"What Am I Gonna Do"--Continuation of Part 1/A

[Sweet Meat aka CC]

Boris wasted no time in running over to the passenger's side door to open it for me so I could climb inside. While waiting for him to get in on the driver's side, I noticed how every nosey-ass in the shop was peeping through the blinds with Stanley right down in the front. I shook my head and rolled my eyes at them before turning my back on those fools.

"I'm gonna be out of town next week and since your birthday is gonna be at that time, I got this for you.", Boris smiled as soon as he was seated. He proceeded to reach into the back of the car and grabbed a half-a-dozen red roses tied together with some white ribbon and a small black and gold box from the seat.

"Why are you doin' this?", I asked while watcing the box in his hand after he had placed the roses across my lap.

"Are you gonna open it or not?", he smiled.

I sat in silence for several seconds before slowly taking the box away from him. I quickly lifted the lid off of it and couldn't help from smiling when I saw that my gift was a gold charm bracelet with a heart charm already placed on it. However, something didn't set right with me so I quickly closed the box and gave it back to him along with the roses.

"I can't do this again. I'm sorry.", I huffed as I reached for the door handle to get out.

"Wait!", he shouted while grabbing up to my free hand to pull me back in. I quickly looked down at his hand that was wrapped around my wrist and then looked back up at him with a pissed off look on my face. He immediately let go of me.

"Bye, Boris.", I sighed with a roll of my eyes.

"Marry me.", he quietly stated. I thought I was hearing things and froze in place just as my sandal was about to hit the pavement. I slowly glanced over my shoulder at him with a blank look on my face.

"What?"

"Listen, I've been wantin' to ask you for the past few months, but I didn't know how. But I can't hold off on askin' you any longer.", he replied before removing a small, blue velvet box from his pants pocket. He slowly lifted the top back to expose a gorgeous platinum engagement ring with a big rock that immediately began to shine as soon as the sunlight hit it.

"And juss what makes you think that I would wanna do somethin' like this?! Do you NOT recall the reason why we aren't togetha in the first place?! n!gga, please!!!", I huffed with a suck of my teeth as I climbed completely out of the car and marched back towards the salon. I noticed how everyone scattered away from the window as I approached the door.

When I walked back inside, I gave everybody a pissed off look and mumbled for my next client to get in the chair.

"Ooooh...French Vanilla is back, girllllllll!", Stanley mumbled while looking at me.

"What?!", I snapped as I turned around. Boris' dumb ass had come right back in behind me.

"Yo, G...c'mon! How long are you gonna punish me for the sh!t I did?!!", he deeply sighed with a shrug of his shoulders while still holding onto the ring box.

"I thought I told you 'bye'?!", I shouted while glaring at him. Everyone looked back and forth between us like a tennis match. It's a good thing this was Stanley's shop. He was all for drama and was enjoying every minute of our argument.

"Oh, so is this what you want me to do?! Listen up, everybody...!!!", Boris shouted as he began to turn in a circle while getting everyone's attention. "I was a sorry ass dog that treated my girl here like a piece of sh!t! But I wanna do right by her this time...so what I wanna know is if I'm wrong for askin' her to marry me?!"

"Say wha'?!!! Oh my lawd!!!!", Stanley exclaimed while covering his mouth with one of his hands.

Of course everybody in the shop eyes fell on me as Boris walked in my direction. Without thinking twice about it, he knelt down on one knee and took my hand into his to try to put the ring on.

"Get up and get out!!! I'm not for the bullsh!t, okay?!!!", I yelled as tears began to roll down my face out of both hurt and embarrassment.

"Look, for all I care, you can call the cops, but I'm not leavin' until you say yes, G!", he replied in a sincere tone while looking up at me.

Shondra was about to be placed under the dryer by our receptionist when she jumped up from the chair and marched over to us.

"Didn't you hear her the first time?!", she shouted. "Or would you like for me to call Steel on your ass?!"

