Chapter Twenty-five
Ke’yoko was up getting ready for her doctor’s appointment. She was excited to be getting another ultrasound today. She was hoping that Dr. Confalone would be able to tell her the sex of the baby because every time he’d tried previously, the baby had its legs closed. Ke’yoko didn’t care if it was a boy or girl; she was just happy to be having a healthy, living baby.
“You want me to go to your appointment wit’ you?” Ja’Rel looked over at Ke’yoko and asked.
“No, thanks. I done been to the doctor about twenty times and you’ve never offered to go, so why now?” Ke’yoko asked.
“I don’t know. I just wanna be there, that’s all,” Ja’Rel said.
“I’m cool,” Ke’yoko said with an attitude. “You continue to keep doin’ you, while I do me.” She walked out of the bedroom.
Ke’yoko was tickled pink because Ja’Rel had been staying at home every night for the past month, trying to act like a husband should. It would have made her happy, if he was doing it by choice and not because she’d been crushing Xanax and Lasix in his food making him impotent.
Ke’yoko got in the car, called Ross, and told him she was on her way over to his condo. Ross had been going to all of Ke’yoko’s doctor appointments with her. He made sure she ate right and exercised, and he tried to keep her as stress free as possible. Ke’yoko was grateful to have him in her life.
Ke’yoko and Ross walked out of the doctor’s office with smiles on their faces.
“A boy,” he said, smiling.
“A freakin’ boy.” Ke’yoko smiled too.
“This calls for a celebration,” Ross said.
“Yes, it does. What we gon’ do?” she inquired.
“How ’bout goin’ back to my condo and watchin’ some old movies while eatin’ root beer floats, chips, and pizza,” Ross suggested.
“Whaaaat? You gon’ let me eat all that, Mr. Personal Trainer?” Ke’yoko asked, laughing.
“Yes, but only this one time. We celebratin’ and tomorrow you’ll be right back to eatin’ healthy again.”
“Sounds good to me. Let’s go.”
“Do you wanna go home first and check in wit’ Ja’Rel?” Ross asked sarcastically.
“Ja’Rel ain’t neva checked in wit’ me, so why would I check in wit’ his ass?” Ke’yoko asked, smiling.
“Okay. I just don’t wanna get you in no trouble.” Ross smiled as he and Ke’yoko made their way over to his car.
“Whatever.” Ke’yoko laughed as Ross opened the passenger door for her to get in before walking around to the driver’s side and getting in himself.
“Mommy, how come you didn’t let me speak to Auntie Ke’yoko?” Aiko asked as he and his mother stood outside the Family Dollar store across the street from Ke’yoko’s OBGYN office.
“Oh, don’t you worry; we’ll call her later on,” she looked down at her son and said with a devilish grin.
* * *
Ja’Rel was blowing Ke’yoko’s phone up as she and Ross watched Black Dynamite. She kept letting it go to voice mail. He would not let up; he kept calling back to back, just like she used to do to him. Finally getting tired of her phone ringing, she decided to answer it.
“Excuse me,” she looked over at Ross and said.
“Take care of ya business,” he replied while pausing the movie.
“Wassup?” she answered with a straight attitude.
“Where the fuck you at? And how come you ain’t been answerin’ yo’ damn phone!” Ja’Rel snapped.
“Why? And you don’t answer yo’ phone when you busy,” she said, slightly irritated that he was questioning her.
“Because I asked, that’s why!” he said in a raised tone.
“Do I call and question your whereabouts or what you doin’ when you not at home?” she asked.
“You used to,” Ja’Rel responded.
“The key words are ‘used to.’ I don’t do it no more!”
“Whatever, man,” Ja’Rel said. “Do you want me to wait up for you?”
“Naw, don’t wait up!” Keyoko pushed the END button on her phone and tossed it in her purse. “Sorry about that,” she looked over at Ross and said.
“You cool,” he said with a smile.
“Now, where were we?”
Ross picked the remote back up and pushed play on the DVR. “You think you gon’ be okay when you get home? That nigga ain’t gon’ try to put his hands on you, is he?” Ross inquired.
“Naw, that nigga ain’t crazy,” Ke’yoko said, unfazed.
“Well, let me know if he do ’cause I’ma put that nigga in the grave,” he said seriously.
“Don’t worry. I’ma be good when I go home,” Ke’yoko assured him.
“Okay. I’m just makin’ sure. I know that’s ya husband and I don’t get in between people’s shit, but I ain’t never gon’ let that nigga get away wit’ puttin’ his hands on you whether you pregnant or not.” Ross didn’t crack a smile.
Listening to Ross defend her had Ke’yoko feeling hot and bothered. “I’m good, baby, thank you.” She smiled. “Calm down, tiger.”
“Okay.”
Ke’yoko and Ross were laughing, talking, and watching the movie. Ross stopped watching the TV and looked over at Ke’yoko and just stared at her, making her feel a little uneasy.
“What?” she asked.
Ross just shook his head as he set his root beer float on the table.
“What?” she repeated.
“You are so beautiful,” he said, smiling.
