taking her shit, I busted her mouth.”
Smiling, Onika shook her head as if Puddin was a mischievous four-year-old. Matt felt a dislike for Puddin that was so intense, he wanted to pull over and physically toss the pill-popping addict out of his van. He didn’t have time to compete for Onika’s attention. Now that he’d heard Puddin’s story, he knew the pudgy little freeloader would be hanging around forever. He wanted to kiss and make up with Onika as quickly as possible. He didn’t have all night. He had a job to do, and men to supervise and transport back to their group home. But with a third wheel in his and Onika’s love nest, diffusing his baby girl’s anger would take a lot more time and patience than he had tonight. He could only pray that Puddin would take every one of the stolen pills as soon as they returned to the apartment. He hoped Puddin would quickly nod off into oblivion, and give him and his baby girl the privacy they deserved. Who was he kidding? It would be too much like right for Onika’s ill-mannered friend to conveniently knock herself out.
Instead of parking, Matt pulled up to the door of building G and sat behind the wheel, allowing the engine to idle while Puddin got out and retrieved her trash bag. Onika sat beside him, silent. “I’m going to give you some time to cool off, baby girl. I’ll give you a call early tomorrow morning.”
“Oh, it’s like that, now?”
“Like what?”
“You just gon’ drop me off in front of the crib like you don’t give a damn how I feel?”
Matt couldn’t win for losing. He was trying to give Onika the space she obviously needed and she still wasn’t satisfied. Not knowing what to say, Matt held out his hands and shrugged. He caught a glimpse of Puddin standing at the door of Onika’s apartment building and then he felt the buckle of Onika’s pocketbook as it crashed against the side of his face.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” he shouted, rubbing his palm across his cheek.
“Why you looking out the window at Puddin? You tryin’ to get with my friend?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I just glanced out the window for a moment. I wasn’t paying any attention to Puddin.” Matt pulled the visor down to check the damage to his face. There was some swelling and redness near his cheekbone, which meant he’d have to concoct a believable story when his wife asked what happened.
There was the sudden sound of Puddin banging on the passenger window. “I know that mufucka didn’t put his hands on you!”
Onika slid down the window. “Nah, but I had to crack him upside his head—put that ass in check.” She turned to Matt. “Ain’t that right, baby?” she asked with a huge grin, as if being smacked with her pocketbook was something he should be proud of.
Matt looked grim. How had he allowed his world to spin so badly out of control? It was possible that Onika was crazy. But what was his excuse for going along with her nuttiness? I’m pussy whipped , he solemnly admitted.
“Answer me!” The humor had left Onika’s voice.
Not wishing to provoke her again, Matt responded quickly. “Yeah, you keep me in check.” Ugh! He sounded like a wimp. He rubbed the tender area on his face. The pain was tolerable. He felt more humiliated than physically hurt. He was deeply ashamed that his weakness for Onika had been witnessed by a third party.
He thought he’d made it clear that he didn’t mind getting cussed out or smacked around behind closed doors. But now Onika was acting out in front of Puddin. Clearly, Onika was out of control, and Matt didn’t know how to rein her back in. Heyearned for the sweet, considerate young woman she’d been when he first developed an interest in her.
Matt had to admit, though, that her bad behavior wasn’t entirely her fault. He’d spoiled Onika and turned her into the ornery, demanding monster she’d become.
“Here you go.” Onika handed Puddin a set of keys. “Apartment 10. Go on in and make
Smiling, Onika shook her head as if Puddin was a mischievous four-year-old. Matt felt a dislike for Puddin that was so intense, he wanted to pull over and physically toss the pill-popping addict out of his van. He didn’t have time to compete for Onika’s attention. Now that he’d heard Puddin’s story, he knew the pudgy little freeloader would be hanging around forever. He wanted to kiss and make up with Onika as quickly as possible. He didn’t have all night. He had a job to do, and men to supervise and transport back to their group home. But with a third wheel in his and Onika’s love nest, diffusing his baby girl’s anger would take a lot more time and patience than he had tonight. He could only pray that Puddin would take every one of the stolen pills as soon as they returned to the apartment. He hoped Puddin would quickly nod off into oblivion, and give him and his baby girl the privacy they deserved. Who was he kidding? It would be too much like right for Onika’s ill-mannered friend to conveniently knock herself out.
Instead of parking, Matt pulled up to the door of building G and sat behind the wheel, allowing the engine to idle while Puddin got out and retrieved her trash bag. Onika sat beside him, silent. “I’m going to give you some time to cool off, baby girl. I’ll give you a call early tomorrow morning.”
“Oh, it’s like that, now?”
“Like what?”
“You just gon’ drop me off in front of the crib like you don’t give a damn how I feel?”
Matt couldn’t win for losing. He was trying to give Onika the space she obviously needed and she still wasn’t satisfied. Not knowing what to say, Matt held out his hands and shrugged. He caught a glimpse of Puddin standing at the door of Onika’s apartment building and then he felt the buckle of Onika’s pocketbook as it crashed against the side of his face.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” he shouted, rubbing his palm across his cheek.
“Why you looking out the window at Puddin? You tryin’ to get with my friend?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I just glanced out the window for a moment. I wasn’t paying any attention to Puddin.” Matt pulled the visor down to check the damage to his face. There was some swelling and redness near his cheekbone, which meant he’d have to concoct a believable story when his wife asked what happened.
There was the sudden sound of Puddin banging on the passenger window. “I know that mufucka didn’t put his hands on you!”
Onika slid down the window. “Nah, but I had to crack him upside his head—put that ass in check.” She turned to Matt. “Ain’t that right, baby?” she asked with a huge grin, as if being smacked with her pocketbook was something he should be proud of.
Matt looked grim. How had he allowed his world to spin so badly out of control? It was possible that Onika was crazy. But what was his excuse for going along with her nuttiness? I’m pussy whipped , he solemnly admitted.
“Answer me!” The humor had left Onika’s voice.
Not wishing to provoke her again, Matt responded quickly. “Yeah, you keep me in check.” Ugh! He sounded like a wimp. He rubbed the tender area on his face. The pain was tolerable. He felt more humiliated than physically hurt. He was deeply ashamed that his weakness for Onika had been witnessed by a third party.
He thought he’d made it clear that he didn’t mind getting cussed out or smacked around behind closed doors. But now Onika was acting out in front of Puddin. Clearly, Onika was out of control, and Matt didn’t know how to rein her back in. Heyearned for the sweet, considerate young woman she’d been when he first developed an interest in her.
Matt had to admit, though, that her bad behavior wasn’t entirely her fault. He’d spoiled Onika and turned her into the ornery, demanding monster she’d become.
“Here you go.” Onika handed Puddin a set of keys. “Apartment 10. Go on in and make
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