Read Flip Side of the Game for Free Online Page B

like, not somebody you just bangin’.
    â€œWhy’d you do that?” I asked.
    â€œBecause today is our one-year anniversary.”
    â€œAre you for real? One year anniversary for what?”
    â€œSince we been together.”
    â€œSince we been together? We haven’t been together. We been bonin’ for twelve months, but we ain’t been together for one day, let alone one year.”
    â€œYou mean to tell me that all you care about is the sex?”
    â€œHell, no!” I wanted to say, “It’s all about the Benjamins, baby!” but I figured that would be too much like slippin’ on my game, so I decided to apologize and make up a lie about having a bad day. I told him that I just needed a few minutes to get dressed.
    This man had it all laid out. There was a stretch X Caliber waiting outside my Brooklyn brownstone, with red carpet rolled from my front door to the feet of the European-dressed driver, who, may I add, looked better than a mu’fucker, especially for a white boy. If I could have positioned my hand just right, I would have tapped that ass while I was sliding into the car. Instead, I winked my eye and mouthed “call me” as he closed the door.
    To start the night off, Roger gave me a pair of two carat diamond earrings. We went to Carnegie Hall and watched Sade turn the house out! I tried to get in the mood while Sade was singing, but I couldn’t stop thinking about Taj, and Roger kept placing his hand on my damn knee! A couple of times, I gave Roger one of Aunt Cookie’s looks that would usually shut ’em down, but not Roger. He was the Energizer bunny, and his mouth kept going and going and going.
    This was too much, and when he suggested that we hit Tavern on the Green, I knew that he had officially lost it. Could he have forgotten that he was a married man? Maybe I should have reminded him that his real anniversary was the one that celebrated the day of his marriage to his wife, not me.
    â€œRoger, why are you doing all of this?” I said as the waitress handed us menus.
    â€œVera, I can’t believe you. Most women get all sentimental about things like this, but you’re just like whatever.”
    â€œI don’t need you to do all of this.”
    â€œReally?” he said, soft and sweet and making me sick at the same time. “That’s the nicest thing that you’ve said to me in a long time.”
    â€œI mean it,” I said. Then I thought to myself, I don’t need you to spend your money on me like this. I would much rather you spend it on that cowhide Chanel bag I’ve been eyeing at Neiman’s.
    â€œDamn, Vera, you are so sweet,” he said, looking deep into my eyes, as if he were actually sexy. “I knew you could be devoted to me. I have a question, though. How come you never call me on the weekends, and why are you always hanging out with your girlfriends? That needs to stop.”
    â€œExcuse me?”
    â€œWhat’s the problem?”
    Roger , I thought to myself, you old and gray-headed mu’fucker, please trust me enough to allow me to be screwing another nigga on yo’ ass! Then I looked at him, smiled, and said, “You are so much of a good man that I can’t wait for the day when we’ll be married and you’ll be able to see how much you mean to me.”
    â€œDo you realize how beautiful you are?”
    Before I could process how ridiculous he was sounding, I heard a voice that placed me in the mind of tranquility. When I looked up, Taj and some skinny little bag of bones chick were being escorted to the table directly across from where Roger and I were sitting.
    â€œExcuse me, Roger,” I said, sliding my chair from the table and standing to greet Taj and his friend.
    â€œHi,” I said to the young lady as I gave her a quick overview. She had on Star Jones shoes, which were ran over and cheap, a Rainbow Shop polyester pantsuit—hmph, if