In Too Deep Read Free Page A

had to confront her about it, because I didn’t want it happening again.
    â€œI told you what I would do if she gave me another comment.”
    â€œYeah, you did, but damn Monique, use some common sense. You didn’t have to do that in front of Jalisa.”
    â€œCommon sense? Common sense would be to tell that bitch that she is Jalisa’s mother and that’s it. Common sense would be to make her understand that you want nothing to do with her other than when she comes for her daughter, who she had no problem disrespecting me in front of. I’m tired of her shit, Randy! And frankly, I’m getting tired of you playing her little game.”
    â€œGame? Who the hell is playing games?”
    â€œYou! Every time she calls or comes by, you play Mr. Softy with her. What? Are you incapable of saying ‘Leave me the fuck alone’? And don’t tell me she doesn’t want you. I can read her thoughts, because she puts them out there for me to see in plain sight.”
    â€œCome on Monique, we’ve gone over this before. You need to stop worrying. She doesn’t want me.”
    â€œBullshit. I’m a woman. I know these things.”
    â€œRight, you are a woman. And you are bigger than she is. And so what if Tina wants me. I’m with you, and I damn sure don’t want her.”
    â€œThen get it through her thick, weave-wearing, head.”
    â€œThere’s no need to.”
    â€œRandy, I know the body language. I know how to read in between the lines. You don’t have to admit anything to me if you don’t want to.”
    â€œMonique, listen—”
    â€œI don’t want to listen. I don’t want to talk about this anymore. I’m sorry about slapping her in front of Jalisa. I really am. And I’ll apologize to Jalisa. But I will not continue to put up with Tina’s shit. And if you don’t want to try and do something about it, then I don’t want to put up with yours either.”
    â€œMonique—”
    Before I could get another word out, she stormed out. That was the last argument we had. And since then, Tina’s called me on my cell phone—thankfully. But this last time, Monique was sitting right next to me when it went off. And of course when I didn’t answer, she wanted to know why.
    â€œWhy didn’t you answer your phone?”
    â€œIt wasn’t anyone important,” I said.
    She looked at my phone and said, “Hmmph. It was important enough for them to leave a voice mail.”
    â€œI’ll check it later.”
    â€œRight. Later.”
    Damn.

Monique
    I knew who the call was from. He should have just taken the damn call, instead of avoiding it and trying to play it off as if I were fool enough to believe his pathetic lie about it being no one important. His actions showed me that the suspicions I’d had, had some merit behind them. Had the call been innocent, he would have had no problem answering it. But he didn’t, and that could only mean that Tina was definitely out to steal my man. Well, here’s what I had to say about that.
    If she wanted him, she could have him.
    I mean, I loved Randy to death, but I just couldn’t continue to stand by and watch Tina play her little mind games with him. More importantly, I refused to be ridiculed by her. Oh no! I definitely wasn’t having that. So if Randy wanted to be baited by her, then fine. In love or not, I was getting tired of all of the stress anyway.
    Before I met Randy, stressful relationships were all I knew. I dated one fine caramel brother who put Shemar Moore to shame with his looks. I mean Ivan had it going on. He had pretty-boy looks, with eyelashes to die for. His body had to have been sculpted from the Super Black Man catalogue. And best of all, he made love like he invented it. Brother was so smooth with his, that he had my peaches and cream overflowing. Unfortunately, looks and sex were all he had going for himself,