Back in the Vee Days: Part Two (Unedited)

“It’s not what you think, LaTreece. Let me in.” Tyler was at my door for the third day in a row. And I let his ass stay out there each time. Nothing he could say mattered. He was just like the rest of these niggas. Actually he was worse. A wolf in sheep’s clothing.
“I don’t need you to tell me shit. I told you to stop coming here. We’re done.” I hit the door.
“Baby, please. It’s cold out here.”
“Call your wife. I’m sure she’d give a fuck. Go away! Your wife, you asshole. You have a fucking wife!”
“Let me explain. Open the door. You will feel foolish when you hear the truth. But I will not hold it against you. I know it looks bad.”
I swung the door open. “Have you lost your mind? I’m gonna feel foolish about yo’ ass having a wife. I gotta hear this?”
He tried to walk past me. “Where the hell are you going?”
“Inside so we can talk.”
“I did not say you could step yo’ triflin’ ass inside. Stay right there and start talking.”
“Damn, can you get a blanket or something?”
I walked to the couch and grabbed the throw cover. When I opened the door again, Tyler reached out for it, but I wrapped around myself. “Good idea, now I feel better. Start talking.”
The frustration on his face was so worth it. He wouldn’t get shit from me until he told the truth. “Treece, I cannot talk to you while I’m freezing my balls off.”
“I’m pretty positive Milwaukee was much colder but you managed, didn’t you? Then again, you did have your wife’s help.”
“Okay, look, I am married but we are not together.”
“Until last weekend, right? Spare me the bullshit, Ty.”
“I told you that I was getting a divorce when we first met.”
“Boy, I will kick you in your frozen nuts if you don’t stop lying. You said nothing like that.”
“But I did. I said I was legally tied to a woman and had to go to court to separate some things.”
I kicked my leg forward and he blocked his privates. “How the fuck is that saying you were married? You told me that there were businesses in both your and your ex’s names that had to be settled. I remember that shit.”
“That’s true. We did have to take care of business stuff.”
“And all these months later, she’s still your wife? You still see her? And you slept with her this weekend? You’re doing a great job making me feel foolish.” I could’ve slapped him.
“Treece, I know it looks bad, but I did not sleep with her.”
I put my hand on the door to let him know it was about to be slammed. “Wait! Okay, yes! I slept in the same bed with her, but we did not have sex.”
“I need a mirror.”
“What? Why?”
“Because something must be on my face for you to think I look stupid. Stupid enough to believe that shit.”
“It’s true. We had a bad breakup and she asked me to stay with her for the night.”
“Still not helping yourself, Tyler and now my ass is getting too cold to care for you to finish this poorly thought out lie.”
“It’s not a lie. I would never to lie to you.”
My eyes snapped his way. “Okay, I mean now. I am not lying to you now. I get that you think I lied before but I couldn’t say I had a wife and still have been with you. I knew you wouldn’t have given me a chance.”
“Yeah, having a wife will have that type of impact on a cheating husband.”
“She moved on as well. Look, during our marriage, she had like three miscarriages and then turned on me. After a while we chose to call it quits. The only reason I was there that night was because it was the anniversary of our second miscarriage. She needed me.”
I wanted to say some mean shit, but if there was any truth to what he said, it wouldn’t be right. “So, you didn’t sleep with her?”
“No, I promise.”
“Then why did you tell her I was nobody on the phone? It sounds to me that you were hiding the fact that you are with me.”
“I only said that because it was a hard night for her. And her guy dumped her last month. I didn’t want to pile on that I was in love with someone else.”
“What’s taking you so long to get divorced?”
“Because we never filed it when we separated. We were going to give it a year before making that decision. But after a couple of months, she started dating some guy. That’s when I found you.”
“This doesn’t make sense, Ty. How am I supposed to trust you? You are married. I am not that type of woman.”
“It’s not like you haven’t been. We’ve been together all this time. Don’t let this get in the way.”
“Nigga, don’t push it. I didn’t know the whole truth then. And I’m not sure I’m comfortable with it.”
“Baby, I can call her right now and she will tell you the same thing I just did. We are not together. You want me to call her? I will if that’s going to help you get past this minor hiccup.”
“This is not a hiccup. This is too much.”
“You can get over this. I know you can because it’s not a big deal. You have to believe me. I didn’t have any other choice. I wasn’t going to let a situation that didn’t matter interfere with me striking up a conversation with the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen. If I had told you from day one, we would not be here now.”
“You’re right because I would have known the truth from the start.”
“And you would’ve run the other direction. I know you would’ve.”