"Ummmm...do you mind? I'm waitin' for her answer, not yours!", Boris huffed while turning his head to look at her.

"Ooooh...feisty! I like that!", Stanley mumbled from his chair that he had just sat down in.

"Will you shut up?!", I snapped while turning to glare at him.

"Uh, Miss Thing, you do rememba whose name is on your paycheck don't'chu?!", he snapped back at me while raising his eyebrows.

I took a deep sigh and pretended that I didn't even see Boris standing up beside me now.

"I'll be back in the mornin' to pick up the baby.", he nearly whispered while placing the box on my booth. He then turned around and slowly walked out of the door.

"Okay...now is you a foo' to let THAT go to waste?!", Stanley exclaimed as soon as Boris was outside.

"Not right now, Stanley, okay?!", I huffed with a shake of my head as I proceeded to do my next customer's hair.
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[Sweet Meat aka CC]

Later on that night after work, Shondra returned home to get ready for her night out with me when she was greeted at the door by Steel and their 5-month-old son, Michael, Jr. that he was cradling in his arms

"Damn, ma! I likes that new 'do!", he smiled before giving her a quick kiss. "Makin' a n!gga wanna stay home and sh!t to start workin' on anotha one of these.", he joked while softly kissing their baby on the forehead.

"Whateva, boy!", she giggled as she stepped inside. "How was your day?"

"It was aight. Oh yeah...the daycare said that the baby was a lil' fussy today."

"Oh? Has he been that way since you brought him home?", she asked as she turned back around and took the baby from him.

"For a lil' bit but then he stopped once I gave him his bottle. I called my momma about it and she said it could be colic.", he replied as he followed Shondra over to the sofa to sit down next to her.

"Awwwww...is momma's baby, okay?", she sighed while placing the baby over her shoulder and gently rubbing his back. "I think I'ma call and cancel my plans with Ginger."

"Well, maybe I should stay home too.", Steel replied while placing his arm across the back of the sofa.

"Nah, you help me out so much. You gon' out with your boys and have fun. Mikey and I will be okay.", she smiled.

"You sure? I mean, you worked today juss like I did."

"Yes, I'm sure. Now will you go already?!", she chuckled with a roll of her eyes.

"Aight, ma. Damn!", he laughed as he stood up. However, he quickly bent down to give her a quick kiss before heading in the back to get ready for his night out.
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"Well, baby...if it makes you feel any betta, your Gran'pa ran around behind my back a few years after we were married. Now I'm not sayin' to base your decision on this, but I do see quite a bit of your Pa Pa in Boris. He's a good man who made a mistake, but somethin' tells me he's truly sorry for what happened between you two.", Gran’ma smiled as she and I sat in the den. I had told her about how my day had went when Boris showed up.

"Really?! I didn't know Gran'pa did that!", I replied in disbelief with widened eyes.

"Yeah, baby, he did. Except the difference is, you aren't married yet. It hurts a lil' more when you've put time into a commitment like the one your Gran'pa and I shared. But with God's help, we overcame our troubles.", she smiled while placing her hand on my shoulder.

"I'ono though, Gran'ma.", I sighed while slowly opening the ring box that I was clutching in one of my fists. "I mean, I’ll always have a special place in my heart for him, but how can I be guaranteed that he won't do the same thing again?"

"Because he's had quite a few years to realize the mistake he made. But like I said, I'm juss givin' you my opinion on the situation. I'm gonna let you make this decision on your own." Gran'ma proceeded to pull me in her arms and we gave each other a loving hug.

"Thank you.", I smiled while resting my chin on her shoulder as she lightly patted my back while chuckling.

"You're welcome, baby. Now what would you and Chastity like for Gran'ma to cook for dinner?"

"Oh, well I was goin' out with Shondra in a couple of hours. But before I do that, I’m gonna take Chastity out for a Happy Meal in a few minutes. So maybe I can pick up somethin' for you so you won't have to cook.", I smiled.

