C H A P T E R | EIGHTEEN
PLAY IT OFF
𝙰 𝙸 𝙺 𝙾 𝙷 𝙰 𝙼 𝙸 𝙻 𝚃 𝙾 𝙽
IT was days like this that he was supposed to be there to chase away. He was supposed to be the knight in shinning armor - - the perfect man - - the one she was so hopelessly devoted to and endlessly in love with; the one that was completely unlike her parent's soiled marriage. Well, he got one thing right out of that entire equation - - she was hopeless and endlessly in love with him but he couldn't say the same for her. That truth was what drove her insane at times and made her do the things that her father had spent thousands of dollars on in rehab so that she WOULDN'T do it.
She refused to tell her father about the truth behind she and Carter - - that he used her whenever he pleased and that she was nothing more to him than a fly on his shirt, pesky, annoying, and hungry for him. No, she couldn't tell Daddy that because she had dignity and pride and who in their right mind - - even if they were crazy like Aiko - - would want to admit to some shit like that? She loved him too much to get rid of him, and that was the truth.
Aiko had gotten to France quickly on an express flight because she had a photoshoot, go sees, and fashion shows to do while on her mini-French tour. First Paris, and then Milan. However, she was feeling a bit under the weather this time around and was highly irritated by the fact that since Carter's visit at her apartment in New York, he hadn't called and she hadn't seen him. She tried reaching out to him but as usual he ignored her attempts to get in contact with him and she knew what he was doing.
She told herself that she couldn't get so hung up in this - - she had to be on the runway again in less than five minutes and she didn't have time to worry about him. Even so, she still couldn't get her mind off of him and why he continued to treat her the way that he did. Men were often like little chess pieces to her - - she could give a shit about them but Carter she couldn't feel the same way with.
She actually wanted him, she wanted a relationship and she wanted him to realize that his wife just wasn't woman enough for him; she wanted him to be real with himself and see that no other woman could please him the way that she did and that no other woman would ever be her. Why didn't he see that? Why couldn't he realize that she was the one that was supposed to wear the ring and that she was the one that was supposed to see his face every morning when they woke up? She hadn't slept a night with Carter and woke up to see his face - - he was always gone after he came over and got what he wanted.
He didn't know that every time he walked out that door he took a little bit of her with him. Then he wondered why she acted so crazy and did the things she did - - because she was slowly losing each bit of herself whenever he blew through like a hurricane and blew away leaving her with the damage. Now it seemed that there was nothing but damage left.
As she lay there on the floor of the bathroom in her designer pumps and beautiful Yves Saint Laurent mint colored gown that she was supposed to be wearing out on the runway, she felt so low. Aiko felt like nothing and she felt like she was nowhere.
Her hands clutched the toilet bowl as she closed her eyes and coughed for the millionth time and thought she was about to deliver a lung. She was insecure about her weight the minute she looked in the mirror, upset about Carter not speaking to her, and stressed out because she didn't know if he'd ever come back and if she'd have the strength enough to walk out and do the show. So, she did what she always did - - threw up what she had for breakfast and promised herself she wouldn't have lunch.
Aiko's tears dripped down her cheeks and into the toilet bowl that she hugged. It never hugged her back but she liked to think that doing this got her some kind of love - - some kind of something that Carter just refused to give her. She felt at her lowest of lows at the moment and only he could get her out of that funk.
Beside her, she felt her phone vibrate and looked down to see that it was a text from her step-mother telling Aiko that if she didn't get out of the bathroom and get on the runway, she'd kill her. Everyone knew that she wasn't in there shitting out a tuna sandwich; a room full of working models knew what it took to keep their spots and everyone was privy to the finger down the throat ritual that pledged high fashion modeling. It was Aiko's step-mother's show and according to her, Aiko was ruining it with her antics.
