Crazy In Love With A Thug: Bari and Seven (10 page)

"Both of you can come with me," I said.

Gucci frowned but continued to follow. They helped me carry more trays and platters to the living room. I was happy. My steps were light and airy.

"Bitch, are you drunk?" Gucci asked.

"Why would you ask me that?"

I sipped from the cup that Seven had left on the table. This was the third cup that he had left. He seemed to leave them all half full.

"Because you are."

"No, I'm not. That's the most ridiculous shit I've ever heard," I began laughing uncontrollably at her stupidity.

"Bari," she said calmly. "How much have you had to drink?"

"Not much. I drank the glass of Cristal that Seven gave me."

"And what else?"

"What's up with the questions, Gucci?" I asked impatiently.

Seven came in, and all conversation ceased.

"Baby, hand me another bottle of Belvedere. Every time I set my cup down, one of them fools picks it up. I don't know why they just don't fill up their own," he said irritably.

Gucci stared at me open mouthed. Seven took the bottle and left.

"Bitch, you didn't!"

"You are trippin', Gucci," I said. "It was only a couple of sips, and I'm not drunk. I promise. I just feel really good. I feel relaxed."

"Too relaxed. That ain't cool, Bari. Seven is gon' be so mad at you."

"No, he's not. ‘Cause he isn't going to know. You talk a good one, Gucci, but you would never sell me out," I laughed, and gave her a high five.

Trish laughed, too.

"Shit, everybody deserves to feel good every now and then," Trish commented.

"You know what I'm saying?" I asked.

I walked over to the portable radio/C.D. player that was sitting on the counter and started a Beyoncé C.D. We sat around the table. I was floating, flying, sailing.

"Baby, I need some more napkins," Seven said.

"Here," I handed him an unopened pack.

He looked into my eyes.

"Bari." I immediately stared at the floor. "What have you been drinking besides what I gave you?" He looked at me suspiciously. "You the one been draining my cups?" I nodded reluctantly. He started laughing and hugged me to him. "I love you, Milkshake," he said, and went back to the living room.

I glanced in Trish's direction. She had a sad smile on her face.

Chapter 22

"He hates me, doesn't he, Bari?" She asked.

"Sho'll do," Gucci piped up.

"Seven doesn't hate anybody," I said.

"I gotta use the bathroom," Trish announced.

Gucci looked at me and shrugged.

"He does hate that water bug. Don't lie to the ho," Gucci said.

"Can I get some cups?" I looked up and into the face of Trim, who looked me up and down, then licked his lips. Gucci and I made eye contact. "How you doin'?" He asked. I chose not to respond. “Are you doing as fine as you look?" I blushed, and reached for the pack of plastic cups. I held them out. He reached for them, taking his time taking them, so I released them. "Bari, huh?" I nodded. "That's a cute name, for a cute ass girl."

"Thank you. Enjoy the game," I said and turned to go back to the table with Gucci.

"Damn. It's not often you see a girl that looks as good from the back as she does from the front," he observed, watching my butt. "I don't mean no disrespect, but you're a pretty ass black baby."

"Bye, Trim," Gucci said loudly. "Seven! Bari wants you!"

We both turned to look at her.

"Here I come! Seven yelled back. Then, "Hold on!"

"Is that shit true?" Trim asked, lowering his voice.

"What?" I asked.

"That the blacker the Bari, the sweeter the juice," he said, and strolled back to the living room.

"He makes me sick," Gucci said, then mumbled, "With his fine ass. Damn, that fool is fine."

"Y’all must be talking about Trim," Trish asked, taking her seat back at the table. "I've had a thing for him for years. Been silently begging him to hit it since the day I met him." Gucci slapped her a high five. I sat there in shock. I couldn't believe she had said that so openly. "I know his ass could put that shit down, have me walking like a cowboy for a month," she laughed.

"Bitch, Darkie be having you walking a little funny already," Gucci said.

"Darkie is a kid." Trish waved her hand dramatically. "He ain't putting nothing down but his shoes on the floor. I need a man."

