Him.

Chapter 17.

Carmen.

A few weeks later...
"Happy birthday to you..." everybody sings and claps.
I'm twenty-two.
I feel so much older though.
"Make a wish, Mommy," Isaiah whispers looking up at me.
I have everything I could ever want.
What's left for me to wish for?
Justin.
I wish he was here.
Basketball keeps him away. Games, practices, conferences, interviews. There's so much that comes with him being in the NBA.
I get lonely.

"So when will he be back," Johanna asks as we clean back up the apartment.
"Actually Isaiah and I are flying out to Charlotte for a home game when he gets back in town tomorrow. Isaiah is so excited about seeing Daddy. Now that he knows how to work his phone he calls Justin all the time."
"I can't believe y'all bought him an iPhone 6 he's five," she states shaking her head.
"Justin wouldn't take no for an answer. I told him that Isaiah would probably just end up breaking the phone so he bought a life-proof case." She shakes her head laughing.
"So what's next now that you're the big twenty-two," she asks.
"I don't know I haven't really thought about it. I definitely plan on starting my career and no longer living off my parents or Justin," I admit.
"Girl please, Justin has always seen it his job to take care and provide for you. That's not going to change," she replies.
"True but I like to feel independent. I don't want to feel like I need a man to survive," I explain.
"Well... I don't know what I'd do without Damon working and taking care of me and Morgan," she explains and shrugs her shoulders. "I always promised myself to get my education just for the possibility of Damon leaving me--"
"What are y'all talking about in here," Damon asks walking into the kitchen with a beer in hand.
"Hey babe," Johanna says all innocent.
"We were just having girls talk Daddy," she whispers poking out her bottom lip. I step out the kitchen giving them some privacy.
"Mommy," Isaiah yells running from Ace. He jumps into my arms.
"Isaiah one minute you're playing with the dog and the next you're running from him," I say and shake my head.
"He started chasing me," he whines laying his head on my shoulder.
"Because you started running..." I laugh at my baby.
He's such a mama's boy and I love it.
"So are we still going out tonight," Johanna asks walking out the kitchen with her arms wrapped around Damon.
"I told you I wasn't sure if I wanted you going tonight," Damon states. "And Justin said no."
"Go play," I tell Isaiah putting him down. He takes off running and Ace follows. "It doesn't matter what Justin said its my birthday. I'm grown," I say and Damon laughs.
"I hear you. You say that while he in Charlotte but if he was here---" I cut him off.
"I'd be saying exactly what I just said."
-------------------------------------------

"Mommy," Isaiah comes running down the hall with his phone in his hand. "Daddy said to call him."
"I'm busy," I reply while fixing my makeup.
"Busy doing what," Justin asks through the phone.
Dammit.
Zay could have told me he was on the phone.
"I'm getting ready," I answer taking Isaiah's phone seeing Justin on the screen.
FaceTime.
Justin likes FaceTime.
It's his way of keeping tabs on me.
"Where are you going," Justin asks.
"Isaiah go get your shoes your Uncle Damon will be here soon," I tell him and he skips out my room.
"Where are you going," Justin asks again.
"Havana Club," I answer and he's immediately shaking his head.
"No you're not. I told you you weren't going clubbing," he states and I shrug my shoulders.
"You don't 'tell' me anything I don't know how many times I have to tell you you're not my Dad," I say impersonating the Vine. Justin laughs and shakes his head.
"I don't want you going out this late Atlanta can be dangerous at night," he states.
"I'm a big girl, Justin. Johanna is coming with me and were only going to be gone for a couple hours. My flight is at twelve tomorrow afternoon."
"Alright I'll let you go. Just know it's gonna be you and me when you get here. You want to act all big and bad because I'm not there but it's cool," he states making me laugh.
"Whatever you say," I reply and stand up from my vanity and slide off my robe rubbing in lotion on my body.
Justin gets quiet.
I'm so busy getting ready I'm not paying him any attention.
"Mmm I can't wait for you to get here. I miss you," he states making me smile.
"I miss you too," I reply and slide on my strapless cheetah print dress and nude heels.
"Where's the rest of that dress--" I cut him off given him the evil eye.
"Don't start."
I'm grown.
-------------------------------------------

"Girl, this is what I'm talking about the V.I.P section. I think I just saw T.I you know what it is," Johanna jokes.

Baby bend over, baby bend over
Baby bend over, let me see you do that yoga
Baby bend over, baby bend over
Baby bend over, let your booty do that yoga
"Aye!" We throw our hands up grinding our hips in sync with the music.

First let me hop out the
Motherf*ckin Porsche
I don't want her if that a$$
Don't sit like a horse
I be ballin on these niggas
Got me feelin like sports

Dash got so much wood
I could built me a fort
Ain't too many things I ain't done yet
I'm the king of this $hit
Crown by the toilet
The music comes to a halt.
"Yo, yo, yo make some noise for J. Cole," the DJ says speaking through the mic.
I almost pass out right there.
The crowd goes wild running up to the stage.
"What's up everybody I'm actually here to surprise a special somebody for her birthday," J. Cole states. "Can Carmen McNealy step to the stage?"
Man, I'm Carmen Foxx.
She's so lucky.
"Girl he's talking about you," Johanna states pushing me towards the stage. Security lets us both pass and onto the stage.
"Hey birthday girl your man Justin wanted to surprise you," J. Cole admits making me smile.
"Justin knew you were coming out girl we wanted to hook you up," Johanna states. I run up hugging J. Cole and then I hug Johanna holding back tears.
"Aight now y'all if you know the words sing along..." J. Cole's song Wet Dreamz begins.

Let me take y'all back man
As I do so well

Wasn't nothin' like that
Man, it wasn't nothin' like that first, time
She was in my math class
Long hair, brown skin with the fat ass
Sat beside me, used to laugh, had mad jokes
The teacher always got mad so we passed notes
It started off so innocent
She had a vibe and a nigga started diggin' it
I was a youngin' straight crushin' tryna play this shit cool
But a nigga couldn't wait to get to school
Cause when I seen 'em thighs on her and them hips on her and them lips on her
Got me daydreaming, man what
I'm thinkin' how she rides on it, if she sits on it, if she licks on it
Make it hard for me to stand up
As time goes by, attractions getting deeper and
Wet dreaming thinkin' that I'm smashin' but I'm sleepin'
I want it bad, and I ain't never been obsessed before
She wrote a note that said "You ever had sex before?"
Damn

And I ain't never did this before, no
And I ain't never did this before, no
And I ain't never did this before, no
And I ain't never did this before, no
And I ain't never did this before, nooo
I ain't never did this before, no
And I ain't never did this before, no
And I ain't never did this before, no