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  Surprisingly enough it was seeing how messed up Darien was over the whole thing that got her to do it. The entire time she just kept crying and saying no one would care about what happened to someone like her and that “real” women get raped everyday and they never catch the person so no one was going to give a damn about her.” Jazzlyn said.

  “ School is starting up in less than a week Tyson, so will you be understanding if I'm spending a lot of time with Trendi?” Jazzlyn asked.

  “ Of course I know that's your friend and she needs you right now. I real y don't want you over at her place Jazzlyn til this guy is picked up for good. He may try to come over there, any damn thing and I don't want you over there.” Tyson said.

  “ I understand. Tyson. I would have never guessed Jevon was a detective! He seemed like such a fun guy...like a player he totally wouldn't seem like that “type”.

  Jazzlyn said shocked.

  " But he was on top of everything tonight. I mean from the smallest detail he asked everything. I'm glad you cal ed him because it just seemed like he made everything easy. With the cops, at the hospital, talking to Darien's mom and with Trendi as well.” Jazzlyn said.

  “ Yeah my man definitely knows his shit. He can be crazy as hel , mostly about women and I aint gonna lie he got some player ways but when it come to work. He's always on point. He loves it.” Tyson said laughing.” Jevon has always been on some CSI type shit. Anyways,let's get some sleep. It's been a crazy night and I'm tired as hell.” Tyson said.

  “ Me too” Jazzlyn leaning in to kiss Tyson's lips “ I love you” Jazzlyn said closing her eyes.

  It was 9am when Jevon decided to call Sherica. Man I hope this is a day her son just happened to wake up early to watch cartoons or she's going to want to kil me instead of ever go out with me. Shit Jevon thought to himself. She got me so nervous I'm calling at the crack of dawn it seems on a Saturday morning!

  Jevon dialed the number and a soft voice said “ Hello?”

  “ Hel o may I please speak to Sherica?” Jevon asked.

  “This is her, who's cal ing?” Sherica asked.

  “It's Jevon.”

  Sherica began to laugh “Now Jevon, I did ask you to call early so that we had solid plans but damn! I hope I didn't sound that mean you got up at nine in the morning to cal !” Sherica said.

  “ Nahh Ma... I mean Sherica!” Jevon said quickly.

  “ Ummhmm I heard that!” Sherica said.

  “Sherica I know this may sound crazy, but can I see you for a few minutes this morning?” Jevon asked.

  “ This morning? You want to go on a breakfast date?” Sherica asked.

  “ No I just need to talk to you about something but I think it needs to be done in person. I promise you'll understand when we talk. It'll just take a few minutes and I don't need to come in or anything I know you have your son there. Please?”Jevon asked.

  “Jevon what the hell is going on here? I'm not for the bul shit OK? Do you all of a sudden not want to go out now?” Sherica said with an attitude creeping into her voice.

  “ Sherica right now I want to go out with you more than anything. But some things came up that I really want to talk to you about in person. So can you just stop being defensive and let me? I wouldn't be trying to come by your house but I know you have your little boy there and it's early. Damn! Stop being dramatic when there's no need to be. If I changed my mind about wanting to see you tonight I just wouldn't have called you at all.” Jevon said, catching an attitude of his own.

  Sherica got quiet for a few seconds and gave him the address.” Hurry up. It's Saturday, my son happens to still be asleep and I may want to lay back down my damn self! Cal when you're out front.” Sherica said before she hung up.

  Fifteen minutes later her cell phone rang with Jevon saying he was outside her duplex. Sherica walked outside and Jevon couldn't take his eyes off her long mocha brown shapely legs.”Good morning. Thanks for letting me stop by to talk to you. Truth is Sherica, I was really looking forward to taking you out tonight but as you can see, I'm in the same shit I had on last night.” Jevon said.

  “ Oh you had to come over here to tell me instead of taking your ass home last night you went the club and what...you want to sleep al day and all night. You want to cancel?”Sherica said crossing her arms.

