In Need of Your Love - Sneak Peek

Synopsis

Love, lies, and other people’s mates are a recipe for disaster… right?

Emory is a young widow, raising two children on her own when she meets Parker. The handsome tow truck driver piques Emory’s interest and awakens the woman inside her that she thought died along with her husband. When she finds out that her new love interest is not free to love her, will she walk away or become a sidepiece?

Natalie is fun, outgoing, flirtatious, raunchy, and a married woman. Kingston is a married man, yet he is Natalie’s boyfriend. Their dangerous affair has the potential to not only destroy two homes but also end both their lives.

Emory

Four years ago…

“Bae, I don’t know what I’m going to do without you. How will I raise two kids by myself?”

“When I met you, you were the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen. No one could ever make washing a car look so sexy, neat, and clean, but you did, Em.” Valentino laughed, but it quickly ended when he started coughing up a storm. “When it’s my time to go, I know you’ll be the best mother in the world to our kids. So don’t let anyone make you question your ability. And know that you will always be taken care of.”

I wiped the tears that flowed freely down my face. It was crazy how life comes at you fast. No one would’ve guessed that he’d be diagnosed with stage four colon cancer and given two months to live.

“Em, listen to me. I have two life insurance policies in the closet safe, and you are the beneficiary. I set them up when you told me you were pregnant with Poppa.”

I continued to rub bae’s head as it rested on the pillow in my lap because I never knew when that time would come. Death isn’t something that anybody wants to think about, yet there we were at twenty-six, talking about him not watching his kids grow up. My heart was breaking.

“Okay. I’ll find them when I need to. It’s too soon and too much right now. This wasn’t supposed to happen. Why is this happening?” I broke down. Trying to be strong for Valentino, my son, and the baby growing in my womb was so hard.

“Babe, calm down. God makes no mistakes. You’re pregnant, and I don’t need you stressing lil' mama. Know that I am always with you. My physical form may die, but I will always be with you in spirit. When you see a red robin, that’ll be me visiting you….”

Talking was tiring Tino out, and he dozed off. Reaching behind me, I pulled the blanket from the back of the sofa, gently shook it out, and covered us both. We napped for a few hours.

When I woke up three hours later, I wanted to continue our conversation.

“Bae, we need to finish talking.” I gently shook Valentino, and his arm fell limp. “Tino… Tino…”

As I cradled my husband in my arms, I cried and cried. I thought I had a little more time, just a little. The world I didn’t want to imagine was now my reality—a world without the love of my life.

I hated waking up to this nightmare that never seemed to stop. If I had my way, Valentino would be here with our kids and me, but God had a different plan. With a yawn, I burrowed back into my blankets to get a few more winks until the mini-mes woke up.

* * *

“Mommy! Mommy! Mommeeeeee!” my daughter Kaydence sang as she bounced on my bed.

I rolled over and scowled at the precious miniature replica of her father and me. This child was a mess, but I loved her energy. Kaydence was born during the darkest time in my life, and in some ways, she was my lifeline.

When Tino died, I wanted to go with him. I couldn’t imagine life without him. Opening my eyes each morning was a disappointment because it meant that God had not taken me during the night to be with my husband. I knew Kayden would be okay because he had my mom, and I didn’t feel that I was doing him much good, anyway. For months, I would wake up and wonder if this would be the day that I would free myself from the unbearable pain of losing my husband. It seemed that Kaydence could sense my precise moment of despair because she would kick me hard, reminding me that her life, Tino’s legacy, was in my hands.

True to his word, Valentino had ensured his family would be provided for long after he was gone. Several weeks after his funeral, I finally worked up the courage to look in the safe, and what I found shocked me. There were four different life insurance policies, two certificates of gold deposits in the children’s names, totaling 2.4 million dollars, keys to safety deposit boxes at three different banks, and account information for a bank account in the Cayman Islands. Unbeknownst to me, he and my mother had opened the account together to make sure she’d be able to provide for our son if anything ever happened to me. The tears I cried that day were plentiful because I hadn’t thought about any of that, but Valentino had, and it meant the world to me.

“Okay, okay, I’m up. Sassy, what did I tell you about jumping in my bed?”

“I know, Mommy, but your bed is soooo jumpable!” her little dramatic butt said as she threw herself on top of me and covered my face with kisses.

“I’m gonna go jump on your bed. See how you like that.” I tickled her, and she screamed with laughter.

A few minutes later, Poppa ran into the room and joined the fun. For the next half hour, my children and I engaged in a tickle fest and pillow fight before I finally got up to fix breakfast.

Emory

“Mama, look! I made bubbles on the slide!” my son Kayden, who we called Poppa, yelled from the top of the slide in our backyard. He was a handful.

“I see, baby!” I glanced over at him while trying to read on my Kindle, but Kaydence wouldn’t allow that.

“Mommy! Mommy! Mommy! Look, I’m being a big girl! I’m going to kiss Daddy!” she yelled.

What the hell?

“What?” I jumped up and ran toward my daughter as she reached for the red robin that her brother was looking at too. “No! Don’t touch it. Just blow it a kiss, baby!” I quickly pulled Kaydence from the tree as Poppa wrapped his arms around my leg.

The three of us blew a kiss to the red robin and watched it chirp.

I had shared with my babies what their father told me before he passed. Whenever we see a red robin, that’s him checking on us. The beautiful robin chirped again and flew away. I placed Kaydence back on the ground, kissed her and her brother’s head, then went back to the hammock. Valentino would be so proud of these two beautiful mirror images of us.

