Page 4 of No Remedy for Love

Kiva’s father had been living in Atlanta for years and her brother left when he did. They both loved it and she decided that she wanted to join them. Kiva always did love to do hair so nobody was surprised when she decided to pursue a careerin cosmetology. She was shocked when Maverick asked if he could join her in Georgia though. Kiva just assumed that her moving would be the end of their relationship, but he proved her wrong. She and Mav got a nice townhouse on the outskirts of Atlanta and enrolled in cosmetology school. Since they didn’t really know anybody out there, she and Maverick did everything together. They were not only lovers; they had become best friends. Kiva thought they were gonna make a life in Georgia, and that was the plan for a while.

When they visited New Orleans two months before they graduated, things seemed to have changed. Maverick acted like he didn’t want to go back to Georgia and they ended up extending their vacation. Once they finished school, he told her that he missed home and wanted to move back, but he didn’t want to do it without her. The decision was easy for Kiva and she left with her man. They took the necessary steps to be able to use their license in Louisiana as well and it was up from there, or so she thought.

A lot had changed upon their return to New Orleans and Remi was one of them. They hadn’t seen her once when they used to visit because she was in school. When they moved back for good, Mav seemed to have had a change of heart about all of the plans that they made. Kiva was ready to get to work, but he kept stalling. He started coming home later and later until he just stopped coming home at all. Kiva used to hear the rumors but she didn’t even entertain any of them. She decided to go straight to the source. Her sister kept trying to get her to confront Remi, but that wasn’t happening. She confronted Mav, the nigga who claimed to love her so much, instead. As hurt as she was, she was grateful that he didn’t try to lie. He told her everything and answered all of her questions.

She and Remi were always cool but never considered to be friends. She used to do her and Tracy’s hair before she got licensed and Tracy still came to her occasionally. Still, she felt better knowing that Remi had never betrayed her. Mav confessed and told her that he’d lied and told the other woman that they were no longer together.

Kiva was hurt, but she was no fool. She didn’t even give Mav a chance to end things and move out. She packed up her belongings and went back home to her mother. Her heart was ripped apart once again when, not even a month later, Mav moved Remi into a condo on the lake. Even still, Kiva didn’t fault the other woman and there was never any bad blood. She and Remi spoke when they saw each other and were always cordial with one another if they were in the same space. As far as Kiva knew, Remi was the only other woman that Mav was exclusive with. To her knowledge, she was the only woman that he’d cheated on her with too. None of that made her feel inferior to her though. She was gonna continue to trust her man until he gave her a reason not to.

“That bitch is built like a stallion now. She look like she had some work done.”

Kiva was snapped out of her thoughts of the past when her sister spoke.

“Girl, Remi been fine all her life just like Lollie. She just used to hide her shape under all those baggy clothes that she used to wear. I really thought the bitch was gonna be a lesbo back in the day though.”

Their cousin, Nessa, knew everything about everybody but she was as real as they came. She wasn’t a hater and she called shit exactly how she saw it. Nessa was older and wasn’twith the bullshit. She was the poster child for been there and done that. She knew Remi very well and she had been with her oldest stepbrother, Omar Jr., since Remi was a little girl. Nessa and OJ shared kids and grandkids and had been together since middle school. She knew a lot of shit that went on but she knew how to keep her mouth shut and mind her business. Nessa knew about Mav and Remi months before Kiva found out about it, but the situation was complicated. Her husband loved Remi and her mother to death, and Kiva was her first cousin. They both agreed to stay out of their loved ones’ business and that’s exactly what they did.

“Kiva better watch her nigga,” Kerri said in her usual messy tone.

“I wish the fuck I would watch any nigga or the bitch that he used to fuck with. It will never get that deep.” Kiva loved Mav but not enough to make a fool of herself. It would hurt but she would walk away just like she did once before.

“You can’t watch no nigga. They gon’ do what they wanna do regardless. Kiva ain’t no slacker. My bitch is bad too. Mav ain’t the only nigga around. Trust me, they got mad niggas that will be happy to have my lil cousin on their arm.”

