Who Wants That Perfect Love Story Anyway Read online

  She had a small waistline and a flat stomach. She was built like one of those cornbread fed southern women. Even though I was sixteen when I first started lusting after Cam, I felt much older. I grew up too fast. I started hustling around that time. When I was twelve, my dad died of colon cancer and I became the man of the house. The little life insurance money he left behind didn’t last long. My mom had three mouths to feed. I hated seeing her struggling, so I did what I had to do. I was showered with a mother’s love, but the streets raised me.

  I could’ve been out of the drug game when I was 20. That was when I reached my first mil. Not too many young niggas could even say that nowadays. Ashaun, my sister’s husband and I had Maryland on lock. Even some places in D.C, Virginia, and Eastern Maryland. I was not quitting no time soon. I grinded too hard to get this far to quit. I owned four strip clubs, three barbershops, two car dealerships, and three apartment complexes. A young black nigga couldn’t drive million dollar cars and shit without the feds watching, so I did the smart thing and invested it into a lot of shit.

  When I do decided to go legit I would be straight, ya’ feel me? I also dabbled in selling weapons, murder for hire, I did it all. All money was good money. I even got a few dirty cops on the payroll who would do anything for a few thousand. I wasn’t like those Kingpins you saw on television with bodyguards trailing behind my ass and shit. I moved by myself or with my squad, The Fam. It was over two hundred goons that worked for us who were willing to put in work at any time.

  I was twenty-four with no woman and no kids. In this life, you really didn’t have time for it. I was done hustling out in the streets; I didn’t even touch my product. I just lay back and let my niggas handle everything. I did give back to the community, we did basketball tournaments for scholarships, and have boys and girls programs. I even had a program for single moms to help them pay their bills, and childcare so they could work and go to school. I couldn’t stand to see a woman with kids struggling. I watched my mother go through it.

  Cam had me feeling some type of way. I didn’t care about that lame ass nigga she with. I heard how he treated her from my loud mouth ass sister. Cam was a good woman; she’s always had been a good girl. She had a unique, exotic type of a look. Some might say she was Samoan with her slanted eyes, round shaped face; her bronze, caramel complexion and her thick solid shape made her a dime piece.

  Now, I was sitting here wondering how I could take her from her bitch ass baby daddy. I know I should’ve been told Cam how I felt, but I was busy chasing money. Cam was definitely wifey material that was why I had to make sure I was straight before I stepped to her like that. I was determined to get her though and I know I will because everything I want I get.

  The cookout was crowded. My mom did her thing. She loved bringing people together that was why I copped her a mansion with a big ass backyard and two swimming pools. I would give her the world if I could.

  Cam’s mom, Vera had arrived with her daughter. Cam’s face lit up when she saw her daughter. I was even a little jealous because Parker didn’t belong to me. Parker was five-months-old and I didn’t understand why Cam was handling a newborn by herself while her baby daddy was out here running around with a bitch with four kids. I was sure she didn’t know, but everybody else knew Koran was creeping around on her. I even saw him with his other chick at Arundel Mills Mall. They were like one big ass happy family. That shit made my blood boil. She was home catering to an infant with a full-time job and going to school while her man playing daddy to another bitch’s kids.

  I was no bitch nigga though; she wouldn’t hear that from me. She had to find out on her own. I would never throw salt on another man to get his woman. I knew how females were; if I had told her, she wouldn’t have believed me. She would just assume I was telling her so I could get at her and then she would be with him still anyway. That was why it was best for her to find out on her own. I knew Cam felt the same way about me; I could tell by the way she looked at me when she though I wasn’t looking.

  “What’s up, big head?” My sister hugged me.

  “Shit, nothing really. Where yah husband at?”

  “He in the house talking to Tee-Tee and Man-Man,” she responded then looked at me and smirked. “When you going to tell Cam you feeling her?” she asked.

  This chick was nosey as hell. I’m surprised she didn’t know Koran was cheating on her best friend. If she did know, all hell would’ve broken loose by now.

