It's Always The Pretty Ones Read online

  He waved her off and headed for the door. “Whatever. I can just go somewhere else.”

  She rushed in front of him so he couldn’t leave. “Romeo.” She looked him straight in his eyes once more. “What happened?”

  He let out a loud sigh as he turned and went to the couch. “Destiny is what happened.”

  “Okay, let’s not be melodramatic here.” She laughed. “Destiny happened?”

  “I am destined to be a player for the rest of my life. I tried the ‘straight and narrow’ and look what happened. I just need to stick to what works.”

  “Well, from the looks of it this girl means a lot to you.” She laid her hand on top of his.

  “I mean she’s okay.” He tried to put on a tough shell, but she knew better.

  “Romeo, I know it was a very hard thing for you to change your behavior and give up so much of what you’re used to in order to be with her. Therefore, she must be special. You can try to play Mr. Tough Guy all you want, but you know I can see straight through that.”

  He just looked down at the floor. “I love her, Tandy.”

  “Whoa! Did I just hear the 4-letter word come from Romeo’s mouth?” She laughed.

  “I know, right? He laughed. “It took me a while to finally get up the balls to say it, then…”

  “Then what?”

  He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. “She caught her best friend and I kissing.”

  “What? Romeo!”

  “I was set up!”

  She raised her eyebrow in disbelief. “Set up? Come on, Romeo.”

  “I’m serious! This bitch had been chasing me since I met her. She finally cornered me in, what I found out later, was Krystal’s dressing room.”

  “Why didn’t you tell Krystal that her best friend was acting up?”

  He stood up and went to look out the window at the lights of the city below. “I don’t know. I thought I could handle it by myself. I tried to explain it to her, but she wouldn’t listen.”

  “Well, you are just going to have to give her time to cool off.”

  “I guess. I’m just afraid she won’t come back.”

  She stood up and walked over to him at the window. “I can’t believe I am hearing this coming from Romeo.” She smiled.

  “Me either.”

  “She put her hand on his shoulder. “If you truly love this girl, Romeo, you have to stick to it. Don’t give up so easily. She’s hurt right now, but I know once she cools down she may be ready to listen to you. Just give her time.”

  Romeo chuckled. “This is crazy. I never would have thought in a million years that I would be talking with you, and getting good advice at that!”

  “Well, things are different for me too.” She smiled.

  “Oh, okay. So, who is he?”

  “You don’t know him. He’s a fireman.”

  “Oh, a fireman, huh? I bet you two start a lot of fires, huh?”

  “You know it!” She laughed.

  “He reached over and gave her an embracing hug. “I’m happy for you. Make sure he knows what a prize he’s getting, okay?”

  “Thank you, baby. Now, you go out there and you fight for her. If you love her like you said you do, don’t let her get away.”

  “I won’t.” He headed towards the door. “Thanks again Tandy.”

  “No problem.” She opened the door for him.

  “By the way.” He stepped outside. I’m sorry for the way I came off. It was out of line.”

  “Don’t worry about it. Just go talk to her.”

  He smiled and gave her a peck on the cheek. “Thanks, Tandy.”

  “Don’t forget my wedding invitation!” She said as he walked down the hall.

  “Let’s not go that far yet!” He smiled as he waved goodbye.

  Anton burst into the apartment looking for Dazzy and Angel. “Dazzy!” He yelled with no answer. Fear ran through him as he thought Angel had gotten worse and had to be rushed to the hospital. He walked into Angel’s room and it was empty. “Please let her be okay?” He mumbled.

  The closer he go to the master bedroom the more his nose was overtaken by the scent of patchouli and ginger, Dazzy’s favorite scent. He walked in slowly to the candlelit room where Dazzy was lying on the bed wearing an onyx colored and very see-through nightie.

  “What’s going on? Where’s Angel.” Anton said slightly out of breath.

  Dazzy smiled as she stood up and walked over to him. “She’s over at Mrs. Wallace’s house.”

  Anton grabbed her wrists before she could touch him. “What? So you used our daughter being sick to get me over here? Are you insane?”

