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Brandy was on a roll being “Girlfriend of the Year”. Whatever Charles needed, she was by his side in various loving and supporting ways. Which was fortunate for him because he was going to need that support and a little understanding for an upcoming change with his living situation.
Due to the turmoil developing at home, Chase came to live with Charles full-time. He and Monica did everything possible to help their son through the transition. All the while protecting him from knowing the REAL reason he moved. It was supposed to be a temporary arrangement until Monica and Tony’s issues were resolved. In hopes to work on their marriage, they both agreed to see a counselor.
Brandy wasn’t bothered by Chase living with Charles. It was an opportunity to get to know the center of her man’s world. Although they had to make a few adjustments to late night dinner dates and outings, the relationship continued to blossom.
Charles was happy to be a full time dad. Brandy grew closer to Chase, treating him as if he were her own. This closeness ignited ideas of what she wanted for the future, a family with the man she loved. However, those creeping doubts sometimes led her to believe that the dream would never manifest into reality. Charles, on the other hand, stayed optimistic about their relationship.
The season changed from cool days to the scorching heat known to plague Texas. They decided to have a pool party at Charles’ house for a few of Chase’s friends. Monica was welcomed however, Tony had to stay home. Nothing was going to ruin his kid’s party.
The children had the time of their lives, splashing around while the man of the house took on the grill.
“Are you guys hungry?” Brandy asked, holding a tray of hotdogs and hamburgers.
“YEAAAAH!!” They replied in unison.
“Come out and dry off so you can eat.”
She placed the tray on a picnic table nearby and helped the kids out of the pool. A few minutes later, the loud kiddie noises faded as Chase and five of his friends dug into the food and the assortment of juice boxes. Brandy watched them with hopeful thoughts of having her own child enjoying summer days with Chase.
“They are going to be so tired when they get home.” She joked with Charles.
“Yes! That’s the plan.” He said, giving her a smile of gratitude. “Thanks for helping out with the party. Chase is having a good time and I couldn’t have done this without you.”
“Anytime babe. I’m having a good time myself. Where’s Monica?”
“I don’t know.” He replied looking at his watch. “She was supposed to be here hours ago.”
“I hope everything is okay.”
“Me too. And I hope Tony doesn’t come with her.”
“You were very clear Charles. I don’t think she’ll allow him to come.” She added, rubbing his back.
Soon after, a troubled Monica showed up attempting to put on a brave face. Brandy and Charles gave each other a strange look, both knowing something was up.
“Hi Monica. Good to see you.” Brandy said. “I’m going to get more paper towels.”
Before walking into the house, she looked back at Charles with her eyes telling him to figure out what was going on. He caught the hint and took Monica over to the side where they could chat in private.
“What’s wrong?” Charles groaned.
“Nothing.” Monica replied with a fake smile. “How’s the party going?”
“It’s going great. You’re two hours late.” He replied.
She sunk her head, fiddling with her purse. “I know. I just couldn’t get away like I wanted to. You know me and Tony are doing these counseling sessions and it got a little intense today.”
“What’s the issue?!” He whispered. “You guys have been going at it for months now.”
“Chuck. It’s complicated ok. And I don’t want to get into all of that with the kids here. I’m going over there to see my son.”
Before Charles could respond, Monica walked away.
“Mommy!” Chase said raising his head up from the plate. “You made it!”
“I did sweetie!” She said hugging him. “I hear you guys are having fun!”
Brandy returned with no paper towels. Steadily peeking out the window at Charles and Monica’s conversation, she forgot to grab them.
“So?” She asked.
He shook his head, watching Monica interact with Chase. “She won’t say. I know it’s gotten worse, but she won’t damn say.”
Noticing how his eyes were fixated on Monica, Brandy’s jealous instinct was kicking in.
“Look, you don’t have to take on her problems. You have Chase and if Monica wants to deal with that mess, let her.”