After all the dust settled surrounding his death, I learned that Valentino had been aware of his colon cancer for at least six months before he told me. He’d refused treatment because he was already at stage four, and the cancer had metastasized. When his mom explained that Valentino had shared it with her but asked her not to tell me, it angered me to the core. It was so selfish of him to keep this from me! We had a son to raise and a baby on the way. He got me pregnant with our second child, knowing he would leave us!

In retrospect, I couldn’t question his choices regarding his own body and receiving treatment. But, damn, I wish he had told me when he told his mom. He owed me that… he owed our family. Instead, Tino didn’t tell me until he knew there was nothing else to be done.

Tino had retired from the drug game two years before his diagnosis, but thankfully, he’d made brilliant financial moves. Our kids were set for life, and so was I. It was a relief, but I would trade it all just to have him back.

“Mommy, I’m hungry!” Kayden yelled as he walked over with a worm in his hand. Ugh.

“Me too!” Kaydence chimed.

I knew that was coming.

“Okay. I’m a little hungry too, but can you drop the worm, Poppa? He can’t eat lunch with us.”

“Aww, man!”

Little boys. Ugh!

Parker

Sitting in my tow truck in the middle of a traffic jam was annoying as hell. I hated being stuck when I had shit to do. Then, on top of that, it was hotter than the inside of Satan’s ass. Today was one of those days when the humidity wrapped around the heat like a fur coat. Even with the AC blowing inside the truck and my arms bare, I still felt sticky.

“Look at this shit.” I shook my head, trying not to laugh.

Our people were so crazy and always doing ignorant ass shit that didn’t make any damn sense. These niggas were out on the damn interstate, smoking weed, getting pissy drunk, and dancing to the music that played from someone’s car. Don’t get it twisted; I don’t think I’m better than anybody, nor do I look down on my own kind. In fact, I love my people. It’s just that I put that lifestyle behind me not too long ago, and that was the only reason I hadn’t gotten out of my truck and joined the party. There was a time when I would have been all in the mix, shaking hands, meeting new people, and trying to holler at some hoes. I wasn’t always a legal income, tax filing kind of guy.

Years ago, I ran the streets, slanging dope and running up on people, thinking I was invincible. A nigga couldn’t tell me shit! I had big nuts and wished a nigga would. My brother Kingston and I worried my mother to death. Kingston was more of a behind-the-scenes dude. He was the type of hustler who flipped his money by using younger guys to sell his shit. My brother had hustled up enough money to put corner boys on each block so his hands could stay clean. Then, he worked a regular job while they sold his product. Me, on the other hand, I felt like fuck a job. I was going to get paid in these streets, and I wasn’t paying no middleman. The money was good, and quick to flood in, so it was hard to resist.

Our mother kept us lifted in prayer. She would beg me all the time to reconsider my lifestyle. Parker, what if you die? What about your mother? Parents aren’t supposed to bury their kids! Parker, please leave those streets alone before it’s too late. Those streets don’t love you.

I listened and heavily pondered those questions, but nothing she said made me consider leaving the game. The money was worth it to me. But then, people around me started getting killed and going to jail. I thought it would never happen to me because I was one of the slicker niggas. People always talk that shit about everybody having a time to die and get busted, but I didn’t believe in any of that hocus pocus prophecy bullshit. Well, not until my number played out.

A car horn blew, and I blinked, glad that the traffic jam was clearing out. Gotta stay outta my head out in these streets, mane.

Looking down, I noticed my phone ringing off the hook. It rang so much that I got confused. Sometimes it felt like I was still in the streets, selling dope. I had two phones: one for family and the other for our towing business. I never thought this tow truck shit would be lucrative, and I would be the first to admit that I was against the whole idea. When I was in the streets, if someone had told me I would one day square up and work a legit job, I would have said all kinds of disrespectful shit about their momma. Now, I co-owned the company with my brother, but I didn’t sit in a big office, calling shots. I worked in the field, and from time to time, I had my ole lady, Natasha, help with dispatching to keep the overhead down.

Owning a business was a lot like hustling, except in the streets, when the money slowed down, you dabbled in other drugs to make a quick profit and keep your business stable. The legit world wasn’t so black and white. There were gray areas that got in the way of profits. I looked at my phone again, thinking it was one of my loved ones since the call came through on my personal phone.

“Yo?” I thought it was Natasha calling all crazy and shit.

“Hello?”

“Who dis?” I asked, instantly intrigued by the sexy yet unfamiliar voice. I wondered who was calling me and what she was looking for.

“My name is Emory. A friend gave me your number. He said you could help me.”

“Help you with what, miss lady? It’s the right number if you need to get something towed, but if you need to pay a light bill, we won’t be able to do anything about that.” I heard silence, so I looked at the phone. Did I lose her? I know this girl didn’t hang up in my face. “Hello?”

“I’m here. I’m stuck at home and need to get my car towed to a repair shop. How much do you charge, and how long is the wait time?”

When we get there. Nigga, what the fuck? Fortunately, I didn’t say that out loud. How’d this woman even call me directly on my personal phone? Damn! I guess Natasha went on break. She coulda gave a nigga a head’s up or somethin’ instead of forwarding all the calls directly to my personal line.

“What’s your name and number? I’ll try to get to you in the next forty-five minutes. Text me your location, and I’ll call you when I’m on the way.”

“Okay, thanks, but how much do you charge? You never answered.”

“Ma’am, I’ll call you when I’m en route. Just text me your location and name, so I know who I’m looking for.”

“That’s not what I asked you.”

I heard this heifer suck her teeth, and I did a slow inhale and exhale. The devil’s spirit was creeping into me and trying to take over the situation. Niggas loved giving the devil credit instead of saying, “I ain’t with that fuck shit. I’ll beat your muthafuckin’ ass.” But, of course, they always said the devil made them do it.

