When the cab pulled onto her street, Kareem noticed a car backing out of her drive way. Instead of stopping, he told the cabbie to keep driving past the house. When the car passed them, Kareem glanced over at the man who didn’t see him. He looked familiar and so did the car. After instructing the driver to turn around and pull in her driveway, Kareem paid the fare, headed to the door, inserted the key, and walked inside.
When Kareem didn’t see Le Le in the living room, he walked towards her bedroom, but stopped once he realized she was inside her closet talking. It was something he’d heard her do in the past, which had him wondering if that’s where she liked to talk on the phone. As soon as he walked up behind her, she turned around completely startled.
“Who are you talking to?” Kareem asked, looking around like he expected to see someone. “And why are you always talking in the closet?”
“How did you get in the house?” Le Le asked ignoring his questions. “I didn’t hear you ring the doorbell.”
“I took your key, is that a problem?”
“Yes it is…a big problem. If I wanted you to have a key I would’ve given you one,” she said. “Just like it’s a problem with you being in my closet. You know this area is off limits.” After Kareem made his way out, Le Le quickly turned the light off, and locked the door only wearing a thin, silk robe.
Kareem looked at her up and down furious, then wondered why she wasn’t dressed.
“Who the fuck was that nigga I just saw leaving here? And why don’t you have any clothes on?” he asked pissed off.
Le Le immediately rolled her eyes. “I know you’re not coming back in here asking me fifty thousand questions after the way you acted this morning. If you must know, that was my cousin. He’s in town visiting and stopped by to see me. Why, what’s the big deal?”
Kareem looked at her funny, squinting his eyes.
“Why you looking at me like that? You don’t believe me? Do you want me to call him back and introduce him to you?” she questioned with an attitude.
“No, if you say it was your cousin then that’s who it was,” Kareem said, following her into the living room.
They both went over and sat on the couch.
“Look, I need to apologize to you about storming out earlier, but seeing that nigga pulling out your driveway got me all fired up again.”
“Well, I’ll accept your apology this time, but don’t make that shit a habit. Just because your mother let’s you talk to her any kind of way doesn’t mean I’m going to.” When Kareem shook his head, Le Le finally smiled. “Now, come here and give me a hug.”
“I love to make up,” she continued. “It’s the best part about fighting.”
“Me too. You know my mother’s ex-boyfriend used to have a car just like the one your cousin was driving,” Kareem added.
“Oh really. So, who was your mom’s ex boyfriend?”
“Nobody important. Just a low life muthafucka named Justice who double crossed us.”
“Double crossed you? How?”
“He claimed to be so in love with my mom, but called my father and told him where to find us just to collect money because he was in debt.”
This information took Le Le by surprise. “Hold up, he called your father? What happened once he called him?” Le Le couldn’t believe Kareem was finally being so open. The anticipation of him answering her questions was almost too much to handle.
“Look, I don’t want to keep talking about that shit,” Kareem said trying to change the subject.
Le Le stomped her foot in frustration. “Why do you get so damn defensive and shut me out when I ask you questions about your family?”
“I just don’t like people asking me a lot of questions,” Kareem responded.
Le Le took a deep breath. “So, I’m just
CHAPTER 15
Le Le circled the block several times looking for a parking space before she finally found one. After checking her cell phone and realizing there were ten missed calls from Kareem, she finally got out and walked toward the building. When she entered the coffee shop, the aroma of several different types of gourmet coffee lingered in the air.
“Welcome to The Singing Bean, can I interest you in one of our homemade deserts?” a lady behind the counter asked.
“No thanks, maybe later,” Le Le said, looking around. The place wasn’t very big, but the relaxed atmosphere was nice and cozy. She made her way past several people who all had their laptop computers out and walked toward the back.
“Why the hell did I have to call you so many times today before I finally got a call back?” she asked the person she was there to meet.
“Well hello to you, too, my wonderful sister-in-law,” Dre said sarcastically. She hadn’t even given herself time to sit down before going off.
After noticing that he’d already ordered her a cup of coffee, Le Le sat down, grabbed the cream and a spoon, then started stirring it into the cup. At that moment, she realized Dre was wearing one of her husband’s Polo shirts, which instantly sent a cold chill over her body. Other then the fact that Dre was 6’4, two-hundred and eighty pounds with a tattooed body, compared to Justice who was 5’10 with a smaller build they looked so much alike.
“What’s up Felicia?”
“It’s so good to hear you call me Felicia. I’m so tired of going by that ghetto ass Le Le. This hood shit is definitely not for me,” she stated, sipping her coffee.
“How could I forget, Ms. Bougie.”
“I’m not bougie. I grew up in the projects like everybody else. I just don’t go around acting like a damn fool. Besides, it’s not my fault that I went to school instead of a strip club.”
“Okay, Dr. Mitchell. Calm down,” Dre said.
“Well, don’t go there with me then. I’m proud to be a plastic surgeon. I worked hard to get where I am,” Felicia boasted.
Dre quickly changed the subject so she wouldn’t go on and on. “So, why did you want to meet me again after I just saw you?”
“Because I told you coming to my house was a bad idea, that’s why. You almost fucked up everything. Kareem saw you leaving.”
“So what. He doesn’t know who I am. Besides, I already told you him livin’ there was a bad idea anyway. I’m tired of stayin’ at that fuckin’ hotel,” Dre responded with an attitude.
At that moment, Felicia reached inside her purse. “Well, how else would I have continued to get information if I’d let him move to Miami? Speaking of hotels here’s some cash to hold you off for a couple more days. I forgot to give it to you earlier,” she said, handing him some money.
Dre grabbed the four hundred dollar bills and looked at her long and hard, before throwing the money back across the table.
“That’s the problem. It doesn’t seem like you’re gettin’ any information. It seems like you’re actually enjoyin’ him bein’ around. I hope you didn’t forget that you got a fuckin’ job to do. You better not be fallin’ for that nigga. I went through too much trouble trackin’ him down to have you fuck things up.”
“Dre, please. I only love one man and it damn sure ain’t Kareem. Don’t try to play me. You did your part, now let me do mine,” Felicia demanded.
“When I found his name on those papers Justice had at the shelter from the day he bailed him out of jail, I had
