Page 65 of Loving a Libra
“His ass was loud and wrong as fuck, but now he wanna be quiet. I can’t stand niggas.”
After Maurice lost several employees, he found a way to regroup and stay afloat, or so it seemed. However, two months ago, Tariq and I happened to drive past the building where ERL was located, and it looked abandoned. We found out later, it had been closed a few weeks prior due to code violations.
“Once we sawERLwas closed, we should’ve expected him to do something stupid. I wouldn’t have expected he’d go as far as requesting a DNA test, but nothing about him surprises me anymore,” I said.
“You think it wasERLclosing, or because that other baby ended up not being his?”
“Oh yeah. I forgot about that little situation. I guess it could’ve been a little of both. Hopefully, after this, he’ll take his karma like a man and go hide in a corner somewhere.”
While Maurice was on the internet trying to tarnish my name, he should’ve been focused on the woman he thought was carrying his child. Apparently, he requested a DNA test and found out he wasn’t the child’s father.
“If this doesn’t cause him to hibernate and leave y’all the fuck alone, I know somebody who’ll take his ass out for a couple hundred dollars.”
We burst out laughing, causing my son, who we affectionately called Bubba, to start crying. He’d been napping in a portable bassinet in the middle of the living room floor.
“Y’all done woke my son up with all that cackling,” Tariq said as he entered our home.
He’d put his condo on the market and officially moved in when we arrived back from our honeymoon. It sold within the month, and he made a significant profit.
He declined the offer from the owners ofDevyn’s Soul Foodto be more involved in the business . . . for now. He wanted to focus on the family hardware store. Although his parents did a great job with the business, Tariq wanted to create a website, update the inventory system, and make some cosmetic changes on the inside and outside.
“It was time for him to wake anyway. He sleeps all day and wanna keep me up all night.”
I took him from the bassinet and kissed all over his chubby cheeks before heading toward Tariq to greet him properly. After we kissed, he placed a kiss on Bubba’s forehead.
“Yeah, wake your lil cock-blocking ass up since you be acting a fool every time I touch your mama,” he told our son.
“Aww hell! Tariq, are you jealous of your son?” Ginae asked with a grin.
“Nah, I’m not jealous. I love my lil man, but he needs to let me fuck his mama in peace.”
He disappeared into our bedroom while Ginae and I went to the nursery so I could change Bubba’s diaper.
“Motherhood looks so good on you, friend,” she said as she watched me.
“Thank you. I really love it. I don’t know how I’m gonna go back to work when it’s time.”
“I don’t know why you’re stressing. Quit that damn job and stay home with your son. You don’t pay for shit, anyway.”
I laughed, but it was the truth. Just like when I lived with Maurice, all the money I earned from working went straight into my bank account and remained virtually untouched.
“I know, but I don’t know if I’m comfortable depending on a man.”
“He’s not your man. He’s your husband. There is a difference.”
“I know, but?—”
“It’s not like you don’t have your own money stacked up if something happens, and I highly doubt anything will happen. You and Tariq are a match made in heaven.”
Ginae stayed for a while longer before heading home. I thought about our conversation and decided to talk to Tariq tonight, to get his thoughts about me not returning to work. I must have dozed off while feeding Bubba because when I opened my eyes again, Tariq was removing him from my arms, causing my breast to pop out of his mouth.
“Do you need to take a nap?” he asked as he put Bubba in his crib.
“No, I’m good. Can I talk to you about something?”
“If it’s about quitting your job, there’s nothing to talk about. You can email your resignation tonight.”
“Were you eavesdropping?”