  “ You know what Sherica do you ever shut the fuck up? God DAMN! I'm here at your fuckin house to tel you yes, I'm fucking tired as hell and haven't been to sleep yet. Not because I was at a damn club but because I got called in to fuckin work and help your friend. All I wanted to do was reschedule our time and talk to you about something else but fuck it. I don't want to go no goddamn where with your ass.” Jevon said jumping back into his car and leaving.

  Sherica stood there stunned by the way he'd gone off her “ Help my friend? What the hell is he talking about?” Sherica said aloud walking back into the house to call Jazzlyn about her mans crazy ass friend. Hope I don't have to call the law on his ass!

  Sherica quickly dialed Jazzlyns number.” Jazz!” Sherica said “ Girl I know it's early but I need to talk to you real fast.”Sherica said.

  “ Girl I need to talk to you too. Tyson is still asleep. Let me go into the living room.” Jazzlyn said.

  “ Ummhmm fast ass over there booed up for real! I really liked him Jazzlyn. Now of course I want to meet him a few more times but he seems like a keeper to me. Shit I aint gonna lie. I forgot his ass was white after a few minutes of being around him!” Sherica said.

  Jazzlyn tried to manage a laugh but her heart was heavy. “ OK Sherica what did you want to talk to me about? You go first.” Jazzlyn said.

  “ Wel girl last night Tyson’s boy Jevon asked me out on a date when he walked me to my car. He asked in the kitchen earlier in the night but I turned him down. But he asked again, so after a bit of talking I went ahead and said yes. Now you know I don't even too much deal to quickly with these dudes out here since I had Isiah, but I went ahead and said why not? So why this negro cal here at 9am on the dot begging to come over and see me claiming he just had to explain something to me in person and al kinda mess. He get's his ass over here and al of a sudden he's talking about he aint been to sleep all night or some shit! Girl I went off! Shit then I guess he cal ed himself trying to get back at me and went off on me too, but he made some comment about he wasn't out but he was trying to help my friend?So I'm like you don't even know my damn friends...except you! So what the hell is this nut even talking about? I know I'm done with his nutty ass before we can even begin! Sherica said.

  “ Oh man! Sherica I'm going to need you to apologize to him as soon as you can.” Jazzlyn said.

  “ Apologize? Umm is Tyson over there whupping your ass or you fell and bumped your head?” Sherica said.

  “ No girl let me tel you what al went down after you left last night” Jazzlyn said.

  Jazzlyn then proceeded to fill Sherica in on al the events from the previous night. From the moment everyone left the get together until then.

  “Oh my God Jazzlyn! Poor Trendi. I don't want to bombard her with visitors or anything, what time are you going over there today? And please,please get Jevon's address for me. I'll cal later and get it from Tyson myself girl.” Sherica said shaking her head.” I need to check myself. I feel like shit. All he did was try to tell me he was tired and I couldn't even al ow him to get it out I was so busy running my damn mouth.” Sherica said. “ OK, go back to sleep if you can. You were up so late last night helping.

  I'll touch bases with you later on because I want to go up and see Trendi today. I'm going to call my baby sister over here for baby sitting duty today.” Sherica said. “ Talk to you later.”

  Sherica sat on the couch in disbelief and cried for her friend Trendi. No one deserved to be treated like that. “Mommy do you have an ow-wee?” Isiah asked walking into the living room seeing his mommy crying. “ No baby. Mommy just had a sad thought,but I'm happy now that I've seen my handsome son!” Sherica said grabbing him up and sm
othering him with kisses.” Let's go make breakfast.”

  A few hours later Sherica had cal ed Jazzlyn back to speak to Tyson. After explaining what happened between her and Jevon that morning,Tyson had given her Jevon's address.

  “ OK Monica, I real y appreciate you coming over here to baby sit for me. I promise tomorrow we're hitting the mall and I'm going to hook you up with your school shopping!” Sherica said.

  “You know I like coming over here anyways! Mommy is always bothering me about something.” Monica said with her seventeen year old attitude showing.

  “ Be quite, Mommy is only telling you to do what your supposed to be doing anyway.

  Isiah give mommy a kiss and be good for Auntie. There's money on the table to order a pizza later and cal me on my cell if you need me. Lock the door behind me.” Sherica said leaving out the door.