“I’ll have my dispatcher call you back in twenty minutes and give you a quote based on the distance between your current location and the destination. I apologize for not having that information available.” She sighed again, clearly developing an even bigger attitude. I smiled, finding it funny that she acted like she had some control over me and what I had to do. “I just pulled up to my call. Send me your info, and I’ll make sure dispatch gets back with you in a few minutes.”

“Okay, I guess I’ll send it now.”

“Don’t guess. Just send it.”

I heard her suck her teeth before hanging up on me.

* * *

I pulled up to the accident on Tara Road in Hampton, and it was nuts. The first thing I noticed was a body lying under a sheet. Then, ten feet away, there was a car wrapped around the pedestrian signal pole. Another vehicle was idling headfirst, stuck in a ditch. Terrified people screamed and cried while bystanders stood on the side of the road, seemingly in shock. Shit was fucked up. I had to pause and take a deep breath before getting out of the truck because this was one gruesome accident.

“Aye, buddy! We need you to pull this SUV out of the ditch asap! We gotta clear this wreck. It’s about to storm, and we need this scene cleared out now!” the paramedic yelled.

“I’m coming! Give me one second. I need to reach out to dispatch really quick.”

He gave me a thumbs up and headed back toward the sad faces and crying kids on the side of the street. People’s lives often depended on how fast and efficiently we did our jobs. However, no matter how hard we tried, some people didn’t make it. Seeing many of the deadlier accidents firsthand was some heartbreaking shit.

I didn’t expect to pull up on a deadly accident, so I had to call Natasha and tell her to send another driver out to help expedite this call. I was only one man, and this accident involved multiple cars. I’d need another guy to help pull the other car and take it to the tow yard. After that, I’d be on my way to service Miss Emory.

While I dialed up Natasha, I watched as the police led the little kids to their cruisers. I couldn’t imagine what they were going through. Life was tricky like that; one minute you’re happy and laughing with your family, then the unexpected happens.

“Hey, bae, what’s up?” Natasha answered, sounding winded.

“You good? Why you sound like that?” I asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine, bae. Just speed-walked back to the office with my laptop once I heard your ringtone. I’m straight, though. What’s up? Why do you sound upset?” Tasha asked.

“Can you contact this lady and give her a quote for a tow?”

After providing the details, I was about to get off the phone when she stopped me. I knew she wanted to psychoanalyze me, and I wasn’t in the mood for her shit. She should’ve followed her parents’ advice and gone to school for psychology, but even still, I wouldn’t have been her patient.

“What’s wrong, bae? You don’t sound right. Is everything okay?”

I knew it! Here we go with the bullshit.

“I’m good. I’m on a job, and you know how that shit is. It's a win or a loss. Right now, some unlucky family will receive some devastating news. You know I hate to see this sort of thing, but I’m good,” I told her. “I need another driver out here to help me move these cars. It’s two cars involved. They’re both inoperable, so they’re coming to the tow yard.”

Natasha knew I didn’t like to discuss my calls, especially those I took with the city, so she let it go without prying any further.

“I hear you, Parker,” she spoke with apprehension in her voice. “I’m checking everyone’s location, and I’ll send another driver on the private tow.”

“I got the private tow. Just call and let her know I’ll be there in forty-five minutes, and please give her a quote. Thanks. Also, can you check the email? The insurance company said they were sending over some documents from the accident last week when the drunk driver hit the back of the truck. Review the documents, please, and hit Kingston up. I sent some more info that I need you to look over, too. I’ll holla at you later,” I said and again tried to hang up, knowing full damn well Natasha would not let it go that easily.

No matter how much she knew it bothered me to replay what happened on calls, she still dug deeper. She didn’t realize that some of it was just too traumatic to revisit mentally, let alone verbally.

“Bae, I could just send another driver to handle that private tow, and you could come home after this call.”

I knew Natasha’s hardheaded ass would say something like that. Just because she knew when to let it go didn’t mean she was willing to do so. I didn’t like her stressing because she was carrying our child, and I didn’t want to add unnecessary stress on our baby.

“Nat… I’m asking you nicely. Can you do what…” I heard heavy knocking on the bed of my truck.

“Aye! We need you over here, Parker! Let’s go!” The paramedic yelled and pointed to the truck in the ditch.

“Aight, here I come,” I lowered the window and said. “Do what I said now, Nat. Love you.”

“Okay, Parker. I love you, and I’m on top of everything. I’m also praying for you, boo,” she said, and disconnected.

My mother was a prayer warrior and believed in God never making mistakes when He took back his people. There wasn’t anything fair about life; either you accepted it or didn’t. We were all pawns and had no real choice but to play the hands life dealt.

Emory

For two damn hours, I had been waiting for the tow truck to pull up. I swear, niggas couldn’t do shit right. This was my fault, though, because the dispatcher quoted me a wait time of forty-five minutes. However, there I was, still sitting in the damn window two hours later like a dog waiting for his master to come home. What type of shit was this?

I don’t know why I didn’t just cancel and call another company. That would’ve been too much like right and too peaceful. I was already pissed off and not having a good day, so this tow truck delay just gave me a target for my wrath. Since I refused to be pissed off by myself, I decided to call that smooth-talking, fake Barry White voice having negro back to give him a piece of my mind and see if he had a new estimated arrival time. I wasn’t in the mood to waste half my day waiting for this damn tow truck.

I was thinking of something real disrespectful to say when my phone started ringing.

“Hello?”

“Is this lil’ mama who needed the tow earlier?”

“Yes, but feel free to call me Emory, not little momma, not shawty, or any other nickname. Do you have a name?”