"Well, why are you with him?" Gucci asked. "He'd irritate the hell outta me."

"You know what they say," Trish answered sadly. "If you can't love the one you want, love the one you're with."

"I know you ain't talking about Seven," Gucci said. "You must be talking about Trim. Seven wouldn't leave Bari in a million years, and if by some miracle if that did happen, he wouldn't be with you. He can't stand you. He be cuttin' your ass up all the time. Be sayin' ..."

"Gucci," I interrupted.

She looked at me in frustration.

"You wanted me, Milkshake?" Seven asked, walking over to the table.

He bent to kiss me.

"That's what the fuck I'm talking about,” Gucci said and looked pointedly at Trish.

“What did you need me for, baby?" He asked.

I looked at Gucci.

"I had said 'never mind,' I guess you didn't hear me,” she lied.

"Oh, I didn't. It's kind of loud out there. What y’all doin' in here?"

"Nothing, just talking,” I replied.

"Where my man at?" Gucci demanded. "That game started, and he just forgot all about me. Well, he can forget about me when he thinks he gon' get some of this pu ...”

"Gucci!" I yelled.

Seven started laughing.

"Your friend is crazy," he said. I nodded in agreement. "Baby, what you gon' make for dinner?"

"Dinner! Seven, you just ate," I pointed out. "Are you really hungry?"

"Not right now, but I know I will be, and I always try to eat a lot when I drink," he explained.

"Okay, baby. What are you gonna want?"

"Whatever you feel like making is cool with me."

"Yeah, whatever you make us is cool," Six agreed, coming to stand next to Seven.

"When did I start taking orders from Thirteen?" I joked, looking at Gucci.

Everybody laughed.

"Man, you missing all the good commercials," Six told him.

"Ahem!" Gucci cleared her throat, demanding Six’s attention.

"Hey, baby," Six said. "Come on, Seven."

"I'm comin'."

"Bari, we want something good for dinner. We hungry. Men need to eat. And we men," Six informed me, beating his chest with his fist.

"What did a verb ever do to you, Six? You act like you have a phobia or something. We men?”

"That was cold, Bari." He acted like his feelings were hurt. "Real men don't need verbs," he said, and gave Seven dap.

"Then real men don't need food. They live off the fat of the land," I pointed out.

"I'm just playin', Bari,” Six hurriedly said.

"I would never starve my baby, Six," I explained.

"What about me? You'd let me starve?" He asked.

"If y’all wouldn't have inhaled that food it would be in your stomach instead of your lungs, and you wouldn't be hungry again already," I laughed.

"Milkshake, whatever you make, make a lot alright?"

"Okay, baby."

"We going back to the game," Six said.

As they were walking out I heard Six say, "You slippin', nigga. I can't believe you let her wear that, especially around all these fools, even me. I wouldn't let Gucci wear no shit like that around them goldfish swimming around in that tank."

I couldn't hear Seven's reply.

"What are you gonna make them apes?" Gucci asked.

"I don't know, but come on, we have to go to the store." Trish sat watching us. I hadn't invited her, and she wasn't going to get her face cracked. "Come on, Trish," I said.

"Bari, you got enough food here to feed an army," Gucci said.

"And it does feed an army. Seven," I laughed. They followed me through the house to the living room. "Keys, please," I said, holding out my hand.

"Where you goin'?"

"Store," I said.

"Bullshit," he replied. It threw me back for a brief period. Everybody looked up at once. "What are you thinking, Bari? Or is it that you're not thinking at all?" He asked.

"What?"

"You're not about to get behind the wheel of no car, and you been drinking," he said quietly, shaking his head.

"I forgot about that. Sorry."

"And what the hell do she got y’all for?” Six snapped, looking at Gucci. “Damn. Who’s the adults and who’s the fuckin' kid?"

"Babe, I didn't even think about..."

He interrupted her.

"You mutha fuckin' right, you didn't even think," Six said loudly.