  It was almost four in the afternoon so Sherica made a few pit stops. To her favorite restaurant for take out dinners. The flower shop for a small bouquet and the liquor store where she bought a bottle of Hennessy. Sherica had noticed that being Jevons drink of choice last night.

  The whole time driving to Jevons place Sherica prayed

  “ Please Lord help me with my smart mouth. Help me to remain humble if this man has an attitude because I am the one who messed up and jumped to conclusions.” Sherica kept repeating it like a mantra. Sherica pulled up to a nice sub division with neatly manicured lawns and nice single family homes. Definitely not what I would expect from a bachelor. Sherica thought to herself. Shit! There I go being judgmental again!

  Sorry God. Sherica said aloud looking towards the sky. Sherica gathered everything she'd bought and walked to the door.

  Sherica rang the doorbel twice before Jevon opened the door. When he saw who it was he frowned. “ What can I do for you?” Jevon asked.

  “ Wel Ummm,I... “ Sherica stammered al of a sudden at a loss for words. Jevon answered the door shirtless with a six pack...no wait. Damn is that an eight pack?

  Jevon's muscled arms and shoulders were on display as he stood there in only his sweatpants. “OK,Jevon I heard about everything that happened last night and I wanted to come by to say thank you for everything you did to help Trendi last night. Also I want to apologize for the way I acted this morning...Jazzlyn explained to me what happened.”

  “ Hold up.” Jevon said. “ I didn't need Jazzlyn to explain anything to you for me. I went to your house this morning to tell you my damn self. But I guess coming from the horses mouth aint good enough for your ass is it? What the hell you want Sherica?

  Because I've had a long fuckin night and the last thing I want to do is stand here arguing with a difficult ass woman who evidently wants to argue for the sake of arguing.

  Seriously. I had enough. I just met your ass one day ago. That's enough to let me know I don't have time for your type of bull shit Sherica.” Jevon said starting to close his door.

  Sherica stood there listening while Jevon ran her down and instead of getting mad she listened and had to admit he had the ring of truth in his words. I've spent so much time trying to not be hurt again the way I was by Lamont, I've turned into an outright bitch! I don't even call my son by his actual name I'm trying so hard to not remember any painful times. My son's name is Lamont Isiah Wade. I just conveniently dropped the first name. Men approach me all the time,but Jevon is right...my ass is downright mean.

  “ OK. I understand if you don't want to have anything to do with me. I understand I fucked up. I do want you to have all this though. I brought dinner to you because I know you were out all night working on Trendi's rape case. Here are flowers and I noticed you like Hennessy last night. So I appreciate everything you did Jevon.” Sherica said handing everything to him and turning to go back to her car. All of a sudden she felt like crying and had to get away fast.

  Jevon looked at his arm full of “ gifts” and shook his head. “This woman is something else.” Jevon said aloud closing his door. Jevon sat everything down on the table but looked outside the window and noticed Sherica still in his driveway with her head on the steering wheel. What the fuck? Jevon said walking toward his front door.

  Jevon walked over to the car and tapped on the window. When Sherica looked up he could tell she'd been crying. Damn tough girls cry to I see. Jevon thought all of a sudden feeling bad about what he'd said to her. Jevon motioned for her to roll down the window.” Look I'm sorry about what I said,I didn't mean to make you cry.” Jevon said.

  “No it's not your fault.” Sherica said sniffling. “Real y it isn't.” Sherica said looking him in the eyes.” You said some real shit that I needed to hear before it was too late. I'm going to leave now. I just had to sit here and get myself together before I started driving.” Sherica said digging into her purse for some Kleenex to wipe her face. Looking into her review mirror Sherica said “ I know I must look a wreck!”

  “ No, you don't look a wreck. Even crying you look better than most the women out here.” Jevon said smiling. “ Look why don't you come inside. Let's enjoy this meal and henny you brought over and start fresh. I think we both may have jumped to some conclusions about one another.” Jevon said. “ Plus you got me outside. Damn near naked and I think I'm one of two single men on this block! I think I'm driving these married women crazy right about now!” Jevon said laughing “ Look up to your right” Jevon said laughing.

