Jackie D. - Life After A Balla

“I told you don’t rush me,” Felicia countered.

Dre shook his head. “Don’t forget I gotta go back to court in the mornin’ for that bogus ass rape charge. My lawyer said it looks good for me and that the case will probably be thrown out for lack of evidence.”

“Yeah, you have one of the best lawyers in Georgia,” Felicia reminded him.

“By the way, I never thanked you for hookin’ me up with this lawyer.”

“You’re welcome. But once this is all over I think we need to go our separate ways,” Felicia said, getting up. She grabbed her Chanel messenger bag and placed it over her body. “Since we already crossed the line once it’s only right. I’ll let you keep your key until then.”

“If that’s what you want. In the meantime, just get movin’ wit’ Kareem’s ass!”

When Felicia got outside, she headed towards the parking lot but stopped to glance at her husband’s car. Happy memories of the day she purchased the BMW 760 LI for his birthday years ago instantly floated through her mind. Felicia began to tear up as she stood in a daze picturing them riding in his car while listening to his favorite Jay-Z CD. Justice was more than likely gone and she needed to try and move on with her life, but it was gonna be hard. The tears started flowing as she headed to her truck. Once inside Felicia completely lost it. She missed Justice so much. She layed her head on the steering wheel and wailed like a baby.

“That bitch Skye, took my husband away from me and she’s gonna pay. My plan to use Kareem to get him to talk is working and I’m even enjoying my young boy toy while plotting my revenge,” she said, pulling herself together.

Skye headed upstairs to put all the bags of clothes she’d just purchased in her room with a huge smile on her face. Being back in the Louis Vuitton and Neiman Marcus stores in Bal Harbour gave her a feeling she couldn’t explain. The fact that she didn’t have to look at prices or worry about getting beat up by Sandino because she’d spend too much made the experience even more enjoyable. She even made a special trip to Dulce, a shoe boutique owned by Basketball Wives star, Evelyn Lozada and purchased five pairs of top designer shoes.

Once inside her room, Skye glanced at all the different shoe boxes and displayed a huge grin. She’d always been a shoe hoe, and the sight of each designer’s name only reconfirmed her obsession. She immediately sat down on her bed and pulled a pair out of the box and tried them on. After buckling the tiny strap on the Francesco Sacco sandals, she stood in the mirror admiring how good they looked on her freshly pedicured feet.

“Now these are hot,” she said to herself.

When Skye looked over at the two pairs of Alexander McQueen shoes she’d also purchased, her smile became even larger. She held the black leather, six inch pump in the air, realizing it was love at first sight.

“I can’t wait to wear these, too.”

After spending several minutes in shoe heaven, she reached in her purse and pulled out the stack of bills she’d withdrawn from one of Sandino’s accounts and stashed them in her new safe that was hidden in the closet. Even though she really enjoyed all the splurging on herself, Skye’s main goal was to stash away as much money as she could for the next rainy day. She refused to be broke again and was preparing for the future which didn’t include living in that house under those circumstances forever.

“Tomorrow, I will hit the stores again bright and early. Shit…I have to do something to take my mind off being back in the house with that devil,” Skye said as she closed her safe and covered it up with some clothes.

Skye had basically avoided Sandino for the past few days and got pissed off every time Quinn would come and ask her to assist him. She also noticed that Jordan had been avoiding his father as well.

She had a flash back remembering when Jordan busted in the door from school on Sandino’s first day home from the rehab center. He was so excited about his first day of football practice but his mood quickly changed once he saw his father. Sandino however, was glad to see Jordan and glad to hear that he was following in his footsteps playing football. When he saw Jordan’s reaction to seeing him and the way he ran out of the room, Sandino lowered his head with a sad look on his face.

Skye knew his appearance was overwhelming for him, not to mention she knew both her sons had a lot of mixed emotions still bottled up inside when it came to their father. The only thing Skye regretted the most about leaving Sandino was the impact it had on them. She headed to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. She stood poking around inside and pulled out a turkey and cheese sandwich she’d made earlier and a Pepsi. She popped the top instantly turning it up.

“Aahhhhh, now that’s what I needed,” Skye said, plopping down at the huge maple leaf granite bar in the kitchen.

While sitting there, it reminded her of Ms. Petra and how she would come in the kitchen and sit at that very bar and talk with her almost every day while she cooked delicious Jamaican meals. Skye took a deep breath thinking about how much she missed Ms. Petra, and wondered how she was doing since Skye hadn’t been able to locate her. She’d called the number Ms. Petra had given her only to find out the number had been disconnected.

“Ms. Petra, I really wish you were here to help me deal with this bullshit right now,” Skye said, as a tear rolled down her left cheek. She quickly grabbed a napkin off the counter and wiped her face.

Weakness is no longer tolerated. I need to pull myself together. I’m the one in charge here , she thought.

Suddenly her thoughts were broken when Quinn walked into the kitchen. Her eyebrows lifted when she noticed he wasn’t wearing his normal uniform. Instead he had on just a wife beater that exposed his ripped muscles and a pair of basketball shorts. Skye almost lost it when she saw the print in front of the shorts.

What the fuck? This dude is hung like a damn horse , she thought to herself.

“Thank you so much for watching Payton while I was gone. Since Jordan is out and I haven’t had time to interview for a nanny, I really appreciate that. I do realize that’s not a part of your job description.”

“No problem. She actually went to sleep once I fed her, and has been asleep ever since, so I didn’t mind,” Quinn responded. “She’s a good baby.”

“Yeah, I lucked up with her.”

“I know you’re not drinking that garbage, Skye,” Quinn said, frowning up his face up at the Pepsi sitting on the counter.

“Yes, I am drinking it. You so called healthy people kill me, always talking about this isn’t good for you, that isn’t good for you. Shit, we’re all gonna die anyway so why not go out enjoying something you like,” Skye joked.

Quinn shook his head at Skye’s comment. “I see right now I’m gonna have to get some healthy food up in here and get you on a good diet. Plus, how are you gonna keep that body tight if you keep putting junk in it?”

Skye blushed. “I guess you’re right. I do need to start eating healthy, but at least I’ve started working out again. Shoot, you should’ve seen me a few months ago. I gained so much weight. But in all the right places though.”

Quinn looked her up and down with a devilish grin. “I’m sure you did.”

The two were quiet for a minute.

“Skye, I have to run out for a little while and I need you to go and sit with Sandino. He’s already dressed and in his wheelchair. You can push him around outside for awhile if you want.”

“Oh nooooo, I got something to do,” Skye lied.

Quinn wondered why she was always purposely avoiding her husband. In fact he noticed that her son was doing the same thing