Books That Make You Go OOOOO Day 13

My Own terms By T Niclole Robinson

Leaving Philadelphia could only mean one thing for Shana, a new beginning. She had no choice; she was forced out. Her husband couldn't accept her leaving him and he made every attempt to make her come back. The stalking of friends and family was too much for her to handle. She had an out and it was three thousand miles away. Drastic times call for drastic measures. A drastic move is exactly what she needed, desperately. Despite her not knowing anyone but her one friend, she relocated with hopes of building a new life. Even with her making a cross country move, her husband continues to be a major road block in her endeavor to start her life over.
Shana's love for men will never die, but her willingness to be with just one had. There are too many men out there for her to settle down with just one. Because of what her husband put her through, she is choosing not to allow another man to do her dirty. With only being in her new life for a week, Shana finds her self tangled up with different men. The lust these men demonstrate for her only drives her to continue on in her quest to be free. She conveniently leaves out the part about her being married and being stalked. No matter how hard she tries to dodge this issue, the truth always finds its way to the light.
Come what may, she is determined to live her life on her terms... .



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My Own Terms Excerpt:


I walked into the apartment and caught Africa looking through my bags.

“Damn!” I yelled, scaring Africa half to death. “You nosy!”

“Gurl, please! You know I’m jealous. Ya ass only been here for one damn day and already got a nigga spoiling ya ass,” she looked at me, “and not just any nigga - my cousin!”

“What can I say?”

“I never seen or heard of him doing no shit like this for no other chick.”

“I ain’t one of those other chicks,” I smiled. “I got lingerie, shoes, clothes and everything else I picked up and liked. He had to have spent at least seven or eight hundred dollars on me - and that’s not even including the spa we went to after the mall.”

“Ohhh…the spa. How was it?”

“Let’s just say, I loved it!”

“Eweeeee! Y’all nasty!”

“What?! We ain’t do nothin’!”

“Yeah? And I ain’t nosy,” she sarcastically said.

We both burst out in laughter because we both knew she was one of the nosiest people alive.

“Gurl, let me tell you how when we was ridin’ all the way up to LA for some damn IHOP, all of Shawn’s…”

“Shawn?!” she looked at me. “Since when did he become Shawn?”

“After he picked me up this morning…you know we ain’t like family no more,” I grinned.

Africa just shook her head in disgust. Well, she asked right?

“Anyway, on the way up there, all of Shawn’s hoes keep callin' his phone. Even Deja mom called him, rammin’.”

“Deja mom always got drama. I told DeShawn about her way before she even got pregnant. Of course, he ain’t listen.”

“Yeah, well by the time I finished with him he couldn’t do nothin’ else but put his phone on vibrate. They kept callin’, but he didn’t dare answer.”

“You musta put some kinda spell on his ass. I can’t even believe that.”

“That’s not even all of it. We got to IHOP on Wilshire Boulevard…”

“Wilshire Boulevard?!” she yelled with a confused look.

“Yeah, he took me all the way up there so he wouldn’t run into none of his chicks. He said that wasn’t why and it was because he had the reservations at the spa, but he full of shit, and I know it. There are a million spas between here and LA - why all the way in LA?”

“Didn’t I tell you he was…”

“Wait, I’m not done yet,” I interrupted her. “We gets to IHOP, and this bitch keep looking at him. Now you know how jealous I can be; I was not having that shit.”

“Here we go!” she blurted out as she covered her mouth.

“I walked right up to the bitch and cussed her ass out. She claimed she never messed with him, but one of her girlfriends did. I told her that her and her friend could get it ‘cause Shawn was wit me.”

“No, you didn’t, you trippin’! He ain’t even ya man.”

“So what! That bitch didn’t know that, and the way she was starin’ and pointin’ at me was real disrespectful.”

“You ain’t changed a bit; still rowdy.”

“You know it” I laughed as I stood up and started picking up my bags.

“Come on, help me get this stuff in my room.”

“Where you puttin’ all of this shit? That room ain’t big enough for all this shit.”

“I know, but I don’t plan on being here that long, so it should be cool.”

I knew Africa didn’t care how long I stayed, but being as independent as I am there was no way I could stay at her place for that long.

“I know they got some one-bedrooms around here. People always movin’ in and out,” she informed me.

“Aight. I’m gonna go to the rental office in the morning.”

We finished putting all the bags in my room and the other guest room, then went back to the living room.

