Page 23 of Mahogany 1

“Hell yeah,” I nonchalantly replied, pulling away to sit back down.

“I sholl hope you brought enough for everybody,” she continued, grabbing one of the bags, standing a little too close for comfort.

“Here this bitch go! Didn’t I just cook chicken!?” Char complained. “I swear!”

“It ain’t Popeyes though,” Bubba said, gripping a chicken leg.

“How we gon’ play with greasy ass fingers? Niggas do any and everything to get a win don’t they bro?” Leland said to Tank with a laugh. “Don’t touch shit until the game over. Muhfuckas trying to give niggas the ’itis and shit too, low key.”

We laughed, Tank turned the Meek track up and sat down.

“Pass the bottle, bitch,” I said to Lee with a laugh.

“Here. You need a cup? I got you,” Talia said before scurrying her thirsty ass to the kitchen for me a cup.

Me and my niggas made eye contact and laughed.

“Not too much on my sister, na,” Char said with a smirk before reaching into the box herself for a thigh.

I sucked my teeth. “Ain’t nobody said nothin’ about Tali.”

“Mmhmm,” She doubted with the corners of her mouth turned up. “Y’all ain’t gotta say nothing.”

My phone rang just as Tali came back with the cup.

“Who the fuck…” I mumbled under my breath after finishing the phone from my pocket.

The call was from Henry Ford Hospital.

“Good lookin’, Tali,” I thanked before standing up. Chucking my chin at my niggas, I said, “Hold up real quick.”

On my way out of the living room, I heard Charmmhmmagain before telling Tali she needed to stop being so nice to niggas. They assumed it was NeNe. I didn’t know who the hell it was. Off top I thought it was about my momma. She had high blood pressure and stayed in the hospital because of it. Could’ve been about Deante’s wild ass. Shit could have been about my kids, I didn’t know.

I couldn’t answer fast enough.

As soon as I got outside on the porch, I picked up.

“Yeah, hello?”

“May I speak with Ducati Morris, please?” asked the woman on the other end of the phone.

“This Ducati.”

“Hi. I’m nurse Elaine at Henry Ford St. John. I’m calling because you were listed as an emergency contact for your partner, Erika Little and your daughter Diary. They were brought in a short while ago after a car accident. They are in critical condition. We’d like for you to come down if you’re able to.”

“I’m sorry?” I asked, with a frown. “My what?”

“Partner. Erika Little. And your daughter… Diary,” she repeated, sounding about as puzzled as I was.

“I don’t—” sighing, I dragged my hand over the top of my head. “What hospital they at again?”

Twenty minutes later,I was pulling into the parking lot at Henry Ford Hospital, tripping. Erika Little and your daughter Diary. Your daughter. Your. Mine? Her daughter. Your daughter. Her. Your. They sounded a little alike, didn’t they? I could’ve easily gotten the words mixed up. Figured I must’ve misheard shorty. I knew Erika. Knew her very well. Didn’t know a damn thing about a Diary.

The last time I saw E was two years ago when I was cutting her off. Had to. Mahogany didn’t get mad enough when she caught me texting her. And that shit rattled me. Shook me to my core, damn near as much as hearing ‘your’ daughter did. I had to cut her ass off. I fucked with her heavy. A little too heavy. What was supposed to be a fling ended up being something a lot more than that. Did I love her? I wasn’t sure. Damn near. She did shit differently. Knew I had a wife and kids and showed me a lot of love regardless.

Thought I lied about being married? Snuck around, taking my wedding band off? Fuck no. My marriage was no secret. Notto any of them. When I said I was a real nigga, I meant in every sense. Might’ve lied every now and then but any time I was caught up or was put in a position where I had to be real, I was that.

I gave them a choice. All of them. And they stayed. Kept fucking with me, regardless. Thought it was a competition. Tried to out wife my wife. Wanted to win. That was the way I saw it with E. She did the most and stuck around the longest. Couldn’t lie and say I didn’t like it. I liked it a lot. She was devastated when I had to end shit. Hell, I was too. For a reason completely different than her. The thought of losing my wife devastated me. Mahogany was my rib. The gravity of what I’d done hit me like a ton of bricks. However, letting go of Erika wasn’t easy. I couldn’t lie and say I didn’t fuck up and get emotionally invested. The only reason that happened was because she gave me something I wasn’t getting at home. Emotional support. Tender love and care. Looking back at it, of course NeNe didn’t give me those things. She couldn’t.

---