“But it still affects my son Brandy. I don’t want him to stay away from his mom forever.” He replied, turning his focus to Brandy. “Where are the paper towels?”
“I know Charles. You don’t think I understand that?! But your whole mood is shot because of someone else’s marriage. You can’t save her.” She explained.
“Can you get the paper towels please?” He asked ignoring her bold statement.
Brandy sighed. “So once again, it’s all about Monica. I only wanted you to talk to her so that you could snap her out of that funk. Kids can sense when their parents are upset.”
“Don’t you think I was trying to do that?” He snapped.
“Yea. And I also think you’re concern extends beyond Chase.” She snapped back.
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“You know. Soooo concerned about Monica.” She snarled.
“Please don’t start. And my mood is fine.” Charles replied.
“Keep ignoring how I feel Charles.” Brandy shook her finger at him.
She walked back into the house to get what she was supposed to the first time around. Charles squinted his eyes, watching his woman walk away. Reaching the kitchen area, she pulled out her phone and unblocked a number. Tapping her fingernail on the screen, she rationalized why the number should be unblocked.
“No matter what I do. No matter how good I am. I’ll never be good enough.” She said.
There was a quick thought to halt the actions that were to come, but Brandy felt her efforts in being a good girlfriend wouldn’t make a difference to Charles when it came to Monica.
Brandy: Hey, What’s up?
After sending the text, she stuffed the phone in her back pocket and gathered a few rolls of paper towels. Before leaving, the phone vibrated.
Dre: You. What u doing?
A smile crept across her face, reading Dre’s message. He was a random she met at a bar on the same night the dinner date with Charles ended early. Out of all her “options”, he was the only one fit to keep around. He was the typical hood dude who was smart in school, but chose the street life for fast money. Nothing about him was boyfriend material, just a “go-to” guy when attention was needed.
Brandy: At a pool party.
Dre: Am I invited? Want to see u in a swimsuit.
Brandy: Lol. No. It’s for kids. Don’t think you’d be interested.
Brandy studied the messages to and from Dre with amazement. She quickly realized she needed to hurry back outside before Charles came looking for her. Yet, the attention was hard to ignore.
Dre: I have kids. I can bring them. Just need an excuse to see u.
Brandy: Kids? Wow didn’t know that. How many?
Dre: Three.
Making a face of disgust at the number of kids he revealed, she was turned off. Silencing her messages, Brandy peeked outside to see if Charles was looking at her. Unfortunately, his eyes were on Chase with a distinct look of worry. It was an expression she’d never seen from her strong man. Even at a distance, she saw how deep the love for his son ran. That same love which made her fall for him in the first place. Her heart melted at his burden, thinking it would be best to ignore Dre.
“Here you go guys.” Brandy said rejoining the party. “Have you had enough to eat?”
Charles began to clean the grill, infrequently looking over at the table making sure things were okay with Monica. Making a decision to temporarily place her feelings aside, she went over to be a shoulder to lean on.
“You need some help?” She asked with a soft smile.
“Nah I’m good.” He replied with a short tone, scrubbing the grill.
“I can help you clean if you want.”
“I got it Brandy.”
She thought by joining him, he would see the effort in being supportive.
No matter what I do. No matter how good I am. I’ll never be good enough. No matter what I do. No matter how good I am. I’ll never be good enough. No matter what I do. No matter how good I am. I’ll never be good enough. Brandy thought.
“So your mood IS bad because she showed up with the sad face?” She asked with an attitude.
“This is about my son.” He said firmly.
“Look at him Charles.” She pointed to the table. “He’s fine. Chase is having a great time and if Monica is not ready to talk you can’t make her. Having a bad mood because of it and shutting me out, doesn’t fix anything.”
Charles said nothing. Hoping that she would give him some space to clean the rest of the grill.
“Chase is with you now.” Brandy continued. “It’s not like he’s over there experiencing the turmoil first hand.”
“Chase can sense that something is wrong. I don’t need him worrying about his mom. I just wish Monica would leave Tony. They can’t get it together.”
