Chapter 3: Dr. Feelgood
Nita woke up and noticed that she didn't have any clothes on. She then blushed when the memories of last night came flooding back to her. She looked over and frowned when she didn't see Clyde next to her. Then there was a knock at the door.
"Breakfast!" Nita grabbed the blanket and wrapped it around herself
"Come in." The door opened to reveal a middle aged African American woman. She walked in with a cart of food. She walked over to the bed and placed the tray of food over Nita's lap.
"Ms. Nina, Mr. Cole had to go handle some business, so he asked me to make ya some breakfast."
"Thank you…"
"My name's Annette, but e'erybody call me Inez."
"Thank you Inez."
"You a pretty little thing, how old are you?"
"20."
"20? You just a baby."
"I'm not a child I'm a woman."
"Just cause you open your legs don't make you a woman."
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me."
"Listen here Inez, you don't know me…"
"Oh pipe down little girl ain't nobody tryin to get in a fight with you."
"Look…"
"I know your mama taught you better than to catch an attitude with your elders, you better take the roll out of your neck before I do."
"Who do you think you are?"
"Inez, now Ms. Nina do you need anything else?"
"Yes…"
"Sorry I'm on break." Annette then left the room. Nita took the lid off the plate and gasped when she saw the breakfast. There were waffles, with eggs and strawberries. Then Nita saw a rose along with a note. Nita picked up the note and opened it.
Good morning Nina Celeste, I hope you had a wonderful time last night. I'm sorry I couldn't be there to see you wake up I had to take care of some important business. When I come back, I want to take you out on the town.
Love, C.
Nita smiled widely and then started to eat her breakfast.
Clyde walked into the bar, and then made his way up to the bartender.
"Hey we ain't open buddy." The bartender said
"I need to see a Mr. Johnson tell him Clyde's here man." The bartender then made his way to the back room, and then came back out after a few minutes.
"He's ready to see you." Clyde made his way to the back room and closed the door behind him
"Bruce, how you been?" Clyde asked sitting down in front of Bruce's desk.
"Clyde, it's good to see you what's it like being rich and famous?"
"You know it had its perks listen."
"Did you find somebody yet?"
"Oh yeah, this pretty little girl named Nina."
"Nina?"
"Yeah, I just made her my opening act."
"How old is she?"
"She's 20."
"A young little thang aint she?"
"Oh yeah and a wild one at that." Clyde said with a smirk.
"Oh really?"
"Oh yeah, she'll be perfect."
"Alright, I'll come on by and see her next Saturday."
"Cool, see ya round Bruce."
"Bye Clyde, Jimmie see Clyde out." Clyde stood up and followed Jimmie out of the room.
Nita was now sitting in the bath tub taking a bath. Then the door opened and Nita covered herself.
"Hey baby, it's just me you don't have to be shy." Clyde said, then Nita reluctantly lowered her arms. Clyde then walked over to the tub and sat on the edge.
"How are you feelin'?" Clyde asked caressing Nita's face, which caused her to blush.
"I'm fine kinda sore."
"Well just to let you know that bite from last night still hurts." Nita blushed again
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean too."
"Oh no baby it's ok I like a girl with a little wild side to her." Clyde showed his famous grin which made Nita look away.
"Hey, hey." Clyde gently grabbed Nita's chin and made her face him.
"I don't want you to be shy around me. You don't have to be ok? I love you Nina."
"I love you too Clyde." The two started to lean as if they were about to kiss. Then there was a knock at the door and they both inwardly groaned.
"Who is it?"
"Mr. Cole there's a Aisha Williams asking for a Nita?" Nita went wide eyed
"What? Tell her…"
"Um Clyde, that's my sister."
"Why is she calling you Nita?"
"That's my real name, Nina's my stage name."
"Oh, I think I like Nita better so exotic and sexy like you." The two shared a passionate kiss.
"Mr. Cole! What do you want me to tell this woman?"
"Inez tell her Nita will be down soon!" Clyde then stood up.
