"My mother is a bitch! That whore makes me sick! Why can't she let me go to the dance, she doesn't care what I do anyway!" Chandler said angrily as he slammed his locker door. He was talking about the Winter Celebration dance. It was the dance where the varsity basketball players would be introduced to Metro High's student body. He had started varsity since he was a freshman and this year he would have been introduced as the only player in the school's history to start varsity for four straight years. But, his mother wouldn't let him go to the dance because she had walked in on him and Rachel Carter in his bedroom.

"Chandler, don't call your mother a bitch. I think she's cool. She dresses nice, drives a Ford Explorer, and my brother thinks she's fine. Why are you always putting her down?" Shelly said softly. Lately all he did was talk bad about his mother. "She buys you everything you want; and you wear the latest clothes. I wish my mother could afford to buy me half the gear you wear!" she said. She thought he had it pretty good. They lived in a spacious two-bedroom townhouse on the Westside. He always seemed to have money, drove a late model BMW, and had the latest clothes - Air Jordans, Tommy Hilfiger, FUBU, and POLO you name the brand he had it. They had been dating off and on for a year and he was always mad. He was drop dead gorgeous. He had brown skin with green eyes. He had silky black hair that he kept faded on the sides with curly locks on the top. He had a muscular athletic build and was the star of the basketball team. Every girl in the school wanted to date Chandler, but she had him! She counted herself lucky.

"Shelly, you just don't understand. Yea, I wear all the latest gear, but believe me my mother is a whore." He looked at Shelly and walked away. Before he could get to class Mr. Towns called him.

"Chandler! Chandler! Come here!" Mr. Towns shouted.

"Hey Mr. Towns. What's happening!" All the kids in the school liked Mr. Towns. They thought he was cool. He didn't dress or act like a teacher. He loved hip-hop and could hold his own on the basketball court, even with Chandler. He was tall and had a shaved head. Chandler liked him from the days Mr. Towns dated his mother when he was younger. He would come over and play catch or a game of one on one with Chandler. Back then everything seemed cool, he hoped that Mr. Towns would marry his mother. But, like the other men in his mother's life, Mr. Towns was just a footnote.

"Hey Chandler, what's going on with you?

"Nothing, why?"

"Well, I heard you calling your mother names. I want to remind you that you only get one mother, and I know your mother loves you very much. Is something bothering you? Is everything alright at home?" The entire time Mr. Towns spoke, Chandler never looked him in the eyes; he looked down the whole time. He didn't want to hear what Mr. Towns had to say, because he knew Mr. Towns didn't know the whole story. He liked Mr. Towns, but Mr. Towns hadn't seen or spoken to his mother in years.

"You don't understand. My mother is different from what you remember. I love my mother, but she does things I don't like!"

"Listen Chandler, don't be so hard on her. You're probably all she has. If you need to talk let me know. I'm always available. I've got a math class to teach; I'll talk to you later. By the way, I hear you may be All-State this year."

"Yea, that's one of my goals, along with McDonald's All-American."

"Well, that's good. I hope you reach your goals." Mr. Towns knew there was trouble at home. Something was deeply bothering Chandler, so he decided to make a visit to talk with Chandler's mother.

***

"Girl, you still fooling around with that man? I don't have time for that boyfriend/girlfriend stuff. I've got to take care of business," Diana laughed while talking on the phone to Karen her best friend. "I don't have time for that relationship stuff. If a man can't do for me, he's got to go! It's business girl!" she explained.

"Diana, you've got to slow down. You know those men just want you for one thing. You know you're not getting any younger, they will forget about you and move on to a younger version of you!" Diana was thirty-six, petite, and had a figure that any woman would be envious of. Although, she had an eighteen-year-old, she could pass for a younger woman. "Why don't you settle down? It would be good for you and Chandler" Karen warned.

"Listen, I don't need a man. All I need is the money, not the man! Chandler's child support check and the gifts I receive from my male friends are all I need. Stop trying to marry me off to some sorry ass man. Besides, they're ALL dogs! You give a man your heart and he'll abuse it!"

Karen was upset now. She sighed heavily and then in a stern voice said, "Diana, what I'm about to say is going to upset you, but I'm going to say it anyway."

