Things That Were Never Said

By Dwayne Love

Mark grew up as a kid in Barstow, California always having a crush on his neighbor Val who's also his sister's best friend. Them being together never seemed like it would happen until one summer they were both home from college. The summer fling didn't work out as either thought it would, but now after both have had some ups and downs in life ma

• Language: English
• Publisher: Book Vine Press
• Release date: Jul 26, 2021
• ISBN: 9781955885379

Dwayne Love

Dwayne Love was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. He was raised in Los Angeles, California, from age 4, joined US Army after graduating high school in 1990, and now lives in a suburb of Seattle, Washington.

Book preview

Valencia

After yet another argument about literally nothing I walked into the upstairs bathroom down the hall, sat on the toilet and called Lashawn, my best friend for almost three decades. She picked up on the fourth ring.

Hey girl!

Hey!

What’s wrong

How you know somethings wrong?

Val! Girl, I can hear it in your voice. What happened?

Same ole Shit, different day. Anyway, how are the plans going for the party?

It’s going about as well as it can. You know how my dad is. He fussin bout one thing or another not wanting to make a big thing about retiring.

I smiled remembering how Mr. Townsend was when I was growing up. He moved next door to my grandmother’s house on Linda lane when I was 7 years old with his family. Soon after It was like I was his second daughter since I was at his house so much with Lashawn. I never knew my dad and my mother dropped me off at my grandmother’s house one Friday night when I was only five years old for the weekend and since then I’ve only heard from her about twice a year. On my birthday and Christmas. Mr. Townsend was a hard-working man that took good care of his family and although my grandmother did the best she could raising me, Mr. Townsend stepped in and made sure if I needed anything I had it just like the kids he raised in his house.

You know Mr. Townsend never liked nobody making a big fuss about him.

Well Val, he’s gon have to get over it this time. After serving 6 years in the Air force and the last 36 years working at the post office raising two kids, helping both of us through college and whatever else needed.

Ummmm!!! Three kids. He had a lot to do with raising me too.

Val! You know what I mean.

Our talk was interrupted by a knock at the door.

You in there hiding again? Telling our business to that Lashawn like she in this marriage. Don’t she got her own man to worry about?

"Eric! Don’t worry about what I’m doing in here. It ain’t like when I come out, we gon make up and be all up under each other.

Whatever! You act like you married to Lashawn more than me anyway. Or is it wanting to be married into the Townsend family.

You know what? Don’t start that shit again!

I heard what seemed like a punch at the door then footsteps walking away.

Girl! Is he on that Mark shit again? My brother all the way in Salinas doing his own thing. Why he always got Mark’s name in his mouth?

I don’t know. Like I said, same shit different day. Anyway, like I was about to say, do you need any help and what would you like me to bring?

Ice and Soda. You know yo ass can’t cook.

Fuck You! I can cook.

Awww! Don’t be mad.

Neva that. My culinary skills good enough. Anyway, I got to get my ass out of here and get back to this life I’m in.

Okay girl! I’ll talk to you later.

I pressed the end button on my cell as I stood up and walked to the door ready to turn the knob and get back to another round with my Husband Eric who always had an attitude about the plans I had. I told him earlier this morning about Mr. Townsend’s retirement party and he’s been acting strange about it since then. He has known Mark and Lashawn’s dad Mr. Townsend since before we all went to Barstow High School. Eric and Mark were even in the same grade and took a couple classes together. I remember back then they both thought they had a little game trying to be cool and talk to me, but at that time both were what I thought too young being a year behind Lashawn and myself. Besides, I always thought of Mark as a little brother. It wasn’t until his first year in college that things changed between us.

When I walked out of the bathroom the house was quiet. I guess Eric has left again to go where he goes when he gets an attitude. I looked across the hall into the bedroom where a little girl with two curly pigtails sat on a single bed with a Wonder Woman comforter wearing pink headphones watching cartoons. Oblivious to the disagreement between Eric and me. I was glad I walked in and sat next to her then tapped her on the shoulders. She pulled one headphone off but kept her eyes on the television.

Hi mommy!

Hey Sweet Pea!

You wanna watch The Loud House with me.

Not right now Hunny! I have a few things to do for work tomorrow, but later when I’m done, we can On Demand it. I just wanted to know if you were hungry.

No, thank you, mommy. She said while shaking her little head.

Okay then. Let me know If you want to eat. I’ll be in the living room working.

Okay mommy

She put her headphone back on and I got up and walked out heading downstairs to the living room where I had work to prepare for tomorrow.