I heard him laughing his ass off, which only pissed me off more. This negro thought I was playing with him.

I hated for a man to not take me seriously because I was a woman. If Valentino was alive, I wouldn’t even have to deal with this mess. That was one thing I still struggled with; I missed his partnership as much as his love. Having to handle everything on my own had changed me in ways that I didn’t particularly care for, but this was my life now, and I was stuck with it.

Ever since Valentino passed, I had found myself comparing other men to him, but no one could hold a candle. I didn’t have any time to waste, so why even entertain them? Deep down, I believed my chances for true love and genuine happiness had died with my husband. Shit like that happened once in a lifetime, and I’d had my turn.

“Parker. My name is Parker. I got caught up on a job that took longer than anticipated, so I apologize. I wasn’t expecting it to take so long, and I wanted to handle this job personally. To make up for the delay, I’ll deduct forty dollars off the tow. My navigation says I’m pulling up in just a minute. Is that your house on the far left? If it is, I’m pulling up now.”

Parker apparently thought the words, pulling up now, meant goodbye. He ended the call so fast that I thought we were dating, and I had said something to piss him off. I walked outside to the end of the driveway with an attitude.

Three minutes later, I heard squealing brakes and saw this ol’ dark-skinned, dread head, smirking ass brotha get out of a cherry red tow truck. Why am I not surprised?

“I thought you were around the corner.” I had to be difficult and tease him, but he started it by lying and saying he was forty-five minutes away.

“Which car is it?” he asked with a laugh, brushing off my attitude.

Parker extended his hand to shake mine, but nope, I was good on that shit. I didn’t know where those lil’ greasy fingers had been, and he needed to hook and book my shit. I had stuff to do and kids to pick up from school. Damn, I was cutting it close… a little too close for comfort.

I walked over to my Oldsmobile and opened the door to hand him the keys from the glove box.

“It’s my Cutlass. Please don’t scratch my pipes up. My car died on the road a few weeks ago, and I refused to leave my baby, so I called some janky company. That jackleg driver didn’t have a four-by-four or anything. You see I still have dirt, grass, and shit in my damn pipes.”

Most women liked to pop with flashy bags, long weave, or expensive labels, but not me. My kids and my cars were my pop, I guess you’d say. I was still pissed at that company and had reported my experience on every online forum I could find. That shit had me livid! I mean, we are all out here trying to secure a bag, but don’t claim to be a professional and do amateur shit like not being prepared and showing up late for work.

“Whose car is this? Is it your man’s car?” He couldn’t stop smiling and giggling. I thought he knew an inside joke that I didn’t.

“Niggas!” I said and rolled my eyes. “Nope, this is mine. Women aren’t allowed to own cars like this?”

“Oh, Miss Emory. My name is Parker, not nigga or whatever you women like to call us. Thanks.” He winked before turning to walk back to his truck.

Parker

I had to laugh at how she’d just tried me. If she wasn’t cute, we’d have pressure, but lil' mama was fine as a muthafucka. I got to my truck and grabbed my duty gloves. As I put them on, I caught her gaze—and it wasn’t an inviting one.

lil' mama was mean as shit! Probably why I ain’t seen a man pop out of the crib yet. She was still throwing daggers with her eyes as I jumped in the truck and backed it into position to hook up her Cutlass. I lined it up, put it in park, and hit the air brakes.

Hopping out, I walked over to the Cutlass. She followed me and said, “What kinda back-alley nigga rigging shit you ’bout to do? You don’t even have four by fours to put under my pipes, so they don’t rub against the concrete.”

I laughed. “First of all, everything I do is professional. Secondly, don’t try to check me ’bout my skills. The last nigga didn’t know what he was doing, and that’s exactly why ya pipes are full of dirt and grass. You told him to drop the car in the dirt?”

“Yeah! He didn’t have any four by fours, and he said he couldn’t drop it without damaging my pipes,” lil’ mama said with a look of disgust on her face.

“You know the last nigga that towed your shit was garbage. If it happens again, drop your car on the concrete, not the dirt. Now, step back, please, and watch me work.”

She didn’t like that shit, and I saw it in her face. But, shit, she came for me, so I only gave her back what she put out.

First, I got under the Cutlass to check the ride height and clearance, then I put the hook of my winch around the frame and walked to the side of my truck to begin lifting it onto the back. Then, I hit the next lever to straighten the tow bed, so it wasn’t tilted, and the car came off the ground without the pipes scrubbing.

The look on her face quickly turned from pissed to oh damn. He did that. I chuckled to myself and continued pulling the car all the way onto the tow truck. Watching her out the corner of my eye, I walked around the vehicle and secured it with straps on each wheel.

“See, that wasn’t so painful, now was it?” I sarcastically said, while taking my gloves off.

“You act like you want a cookie or something. You ain’t have to show off. How much I owe you?” she asked with her hand on her hip and a smirk on her face. See? Women just can’t admit when they’re wrong and move on.

“We initially quoted ninety-five dollars, but for you, it’ll be fifty-five. I also need the address to the shop where you want your car towed.”

“No problem. I’ll be right back,” Emory said, then pulled some crumpled bills from her back pocket and placed them in my hand.

“Take your time.”

Emory’s walk-away game was crazy! Everything sat right where it should, and lil' mama was blessed. She seemed to put a lil' extra bounce in that muthafucka ’cause she knew I was looking. That was what I thought I saw. I mean, I could be trippin’, but I doubt it.

Once she went inside her house, I looked down at the money she gave me and counted it. What? I don’t trust nothing. All mine had to be accounted for. As I counted the money, she walked back out of the house.

