“Get out of town!” Tempest exclaimed, drawn back in shock. “Gurlfriend has been spitting out about one a year, huh?”
“Yeah, and check this out.” Janessa chuckled. “She named them all after luxury cars.”
“You’ve got to be kidding! Is she married?”
“Nope! In fact, she’s never even had a steady man. She just lets them hit it once or twice and never hears from them again. I always tease her and tell her she better not even look at a dick or she’ll get pregnant. As a matter of fact, I have a theory. I think she names the kids after the type of car she gets knocked up in. She only dates drug dealers who drive fancy cars. Yet they’re all still living at home with their mommas.”
“Dang, momma’s boys, that’s bad!” Tempest watched Janessa struggle to get the Pepsi open. She wanted to laugh—her fake nails were too long to flip the top. “So what are the kids’ names?”
“Oh, yeah, peep this! Their names are Lexus, Infiniti, Mercedes, and Jaguar, but they call her Jag for short.”
“That’s too funny.” Tempest cackled, reaching for the soda. “Janessa, give me that so I can open it. You need to chill on the nail fetish. Those nails are longer than your fingers.”
Janessa flipped Tempest the bird while she opened the can for her. “The better to say fuck you with, my dear.”
“Aiight now, don’t make me have to pull those extensions out of your damn head up in here,” Tempest hissed, handing the soda back. “I guess I’ll just go to the play by myself tonight, since you have plans.”
Janessa eyed Tempest up and down suspiciously. “What about Mr. Super Lover? Why can’t he go with you?”
“First of all, what makes you think I know anything about Geren being a super lover?”
“Gurl, I was born at night, but not last night. You and Geren are fucking, or my middle name’s not Ethel. After all this time, I know you two are throwing down. Besides, I can see the difference in your eyes. Remember what I told you? The eyes are always a dead giveaway.”
Tempest decided to let that one slide, since it was true. The
y were sexin’ big time. “Geren has to work at the office all weekend to prepare for a big meeting on Monday.”
“Uh-huh, sho’ you right!”
“What do you mean by that snide remark?”
“Men always say they’re at the office when they’re really laid up in the bed with some other hoochie momma.”
“Janessa, I’m not even going to go there with you,” Tempest said indignantly. “Even if Geren is with someone else, he doesn’t owe me an explanation—our relationship isn’t that serious.”
“Okay, gurlfriend.” Janessa smirked. “If you say so.”
Tempest flipped the coin on her. “Speaking of men, what’s up with you and Dvontè?”
Janessa diverted her eyes to the black lacquer coffee table. “Everything’s straight. We see each other about once or twice a week.”
“I see,” Tempest said suspiciously.
“What does ‘I see’ mean?”
Tempest put her knee up on the leather sofa so she could look directly at her. “Janessa, I want to ask you something.”
Janessa glared at her out the corner of her eye. “So ask!”
“First, you have to promise you won’t get mad about it.”
“Just ask the damn question already,” Janessa said, sucking in her bottom lip.
“Okay, here goes.” Tempest inhaled a deep breath and went for it. “Does Dvontè ever take you out on dates, or do you just go over to his place to have sex with him?”
Janessa jumped up off the sofa and headed down the hallway. “How dare you call me a hoe!” she blared. “That’s what you’re doing, right? Calling me a hoe?”
“Not at all.” Tempest jumped up and followed her. “I was just wondering because Geren said whenever he calls Dvontè, you’re always over there, but Dvontè never mentions you two going out anywhere. Except, of course, when the four of us hang out, but that’s rare these days.”