Chardonnay: A Novel Read online

“Huh? Ah, no that wasn’t my intention.” I said surprised.

  “You thought I was going to take up for him? Well that’s where your wrong. Hump! The so many early morning calls to this house that would wake me up at ungodly hours! I only wished that he would have stopped cheating on you. You’re such a sweet and beautiful girl.” she said.

  “So you knew?”

  “Darling, yes. He told me he would stop and promised me not to tell.”

  “I thought you were like my mother. Why didn’t you tell me?”

  She took a sip of her wine before she answered.

  “Well, I wanted you two to be happy. And regardless if I knew, hell let’s keep it real, you knew too!”

  Myron had his mother’s personality. They were proud, dignified people. But when it came to bringing things to the surface, they didn’t forget about their awareness of things. Mrs. Lim-Kent had sass and class about her though. She was my role model besides Oprah. They both taught you how to be lady not only to yourself, but for your people.

  “Chardonnay, I went through this with Myron’s father. But I didn’t have the guts to do what you did.”

  “And what’s that?”

  “Make him realize what he had. If I hear him cry one more night over you my ears are going to bleed.”

  I smiled and said, “Why didn’t he tell me this?”

  “A man can’t admit when he’s weak. And even if he gets to the point when he realizes his flaw, then that is when he needs his spare rib there to be his mouth to speak.”

  Those words would ring in my ear forever. I taught Myron a lesson, but Slim taught me a better one: The grass may be greener on the other side, but watch out for the freshly cut blades.

  7

  Me, Myself, and My… or So I Thought

  As I walked out of Mrs. Lim-Kent’s office, I heard voices coming from around the corner.

  “So can I come in?”

  “No, I don’t get down like that no more.”

  “Hump!Must be the turn of the century. Whatever nigga! I know you still want this good brain.”

  “Girl, get yo chicken head ass off my door steps.”

  “‘Fo’ I go, my brother Gino wanted to know if you or your father had that package delivered.”

  “I ought to call some broads over here to rough you up. Don’t come bring that shit here to our home. This ain’t the place of business for that. Can’t have nigga’s knowing where we lay our heads.”

  When I turned the corner, in the foyer at the double door entry, I saw Shauna, a broke down, with her foot halfway in the door way. They were always starting some mess and with us just seeing Daisy and her paparazzi ass seeing Myron and I pull off together, Shauna may have wanted to start some more drama in a movie starring her.

  “Oh, I didn’t know you had company.” said Shauna in a childish tone.

  Myron shut the door in her face as she put her hand up and backed up.

  “Char, she came over here on her own.”

  “I know. No need to explain. But what was that all about?”

  Myron smirked and said,

  “You just contradicted yourself.” He walked over to me and rubbed my face moving my hair behind my ear. Myron pulled me in his arms and held me tight as he sniffed my hair.

  “You use a different shampoo?” he asked.

  I laughed and shook my head at him. I usually used a peach scented shampoo, but I recently stopped since it reminded me of him.

  “Yes. It’s called Cookie Dough form Sephora. You don’t like it?”

  “It’s cool. Make me want to eat some thangs,” he moved me toward him and placed his hand in my heat, moving it around in circles. I flinched from him from the pleasure and as well the fact that anyone could walk up on us. With a sexy grin he asked,

  “You hungry?” He pulled his hand out gently and fed himself some of me.

  “A little why?” I smiled. I loved his soft dirty talk. The way he whispered passionately, but made me feel nasty and ready to buck wild out knowing we would never go that deep.

  He caught me up a few times. Myron was just that well-endowed at his mouth piece.

  “I just got my appetite back, plus we need be alone.”

  Myron rubbed my face again with his other free hand while sucking his fingers on the other hand saying,

  “Nothing like the peach shampoo though.” as an afterthought.

  “Where are we going?” I said.

  “I’ll surprise you.”

  We drove for what seemed like forever and had passed a hundred restaurants. I woke up three hours later and read a sign that said St. Louis, Missouri.

  “What the hell we doing here?” I said.