She hated when Diana called all men dogs. She knew plenty of good men. She even knew of a good man Diana had dumped. "Emmanuel Towns was very nice to you; he was a nice man. He treated you with respect and genuinely cared about your wants and needs. He was infatuated with you, and what did you do - you dumped him. He was just a schoolteacher and you had champagne dreams and he offered a beer lifestyle. You want to experience everything that comes to your mind, even at the expense of Chandler."

"At the expense of Chandler! No, you're wrong! That boy has everything he wants or needs! I have always looked out for his well being! He is and always will be the number one person in my life. You're being unfair and wrong! What is wrong with wanting to have it all? I'm very happy with my life! You're just jealous you can't get a man like I can!" Diana stated angrily.

"Girl, you're not listening to me!" Karen insisted. "One day you are not going to be the prettiest woman in the crowd. Then what are you going to do? You don't work and you have a Business degree from La Verne University. Karen got angrier as she spoke. "My wanting to be married and have children doesn't mean I'm jealous of you. I'm telling you this because I love you! You are my best friend and I don't want you to get hurt again." She knew how Diana's male friends treated her. She had been passed down as a birthday gift to one of her male friend's son and had been beaten. She knew that none of the men loved or respected Diana, they only saw her as a plaything. Diana didn't understand that most people would consider her a high priced call girl. Diana's only remark to this would be "People should mind their own business."

"I know what it feels like to be hurt, and it won't happen again. I know what I am doing. But, I'm going to live my life the way I choose. It will be my decision if I want to change! Not yours or some sorry ass man's! I hear Chandler upstairs, I'll talk to you later." She hated when Karen tried to give her advice. She knew that Karen had dated plenty of so-called good men, and none of them had proposed. In her opinion Karen was living a pipe dream, there were no good men out there. Why waste time looking for a husband; her disposable relationships suited her just fine.

"Chandler! Chandler get down here now." she called angrily. She didn't know that he had been listening to her conversation on the stairs. When she hung up the phone, he ran back into his room and turned on his stereo.

"Yea! What do you want?" he shouted over his music.

"Chandler Richmond Whitmore! Boy, you hear me calling you! Turn down that stereo and come down here now!"

"Yea, I heard you! I was busy! What do you want?" he answered coldly as he stared down at her as he walked down the stairs.

"Chandler, don't give me a hard time today. I'm your mother, would you please treat me with a little respect." Lately, Chandler talked to her as if he was mad at her. Many times she asked him what was wrong, but he always said, "Nothing!"

"Yea, what ever. What do you want?"

"Mrs. Robinson called me today."

"And?"

"She said she caught you and Sheila in bed! Is that true?" This wasn't the first time he had been caught with some young lady. She knew he was having sex, because she had found used condoms in his trashcan while cleaning his room. He couldn't go to the Winter Celebration because of the Rachel Carter incident, and now early this morning Mrs. Robinson called concerning her daughter Sheila.

"Yea, she walked in on us, I was finished though. Is that why you called me? Diana, I wore my Jim hat extra tight!"

With one hand on her hip and waving a finger in his face she said, "Chandler, don't call me by my first name. You know how I hate that; and I don't care if you wore a Jim hat! Boy, you better learn to keep it in your pants or you will get some girl pregnant!"

"I don't care about these bitches, if they get knocked up it's not my problem! I wear my Jimmy extra tight. If these bitches get pregnant it's their fault!" She couldn't believe what she just heard. Every since he was a little boy she stressed responsibility to him.

"Where you get off calling these young ladies "bitches", and using that kind of language with me! It takes two to make a baby, and it's just as much your fault as it is some little girl you get pregnant!" Diana was disturbed at what she was hearing.

He rolled his eyes and asked sarcastically, "You finished?"

"Why do you talk to me this way, I'm your mother!" she said in exasperation.

"Yea, right!" Chandler ran up the stairs and slammed the door to his room. Diana just stood at the bottom of the stairs, she couldn't believe how her son spoke to her. She remembered when he was younger; they always seemed to have fun. They raced, played catch, and horsed around all the time. But, as he got older he seemed to resent her. She didn't understand. He had everything he wanted or asked for; why was he acting this way. Just then there was a knock at the door.

"Who is it!" she shouted. She neither wanted nor needed any company right now. She wanted to go upstairs and see what was bothering her son.

"Hello, Diana it's me Emmanuel."