“Are you serious right now?” She squinted at him.
“What?”
“You want your baby’s mother to leave her husband. And why is that Charles?”
“So, my son can have a stable mother.”
“No so you can get back with her.” Brandy snapped back. “What are you holding onto me for?”
Charles stopped scrubbing the grill, and turned to face her.
“You’re being crazy for no reason.”
“I’m being serious Charles!” She said raising her voice.
“Keep your voice down.” He harshly whispered.
The both looked over at the kid’s table. They were busy with Monica, laughing and eating.
“You want her back don’t you?” Brandy whispered.
“We’re done with this conversation Brandy.”
“So now you’re dismissing me?”
“Brandy...”
“No. No. That’s fine. I’m trying to be here for you and I’m getting the brush off because of what your EX is going through. Fine! Monica can help you clean up. I’m done for the day.” She said before storming off.
Ignoring the temper tantrum, Charles resumed cleaning the grill. Monica came over with damp towels collected from the kids.
“I think it’s about time for their parents to come back. Do you want me to put these in the laundry?” She asked.
“Yea. Thanks. It’s in the....”
“I remember where it is.” Monica yelled back at Charles as she walked away.
Brandy caught wind of that last phrase and it pissed her off. Shaking her head, she pulled out the phone.
Brandy: Well the party is almost ending anyway. What are you doing later?
Dre: Nothing. I’m kid free this weekend.
Brandy: How were you going to bring your kids over earlier if you’re kid free? SMH. The lies you tell lol.
Dre: I just want to see u that’s all. U wanna get up?
Brandy: Sure. I’ll text you when I’m done.
This would be Brandy and Dre’s first meeting since the bar night. There were no thoughts to cease the conversation that time around. She felt that Charles was too occupied with Monica’s drama to even care whether she was there.
Brandy returned outside just as he was done with the grill.
“You wanna help me get these kids’ stuff together?” He asked in a soft tone.
“No thanks. You have plenty of help. I’m heading home.” Brandy replied in a short tone.
Charles stared at his aggravated woman wondering why of all days she would choose this one to have an unnecessary attitude. Along with feeling bad about giving her the cold shoulder.
“Baby, what’s wrong?” He asked reaching out to touch her waist. “Why are you leaving all of a sudden?”
“I have a few things to do.” She replied, keeping the short tone.
“Chase is supposed to go home with his best friend tonight so...”
“You sure you don’t want to play superman and head home with Monica?”
“Huh? What are you talking about?” Charles asked releasing her.
“Go ahead. Go after her. You want to save her don’t you? Go save her. I’m going home.”
“Why are you acting like this? What the hell is your problem?”
“Don’t curse at me Charles.” Brandy said pointing her finger in his face.
“But you’re acting crazy for no reason. I’m sorry for how I was earlier but there’s no reason for you to be this way towards me. You’re literally accusing me of wanting to see her later!”
“Oh, it’s a reason. There’s always a reason. You don’t care enough to understand that reason. I’ll be at home. You call me when you’re ready to be my man. Not an involved ex.”
“Dammit Brandy.” Charles said trying to keep his voice down.
“Don’t curse at me Charles.” She said pointing her finger again.
“Well look I’m getting frustrated with this. You’re always flipping out when it comes to Monica and Chase. Are you sure you can handle this relationship?”
“Excuse me?”
“Can you handle all of this? I know you didn’t ask for it but can you handle this?”
“Goodbye Charles. Have a lovely evening.” She sarcastically replied.
Brandy was insulted by the question. She’d been around them for months but it was understandable why Charles asked. She never questioned herself about being with a man with a child. It wasn’t an issue. However, she never thought about everything that would come with it.
“Brandy don’t leave.” Charles begged.
“Bye.”
She was about to walk away until she saw Monica walking towards them. Brandy then kissed Charles on the cheek and smiled. Not allowing his ex to get the hint of an argument.