"I'll wait for you downstairs. Oh and there are some clothes on the bed that I bought for you today." Clyde kissed Nita's forehead and left the room.
Clyde and Aisha were in the living room sitting on separate couches.
"Where is my sister?"
"She'll be down in a minute. So are you a fan of my music?"
"Mhmm, you ain't my first choice." Clyde smirked at Aisha's response.
"Why is my sister at your house?"
"She missed the last bus so I invited her to stay the night."
"Where did she sleep?"
"I don't think that's any of your business."
Before Aisha could respond, she saw Nita walking down the stairs. Nita was wearing a sleeveless navy blue dress with a brown belt.
"Nita! What the hell is wrong with you? Not callin' anybody so we know you're still alive."
"How did you know I was here?"
"You don't need to know that we need to go now, Mama is havin' a fit."
"What if I don't wanna go home?"
"Nita Amani-Lael Patel, you are coming home with me." Aisha grabbed Nita's arm but Nita snatched her arm back.
"I'll come home when I'm ready."
"Lady doesn't wanna go, lady doesn't have to go."
"Um, the lady still lives at home with her mama, so the lady goes. Come on Nita." Aisha drags Nita out of the house.
"What the hell were you thinking spending the night with him?" Aisha and Nita got into the car and Aisha sped off.
"Did you sleep with him Nita?" Nita just sat there quietly
"Oh damn it Nita! God you're so stupid!"
"I'm not stupid, I'm tired of people telling me that I'm stupid."
"Nita you slept with a guy you just met, you don't know who he's been with."
"Aisha he loves me."
"Please, you wouldn't know love if it slapped you in the face. You can't be opening your legs for just any old body."
"Just shut up Aisha and take me home!"
"Yell at me one more 'gain, one more 'gain Imma leave your ass right on that curb and you can walk your ass home." Nita huffed and folded her arms.
"Look, I don't want to tell who how to live…"
"Then don't, I can take care of myself."
"Fine, whatever but if you don't tell Mama and Papa about you dropping out I promise you I'm gonna tell them."
"I know."
"Oh, girl think cause you had sex that it makes you a grown woman now huh?"
"Damn right."
"You're so young."
"How did you know I was with Clyde?"
"Well this morning Nate came by the house after we went to church to finish paitin' the living room. Nate told me he saw you gettin' into Clyde's car last night."
"What? Nate needs to leave me alone I am not interested."
"You need to get your head from out them clouds, and come back down to earth honey. Stop actin like you too good for people, like you ain't black."
"I am not just black I am half Maldonian."
"Honey don't nobody give a damn if you Maldonian, cause down here in Na'Orleans, at the end of the day you a nigga, I'm a nigga, you a nigga, we all niggas, you were born a nigga and you gonna die a nigga." Aisha pulled up in front of the house and her and Nita got out of the car and walked into the house.
"Look who I found on the side of the road." Aisha said as Nita closed the door. Tiana then walked up to Nita and hugged her.
"Nita, why didn't you tell me you weren't going to church with Nettie and Rosetta?"
"I'm sorry Mama, I forgot to call you."
"That's some dress you got on baby." Tiana said eyeing the dress
"Oh old this thing, Ms. Rosetta made it for Nettie but she couldn't fit it so she gave it to me." Nita lied
"Oh well, we were invited for brunch at the Washington's."
"Mama, I don't wanna see Nate."
"No one mentioned anything about Nate."
"I'm going to freshen up."Nita then went upstairs.
"Aisha, did you notice something different about Nita?" Tiana asked as her and Aisha walked into the kitchen.
"Ma'am? Oh nope nothin' at all."
"Really, I noticed this certain glow about her."
"I didn't notice, is Rose still sleepin'?"
"You know something don't you?"
"No ma'am I don't."
"That's fine if you don't wanna tell me, I'll find out sooner or later."
Nita was just about to go in her room when Naveen called her name.
"Nita!" Nita turned around and smiled when she saw her father.
"Hey Papa." The two shared a quick hug.