"Emmanuel Towns?" While opening the door she stared at him, gave a forced smile, and said, "Hello, Emmanuel how are you doing? What brings you to this part of town?" She knew he couldn't afford to live in her neighborhood on a teacher's salary, and that is one of the reasons she dumped him. He could never care for her the way she wanted to be taken care of.

He laughed to himself. Diana acted, as if he was just some regular Joe. He knew she could cut off her emotions from anyone easily, but she acted as if they had never known each other. "Is this the same woman I fell in love with?" he thought.

"Is this visit about Chandler? Is he in any trouble?" she asked.

"No, but what he said today is troubling me, can we sit down and talk?"

"Sure, go straight ahead into the living room." She admired his body as he passed her. Emmanuel was in great shape. "He must work out everyday!" she thought. "Have a seat right there on the love seat. I'll go get us something to drink." As she left to go to the kitchen he admired her. She still was the most beautiful woman he knew. After seven years he still had feelings for her. They use to talk for hours. He loved to hear her talk; she fascinated him. Day and night he would think of her, wondering what he could do for her. Then one night she told him she no longer wanted to see him. He was hurt bad, it took him two years before he started dating again.

When she returned he began to tell her what was bothering him about Chandler. "Today at school Chandler screamed at the top of his lungs – 'My mother is a bitch! That whore makes me sick!' It was between classes in an empty hallway. I don't know how many people heard him, but I heard him six classrooms away."

Diana's face never showed any emotion. "I wonder why he would say something like that. He has been acting real angry lately, I'll speak to him. Thanks, for coming over." She stood up to show him to the door. He couldn't believe how nonchalantly she handled the situation.

"Diana, is everything alright? You know I will do anything to help you and Chandler. All you have to do is call." He was reaching out to her, letting his feelings show.

As they walked to the door she said, "I know Emmanuel. But, I don't need any help. If I ever do, I'll call you." She knew she would NEVER call him for anything. She believed he was trying to get back with her. She didn't want that. "Been there, done that!" she thought.

"Bye, Diana. If you need any help just call me at the school." As he walked to his car, he knew she would never call him. She was emotionally disconnected from him. When she was beaten, he found out through Karen; it was a miracle that Karen was able to stop him from seeking revenge. "I will never offer her help again!" he said to himself angrily. "I just hope Chandler is alright!" he thought as he drove away.

As Diana closed the door her phone rang. In a sexy voice she said, "Hello."

"Hey, Diana. I need you right now!" It was Calvin Brown, a Superior Court Judge. He was married with two children. She met him during jury duty. During the lunch break his secretary walked over to Diana's table and handed her a note with the judge's name and phone number on it. His secretary was an older black woman with gray hair, wearing knee high stockings, she looked sternly at Diana, and said, "The judge said give him a call!" Then she headed back to the judge. Diana knew what was happening, this wasn't the first time she had been approached by men in this manner. She usually only accepted advances from older white men with money like Chandler's father. She didn't date black men any longer. She didn't believe they could take care of her, but he was a judge. She had seen him on the news presiding over a famous date rape case. She figured he could take care of her needs. She did well off of the gifts men gave her. That's how she acquired the townhouse and bought her son everything he wanted.

"Well hello Calvin, I don't know if I can come over now." she purred.

"I've got something for you, but if you don't come over I won't be able to give it to you."

Diana smiled. She knew what he had for her; she just wanted him to beg a little.

"I'll be right over." She hung up the phone and called out to Chandler. "Chandler, I'm leaving now. I have some business to take care of." He did not answer back. She got her coat out of the hall closet and left.

Chandler watched from his bedroom window as she pulled out of the driveway. He had tears in his eyes. "Yea, you have business to take care of."

***

Diana pulled up into Calvin's driveway. He only lived ten minutes from her; his house was the biggest on the block. As she came up the walkway she could see him standing in the door. He was forty-nine with a receding hairline, short and fat. He wasn't very attractive, but he was very generous with his gifts. When he looked at her, he smiled. As she entered the house he handed her an envelope. She looked in it; and saw it was a money order for three thousand dollars.

"Oh, Calvin you're so generous," she purred. "You are so nice to me, I don't know how to act."

"Diana, I would give you more if I could, let's go upstairs."

They went upstairs to the master bedroom. Calvin did not arouse Diana in the least. She faked, acted and stroked his ego all night. Unless she moved in with them, she usually only spent a few hours a week with the men she had been with over the years. But, they always gave her such elaborate gifts. She conveniently forgot how they treated her over the years. "Get the money, not the man" she would tell herself.