“Bye guys! Hope you all had a great time!” Brandy yelled towards Chase and his friends.
“Bye Miss Brandy. Thank you!” Chase waved with a huge smile.
“Is everything ok?” Monica asked when Brandy was out of sight.
“Yea-Yea. She had to go take care of something. I’ll see her later.” Charles replied trying to smooth things over. “Can you help getting the kids’ stuff together?”
“Sure!”
That night, Brandy stayed home. Tempted to text Dre, but apprehensive to meet with him. It would only open a deception door that wasn’t worth hurting Charles. No matter how mad he made her. Once again, sitting in her feelings of knowing that she’d gone too far in the accusations and leaving abruptly.
By 1 am, the loneliness became unbearable. The night was hot, but the bed was cold. She wanted to feel Charles close to her and regretted leaving. Rolling over, she looked desperately at the empty side of the bed. Hoping that there was a way to warm it up by making up with her man.
“Hello.” Charles answered after four rings.
“Wake up.” Brandy joked.
“I’m not sleep.” He replied in a dry tone.
“What are you doing?”
“Watching a movie. You?”
“In bed.” Brandy paused hoping that he would suggest being in bed with her.
“Oh.” He said surprised. “I thought you had things to do tonight?”
She sighed. “I miss you.”
Charles let out an irritated exhale. “You didn’t have to leave.”
“I was just giving you guys some time alone.”
“Time alone for what?”
“To help Monic.... Nevermind. I want to see you.”
“You shouldn’t have left in the first place.” He reiterated.
“I know. But I miss you. My bed is cold. And I want to see you.”
Charles paused debating whether he wanted to get up from the sofa at one in the morning to drive over to Brandy’s.
“So, I guess that’s a no for you.” She chimed in.
“It isn’t a no. I’ll be over in a few.”
“Good.”
She smiled at getting the attention she wanted from the RIGHT man. Happy that she didn’t make the mistake of spending the evening with Dre, Brandy hopped out of bed and prepared for him to come over.
“We could have been doing this hours ago.” Charles said grinding on top of her.
“I-I-I’m sorry baby.” She replied in between heavy breaths.
“You know I don’t want Monica. I want you.”
“Yes!”
“You better stop arguing with me too!” He demanded, grinding harder.
“Yes baby!”
“I love you. You know that.”
“Yes, baby I love you toooo!”
“Turn over.” He commanded.
Brandy laid on her stomach, ready to receive the frustrated pleasure from her love. He gave a butt a big smack, making her even more aroused, then continued.
“Stop fighting me Brandy. I love you.”
“Yes Daddy!”
Making “rough” love to Brandy was just the discipline she needed. Grinding some sense into her was the only way Charles could get his point across that night, along with getting his rocks off.
The next morning, he emerged from the shower to an apologetic lover waiting by the sink.
“Last night was amazing!” She smiled. “I should piss you off more often.”
“Nooo!” He laughed. “Please don’t do that.”
“I know you love me Charles. I’m just...”
“Scared I know. But we’ve been together for a while now. I know I’m not perfect. And I need to understand your feelings when it comes to Monica’s drama. I’ll do better at that, I promise. But you have to stop this. I mean it.”
“I’ll do better too baby.” She said handing him a towel.
“When you left, Monica and I talked. She finally opened up about Tony. He pushed her into the wall.”
“Wow! That’s heavy.” Brandy said with concern. “You were right. She does need to leave him.”
“I knew it was more than just arguments over nothing. I hope Chase hasn’t witnessed any of that. Now I’m afraid for him to even go over there when he’s around.”
“Tell her that. Monica needs to know that her marriage is putting your son in danger. No telling what Tony would do. Men like that are crazy. She has to get out before it’s too late.”
“I did. So, I decided to keep Chase over here after the summer.”