"You'll do no such thing! I'll make somethin' for myself and Chastity. I told you I don't care for her to eat that fast food junk.", Gran'ma huffed with a sour look on her face.

"Yes, ma'am.", I giggled. At that moment, the phone began to ring. "I'll get it."

"Aight, baby. Thank you.", Gran'ma replied before standing to her feet and heading to the kitchen while humming "Jesus On the Main Line".

"Hey, Ginger?", Shondra asked as soon I said hello.

"Yeah, girl! It's me, w'sup?", I smiled.

"I was callin' to tell you that I'm gonna have to cancel our plans for tonight. My baby is a lil' cranky and I don't want to leave him with my sitter. He may have the colic."

"Awwwwww...I'm sorry to hear that. But it's coo'. Your baby comes first.", I smiled.

"Ya know it!", she giggled. "Plus, I'm still a lil' self conscious lookin' like an elephant and sh!t since I haven't worked off all of this baby fat yet!", she joked.

"Anyway! Girl, you know you still got it goin' on!", I laughed.

"Yeah, I'm still workin' it out!", she chuckled. "Say, why don't you come ova here and keep us company?"

"Oh, okay. Is it okay to bring Chastity? That way I can give Gran'ma a break."

"Sure! That's fine! I'll see yall a lil' lata."

"Aight...buh bye."

"Buh bye."

As soon as our call ended, I went upstairs into Chastity's room where she was sprawled out across her bed coloring in one of her many coloring books.

"Hey, bookie! Wanna go see the baby with me?", I smiled as I walked over to her bed and sat down.

"Oooh, boy! Yeah! He looks juss like my dolly right here!", she beamed as she jumped off the bed and ran over to her toy chest where she grabbed one of the many dolls out that momma had sent to her. All I could do was laugh at my baby.

"Okay. Well put your things away and we'll go in a few minutes.", I smiled as I walked past her.

"Okay, mommy."
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[Sweet Meat aka CC]

"Aight, ma. Tyrese juss called to let me know he’s a block away so I'm about to head out.", Steel smiled close to an hour later after returning to the living room. Shondra thought that he was a lil' too sexy dressed in a pair of baggy jeans, some Timbs, a gold Lakers jersey and a gold Lakers sweatband wrapped around his curly afro.

"Ummmm...and juss where do you think you goin' lookin' as fine as you wanna look?!", she joked while cradling the baby.

"Like I can help it!", he winked with a sly grin.

"Yeah, whateva! All I know is you betta not act up with your boys!", she smiled.

"You know I ain't like that, girl.", he smiled back. "I'll see you in a few hours."

"Okay. Have a good time.", she replied while following him over to the front door.

"Thanks, ma.", he stated before giving her a brief kiss. "Bye, lil' man.", he smiled as he gave the baby a quick kiss on one of his little hands. However, the baby continued to sleep.
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As soon as Chastity and I arrived at Shondra's place, I began to cornrow Chastity’s hair so that I wouldn't have to do it the next morning while waiting on Boris to pick her up.

"So, have you thought about what you're gonna do with your present situation?", Shondra asked me.

"Nah...I did talk to Granny about it, but I still don't know.", I replied with a shrug of my shoulders.

"Oh. Well I'm sure things will work out.", she smiled.

"Yeah, I hope so.", I faintly smiled back.

Over the next hour or so as I continued to do Chastity's hair, the three of us watched "Radio" and because Chastity and I had watched it so much, we found ourselves quoting most of the lines from the movie.

"Lawd, girl! You got your baby doin' that mess now!", Shondra laughed with a shake of her head.

"Well, girl...you know when you haven't...", I winked with a sly smile, "...you have to keep your mind preoccupied with otha things."

"Not that I asked for all of that info!", she chuckled with a roll of her eyes.

Once I was finished with Chastity's hair, Shondra and I went into the kitchen to bake some cookies while Chastity decided to stay in the living room and watch the Cartoon Network while keeping an eye on the baby who was asleep in his playpen.

