39
“What are you trying to say, Roni?”
“I ain’t trying to say nothing. What I’m saying is that your brother got set up. Darla couldn’t get you, so she went after Terry. Now she’s pregnant. That means she’ll be tied to both of you,” Veronica called out from the bedroom where she was getting dressed.
Toby checked the clock on the stove to make sure she wasn’t running late for work. He knew she didn’t intend on spending the night at his place last night, but as usual, he convinced her that it was too late for her to drive back to her apartment. He grabbed a dozen eggs out of the fridge and started preparing one of his famous omelets he knew she enjoyed. The sounds of his morning mix, which was aired on the local radio show, drifted from the other room.
“She ain’t gonna be tied to me. It ain’t my kid!”
“But it’ll be your niece or nephew, Uncle Toby.”
“If you think for one moment that Terry is gonna let her have his kid, then you’re crazy. Hundred dollar bet it never happens. You want bacon or sausage?”
“Sausage. And it’s not his decision; it’s hers. Nasty, she’s just nasty. I can’t believe y’all slept with her. Both of y’all, at that.”
He caught a glimpse of her as she walked past the kitchen and into the den. She had a way of being sexy without trying, and he loved that about her. He continued to spy on her through the breakfast bar which separated the two rooms. She casually sat on the edge of the sofa and placed her black high-heeled shoes on. He loved watching her dress. She stood and pulled her short, black skirt down, adjusting her white blouse. She caught him admiring her and licked her lips seductively then blew him a kiss. He remembered the food on the stove and focused on cooking.
“Hey, you wanna go to Jasper’s tonight? They got a new band I wanna check out.”
“You mean the infamous DJ Terror doesn’t have to work?”
“Nope, not tonight, and I know you’re not complaining about me working, Miss I-want-the-wedding-of-the-century.”
“Baby, believe me. I ain’t complaining about the work. I’m just surprised we can go out on a real date for a change,” she said, hugging him from behind.
Toby understood that being engaged to a man who worked almost every night of the week might be a little difficult for Veronica Black. He knew that she was a diva in her own right and liked to be treated as such. Roni enjoyed being wined and dined and shown off by whoever was lucky enough to have her by his side, but between working at the club, radio station, and private parties, Toby really didn’t have the quality time that he wanted to spend with his fiancée. He had decided that he better start making time and gotten one of his boys to work his Thursday nights, starting tonight.
“So, does that mean you wanna go?” He flipped the eggs and sausage onto a plate and she grabbed the orange juice out of the fridge.
“Of course. Why wouldn’t I?”
“You know how you and your crew make plans. I thought you may have had to call Kayla, Tia, Yvonne, Susie, Cheryl, Margaret . . .” He began counting on his fingers.
“Shut up, Toby. You know that’s not true,” she giggled. They sat across from each other and bowed their heads as he prayed over the food. They quickly began eating.
“It is true. How many times have I heard ‘Me and the girls’ or ‘Well, the Lonely Hearts Club . . .’”
“They kicked me out of the Lonely Hearts Club, thank you very much.” She sighed, batting her eyes at him.
He faked a look of shock. “No. Whatever for?”
“I’m not lonely anymore, I guess.”
“You don’t sound like that’s a good thing.” His eyes fell on her empty ring finger and he thought about the black velvet box sitting on the shelf in his closet.
“Tobias Sims, you are the best thing that ever happened to me. Don’t ever forget that. Now, I gotta go before I’m late. I love you and I’ll call you during lunch.” Roni jumped up and kissed him.
He walked her to the front door and helped her put on her blazer. She turned and he looked into her eyes. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever known, and she was perfect for him. He wanted nothing more than to make her happy.
“I love you, Roni Black.”
“I love you too, DJ Terror.”
She pulled him closer and kissed him full on the mouth. Her tongue teased his bottom lip and he opened wider and savored her taste. He ran his hands along the small of her back and he felt himself becoming aroused as a small moan escaped her throat.
“I gotta go,” she said, pulling away.
“I know.” He laid his chin on her forehead. “I’ll pick you up at six thirty. Be ready.”
Roni waved as she backed out of the driveway. His eyes fell on a skateboard lying in the neighbor’s yard and he smiled at himself. Yeah, no doubt I love the hell outta that girl.
Toby had finished cleaning the kitchen and was about to jump in the shower when the phone rang.
“Yo.”
“He wants me to kill our baby,” a loud voice wailed in his ear. He knew that Terrell was going to tell her to have an abortion. He also knew that she wouldn’t take it very well. Darla wasn’t the most mentally stable girl in the club. That was why he always dealt with her in a special manner.