“I think I may have found you a job,” Africa said as she sat down on the couch.

“Doing what?”

“Well…”

“Oh, God!” I interrupted.

“No, no it’s nothing like that. I have a position available in the adoption department and one in the foster care department. They both pay about the same.”

“Hmmm…” I paused as I thought about my options. I had done both types of work before, but the adoption services are more up my alley. “I think I’ll go for the adoption.”

“Sounds good. I’ll bring you in on Tuesday for an interview,” she stopped and grinned, “Although, I do run the show and you my gurl, so an interview is really not needed as far as I am concerned. But, it’s protocol.”

“Alright with me.”

I stood up and went into the kitchen, looking for something to snack on. I really hadn’t eaten much all day since IHOP; I was having too much fun in other areas of my life. I found some chips and salsa to munch on as I watched late night TV. I went back into the living room and sat on the couch. Just as I got comfortable on the couch with my chips and salsa, I realized I still hadn’t checked the messages on my phone. I changed the channel to watch the news, and my phone rang. My heart started to beat fast; I thought for sure it was Aamir.

“Hello,” I answered, not even looking at the screen to see who it was.

At that point, if it were Aamir I was just going to deal with it.

“Hey babe,” Shawn replied back. “I’m home.”

I was so happy that it was him and not that idiot.

“Hey, there,” I answered.

“I made it home unscratched,” he replied sarcastically.

“You probably had one of ya chicks following you and didn’t even know it,” I laughed.

“Whateva, girl. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

“Aight.”

I hit the ‘End’ button and hung up the phone. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to check those messages tonight or tomorrow. I had such a good time today, I really didn’t want to spoil it.

“Shana,” Africa called out as I sat there staring into space. “You aight? Who was that?”

“Huh?…oh, yeah, I’m fine. It was Shawn.”

“Well, then, what the hell is wrong wit you?”

“Gurl, while we was at the spa, Aamir was blowin' my phone up.

“What?!”

“He called me sixteen times and left at least one message. Shit, knowing him, he probably left sixteen.”

“You ain’t check ‘em yet?”

“Nope,” I shook my head. “I didn’t want to mess up my day with Shawn. I mean, he did have a bunch of chicks calling him while we was together. I don’t even think I want to check ‘em at all.”

“Now, you know damn well you gotta check ‘em,” she smiled. “You gotta check ‘em at least for me.”

“You are so damn nosy,” I told her as if she didn’t know, “Aight, I am kinda curious.”

I grabbed my phone and prepared myself to listen to the idiot’s message or messages; hopefully it was only one. I navigated my way through my phone to retrieve my voicemail. I was finally going to check my voicemail, so I prepared myself to get mad. Every time I had talked to him since I had left had not been a pleasant experience.

“You have fourteen new messages,” the voice on phone informed me.

“What?!” Africa asked as she noticed me rolling my eyes as I listened to the phone.

“Gurl, he left fourteen messages. What a dumbass!!”

“Put it on speaker,” she insisted.

“Ok.”

I pushed the left button under the word ‘Speaker’ on my phone. Now we both were going to be witness to how verbally abusive he could be. There was no way these messages were on a positive note.

“If you would like to listen to your messages, please enter your password,” the voice on the phone continued. I quickly put my password in and pressed the pound key. “First message,” the voice replied.

“You think you could leave town, and I wouldn’t find out. And, I bet you think I don’t know where ya ass is, huh? Bitch, you are still my wife, and I own you. I am coming to get you - count on that!”












My Own Terms 2: Never Settle


“Babe, ya phone,” Aiden told me as if I didn’t hear it.

“I know, but I don’t wanna move. I wanna just lay here with yall.”

“It might be Africa tryin’ to check on you.” Shawn logically pointed out.

“True,” I paused and grinned, “I’m good.”

“She gonna keep callin’ or textin’ if you don’t answer. You know how she is.”

Shawn was right; I was already tired of hearing the beeping. I got up off the floor, barely able to stand.

“Ohhh…” I jumped as I felt a smack on my ass. I didn’t know which one did it, they both smiled. Who ever it was, it made me want to turn right back around and give it to them again. “Wait ‘til I get back from checkin’ my phone, it’s gonna be on.”

“Don’t tease me!” Shawn played.

“Oh, I’m not”

“I’m game for that!” Aiden replied as he cut his eyes and licked his lips.