  “When are you going to start minding your own damn business?” I mushed her nosey ass.

  “Well, I hope it’s not too late by the time you grow some balls. You waiting until she’s married and working on baby number two!” She held up two fingers.

  “You right, she would be married and working on another baby, but guess what?”

  She rolled her eyes with her hands on her hips. “What?” She smiled.

  “That nigga’s going to be me!” I laughed.

  “What’s up, my G?” Ashaun slapped hands with me.

  “What’s up, pretty little lady,” I joked. Ashaun was what you called a pretty boy. He had wild long curly hair and gray eyes. His dad was Jamaican and his mom was Puerto Rican. He was a thug at heart though; a lot of motherfuckers slept on him back in the day because of his looks until he started catching bodies. When we first started hustling, he would get robbed and jumped because they thought he was a punk. Let’s just say all them niggas were buried six feet under.

  “Fuck you! Wit yo’, Wesley Snipes looking ass!” he joked back.

  “Don’t make me put that blade on you!” We both laughed, we were always on joke time.

  He kissed Jamie on the cheek and she rolled her eyes.

  “What the fuck is your problem?” he asked her.

  “I’m tired of you and your baby momma! Every time I turn around that bitch blowing up your phone, or stopping by our crib unannounced. I’m sick of it! Do you know this bitch called me from a “Private” number five times since we been here?” she screamed at him. She now held everybody in attendance attention.

  Ashaun was embarrassed, especially since it was a majority of our family there. “Why the fuck you talking about this shit now in front of everybody? We could’ve discussed this at home!” he asked in a hushed tone. Jamie must have felt the embarrassment too because she walked off.

  I kind of felt bad for them. Their relationship had always been rocky since day one. I don’t even know why they even got married. He had a baby by another woman a few years ago. They had been together for almost six years. I stayed out of their business though, as long as he didn’t put his hands on her, he good.

  “Yo, I can’t deal with this shit! I’m going speak to your moms, Cam and them then I’m gone.” He dapped me up.

  Camren

  I heard Jamie scream on her husband. She took that shit to the extreme. No matter where they were she always performed, she was a true drama queen. If she couldn’t deal with the baby mama, she should’ve been left, but instead she married him. But, who am I to judge? I was still with Koran and I know he is cheating on me. I handed my baby to my mom; I needed to check on Jamie. I found her in the kitchen sipping on wine and crying. I hugged her.

  “It’s okay boo, things will get better. You got to hang in there. That’s your husband now. Y’all can’t be arguing like boyfriend and girlfriend. You need to sit down and talk to him privately. That’s who you chose to spend the rest of your life with.”

  She sniffled. “Girl, you don’t understand how much I hate Tyran’s ass. You would’ve thought she’d chill out after that ass whooping I gave her. That hoe makes my life a living hell! She calls my job, my house, and cell phone. She even sends me messages on Facebook. She is really trying to convince me that she is still fucking my man. Since the bitch found out we were married, all hell has broken loose. The bitch is like a bed bug, hard to get rid of. I tell him about the harassment and he doesn’t do shit about it.

  He is more concerned that she will stop him from
seeing A.J. He thinks she’s going to rat him out to the police. The bitch is controlling our lives. Instead of him sitting down and having a talk with this bitch, he ignores it. That bitch shouldn’t be disrespecting his wife. I had enough of the bullshit and even though I love A.J. like he is my own, it’s still a constant reminder that he cheated on me. I have to deal with that and the ignorant ass momma. I’m too fly for this shit!” She took the rest of her wine to the head.

  Jamie wasn’t lying when she said she was fly. She was a black Pocahontas. She had silky, long, jet-black hair that came to the middle of her back, pretty smooth dark skin, and hazel cat-like eyes that she inherited from her mom. She was gorgeous. She was also a thick girl wearing a size twelve. People thought she and I were sisters with our voluptuous shapes and slanted eyes. Only difference was she was smaller, taller, and a little darker than me.