  “I decided we needed a little vacation.”

  “You didn’t even ask me if I wanted to come here.”

  “I asked you if you wanted something to eat. You didn’t say where.”

  “Okay, be funny. Smart ass!” I said.

  We drove for about thirty more minutes to a Fairmont hotel. Myron grabbed the bags and handed them to the door handler.

  “Thank you sir.” Myron said as he handed his keys to the valet.

  He tipped him a one hundred dollar bill. We walked to the front desk and Myron told the woman that the reservations were under the Kent account. She gave us the keys and I began my barking.

  “You planned this.” I said.

  He looked at me laughing as we walked hand in hand to the elevators.

  “Uhn huh...I wanted to do something special for you. We’ve been at it like Ike and Tina, only I’m Tina.” He joked.

  “Yeah right!” I said as the elevator doors opened. We stepped on and as soon as the doors closed, leaving just the two of us alone in a small space, Myron pulled me to him. For a moment we stood face to face staring into each other’s eyes. His arms began to tighten around my waist and his manhood gently compressed into my pelvis. As intuitive as I had ever been in my life about anything, I knew this night was the night Myron and I would make love for the first time. Albeit, Myron had forced himself upon me, I didn’t think I would be able to handle Myron being inside of me completely and whole. Not the physical aspect of it, but the emotion that would go into this act. Could I handle his passion and aggression inside of me? I promised myself that I would never bring up what he had done to me, and in the confusion of his angered thrust—I felt a helpless cream milk between my thighs. So in my mind I fixed it to be something else...not rape.

  When the elevator’s bell rung and stopped abruptly, letting us know we had reached the tenth floor, we both were knocked out of each other’s trance. He backed up, stepping out slowly, leading the way. Once we got to the room, 1039, he took out the key card and slipped it in the door. The double doors opened and the breath was taken right out of my lungs. It was beautiful. We walked into the foyer on a pink and white marble floor that shined and flickered like the sun. The furniture was plush and soft. There were two baths, two master bedrooms, a mini bar and kitchen, and a spa room.

  “You like it?” he asked peering into my face from behind me as he wrapped his arms around me.

  “Ye—yes baby. It’s gorgeous.”

  “You get settled in. I’m going to take a shower.” said Myron already undressing before the bell boy could get all our things in the room.

  I went into the master bedroom to the right of me. Mirrors lined the walls. I looked at myself. My hair color had turned a murky and sand dry, peach-beige color on my long tresses. I realized I didn’t have any make-up on. I sat my bags near the closet and looked out the window. The view was breath taking. I laid on the king sized bed and closed my eyes. Hadn’t really slept in the last week, and didn’t know how. But now, for some reason, maybe because Myron was in the next room; I knew he wasn’t with someone else, I slept.

  “Char.”

  For a moment I thought I was dreaming about everything. Slim, Myron’s and I fight at the lake, him losing it. All a dream.

  “Char.”

  Heard him calling my
name. Dreaming he had been with me all along. It was still March and we were on spring break, one minute I’m laughing the next Myron and I was in a fight. Then...a loud crashing noise and I remember...nothing. Conscience jumped at my heart, it dipped and skipped. Reality checks in.

  “Char.”

  “Yeah?” I said with my eyes still closed.

  “Move over!” Myron said as he slapped my ass.

  “What do you want?” Bitterness enveloped me, reality was cruel.

  I rolled over and opened my eyes. Myron was naked.

  “What? You act like you haven’t seen me with my birthday suit on before.”

  “Naw, I just...nothing.”

  Was something about the way his body always looked new to me, so gorgeous. Was something about the way he rushed to take a shower the moment we stepped in the suite, and didn’t invite me. Myron lay on the bed. He moved the covers back to cover himself up to his waist.

  “I want this to work.”

  “Well I need another commitment.”

  “Cool. I want to be the only man in your life.”

  “And the wedding is off.”

  “Woe. Wait. What are you saying?”

