Second Time Around: My Shawty

By Sheena Chanell Parker Smith

Come ride along this comical roller-coaster of highs and lows Sean
Karen Shawn Dan and Kim and their dysfunctional family. Sean and
Karen have been dating for years but theyre like vinegar and oil. Just
as Shawna and Calvin have been together building a relationship on
false hope and a Web of nothing but deceit. Will these couples get it
right? Or will they find love else where. Will Shawnas love and loyalty
drive her over the edge and if so will her knight in shining armor be
there to catch her. Consumed with school her relationship and the
mere fact her mom abandoned her as a child will she ever find that
peace and love her heart yurns for? Will Calvins Deep dark secrets
ruin her future? Will Karen ever be content with Sean or will she
seek adventure else where. Some people are content with the simple
things in life while others are on a constant quest for something else
yet not finding anything at all. If things dont go right the first time
dont give up there is always The Second Time Around.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jul 15, 2016
• ISBN: 9781514459607

Sheena Chanell Parker Smith

My name is Sheena Chanell Parker Smith, and I am an uptown city girl. I am a DMV native who grew up in Landover, Maryland, area. I love to sing, dance, cook, and ghostwrite. My hobbies are skating, bowling, cooking, eating, and staying to myself. I enjoy helping others and showing people how to love. I attended Keene Elementary School West and Bernard. I graduated from Oakcrest Elementary and moved on to Benjamin Tasker Middle. I was a tasker, achiever, fashionette, and AV aide. I attended Bowie Senior High. I am an advocate of LYTE (Leading Youth Towards Excellence), sponsored by Mrs. Nesbitt. I also took a course (the Professional Development Institute) to practice in Virginia real estate and law. I was born and raised in uptown Washington, DC, and later moved to Maryland by the time I was eight. I was raised by my aunt and uncle because I lost Mom when was I four years old. I was brought up around a lot of strong black women and men who were down-to-earth and true go-getters. They instilled a lot of morals in principles in me.

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Copyright © 2016 by Sheena Chanell.

ISBN:      Softcover      978-1-5144-5961-4

                eBook           978-1-5144-5960-7

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 07/14/2016

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Contents

Dedications

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Dedications

I WOULD LIKE to dedicate this book to anyone who has been heartbroken, tried love and has been let down in some way shape form or fashion. To those who have built up a wall higher than the Great Wall of China between them and the world for whatever reason. A man who you have been loyal to throughout your whole entire relationship yet he decieved you the whole time and vice versa. Or you dedicated your life to a woman and did everything right by her like your mother taught you to and she still ran out on you and cheated on you or used you for your money or what she could get out of you . Always complaining never appreciating you for who you are and vice versa. To both Men and Woman who has been abused physically, mentally and spiritually drained by your significant other. This is dedicated to that couple who has equally hurt each other and decided to walk away because you two are too stubborn to try to mend what’s broken. So you go your separate ways living a lonely and bitter life because nobody else can fill that void that only you two can. There’s hope for you only if you can take a moment to realize it. Saying I apologize doesn’t make you weak. It doesn’t mean one wins and the other loses. It means I Love You Enough to make this work no matter what. To all those families who spent years covering up so much which has you bitter and divided. Its Nothing wrong with being honest addressing your issues dealing with them head on and growing together as a strong knit family versus being dysfunctional and divided. Yet painting A Perfect picture that doesn’t exist making you look more crazier than a man walking down the street in a sweat suit in 90 degree weather with sombrero and cowboy boots. There’s Always room for Love. Love Over Powers Hate on So Many Levels. I’m Ready for Love Are You? Love isn’t always perfect. It has it’s ups and downs. Sometimes you just have to tough it out and be strong and courageous enough to grow through it. Whether it be with your significant other, a family member or a close friend. Sometimes even your worst enemy. Love is patient, Love is kind. It does not boast or brag. It’s not arrogant, it’s niether decietful or disloyal. True love is unconditional and everlasting. It knows no barriers. It doesn’t hold grudges nor keep a record of whose right or wrong. Like I said before love isn’t perfect, but it’s worth it. So if something does not work out the first time just know it’s not the end of the world. Don’t be bitter, don’t be mean. Don’t go bashing men or every other women you date. Don’t punish your future because of your past. Most importantly don’t you ever ever give up on the one thing that cures nearly everything. Love. Pick yourself up dust yourself off because if things don’t go right the first time…. There’s always The Second Time Around.