  “Heyyyy, bitchessss!” Liyah sashayed her skinny ass in. She was cool sometimes, but she always tried throwing shade my way. She would openly make comments about my size. One day I was going to whoop her ass. She was Jamie’s friend, so I tolerated her for now. She thought she was God’s gift to men because of her model-thin frame. She was attractive, but her attitude stunk. She reminded me of the singer, Monica. This was a cookout and she had on a yellow pencil skirt, a half white long sleeve turtle neck top that showed her gold studded belly ring and a pair of gold pumps on her feet. Her hair was cut short with soft curls framing her face almost like Halle Berry’s. Where the fuck was she going? I looked at her and shook my head. She tried too damn hard to get attention.

  “What’s the matter boo? Trouble in paradise?” She noticed Jamie’s red eyes.

  “It’s a long story,” Jamie told her.

  She sucked her teeth. “I know what that means, so Cam how is Parker doing? Is she here?”

  “Yeah, my mom has her around back. Jamie and I just came in to shoot the breeze.”

  Royal walked in. “Jamie, you might want to go and see about your man,” he told her.

  “I know brother, I was wrong for lashing out at him. I’m just stressed about his baby’s mama. It’s her not him.”

  Liyah was eyeing Royal like she wanted to fuck him right then and there.

  “Heyyyyy, Royaalllll,” she flirted rubbing up and down his muscular arm. All of a sudden, I was jealous. I wanted to knock her skinny ass right off her bar stool.

  “Oh, what’s up shorty? I didn’t even see you sitting right here,” he said sarcastically.

  “I’m sure you haven’t with Cam sitting right next me.”

  See, this bitch was always throwing curve balls at me. Sometimes I think this bitch had a personal problem with me. Every time we were around each other she always be on her hating shit. Jamie was even shocked by the expression on her face. That was just random because usually she would say smart things when we got into an argument, but not today, this bitch was coming for me.

  “Bitch! What the fuck you trying to say?” I hopped off my barstool. I knew what she was trying to say, but I had to make sure.

  “I’m just saying he couldn’t see me sitting next you being as though you are like six times bigger than me. You are blocking his fucking view!”

  I closed my eyes and counted to ten. It took everything in me not to fuck her up in Pam’s kitchen. I knew for a fact Liyah couldn’t see me physically. That’s why I let her talk her shit.

  “You little raggedy Anne looking bitch! You keep running off with yah mouth and I’m going to tap that ass! I might be bigger than you, but I look better than your average looking ass! Coming here with that knockoff Gucci bag, bitch you can’t see me! Girrlll, I am telling you to chill out because I’m not in the mood today!”

  “Only ass you need be tapping is my cousin, Tashondra’s for fucking yah man! That nigga be over there playing daddy to her kids while you have to get your mom to watch your daughter! Go on Facebook, they have a whole bunch of pics on there she posted today. Oh, and as we speak, he packing his shit up. He told her he was leaving yah ass today!” She smirked. God as my witness, I was going to kill this bitch!

  I wasn’t surprised when she mentioned Tashondra. I saw them flirting at a block party a year ago. I asked him about her and he said they were just cool, but I was surprised at all this other bullshit. I couldn’t even get him to watch his own damn daughter so I could study for school. His bitch ass had never even changed a diaper. Liyah was a miserable, messy bitch and couldn’t keep a man if her life depended on it. She didn’t think I knew the real reason why she be coming around dressing trashy. She was trying to get Royal’s attention and his ass never paid her no mind. He was grilling her now like he wanted to smack her for me.

  “So, Royal what time you picking me up tomorrow night?” I asked him caressing his face.

  “8pm and wear something sexy for daddy!” He licked his lips and boldly leaned back while looking at my ass.

  I’m not going to lie I was blushing like a schoolgirl and I was only trying to piss this bitch off. Satisfied with the look on her face, I was headed toward the kitchen door when Royal called me back.

