Flip Side of the Game by Tu-Shonda L. Whitaker Page B

shit?”
    â€œDumb shit,” she said. “Stupid moves.”
    â€œSo what should I do?”
    â€œApologize.”
    â€œOh, hell no! He wanna play tough, two can play at that game.”
    â€œYeah? Well, you do that and see how far that gets you. And when you got another bitch sneaking in during your in-between time of playing a game, take your beating like a champ.”
    â€œI really didn’t call you for this,” I insisted.
    â€œYeah, you did. You knew what you were going to get when you called here. That’s why you called me, as opposed to Lee or Angie. You knew they would pacify yo’ ass, and you needed to be knocked in the head with the truth.”
    â€œBye, Shannon.”
    â€œLove ya, girl, but I gotta go anyway. I’m ’bout to get my swerve on!”
    Fuck it. I called Taj at his apartment, and his voice mail came on. “Hey, Taj. Vera. Hope all is well. Call me when you get a chance.”
    Then I slammed the pillow over my head and felt stupid. Fuck him. I think it’s some ice cream in the refrigerator .
    In between the first swirl of caramel and chocolate chunk, the phone rang. I peeped the caller ID and saw it was Taj. I didn’t answer the phone.
    â€œHey, Vera,” he said into the answering machine. “Figures you wouldn’t answer the phone. I’m sure I peeped your card, but anyway, when you’re done—”
    I snatched the phone off the receiver. “You didn’t peep no card of mine.”
    â€œHello?”
    â€œYou heard me,” I said, tight-lipped.
    â€œHey, baby!”
    â€œDon’t ‘hey, baby’ me!”
    â€œDamn, lots of attitude. Do I suspect a problem?”
    â€œNo, no problem. No problem at all. As a matter fact, I have to get up and go to the shop right about now.”
    â€œIt’s seven o’clock in the morning.”
    â€œIt sure is. Great answer. Ciao, bella. ” I hung up on the mu’fucka!
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    Now, when the morning’s rush came into the shop, the old ladies, the gossip mouths, and some of Aunt Cookie’s girlfriends, the last thing I needed was to hear how Aunt Cookie was creeping. It almost made me sick. How the hell was she getting extra dick when I hadn’t had any in three days, not to mention she lives with my Uncle Boy?
    And to make matters worse, Aunt Cookie’s girlfriend Ms. Janet told me that somebody needed to talk to Uncle Boy, ’cause all he seemed to be doing was crying and explaining to anybody who would listen that Gladys Knight had a midnight train for him to catch, and as soon as daybreak hit, he planned to be on the next thing smokin’. This shit couldn’t have come at a worse time.
    Immediately, I called Uncle Boy and whispered into the phone in an effort to keep the shop out of my business. “Don’t cry, Uncle Boy. Don’t leave. Don’t do that.”
    â€œUncle Boy, don’t do that? Naw, you misunderstandin’ yo’ Uncle Boy. I’m tired of yo’ Aunt Cookie.”
    â€œUncle Boy, Aunt Cookie loves you and you know that.”
    â€œWell, if lovin’ me is wrong, then goddamnit, don’t be right.”
    â€œUncle Boy, you been drinkin’?”
    â€œNaw, baby,” he said with a slur. “I been caught up.”
    â€œCaught up in what?”
    â€œA one-night love affair!”
    I couldn’t take it anymore, so I made a few phone calls, one to Shannon’s mother and the other to Lee’s mother, who in turn, informed me that they left Aunt Cookie on Utica at Ms. Carol’s house, hosting an all-night card party, and if I wanted to catch the last game, I needed to hurry.
    I hung up the phone and asked DeAndre to please finish my client’s hair while I went to see about Aunt Cookie.
    When I arrived at Ms.Carol’s, I could hear Chaka Khan’s “Whatcha Gonna Do for Me” blasting down the hallway. I knocked on the door and Ms.