So Gone - By Jennifer Luckett Page 0,8

of the office with Devin in tow, I stopped at my secretary's desk and gave her instructions. “If my boyfriend shows up tell him that I’ll be back shortly. While I'm out send all of my calls to voicemail, please.”

“I surely will,” she kindly replied.

I was finally headed to find out whether or not what Devin had divulged was true. I told myself that it was wrong of me to put Blunt's son in the middle of this, but to catch the kind of snake Blunt was I had to slither around in the grass just like he did.

Once Devin and I were in the car and safely strapped in our seats, I slowly pulled out of the school’s parking lot. I placed my Gucci shades over my eyes and turned on the radio. The sound of Future's lyrics ‘Turn On The Lights’ poured from my speakers.

Devin bobbed his head to the beat and sang along. I drove to his neighborhood and from there he directed me to a four-complex apartment building. As I was driving down the street, I noticed how filthy the area was. The front lawn was nothing but dirt and trash was strewn everywhere.

Tons of discarded furniture and personal belongings were in front of a huge dumpster on the side of the complex. It appeared that the building was being poorly managed. Crackheads were roaming the streets in search of their next high. A short high yellow fiend in a bikini top and a pair of long jeans came clucking down the street with her hand on her bony hip. I could see her ribcage. She sashayed and twisted down the block like she was a model on a runway, but only in her head. Drugs and despair had robbed her of any Broadway dreams that she may have once had.

“Do you remember which apartment Luscious lives in?” I questioned Devin as I slowed the car to a crawl.

“It’s the apartment with the number one on it.”

I focused in on the numbers on the apartments doors.

“Ooh, there go her cars right there." He pointed to a brown ‘88 Nova and a 2011 rose-red Charger parked in front of her door.

I stopped in the middle of the street. The dope fiends that moved about gawked at me. They probably were wondering why an unfamiliar vehicle like mine was rolling through. I double-checked to make sure my doors were locked. Then, I sat there wondering whether I should confront this Luscious chick.

If what Devin had told me was true, I was going to snap. My animosity wasn’t with the woman though, it was with my man. He was up to no good every time I turned my back. I was so exhausted from the bullshit. If he had fathered a child outside of our relationship, I was done. Girl, you have to draw the line somewhere or he'll walk all over you, I chastised myself.

Deciding against confronting Luscious, I slowly drove away feeling played and depressed. Trying to keep up with Blunt’s infidelities had me so out of character.

“You don't wanna go see my baby sister?” asked Devin as I drove off.

“No, Devin, but I'll take you to buy that candy that I promised you.” We stopped at a convenience store for him to buy a bunch of candy with the money that I had given him as a bribe.

When we arrived back at the school, Blunt was already there. He sat in the outer office strolling through his cell phone. “Hey, Baby,” he greeted me as soon as I walked in.

My secretary sat at her desk with the phone held between her shoulder and her ear, writing something in her notepad. She waved, but otherwise continued about her work.

"Hi, Blunt,” I finally spoke back, flashing a fake smile.

"Hey, Daddy!" Devin beamed.

"Sup, Lil Man? You being good?"

"Yes," he lied, taking his daddy's hand.

I crooked a finger at Blunt. He and his mini-me followed me into my office. “Have a seat,” I said after closing the door behind us.

Blunt sat in one of the two chairs that faced my desk and Devin climbed up in the other one. He bounced the bag of sweets up and down in his lap.

“What you got in that bag, dude?” asked Blunt.

“A whole bunch of candy.” Devin grinned from ear to ear.

I sat behind my desk, trying to think of a way to get the truth out of Blunt without leading on that Devin had told his secret. Maybe I'll just ask him