Chapter 1

T HIS IS CRAZY Sean thought to himself as his girlfriend of three long years ranted and raved over what he thought was meaningless bs. He’s not affectionate enough. He’s too boring. He’s so militant. "Live life a little Sean she fussed over and over again. All you do is wake up at the crack of dawn everyday waking me up as well. Twice at that. Just to wash your face and brush your teeth. Then you go in that closet of yours making a heap of noise just to throw on some jogging clothes and run out the door. By the grace of God Im able to fall back to sleep, only to be awakened by you again with that bland ass food you call breakfast. Wait a minute did you just say God and ass in the same sentence? Did you just cut me off? You’re going to hell. You’re coming with me. No I’m not. YES YOU ARE. You said the exact same thing Sean. I was asking a question.

Will you be quiet I’m not done. You are an sorry excuse for a man Sean. Wait wait a minute Sean interrupted again with a clueless look on his face. Since when was breakfast in bed a bad thing? I thought woman loved that type of stuff. Yeah if she was a rabbit maybe. I can’t believe you even have the audacity to call that that bs breakfast. Oatmeal with blueberries Sean? Try pancakes with blueberries with butter a lot of butter with syrup. Instead of turkey bacon how about some hickory smoked bacon something with fat on it. Not scrapple. How about a nice Tbone steak with scrambled eggs with cheese and a bowl of fruit on the side. Side not as an entree either. You know IHOP is right there on your way to work babe? Its really not a big deal. Every morning we have this aimless debate over nothing. I just don’t understand Karen. I know you don’t anything pertaining to my wants or needs you tend not to understand. Its like I’m speaking an foreign language to you Karen pleaded.

You are speaking a foreign language to me. One that doesn’t make any sense at all. One I don’t care to learn at all. the language you speak isn’t even out of this world he snapped I think you have your wants and needs totally screwed up it’s always I want never do you just appreciate what God has blessed you with you just complain nag whine and complain some freaking more. i fix you breakfast in bed Sean started to point out. enough about that sorry excuse of what you call breakfast she snapped. okay okay I might be a bit of a health nut. You think? she added with her arms crossed and her head tilted to the side.

Don’t forget cheapskate, clean freak, mama’s boy hmmm what else did I leave out? Excuse me for being a responsible healthy young man who loves cleanliness. Who knows how to budget and yes I love and respect my mama to the upmost. Without her I wouldn’t have made it this far. I made it through college about to finish med school I have a good relationship with God. She taught me how to have respect for myself as well as others including women. I have a great mother. she’s a beautiful black queen and she did a great job raising an honest black king by herself. With no help from a man or the government. Sean added proudly. walking to the living room from the bedroom as Karen followed clapping her hands in a condescending way kudos ku f****** dos. you wanna trophy or a cookie for being the most boring man in the universe? Karen asked. No I want some appreciation for being a good man. Especially to you Karen. I hear women complaining all the time about how they’ve been abused, used or even cheated on. Oh better yet how they have to pay all the bills by themselves and still have to wait on their man hand and foot. You don’t have to worry about none of the above. Yet you still complain about everything. You are ungrateful. I don’t put you through any of that stuff. No I don’t spend money on frivolous things because I’m planning for our future and yes I watch what I feed you and myself because I don’t want either of us suffering from obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, sudden heart attacks, strokes, diabetes etc. You do know the life expectancy rate for colored folk isn’t that high? I know Sean how can I forget you only remind me two or three times a day. Everything is unhealthy, life threatening, or too expensive. I just want to live life a little. Hell I want to live life a lot. We’re not even thirty yet and we live with so many restrictions Sean. Its no fun anymore she cried. What do you mean no fun we go on a cruise every summer Karen. And. That planned trip to the same place every summer please she snapped while lighting a cigarette. Woe woe woe wait a minute Sean said panicked while pushing her towards the balcony trying desperately to not let the smoke travel through their neatly furnished apartment. I can’t believe you smoke them nasty things. You’re such a disaster waiting to happen. And you’re such an headache. Call it what you will. I’m pretty sure there’s a million women who would love to have a man like me. Oh yeah? Yeah of course. Well why don’t you do us both a favor and find yourself one Karen said with an evil look in her eyes while blowing smoke in his face as she walked towards the front door. When you find her both of you can live a nice healthy boring life together because I Am Done she said while slamming the front door. You ain’t said nothing but a word Sean giggled to himself as he picked up his cell phone and a can of fabreeze. His phone had been ringing the whole time but he ignored it trying to be respectful.