“So! That isn’t an excuse.”
“I know it’s not to you, but it allowed me to get closer to you. It allowed me to fall in love with you. And you with me. You still love me right?”
His popcicle fingers touched my hand. “I don’t know, Tyler.”
He nodded. “I guess I deserve that.”
“You deserve to get yo’ ass beat. I better make sure I call off the hit I put out on you.”
He laughed. I smiled. “You still ain’t coming in here. I need more time to process this. I still don’t know if I want to deal with a married man. Even if it’s only on paper as you say. You spending the night with your wife doesn’t sit well with me.”
“I understand. Just tell me what I need to do to help you get to a place where you can trust me again.”
“Yeah, I’ll try.”
“I should get going before I get frostbite. Can I get a hug?”
I rolled my eyes, but I let him hug me. When he went in for a kiss, I stopped him. “Don’t even.”
“Can’t blame me for trying. I’ll call you later.”
“You owe me a new phone. Your wife’s voice on the line caused me to break my old one.”
“Already done. Anything you need. I love you, LaTreece.”
“Mm-hm. Goodnight, Tyler.”
“Goodnight.” He winked and jogged away.

Tyler invited me to dinner but I told him I had plans. I didn’t, but he’d have to wait more than a couple of days to get back in. If what he said was true, maybe I’d forgive him.
“You must be having a bad day to come see your old grandma on a Friday night. Isn’t this the time when young folk turn on?”
We laughed, but mine outdid hers. “It’s turn up, Grandma. Turn up not on.”
“Oh, well you know what I mean. Every generation has some stupid way to sound cool when good old fashioned English would suffice.”
“I can’t argue with that.”
“So, what brings you by?”
“Why can’t I visit my favorite person on the planet?”
“Yeah, sure, Miss Thing.” We sat at her kitchen table while she sipped on the Bailey’s I brought with me. My grandmother may be up in age, but she was young at heart. And she enjoyed a little sip at the end of most days. She barely got out of the house unless for doctor’s appointments and her occasional church visits. She didn’t have her own car, so if she couldn’t get a ride, she didn’t go.
“Benita came over yesterday.”
“Oh, yeah. How is she?”
“She’s doing real good. That good-for-nothing son of hers finally got himself together. He owns some type of business on the internet.”
“Who? Gavin?”
“Who else? He was over here the other day to set up a new computer he bought me. We talked for a good while. He’s doing mighty fine for himself. Even says he’s looking to settle down.”
“Good for him. It’s about time he got out of the streets.”
“God knows that’s the truth. His poor momma lost both his brothers to that street life. I hate it. It claimed her husband’s life. Your momma’s life. It’s just horrible. But he left all that stuff alone. Yep, sure did.”
My mother had been on and off of drugs since I was about nine and my grandmother took me in. Well, more like took over. We were already living with her. Momma would work all day, every day and when payday came, she’d be gone the whole weekend with no money left upon return. So, my grandmother had been taking care of me the whole time. Last year, she was doing good. She had her own place near my grandmother’s house and everything. But she got caught up with some of her old friends and we hadn’t seen much of her in the past few months. All I could do was pray for her to get it together before it was too late.
Grandma retired two years ago. She wanted to work just long enough to get a livable social security check and nothing more. She had enough for her simple life, but I still bought her things when I saw the need.
Benita and Gavin were Grandma’s neighbors since forever. That’s how we became friends. We went to all the same schools. Well, except for college. He chose to break his mother’s heart for the quick but dangerous cash destroying people’s lives by selling drugs. He never got in too deep that he belonged to a gang or anything. He sold some stuff for his uncle on his dad’s side. I never understood how a person could have a hand in his own brother’s drug addiction and then teach his nephew the same trifling business.
I was so disappointed in Gavin, yet somehow we hooked up and became a thing. Grandma loved him like family and gave him a hard time about the path he was following. He’d make promises that it wasn’t forever and that he’d make me an honest woman one day. That day came and went when he couldn’t control his need to fuck every hoe that switched her ass his way.
We had chemistry. That was undeniable, but we were not made for each other. I wanted a decent career and have a family that didn’t have to worry about enemies’ threats. I wanted peace and a faithful man. So, I broke things off. It didn’t work the first few times, but eventually, I cut all ties.
Over the years, I’d see him around my grandmother’s neighborhood but that was it. Then he fell off the grid and wasn’t around much anymore. Well, until he popped up at my place. I found out that my grandmother told him where I lived and she told him about Tyler. She wasn’t really a fan of Tyler because she felt like he thought too much of himself. I didn’t see that in him. I thought she was being moody because she wanted me to save Gavin from his old life. I refused and I moved on. I was glad to hear that he did the same.
