Page 7 of Say He's Ready
“I knew that would be a problem. I’m older than you and I know it’s frowned upon, but I still got the moves baby girl,” he grinned licking his dry ass lips. The shrimp crumbs sat in the corner of his mouth and I couldn’t take my eyes off of them. I would never be able to look at tempura shrimp the same. What the fuck was I doing here with a forty-eight-year-old that still claimed to have moves? Had my life come to this? Dating and spending time with anyone that was willing to give it to me.
My nose was turned up at the thought of his moves and him calling me baby girl. We were already at three red flags and the main course hadn’t made it to the table. Chase was close to my father's age and that was disgusting. I was going to kill Missy the minute I saw her. She was on the verge of insanity if she thought this was going to fly.
Of course, I wanted someone established but not so established they needed an AARP card. His chewing and scraping the fork against the plate was driving me insane. He had no couth, and I wasn’t a bougie woman, but I was raised with manners and etiquette.
“Moves or not, forty-eight is too old for me. Let’s finish dinner and leave it at that.”
“That’s on you, I don’t play games. I see something I like, and age isn’t important. I’m sure I’m wiser than you and can show you a fewthings but you have to see past that. Lewis already told me you can’t keep a man for shit. Maybe it’s because you ain’t met a real man or too judgmental,” he explained.
I relaxed because he could be right but then again he didn’t know a damn thing about me. Secondly, I wasn’t about to get too comfortable with his assessment because I was far from judgmental. Most of the men I dated were around the same age as me. Maybe I wasn’t looking in the right location. I had always been wiser than most in my age range. I needed a man with wisdom, experience and that appreciated a good woman. Did it have to be Chase? And furthermore, I would be checking the fuck out of Lewis for telling my damn business. I could keep a man with no problem. The problem came when they weren’t worth keeping around. If I agreed to say screw what I wanted, if I decided to settle for pennies when I deserved all the riches I could keep one. I wasn’t there in life just yet. I wasn’t willing to settle and completely toss my list to the side.
“You could be right. But everyone has a type. Am I your type?”
“Yea, young and pretty.”
“I’m more than that,” I explained. Me being pretty wasn’t the only thing I had going for myself. Men like that irritated me. Being pretty faded and it didn’t add value to my life at all. My soul, my mind and my career were just as desirable. He wanted superficial and brain dead for lack of better words.
“I know but I ain’t really concerned with that. I want kids. My kids will need to come first, not some career. And who wants ugly kids? Shit, I already have some flaws.”
“Are you serious? Some career? And ugly kids?” I asked, caught off guard by his statement. Kids were a blessing, some more ‘precious’ than others, but parents are designed to love them in spite of physical features. And how dare he even use the word ugly, and he had the face only a mother could love.
“Yea I have plenty of money. I’ve been married a few times and right now I’m looking for a woman to have my kids in exchange for a life they never dreamed of. I own businesses and that’s my job to provide. My wife’s job is to provide care for my children and for me. Your dreams will need to be placed on the back burner until my kids are self-sufficientand even then we need to have a discussion. I want my food cooked when I come home, my kids in good health and my house to be a home.”
“That’s quite disturbing Chase and I’m not surprised. So you want a slave basically?”
“Slaves didn’t have access to foreign whips, Gucci, cash on demand, trips, and shit I can provide. It’s my idea of a happy home, and a job would come in between that. It’s cute you work, but you shouldn’t have to,” he preached like he provided a sermon for the saints on Sunday morning. The problem was that no one in their right mind was saying amen and doing the holy dance.
“You have no idea of the life I dream about. But I can tell you it’s not to raise your snotty-nose kids alone when you die in five years from the excessive use of Viagra. I damn sure won’t give up my dreams for simple shit that I’ve had all my life. You see, that’s why I guess I can’t keep a man. I don’t conform, and I damn sure can’t respect a man who doesn’t see a woman for more than a trophy. We different, love,” I smirked and tossed my napkin down. It was best that we sit silently for the rest of the evening
“Well, I guess this date is over. But take some time to think about my offer.”
“I agree. And I said what I had to say, no consideration needed. I’ll die a lonely bitch before I agree to be a fly fucking slave,” I acknowledged, standing to leave. Tossing forty dollars on the table. I sauntered to my car with his ideas on my brain. This was a waste of a dress and a full beat. I should’ve known better. Missy wasn’t bad at finding men, but that damn Lewis must have been high when he decided to set me up with Chase.
I was floored with his offer and his claims of being so wise but sounding like a complete idiot. We went wrong somewhere because somehow relationships had managed to become a business partnership. It was all about what you could do and what you should expect in return. He didn’t want children out of love. I had a serious issue with obligated situations. Bearing children was supposed to be superior not some agreement. Now I understood if you couldn’t conceive. But to marry a man to bear his children and then spend his money was revolting.He had just ruined my plans for dinner at one of my favorite places.
I had dreams of children and having a life fit for a queen.
However, I wanted the shit in between also. Chase was nuts and I couldn’t wait to tell Missy he was only interested in getting a young girl to have his babies while she did nothing for herself. The nerve. Screw his misogynistic ass. That shit was unattractive, and he couldn’t afford anything to add to his already ugly traits. I would never give up my dreams or plans just to say I had someone to come home to at night. It sounded like I’d be single until I retired. I called Missy as soon as I got the car and her voicemail picked up.
“Bitch you tried it and you gotta catch my fade for this one. Chase is fucking nuts, and I’m not that damn desperate. Remember that and make sure you tell Lewis punk ass also. I can’t believe y’all right now,” I yelled with a little laughter. She would get this message in the morning, and believe me, she would get an earful when she called back.
Houston
A WEEK LATER
School was out for spring break and there was no better time to take Teaghan up on her offer than now. Malone hadn’t gotten into any trouble before the break. However, I was still forced to worry if this break would bring it out of him. I feared getting comfortable and Malone acting out again. There was a little doubt due to him still talking about this deal of me getting a girlfriend. I was ready to make the phone call to Teaghan but couldn’t locate the card. No matter how hard I was searching it seemed to have vanished.
“Dad, you are going crazy?”
At home, he was the golden child, the perfect kid. Always willing to help out, respectful and typically entertained with researching facts about anything that popped into his head. It confused me that he wasn’t that chill at school. That’s why I was going crazy needing to locate her card and make him an appointment.
“Have you seen that card?” I asked Malone as his legs swung from the tall chair that sat at the island. It was Monday and it was our day to be lazy and chill. It was an important day for us. After school, we hung out and kicked it like men. But today my mind was racing struggling to figure out what the hell I did with her contact information.
“You told me not to play with your credit cards anymore. I promise I didn’t have it.”
“Nah bud, the nice lady at your school gave me a card and I need to find it,” I answered looking in the cramped laundry room. I felt stupid for not putting it in a safe place. Right now I had the balls to make the call and I couldn’t be sure if it would stay long.
“Haven’t seen it.”