"Baby, my wife will be out of town next week visiting her family in Alabama. I have scheduled a trip for the two of us to San Francisco. You'll love it, we'll have a great time!" he said has he handed her airline tickets and a brochure of San Francisco.

"Calvin, I will have to make arrangements for Chandler to stay somewhere. I can't wait to go. Look at the time, I have to go!"

"So soon?"

"Now Calvin, you know I'm a single mom trying to raise my son. I need to be there for him. I know you understand." She always used her son as an excuse to leave. As she spoke he reached into his wallet and gave her two crisp hundred-dollar bills.

"Yea, I do. My boy just turned fifteen. Go buy him something nice."

She smiled and moved her hair out of her face and said in a sexy voice, "Look at you! You treat me so nice. I don't know what I'm going to do with you." He smiled, got up and went into the bathroom. She looked at him as he walked away. She thought he looked like a fat blob. He repulsed her.

***

Diana went to Macy's before she went home. She wanted to buy Chandler something nice. Actually, that was the only way she knew how to make up to him. She spoiled him with anything and everything he wanted. Like most mothers she made sure he kept his grades up and room cleaned, but she was more of a friend. She was too busy living her life, trying to experience everything she could. And what a life she lived. She had been to New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Miami, Jamaica, Bahamas, and other places people only dreamed about. She drove a brand new Ford Explorer. She had a closet full of clothes and boxes full of jewelry. She believed the best part was that she didn't have to pay for any of it. They were gifts from her male friends.

"Chandler, I'm home! Chandler!"

"Yea, I'm busy!" he shouted from his room.

"Come here baby, I've got something for you!" Diana yelled as she headed up the stairs to Chandler's room with a new Tommy Hilfiger jacket from Macy's. When she opened the door she couldn't believe her eyes, Chandler was in bed with Shelly.

"Chandler, what are you doing? I'll be damned if you are going to conduct your booty calls in my house!" As she screamed at him, Shelly quickly got dressed. "Shelly, I'm going to call your mother and talk to her about this!"

Chandler put on some basketball trunks and sat on the edge of his bed. He stared at his mother with disgust in his eyes. He couldn't believe she was carrying on; she knew he was having sex.

"Diana, what is wrong with you? What's the problem?" sitting on the edge of his bed with his arms folded.

"Don't call me Diana, I'm your mother. Chandler show me a little respect please!" she was screaming, shouting, and waving her finger in his face. "This is the reason you can't go to the Winter Celebration dance. Why in the hell do you believe you can bring your little girl friends to my home and carry on so? I think you ought to slow down!"

She could tell by the expression on her son's face that he didn't want to hear what she had to say. She wanted to end it and give him his new jacket. But, it was too late; he stared at her and paused before he answered.

"Diana, why don't you stay out of my business. Do I discuss the men you sleep with?"

She could not believe what she had just heard. "What did you say?" she said angrily.

He repeated what he said; "Do I discuss the men you sleep with?"

Without thinking she dropped the Macy's bag with his new jacket in it and slapped him as hard as she could, he fell off the edge of his bed onto the floor. Shelly quickly ran down the stairs. As he got up tears flowed from his eyes. Chandler couldn't believe she had just hit him. She wanted to go over and hug him; but he got up and stood motionless over her not knowing what to do or say.

Looking up at him and waving her finger in his face she screamed, "Everything we have and I do, is for the both of us. This house, our clothes, our cars - everything. You have no right talking to me that way. I'm your mother, you don't question my actions!"

With tears in his eyes Chandler composed himself and then calmly spoke to her, "Diana, you didn't do anything for the both of us. You did it for you! You must give the best head in the..." before he could finish she slapped him again, even harder than the first time.

"Let me tell you something boy, don't you go there with me. What I do is none of your business." Tears slowly fell from her eyes. What I do, I do to take care of us. You've received everything you wanted or needed since you were a baby. You have never wanted for anything. I don't see why you are complaining! I will beat your ass if you disrespect me again!" Tears were running down his cheeks. He was upset and couldn't stop crying. He stepped back a few feet, and then told her something that hurt her deeply.