She found the strength to get up and walk out of the bathroom but inside she still felt dead and empty. She'd done so much to keep Carter and to make him happy and yet it wasn't enough. Aiko never let a man walk all over her - - she never let anyone talk shit to her like she allowed Carter. She was weak and willing to do whatever in order to make him stay but still it seemed that even doing whatever didn't make a difference because he was gone the next minute.
After the show she was met by her step-mother and her father after she'd redressed herself. The attendees were now in the process of looking at the clothes they saw modeled in the show and determining whether or not they wanted to purchase any of the designer pieces. Since it was Aiko's step-mother's show, Giselle, had to hang around and make sure that all of the patrons got exactly what they needed because the show rested on their ability to buy the thousands of dollars worth of spring merchandise.
"Don't touch me," Aiko said as she grabbed a water bottle and drank some of it, seeing her father coming over to congratulate her on a show well done.
"Don't be that way, Aiko," Mr. Hamilton said, "You did well, sweetheart," he tried to ignore that something was going on with his daughter but he knew deep down, there was something wrong. "Giselle didn't mean those things she said - - she was just worried about the show."
"Don't lie to her," Giselle said, "I meant every word. This is a fucking business. It's my business and Aiko knows that family or not she's on this business's payroll. She has to deliver just like any of the other models out there. I don't give a damn who they are and what agency they come from - - no one makes me look like a disgrace in front of all of those people out there - - important wealthy people."
"Fuck you," Aiko spat venomously to her step-mother, "I don't give a damn who they are!"
Mr. Hamilton closed the dressing room door after he advised the other models that they should probably leave. Hurriedly everyone filed out except for the three involved. "Giselle, Aiko, please." He said, "You need some rest," he pointed to Aiko, "And Giselle you have guests to entertain and clothes to sell. I'm going to take her back to her hotel."
"I said don't touch me!" Aiko snatched away, "I don't need you or you to take me anywhere - - I can make it back to the hotel on my own," she stormed off into the back to grab her things, "I hate the both of you! I hate you!"
Often times, Mr. Hamilton thought about how this life and his decisions to allow her to be so independent and in the modeling business so young had affected her and her ability to rationalize things. Aiko didn't really have much of a normal childhood because she was always doing shows and though they had so much money she was still miserable.
"Fine," Giselle laughed, "Let the little brat have her tantrum. I've gotten what I needed from her today anyway. All I know is, she better be up and ready for that go see with Louis Vuitton tonight or I'm gonna fuck her up. Tomorrow morning," she was talking to Aiko specifically now, "Leave the fucking drugs in your hotel room. Get high there don't bring me this shit to my runway," and with that she slammed the door.
"Aiko you need to tell me the truth. What is going on?" Her father said, "Are you using again? Are you - - , Aiko Daddy just wants to help - -,"Aiko didn't want to be there any longer either, so she stormed past her father angrily and left the dressing room in tears.
● ● ●
"That was one of the best things I've ever seen in my life," Stoni said as she hugged Carter close while they got up and attempted to make their way through the throngs of people dispersing from the fashion show, "It was really well put together don't you think, Papi?" She looked up at him as she wrapped her arm around the arm of his blazer. They were both dressed specifically for the occasion.
Carter had insisted that Stoni look high fashion for the event because the crowd that they were in would be very uppity, snobbish, and fashion conscious. Besides, there was no way that a person could go to Paris and not dress the part when they were in a fashionable crowd. Fashion was one of Carter's guilty pleasures and he saw it fit to share it with Stoni.
"Yeah it was," said Carter, looking down at her smiling, "Did you see anything you think you liked?"
"I saw a bunch of stuff," Stoni smiled and walked with him away from the crowd of people, "All of those dresses were so elegant and pretty," she imagined what she would look like in them, "I'm not as tall as them - - you think I could still pull it off?"
"I think you could pull that shit off betta' than them," he laughed and kissed her hand, "Ma you got the hips and the curves that make you look way better than them."
"Where we goin' now, Papi?" She asked in her usual bubbly tone, "I loveeee Paris so much," Stoni said excitedly, "Oh oh! Can we go see the Eiffel Tower now?"