“Thank you.” Ke’yoko smiled back.
Ross scooted over closer to Ke’yoko, took her root beer float out of her hand, and set it on the table. He then leaned his head back on the sofa and stared up at her. He studied her entire face.
She looked down in his eyes and smiled. “How come you’ve never tried to sleep wit’ me?” Ke’yoko asked after an awkward silence. “I think I know the reason why, but I just wanna be sure.”
Ross smiled and sat up. “Where that come from?” He laughed.
“I don’t know. I guess I just wanted to know. I mean, we’ve been spendin’ a lot of time together and you’ve yet to make a real pass at me. I mean, you flirt but that’s about the gist of it,” Ke’yoko said, needing to know the exact reason.
“You really wanna know?” Ross asked, prolonging his response.
“Yes, I wanna know. If I didn’t I wouldn’a asked,” she said, laughing.
“Look, ma. I’ma keep it real wit’ you. Every time we’re around each other, I wanna make love to you so bad it’s unreal. But there are some niggas who still respect the code and I’m one of ’em.”
“What code?”
“Ma, you pregnant by another nigga. What I look like fuckin’ you? And even though me and my baby momma ain’t together, she still live wit’ me so I would never disrespect you or her like that. I feel like if I can’t bring you to my home in the daytime, I don’t have no business makin’ love to you at night, you feel me? Now, don’t get me wrong, I take a cold shower every time you leave, believe that,” Ross said, laughing. “But respect and honor, your honor and mine, mean more to me than all that. I don’t care about what the next nigga doin’ or did. I’ma always stay true to myself.”
Ke’yoko couldn’t do nothing but respect Ross’s way of thinking. They watched two more movies and continued laughing and talking. It was almost eleven o’clock and Ke’yoko was getting tired and, even though she didn’t want to leave, she definitely didn’t want to wear out her welcome.
“Okay, big head, I’m ’bouta go,” she looked over at Ross and said.
“A’iiight. Let me walk you to your car.” Ross stood up from the sofa and helped Ke’yoko up. “Now don’t forget tomorrow morinin’ we back in the gym,” he said as they headed toward the door.
“I know, I know. I’ll be there at eight o’clock.”
Ross and Ke’yoko walked into the hallway and got on the elevator. They chitchatted on their way down. Ross walked Ke’yoko over to her car, opened the door for her, then closed it once she got in. She then started the car and rolled the window down.
“You be safe,” he leaned in the window and said.
“I will,” she looked at him and said with a smile.
“See you in the mornin’.” He leaned in and kissed her on the lips.
“Oh my God!” she said, turned on.
“Good night, Ke’yoko,” Ross said, smiling before turning to walk away to go take a cold shower.
Ke’yoko wished like hell that Ross was like any other grimy-ass nigga. She wished that he would have asked her to come back up to his condo and make sweet love to her until the wee hours of the morning. Instead, she had to go home to her nasty dick-ass husband. Ke’yoko buckled her seat belt and pulled off. Her cell phone began to ring as she drove.
“This better not be Ja’Rel’s ass,” she said, pulling her phone out of her purse and checking the caller ID. She was shocked to see Ka’yah calling her. She thought she got the hint by now since she hadn’t spoken with her in weeks. Ke’yoko started not to answer but did anyway. “Wassup?” Ke’yoko answered.
“Hey, stranger,” Ka’yah replied. “How come I haven’t heard from you in a minute?”
“I’ve been busy,” Ke’yoko said, irritated already with their conversation.
“Busy doin’ what?”
“Busy takin’ care of Ke’yoko for once in my life,” she said.
“Ummmm. I see you have time for everybody else, but you put your sister on the backburner; that’s kinda fucked up, don’t you think?”
“Like who?”
“Like Ross,” Ka’yah spat.
Ke’yoko was mad as hell. How in the world did Ka’yah find out about her being with Ross? She must have been following her or something. This bitch was turning into a real live stalker. She should be happy Ke’yoko was with Ross and not at home with Ja’Rel.
“Me and Ross are handlin’ some business together,” Ke’yoko said nonchalantly.
“Ummmm, well, does Ja’Rel know that you and Ross are dealin’ wit’ each other?” Ka’yah asked suspiciously.
“I don’t know! Why don’t you ask him?” Ke’yoko shot.
“I don’t talk to him,” Ka’yah said.
“Since when?” Ke’yoko asked. She wanted to go all the way in on her sister and bust her dirty-ass out but remembered Ka’yah would pay right along with Ja’Rel so she let up. “Anyways, girl, what you want?”
“I was just checkin’ on you and the baby,” Ka’yah replied.
“We good.”
“Okay, well, I’ll call you tomorrow. Maybe we should get together and have a cup of tea.”
Ke’yoko was on fire. She couldn’t believe this bitch was still trying to get her to drink that tea. “Yeah, maybe we should,” Ke’yoko said through clenched teeth.
“Talk to you later,” Ka’yah sang.
Ke’yoko didn’t even respond, she just hung the phone up. “Biiiiiiitch,” she said and continued driving home.