"Diana, you're a whore!" She raised her hand to hit him again, but he grabbed it in mid-air before she could hit him. She raised her other hand, but he grabbed it also. She couldn't move her arms; he was too strong. She tried to kick him, but he stood too far back. She tried biting him, but she couldn't. Chandler had struck a nerve. He called his mother a whore. Although, she received money from the men she dated, she never saw herself as a being a whore.

While holding his mother's arms and dodging her attempts to kick him he sternly said, "Diana, you have sex with men for the things they can give you. You're no different from the whores who walk the street. You sleep till noon, and you don't work. I heard you talking to Karen on the phone laughing - how all you wanted was the money, not the man. You didn't do this for me! Like you said -it's business. So, don't tell me about me having bitches in my room!"

Diana was stunned by what her son had just said to her. Her shoulders slumped and she put her head down and walked out of his room. She walked to her room and cried. Chandler quickly got dressed and picked up the Macy's bag and put on his new coat.

"Diana, I'm out!" he yelled as he ran down the stairs and slamming the front door.

She didn't answer him. How could he talk to her like that? Where did the beautiful little boy go that always told her, "Mommy, I love you!"? She believed she did a good job raising him. She believed all his needs were taken care of – his clothes, money, and activities. She never missed a basketball game, sent him to summer camps, and made sure he kept out of trouble. When did he begin to notice who and when she dated? When did her dating start bothering him? Why didn't she notice that it bothered him? "No wonder he called the young ladies he dated bitches!" she thought. He didn't respect those young ladies, because he didn't respect her. She started to cry even harder, and then the phone rang.

She composed herself and in a sexy voice she answered, "Hello."

"Diana, its Randolph. Sweetheart, how are you doing?" Randolph was an older white man she had lived with until he married a white girl twenty years younger then him. He was a wealthy real estate investor; she met at a restaurant in Beverly Hills.

Without a hint of sadness or despair she stated in a sexy voice, "Randy, how are you? I haven't heard from you in what, nine, ten years?"

"Yes, it's been about that long. I ran across a picture of you and I the other day. I haven't been able to get you out of my mind since."

"What picture is that Randy?" she said with a pained look on her face. She remembered taking many sexy pictures for him.

"You remember when we went to the Bahamas and you left Chandler with your friend Karen, you wore that sexy two piece swim suit!"

"Oh yes, I remember." she said while forcing a giggle.

"Can you come over tonight?" he begged.

"Do you still live in the same house?"

"Yes" he said excitedly.

She forced another giggle and in a sexy voice she said, "I'll be over in an hour." As she hung up the phone and prepared to go over his house. She thought about Chandler and tears began to flow from her eyes. She then laughed, "Get the money, not the man!"

***

Chandler ran to the school because he didn't know where else to go. He went to the coach's office, but it was empty. He looked over at the gym and saw the lights on. "Coach must be in the gym. I'll stay with him tonight." When he got to the gym he saw Mr. Towns playing basketball by himself. He called out to him from the gym door.

"Hey, Mr. Towns! What's up!" he shouted.

Mr. Towns turned and shot one last jumper that went through the rim all net. He smiled and waved Chandler over.

"Hey, Chandler. What you doing here?" he asked.

With his head down and his hands in his new Tommy Hilfiger jacket he said, "Me and moms had an argument. So, I came to see if coach was here. I was going to kick it at his house tonight."

"Does your mother know you're staying with the coach tonight?"

"NO!"

Mr. Towns began to scold him, "You should let your mother know where you are, she's going to worry about you!"

"She's not worried about me, she's got business to take care of!" he said angrily.

Mr. Towns knew their was something deeply bothering Chandler. He then challenged Chandler to a game of one on one. "I use to beat you one on one all the time, you think you can hang, Chandler?"

Surprised at Mr. Towns challenging him to a game he said, "That was when I was younger, I'm older now. Besides you're an old man!"

Mr. Towns laughed and handed the ball to him, "You take out first!"

It reminded Chandler of when he was younger and Mr. Towns dated his mother. The difference now was they were the same height. Mr. Towns still had game though. He matched Chandler shot for shot. Then Chandler began winning. It was game point. Chandler began to talk trash. He knew he needed one basket to win and Mr. Towns needed three.

"Old man you can't hang. Don't you know I started four years varsity, I'm an All-city forward, and an All-State and McDonald's All-American candidate!" he said with a smirk on his face.