  “Oh, don’t get your pants all in a bunch. She’s fine. You should be happy about that! Besides, you wouldn’t have come if I called and asked for myself.”

  He released her wrists. “You’re right.” He turned to leave.

  Dazzy quickly ran around him and blocked the door.

  “Come on Anton.” She said with a crooked smile. “This little fight has gone on long enough.” She walked up to him and ran her fingers up his chest. “It’s time we let it go and got back to our life together.”

  He smiled and pulled her in for a hug. “You are one sick bitch, if you think for one fucking second that I will ever come back to you.” He whispered harshly in her ear, giving her a little shake when he released her.

  She followed him into the living room and once again blocked the door so he couldn’t leave.

  Get out of the way, Dazzy!” He shouted.

  “It’s that little bitch Colbey that turned you against your family isn’t it? She’s not as perfect as you might think, you know.”

  He held his head down and chuckled. “You know what, Dazzy. She may not be perfect, but anything is better than you at this point.”

  “You don’t mean that. You’re just angry.” Tears trembled on her eyelids.

  At this point, Anton couldn’t have cared less if she cried, screamed…whatever! He had had enough. “No Dazzy, I mean it. You are crazy as shit, girl! You really need a psychiatric evaluation.”

  She rushed over and picked up a calendar she had sitting on a table near the door and handed it to him. “Look, I picked out a wedding date for us. I even reserved a church!” Her voice had a sort of a crazed desperation to it.

  Anton looked down at the circled date on the calendar and threw the book down. “Well you wasted your time and money because there is surely not going to be any wedding!”

  Her face became more and more tense every time he disagreed with her. “Yes there will, Anton!” She screamed, banging her hand on the door behind her. “You just have that bitch in your ear!”

  “Dazzy, I’m a grown-ass man. I don’t need anyone in my ear to tell me that you need to be locked up, or that I would be an idiot to stay with you, let alone marry you!” He grabbed her arm and tried to move her from in front of the door, but she resisted. “Will you move, so I can go see my daughter?” He said very agitated.

  “No! You will never see her again if I have anything to say about it!” She said in a very low and scary tone.

  “There it is? I knew that demon would come all the way out eventually.” He smiled, his voice heavy with sarcasm. “Get out of my way, Dazzy. You are not going to keep me from my daughter.” He said as his smile dropping quickly.

  She pushed him back away from the door so hard he almost fell over the coffee table behind him. “If you go anywhere near her, I will call the police and tell them you came over here and assaulted me.”

  He squinted his eyes and took a step back from her. “There’s not a scratch on you, Dazzy.”

  “Oh yeah?” She walked over to the shelf and picked up one of the small statues and slammed it down on her hand. She let out a bellowing scream.

  “What the hell is wrong with you?” Anton said, a little frightened.

  Holding her mangled hand, she walked over to him again. “See baby? I will go to any lengths necessary to make sure you know that I love you.”


  He pushed her off him. “No, the only thing you have proven is that there is no way on God’s earth that I am leaving my daughter here with you.” He pushed past her and made his way outside and to Mrs. Wallace’s door.

  “Anton, what are you doing here?” She asked.

  “I’m here to get Angel.” He started to make his way in, but was stopped.

  “She’s sleeping.” She said with a tight face. “Come back in the morning.”

  Dazzy came rushing out of the apartment struggling with her mangled hand and her robe. “No, Mrs. Wallace! Don’t let him in!”

  “Oh my goodness!” She noticed Dazzy’s swollen and bleeding hand. “What happened to you?”

  “She’s crazy, that’s what happened.” Anton answered. “Now, I need to get Angel.”

  Mrs. Wallace stopped him once again. “I said she’s sleeping, Anton. Why don’t you think about her for once and let her sleep.”

  Anton took a step inside the door. “Look you nosy old hag, If you don’t get the hell out of my way and let me get my daughter, I will break this door down.”

  Seeing how serious he was, she stepped back to let him in.

  “No!” Dazzy yelled but could do little to stop him because of her hand. “You stay away from her!”