"We can go see it," he kissed her lips, "But that's for tonight, ma. Right now we about to go buy some of that shit we just saw. I saw some shit I wanted too," he rubbed her cheek as her eyes grew wider. They reached a curtain with two people standing in front of it, "Sky," Carter said to them and they automatically moved out of he and Stoni's way to let him through.
"Welcome, Mr. Mekhi," they said as she lifted the curtain for him and Stoni.
"Sky?" Stoni looked at Carter, "Papi what's that mean?"
"It's like - - only a select few people can shop here," he said, "It's like a secret password. If you spend enough money you get one. They save the stuff they didn't show out there, for back here, too" Carter walked behind her, holding her hips while they went down the hallway, "So you're like the only one with it."
"You love clothes don't you," Stoni said laughing as they approached another room, "You know so much about it."
"I like to stay up on my fashion," he shrugged and kissed her cheek, "Turn here."
"Why is there a table here?" Carter walked inside the small tea room and took a seat, "Tea sets?"
"For the tea," he laughed and watched her looking around confused, "It's not a restaurant ma," said Carter, "While we shop, they serve us tea and little crackers, cakes, and shit like that."
"They what?!" She was completely shocked by that - - she'd never been to the mall and gotten served like royalty but then again, they weren't at the mall. Stoni had no clue all the fancy unconventional things that people with money like Carter had, did. He always dressed nicely but she never knew he went through all of this to do it; at the same time, he seemed to enjoy it.
"Mr. Mekhi," Giselle had personally come to speak with him when she heard that he was in the back because he was one of the highest paying customers, "My assistants informed me that you were here," she painted on a smile as someone came in with tea in expensive China and poured it in the tea cups at the place setting in front of Stoni and Carter, "It's so nice to see you again. I see you enjoyed the pieces?"
"I did," Carter said, shaking her hand, as the waitress who had poured their tea began bringing out small finger foods on a gold tray, "You never disappoint me so you know I'm back hea' every season for the next one."
"And your wife," Stoni's ears perked up when Giselle said this, and looked directly at her - - did she know the truth? She was getting ready to hide her face and her shame in embarrassment, "She looks gorgeous," Giselle came over and took a look at Stoni, "Mrs. Mekhi that is a lovely dress you're wearing - - Valentino?" Stoni was so stunned that Giselle had even noticed her there and then she addressed her as Carter's wife.
Paris was so much different than New York, in the respect that people knew less of Carter's business it seemed. Somewhere deep down inside she felt like just that; all the treatment she received and the way Carter paraded around in Paris with her, showing PDA made her feel like Mrs. Mekhi.
"Would you like something from the tray, Mrs. Mekhi," there it was again. Stoni couldn't even formulate words, "Some wine perhaps? Rosé or Blanc?"
"No wine," Carter interjected, exerting his authority - - he never allowed her to drink anything alcoholic because of her age, no matter how much she tried, "Baby, you want some of that other stuff?"
"Ummm," Stoni cleared her throat, "I'll have some of the strawberries," the waitress used golden tongs to place two strawberries on the golden rimmed China in front of her. Carter smirked and drank some of his tea while reaching over to rub Stoni's thigh - - he knew she was just as tickled about being called Mrs. Mekhi as she seemed and he didn't care to correct Giselle or the waitress. He wanted her to bask in her moment.
"Well that dress is simply marvelous," Giselle said, "I have no doubt that you'll find something in our collection that you'll love," she smiled at Stoni, "So take your time and get comfortable - - my staff is here to serve you and make you feel at home while you browse our selection," she clapped her hands, "Bring in the first rack."
Stoni looked at Carter out the corner of her eye and watched as he gracefully brought the tea to his lips and took a sip. After watching him, seeing the way he sipped and crossed a leg over she thought she should imitate him. She didn't know why he didn't tell her she needed to bring her fancy etiquette with her for this outing because these people definitely were uppity.
