Free Beautiful Liar by Kevin Bullock

the
left.”
    Lindsey seemed to be in shock and totally
disoriented. She didn’t understand how things became so disarrayed.
But when she saw Ray come out of the building, none of that
mattered. She marched to her car, babbling. “Oh! Now I see what it
is. Y’all trying to play me on that ATL pimp shit. I’mma show both
of you Niggas how we do in VA. I’m trained to go.”
    “What in the world is she talking about now?”
asked Ray.
    Cairo shrugged and turned to Shay. “You might
as well follow her, because it’s over.”
    “That’s how you get down? Get what you want
and never mind somebody?”
    “I just got you before you got me.”
    “What are you talking about, Cairo?”
    “I don’t know. Figure it out on your way to
your car.”
    “Please don’t do me like this.” She turned to
Ray for support. “Ray, talk to him.”
    This made Cairo tremble with laughter.
“That’s the first.”
    Ray wasn’t paying attention to neither one of
them. His eyes were on Lindsey marching back to them with something
in her hand. He tugged Cairo’s shirt and took off running. “Watch
out!”
    Terry came around his office desk with a thick
envelope in his hand. “I want you to take this, Tracey. Start
buying things the baby will need.”
    “I appreciate your generosity, but I can’t
accept your money. Especially since your son thinks that’s all I’m
after.”
    He grabbed her hand and stuffed the envelope
into it. “This doesn’t have anything to do with Cairo. I’ve been
around long enough to recognize sincerity when I see it. It’s just
unfortunate that Cairo can’t yet.”
    Tears poured down her face, and she wiped
them away. “I just don’t understand why he doesn’t believe the baby
is his. He knew how much I needed him in my world; I could barely
breathe without him.”
    “Tracey, I love my son with all of my heart,
but don’t you shed another tear for him. Okay?”
    She nodded reluctantly.
    “Because regardless,” he continued, “that
baby isn’t going to want for anything. I promise you that.”
    She stood up and kissed him on the cheek.
“Thank you very much.”
    “Now, don’t let me see you worrying about him
anymore. Stress isn’t good for the baby.”
    “I know.”
    “I’ve learned from experience that you can’t
make a person do right. You just have to move on.”
    “I know it’s just going to take some
time.”
    “Of course it is. And the best thing about
the whole situation is that you have learned what to look for in a
man.”
    “I sure have. And thanks again,” she said,
hugging him.
    “Keep me updated, and don’t hesitate to call
if you need something.”
    “Okay, see ya."
    Tracey exited the office just as Ray walked
in the front entrance. She surveyed the building, hoping that Cairo
hadn’t arrived yet. His presence wouldn’t do her any good right
now, because her heart still yearned for him. Since he was being an
unwilling participant, his appearance would only cause her
self-induced stress.
    She exited the building and paused when she
saw Cairo arguing. She immediately recognized the women from the
hotel incident and briefly felt a deep sense of gratification,
because the tables had turned on them.
    But the gratification turned into horror when
she saw what happened next!
    “…trying that pimp shit on me! I’m the wrong
bitch.” Lindsey pulled the gun from under the driver’s seat and
made a beeline back to Cairo.
    She was fed up with men mistaking her
kindness for weakness. This was one of the reasons she had made the
transition from VA to Georgia. Her ex-boyfriend had three babies on
her in the course of two years. And she had forgiven him each
time.
    She knew that she was more to blame than
anybody else. Ray had proven what type he was from day one, so she
was foolish to think Cairo was any different.
    Lindsey put a bullet in the chamber of her .25,
praying that the six bullets were enough for the both of them.
    Cairo refused to run from a female like Ray.