“Damn, you didn’t trust the lil' seventy-five dollars was all there?” she asked and rolled her eyes.

“Nah, I just have a habit of checking everything. It’s not personal, lil' mama. Oh, here’s the twenty dollars back. Just fifty-five this go ’round.”

She looked at me crazy. “I already told you my name is Emory, not lil' mama, nigga! And keep it. You’re good. Consider it a tip.”

“Ms. Emory, once again, my name is Parker, not nigga,” I mumbled.

After I got the address, I walked to my truck. As I cranked it and put it in gear, she yelled, “I heard that slick shit you mumbled too.”

Beeping my horn, I pulled out of the driveway. I needed to get her car to the shop before I got caught up in something I couldn’t get out of.

Emory

After watching my baby get towed away, I had just enough time to throw my lil’ monsters some dinner together and grab them from school.

“Alexa, play my blues mix,” I called out to my personal DJ. Despite my age, I loved the blues. My infatuation with heartfelt tragedy expressed through music had developed from spending time with my grandparents.

Since my baby had gone to the shop, I would need to pull out my other car, and I was so excited! I had been waiting to ride in it, and today, I would do just that. The monsters and I were going to have a mini concert.

While I cooked, my momma called to make sure I was up. Let her tell it, being late was my specialty.

“Hey, Emmy, what you up to?”

“Cooking dinner for Sassy and Poppa. You want to stop by and get some?” My momma and anyone else who tasted my food loved my cooking.

“Girl, just bring me a plate. Did you get the car to the shop?”

“Yes. The guy just towed it not even five minutes ago. I’ll fix your plate and bring it to you before you head to work.”

“Okay, Emmy Pooh. I love you. Don’t forget to grab my babies’ tablets.”

“Yeah, okay, Ma. Bye.” I rolled my eyes.

I loved my mama. Lord knows I’ll only ever have one in this lifetime, but the way she treated her grandkids confused the hell out of me. She let them get away with murder! If we had done a small portion of what their little bad asses did on a regular basis, we would have gotten our asses beat so badly. We had no other choice but to learn from our mistakes.

Sassy’s lil’ bad ass lived up to her nickname. That little girl stayed in some shit, and that mouth… I often had to remind myself that she was only four years old. “She’s not that bad,” my mom loves to say. “All she needs is a lil' verbal instruction.” Listen, I give my mom the side-eye and get those lil’ legs every time she needs discipline. I didn’t beat my kids like my momma used to whoop me, but I would get their asses when necessary, though. If it was good enough for me, then it was good enough for her little ass, too.

Poppa was just a goofball, who didn’t have an off button at times. That’s what got him in trouble; he couldn’t sit his ass down.

Shit! It was time to shut off this stove and get ready to walk out the door. Grabbing my keys, I let the garage door up and hit the automatic start on the big boy Chevy. While the car warmed up, I took a quick inventory to ensure I had the kids’ tablets and my momma’s plate. Then, I backed out of the garage and hit the button to close it.

It was time to roll!

Natasha

After shutting down our home office, I took my laptop with me, so I could still dispatch tows to the drivers while I waited for Parker to get home. Sometimes I felt like he worked too hard, but hell, if living comfortably and not knowing struggle was the goal, then I’d support him until I felt the need to put my foot down. Money was good, but I needed love and affection as well. I needed a man to pay attention to me and put it down by handling his business, woman, kids, and finances.

Parker and I had been together for six months, and it was one of the best relationships I’ve ever experienced. After being dogged out so many times by boys because a man would not do what these fuck boys were out there doing, I just wanted a break from all the bullshit. I used to pray that I would find Mr. Right. Well, I found him, and I’m keeping him! There had been no lies, bullshit, or drama—just a man who loved me and knew how to treat a lady.

Parker liked to say he met me at the right time because he was beginning to think God was playing a cruel joke by sending him the wrong women. Honestly, I thought he’d just had his fair share of mishaps, but that’s what life is about, bumping your head and busting your ass. I knew firsthand about living, learning, crying, and trying. Earning scars while learning acceptance and forgiveness was a must, because you’ll only hurt yourself if you don’t.

Not only was Parker a good man, but he was MY man. ALL MINE. I didn’t have to share him with anyone. He was a hard worker, excellent father, outstanding provider, loving son, great role model, great brother, and a standup uncle. His sex drive required my body to be underneath his, sometimes three times a day, six days a week. We made love so regularly that I was twelve weeks pregnant with our new addition.

Parker already had a son named Presley, who I loved like I birthed him myself. Presley was his daddy’s twin—such a sweet and well-mannered little boy—but babyyyy, his mama was something else! I guess Parker was going through his hood rat phase when he was with her because she wasn’t just rough around the edges; she was jagged and raggedy as hell. The baby mama popped up on the scene with gold teeth, colorful nails, plus blue and red weave down to her butt—some real ghetto shit. If that wasn’t enough, the bitch had the audacity to have the flattest ass in the world.

My phone chimed with a text notification, shaking me out of my thoughts.

BAE: OMW home now. U good?

ME: Yes, see U in a few XOXO.

I placed my cell down and opened the company load board. We were busy, which was odd because Wednesday afternoons weren’t usually this active. Sometimes business was booming, and the fellas would complain that it was too much. But when it was slow, they’d worry about seeking employment elsewhere.

Once I finished emailing Kingston and sending a follow-up text about a new tow job, I pulled out the previous night’s dinner and warmed it up. Parker typically was in and out all day, based upon how he felt and the workload. If the city calls weren’t jumping, he would elect to send most of the calls to the other drivers to ensure that everyone else ate. The company was a family business, and this family was big on love and support. I operated dispatch when I was off from my retail job as an assistant manager. It was fun to learn a skill and support my man at the same time.

