Chapter 9: I Ain't Never Loved a Man
"Nita, baby is that you?" Tiana heard a brief pause before Nita sighed; she just knew that it was Nita.
"Nita just tell me you're alright."
"I'm sorry wrong number."
"No no Nita!" Tiana groaned when she heard the dial tone. Tiana dejectedly hanged up the phone and wiped away a few tears.
"Tia if you're not up to going out we don't…"
"No Lottie, it's not every day my best friend is back in town."
"I thought Evangeline was your best friend."
"I don't know what happened between you two."
"I just don't plain like her Tia." Tiana smirked at her bubbly friend.
"Come on let's go on out to eat."
Tiana and Charlotte decided to eat their favorite restaurant from when they were teenagers.
"Oh Tia I haven't been here in years."
"I know it hasn't changed a bit."
"Tiana Wilcox?" Tiana looked and smiled when she saw an old friend from school.
"Is that you Adam Bennet?"
"Tiana, it's been too long and I see you have a little bun in the oven. Is this your first?"
"Oh no, I'm married and I have four other children. Adam you remember Lottie."
"How could I forget, I used to have a huge crush on you." Charlotte blushed slightly.
"Hi Adam."
"Good evening Mrs. Kennedy."
"Um…it's Ms. LaBouff now."
"Oh I'm sorry to hear that."
"It's fine Adam." Tiana could sense the awkwardness and decided to change the subject.
"So Adam, how's your wife Julia?"
"She passed away a few months ago."
"I am so sorry Adam, didn't you two have kids?"
"Two girls, Mary and Anna."
"I didn't know Adam…"
"It's ok Tiana; I just stopped by to pick up some lunch before I go back to work."
"Where are the girls while you're at work?"
"It varies between my grandmother and Julia's sister."
"Adam, I'm not working right now I can watch the girls."
"Oh no I would never ask you Tiana, you're pregnant."
"I could watch them Adam." Lottie offered.
"Are you sure Lottie I don't want to be a burden."
"I have a daughter of my own and she might like the company."
"Thank you so much Charlotte."
"Anytime, you can drop them off before you go to work. Do you remember where I live?"
"How could I forget?" Tiana noticed the looks Charlotte and Adam were giving each other and could help but smirk at the two.
"Well, I have to get back to work."
"Oh ok, so I'll see you tomorrow."
"Yeah, it was good seein' you Tiana."
"You too Adam and you take care of yourself now."
"Thanks bye now." After Adam left the shop Tiana smiled at Charlotte.
"Lottie likes Adam." Tiana playfully teased.
"What Tia, stop being ridiculous."
"I'm just sayin' no woman would ever willingly take care of another man's children unless she likes him."
"Tiana, just go on and eat your beignets."
"Mhmm, what you thinkin' about wearin' tomorrow?"
"Oh I don't know I do remember that Adam's favorite color is purple so I might…Tia don't try and trick me." Tiana laughed at her blonde friend.
"Oh Lottie, you got it bad."
Nita was in her room she had just gotten off the phone with her mother. She was going to call her and tell her that she was ok and that was planning on coming to see her. But when she heard Tiana's voice she froze, she didn't know what to say to her.
"You ok?" Nita looked up and smiled softly when she saw Clyde.
"Yeah." Nita wiped away her tears.
"I knew calling her would end badly."
"I know, let's go out and do something."
"I would love to but I have to go meet with a few of my business partners."
"Oh ok that's fine."
"Maybe you could go out with Wanda."
"Yeah maybe."
"Well baby I have to go. I love you."
"I love you too." Clyde then quickly left the room. Nita sighed and then made her way to Wanda's room. She knocked on the door and waited for her to answer. Wanda opened the door and smiled at her new friend.
"Clyde's out for business?"
"Yeah."
"Let's go out for some dinner huh?"
"So what's the deal with Donna and Clyde?" Nita and Wanda decided to go and eat at this restaurant by the hotel.
"Are you sure you want to know?"
"Yes."
"Alright, well if you hadn't figured it out Donna and Clyde used to be a couple. She was the one who told him to start a music career. They met while she was working at a club and she heard him sing."
"I thought he found her?"
"Girl let me finish talking. Well, at first it was a duo just the two of them. Then Clyde saw me and my best friend Loretta singing at a church. Donna hated the idea of having to share the spotlight with someone else, but Clyde fixed that. A year later Donna got pregnant and before you ask me, yes the baby was Clyde's. After that baby was born everything went downhill. Donna picked up drinking and while she was passed out in her own vomit, Clyde would sneak into Loretta's room. When Donna found out she was pissed and tired to kill Loretta. Clyde threatened to fire Donna so she calmed down. Loretta's the one who dropped out of the group because she found out she was pregnant. The baby wasn't Clyde's he used protection. But after she had her son she wasn't the same. Donna felt as if no one can have Clyde, if she can't have him then no one else can. I remember one time she tried to kill him in his sleep."
"Wow."
"Donna's a piece of work I kinda feel sorry for the girl, but there's a part of me that's worried for her."
"Why?"