Toby had only slept with Darla twice. The first time, he was in a drunken stupor and she actually had to drive him from a party they both happened to be at. The second was when he had bronchitis and was so doped up on antibiotics and amphetamines he didn’t even remember it happening. Funny thing was that both times, Darla swore she was in love with him, like there was a chance in hell he would consider being with her permanently. She was a nice enough girl; she would often come by with groceries for his crib and would clean up if she saw a need, but she definitely wasn’t his type. She was his STD—something to do. If he needed something done, he would call her, and she always came through. There were times his utilities would have been turned off if she wouldn’t have been on hand to drop off a payment. For that, he was grateful.
His brother, on the other hand, should have known better. Toby couldn’t even understand how Terry got himself in this situation. Darla was not the kind of girl you sleep with unprotected. He didn’t even want to think about the fact that Terry didn’t even care that his own brother had already slept with this girl. He pushed that thought completely out of his mind for fear that it would show that Terry had a lack of loyalty to him. But she wasn’t that important, so he wasn’t that worried.
He didn’t know what to say to her at this point, though. Not that he supported abortion, but this time, one would make sense.
“So, you talked to him?”
“He just left. He made the appointment and everything. He says he’s taking me in the morning.” She sniffed.
“Damn,” was all he could say. He began making up the king-sized bed that he and Roni had just gotten out of.
“What am I gonna do? I don’t want to kill our baby.”
“But Darla, he doesn’t want the baby.”
“I want it, though. I love him, Toby. This baby is a gift from God. Are you telling me you don’t believe that?”
That question made Toby uncomfortable and he decided that maybe he shouldn’t be talking to her about this. “Look, this is a decision between you and my brother. I don’t have anything to do with it.”
“Talk to him, Toby. This is your blood he’s about to get rid of, your niece or nephew.”
“I’m sorry. I don’t have anything to do with it, Darla.”
“The night I told you I was pregnant, you swore you would support me and I was your friend. You lied!” she screamed at him.
“Hold up. I am supporting you. I’m listening to what you got to say. For real, yo, this really ain’t even my business. This shit is for you and Terry to figure out. He’s a grown man and whatever he wants to do is on him.”
“So that’s it? That’s all you got to say, Toby?”
“That’s all I got to say. I wish you the best.”
“Thanks for nothing. You ain’t shit and neither is your brother. I’m glad I’m getting rid of it. I wouldn’t want to be bothered with anything with your blood running through it, you bastard.”
Instead of responding, Toby hung the phone up. He knew she was hurt and was speaking out of anger. There really was nothing he could do; the decision wasn’t his. One thing he did know was that Terry did have a cursing out coming to him. He called his brother’s cell.
“What up, dawg?”
“Man, I don’t even wanna know why the hell you slept with her, man. That don’t matter. But you ain’t use a rubber? I thought I taught you better than that.”
“I know, I know. But I got it under control. It’ll be taken care of tomorrow.”
“Now she blowing up my spot, crying and yelling at me like I’m the one that knocked her up.”
“She called you? What she say? She’s still going tomorrow, right? Man, tell me you told her to do this.”
“I can’t tell her what to do, Terry. You think I’ma tell a woman to get rid of a baby I ain’t have nothing to do with creating?” Toby thought his brother truly was crazy. He began looking in his closet for something to wear.
“Well, what did you tell her?”
“I told her it was between you and her and I ain’t have nothing to do with it.”
“And?”
“And what?” Toby was wondering where Terry was going with this line of questioning.
“Did she say she was gonna go tomorrow?”
I should play with his head and make him sweat. “She said she ain’t going nowhere except her doctor to get some prenatal vitamins.”
“What? Yo, you gotta call her. I can’t have no kid with that chick. Man, I’m thinking about asking Nicole to marry me. Look, I gotta tell you something.”
“What?”
“Nicole’s pregnant.”
“Man, do you ever wear a rubber?” He was shocked. He knew that Terry could be out there sometimes, but two girls knocked up at the same time was ridiculous. “You better pray that this Darla thing gets taken care of with the quickness. So, what are you gonna do about Nicole? Same thing?”
“Hell no. You know Nicole ain’t trying to have no abortion. And I don’t want her to, to be honest. I love her, man. I think I wanna marry her.”
“You sure about that, Terry? I don’t think you know what you want to do. Marriage ain’t nothing to play wit’. You know that. Before you go doing something you know you ain’t ready for, you better think and make sure.”
“I know I want to take care of this thing with Darla and I wanna marry Nicole and get on with my life. Simple as that.”
“Handle your business then. Just be sure. That’s all I’m saying.”
“I will, Toby. And believe me, this is the last time I’ma get caught up in some drama like this.”
“I hope so, Ter. I hope so.
“Man, don’t act like you ain’t have no drama of your own a little while back.”
“It wasn’t like this, though.” Toby snapped.
“A’ight, bro, I gotta take these calls. Unlike you, some of us have to work a regular gig. We all can’t be living the glamorous life, DJ Terror.” Terrell said.
“Whateva. Don’t forget what I told you. Handle your business.”
“See you tonight.”
With that being said, Toby showered and dressed quickly. He had a lot to do and only a few hours to get it done.