"Where were you, your mother and I were worried."
"I left Ms. Rosetta's and went around the town I meant to call."
"Oh, well you should've called us."
"I'm sorry Papa."
"It's ok, we have to finish our conversation from the other day."
"Ok Papa." Naveen kissed his daughter on the forehead before going down the hall.
Nita then quickly went into her room and sighed heavily. Nita then walked over to her bed and fell on it, she sighed heavily. She wished her time with Clyde wasn't cut so short. When she was with Clyde she felt like there no one else in the world, nothing else mattered. Nita Patel was in love with Clyde Cole. She finally knows what everybody in her family has been feeling. Then there was a knock on the door causing Nita to jump.
"Nita? Come on baby we have to go or we gonna be late."
"Yes Mama!" Nita got off her bed and then left her room. Once Nita made it downstairs, everyone left the house.
They all walked up the stairs to the house and then Tiana rang the doorbell. The door opened to reveal Nate's mother Evangeline.
"Tiana, it's so good to see y'all." Evangeline said hugging Tiana. Evangeline and Tiana have been best friends since their diaper days. Tiana's mother and Evangeline's mother worked together at Evangeline's grandmother sewing shop. When Evangeline was two, her mother and grandmother was killed in a fire in the sewing shop when it was set on fire by the Klan, she lived with Tiana and the two have been inseparable ever since.
"It's good to see you too." Tiana pulled away from the hug.
"Y'all come in." Everyone walked in and then Evangeline closed the door.
"Ray! Tiana and Naveen are here!" Evangeline called out
"I made some beignets."
"Oh thank you, I always enjoy your beignets Tiana." Evangeline said taking the beignets from Tiana and then Ray, Evangeline's husband entered the room.
"Hey er'body." Ray said as he hugged everyone.
"Well, how about we go outside so we can eat."
"So Nita, how's school?" Evangeline asked
"Oh school's fine."
"Are you excited about graduatin', you have one more year left."
"Yes I can't wait to graduate."
"Only people who go to school graduate." Aisha mumbles under her breath.
"What was that Aisha?" Tiana asked
"Oh I said this gumbo is great."
"Thanks Aisha, I made it all by myself." Evangeline beamed
"Mhmmm, you know goodness well Ray made that, you can't cook." Tiana teased
"Whatever, not all of us were blessed with the gift of cookin'. My husband is just fine with the fact that I can't cook ain't that right baby?"
"Yes Eva." Ray kissed Evangeline's cheek
"Hakeem are you ready for school?"
"Yes ma'am I'm a little nervous I've never been away from home."
"Don't worry Hakeem, once you go to one of those parties…" Jabari stopped talking when he noticed Tiana glaring at him.
"I mean once you get some friends it'll be better." Jabari said nervously avoiding eye contact with Tiana.
"Hakeem won't have any time for parties, he's playing baseball." Tiana said
"Well, he can always go to one party, what harm can a little party do?" Naveen said
"A 'little' party, means there'll be a 'little' girl, then him and the girl gonna have a 'little' bit of sex, then there'll be a 'little' baby."
"Mama, calm down Hakeem's smart besides I hear he and Lula are getting pretty close." Jabari said
"Hopefully, there won't be any babies anytime soon."
"Speakin' of babies…" Tiana grabbed Naveen's hand
"Me and Naveen are havin a baby!" Everyone exclaimed happily.
"That's wonderful Tiana." Evangeline said.
"Thank you Eva, we should get goin, I have a big party tomorrow down at the restaurant."
"Oh, okay thank you for comin' over." Evangeline walked over and hugged Tiana.
"Alright, see y'all later." Then they all left Ray and Evangeline's house.
Naveen pulled up in front of their house and noticed a gold car outside the house.
"Were you expecting anybody?" Naveen asked Tiana
"No." They all got out of the car, and they were met with Clyde.
"Hello, my name's Clyde Cole." Clyde smiled holding out his hand.
"What are you doing on my property?"