Instead of crossing her leg the masculine way he did, she smoothed her dress and crossed her legs to perfect feminine perfection and watched him take a sip one more time before she tried to imitate it. One baby sip and a few seconds later, one baby bite of what was on the plate. After a few minutes she felt she had it down packed.
Carter looked over the rack from his seat and then got up with his tea cup in hand and thumbed through the men's selections while someone brought Stoni the first collection of evening gowns. "This is nice," Carter said, pulling a double breasted jacket from the rack.
"Would you like to try it on?" He was asked. He took off his blazer and the woman helped Carter into the jacket.
"Yeah this shit is fly but I need the shoulda's let out a little bit more," he walked over to the mirror after sitting the tea cup down, "I'll take this one and," he looked back at the rack, "The rest of that on the rack. Oh and two of those," he pointed to some boots and loafers.
"Umm," Stoni picked up a dress off the rack in the back of the room, "Exactly how much is this dress?" She asked the woman who was helping her, "Just - - outta' curiosity?"
"Twenty-five, ma'am."
"Twenty-five, what?"
"Twenty-five thousand dollars."
Carter came over from the front of the room smiling and kissed her neck, "You see some shit you like babe?" He looked at the dress, "Oh you like this?"
"Yes, but - - ," Stoni nodded, "There's no way I'd - -,"
"We'll take this one too," Carter said, "And all five of those," he pointed to some other dresses the woman held. There was no telling how much money those dresses were but Stoni knew they were probably more than twenty-five thousand dollars each. "You ready for the next rack?"
"The next rack," she held her chest, "Papi this stuff is - - wow."
He laughed, "Bring in the next rack," he said, "I'll be right back - - I'm going to the bathroom, baby doll." Meekly she nodded and kissed him before he went off to the bathroom. She browsed the next rack of exquisite fashions while he was away and while she did she didn't hear someone else coming in the room.
● ● ●
"Mrs. Mekhi, huh?" Aiko watched as Stoni looked up and saw her standing by the door. The waitresses went off to get more clothes, leaving she and Aiko alone in the room and Carter had gone to the bathroom. "Who the fuck are you," she stalked toward Stoni like a lioness, "And why are you here with Carter - - I know one thing, you aren't Destini Mekhi so you can't possibly be Mrs. Mekhi."
"Ummmm," Stoni looked at Aiko weirdly, "How did you get in here?"
"I asked you a question bitch," Aiko snapped, "Who the fuck are you?"
"Look, mami, I don't know who you think you are but you don't know me and you obviously don't matter to Carter cause I've never heard him mention you before. You need to leave." Stoni was trying her best to be civil, "Don't disrespect me, okay?"
"Disrespect, you? What the fuck do you know about respect?" She said, "You're fucking another woman's man and pretending to be his wife."
"You aren't Destini either," she quipped, "Are you fucking him too?"
"Yeah as a matter of fact I am," Aiko drew closer, "And I think for your safety you should probably stay away from him, little girl." She smirked, "I wouldn't want to have to hurt you. It's bad enough I have to deal with that bitch ass wife of his but you - - hell no." She looked at the beautiful necklace that Stoni was wearing, "You gotta be fucking kidding me - - did he give you this?!"
"Baby doll I think I found som - -," Aiko and Stoni both looked to the door and saw the tall, toned, muscular reason why they were having the conversation to begin with. His deep green orbs shot across the room and under his breath came, "Fuck."
"Carter who is she?" Both women said in unison.
He needed to think quickly, "Baby doll what's going on?" He came over to Stoni's side, "What is this?"
"I don't know, you tell me," she said to Carter, "This woman claims she knows you - - claims she's fucking you and she's comin' at me crazy."
He took one look at Aiko and licked his lips, "I'm sorry I think you got the wrong guy," Carter said with conviction - - he looked legitimately confused, "Ma, I don't know you."
"You - - you what?" Aiko said, "Carter you don't know me!?"