"Donna's the type of woman who would do anything to get her man's attention I mean anything. That whole car stunt, she did that for attention. I just hope she gets help before she takes it too far again."
"Again?"
"I really shouldn't be telling you this…"
"Wanda, you already told enough you can't stop now."
"Donna tried to kill herself after she found out about Loretta and Clyde."
"What?!"
"No one knows but me so you better not tell nobody else Nina."
"I won't."
"We should get back to the hotel."
"Yeah." Wanda and Nita decided to leave the restaurant and go for a quick walk.
"Oh Wanda look a physic!" Nita pointed over to a tarot reading parlor.
"Nina I don't know I'm a Christian."
"So am I, come on girl let's live a little." Nita practically dragged Wanda into the parlor.
"Hello? I would like my palm read."
"Why hello there child the name's Odessa but you can call me Mama Odie."
"Mama Odie can you read my palm please."
"Oh baby you must be a little confused."
"Isn't this a palm reading parlor?"
"I'm not that kind of physic."
"But the sign says…"
"My nephew did that for me, now I can help you find your way."
"Oh no ma'am I'm not lost."
"That's what they all say follow me child." Mama Odie walked to the back room and Nita and Wanda reluctantly followed.
"JuJu!"
"Who's that?" Wanda looked down and screamed when she saw a snake slithering on the floor.
"Oh don't be scared JuJu won't cause any harm. Come here you bad boy."
"Nina are you sure you want to do this? This woman in crazy…"
"I may be a 197 year old blind lady but my hearing is as clear as day Wanda or should I say TaWanda Latimore."
"How did you know my name you old bat?"
"I know everything you spoiled little rich girl." Wanda gasped
"Now hush up and look at the gumbo." Nita and Wanda hesitantly looked into the pot.
"Looks like little miss Nita here ran away from home."
"You mean Nin…"
"No, Nita's my real name."
"Nita, thangs are not looking too good for you."
"What are you talking about?"
"I see very bad thangs…Nita Patel I think it's best you go on back home to your mama."
"My mama?"
"Yes, your mama misses you very much. Nita I see bad thangs comin' your way."
"You obviously don't know what you're talking about I'm perfectly fine here."
"Miss Thang, you ain't got the sense you was born with!"
"Wanda let's go, it obvious this lady has no idea what she's talking about."
"That's fine I can't make you see the truth honey, you gonna have to face it yourself. Your so called boyfriend ain't who you think he is."
"Wanda let's go."
"Wait, wait that'll be twenty dollas."
"Twenty dollars?"
"I have to make sure I eat."
"Rip off." Nita pulled out twenty dollars and put it on the table before storming out of the parlor with Wanda following close behind.
"Such a bitch!"
"Come on now Nita she was a fake if she charged you twenty dollars." Wanda and Nita entered the hotel and Nita stopped in her tracks when she saw Clyde kissing who appeared to be Donna.
"Clyde?" Clyde pulled away from the kiss and started to make his way to Nita, but before he reached her she ran away.
"Nita!" Clyde chased after her; Wanda glared at Donna who was only smiling
"What the hell is your problem?"
"I'm just getting what's mine."
"You're drunk."
"Ding, ding, ding!"
"Listen here, you're nothing but a whore of a sloppy drunk who can't seem to let go of the past."
"Well you're a back stabbing bitch!"
"What, because I don't hate Nita? Unlike you I don't let some girl come in between my paycheck!"
"No because you knew about Clyde sleeping with your best friend!" Wanda took out a hundred dollars and placed it in Donna's hand
"Here this should be enough to get you back to Chicago I'm done with you." With that Wanda stormed off leaving Donna alone in the lobby.
"Nita, baby I'm sorry." Nita locked Clyde out the hotel room.
"I don't want to hear it." Clyde took out his room key and opened the door and walked into the bedroom to see Nita packing her clothes.
"Nita let's not do this."
"No Clyde it's obvious you don't care about me or this baby. So I'll just leave and you can be with Donna it'll be like old times."
"You ain't goin nowhere."
"You can't tell me what to do." Clyde roughly grabbed Nita by her arm and pulled her close.
"You listen here and you listen real good. Your ass ain't goin nowhere. You know what go head leave." Clyde grabbed Nita's suitcase and threw it out into the hallway.
"What you still doin here?!"
"Clyde stop it!"
"I thought you wanted to leave! You gonna leave me like all them other suckas. You think cause you famous now you can just up and leave me." Nita rushed up to Clyde.
"No I love you Clyde I'll never leave you." Nita caressed Clyde's face.
"You'll never leave me?"
"No never ever."
"I'm sorry baby."
"It's ok."
"You know I love you."
"I love you too Clyde."
Some time ago I thought
You had run out of fools
But I was so wrong
You got one that you'll never lose
The way you treat me is a shame
How could ya hurt me so bad
Baby, you know that I'm the best thing
That you ever had
Kiss me once again
Don'cha never, never say that we we're through
Cause I ain't never
Never, never, no, no loved a man
The way that I, I love you
I Ain't Never (Loved a Man) By: Aretha Franklin