Before long after Shondra and I were seated at the table while talking about stuff in general, I noticed that I hadn't heard a peep out of my baby.

"I'll be right back...it's a lil' too quiet in there.", I chuckled as I stood up from the table.

"Aight."

As soon as I stepped into the living room, I saw Chastity lying on the floor sound asleep next to the baby's playpen. I crept over to her and picked her up and placed her on the loveseat before giving her a soft kiss on the cheek.

"Girl, do you know my baby was in there sleepin' next to the playpen?", I laughed after joining Shondra back in the kitchen. "That girl loves her some babies!"

"Awwwwwwww...you need to go on and have a lil' brotha or sista for her.", Shondra joked.

"The devil is a LIE!", I laughed.

"I bet you wouldn't say that if you had the chance to create one with a certain somebody that I saw you blushin' in front of today?"

"Don't you start that!", I warned in a joking manner while pointing my finger at her.

"What? I'm juss sayin'!", she grinned with a wink.

"Whateva!"

"Damn, man! When yall get the otha' kid?!", Tyrese chuckled after he and Steel stepped inside from the game a few minutes later. They both noticed Chastity asleep with her back to them.

"Foo', that's Ginger's girl!", Steel smiled with a shake of his head.

"Oh, I was about to say.", Tyrese joked as he sat down on the sofa.

"I'll be right back.", Steel stated as he headed for the kitchen.

"What up, Steel!", I smiled as soon as he joined me and Shondra.

"Hey, girl! What I tell you about leavin' your crumbsnatcher ova here?!", he joked while playfully pulling on the end of one of my cornrows.

"Anyway! You ain't hear me say nothin' 'bout your crumbsnatcher!", I laughed while trying to hit him although I missed.

"Hey, hey, hey!", Shondra laughed when she heared what I had just called her baby.

"He started it!", I pretended to pout while folding my arms and glaring at Steel.

"No, I didn't. W'sup, ma.", he smiled as he leaned over and kissed Shondra on the cheek.

"Hey, boo. So how was the game?", she smiled back while looking up at him.

"You know our boys represented as usual!", he grinned while flexing his muscles.

"Heyyyyyy!", she cheered.

"Ya know! Well I'll holla at'chall a lil' lata...I'ma go in here and watch some tv.", he replied after getting something to drink from the refrigerator. However, I noticed that he grabbed two bottles of water.

"Okay, we'll be in there in a few.", she told him while watching him walk out of the kitchen.

"Dang! I didn't know it was this late! I guess I'd betta be headin' out.", I stated when I glanced down at my watch. It was going on 11:30.

"Well, how about you and Chastity spend the night in the extra room on the back? That way you won't have to wake her up. You can go on and put her in the bed now if you want to.", Shondra smiled.

"You sure?"

"Of course...now gon'!", she chuckled with a wave of her hand.

"Thanks, girl. Lemme call Granny right quick to let her know so she won't be worryin' about us." After my call, Shondra and I went into the living room. However, as soon as my eyes met Tyrese's, I felt my cheeks beginning to burn.

"Oh, hey.", I bashfully smiled.

"W'sup.", he smiled as he watched me quickly heading over to the loveseat to pick Chastity up so I could take her to the back.

"You're not gettin' ready to turn in now are you? We were just about to watch a movie.", Steel smiled as I walked past the sofa where he was sitting in between Shondra and Tyrese.

"Oh, well I was, but I guess I can stay up for a lil' while longer.", I replied without looking at them.

"Coo'.", I heard Tyrese say as I was stepping out into the hall. I hurriedly carred Chastity into the back bedroom and took her tennis shoes and jeans off before placing her under the covers. The whole time I did this, she never woke up. That's something else that she inherited from her daddy. Once they were asleep, it was hard to wake them up.

"G'night, baby.", I whispered as I pulled the cover up to her chin and lightly kissed her on the forehead.