"Naveen! I'm sorry, what he meant to say was what brings you here?" Tiana scolded
"Well the other day I met your beautiful sister Nita, and I couldn't help myself but to find out where she lives." Clyde flashed his pearly whites.
"Well, I just want to say you parked on my lawn and ruined my roses." Tiana said eyeing her now destroyed roses.
"I am so sorry miss I will personally see to it that my men fix your garden." Clyde said grabbing Tiana's hand and kissing it.
"Nita, you friend is quite the charmer."
"It's one of my best qualities, Nita I must say your sister is absolutely breath-taking."
"She's not my sister."
"Oh she's your cousin?"
"No, she's my mother."
"Your mother? Well you don't look a day over 18 Ms…"
"Mrs. Patel." Naveen said
"And you must be Mr. Patel."
"Mhmm, come on y'all let's give Nita and her friend some privacy." Tiana pushed everyone else inside. Nita made sure everyone was inside.
"Clyde…" Nita was interrupted when Clyde kissed her passionately. Before Nita could respond to the kiss Clyde pulled away from the kiss. Nita placed a hand over her chest, and regained her composure.
"I'm sorry I couldn't help myself baby. I've really missed kissing your beautiful skin." Nita only blushed.
"What do you say we get out of here?"
"Ok." Nita smiled as they got in the car and Clyde drove off.
Nita and Clyde were walking down the street when Nita noticed a dress in the window of a store.
"You like that dress?"
"Oh yes it's beautiful I could never afford a dress like that."
"I'll buy it."
"What? Clyde I could never I…"
"Look Nita, I love you and I want to give you everything you deserve."
"But baby…"
"Come on, let's go try on that dress." Nita and Clyde walked into the store.
"Nita baby go on and pick out some dresses you can get whatever you like." Nita then walked over to the dresses.
After their shopping spree Nita and Clyde went back to Clyde's house.
"Thank you so much baby, but how am I going to take all these clothes home with me?"
"Well you could stay here with me."
"Baby you know I would love to, but…" Clyde cut her off by kissing her. Nita responded to the kiss and wrapped her arms around Clyde. They both pulled away from the kiss and then Clyde led Nita upstairs to his room.
Nita tried to quietly enter the house because she knew that everyone was still sleep. Nita gently closed the door, she walked toward the kitchen and frowned when she saw Eudora at the stove cooking. Nita quickly made her way past the and then started to make her way upstairs.
"Good mornin' Nita." Nita jumped and slowly made her way into the kitchen.
"Good mornin' NaNa, what you doin' over here?"
"Don't 'Good mornin NaNa' me where were you young lady." Eudora turned around to face Nita.
"I was workin' remember?"
"Mhmm, I seem to remember that the diner that you work at was closed last night. Am I right? So tell me where were you really?"
"Ok, I spent the night with Clyde."
"Nita, have you lost your damn mind?! Opening your legs for some singer! I know you want to be famous but Nita don't lower yourself…"
"No NaNa it's not like that."
"Oh, please enlighten me."
"He loves me."
"Oh that makes everything better!"
"NaNa, please I need someone on my side, he really does love me." Eudora sighed heavily
"Oh Nita, I don't believe in what you're doing."
"NaNa please you don't have to agree with my relationship with Clyde but please, just tell me it's alright to pursue my dream."
"You know I support you but you're mother is not going to be ok with this."
"NaNa I know that's why you can't tell her."
"I won't now go on and go to bed so that when your mother wakes up you'll be in bed."
"Thank you NaNa." Nita quickly kissed Eudora on the cheek and then went upstairs to her room.
Don't send me no doctor.
Filling me up with all of those pills.
I got me a man name Dr. Feelgood.
Oh! Yeah! That man takes care of all of my pains and my ills.
His name is Dr. Feelgood in the morning.
And taking care of business
Is really this man's game.
And after one visit to Dr. Feelgood.
You'd understand why Feelgood is his name.
Oh! Yeah! Ooh!
Good God Almighty the man show makes me feel real good.
Dr. Feelgood By: Aretha Franklin