I heard the front door unlock a few minutes later, and Parker walked in, talking on the phone. It sounded like a business call, so I waited until he wrapped it up.

“Hey, baby, how was your last call? It wasn’t anything too strenuous, was it?” I waited for his answer, but he just shrugged. “I tried to hand it off to one of the other guys,” I added.

He just stared at me with that lopsided smirk he wore so well. I loved this man so much! Everything about him was perfect to me.

“Nah, it wasn’t strenuous at all. It was a hook and book. Another private call, and then straight home, so it was all good. How are you and my lil' peanut doing?” He leaned over to kiss the top of my head, then headed to our bedroom to shower. “Hey, I’m going to eat, then I’m going back out to work some private calls later,” he called out, still walking toward our room.

Parker was a workaholic, and sometimes I was afraid that he would work himself to death.

“We’re good, babe. I have to work tomorrow at ten and probably won’t get off until eight. So, what do you want me to put in the crock pot for dinner?”

He must’ve been in the shower because he didn’t answer, so I hit up my girl, Asia, to see how she was doing. I didn’t have many people in my social circle, but the few that I had, I kept them close.

“Hey, Tash, how are you feeling over there, Mommy?” she excitedly asked when she answered the phone.

“Girl, I’m exhausted, but I won’t complain. About to have dinner and lay under Parker for as long as possible. How are you and the kids?”

“Girllll, pray for me! lil' Mikey jumped off the arm of the sofa last night and broke his damn arm. I had to call Mike, but he didn’t feel like hearing anything I had to say, so he hung up on me. When the ambulance showed up, the police were right behind them. So much happened so fast that it felt like everything was falling apart.”

“Where was Miracle when all of this was going on?” My girl was going through it. “Why didn’t you call me? I would have come to the hospital with you, and you know that. That’s a lot to deal with, boo.”

Asia was going through a lot and taking care of Miracle by herself. Miracle was Asia and Mike’s two-year-old daughter, who was born with spina bifida. She was her miracle baby because Asia wasn’t supposed to have more children after lil' Mikey.

About a year and a half after having lil' Mikey, Asia was diagnosed with endometriosis and told that she could no longer conceive. It broke her heart and affected Asia’s marriage. During such a sensitive and vulnerable time, one would expect Mike to be sympathetic to how Asia’s body was ‘turning against her,’ which is how she described it. But, no, he told her she wasn’t a real woman since she couldn’t have any more kids, and he needed a real woman who could bear his offspring.

Imagine everyone’s surprise when Asia discovered she was pregnant while she and Mike were going through their divorce, which was anything but amicable. I wouldn’t wish that kind of divorce on my worst enemy. Mike was cheating out in the open and had a very pregnant mistress, but that’s not even the worst part.

Apparently, while being treated for endometriosis, Asia took a schedule II opioid, Percocet, to help control the pain. Unfortunately, it could also cause spina bifida if used in the early stages of pregnancy. Her OB-GYN discovered Miracle’s condition when Asia went in for her thirteen-week check-up, and Mike told her to abort if she could. Asia cussed him up one side and down the other. She felt it wasn’t her place to play God and terminate her baby. Miracle was meant to be, and that’s how my god baby got her name.

“I had no choice but to leave her with the next-door neighbor. Miracle loves them, girl. The wife watches them while I’m at work. The police came to the hospital as a precaution because it’s so much going on with kids nowadays. They claim they can’t be too cautious.”

“How bad is lil' Mikey’s arm? What did his daddy say? Shit, what did the law say?” I knew I was firing off questions back-to-back, but I needed to know everything.

“His arm is only broken in one place, thank God. After the doctor gave him some pain medicine and stabilized his arm, lil' Mikey explained what happened. They were satisfied with his explanation, but Mike is just a damn dick, girl. He gon’ ask do I need him to take his son home with him. Nawl, trifling ass nigga! How about you take BOTH of your kids and give me a damn break? It didn’t go too well, and the officers asked him to calm down or leave. And, well, you know he left.” Asia sighed as she finished telling me about the latest drama in her life.

I really felt horrible about how Mike had played Asia and Miracle to the left. Regardless of the baby's ailments, she was still his child, and DNA had proven it. Once Mike got with that white woman, he lost the last bit of his damn mind he had left. He insisted he couldn’t have defective kids, and fuck what the paternity test said.

“Asia, I’m going to ask Parker’s mama to add you to her prayer list, okay? She and the sisters at the church do great work in the prayer ministry. God is already making things move for you, but we’re going to shake some more things up in your life. When two or three gather in our Father’s name, He’s there in spirit. So, get ready for those blessings to flow! I love you, girl, and I need you to know that you’re not in this by yourself. Mike’s not by your side, but you have a host of people who care and will move as one for you and those babies. I love you, Asia. Call me if you need me to get my babies or if you just want me to come and chill with you, okay? I love you, boo, and I am always here for you.”

“Okay, Tash. Thanks, girl, we’ll talk later,” Asia said, and we ended the call.

I didn’t like how she sounded. Depression is real. It has no age limit, doesn’t care how much you have, and it damn sure doesn’t care how many people claim to love you. I loved Asia like she was my blood, and I was happy that something led me to call and hear the tone in her voice. Now, I had to stay attentive and check up on her and my god babies because God forbid something happened… I didn’t even want to think about it.

I heard my man getting out of the shower, so I got up and fixed his plate. After Parker ate, we could doze off to whatever was on TV.

Emory

“Mama, what you thinkin’ about?” Kaydence asked from the back seat.