Afterwards, I stood up and walked over to the dresser mirror where I gave myself a quick once over.

"What am I doin'?!", I quietly huffed at my reflection. With that, I crept out of the room and headed back into the living room.

[Sweet Meat aka CC]

"So what are we watchin'?", I asked once I joined everyone.

"Dawn of the Dead.", Steel smiled while skipping through the previews.

“Dawn of the…?”, I questioned. “But ain’t that still playin’ down at…?”

“I met up with Bootleg Byron as he was about to make his way into the shop when I was leavin‘.”, Shondra chuckled as she glanced at me.

"Oh...well I guess I can watch that.", I laughed with a shake of my head as I sat down on the loveseat. It was no secret that I was somewhat of a chicken when it came to horror movies.

"Well, in case you're not able to, maybe I need to keep you company ova there.", Tyrese slyly grinned as he stood up and walked across Steel and Shondra's feet. I couldn't help from nervously fidgeting around while noticing Shondra winking at me.

"How thoughtful of you.", I managed to joke as soon as he sat next to me.

"No prob.", he smiled while casually throwing his arm across the top of the chair.

We hadn’t been watching the movie 20 minutes before Shondra decided to get mischievous with Steel.

"C'mon, ma. Cut it out.", he mumbled while trying not to smile the moment Shondra began to lightly run her fingers back and forth across his earlobe which also happened to be his spot. Whenever, she did this, it meant that she was in the mood for a lil' somethin' somethin'.

In response to Steel discreetly trying to remove her hand away from him, she kept quietly giggling while continuing to tease him.

"Yall aight ova there?", I smiled while glancing in their direction.

"Yeah, I'm juss a lil' sleepy though.", Steel grinned before stretching and yawning.

"So am I.", Shondra chuckled while following his lead.

I gave her my "yeah right" look before turning my attention back to the screen. As soon as I did, it was t an extremely gory part. "Oh sh!t!", I exclaimed while quickly covering my eyes.

"Uh oh...I'm here for ya, girl!", Tyrese joked as he placed his arm around my shoulder which he proceeded to rub while laughing.

"Tell me when it's gone.", I giggled as I continued to keep my eyes covered. I was so busy trying to concentrate on not making the mistake of watching what was on the tv at the moment that I didn’t hear when Shondra and Steel left me alone with Tyrese. However, I found out as soon as I opened my eyes several seconds later.

"Now where'd those two get to?", I sighed while looking around the living room.

"Ummm...Shondra said she was going to take a shower and Steel's gonna turn on in. I decided I'ma stay to finish watchin' the rest of the movie if you don't mind my company.", Tyrese replied with a small grin.

"Oh, nah...I don't mind.", I managed to smile while anxiously thinking "Lawd, help me!"

As soon as Shondra and Steel reached the top of the stairs, he went into their bedroom to get ready for bed while she took the baby to his room and placed him in his crib. Afterwards, she took a shower, dressed in her nightshirt and joined Steel who had been waiting on her for several minutes.

"C'mon...don't be walkin' all slow and sexy now. Get'cho ass ova' here since you started stuff up downstairs.", he laughed while patting the empty space next to him.

"Boy, you know how I do.", she grinned as she quickened her pace as she approached him.

She immediately straddled him while reaching over to turn the radio on next to the bed. When they both heard Ginuwine's "So Anxious", a slow grin spread across her face. She slowly leaned forward and began to kiss and nibble on Steel's earlobe while he wrapped his arms around her. However, his embrace tightened around her the minute she manuevered herself around enough where she let her hand slowly travel downward until she reached her destination. Both her hand and her mouth that was now on his neck went to work simultaneously.

"Oh sh!t, girl.", he groaned out of satisfaction while enjoying the special treatment he was receiving from her.

She began to giggle before tracing her tongue from his adam's apple up to his mouth where she proceeded to share a deep kiss with him which became deeper and deeper the more her hand stroked him.