  He walked over to angel sleeping in the bassinet and gently picked her up as not to wake her. “Get out of my way, Dazzy.” He said as both she and Mrs. Wallace stood in his way.

  “Anton, you are not taking that baby anywhere. Now, what’s going on, here?” Mrs. Wallace said with her arms crossed.

  He reached down and grabbed Angel’s bag on the floor and put it on his shoulder. “Listen here.” He said whispering. “I am leaving out of this swap meet of an apartment with my daughter and there is nothing you or this crazy bitch can do about it. Now either move out of my way or I will find a way to move you.”

  Mrs. Wallace grabbed Dazzy’s arm and pulled her to the side so he could walk pass them and out the door. Once he reached the hallway, he turned and looked at Dazzy who was giving him a murderous glare. “Expect formal custody papers.” He said to her, rolling his eyes and heading to his car with his sleeping Angel.

  Chapter 17

  Krystal arrived at the auditorium for the dress rehearsal exhausted, her eyes red and baggy from crying all night. She hadn’t slept a wink. This was the night she had been waiting for her whole life; not only was she the star in a major stage production, but there would be Hollywood talent scout in the audience. This was supposed to be big for her. She wanted to be able to share the moment with Romeo, but all hopes of that were dashed last night. She walked into her dressing room and put her bag down on the counter. She shook her head when she looked in the mirror at her face; normally bright and flawless, was now dark and dreary. She sat down in her chair and took out her makeup bag to try to make herself look decent before she faced the rest of the cast; when she looked up into the mirror and saw Reina standing in the doorway. “Romeo’s not here.” She said putting foundation on her face.

  “I didn’t come here for Romeo.” Reina said in a small voice. “I came here to talk to you.”

  Krystal blew air out of her lips. “What for? We don’t have anything to talk about.”

  Reina walked inside and stood beside Krystal in her chair. “Yes we do. I want to apologize.”

  Krystal laughed. “Apologize, huh?”

  “Yes, apologize. I went back to the hotel and really thought about the things you said to me and I realized they were true.”

  “Did you now?” Krystal said with heavy sarcasm.

  “Yes I did. I realized that I have been jealous of you.”

  Krystal continued to look straight ahead and continue to put on her makeup.

  “I guess, I have always felt like we were competing and I don’t know why.”

  Krystal put her eyeliner down and looked up at Reina with little-to-no concern for any of what she was saying. “I know why. It’s obviously because you have the self confidence and talent of a gnat and I threaten you. You need to take all this bullshit you are shoveling and get the hell out of my room, and my life. Got it?”

  Reina looked at her eyes and saw that any love that was once there was now replaced by hatred. “Fine. I’m gone, but one more thing?”

  Krystal let out a loud sigh. “What is it?”

  “Romeo does love you.”

  “Yeah, I saw that last night while you guys were swapping spit.”

  Reina shook her head. “No, he was adamant that he wanted you. I did lure him in here and all the advances came from me.”

  Krystal looked down at her cosmetic bag. “Whatever.”

  “Seriously, Krystal. This is the God’s honest truth. He is a good man and he is head over heels for you. Don’t lose him because of my stupidity.”

  Krystal just stared at her with a straight face. Thanks, but you are the last person I would listen to when it came to Romeo or any man for that reason.”

  Reina held her head down as she walked out of the room.

  A single tear fell from Krystal’s eye as she looked at a photo of her and Romeo she had on her keychain.

  Romeo jumped up out of bed when he was startled by the cries of a baby. “What the hell?” He said as he tried to adjust his vision while he made his way down the hallway. He walked into the living room to find his ultra-modern design had been taken over by high chairs and baby toys. “What is going on here?”

  “Good morning, Romeo.” Anton said holding Angel while making her a bowl of cereal.

  “Umm…what is all this?” Romeo asked looking around at all the stuff cluttering his living room.

  “Oh, I needed some things for Angel, so I stopped at Target on the way home. I got a little carried away.”

  Romeo smiled. “Uh, you think?”