  “Cam, come here shorty,” he called out.

  I walked to him and he bent down and planted a juicy, wet kiss on my lips then smacked my ass. I was weak in my knees like “SWV”.

  “I’ll call you later,” he whispered in my ear.

  Liyah had tears in her eyes. She was really in her feelings. I think her feelings for him were more than I thought they were. “Pick up your face boo. You’ve never been told real men like curves? Only dogs like bones, and as for Tashondra, she can have him. I’m happy someone wants her ass after all those kids. Her baby’s daddy doesn’t even want her ass. Plus she is a fucking slut! Must run in the family, but my mom always told me to give to the needy. She needs that nigga more than me trust me, Camren is going to be good.” I left out of the kitchen and I heard Jamie tell Liyah to get the fuck out as the door swung. She didn’t have shit to say after that.

  ***

  I told my mom I needed a few extra days before I picked up Parker. Although, she was only five-months-old, I didn’t want her to be around that shit. It was about to go down! Koran’s car was in the driveway and with the trunk was popped up. His ass was really packing his things. This fool looked me in the eyes this morning and told me there was no one else. I guess he wanted to leave peacefully. He probably didn’t expect me back so soon. He was actually going to up and leave me without saying one word about it. If Liyah hadn’t said anything, I wouldn’t have ever known.

  I walked into the house and Koran was cheesing on the phone. I heard him tell whoever it was on the phone that he loved them too. My heart shattered into a million pieces. I cleared my throat and he hung up.

  “You know, I would have never guessed you would be this messy. I mean you really saying fuck us, huh? I asked you over and over if you had something going on with that bitch and you lied. I knew something was up a year ago when y’all were openly flirting in my damn face. That’s why you didn’t want me go to that block party because yah bitch was going to be there. That tells me you been messing with her for over a fucking year. Then you chilling with this bitch’s kids? Playing daddy and acting like we don’t have a got damn baby together!

  You are a foul ass punk bitch! How the fuck can you embarrass me like this? Oh, and I know all about you packing your shit. When were you going tell me you were leaving? I didn’t put a gun to your head and make you stay. If you were so fucking unhappy, you should’ve left. You never could keep your dick in your pants, but this shit is beyond that. I hope your ass is gone for good because I’m getting too old to be putting up with this bullshit! Seven fucking years of my life wasted on you! All I ever done was love you, why would you and how could you do this shit to us? What have I ever done to you?”

  Tears rolled down my face. Koran had never seen me shed a tear over him, but this time was different. I was throwing the towel in, too. I would never go back to him.

  “I don’t know wha
t to say, Cam. I love you, but I’m no longer in love with you. I only stayed to spare your feelings because you been there with me since day one. I couldn’t help falling in love with someone else. That’s why I told you not to have Parker, but you did anyway. This family shit with us is not working. I can be with a bitch with kids; I am not their father, so I’m not obligated to do shit with them like I am here. I like the fact that I can play house when I want to and the next day I might not like feel like it.

  But here, it’s every damn day! That’s not the fucking life I wanted. I’m only 22, and I feel like I’m tied down. I just want to do what I want and shorty is cool with that. You always fussing and asking questions and I am tired of it! Then the damn weight you gained. I’m not attracted to that shit. You went from a size 13 to a fucking 16. What makes you think I am cool with that? I knew that a baby was going to blow your ass up. Another reason why I told you to get rid of it. Don’t get me wrong, I love my daughter, but I would just rather deal with her and not you!”

  I was mute, what could I say? He said how he felt and he was a grown ass man. I couldn’t force him to feel a different way. I couldn’t even argue with him because the fact would still remain the same.

  “Goodbye! Deuces! Take your sorry ass on and make sure I get a monthly check in the mail or I’m taking your retarded ass downtown! Maybe, I can finally get something out of your cheap ass because you damn sure wasn’t helping me out like that!” He shook his head and grabbed his last few bags that were by the door. He dropped his key on the floor and just like that he was gone.