.

  “Have you tried getting up?” she asked, completely ignoring my question.

  “No, now who the fuck you been talking to?” I asked. I was so pissed off that she was talking to somebody else. I shot daggers at Candy for not telling me what the fuck Tamia had been doing because I know she knows. Candy rolled her eyes at me, so I refocused my attention on Tamia as I waited for her to answer.

  “Listen Rashard,” she began.

  “Don’t listen Rashard me! You couldn’t wait?” I asked seriously. How the fuck can I trust a bitch that couldn’t wait a few weeks for a nigga to wake up out of a coma before she started fucking with another nigga? Ok, granted I wasn’t really in a coma, but she didn’t fucking know that! Tamia stood next to the bed with a shocked expression on her face.

  “Look, you need to calm down,” she said, as she placed her hand on mines softly. I snatched my hand away from her as I stared into her eyes.

  “Did you fuck him?” I asked. Her once shocked expression turned into one of anger.

  “Fuck you! I’m glad you’re ok but don’t contact me again, EVER!” she snapped and left out of the room.

  I looked over at Candy, just as she begun to shake her head at me. “What?!” I snapped at Candy.

  “I thought you were ready to tell the truth,” she said calmly and walked off. I know they rode together, so I know she’s going to make sure she’s ok and take her home.

  “Man fuck!” I screamed as Doc came trotting into the room.

  “Some reunion,” he said, as he grabbed a brush off the dresser and started brushing his wife’s hair. I shook my head as I climbed off the bed and powered my phone back on.

  I checked my messages and saw that Chardae texted me asking for some butter pecan ice cream. I grabbed my keys and headed for the door to get what she wanted. Since Tamia pissed me off, I’m going to do exactly what she want me to do and leave her the fuck alone! I’m not about to chase her; hell, her name ain’t check and that’s the only thing I’ll chase.

  I pulled up to the grocery store and bumped into my boy, Twan. “What up bro?” I asked, as I dapped him up.

  “Shit, chillin man. Where the hell you been?” he asked, as he turned around to walk in the store with me.

  “Here and there my nigga,” I answered. Anybody that knows me knows I don’t deliver details about my whereabouts to any damn body, so I don’t know why he even asked.

  “Iain see ya in Dead Man’s Zone lately,” he pried.

  “I’m bout to let this shit go bro,” I said, as I grabbed the ice cream and headed to the checkout counter.

  “Oh yeah?” he asked with excitement evident in his voice. I nodded my head and he walked off with his phone in his hand.

  Must have had a bitch hitting him up, I thought to myself. Between him and Dre, I don’t know which one let a bitch distract them more.

  I hopped in my car and drove to Chardae’s new house. I had to move her out the damn hood because I didn’t want my son growing up in the hood and leading the life I’d led. Her new house is uptown in a really nice neighborhood. It’s only about an hour away from the house I bought for Tamia and I to move into.

  I pulled up to Chardae’s freshly built three bedroom, two bathroom home. A few days after the accident, I called up Pablo and asked him to build me another house. I gave him my black card, so he could buy all of the supplies they needed and the following week, Chardae was moving in. Ya’ll think people be bullshitting when they tell you how hard and fast Mexicans work but they aren’t. Those guys built the house and painted the walls in a couple of days!

  Chardae

  These past two weeks with Rashard have been nothing short of amazing! Yea, he has his moments where he acts like I’m just someone he’s fucking but when it comes down to the baby, he’s a whole nother dude. I love the father in him, which is why I’m not going to let him go. My biggest fear is that he will leave me to be a single mother and I’ll be back in the projects fucking the dope boys to pay my bills.

  I was stripping down at the Foxy Lady when I met Rashard, so I never needed him to give me anything but dick. Thank God, I was able to quit before he found out about it. After I heard him talking about how he’d never date a stripper seriously because he wouldn’t want other niggas looking at his girl, I ran down to Foxy Lady and gave Skee my walking papers. He begged me to stay because I was his main attraction but I had a baller to pull.

  I had everything planned down to the T about how I would trap him. I had to gain his trust, so the first couple of years, I had an unopened box of condoms in my drawer, in case he forgot to bring one when he came over. Then, eventually, I would just pour the condoms out in my drawer and he would inspect them on the low. Then, his visits became far and few in between, so I went down to the health department and got on the birth control pill. Word began to circulate about Rashard and some chick he goes to school with that ain’t from here. I didn’t find out until after I was already pregnant that they weren’t dati
ng yet. See, as soon as he showed interest in the chick, Twan told me what was up but I didn’t know he was lying!

  So, me being me, I sat the condoms under my lamp so the heat from the bulb could dry it out enough to break while we’re fucking. I threw them back in my drawer and when he came over, we turnt up! We were so fucked up; I don’t even remember if we used a condom or not but that’s when I got pregnant. I knew the day I missed my first period that I was pregnant, but I was too afraid to tell him. Then, this nigga started messing around with her. Next thing I know, he’s taking her out on dates and got her hosting parties and every damn thing, and that’s what gave me the courage to tell him I was pregnant.

  I don’t know what happened to them these last few weeks and frankly, I don’t give a damn. All I know is, one day, Rashard limped his ass in my house and told me let’s go, and I happily left with him. I got the shock of my life when we pulled up here, our new home. Well, he never stays all night but he comes running whenever I call him. The thing about that is, whenever someone else calls him, he runs to them too. I don’t know what’s going on but I’m going to find out today because what he’s not going to do is play with my feelings.

  As I stood in the doorway of my new beautiful three bedroom, two bathroom home, I realized how blessed I am to have him in my life. Just because I’m pregnant, he had this house built from the ground up! It’s super nice too; I’ve never seen a place this nice before. When you first walk in, you walk into the living room and it’s huge! It’s equipped with a black leather sectional that goes around the entire living room. There’s a 61" plasma TV mounted on the wall with a huge frame that makes it looks like a big picture whenever the TV is paused. The kitchen is down the hall and to the left with all black appliances. The guest bathroom is on the right hand side of the hallway and is decorated in all black as well. Now, the guestroom is plain, housing only a queen sized bed, dresser, and TV. The baby’s room has football decorations everywhere and is completely set for his arrival, stocked with a crib, rocking chair, diaper genie, and closet organizer. My master bedroom is across from the nursery and has the other bathroom in it. It has a king sized bed that I’m always in alone that sits on top of an all-black fluffy soft rug. Part of the wall was knocked out to hook the TV up inside of the wall.