LOVE & LOYALTY

"All I want is to get out of that damned house with Ebony and unwind!!! GOSH, IT'S FRIDAY!!!" Anthony and Ebony had been bumping heads so much lately. It seems that she never forgave him for his latest infidelities, namely getting 17 year old, Monae, pregnant. She told Anthony that she was leaving it all in the past, but she had been hell to deal with for the past 10 months! Anthony's best friend and coworker, Carmello, came swinging in the doors of the dealership late as usual! "What's up, Ant? You should have rolled out with me last night! I didn't make it in until the sun was coming up!" Carmello was always the center of attention wherever he went places. He had the looks, the finances and the gift of talking ladies out of ANYTHING!! Of course he had a blast....it wouldn't be a night with Carmello if there wasn't DRINKS, LADIES AND MUSIC...... Anthony replied back with a smirk, "I don't know. I was just sitting here thinking about a night out on the town, and with Monae taking the baby to her parents this weekend, I just might do that tonight."

Carmello gasped, "What??? You??? I've been trying to get you out of that old man way of living all year!!! What's got you all of a sudden hype about enjoying the night life? Ebony must be leaving for good and you don't wanna sit at home listening to love music and crying all night??"

Anthony laughed, "Naw, just wanna breathe a little, you know, not have to feel like I'm with someone that doesn't really want me there, but feels like she has to babysit me all evening."

"Damn! Ebony still punishing you for being irresponsible with Monae? I told you she wasn't leaving shit in the past!!"

"Yeah, she dragging that shit around with her like its a security blanket! Anyway, so are you gone meet me at the bar tonight?"

"Yeah...bout 9:30!! Now lets get on these cars!!! I only sold 2 yesterday."

"I am sick of Anthony leaving these damned clothes on this bathroom floor! I wish he would get his shit together!!!" Ebony had had about enough of Anthony's bullshit! He just was not meeting any of her standards as her man anymore! She enjoyed the financial benefits of pretending to still love her new husband. The money he made from the dealership was sufficient for her life, but the contributions from the landscaping company that he owned on the side was the icing on the cake for her LIFESTYLE!!! The extra marital affair she had with Marcos, the head of her husband's business, was what she liked to call her extra tip for putting up with Anthony's bullshit! He had finally got caught cheating when two months ago, his now 18yr old BABY MAMA, Monae, came waving ultrasounds in his face and his DNA matched up!

"Hey Bae! Where you at?" Anthony came bursting through the bedroom door. "Sorry I am so late getting home. Marcos took forever meeting me with the money he collected from Ms. Haynes for doing her yard last week."

"I'm in the tub, Anthony!" Ebony rolled her eyes as he proceeded to the door of their master bathroom. She knew exactly why Marcos was so late meeting Anthony. She and Marco's had met up earlier for a romantic tryst and it had ran over. She was now taking a bath to wash off their lovemaking. "Babe, Carmello wants me to go enjoy some jazz tunes down at Club Majestic tonight so I'll just be out with him!" "Well when did you start the whole club scene thing? Don't tell me you're back messing around again??" "Messing around?? For God's sake, NO! It's just been hectic at work and we wanna relax. Plus, Anthony has something major he wants to discuss with me." "He always has something to "discuss" with you. Anything to get you away!"

See, Anthony and Ebony were your typical high school sweethearts. Anthony had been working at the dealership since he graduated high school about 13 years ago. He started his own landscaping business on the side about 5 years ago because he knew that his fiance, now wife, was into having a lavish lifestyle and his desire to keep her for life drove him to generate money in more than one direction. Hell, their well-manicured home alone cost $500,000! He was also helping out Marcos, another childhood friend of his and Carmello's. Marcos had a great business mind but a really hot head! He was a hard worker, dependable, and had the best money making ideas Anthony had ever seen. He had just got into some brawls and was sent to jail a couple of times. He always had a hard time finding jobs with that background and Anthony needed someone that he could trust to take care of his landscaping business, so he elected Marcos to be that person.

"Well look! You always having drinks with that messy tramp Trina! I'll see you when I get home. I'll use the guest bathroom to shower." Anthony headed to the shower to shave and check his hairline. Ebony scoffed and mumbled under her breath, "Yeah, she would be messy to you, seeing as though she's Monae's cousin and knows how your sneaky ass plays around behind my back."