"Is the game over? I hear you talking, but I'm not going to let you score!" Mr. Towns got right in front of Chandler and applied pressure defense. Chandler tried to dribble around him, but couldn't. He then tried an off balance shot that hit the front of the rim and fell to the side. Mr. Towns got the rebound. Without saying a word Mr. Towns made two twenty foot jumpers with Chandler playing his best defense. He went up by one basket and now it was game point, Mr. Towns. Chandler now played pressure defense. Mr. Towns smiled, bump faked, Chandler went for the fake, and Mr. Towns drove to the basket for a lay up that won the game.

"Game!"

"I can't believe I let an old man beat me!" Chandler stated while laughing.

Mr. Towns put his arm around Chandler and said while laughing and breathing heavily, "Yea, this old man beat you, but he feels like he's about to die of an heart attack!" Mr. Towns was breathing heavily and sweating a lot. "I was in here shooting baskets before you came. I was warmed up, you weren't. I probably couldn't beat you again! Let's go over to the bench and sit down before you have to call an ambulance." When they reached the bench Mr. Towns reached into his pocket and gave Chandler two one doll ar bills. "Go to the vending machine in the hall and get us something to drink." he said still breathing heavily. Chandler returned with two 20 ounce bottled waters. "Why did you and your mother have an argument?" he asked him.

Chandler stared at the ground; he hesitated before he answered. "I had Shelly in my room."

"So, you and Shelly are having sex?"

"Yea, but I wear my Jimmy extra tight!"

"Just because you wear your Jimmy extra tight doesn't mean she won't get pregnant or you won't catch something!" Mr. Towns answered back.

"Yea, I know. But, I haven't got any girl pregnant yet!" he said confidently.

"Yet! How many are girls you sleeping with? That's alright, I don't want to know. Is that the reason you're having problems with your mother?"

"No, that's not the reason." He then paused for a moment before he spoke again. "My mother is a whore. She sleeps with men for money and gifts. I can't stand her!"

They both sat in silence after the statement Chandler made. It was no secret Diana slept with men for money. Tears started to fall down Chandler's face, his voice quivering he began to speak, "I remember all the times we would move into all these old white guys' houses; they would treat me like some little house poodle. Give me candy or money to go into the other room or leave the house. I hated them!"

Mr. Towns saw how badly Chandler was feeling, "Son, you don't have to tell me this!" he said softly.

Chandler just kept speaking, "When we were living with Randolph, I don't know his last name, I got tired of looking at TV downstairs one day, so I went looking for my mother. That's when…" He started crying uncontrollably. Mr. Towns hugged him and tears began to fall from his eyes, also. Chandler continued, "That's when I saw my mother taking pictures. She was naked. At the time I didn't know what she was holding in her hand, but as I got older I found out it was a dildo. She doesn't know I saw her taking pictures!" he said while wiping the tears from his eyes.

Chandler told Mr. Towns everything that night. About being dropped off at Karen's house every time his mother would go on trips. How the men talked down to his mother like she was a piece of meat, and the time he watched one of the men beat his mother. He remembered everything down to the last detail. After he was finished they sat silently. Mr. Towns looked over at Chandler and felt sorry for him. "No little boy should have to witness what Chandler did!" he thought.

"Chandler, I know that all those things you just told me hurt you badly. But, that still doesn't give you the right to call your mother a bitch or disrespect her." Chandler looked at him in shock. He thought Mr. Towns would be on his side and understand how he felt.

"I can't believe…" before he could finish Mr. Towns cut him off.

"Just listen for a second." he said sternly. "Your mother has always done good by you. I know she loves you more than anything in this world! She has always been there for you and put you in the best schools. When you wanted to play basketball, she put you in the best camps and drove you all over the city to play." As he spoke Chandler got upset. He got up from the bench where they were sitting and began to pace back and forth.

Chandler began to shout, "Yea, she did, but…" Mr. Towns cut him off again.

"Chandler, I'm not going to tell you that what your mother is doing is right. People make decisions in their lives that they have to live with. You say those men treated her bad. Well, how are you treating her?"

Chandler stopped pacing and stared at Mr. Towns. He knew that he was treating his mother badly. He called her by her first name and many times didn't answer her when she spoke to him.

"Bad!" he whispered.

"Son, mothers are strange creatures. They love you no matter what you say or do. They'll give up their lives if it means saving their children." He then stood up and hugged Chandler and said, "Maybe she's given up her life to make sure you have a better one!"