"I have no clue who this woman is, Stoni," Carter said, "I don't know how she even knows me. I think you should leave," he said to her, "This is a private room. Maybe someone else can help you." He looked up and saw the security he'd come with, "Paulie," he said, "Can you please escort this woman out of my room."
"Gotta go, miss," Paulie said as he and another security guard came in the room.
"No! I will NOT go anywhere! Unhand me!" Aiko screamed, "Unhand me!"
"Boss says you gotta go."
Carter nonchalantly watched as he poured more tea into his cup and the big guards physically picked Aiko up as she screamed, "Baby doll," he pulled her over to him and sat her on his lap while watching the whole thing, "I'm so sorry - - some people are just, crazy."
"I'm gonna fuck you up Carti! You're gonna pay for this shit! Carter! Carter! Put me down - - Carter do you hear me! You know who I am! You know exactly who the fuck I am! I'm gonna make you pay for this shit!" Aiko screamed as they carried her out, "Carter!" She grabbed the walls, trying her best to stay in the room, "You can't get away with this! Carter! Put me down! Carterrrr! I love you! I fucking love you! Why are you doing this to me!? Carterrrrrr!"
He felt nothing as he watched this - - not an ounce of sympathy for her. She'd never learn her place. His green orbs watched as she clawed the walls, paint under her nails and calmly he licked his lips and took a sip of his tea with Stoni sitting affectionately on his lap.
● ● ●
"Have a good day at school baby," Carter leaned down and kissed Khloe on the forehead as he stood in front of the private school that the girls attended.
His Parisian vacation with Stoni was over and it was back to New York and back to reality. He thought about sending Aiko a few death threats for her little appearance but he decided against it because he knew he'd be tempted to break her fucking neck if he even saw her name pop up in his phone. Now he was back home and had to deal with getting Brooklyn's expulsion lifted.
Brooklyn stood right beside Carter as they both watched Khloe run off into the hallway to get to her classes. She wasn't allowed to attend classes - - really, Brooklyn wasn't even supposed to be on the campus of the academy but Carter knew he had to argue his daughter's case.
"Now you," he looked down at her as they walked inside toward the head master's office, "You let me do all the talkin' aight, kid?"
"I don't wanna go hea' anymore," she said rolling her eyes, "I don't know why we're doin' this."
"Because you need to go to school," Carter said as his leather shoes clicked and clacked down the hallway, "Whatchu' mean you don't know why? Brooklyn this shit gotta end."
"I hate school."
"You wanna be a dummy?" He asked, "Cause dummy's don't go to school."
"No," she said angrily, "Daddy why you don't do that to me?"
"Do what, Joanna? What don't I do?" He opened the door for her as they reached the office.
"You treat Khloe betta' than me. You loveeeee Khloe - - you kiss her, you hug her, - - you walk her to class but not me. Why you'on treat me like her? Cause I'm not girly like her?"
"Woah - -," Carter stopped and bent down to get on eyelevel with Brooklyn, "I love you, Khloe, and Kayden exactly the same. Brooklyn we been through this before. I don't have favorites with ya'll - - I'd die for you just as much as I'd die for Khloe. Ya'll are both my heart."
"That's not how you act."
"Brook, I don't 'act' like nothin'," he said, "I don't understand whea' any of this is comin' from."
"Well I say you do."
"If I didn't love you would I even be here right now? I got my checkbook ready to write these people a fat ass check because of you, Joanna," He said, "Would I be here trying to get you back in school if I didn't care about you? Ya'll are two different people - - ya'll both got different personalities - -," he sighed, "Brooklyn you know somethin' - - I think we argue a lot cause we're so much alike. I told you that before."
"You reeallly think so?"
"Yeah, man," he laughed, "I think we're a lot alike - - and you know what I can talk to you about stuff that I can't talk to otha' people about. I see a lotta me in you. Sometimes people who are alike bump heads. That don't mean I love you no less but Brooklyn, baby," he stroked her hair, "You gotta work with me too. You gotta stop makin' daddy have to give these people all this money so they'll keep you here."