Gucci's feelings were hurt. Trish just stood back, staring at the floor. I felt bad for Gucci, but I had to clarify one thing.

"And just so you know, Six. I'm not a fuckin' kid. If I am, then you need to take your friend to get registered."

"Aw Bari, I didn't mean it like ..."

"You meant it the way you said it. It's cool though. I ain't trippin'. Come on y’all, we can walk. It's nice outside, and it's nowhere near dark yet."

I tried to lighten the mood back to the way it was. Gucci was still looking sad. Trish was just looking.

"That's cool, Milkshake,” Seven said. “Here.”

He pulled out his wallet and handed me two hundred dollar bills.

"I got in on it, too," Six said, and handed me another two.

"I want in."

"Me too."

"I do too."

I walked around the room, collecting bills.

"I'll be right back, baby."

I bent to kiss him, but he wasn't paying attention though. He was watching Trim…watch me.

Chapter 23

"Seven," I said.

He took his time swinging his eyes in my direction.

"Yeah."

"I said I'll be right back."

"Okay." I was almost to the door. "Milkshake." I turned and went back to him. He pulled his Steelers jersey over his head and handed it to me. "Handle that."

I slipped it over my head, kissed his lips and headed out with Gucci and Trish.

"Did you see how Seven was looking at Trim?” Gucci asked when we closed the front door. "Bitch, Trim know he don't even want to see Seven."

I didn't respond. Trish stayed quiet. Gucci went to the liquor department of the store. Trish stayed with me. We picked out steaks, ribs and hot links, then headed to the other aisles. We bought salad ingredients, French bread, bags of frozen French fries and onion rings. Gucci met us at the door with enough liquor for a small army. We walked slowly back to the house, talking on the way.

"You know, Trish, we wouldn't mind if you hung out with us sometimes, as long as you don't start no bullshit. I don't like the way you be doing Bari. She don't got that coming from you or your weasley ass man."

Gucci was so outspoken. I envied that in her. I wished I could be that way, too.

"I apologize to you, Bari, and I mean it. You guys just don't know how sorry I am. That whole set up that me and Darkie did to you, that shit was cold. I regret it."

"You should," Gucci said. "That was fucked up of y’all. Makes me wanna just take off on your ass every time I think about it," Gucci ranted.

"Gucci," I said, snapping her out of her fantasy of beating Trish into the ground.

"For real. I don't like that shit. Bari has been through enough shit to last a life time. Now, she's happy. Finally, she's happy. I ain't gon' let you come fuck that up. So, if you ain't sincere, Trish, you can kick gravel now and save yourself an ass whoopin' later." I looked at Gucci. "What, Bari? I'm serious. I ain't with that bullshit."

"I ain't trippin', Gucci," Trish assured her. "You guys don't understand how I feel inside."

I heard her voice crack and glanced in her direction. She had tears in her eyes.

"Well, make us understand," Gucci said with her lips pursed to let it be known that she wasn't buying this whole performance.

"I'm miserable. I hate my life. I've done so much wrong to people, and it's all coming back on me now, in the form of Darshon. I hate him," she cried.

"You're the dumb ass that's staying with him," Gucci said. "You can cry about it all day long, but if you gon' stay then shut that shit up."

"Gucci, damn," I said. "Ease up."

"Naw, I'm real about that shit. I don't feel sorry for nobody but you, Bari. In a real way, she deserves whatever she gets. All I know is this; Seven loves Bari, and you can't fuck that up, Trish. I know you still love the nigga. It's in your eyes every time you see him. You wish it was you that was absorbing all his love, but it ain't. So, you got to suck it up and move on."

I looked at Gucci and shook my head.

"I know y’all think I don't want to see Bari with Seven, but..."

"It don't matter if you do or if you don't. The point is that you're going to," Gucci pointed out. "So, don't start none and won't be none. Now, what's the problem with you and Darshon? He was good enough to scheme with on somebody else, but he ain't good enough for you to be with?" Gucci asked. "Why don't you leave his little sorry ass? I can't stand that boy. I can't even believe him and Seven are from the same womb."