  “I’m saying either you do a 180, or I need to move on. Tired of wondering if you’ve caught something from them nasty girls. And let’s be real, we are not ready for marriage.”

  “How you know that?”

  “We can’t even stay in a stable relationship let alone a legal one.”

  He chuckled a bit and said, “I’m ready. I think if we were married we would fight harder for it.”

  “No, if we were married you would feel trapped. And that is enough to make you want to rebel and stray. People don’t stay married just because their married.”

  Myron sighed and took my hand.

  “But I would have to forsake all others. I would have to take care of you when you’re sick, I would have to love you until death do us part.”

  “You wouldn’t have to do any of that, you should want to. You don’t need a piece of paper to love me like that.”

  Myron blinked at me like he never thought about it like that before. He rubbed his hand over his heart with my C and Tiara crown tattoo over it. His long eye lashes slowly batted telling me he was drunken by my love.

  “I love you to the core of my heart, past my soul Chardonnay.”

  “Do you really?”

  “I put that on everything. No more of this...foolishness. If I cheat on you ever again...I don’t know if I would be able to forgive myself.”

  “You promise.”

  “Promise you. I’ve promised you before. But this time it’s for real,” said Myron as he cuddled under me, kissing my hand down to my elbow.

  “If you cheat on me again, as much as it’s going to hurt...you’ll be getting this Cartier seven carat ring back.”

  Myron got perhaps as quiet as I had ever witnessed. He laid his head back on the plush pillow and looked up at the ceiling. I moved my arm over his rippled abs and looked in his face.

  “What, you didn’t want to hear me say that?” I asked.

  He let out a breath and looked at the ring on my finger.

  “Since we’re starting over, why don’t I get you a new ring? You know, to commemorate it.”

  I liked the ring although I couldn’t even remember when he gave it to me. Myron gave me so much jewelry that I couldn’t even remember him giving me a wedding ring...now that was pitiful.

  I ran my hand over the ring and then tugged at it. He helped me pull it off and then sat it on the bed side table. Myron picked up the phone and ordered room service. After doing so he took off his robe. Words couldn’t describe him. My Exotic Adonis.

  He massaged me, gave me a warm milk, honey, and jasmine bath. I fell into his trance, his spell. His eyes of mocha brown traveled through me so deeply. The funny thing about his beautiful brown eyes was that they changed colors. A light brown, but in these times when they were so deeply brown I fell in them so easily, yet scared. Scared because I couldn’t see how deep I was falling. But with mystery came an enticed wonderment. He wrapped me in a towel and I followed him into the bedroom. He fell in love with me before I fell for him. I knew that, but he didn’t at first. I could tell the moment he set his eyes on me. The joy twinkling. The same look he was giving me now. He was eight-years-old and yes he had the final say. May have looked like his parents chose me, but he did that day he sat next to me at my mother’s gold, red, and green designed Christmas table. I rejected him. It hurt his feelings and he pulled my hair. Funny now that I look back on it. I smiled at him as he moved the towel from around me.

  “So funny?” he asked.

  I kissed him on his lips. Myron knew I didn’t love him the same the moment we met. But he knew the exact day I did love him the same. His ego wouldn’t remind him. So we agreed we were children when we fell in love, but we grew older. And here we were making love. It was like nothing I ever felt before. I didn’t think there would ever be a man to match Myron’s skills. Not even with a matching DNA or finger print. I couldn’t believe I was showing him this side of me. Nor the fact that he was giving me all of him. He had done this so many times before, but he hadn’t done this before. Making love. Myron was looking in my eyes as he called my name. Called for the Lord, told me and Him that he was sorry for all the things he had done. Crying, touching and sucking my nipples, kissing me, and looking-in-my-eyes. His engorged girth moving through my warm waters like a shark looking for new flesh to appetite, only this time he was gentle and took his time.

  I rested nestled in his arms as I watched the sunrise. It was as beautiful as Myron made me feel. Without moving Myron’s lips whispered in my ear,

  “Will you marry me?”