Brooklyn sighed and shrugged her shoulders, "Sorry," she said, "I guess."
"When I'm old and gone you know who I'm gonna leave the family business to, right?" Carter said, holding her shoulders.
"Who?"
"Whatchu' mean who?" He laughed, "You," he pointed to her chest, "Cause you're the only one I trust to run shit the way I want it. You don't take no shit from nobody, kid - - that's great for business."
"That's what you taught me. Not to take no shit."
"You damn right."
"So I could be like you? Like a business lady?"
"Yup," he nodded and smiled, "I'ma leave all the business to you - - BUT I can only do that if you go to school. Smart people are business women and men and smart people go to school. So you gotta promise me you're gonna go to school so I can leave you with my businesses."
"I wanna be like you daddy - - forreal - - I wanna do what you do." She thought, "Aight, aight, I'll go to school but only if you promise you'll give it to me and not Khloe."
Carter laughed, "Aight I promise," he shook pinkies, "Now come on let's go see how much money they want from us. You can practice being my business partner."
"Okay!"
Carter was pretty confident that he could persuade the academy to reaccept Brooklyn and about ten thousand dollars and thirty minutes later he proved himself right about that. They took Brooklyn back under the condition that Carter would fund part of the plans to build a new library on their campus and that Brooklyn would improve her behavior.
"Come hea'," Carter called to Brooklyn as she put on her backpack about to go into class. He picked her up and smiled at her, "Rememba' what we talked about aight?"
"I rememba daddy," she nodded, "I'ma be betta'."
"Good," he hugged her and then kissed her forehead, "You have a good day at school, okay?"
"Kay," Brooklyn smiled and then giggled when Carter blew on her cheek making fart noises, "Dadddyyyy! Come onnn I'on want people to think I'm a punk."
"Aight, aight - - right, right, imma chill," Carter laughed, "You got an image to maintain, I know how that is shorty I got you." He put her down and pinched her cheeks, "Get to class - -, oh before you go which one of these niggas is the ex-boyfriend that Becky Anderson stole from you?"
"Oh," she pointed, "That one right there. Samuel," Brooklyn rolled her eyes.
"A white boy, Brooklyn?" Carter scrunched up his face, "Lemme find out ya'll got interracial couples and shit in elementary school - - aight," he nodded, "Tell Mrs. Smith that the principal needs to see him."
"What you gonna do, daddy?"
"Nothin' - - just tell Mrs. Smith what I said." She nodded and a few minutes later out came Samuel, about to walk to the principal's office, "Pssss," Carter said from the corner he was posted in, "Aye, lil' dude ova' hea'." Samuel walked over to where Carter stood, "You know Brooklyn Mekhi?"
"Ummm, yes," he said, "I know her she's in my class."
"Well I'm her father and I heard you used to be her boyfriend - -," Carter licked his lips, "Look, son, I'ono what happened but I know one thing," he leaned down, "You betta' fix what you did. Break my daughta's heart again and I'll break somethin' on you. Feel me?"
"I- I - I -," he swallowed the lump in his throat, "Yes sir."
"I'm glad you understand whea' I'm comin' from," he smiled sinisterly, "Cause I'd hate to have to kick ya' lil ass and you betta not tell anybody about this conversation either. I got niggas on the inside," he pointed to the classroom, "I'm watchin' you," Carter said as he slowly backed away, "Now run along." Scared out of his mind, Samuel ran to the boys bathroom while Carter walked down the hallway laughing and shaking his head.
His pocket vibrated and he reached down to grab his phone, "Judas," Carter said as he walked back outside to his car, "What up?"
"I found them niggas," Judas said, "Them niggas that opened fire on us at the basketball court."
"Word?" He ran his tongue over his lips while putting one hand in the pocket of his dress pants, "Whea'?"
"Harlem," Judas said, "That's whea' they stay. They some young ass niggas - - bout nineteen."
"Snatch them muh'fuckas up."
"Already did," he said, "We waiting on you, fam."
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