10,000 Hours With A Rich Menace (Caselli Family, #1)

by Jahquel J.

Here’s to having a nigga that hates his toothpaste being squeezed or food touching but will make a nigga bleed behind you.

Men were gross and until God came down and put me in my future husband’s arms, I was going to stay single and a virgin.

I often wished that I had the confidence to say what I mean and mean what I say. The confidence to catch the eye of that guy.

It was already hard being the Black girl who wasn’t Black enough because I was different. Then, I was too Black for the White girls.

In my eyes, men sucked, and no one deserved to have me in that way.

It was harder meeting friends as an adult than a child. At least you had crayons and your favorite cartoon to bond over. As an adult, making friends was hard, and made you want to be alone forever.

Why did he think that was a compliment? Why did men always think saying things like that was a compliment? Yes, I enjoyed being different now, though it was something I didn’t always enjoy. However, why did he think because he thought I was different it was a compliment or a prize?

It was like all I attracted and instead of running the opposite direction, I always ran right toward them, then cried when it didn’t work out.

I held back the urge to gag because the word wifey irritated me in more ways than one. It was a word made so men could validate women wanting to be wives without actually committing and using the actual word wife

I blamed myself for not removing myself from the situation as they took advantage of me.

“I’m sorry that you think showing I want a nigga means that I have to take my clothes off and have sex with you.”

It wasn’t that I didn’t want love, I craved having actual love. I wanted someone to choose me and make me feel whole. I wanted to give myself to someone and know that I was theirs and they would protect me.

The Caselli family didn’t make any noise unless noise needed to be made. We were quiet, and not too many people knew about us unless they were about to be dealt with.

“Have you ever met Stevie? She would help a burglar rob her damn house.”

I had only experienced love when it was broken, never when it was whole. Never when it felt like an old school song. The heartbreak is what I witnessed; the disappointment of the person you vowed to do life with.

He promised to love her, right before God. He gave her his word, and the minute that the signature on the certificate dried, he was doing him, breaking those very promises he had given her.

“Is there any more room for me in those jeans!” I started singing, startling everyone in this bitch except for Duke, Beans and Jeffie.

“Wonder, the minute you let another nigga touch you is the moment you gonna see why they call me Menace.”

You give a boy your virginity, and then things change…

“You used to make your Barbies fuck, huh?”

“Another requirement, Wonder… know that your life is always safe in my hands,”

Cause you took me on our first date to meet your dead parents. I mean, I get it… I would love to schedule some time for you to meet my mom, but she’s fucking dead and in the ground.”

“It means that I don’t have the right words right now, but I see and hear you. I hate that happened to you, and I hate that you blame yourself because you weren’t to blame, Wonder. You trusted the wrong bitch and he took advantage of you.”

It always killed me how men could never put women first when we needed them. Without them, none of us would fucking exist.

“Shut the fuck up, Wonder!” I barked, startling her. “Got damn… it’s quiet hour and you just fucking yapping… not even saying nothing,” I continued.

“Menace and Maverick are two different people.

Maverick had to become Menace because he didn’t have a choice. Maverick was the one who brought you to his parents… he doesn’t do that.

I wish he knew no matter how much he tried to control something; life was going to happen, and certain things were out of your control.

“Niggas create their own storms and then get mad when it rains…

you the realest nigga, but even the realest nigga need therapy.”

My mother wasn’t here to give me something borrowed, blue, or new. She wasn’t here to sit in the front and dab her eyes as she watched me get married.

There wouldn’t be a celebratory toast where she told stories about how crazy I was as a child. I would never have those moments and having to go through a wedding, not being able to have those moments felt cruel and like a punishment.

Relatable as my mother passed away as well.

“I don’t like hugs, but I like hugging you.”

I took on the licks, so they never had to feel the pain of carrying this family.

Unlike her, when I noticed her enjoying her time alone, I never bothered her. It was considered her quiet hour.

“Yes. I know there are some things that you have gone through that makes you feel less than that, but to me you are beautiful. Every flaw, quirk, and part of you is beautiful to me.”

I couldn’t go out there and find another her because there was only one of her.

It was a fucking honor for a woman to want to give a man anything.

That was the reason I got pissed when men thought they could take or do shit to women. Like their bodies belonged to them and they had the right to make decisions over them.

“Mitchell, you are really crazy. Why would you ever tell me you wanna lock me in a closet, and then name our kid Dennis the menace?”

“Mavie, you took my virginity.” “Wonder, you gave it to me… put that shit in my pocket. Ain’t no getting away from me now… hear me?”

I respect you not wanting a big wedding, but I would be damned if you don’t have a big ass rock on your finger.”

“Huh? I can’t hear I don’t have my glasses on… hold on,”

“Wonder that don’t even make fucking sense.”

Haha!

Like I was his personal drug, he kissed the inside of my thighs as he nudged his nose in between my legs and inhaled, while I rubbed his head.

“See you at the altar, Mitchell.” “Racing you there, Wanda.”

“I know I love him because my heart has never felt that way with anyone. I want to protect him, defend him, and love him all at the same time. I know he can protect himself, and he does very well, I feel like I have to.

Menace noticed things and then he went the extra step to show me that he saw me.

She was mad at me getting her arrested like every nigga didn’t send they girl to prison because he loved her.

You make me fucking crazy and waking up with you gone had me lose my shit. It made me see how much I not only need you, but I also want you, too. I love you, baby, and I’m sorry if I made you feel like I don’t consider your feelings.”