  I smiled and looked down at my ring finger. The seven carat Cartier ring was replaced with a forty carat Renaissance Platinum ring by Philip Press. It had baby diamonds going around the base, on the sides, and in its set. But the best part was the main stage diamond in a Queen of all princess cuts shape. My mouth dropped and I looked over at Myron, who was in sincere deep thought. He looked happy about what he had done, but I wasn’t sure if he knew what he had done. His expression was worn and delighted. I touched his face not realizing he was still waiting for an answer...I didn’t have one. Before he could speak, room service knocked on the door with breakfast. Myron got up to get the door as I rolled over reaching for my robe. His cell phone rung. It was our crew, they were here. All except Zasmyth. Gehvoni wasn’t in Kansas City yet— she wasn’t leaving. Myron’s cell rung again. He sounded as if he was trying to talk low, but I could still hear the conversation.

  “Hello?” he answered.

  I couldn’t tell who it was but I knew it was a female. Wondered if it was the girl who’s shadow I saw the other night.

  “No. I’m in my home town, why? I’m back with my girl...Naw man, bye.”

  He walked in the room pushing the cart.

  “Who was that?” I asked.

  “Umm...Cristy. Slim’s sister.”

  “Oh, you still talk to his family?” I asked, prowling the forest.

  Myron took the top off his food, ignored me and began eating. Each chew echoed and I

  wanted to smack him. Ears itching. I wanted to know.

  “Myr—”

  “She’s cool.”

  “Why is she calling you?”

  “Look. Since I’m keeping it real, every once in a while I check up on her. But last week I called to see if we could kick it since she already liked me anyway. She was down, but I couldn’t do it.”

  “I guess that would have hit two birds with one stone.” I said.

  “Yeah. But I’m over all that now.” Myron said handing me my tray.

  Smart move I thought. But I’m smarter.

  “Let’s chill and eat.” he said kissing me on the cheek.

  Twenty minutes later the door was bombarded with little terrorist.Bams and kicks. Knew it was Jaydee and Denim’s roguish asses.

>   “Open the fuckin’ door!” one of them yelled.

  Myron leaned over to kiss me again and went to answer the door. He only had on some white linen draw string pants. They were low and revealed his sexy hip bones. I detected a herd rush in. Was more than Denim and Jaydee. I heard girls. My girls.

  “Move! Where the fuck she at! And I’ll fuck you up nigga the next time you go fuck some duck!” That was Fianna. I laughed to myself. She appeared in the threshold of the massive double door way with Katura going off in her language as she was looking back at Myron.

  “Hey Nay!”

  “Sup?”

  “Guuurl, he got you up in this beautiful suite and breakfast in bed,” Fianna stopped and acted like she was crying. Wiped a fake tear from her eye. Katura cracked up and said,

  “Yeah, dis is nice.”

  “Where’s Konstance?”

  “In the living room with the boys.” answered Katura.

  Her hair was redone. Skinny corn rows in circular designs, long ends down to her butt. Fianna had a new duo too; pink hair with blue highlights in the Jessica Simpson curls. She loved doing traditional with a spin. She fell in the bed then quickly got up.

  “What?” I asked.

  “Girl, almost forgot. Y’all don’t fuck.” she fell back in the bed.

  “Umm, you are certainly right about that. But we made love last night.” I said with a smirk.

  They gasped and screamed. Katura clapped and jumped up and down and Fianna was jumping in the bed, ignoring what the doctor said. Konstance ran in the room.

  “What’s going on?”

  “They did it!” whispered Fianna.

  Konstance stood there in the doorway, her smile frozen. She didn’t look disappointed, but didn’t look happy. Wanted the best for me, just as I did her. She walked over slowly and looked around at everything.

  “You let him...bribe you?”

  “Bribe?! Konnie, where the fuck you been? He did more than fuckin’ that. And can he fuck?” Fianna said, messing with the liquor cabinet. She didn’t know when to stop. Katura looked at me and then back at Konstance.

  “Konnie I thought you wanted this for me? You wanted to see us happy, right?” I said confused by her advice.