“You need to give him a call. He might surprise you. Maybe then I can get some great-grandbabies while I’m still young.”
“Sorry, but that is not happening. Gavin and I will never work out. He’s too …”
“Fine!”
“Ugh, Grandma!”
“Girl, I might be old, but I ain’t blind. He’s a handsome young man. A little rough around the edges, but he looks good. All he has to do is stop wearing those clothes that hang off his ass and he’d be perfect.”
“Perfect for someone, maybe. But not for me. He’s not the faithful type. And you know how much I hate that.”
“Whose faithful these days?”
“Shoot, any man that is with me better be.”
“So, I’m guessing that stuck up boy of yours has no skeletons in his closet. He looks like the type that would—”
“Can we get off the subject? I came here to see you. What you been up to?”
She squinted at me for a while. I felt like she was reading my mind. I went to the fridge to pour me another glass and asked if she wanted more. When I topped off her small glass, she touched my hand. “What is it, baby? What has that man done?”
“What? Who?”
“Uh-huh. You know who. Treecie, sit down and talk to your old grandma. What’s going on?”
Shit. Was she psychic? I knew damn well I held my shit together. How could she know anything?
“I’m good grandma. We’re, um, I wanted to see you. That’s all. Really.”
“Girl, if you don’t stop that lying. I know you all too well. I’m the one who used to clean yo’ little ass when you were a baby. I have always been there. You gone sit here and lie to me.”
“It’s not that I’m lying. I just don’t want to talk about Tyler right now. We—”
Someone knocked on the door. “You expecting a visitor?”
“No, but it might be Benita. She comes over sometimes without calling first.”
Damn. I didn’t want to see her right now. She’d be on my about her son more than Grandma. I walked to the door and opened it. I was convinced that Benita was the only person out there. But I was wrong.
“Treece? What you doing here?”
“This is my grandmother’s house, Gavin. Why are you here?”
Grandma came to the door. “Hey, boy. Come on in.” He walked past me, swiping his fingers across my waist.
“Don’t you—”
“Hi, Grandma Lena. I’m sorry I’m late. I needed to go to the store to pick up some things first.”
“Oh, that’s okay, baby. It’s good that you came when you did. When was the last time you seen Treecie?”
“It’s been too long. How you been, LaTreece?” he asked, looking at me with a smirk I could slap off. He tried to hug me. I stepped away.
“Girl, don’t be rude. Let the boy give you a hug. Y’all ain’t seen each other in forever. Be nice.”
“Nah, it’s okay. She’s too good for me. She let me know that already.” Now he was trying to start shit. He knew how my grandmother was about black people acting like they were better than others. That was not my deal and he knew it.
“Ah, it’s that damn uppity boy she’s with. I knew his nasty attitude would rub off on you.”
“That is not true. He is not like that. And neither am I. Gavin is trying to be messy.”
“Not, my baby.” She pat him on the back as he pouted.
“What is happening? When did you two become best buddies?”
“Gavin checks on me as much as you do. How do you think I get around? You sure don’t take me to the grocery store anymore.”
“Because I showed you how to order groceries for delivery. I couldn’t stop everything all the time. I have to work.”
“Oh, please you don’t work that damn much. It’s that boy of yours. He wants to keep you all to himself. Trying to take you away from me. He thinks he’s so smart and he’s so much better than the people who raised you. Those college boys are something else. Once they get a degree and a good job, they look down on us poor folks.”
“First of all, I thought you of all people would be happy I’m dating someone with a legitimate career and good background.” I shot my eyes at Gavin and he turned around like he finally decided to mind his business. He sat at her desk doing something to her computer.
“Yeah, well, I thought you’d find one that was a little more down to earth.”
“But he is. Where are you getting your information from? He never acted that way with you.”
“I could see right through him. Plus, our grocery trips were our thing. Then we’d go out to eat because we got too tired from walking around the store. I enjoyed that.”
“But you always complained about it. I thought you hated it.”
“Oh, you know I was just giving you a hard time. And you should’ve also known that I need to pick my own meat and produce. Them people don’t be inspecting the food like I would. They give me any old thing.”
“Well, it always worked for Tyler. We thought it would be a good way to save you some time.”
“Save time for what? I ain’t got nothing else to do. But you let that boy talk you into it like he knows me better than you do.”
Gavin stood from the desk. “That should do it. Your printer and internet should be good now.”