  “I hope you don’t mind. I just couldn’t leave her there with Dazzy, man. She flipped her wig last night, on a real serous level.”

  Romeo walked over to Anton and put his hands out for Angel to come to him, which she did. “You know Angel is the only woman I’ll allow to sleep over.” He said kissing her chubby little hand.

  Romeo raised his eyebrow as he poured warm water into her cereal bowl. “Umm, what about Krystal?”

  Romeo walked out of the kitchen and put Angel in her high chair. “Afraid, that’s over.”

  “What? Romeo, what did you do?”

  “I didn’t do anything this time, I swear. She walked in on her skeezer of a friend, Reina, kissing me.”

  “Aww man. Did you tell her what happened?” Romeo sat down in front of Angel and fed her a spoon full of cereal.”

  “I tried, but she wasn’t having it. You should have seen the hurt in her eyes.”

  “Just give her time. I’m sure she’ll come around. You can’t just give up on her.”

  Romeo walked back into the kitchen for a bowl of Captain Crunch. “I almost did. I went over to Tandy’s house last night.”

  “What? Romeo!”

  “No, nothing happened. She actually encouraged me to go find her and make her listen to me.”

  Anton looked at Rome shocked. “Tandy?”

  Romeo smiled. “Yep, Tandy.”

  “Hey, doesn’t her show open this afternoon?” Anton asked trying to keep Angel’s hands out of her mouth while she was eating.

  “Yeah, but I’m not going.” Romeo said as he took a bite of his cereal.

  “You should! That’ll be a good way for you to show her how serious about her. Then maybe she’ll listen to what you have to say.”

  Romeo hunched his shoulders. “I may, I’m not sure yet. Now, How about you tell me what happened last night with Dazzy?”

  Anton shook his head. “I can’t even find the words, dude.”

  “What happened?” Romeo asked intrigued.

  “She called me here and told me that Angel was really sick in order to get me over there.”

  “What? That’s low down.”

  “Tell me about it. I was f
urious when I figured out what she had done. I told her she was serious mental case and that’s when she lost it, dawg.”

  “What did she do?”

  “Man, this chick smashed her own hand with a statue.”

  Romeo squinted his eyes. “What do you mean she smashed her own hand?”

  “Just that! She picked up the damn statute and smashed her own hand, saying she was going to tell the police I did it if I didn’t stay.”

  “Damn!”

  “Exactly. That’s why I took Angel, and I’m going to sue her for full custody.”

  Romeo walked out of the kitchen and sat at the table. “Hey, you gotta do what you gotta do to protect Miss Lady here.”

  “I plan to. Hey, can you keep an eye on Angel for a second while I run to the bathroom?”

  “Sure.” He smiled as he went and sat in front of Angel. “Hey girl, what’s up?” He asked with a smile.

  She looked at him with a toothless smile.

  “So, you’re a girl. Do you think I should go to this show? What if she kicks me to the curb again?”

  Angel picked up her spoon and started to bang it on her high chair table.

  “Hey, no need to get rowdy! I know I love her and if I love her I should fight for her.” He took another bite of his cereal. “I’m new to this whole ‘love’ thing, you know.”

  Angel let out a loud squeal.

  “Okay, I get it!” He smiled. “No need to yell. I’ll go tonight and try to talk to her again. You’re pretty pushy, you know that?”

  She looked at him and gave him a big smile.

  Colbey stepped out of her bathroom after a long hot shower humming her favorite song, “Irreplaceable” by Beyonce. “You must not know ’bout me…you must not know ’bout me.” She sang quietly. She danced over to her full-length mirror and loosened the towel that was around her freshly washed hair. She bent over, still singing, making sure to get her hair completely dry. She froze when she stood up to see Dazzy standing behind her in the mirror.

  “Oh, keep singing. I don’t want to interrupt the song.” Dazzy said smiling.

  “What the hell are you doing in my house? How did you get in? I’m calling the police!” She started to walk towards the phone, but stopped cold when she saw the barrel of the .38 Special revolver that was put in her face.