Chandler looked at Mr. Towns and nodded, "Maybe you're right Mr. Towns." Then Chandler ran to the pay phone in the hall and called his mother. When he returned he was smiling.

"Thanks Mr. Towns! I just called my mother and apologized."

"No problem Chandler. Let me give you a ride to the coach's house. I think your mother needs a break from you right now!" They both laughed and walked out of the gym to Mr. Town's car. They didn't talk any more that night. But, for the first time in a long time Chandler wasn't mad at his mother.

***

Randolph lived in Beverly Hills. Diana lived with him in her early twenties. She was really wild then, ready to do and try anything. As she pulled up into his driveway she began to have second thoughts. Randolph was very generous with his gifts. He always let her know that she loved money. When she got out of her car he was waiting for her at the front door, he looked older than she remembered. He was skinnier, walked with a cane, and all his hair was white. "He looks like a dirty old man." she laughed to herself.

"Diana you look great!" he said as she walked up to him.

"Hi, Randy." She said forcing herself to smile instead of laugh. "What is his old ass going to do? I'm really going to have to fake it tonight. If he wasn't so generous I would turn around and go home!" she thought.

"Let's go upstairs I have something to show you!" When he turned around he stumbled and dropped his cane; she caught him by the arm before he hit the ground. After he regained his footing he went into the house, she followed behind him smiling. He struggled up the stairs, stopping to catch his breath many times. She coughed out loud to mask her laughing at him.

"Bless you!" he said.

"Thank you Randy! You sure you want to…" she paused before finishing. "Go, upstairs!"

"Oh, yes! I have something to show you! I also have a gift for you!" he said gleefully.

She couldn't wait now. "A gift!" she thought. "What could it be?" she wondered. He had always given her expensive gifts. He purchased the townhouse she and Chandler lived in.

"You know I haven't worked in real estate for years. I almost went bankrupt!" he said.

"Bankrupt!" she said interrupting him as they entered his bedroom. "I'm not doing a damn thing if his old ass is broke!" she thought in anger.

"Let me finish darling! Like I said, I almost went bankrupt until I started one of the most profitable businesses I have ever been in. It took little capital and I was one of the first to get into the business." As he talked, he led her to a computer station in the corner of his bedroom. He turned it on and the screen read, "Beautiful Black Women." "Remember all those nude pictures I took of you when you were younger? Well, I used those pictures to start my business. You were so beautiful; my website for nude black women was an instant hit!" he said while gasping for air after walking up the stairs. While catching his breath he continued, "After posting your pictures, I went out and found other young black women who were into making money just like you! It didn't take long for me to have hundreds of young ladies on my website. Since, I was one of the first sites to feature black women, I made a lot of money!" He looked at her and smiled. He thought she would be delighted to know that because of her nude pictures, he had escaped bankruptcy. "Because there are so many similar sites now, the site only brings in a most sum of money today." But, I have such a large collection of photos; I no longer have overhead expenses. It's profitable!" he said smiling.

Diana stared at him in disbelief. He began to show her how the site worked. He went into the directory and there was her name. Once he clicked the button with her name on it her picture came up. It showed her sitting on a sofa with her legs wide open. The next picture showed her from the rear spreading her butt apart. The last picture, before she asked him to stop, showed her stuffing a huge white dildo into her vagina.

"Stop Randy! I've seen enough." Clearly shaken she tried to regain her composure. "I took hundreds of nude pictures for him. Did he put them all on the Internet? He even used my real name!" she thought.

Calmly she began to question him, "Randy, how long has this website been running? Did you use all the pictures you took of me? Why did you use my real name?" As she questioned him he just smiled.

"Darling, I knew you would love the website!" he stated enthusiastically. "You were so wild and willing to do anything for money I knew you would love the site. Here's the surprise!" He then handed her an envelope with a $10,000 cashier's check in it. "Your pictures are what made my website so popular! I thought you should share in its success!"

She stood there holding the envelope speechless. He had just handed her a $10,000 cashier check from a business he had made hundreds of thousands of dollars from. Unbeknownst to Randy, she felt ashamed! She was young and wild then, but she didn't want anyone to see those pictures. "What if Chandler sees those pictures!" she thought. Tears began to fall from her eyes. After years of learning how to keep her composure in tough situations she began to cry uncontrollably. Then as fast as she began to cry she stopped. "Get the money, not the man! There isn't anything I can do about it now! Just take the money!" she thought. She didn't want him to know how she felt. She wanted to keep up her façade.