Mark

"A we Shit! You done rolled up in the Scooby Doo Mystery Van."

At least I’m rollin. My girl ain’t gotta come pick me up like I’m still a teenager without my own car.

That’s cold Boss Man.

Craig is a newbie that rents one of the chairs in the shop. A young stocky light skin Hawaiian brotha with long black wavy hair from Seaside, a neighboring city of Marina. He was cutting the hair of a young teenage brotha sitting in the chair with a black apron on cracking jokes as always. Reggie, another one of the brotha’s renting a chair in the shop had a young dark skin sista with a short afro top faded on the sides etching designs into her almost bald fade. Reggie is a tall dark athletic brotha who use to play ball back in high school and college. I heard he and his twin brother Ricky were pretty good as line backers on the field.

What’s up boss? How was the weekend with lil man?

It was cool. Was on the way back home and just wanted to check on things.

We good boss man. You know, Ricky been calling up here all weekend trying to get a hold of you.

I shook my head without saying another word. Reggie knows I don’t have anything else to say to Ricky. It was just a week ago when Ricky had his side chick Shawna up at the shop. I’d already warned him numerous times about not bringing that type of drama to my shop. Of course, he didn’t listen. So, when his wife Gina stopped by the shop some real drama jumped off. Ending in a cat fight in the parking lot in front of the shop with a few shots from a 9mm let off. And I can’t have that type of situation going on at my place of business, I had to let Ricky go.

Boss! So, what you want me to tell him?

Tell him if he needs a reference, I got him. Other than that, there is nothing else to talk about.

Damn Mark! My brother really messed up.

Yeah he did!

I’m just saying boss. You know Ricky need this gig. Since he blew out his knee playing ball all he got to fall back on is cutting hair. He ain’t never gonna admit it, but this is the best shop he ever worked out of. You fair with us on chair fees, flexible when we need to cut out for one family disaster or another and even leave us to run the shop on the weekends you got yo lil man. I know he kickin himself in the ass for messing up?

Look Reg! You know I like Ricky. Aside from his personal life I ain’t got no problems with him. Hell, you know I had Ricky in here before you, but when it comes to potentially messing up my business and my money, I got to cut ties. I got a kid to feed and a business to run. I can’t let nobody mess that up for me.

I hear you boss. I know that situation wasn’t cool, and it could like you said mess up your business. I’m just asking you to please think about bringing him back. Not trying to tell you how to run yo business, but just think about it. And if you do, I’ll be responsible for keeping his drama away from the shop.

Reg! I’ll think about it, but I can’t make no promises. Now, before I leave is there anything y’all need?

Reggie and Craig both shook their heads, so I gave them both a pound then turned around and walked out of the shop.

Monday

Iwoke up to loud screaming kids running through the parking lot in front of my condo up to Primavera street trying to catch their school bus before it pulls off. I’m sure it’s probably some of the kids Malik play with when he spends his weeks with me during the summer and Christmas break. It’s 6:45 a.m. and although I would love to sleep in, I got to get up and head into the shop to do the books for the week and maybe run out and get supplies. Who ever said you get to set your own hours and days off is crazy. I’m in there most Mondays doing the books even though the shop is closed.

By 8:30 I shaved, showered, changed into some Levi shorts, a Nike t-shirt and was pulling onto Blanco Rd. headed to the shop. I wasn’t in the car a good five minutes before my cellphone rang, I was turning onto Main street. It was my dad, so I pressed the talk button.

What’s going on Old Man? How is retired life.

Peaceful, but yo sister driving me crazy about this party.

I laughed.

You know Lashawn. She’s a lot like you about doing something and getting it right. That might have something to do with what both of you learned in the military.

"That ain’t got nothing to do with the military. That’s just the way yo granddad raised me.

Now have you talked to that Jordan about my grandson being able to come out with you?"

Not yet, but I’ll call her when I get to the shop.

How do you think that’s gonna go?

I have no idea. Jordan is who Jordan is.

Boy! Sometimes I wonder what you ever seen in that woman.

Pops! She was a fun person when we first met, but like I said before, she wanted me to be who she wanted me to be. Things only changed when I quit my job. I had to open up my own business to do something I loved.

I just hate Malik is caught between his parents.

Don’t worry pops. Neither of us ever drag the other under the bus in front of Malik.

That’s good. At least you both have the good sense to leave him out of it. Now how does Malik get along with that Steve fella she’s with.

"Honestly, I have no idea. I just told Malik to