After I picked up the kids, we went to my mom’s house to drop off her plate and ended up staying until it was time for her to get ready for work. The kids loved to visit their grandmother because she had her basement set up like a damn mini Chuck E. Cheese. That’s why they were so spoiled.

Now, it was almost 9:00. The little monsters had convinced my mom to order pizza, so they were already fed. Once we got home, it would be baths and bed for them.

“Nothing, baby,” I said to my daughter.

“But, Mama, you sure?” she asked again.

“Why you ask that, Sassy?” I looked in the rearview mirror at her. She looked back at me with the biggest animated eyes and smiled so happily.

“’Cause you not singing, but you driving and smiling. What’s in your brain? A movie playing in there?”

“That’s a silly question.” Poppa looked over at his sister. “How she gon’ watch a movie in her head and drive at the same time?”

I just looked in the mirror and winked at him.

The best part of being an adult for me was my children. I loved those two more than I ever knew I could love anyone. No matter what went on or how down I felt, a shadow of love and strength overcame the negative when they walked into the room.

I glanced in my rearview mirror and noticed a driver behind me who apparently hadn’t managed his time well. He was on my ass, driving fast like he had to be wherever he was going in the next twenty seconds. I was in the Caprice today, and it was a tank, but I didn’t want my two gems to be injured because of someone else’s negligence. I tapped my brakes a few times to brake check him, but he was too busy talking on his phone to pay attention.

I accelerated, trying to put some space between us, and his ass did too. Before I knew it, I had to throw my brakes on, and this sorry ass nigga rear-ended us, sending my car spiraling out of control. There wasn’t anything I could do except make sure my seatbelt was in place as I braced for the collision.

“Aaahhh!”

“Mommy! Are you okay? We gotta call the po-po!”

OMG! Thank you, Jesus! My babies are okay.

“Mommy, don’t cry. You okay! Where’s yo’ phone? We scared!” Kayden yelled from the backseat.

I slowly turned around and knew then that I would be messed up for a few weeks. That non-driving son of a bitch had just fucked up my whole day.

“Are y’all okay?” I asked my babies. Kaydence began to cry, and it scared me out of my mind. “What’s wrong, Sassy?” I was about to flip. “What’s wrong?”

“Mommy, your whole face is red. You okay?”

“Yeah, I will be okay. Let’s call your Nana, and she’ll come get us.” I did my best to assure my kids, but they were still pretty shaken up.

My son asked if he could unhook his seat belt, and I told him no. He needed to stay seated for the time being. I looked in my side mirror and saw the idiot who didn’t know it was illegal to text and drive. He was outside, throwing a whole tantrum like he wasn’t the one responsible for this accident.

I pulled my phone out and called the police because I refused to get out and survey the damage. After that, I dialed my mom and put her on FaceTime.

“Hey, Emmy, I’m waiting on yo—”

“Nana, we just got hit! Mommy not okay. She’s red like the tomatoes in your garden. What do we do?” Sassy worriedly asked her Nana.

“Poppa, you okay?” my mom asked.

“Yes, Nana, we just need you to get here. Mama not okay. I scared, Nana. Is she okay? Nana, can you come here?”

“You need me to come to you, baby?” she asked.

“Please. My back is hurting, and this fool looks like an idiot,” I said through clenched teeth.

“Emmy, I wish a nigga would. His mama can pick out both their Sunday best, fucking around with mine. It’ll be some sad singing and flower bringing!” She started to get worked up.

“The lady said the accident has been reported a few times, and they are sending an ambulance too because the man said I hit him.”

“Emory!” My mom frowned at me, and I just shrugged. “Where were you hit, baby?”

“From the back, Ma! Hell, I don’t know. I thought the same thing. Maybe a screw got lost upon impact. Who knows?”

“I’m on the way. I’ll be there in no time. Tell my grandkids not to unhook themselves because y’all are still in harm’s way.”

“Y’all hear Nana?” I asked.

“Yes, ma’am,” they said in unison.

“Okay, Ma, see you in a few. Be safe.”

Parker

When I got home, baby girl had dinner waiting as usual. Plus, I got some fiyah head. After that, I stroked that pregnant pussy like it planned to run away, and I’d never see it again. I had Natasha climbing the walls. Before I left, I had to apologize because I had messed her hair up, and she’d just had it done yesterday.

When they say pregnant pussy is the best pussy, they ain’t never lied. That shit was warm and gushy, like grandma’s hot water cornbread on a warm summer’s night. What you know ’bout that?

I was grateful and blessed beyond measure to have met Natasha when I did. At the time, I was going through life like a penny with a hole in it. It seemed like there was a roadblock at every intersection or a closed door that I couldn’t get to open for shit. I was down bad and going for broke.

My mama always said you gotta go through trials and tribulations to have a testimony, but why? Why did God give me a not shit baby mama? I’d gladly pay her a lump sum of money to stay gone and let me raise my son without her. She was a leopard, and I didn’t know she’d hidden her spots until after my son was born. That’s when she did a complete 180 on me, and I fell out of love with her. There wasn’t shit she could ever do for me to be with her again. I wouldn’t even fuck her with another nigga’s dick; that’s how much I couldn’t stand that wretched ass woman.

Trying to quietly get up from the bed so I could piss and get dressed again, I turned my email notifications back on. I was headed back to work until late this evening. There was money to be made, and I was gon’ snatch it up.

Looking over at Natasha as I brushed my teeth, I fiddled around, just admiring her. She was curvy, with a nice, round ass that sat up like a stallion. Natasha pranced around the house like a pony, especially when she was trying to entice a nigga. Hell, that’s how my lil' peanut was planted. I had to laugh at the thought of that night.

“Bae, I feel your eyes on me. Why you gotta go back out right now?” she said, half asleep.

