Tamia smiled at her reflection as she observed her fit body in the full-length mirror on the wall of the guest bedroom. Apart from the bra, panties, and socks that she was wearing, she was completely naked. Her hair was wrapped up in a towel, and there were still small drops of water on her skin from the shower she'd taken over twenty minutes earlier. For the most part, she was satisfied with the appearance of the woman looking back at her. She was slim overall, but thick in all the right places. Her unmade up face was a sight that she thought everyone should get to enjoy seeing at least once in their life. Her lips were curved into a large smile, displaying her joy. She wasn't sure why she was so happy, but she didn't dwell on it too long. She just wanted to enjoy the rare feeling.
"Tania, are you ready to get out of the tub?" she asked, walking away from the mirror and into the bathroom on the other side of the room. She pulled a towel off of the rack and motioned for Tania to rise from the abundance of bubbles that she'd been playing in. She wrapped the towel around Tania's small body and lifted her out of the water. Tania laughed as her mother spun her around in the air and planted a light kiss on both of her cheeks.
Tamia carried her daughter back into the bedroom and dried her off before dressing her in a yellow spaghetti strap shirt, a pair of black skinny jeans, and a pair of black and yellow Adidas. She lifted her up onto her hip once she was fully clothed, and then walked back over to the mirror. She looked at Tania's reflection before speaking. "You are just too pretty, you know that?"
Tania smiled bashfully, then nodded. "Yes."
"You damn sure didn't get it from your daddy," Tamia joked. She stared at Tania for several seconds, unable to get over the fact that she and December had created something so perfect, and she wasn't thinking solely about Tania's physical attributes. After admiring her for a moment longer, she asked Tania if she was hungry, to which Tania replied with an overdramatic 'yes'.
She placed Tania on her feet and led her out of the room, grabbing her robe in the process. She sent Tania into Heaven's bedroom and walked down to the kitchen. When she went into the room, she saw a half-dressed Tremaine looking through the refrigerator. He glanced up when he heard someone else enter the kitchen, allowing Tamia to see his slightly bloodshot eyes.
"Good morning," she said with a smile.
Tremaine nodded, subtly observing her body. "Wassup?"
"Do you have any plans for breakfast? I could cook if you don't. That's what I came down here to do."
Tremaine closed the refrigerator and stood up straight. "Lynise went to pick some food up for everyone. She should be back soon."
Noticing the way that Tremaine kept avoiding making eye contact with her, Tamia frowned. "Why are you doing that?" she asked, despite the fact that she already knew the answer to that question.
"Doing what?"
"Why won't you look at me?"
"People don't have to be focused on you all the time, Tamia."
"Yeah, I'm aware of that." With a slight roll of her eyes, she walked over to where he was standing and situated her body in front of his. She was already tired of dancing around a conversation that she believed they would have to have eventually. Positioning her small hands on his six-pack, she looked up at him with a straight face. "How long are we going to keep ignoring the elephant in the room?"
"As long as we possibly can." Tremaine grabbed her hands and placed them at her sides. "Can you move?"
"Can you stop acting like we're not adults? We have to talk about this, Tremaine."
"Why?"
"Because we can't just pretend that last night never happened. And I need to know exactly what happened."
"Nothing happened," Tremaine replied with a shrug.
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"It's supposed to mean nothing happened."
"I wouldn't call that nothing, Tremaine. If Heaven hadn't interrupted us when she did-"
"If Heaven hadn't interrupted us when she did, I would have made a terrible mistake."
Tremaine's words hit Tamia hard, and her spirit was crushed instantly. "You think that having sex with me would have been a mistake?" she asked quietly, the hurt she felt inside showing on her face.
Tremaine immediately regretted wording his sentence that way when he saw how upset she became. "I didn't mean it like that." He sighed and placed a finger under her chin, pushing it up until he was staring into her eyes. "You're gorgeous, Tamia. There's not a man alive that would disagree with that. Any nigga with a sex drive would love to lay you down and fuck you senseless, but I'm not trying to get locked up over you, or anyone else. To keep it real with you, I wasn't even thinking about you last night. There was another woman on my mind. So, yes, having sex with you would have been a mistake, because I would have been leading you on. I would hate for you to think that I'm attracted to you in that way, or that I have any feelings for you, because I don't. Besides, what would have happened if we did have sex? I'm not the type to settle down and be in a relationship, and I doubt that you're interested in me in that way. It would have been pointless."