Hello. What’s up? I’ve been trying to reach you for the last hour. What are you doing mane? Busy doing nothing. What about you? Nothing much just got off the phone with a really good lady friend of mines. She want to go out for drinks later. Her and her sister girlfriend. Sister girlfriend? Yeah man her good girlfriend whose like an sister. Jeff said he was down but he can’t go now. You know how that go married life. No I don’t. Please when you always say you down for whatever until you run it pass your ole lady. And she shut sh** down. No I don’t know nothing about it my ole lady don’t run me. Right. So your ole lady going let you come out or naw. Let me? Please. I’m a grown a** man. Besides I’m single now. Oh word?!?! Since when. Since Now. Yeah right. What happened? I’ll tell you later. Tell me now. No later. I can’t wait to hear this one. Same ole nonsense. So you in or not? Count me in. I need a drink or two. You know I got you. I know. When and where? At The Park later tonight. That’s a bet I got time to run a few errands and pick my stuff up from the cleaners. Cool just hit me up later. Will do. Aye Sean breath easy mane everything going be alright. Oh I’m good. You sure? I’m Positive. Alright now…. I’m here if you need me. Thanks man. NP what are brothers for?

Chapter 2

W HAT IN THE hell do you call this? Kevin asked examining the plate Shawna just placed on the table in front of him. I don’t know honey just try it. Oh another one of your little experiments huh? Maybe Shawna replied while sitting down to eat herself. I guess I’m just one of your da** guinea pigs too huh? guinea pigs don’t complain as much as you do dear. She replied with a childish grin. Well if you had to come home to this crap after a hard day of work I’m pretty sure he would. Guinea pigs don’t work Kevin. Why does everything have to be a joke with you? Why is everything just so damn funny to you Shawna? Kevin snapped while slamming his fist down on the table. Shawna immediately began to feel tense. They had never had a real physical altercation before but every time Kevin got mad he had to throw his weight around. Slamming things, pounding on the walls, or raising his voice as if to remind Shawna he was the boss. He spent long hours at work and Shawna went to school for culinary arts in the day time and worked as an waitress in the evenings.

She had always been a great cook but going to school had taught her the art of cooking as well as professionally preparing ones plate. Instead of throwing a lot of food on the plate she took her time measuring the food and making the dish look pretty as well. She took pictures of every meal for her scrapbook. For herself and school. Keeping note of her progress. She was preparing to be a chef and she learned that one isn’t supposed to eat to be a glut but to surpress the hunger. She was very meticulous on what she ate and when she ate and how much she ate. To Kevin it was a big petpeave. She took pride in her cooking as well as her man. He just couldn’t seem to grasp this though. They had been dating for three years now and she was hoping one day they would be married with kids. Have a family maybe a few businesses. Live a good life. The only problem was Kevin never took the time to acknowledge the good in her. It was almost as if he didn’t appreciate her. She was only 23 ten whole years younger than Kevin. She cut many of her friends off to dedicate herself to him and their life together. He worked from 6 am to 11pm everyday. No days off. She had school 4 days out of the week from 9 to 12 noon and she worked everyday of the week as well in the evenings but she was home by 8 every night giving her enough time to clean the house and cook for him. She waited every night for him to come home so they ate together at the dinner table. You would think he’d be happy but every day he just complained. She washed and folded his clothes. Especially his uniforms. She handled those with much care. After washing them she pressed them and hung them in their bedroom closet. All he had to do was sh** shower and shave. Being raised by her father had taught her a great deal when it came to men. Most of all just understanding them. When it came to Kevin she was getting more and more agitated. She did everything right she thought. No matter what he seem to just complain. Sometimes she thought maybe he just didn’t love her anymore. a lot of times she thought about just up and leaving but then she thought of her mom, and how one day she came home from school and found her dad sitting in his rocking chair eyes bloodshot red. He had been crying all day because her mom had left without warning. No goodbye nothing. Dad always said A woman should never leave a man who at least tried his best he also said to never be with a man who doesn’t treat her the way she deserves to be treated.