“Because we have things to accomplish. Just stay in bed and rest. I’ll be out late tonight, so I’ll hit you on my way in,” I said as I slid my Nike slides back on my feet.

“You want me to get back on dispatch?” she groggily asked.

“No, baby. SLEEP. If your body is tired, then sleep. Keisha’s online sending out calls. Love you,” I said and smacked her ass.

She giggled and dozed back off.

I walked out of the bedroom and turned on the lamp next to the sofa before I left the house.

Time to make this money!

* * *

Pulling up to the accident scene, I saw a truck still lodged in the rear of a matte black Caprice. People still didn’t get it. All it took was the wrong turn or the wrong tap of the gas pedal for a life to be lost, and no amount of tears or apologies would change it. Talking or texting while driving ain’t worth somebody’s life. I wholeheartedly wished people would think about their families when they decide to text and drive. Then, we’d see a lot fewer fatalities.

I stepped out of my truck and walked up to the big man on the scene.

“What’s up, big dawg? What’s going on?” I asked the captain.

“Mannnn!!!! What’s up? A bunch of nothin’, if you ask me. I got one injured on the scene, but she refused treatment. She didn’t want her kids upset. And then her mama got here, and all hell broke loose. I had to threaten to take her old ass to jail for terroristic threats. She threatened to beat the man’s ass who hit her daughter and grandkids,” Chief Henderson said while trying to maintain his composure.

Huh? Maybe I missed something, so I was going to use some common sense. A black Chevy on 24s had been rear-ended by an Infiniti. Okkaayyy. The chick must have been driving the Chevy, so how the hell did she hit the clown in the Infiniti if she was rear-ended?

I turned to ask the captain, but he quickly cut me off. “Parker, don’t try to make sense of it. The driver and passengers of the Caprice are over there being checked out by the medics. She didn’t get any citations, but the one who really caused the accident received a few,” he said, looking irritated.

The other party was on the phone yelling about the woman driver causing him to rear-end her. Sounded like too much.

It dawned on me as I took in the scene that I’d just seen lil' mama earlier. She had to have a nigga ’cause she stayed in a hot rod. I noticed she had two mini twins with her. The older lady must have been the mom who the captain told me about.

“Captain, my brother has been dispatched too, so he’s already on the way. He’ll be here in about five minutes, and we’ll have this mess cleaned up. Okay?”

“Ten-four. ’Preciate that. Holla at me before you leave,” the captain said.

“Bet.”

I walked over to the ambulance to check on lil' mama and see if they needed anything. The older lady was talking shit with the kids and laughing, but she watched Emory like a mama bear, just waiting to attack.

“Hey, lil’ mama, you good? You need anything?” I asked.

Mannnn, I felt like that nigga Pac because all eyes were on me. I liked the attention and all, but it was too many curious eyes on a brotha. Plus, lil' mama looked like she was uncomfortable and in pain something serious.

“Hey, Johnny. I’m fine. I ju—”

“Who are you? Emmy, who is Johnny?” her mom asked as the kids stared at me with curiosity.

“He’s the tow man, Ma,” she said as she glanced at me with a slight smirk on her face before pain wiped it away.

I took that as an opportunity to introduce myself by the correct name. Niggas play all day, I see.

“I’m Parker. Nice to meet you.” I extended my hand, but her mom just looked at it and smiled.

Why does everyone think tow truck drivers have filthy hands? That’s why we wore gloves. Maybe someone should send out a memo.

“Hello, Parker. Likewise. Emmy, where do you want this car towed? Your house or mine?” her mom asked.

“Mommy, this man is not gon’ hit our car too and say you hit him, is he?” her lil' boy asked.

I needed to know about this accident and how she supposedly hit this damn fool. “Lil' mama, I’m curious. How did you hit that man?” I had to know.

Emory looked at me while the paramedics gave her the rundown of denying transportation and all the other gibberish. Finally, she signed the release, and I offered to help her to her mom’s truck. Her mom had the lil’ talkative kids’ hands as they sang the Bad Boys theme song.

Once I got Emory in the passenger seat and hooked her in, I waited for her to tell me how she hit this man.

“Do you really want me to entertain his stupid ass accusation?” she snapped.

“Yes, I really do. Please humor me just this one time. I’ll make it up to you.” I smiled, and she smirked while rolling her eyes.

“Wilbert Henry says I pushed his radiator into his motor. This supposedly happened when I suddenly applied my brakes. He wasn’t expecting it, so I hit him….” Emory said, looking me in my eyes.

I assumed she was waiting for a response, but I had none. What the hell does one say to fuck shit like that?

“Do you want me to take the car to your mom’s or your house, shawty?” I asked, because that shit had pissed me the fuck off.

I turned and looked at the fuck nigga who had hit her and them kids, and I wanted to go put my fist in his mouth. But then I heard the funniest thing come from the backseat of Emory’s mom’s truck.

“Poppa, what do you call a camel with no hump?”

“I don’t know.” Emory’s mini twin looked at his sister, patiently waiting for her answer.

“You call him hump-free! Get it, Hump-frey?”

Her brother giggled, and her grandma peeked from her peripheral, trying not to giggle as well. Even Emory chuckled lightly. I laughed my ass off. I wasn’t expecting that, but it definitely tickled me.

“Do you mind bringing the car to my mom’s and then taking me home? I’ll pay you the private tow fee. I just need to get them to her house and let them see that I’m okay before I head back home,” she said.

Looking at Emory was like taking in a breath of fresh air. She wasn’t an ugly woman by far. On the contrary, she was attractive and had a lot of personality. The thing is, I didn’t have room for any breaths of fresh air.