~CHAPTER TWO~
Natasha walked into the BB&T bank with confidence. Two guys standing in line stopped talking to one another and watched her stroll through the lobby. Not even knowing it, she had a strong sway in her hips that often had both men and women stopping and staring.
"Excuse me." One of them had balls enough to step out of line and walk along side of her causing her to stop and turn towards him.
"Yes, can I help you with something?" The certainty in her voice had clearly shaken the man because he just stood there staring her in her face. Natasha was a gorgeous looking woman with striking features. Bright light brown eyes, long natural eyelashes, high cheek bones, full pouty lips and her body was tight and curvy in all the right places. "Sir? Is there something I can help you with?"
"My fault..." He cleared his throat. "What'chu work here or somethin?"
She nodded, "Yes I do." She tapped the name tag on the lapel of her blazer. She not only worked at the bank but she was the financial analyst and assistant branch manager and was up for a promotion as the branch manger. She'd been with BB&T bank for six years, starting off as a mere bank teller, hungrily working her way up the corporate ladder to get the position she now held and wasn't going to stop until she reached the top. She looked at him waiting for him to say something worth stopping her for. "There isn't a problem is it?"
"Nah, nah I just stopped in to cash my check this morning," He waved an envelope he was holding up. "But I was hoping I could get ya number. Ms. Natasha W." He said reading her name tag.
"Sorry I can't help you with that but you be sure to have a good day." She turned and walked off only to hear the guy's friend laughing at him.
"Girl." Justine, the bank loan officer walked up on her. "He was cute."
"Not my type."
"What is ya type?"
Smiling she walked into her office, dropping her purse on her desk. "Why?"
"Cause Angelo asked about you again?" Natasha rolled her eyes as she reached over and turn on her computer screen on while picking up yesterdays messages left in her mailbox. "Don't make that face." She shot standing in Natasha office doorway with her hand on her wide hip.
"I'm cool on ya boy Angelo, he's a bit too much for me."
"That just be him playing around Tasha."
"He's too old to be playing all the time."
"Umm so I'll take it your coming with ya boo tonight?"
"Boo? Wait tonight?" Looking up from her messages she stared up at Justine completely lost. "What's tonight?"
Switching her way further into Natasha office, Justine leaned on the back of one of the two chairs sitting in front of Natasha's desk as if she was in someone photoshoot flinging her weave over her shoulder. She was a hefty woman, (a BBW) with a sassy, snappy attitude. "You raggedy bitch." She hissed.
"Excuse you?" The two clashed when Justine first transferred over to Natasha's bank but as rocky as it started out the two ended up becoming pretty good friends in the past two years.
"So you forgot about my housewarming party tonight?"
"Ugh I did," She placed her hand on her forehead, "I'm sorry Just. Shad's game is tonight, if they win their going to the state championships," She explained excitedly. "But look, it starts at six so as soon as it's over I'ma swing pass."
"Good, it'll be good food, a lot of liquor and good company and make sure you bring Jerell's sexy ass with you."
She flopped down in her office chair. "You have an unhealthy obsession with Jerell, like Vernon won't beat that ass." She teased.
Rolling her eyes in the air she replied, "We beefing so he won't be in attendance tonight." Vernon was one of Justine's latest boyfriend's she swore she was going to take serious.
"Girl if you don't get outta my face."
"Oh yeah I forgot Jerell is off limits cause that's all you." She widen her eyes for sarcasm.
"What? I never said that."
"You didn't have too. I know that's ya lor boo." Natasha just laughed at her. What she and Jerell had was complex. People didn't understand their relationship but Natasha always said, 'it wasn't for any and everybody to understand'.
"Look there's nothing going on between me and Jerell, he's my best friend. Has been for the past twenty plus years. People always assume there's something going on cause were so close but there's nothing."
"Well if that's the case why haven't you slid a bitch his number yet..." She tapped her chin. "That says what?"
"It says I don't do messy. Yo thot ass with his hoe ass and me as the middle man would ruin my life. I say no to drama Ms. boo-boo kitty."
"You right I am messy." She laughed at herself as she made her way across the hall to her own office. For the next few hours Natasha busied herself with work. She had to do a background check for the possible new hire after firing one of her tellers for not doing their job correctly as well as her own replacement as assistant bank manager. Mr. Jackman was supposed to give the finale say-so but everything was falling on her with his retirement right around the corner. Mr. Jackman was showing his ass, not bothering to do a lick of work. Natasha was fine with all of that, that way she could do things her way without being questioned for whatever decisions she decided to make. She had a few accounts to check up on including Jerell's dummy accounts. In a short period of time they managed to stashed a little over 200 hundred thousand dollars. She wasn't really sure what Jerell was into and as curious as she was, the moment he reassured her that it was a temporary but necessary move and the less she knew the better she left it alone. For now that is.
The ringing of her office phone pulled Natasha from the work she had up on her computer. "Natasha Willis." She answered in a pleasant business tone.
"Well if it isn't my beautiful baby momma." Natasha lip curled in disgust hearing her dead beat baby father's voice on the other end of the receiver. "How you doing?"
"I was good up until I answered the phone and heard ya voice."
"Damn baby don't be like that."
"What do you want Eric?"
He signed into the phone seeing she wasn't playing along with him. "What time is Rashad's game tonight?"
"Why didn't you call him and ask him that, you have his number."
"Maybe cause I wanna surprise him."
She scoffed into the phone. "You sure this isn't one of your bullshit attempts to be there, only for you not to show up is it?"
"Look I didn't call too argue with ya mean and hateful ass."
"Then nigga don't call me at all! You didn't call or come around when ya son needed you the most but now you wanna put in all this time and effort? Why Eric? Where was this want to be there, the first ten years of his life? Huh?"
"Look being in the Army, being stationed and traveling all over the world-"
"I don't give a fuck about all that Army bullshit, it's just another weak ass excuse for your not being there."
"Is it really? Shit ain't like you needed me there anyway you always had Jerell playing daddy to my son-" Natasha slammed the receiver down hanging up on him. She didn't have to listen to his half ass excuses and broken lies. She sat back in her chair highly irritated with the fact that she still allowed Eric to get under her skin. Rashad was seventeen years old, old enough to decide if he wanted to deal with his father or not. That ship had sailed for Natasha a long time ago.