"I can't leave him.

"Why not? It's nasty enough that you were with his brother first. Now, you don' got sprung on that little ass dick and can't let go?" Gucci asked.

I audibly gasped.

"It's not that. He's blackmailing me," she said quietly. "He knows something that I did, and he's holding it over my head. We aren't a real couple. He basically just lives with me and fucks me whenever he wants to. Other than that, we're like enemies."

"That's cold for you," Gucci said. "But again, let me remind you that you opened the door for the devil to scrape you up. All that evil you did to people, and don't think for one minute that I forgot how you got down behind my back with Six back in the days. So, not only have you fucked Seven's little brother, you also fucked his best friend. That's a definite invitation to be treated to some bad karma."

I was shocked by what I had just heard and was thankful that we were at the front door.

Besides, my arms were tired. Everybody was so into the game, I didn't think they noticed us when we came in.

"Everything alright, Milkshake?"

"Yeah, I'm going to get started." I glanced at Six, who gave me a shy smile. "What, Six?" I smiled to let him know all was forgotten.

"Sorry."

"It's cool. I ain't trippin'," I said.

"Bari," he called as I walked away.

"Huh?"

"A man needs to eat." I picked up a throw pillow and threw it at his head. He laughed. "I love you, Lil’ Sis."

"I love you too, Six."

I prepared to grill the steaks, the hot links and put on a large pot of water to boil the ribs in.

"Fuckin' with you, they ain't gon' eat 'til midnight," Gucci said. "How you gon' cook some ribs by five o'clock?"

"Who said they have to be done by five? It ain't even half time yet. They'll eat when everything is ready. Let me and George Foreman handle this."

"What do you want me to do, Bari?" Trish asked.

"Lettuce, tomato, cheese, cucumber and green onion," I responded.

"Make sure you wash your hands first," Gucci ordered. Trish's expression stayed normal, but I could tell Gucci had hurt her feelings. "I mean hell, you be up to some shit."

"Cut it out," I snapped.

"Here, baby," Seven came in, went to the refrigerator, got a bottle out and handed me a wine glass filled with Cristal.

I was reluctant to take it. It felt like it was some kind of test. If it was, I failed. I took the glass from him and sipped it.

"Sorry about earlier," he said, wrapping his arms around me.

I hugged him tightly.

"It's okay."

"Damn Milkshake, you making all that stuff?" He grinned.

"All what stuff?" Six asked. "This stuff? That's what I'm talkin' about. A man needs meat, Bari. Meat. Not no shit that grows in the ground. I'm talkin' 'bout butchered animals. Now, get it crackin'."

"What's goin' on in here?" Darkie asked. "Bari, what's up? You need your big bro to handle some shit?"

I looked at Seven in surprise. He winked.

"I think I can handle it. My baby ain't gon' let me do Six too much damage."

Everybody laughed, except Trish. She had her head down so far that her chin scraped her chest.

"What's wrong with you now?" Darkie demanded, scowling at her.

"Nothing baby," she replied quietly.

"Then pick your mutha fuckin' head up and quit lookin' like Mista just busted you reading Oliver Twist or something."

He had a look of pure disgust on his face. I suddenly wished I was somewhere else, anywhere but right there. Six laughed. Gucci cracked up. Seven looked at me. He knew how I felt about things like that. I hated to see anyone be humiliated.

"Y’all come on and get out my Milkshake's way,” Seven said.

I was grateful.

"Yeah, quit standing around talking, Bari. There's men to be fed,” Six joked.

I loved Six. If I had a brother, I would want him to be like Six. Seven let Darkie and Six walk out before him, then turned to me.

"Hey Milkshake, it ain't you, baby," he said quietly, his thumb rubbing my face. "That's all that matters, it ain't you."

I knew what he meant, and I appreciated it. I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him, then put my arms around his waist and lay my head on his chest.

"I love you so much, Seven."

"I know you do, baby. I know you do."

He released me and went back to the living room. I missed him as soon as he let me go.