They had licked, sucked, caressed, poked, and everything else possible to me and my body. They didn’t seem to mind having to share; in fact Shawn performed better. I couldn’t believe they were so open about that shit. I mean most guys want a threesome, but with two chicks. The fact that they didn’t know each other was even stranger.

“Was it Africa?” Shawn yelled.

I didn’t respond, I just looked at the phone in utter shock.


I’m in San Diego. Told you I was coming for ya ass!!


The phone fell out of my hand onto the floor. I was in disbelief.

“Shana, what’s up?” Aiden stood up putting his boxers on. He walked up behind me nudging his hardness into my back. I couldn’t move, not an inch. How was he in San Diego? That couldn’t be possible, it just wasn’t possible.

Shawn jumped up off the floor, bent down and picked up the phone. He read the text and couldn’t hold himself together.

“What the fuck?! Is this who I think it is?!”

“Yeah,” I could barely speak. I walked away from Aiden, grabbed my clothes and went into the bathroom. I threw clothes on my bare bathroom floor and sat on the cold toilet. I couldn’t believe what I had just read. He had threatened to come out to San Diego, but I didn’t think he had the balls to do it. I didn’t think he had the funds to do it. The farthest he had ever gone out of Philly was to New York and that was only because his cousin begged him to.

“What?!” I heard him yell from the living room, “Her husband?!”

I assumed Shawn was filling Aiden in on my situation. I quickly jumped up off the toilet seat, washed minimally, and threw my clothes on. I opened the bathroom door.

“What the fuck is goin’ on Shana?!” Aiden was standing in the doorway of my bathroom fully dressed.

“Aiden,” I sighed as I walked passed him,“ I have been trying to tell you all day. You wouldn’t let me, you wouldn’t let me explain anything.”

“This shit is major! You got your husband Shana, your husband, comin’ for ya ass all the way from Philly. What kind of shit is that?!”

“Aye,” Shawn interrupted, “calm the fuck down! She’s already stressed the fuck out and you sittin’ here yellin’ at her is not helpin’!”

“Whateva nigga! I’m out!”

“Aiden…wait. Please!”

“Naw, this shit is for the birds!” Aiden flagged me.

“Let him go Shana, let him go,” Shawn pushed his arms forward as if he was fleeing Aiden. “Now you know who is really here for you and about you.”

Aiden turned around and flagged Shawn back, “Nigga, shut the fuck up. That nigga gonna come the fuck up in here and fuck both yall up and I ain’t tryin’ to be around for none of that shit!”

Shawn began to walk toward Aiden with the grizzly look on his face. I jumped in front of him redirecting him to the kitchen area.

“Get the fuck out!” Shawn yelled across the apartment, “You a nut!”

Aiden didn’t even respond; he just slammed the door behind him. I could understand his frustration but he didn’t allow me to explain anything. I’ll call him tomorrow; he’ll be over it by then, I thought to myself trying to get my bearings together.

“You think that nigga really here for you? He want those drawls and that’s it, like every other nigga out here but me. I know you and I know what you need, these other niggas don’t!” Shawn bluntly explained interrupting my train of thought.

“I don’t know what he really wants, but right now it don’t even matter.”

“You think he’s really here? You think he would come all the way to Cali to find you?”

“Don’t know…I mean he told me the other day when he called talkin’ shit that he was gonna find me. I thought he was bullshitin’. The number the text came from, I don’t recognize it. It’s not his cell phone number, at least not the one he’s been callin’ me from all week long. What are some other area codes out here?” I paused thinking about the situation. “But I guess that don’t even matter 'cause he coulda got a cell phone from anywhere. DAMN!”

“So if you don’t recognize the number, how do you know it’s him?”

“Who the fuck else would send me a text like that. Plus, the text said ‘told you I was comin for ya ass’,” I pointed out with a little attitude.

“So what are you gonna do?”

“I gotta get dressed,” I looked toward my bedroom, “I got some things I gotta handle.”

“I’m in, let’s do it,” Shawn replied with his game face on.

I ran into my bedroom to find something else to put on. I needed to be dressed and ready for whatever. I found my pink and brown Baby Phat sweat suit and threw it on. I still had to look cute because you never know who you might run into when you’re out and about.

“Let’s go.”

“Where? I mean you actin’ like we bout to go on a manhunt for this nigga,” Shawn pointed out as if he had a problem with that scenario.

“What you ain’t down now?! All that shit you was talkin’ a few minutes ago and now you actin’ like you got a problem with somethin’!”


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