"I'm sure glad Ebony let you out of the house to have fun with The Bigs Dogs, Homeboy! It's time to TURN UP!" Carmello stood there with his Balenciaga outfit on with the matching shoes and belt, his gold teeth lighting up the room. He had a nice Rolex on one wrist with a matching bracelet and necklace! Carmello had always been very flashy, it matched his arrogance. He believed he was God's gift to all women, young and old, and carried himself like it!!! He had barely made it on time himself, dealing with his undercover drug cartel business that Anthony was oblivious to. Carmello didn't knock his friend for taking the legal route. He just chose to hide the fact that he, however, had followed his older brother's path to selling drugs when he got off work everyday. He loved the money and power that he received from that life. The way the ladies were attracted to him, the men all wanted to be him, and the users glorified his every move gave him the motivation to indulge in this life. It didn't help that he had such success selling both drugs and cars, it empowered him, he felt like The Man.

"Let??!!!! I put all my damn money into HER ass. I do as I damn well please. It's messed up Marcos couldn't make it up here. He say Londynn crazy ass was being a bitch and dropped the kids off at the last minute. Londynn was Marcos's crazy baby mama. They had two beautiful daughters together. Ever since their break up last year, Londynn had been dragging Marcos through it all! She had put child support on him, ruined every relationship he had attempted to be in, and cost Marcos hundreds of dollars destroying his wardrobe and vehicles in a jealous rage! "Yeah, she is always doing something weird. That fool been cancelling on me a lot lately. Anyway, I see you, Playboy, in your Armani get up! You got the sophisticated look on lock!"

Anthony stood there with his clean cut look standing 5'9" weighing 150 lbs. He had great taste. His Armani casual look with matching glasses hitting on his caramel brown skin made him stand out as well. He didn't have gold teeth but his smile still lit up a room, the way his teeth were so straight and white and his full lips held moisture. His hair had deep, glossy waves that seemed to move when the light hit it. He had always been modest about his good looks. Hell, his romantic relationship with Monae was sheerly one night of hot ass sex that turned into a dramatic headache. She lied about her age and with Anthony wasted off Patron, he sometimes felt that he had been a date rape victim! "Well, I gotta do something to keep up with my playa ass bro!" Anthony waved Carmello off as if he was once again showing off his modesty.

Anthony and Carmello had been friends since the second grade. They had been through everything together. They felt like blood couldn't make them any closer. Anthony's parents took Carmello and his older brother, Peyton, who was only one year older, in after the death of their Big Mama. They had gone to live with Big Mama when both of their parents died in an attempted robbery. Carmello's dad was a very powerful drug lord that supplied most of the city. Apparently, two street thugs that worked for him came into their home to rob them one night and killed them both while both kids were asleep. Both boys were basically blood to Anthony and his family.

"Let's go mingle and check out what kind of ladies they got in here tonight, Ant!" Carmello said. He was ready to go find something new to lay up with tonight. He loved the ladies and they loved him. "Man, I got enough drama in my life from "ladies". I just wanna unwind and catch some of the vibes off this music," Anthony yelled. He looked up and a beautiful entity was standing next to him at the bar. Her dark brown skin seemed to have a golden glow. Her natural hair was cut to shoulder length but was thick and had body galore, just like her! The length of her yellow dress showed off the length of her beautiful legs and the cut showed off her voluptuous curves. Her chiseled face showed off her Native American heritage. Anthony was stunned by the radiance of her beauty! She realized she had his attention and gazed at him with a beautiful smile, "Hi Handsome. I will buy you a drink if you can get it ordered. This place is packed. I've been trying to get a drink for 30 minutes!" Anthony was stuck staring at her......acting as if he had encountered an actual celebrity.

"Oh, I'm Alyse." Alyse extended her hand out as if to shake Anthony's hand. By this time Carmello noticed this beautiful enchantress and was giving Anthony the elbow. Hell, he knew he was nudging him to accomplish one of two goals; either wake Anthony up and get him to speak while he had her full attention or introduce her to him. Carmello knew he would love to get to know more about this perfectly made creature!! Anthony came to just in time to throw his hand out there and blurt out, "Anthony! What are you drinking??"

"Ummm......I'll have a Long Island Iced Tea Hand Grenade." Alyse extended her hand again but this time it was to give him money to buy the drinks. "How much do I owe you, Sir?" She batted her eyes and smiled a very innocent smile. Anthony brushed her off and turned around to order the drinks.

"Well, I was paying you because I wanted you to get two of them. I came with my cousin. She ducked into the ladies room." Alyse still had her hand out with the money trying to pay him. Paying for two drinks was no issue for Anthony, not for such a fine thing as Alyse. She had to be married, or gay, or an ex-con or something!! He ordered the drinks and as he tipped the bartender and turned to hand Alyse her drinks.

"What's up, Anthony......Mello?" They both grimaced and looked right into the face of Londynn, Marcos's crazy baby mama! "Where's ya boy, Marcos? He told me he couldn't keep the kids because he was meeting y'all up here tonight."

TO BE CONTINUED...……..