Do I really want to be with this man the rest of my life she thought to herself. Hello Hello earth to Shawna!!! Kevin yelled to her. She had slipped into a daze. Something she did often. Do you hear me talking to you or am I talking to myself he asked in a loud tone. No honey I’m listening Shawna replied snapping back to reality. What was that again she asked. apologetically. Forget it I’m just wasting my time he replied getting up from the table. No Kevin please tell me what I’m doing wrong and I’ll fix it. She pleaded submissively. for starters let’s start with the salad. Who in the hell just eat leaves with a little dressing dear? Where’s the cucumbers? Where’s the tomatoes, the carrots, the olives, the croutons, the cheese, the bacon bits, the eggs the boiled eggs the French dressing the blue cheese? you know the black people salad? Kevin this is a Ceasar salad, You don’t put all that in a Ceasar salad!!! Next turn I will just fix you a house salad or garden salad or chicken salad. Come again Kevin said with the dumbest look on his face. This is a what? he asked pointing to the salad bowl…. a Ceasar salad Shawna replied. My point exactly wasn’t Ceasar a white man? Oh nah he was a Roman wasn’t he? Kevin was serious as an heart attack but no matter how serious he was she couldn’t help but to laugh. What the hell is so damn funny now? Honey Ceasar is a salad dressing that you put on romaine lettuce that’s why its called a ceasar salad. I know who the hell Ceasar was!!! He was the one who was responsible for crucifying Jesus. No dear that was Pontius Pilate. I know what the hell I’m talking about Ceasar was a Roman white guy that’s why they put this white dressing on these Roman Lettuce and call it a Ceasar Salad Kevin stated while pointing to the salad bowl as if he was on to something. Okay Okay you are absolutely right dear Shawna agreed willing to let him have the last word. You Da** right okay he said now pointing to the counter. I am ten whole years older than you are!!! You know what that means? No enlighten me please. okay I’m going to turn the light on for your a** then. There you go is that bright enough for you? Shawna dropped her head onto the table in disbelief. No pick your head up now I want you to understand this here. Ten Years holding up both hands you see that Five Ten. I been on this earth Ten whole years linger than You which makes me Ten whole years Smarter Wiser more Intelligent than you okay now. I’ve been around the block ten times faster than you. I was da** near in middle school before you was an itch in your daddies but sack. I been to church a whole ten years learning about Jesus before you was even put in your mammies womb OK now. So please don’t forget it. I may not know how to make a White Roman Man salad but I’m far from dumb okay. Yes Kevin I will never question how smart or dumb you are. Who dumb? Nobody okay!!! I tell you what Shawna ask me about black people salad. Okay ask me now. Ask me about Seafood salad, macaroni and tuna salad, potato salad Shrimp Salad !!!! That’s right I said potato salad you fix that with collard greens and chitlings. Go great with some hot sauce and vinegar. You see back in my momma’s kitchen we put hot sauce on everything my momma cooked. You step in her kitchen you smelled the fried catfish going fried pork chops fried chicken fried liver fried gizzards smothered gizzard smothered chicken baked ribs candied yams. She ain’t never have a problem with frying you up something real good or smothering something real nice. Hmmm hmmm hmmm I’m trying to tell you something Now My Mother sure can cook. That ole crazy sh*t they teaching you up in that school ain’t no good. Green bean casserole oysters on an half shell. Look at this mess honey look now!!! Kevin said holding up the pasta noodles she made from dinner. The only thing I eat that’s green is collard greens string beans and maybe some broccoli or peas. You