"But I am."
"You are what?"
"Interested in you in that way." Tamia grabbed Tremaine's hands and held them in hers, intertwining their fingers. "I like you, Tremaine. I've liked you for a while now. And you might've been thinking about another woman last night, but I know that you like me too. I can tell by the way you look at me... by the way you're always trying so hard to spare my feelings... by the way you get pissed off by me so quickly. You wouldn't do those things if you didn't have any feelings for me. I'll be eighteen in just a few short months, so you can stop with the age shit and just be real with me."
The more she spoke, the more truth Tremaine saw in her words. Since they'd met, he had been treating her very similarly to how he'd treated Angel, and how he still treated Lynise. It was in that moment that he realized that he probably did, in all actuality, have feelings for Tamia. The fact that those feelings might have been more than physical attraction and lecherousness bothered him in a way that he didn't understand. He hadn't even known Tamia for a year, yet he cared for her far more than he was willing to admit, and in more ways than he was willing to acknowledge.
Tamia knew that his silence meant that she was right, and she was pleased to see that he liked her the same way she liked him. All she needed now was to hear him say it. "Tremaine..." she draped her arms around his neck. "Talk to me." She waited a few short moments, and then started to speak again.
Before she could form a word, Tremaine leaned down and softly attacked her lips with his own. The kiss was significantly less lust-filled than the one they'd shared the night before, but it was just as passionate. At first, he felt nothing, which is what he wanted. He couldn't have feelings for Tamia if kissing her didn't arouse anything other than sexual desire, and he was happy that lust was all he felt. It didn't take long, however, for something more to manifest itself between the two of them. It wasn't love- that was a feeling that Tremaine knew all too well, and he was relieved to know that that wasn't what he was experiencing with Tamia. It was much more than sexual tension, though. There was some type of emotion between them, which frustrated him.
Tremaine lifted her off of the floor and wrapped her legs around his waist as he pressed her back against the refrigerator. Tamia moaned as his mouth travelled down to her neck, and then to the parts of her breasts that sat outside of her bra. He pushed her robe open and caressed her legs.
After a few moments, Tremaine looked up at Tamia's face. She met his glare, thinking that his actions were much better than a verbal affirmation as she ran her hands over his chest. Positive that Angel wasn't on his mind that time, he placed another kiss on her lips and put her back on her feet. In one swift motion, he turned away from her and punched a hole into the wall behind him, irritated by the mix of emotions he was experiencing.
Tamia jumped at the sudden act of violence. To say that she was confused would be an understatement. Moments earlier, he had practically been making love to her with his mouth. Now, he was pissed off for no apparent reason. She tried to figure out what had just upset him so quickly, but her thoughts were cut short when Tremaine grabbed her robe and forcefully pulled her towards him until their bodies were just inches apart.
"Nothing happened last night. Nothing happened this morning. We don't like each other. At all. We're just friends, if that. Do you understand me?"
Tremaine's voice was calm yet ominous, and that confused Tamia even more. For no other reason than to avoid further upsetting him, she nodded.
"Good." His eyes instantly softened. Gently, Tremaine kissed her again, this time keeping his lips against hers for several long moments and using one of his hands to cup a copious amount of her ass. He pulled away from her slowly and released her robe when he heard the front door open. He shot Tamia a warning glance, and then moved away from her.
Lynise entered the kitchen seconds later. "Good morning." She offered both Tamia and Tremaine a smile as she sat several Burger King bags on the table. "What's up?"
"Nothing," Tamia answered, a slight smile on her face as she forced herself to look away from Tremaine.
"Nothing, huh?" Lynise looked over Tamia's attire. "Well, it's almost nine o'clock. I'd appreciate it if you went and got dressed now. And tell the kids to come and eat, if you don't mind."
Tamia nodded and left the room. She retrieved all of the children and told them to go the kitchen. She instructed Heaven to let Lynise know that she'd join everyone in about ten minutes, and then she went into the guestroom and locked the door, dead set on finishing what Tremaine had started.