  Sherica looked over and sure enough saw a sista in the house next door peeping through the curtains! “ Look behind you” Jevon said. Sherica turned around in her seat real fast and saw three women at the house across the street talking but all three sets of eyes were directly looking towards Jevon's driveway “ Hello!” Jevon called out and waved.” Come on inside and let's eat Ms. Sherica...then you can apologize again for how you did me this morning.” Jevon said laughing.

  Sherica laughed along with him and said “ OK now, you may get one more out of me but that's it. Don't push your luck!” Sherica said stepping out of her car and walking back up the driveway with Jevon.

  Darien sat on his mother's couch trying to relax. I know one thing he thought to himself, they better find this muthafucka Marcus before I find his down low ass. I don't give a fuck about me not agreeing with my brothers lifestyle...that's my brother and aint no one gonna be putting their fucking hands on him. Darien thought to himself sighing.

  Shit. I real y don't even care about what other people do in their personal lives but the shit always seems to come back to me when it comes to Trenton? Hell if he was gonna be born this way how come he couldn't have been a manly gay dude? Shit I basical y have a “ sister” I gotta be looking out for 24/7.

  Darien's cel phone rang jarring him out of his thoughts.” Wassup Trevonne?” Darien asked.” Hi Darien. Not too much. I just wasn't happy with how our conversation went last night...I knew you weren't going to call and say anything about it but that's not going to stop me from reaching out.” Trevonne said.

  “ Yeah. I understand.” Darien said.

  Trevonne sat there shocked. Did Darien just agree with me?

  Darien heard his mom and Mr.Johnny walking through the door. Mr. Johnny had taken his mother out for breakfast after the long night she'd had at the hospital. After Trenton had been treated and set up in his room,she'd insisted everyone go home and get some rest,including Darien and Mr. Johnny. Darien said hel o to them and stood up.” I'l be by in a few minutes” Darien said hanging up.

  When Darien saw his mother walk towards the bedroom he went to the kitchen to speak to Mr.Johnny. “ Hey son, how you making out? Your brother is going to be OK.

  Don't you two worry.”Mr. Johnny said.

  “ I'm trying not too Mr.Johnny. I'm about to head out for a little bit but I wanted to stop in here and thank you for always being there for my mom Mr.Johnny...being there for all of us. I don't know if I've ever told you that.” Darien said.

  “ Son that means a lot to me. More than you know” Mr. Johnny said.

  “ OK, I'm out for a little wh
ile but tell my mom if she wants me to drive her up to the hospital later just cal my cell. I'm not going to be gone long.” Darien said on his way out the door.

  Trevonne sat around on pins and needles waiting for Darien to get there. Darien can be an asshole I know, but he does have feelings. I know it. Maybe he needed this time to miss me a little? Trevonne thought to herself. When the doorbel rang Trevonne jumped up to answer the door.” Hi Darien, come on in. Do you want something to drink?” Trevonne asked.

  “ Yea I'll take something.” Darien said laying back and closing his eyes. Trevonne came back with some iced tea for both of them and sat down next to him.

  “ What's wrong Darien?” Trevonne asked.

  “ I don't know if you've talked to anyone or not but Trenton...”

  “ Darien why are you always cal ing Trendi that? You already know how she feels about that so show some respect for who she is!” Trevonne said.

  “ Shut the fuck up! Maybe Trenton needs to be exactly what the fuck he was born as...a man! It sure the fuck would save all of us a lot of goddamn trouble.” Darien yelled.

  “ Trenton is laid up in the hospital right now behind this shit. Dressing up like a damn woman. Breast implants,wigs,makeup and shit.” Darien said standing up.

  “ What do you mean Darien! What happened to Trendi?” Trevonne asked

  ” Some nigga he thought was all that fucked his as up...literal y. Beat him up,cracked his ribs. Just raped him. Trenton had to get stitches all in his ass and everything.” Darien said.

  “ Oh my God. Darien is she going to be OK?” Trevonne asked.