Nessa wasn’t feeling the way Kerri was trying to play on her own sister. She made it seem like Remi being back was gonna be a problem for Kiva and Mav’s relationship.

“You better tell her cousin.”

Kiva threw her hand up in the air, and her cousin playfully slapped it. She had a nigga when Mav and Remi were together the first time. It wasn’t like she sat around and waited for him to come back. She moved on just like he did.

“Bitch please. You can spit all that bullshit to Nessa if you want to, but I know the real. You was happy as fuck when Remi left until you saw that Mav was trying to leave with her.”

“Who the fuck stopped him? Bitch, unlike you, I’ve never been pressed behind no nigga. Remi and no other bitch can make Mav do nothing that he don’t wanna do.” Kiva was trying her best to not sound as angry as she was.

“Nigga said Remi got the best pussy in the world and lost his life behind it. That was fucked up.”

Kerri continued to taunt her younger sister who they all knew she was jealous of. Kerri was ten years older than Kiva at thirty-eight and she started having babies before she entered high school. As a result, she grew up with her kids and was more of their friend than their mother. Unlike Kiva, she dropped out of school, got on government assistance, and worked fast food jobs to keep the bills paid. She was known for messing with the younger dope boys and they loved her when tax season rolled around. Their parents had three kids, and Kerri was the only one who did nothing with her life. Kiva was the youngest so, naturally, she was spoiled. Their older brother was doing well and so was Kiva. Kerri was just a product of her environment and a natural born hater.

“Really Kerri? It ain’t deep for you to try to prove a point.” Kiva rolled her eyes in disgust. That was a time in her life that she hated the most. It was bad enough that her nigga left her for the next bitch. It was a slap in the face to keep hearing how he was out there beefing with other niggas behind her.

“Girl, you already know how negative Kerri is about everything. Look, Mav is over there talking to my husband.”Nessa discreetly pointed to where Mav and her husband were standing.

Kiva didn’t say anything because she already knew where he was. Just like her cousin, she was watching him too. Nessa walked away from her cousins for a minute to go make sure that her husband was good on food and drinks. She was happy that none of them followed her because Mav was starting up his bullshit already.

“Nah, nigga, lil sis is good so let her be,” OJ said when his wife walked up and wrapped her arm around his waist.

“Damn bruh, I was just going say hello.” Mav raised his hands in the air like he was innocent.

“Do you really think that’s a good look though, Mav? Your girl is right over there,” Nessa interjected.

Admittedly, Mav was handsome with his pale colored skin tone that was littered with tattoos. His honey-blonde dipped locs stayed freshly twisted and styled to perfection. He and Kiva were both label whores so he always stayed fly. He was tall and fine as fuck, making a lot of bitches in the hood want him and envy Kiva for having him. If Mav was doing her cousin dirty, she never knew of it or he was damn good at hiding it. Remi was the only other woman that she knew of him dealing with, and he couldn’t seem to walk away.

But Kiva was a bad bitch in her own way too. Her body wasn’t as sick as Remi’s but her sexy slim figure and pretty face turned a lot of heads. She could walk the runway with any model and give them a run for their money. Kiva was tall like Mav, but he still towered over her. She wore her hair in so many different ways, it was hard to pinpoint her signature style.

“Man, y’all talking like a nigga is tryna wife Remedy or some shit. She just lost her pops and I wanted to give my condolences. Reid was a hood legend so it’s only right,” Mav said, interrupting the temporary silence.

“Yeah, I hear you. Remi is grown so I can’t tell her what to do, but don’t go trying to get my lil sis caught up in your bullshit. You and Kiva got y’all family already. Let Remi go so she can move on and do the same.”

OJ voiced his opinion but he knew how shit like that went though. He could talk until he lost oxygen and niggas were still gonna do whatever they wanted to do. He was never thrilled about Mav and Remi being together because he was six years older than she was. He, just like his brothers, assumed that Mav was gonna take advantage of their little sister, but they were all wrong. Remi had always been a little firecracker and she gave Mav a run for his money. She didn’t take no shit and she had that nigga chasing her all over the hood. He even tried to chase her to Arizona, but she wasn’t with it.

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