***
"Lewd and lascivious acts with a minor." Naomi pushed a manila folder across the table between her and December. She let him look over the papers inside for a few seconds before she began speaking again. "I got the rape charges reduced to lewd and lascivious acts with a minor. That's what you're being charged with. The child abuse never happened- not to the jury's knowledge, at least. The mandatory minimum sentence for this charge is fifteen years. I talked to the judge. She, being a mother of five teenage girls, wanted to give you twenty-five years." She put a freshly-manicured hand up, silencing December before he could protest. "But Benjamin Franklin convinced her to reduce that number drastically."
December breathed a sigh of relief. "I was about to have a fucking heart attack, Naomi." He relaxed and sat back in his chair. He looked at the man sitting beside his sister. "What are you here for?"
The man smiled and straightened his tie. "I'm your lawyer."
"Word?" December frowned as he observed the man's appearance. He was a muscular dark-skinned guy with cornrows and six tattoos of teardrops on his face- three underneath each eye. He had a bright diamond in one of his ears, and the remnants of what was once a scar caused by a razor blade was partly visible in the area just underneath his chin. December couldn't help but think that the man sitting across from him, though handsome and well-spoken, was probably more of a criminal than he had ever been. "You don't look like no lawyer. You look like a damn thug."
"I wouldn't suggest that you sit your wallet down around me." The man extended his hand towards December with a grin. "I'm Alonzo Kingsley, but I go by Chronic. High-profile criminal attorney by day, infamous robber by night. I trust that you know who I am now." He paused, and the playful look on his face disappeared. "My retainer fee is eighty thousand dollars, but your sister and I are mad cool, so I'm taking your case pro bono. Naomi and I have already negotiated with the judge and district attorney, so when you go to court, I'll just be there to look pretty. Any questions?"
"Yeah." December gave him a suspicious look, still not completely convinced that Alonzo was capable of representing anyone in a professional setting. "What, exactly, should I expect in court?"
"Well, this is what Naomi and I worked out with the judge: you're going to get off with time served, and you don't have to register as a sex offender. You do, however, have to stay one hundred feet away from your little girlfriend at all times until she turns eighteen- even after she turns eighteen, if you're smart. Also, you'll have to give her nine hundred and fifty dollars a month for child support."
"What?" December exclaimed. "Nine hundred and fifty dollars? The judge can't know that I make enough to afford that."
"But I know that you make enough to afford that," Naomi quipped. "The judge suggested four hundred dollars, but I didn't want to let you get off scot-free. Damn straight, you're gonna pay for every single one of your daughter's needs until Tamia is an adult, and then I might talk to the system about getting that nine-fifty reduced to eight-seventy-five. Unless..." Naomi smirked. "Unless that's a problem for you. I could always get my money back and you could live child support-free in prison. It's your call, baby. Which do you prefer?"
December, having forgotten all about his baby sister's mean streak, found her rhetorical question to be amusing. "I'm surprised that Mom and Dad kicked you out over your pregnancy instead of your slick-ass mouth, sis."
"Are you really talking shit when you're requesting my assistance? I'm going to suggest that you watch how you talk to me. There's a reason you don't know what I do for a living. Say something else out of the way to me and you'll find out."
"Was that a threat? I don't take threats lightly. Don't say shit you don't plan on backing up. That could prove to be detrimental. Baby sister or not, I'll beat your little ass and not give a flying fuck who sees it, Nay."
Alonzo started to speak up in Naomi's defense, even though he was well aware of the fact that she could hold her own in any situation, but she stopped him.
"I don't make threats, December. More importantly, I rarely ever give warnings, so consider yourself lucky." Naomi stood up, prompting Alonzo to do the same. She turned around and lifted the back of her shirt, giving her brother a clear view of the small handgun that was tucked snugly into her 7 For All Mankind jeans. He noticed that Alonzo's line of vision was also concentrated on Naomi's backside, but it wasn't the weapon he was looking at. He was more focused on the blessing she'd attained through consuming her grandmother's collard greens and cornbread.
Naomi turned back around after a few seconds, and was instantly satisfied by the look on December's face, which let her know that he got her point. "Now that we understand each other, there's one more thing I need to tell you. I spent seventy-eight thousand dollars to ensure your freedom. Our agreement was that you'd pay me back one hundred and ten percent, so I'm expecting eighty-five thousand, eight hundred dollars in return." She walked around to the other side of the table and kissed December on the cheek. "Your court date is in exactly two weeks. I love you, baby. One." She grabbed Alonzo's hand and made her way out of the room.