“Thank you, baby. At least somebody is looking out for this old hag.”
“Grandma? Really?”
“Don’t be too mad at her Grandma Lena. He probably convinced her it was a great idea. Her new dude is good with words. I’m sure Treece thinks he’s marriage material. Ain’t that right?”
I scowled at him. But the way he smiled told me he knew something. I didn’t know how, but I’d find out.
“Oh, no. You better not marry him.”
“Why not? Why are you so hard on Tyler?”
“I may be old, but I know men like your Tyler.”
“What does that mean?”
“He’s a scam artist. Makes you think you mean more to him than you actually do, then he will break you down.”
“Where is all of this coming from?”
“Experience. Your granddaddy was the same way which is why you never met him. Unfortunately, when he broke me down, I had already gotten pregnant. After him, I never trusted another man. I tried to have relationships but they all paid for what he did and in the end, I was the lonely fool.”
“Okay, that’s a bit much. You don’t even know him. I’m sorry for what happened to you but—”
“If there was a man like Gavin around, then I would’ve has a chance.”
I looked at Gavin, who seemed to be shocked, but it could be a front. “Did you put her up to this?”
“Nah, maybe she knows something you’re blind to. Always heed the wise.” He winked at me.
“You know what, I need to get home. I have things to take care of.”
“Look, she’s leaving because I upset her,” Grandma told Gavin. He was enjoying this a little too much.
“Love you.” I hugged her.
Gavin leaned close to me. “I love you, too.”
Grandma’s smile was bothersome. “You better mean that. Don’t ever say nothing you don’t mean. Especially with love. You hear me?”
“Yes, ma’am.” He looked up at me. “I do love her. She just doesn’t want me because things I did back in the day.”
“Girl, if you—”
“Nope, not doing it. Not doing it.” I walked out the door.

Valentine’s Day was a week behind me, and I felt just as confused on that night as ever. Tyler was around, but I still didn’t believe his story. Gavin took over my thoughts. His relationship with my grandmother was the shock of the year. She never mentioned him before yesterday, yet he’d been taking her to get groceries and whatnot. Where the hell have I been? Was I really that wrapped up in Tyler?
Gavin said he changed and I didn’t believe him. Apparently, there was truth to it. Tyler said he’s married but separated. I didn’t believe him either.
Tyler asked if he could come over tonight. I told him I’d be at my grandmother’s house this weekend. I needed time. My dumb ass trusted him from the jump which isn’t so bad, but to just blindly trust him now wasn’t going to happen. I loved him. I loved who I thought he was. But Grandma’s view of him was hard to ignore. I always knew she didn’t care for him too much the few times they met, but she’d never gone so deep as to why she didn’t.
A few knocks hit my door while I was in the kitchen. My Jimmy John’s lunch had arrived. They weren’t lying. Those damn people were fast as hell. I placed the order a few minutes ago. I opened the door ready to devour my ham and cheese sandwich with avocado spread. Instead, I was greeted with a huge smile that I wanted nothing to do with.
“Gavin, I am not in the mood for any of your shit. It’s not a good time.” I felt my voice tremor.
His smile left. “What’s wrong, Tee?”
“Nothing! Just go.” Fuck! Tears fell before I could get out of his sight.
Gavin gently pushed his way inside. He looked around to see if we were alone. “What that nigga do, Treece? Did he hurt you?” he asked gripping my shoulders. That did nothing but make more tears drop.
“Nothing. I’m not trying to cry. Nothing is wrong.”
“Bullshit!” He pulled me into arms. “Tell me what happened. Talk to me.”
“Gavin, this has nothing to do with you.”
“If you don’t tell me then I’ll find that nigga myself and make him talk.” That was the last thing I needed. Gavin’s threats were not for show. He’d do exactly what he said.
So, I did the only thing I could and told him everything. He was pissed which I didn’t understand. I felt his breathing change while he held me on the couch.
Another knock on the door. Finally, the food came, but now I wasn’t as hungry. “It’s a sandwich I ordered.” I pulled away from him to get up.
“I got it.” He opened the door and immediately tensed up. It was all over his face.
“Who are you?” I heard Tyler say.
I jumped up and stood in front of Gavin. He looked like he wanted to knock Tyler’s head off. “It’s not what you think.”
“Why you care what he thinks?” Gavin caught an attitude with me.
Before anyone could say anything, a young white guy came to the door. “Hello. Any of you order a sandwich from Jimmy John’s?”
Really dude?

Find out how it ends! Back in the Vee Days Part 3