“I’m trying to be the bigger person about this, Mar,” he defended. “If I take Rhonda to court it’s only gonna get uglier than it already is. Don’t worry, Mar, it’ll blow over.”

“When, by the time P.J. graduates high school?” Her tone was becoming heated. “Paul, when does enough finally become enough? For as long as we’ve been together, Rhonda has been doing the same shit. She blows your phone up, she’s always asking for money, and she plays games with P.J. I could understand it if she had a valid reason to be a bitch, but she’s doing it out of spite.”

“Marlene, I’ll take care of it.” He sighed.

“Paul, you’ve been taking care of it,” she reminded him. “Sweetie, I love you, but love only goes so far. This is seriously fucking with my peace of mind.”

“So what are you trying to say?” he questioned.

Marlene felt herself becoming emotional, so she took a minute to gather herself. “Baby, all I’m saying is that I wanna be happy. We can talk about this another time.”

“Yeah, a’ight,” he said with an attitude.

“So, where are you guys?” she asked, changing the subject.

“In the hood,” he replied. “Me and Larry about to go watch the game at Kingdome.”

“Don’t be out there fucking with them bitches, Paul.”

“Baby, you know I ain’t on it like that. I only got eyes for you.”

“Tell me anything, Paul.”

“Never anything, boo, only the truth.”

“Aww, my baby is so sweet. But like I fucking said, don’t be out there fucking with them bitches.”

Paul sighed. “Marlene, why you always think I’m out fucking with some other hos?”

“Because I know how you and that fool Larry do when y’all get together. Y’all probably out there ogling them stank-ass bitches like everyone else,” she told him.

“Whatever, Mar. I ain’t trying to argue with you.”

“We aren’t arguing, Paul. We’re talking, right? That’s what adults do. Anyhow, you coming to see me tonight?”

“I’m not sure just yet,” Paul said, watching a big-butt female stroll by, shaking what her mama gave her. Paul winked, but didn’t dare call out to her while on the phone with Marlene. She could be as sweet as she wanted to be, but get her started and you’d find yourself in a bad way.

“What do you mean, you’re not sure?” she asked.

“That’s what I said, ain’t it? I got some shit to take care of out here and I’m not sure what time I’ll be done.”

“Whatever, Paul. It’s funny that you can put everyone and their mamas before me,” she said.

“Here we go with this shit,” he grumbled.

“What shit?”

“Marlene, why we always gotta go through the motions?”