December remained seated for a few moments before he also vacated the room. He walked into the open bay area and located his bed. He laid down on it and closed his eyes, trying to make sense of one of the several conversations that were being held. The one a group of men were having a few feet away caught his attention.
"I'm telling you, man. This nigga is broke as hell. Muhfucka's bond was twenty-five dollars and he ain't outta this bitch yet. Nigga is either poor as fuck, or his bitch ain't shit. Either way, his situation is fucked up, cuz." The group of young goons- the oldest of whom appeared to be around twenty-five years of age- erupted into laughter.
After listening to their conversation for a while, December opened his eyes. "Y'all bitch-ass niggas wanna shut the fuck up? Grown-ass men sitting up talking about other grown-ass men all day. Take a damn piss break or something." He looked around for any new faces in the room and was surprised to see one in the bed right next to his. "Yo, G, them niggas talking about you?" he asked, sitting up and eyeing the man curiously.
The man opened one eye and looked over at December. "Yeah, but fuck 'em. They won't say shit to my face, so it's cool."
"Word up. But what's this shit I'm hearing about your bail only being twenty-five dollars? Why are you still in here?"
He shrugged and sat up. "I'on have nobody to put the money up for me."
"Nobody can put up twenty-five bucks for you? That's fucked up, man. What are you in here for?"
"I kicked a few cats."
December couldn't help but laugh when he heard that. "And they arrested you for that? You shouldn't be in here, my nigga. By the way, I'm December." He put out his hand.
The man accepted it and shook it firmly. "I go by Ice. What are you in for?"
"Child abuse and statutory rape, but I'm getting out soon."
"Statutory rape? I almost got caught up with that shit once. I knew this dame a few years back. Hoe was thick as fuck with an ass like 'wow.' I met her when I was around twenty. She was fourteen, but I didn't know that until twelve came knocking on my door one day. I don't understand that statutory rape shit. Why are muhfuckas mad at us because these lil-ass girls wanna fuck? The hoe hit me up again when she turned eighteen, so it's not like I was forcing her to do anything."
"Word. Where's this shawty at now?"
"I'm not sure. I lost touch with a lot of people after the explosion."
"Explosion?"
"I'm ex-military. I was in the war two years ago. Almost everybody blew up, save myself and a few other people. Bomb was under my seat, though, so I'on know how I made it out alive. I guess those foreign muhfuckas don't know that Ice can't go out that easily."
"That's real. Damn, I would've never guessed you were in the war. You don't look like someone that was in an explosion." Ice was actually a good-looking guy. His skin was smooth and clear, and his eyes were a light brown that most women would swoon over. His hair was long, thick, and untamed, but it only added to his appearance.
"Man, I came out of that bitch looking Freddy Krueger. My shit was all fucked up. I had holes and shit in my skin- the parts that weren't burned off, at least. A little plastic surgery can do wonders."
"Why the fuck is a war vet out kicking cats and shit? You don't have anything else to do?"
Ice chuckled. "I guess not."
"Alright. Well, I'ma say this. You don't need to be in here. Kicking cats ain't nothing to be locked up over. I'ma put your bail up for you, but I don't want you out there abusing animals and shit, bruh. I'll give you something to do in your spare time once I get out. You got any contact information?"
"Nah, but I'll reach out to you."
"You want me to write my number down or-"
"You don't have to. I'll find you."
December stood up and stretched. "I'm about to go call my bitch Val. She'll come down here and get you out, and I'll have her drop you off at your house with a little bit of pocket money. What's your full name?"
"Tariq Jameson." Ice stood up and pulled December into a manly hug. "Good looking out, boss."
"No doubt. Just remember to holla back when I get out in two weeks. Let me go make that call."
December smiled to himself as he walked away, already formulating ways to exploit Ice in his mind. To December, Ice was just another hoe. He'd gotten most of his girls for twenty-five dollars. It was incredible, what he could get a woman to do after buying her a new dress and a meal from Checkers. With Ice, the twenty-five dollars December was putting into his freedom could make him a street soldier, or a lookout, or a protégé, depending on what his skills were. All December knew was that his newest bitch could be manipulated in more ways than one, and he was positive of the fact that he'd just made an investment that would continue to pay off for a long time.