"fvck this!", he huffed as he gathered enough strength to flip her over onto her back.

He immediately went to work causing her to take in a deep breath before he lowered his mouth onto hers while holding her arms down on either side of her head. Whereas he could be loving and gentle with his, tonight he was as rough as they came which was the side that Shondra loved the most.

Meanwhile, Tyrese and I were still watching the movie when I heard the faint sound of something knocking upside the wall from the ceiling above us. I couldn't help from rolling my eyes while trying to concentrate on the movie. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed how Tyrese began to fidget around a little bit. This amused me.

"Don't act like you don't hear it.", I laughed.

"Hear what?', he chuckled while turning his head to look at me.

I responded by looking upwards at the ceiling.

"I don't know what you're talkin' about.", he joked.

"Mmmm hmmm...I'll be right back. I'm goin' to check on my baby.

"Okay. I'ma go grab anotha water from the kitchen. You want any?", he asked as he stood up alongside of me.

"Do I?", I thought to myself while unknowingly gazing at him. However, I quickly shook that thought away. "Ummm...sure, why not. Thanks." I immediately took off down the hall while rubbing the back of my neck.

Back upstairs, Shondra and Steel were still going at it.

Shondra began to lightly shriek into her pillow that she was holding onto for dear life as Steel yanked on the back of her hair while quickly reaching his just as Shondra was joining him. However, she finished first followed by him as he collapsed onto his back next to her several seconds later.

She slowly turned her head to look at him. "Damn, n!gga!"

"That was the sh!t as always, right?", he smiled before they both began to chuckle.

"Ya know it.", she grinned as she snuggled up in his arms.

"I wonda how my n!gga's doin' downstairs with ol' girl?", he asked while running his fingers through her hair.

"Who knows?", she sighed.

I was on my way back into the living room when I looked over my shoulder to glance out of the dining room window at the sound of a fire truck siren. A second or so later, I saw the flashing lights as the firetruck zoomed down the street. Little did I know that Tyrese was on his way back from the kitchen when we both ran smack dab into each other.

"Oooh!", I exclaimed out of surprise while almost losing my balance. But to keep me from doing so, he wrapped his arms around me out of reflex.

"My bad.", he smiled as we looked at each other.

"It's...it's okay.", I faintly replied without blinking. When I realized that he was still holding me, I quickly broke out of his embrace.

"So how is she?", he asked while following me back into the living room.

“Who?”

"Your daughter.", he chuckled.

"Oh...oh yeah.", I giggled out of embarrassment. "She's still asleep."

"How old is she?"

"Seven goin' on 19.", I joked. "You have any kids?"

"Nah.", he smiled while handing me my bottle of water.

After thanking him, we went back to watching the rest of the movie.

Once it was over, he stated that he was about to head home. "I enjoyed your company.", he smiled as I followed him over to the door.

"Thanks, the same here.", I smiled back.

He was about to step out onto the porch when he stopped in his tracks and turned back around.

"Ummmm...I was wonderin' if it's okay to call you sometime? You know if you ain't got a man or nothin'."

"Nah, I don't have a man.", I blushed while shaking my head.

"Damn! I was thinkin' that you did even though I was hopin' that you didn't.", he chuckled.

"Yeah, uh-huh.", I laughed. "But nah, I don't mind you havin' my number." I proceeded to grab a scratch piece of paper and a pen from my purse that was hanging on the coatrack next to the door and scribbled down my info for him.

"Thanks, ma. I'll try to call you as soon as I get the time.", he winked before waving goodbye to me and heading over to his ride.

I was happy for a moment until I went to place my pen back inside my purse. That's when my hand came across this damn velvet box that held my future inside. I leaned upside the door and glanced up at the ceiling while holding it before dropping it back into my purse.

After turning off the lamp, I proceeded to go lie down next to Chastity and fell asleep after tossing and turning for a few minutes.
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