Frozen in place, flashbacks of Jay almost choking the life out of her popped in Brandy’s head. She could feel the breath leaving her body as the incident replayed. The words of Jay from that night filled the bathroom but only for her. Eyes dazed into the past, she was completely checked out of the current conversation with Charles.
“You ok baby?” Charles asked, noticing her deep in thought.
“Oh. Yea.” She replied snapping out of it. “Just thinking about Chase. I-I think it’ll be great from him to live with you after the summer. I know he’ll love that. Where is he now?”
“At her mother’s. Monica picked him up from the sleepover and took him to his grandparents’ house. I know you don’t want me involved in that, but I do need to keep a close eye on what’s going on.”
“I understand.” She nodded. “We’ll protect Chase together.”
“Thank you baby. He said kissing Brandy on the lips. “I told my team I’ll be in the office later this afternoon.”
“I have to be at work in two hours.”
“Do you HAVE to?” Charles asked touching her forehead. “I think you’re coming down with a fever.”
His hands felt like masculine magic on her forehead. Suddenly giving her a forged cold to stay home for the day.
“You know what?” She let out a fake cough. “I am.”
“Get back in bed.” He grinned.
After Brandy called in sick, they spent a romantic morning in bed. Charles was off to work while Brandy stayed home to catch up on talk shows. Throughout the day, he thought about how he could balance is growing relationship with the intense situation involving Chase and his ex.
________
“Phil, lemme ask you a question.” Charles said, sitting down at lunch. “Have your baby’s mother ever got in between you and your wife?”
“Hell yeah!” Phil answered dousing ketchup on his fries. “They used to get into it all the time.”
“How did you deal with that?”
“Don’t tell me Brandy and Monica are going at it.”
“Not really it’s just...” He paused to think.
“Look man, keep your woman happy and your baby’s mother at a distance. It shouldn’t be that hard for you right? Monica is married.”
“She may not be married for long. Her husband is getting abusive. I’m concerned for Monica but my main concern is Chase.”
“Ooooh I see. And Brandy isn’t feeling that huh?”
“I think she gets it. Well, sometimes. I never really know with that woman. She’s kind and sweet then one minute we’re in an argument and she’s accusing me of wanting m ex back.”
“Well. Do you?”
“NO! Monica is too complicated for me. We’re better off as friends.”
“So what’s Brandy’s problem?”
“I don’t know. That’s the thing. She blows up but I never know where it’s coming from. I give her all my time. I love her. When I’m not with Chase or at work, it’s all about Brandy. Why can’t that be enough?”
“You know what they say.”
“What?”
“Anytime your partner is accusing you of something that means they’re out doing it themselves.”
“Nah man that’s not Brandy.”
“You sure man?”
“Positive. She told me about her ex. She ain’t going back to him.”
“You never know. And it doesn’t necessarily have to be an ex. It can be a co-worker, you know those work boyfriends. Dude at the gas station. Anybody!”
“She’s a little crazy but not THAT crazy! Brandy is all mine. I just need her to stop feeling so insecure when it comes to Monica. I don’t know what to do man. I’m even thinking about marriage with this girl.”
“Maybe that’s what it’ll take. You know, a bold gesture.”
“What!?!?”
“Hey you wanna keep your woman. Put a ring on it.”
“This coming from you?!” Charles laughed.
“Hey, I’m just throwing out ideas man. But if I was in your position, I’d sit them down and tell them what it is. That’s what I had to do with the women in my life.”
“Did it work?”
“Hell no!” Phil laughed. “Shit, I had to keep them from pulling each other’s wigs off.”
“You’re a big help Phil.” Charles shook his head.
“Look, I’ll never fully understand women. Your son lives with you now so he’s good. Now it’s time to focus on you and Brandy’s relationship. Don’t talk about Monica to her, don’t show any concern for Monica while she’s around. Make it all about Brandy. If she’s worth keeping, she’ll get over it soon.”
Charles sat in silence thinking about what Phil’s advice. Determined to try everything in his power to keep showing that his heart only belonged to her.