"You're crying! I knew you would be happy Diana!" He didn't realize how hurt and ashamed she felt.

She laughed to herself when he thought she was crying tears of joy. "Yea, Randy thank you so much for the money! I have to go now!"

"How is Chandler doing? Tell him I said HELLO! You know he never liked me very much," he said as she left his room. "Keep in touch, darling!" he shouted as she closed the front door.

As Diana drove home she began to think of what Karen told her earlier. She wasn't getting any younger. Chandler's outburst and Randolph's website really had her thinking. "I need to slow down. I have $10,000 and this should tie me over for at least three months. I read in the newspaper that Technical Business Systems was hiring Manager Trainees, I'm going to check them out tomorrow morning!" she thought.

When she got home she showered and checked the messages from her answering machine. The first message was from Chandler.

"Mom, it's me!" She was silent for a moment because she was scared of what Chandler might say. "Last night when I left I went to the gym looking for coach, I saw Mr. Towns there. He and I played a game of one on one and I told him about our argument." When she heard that she sighed heavily. "Why did he have to tell him!" she thought. Then she continued to listen. "I'm sorry mom! Mr. Towns explained to me that I was wrong. I should have never said those things to you!" Tears began to flow down her cheeks. She was so happy he had apologized to her. I LOVE YOU MOM! Oh yea, before I forget my game is at noon tomorrow, see you there!"

She was so happy everything seemed to be alright between her and Chandler. Then she took her second message.

"Hello, this is Calvin. I need to see you tomorrow. I'm divorcing my wife and making some very important decisions regarding my life! You play an essential part. So, meet me in my chambers tomorrow at noon. Bring the airline ticket I gave you for San Francisco, I've planned a trip somewhere else!"

She hung up the phone. She was so excited. Calvin was divorcing his wife and she was an essential part of his new life he was planning. She didn't believe she needed to put in an application for the Manager Trainee position any longer. "Calvin, is infatuated with me!" she thought.

***

The next morning she was very excited. She was supposed to meet Calvin at noon. But, she didn't want to miss Chandler's game. "I'll meet Calvin at 11:00 a.m. and then go to the game." she thought.

"For the first time in a while she believed she was having a good day. She had $10,000, made up with her son, and believed Calvin was leaving his wife for her. "It's 10:00 a.m., if I hurry I can get there a little before 11:00 a.m.; and have plenty of time to get to Chandler's game." she thought. She rushed out her door and hurried to Calvin's chambers.

She arrived at Calvin's chambers at 10:45 a.m. His secretary greeted her with the same stern look she gave her when she handed her the note with Calvin's name and phone number on it. "She needs to get laid bad!" she thought.

Smiling, she greeted the secretary, "Hello, I'm Diana. I have an appointment to see the Judge."

Without looking at her, the secretary answered, "Your appointment is at noon. The Judge has a important meeting at 11:30 a.m. and he is on the phone right now!" Feeling confident that she was going to be a big part of Calvin's life she smiled and walked pass the secretary and burst through Calvin's chamber doors as the secretary objected.

"Miss, you can't go in there now, the Judge is on the phone!" the secretary shouted. Calvin was seated at his desk talking on the phone when Diana burst into his chambers. He observed what was happening and waved his secretary off. He then motioned for Diana to sit at the couch across from his desk. The secretary left and closed the chamber doors. Diana instead walked over to Calvin and sat in his lap. While continuing his phone conversation, he once again motioned for her to sit on the couch across from his desk. She smiled and kissed him on the cheek and reached between his legs. She felt him getting an erection. She began to undo his pants while she got on her knees. He continued his phone conversation as if she wasn't there. "He thinks he can ignore me! Well let's see about that Judge Calvin Brown!" she laughed to herself. She then performed fellatio on him. He stared down at her and motioned once again for her to go sit on the couch. She just giggled and went faster. When he saw that she wasn't going to stop, he began to end his phone conversation. Moaning and groaning she began to go as fast as she could and jerk harder with her hands. Without warning he ejaculated in her mouth. As she pulled her head back coughing, gagging, and giggling semen shot all on her face and blouse. He then finished his conversation and hung up the phone.

While zipping up his pants he asked angrily, "Diana, why didn't you just go sit on the couch like I asked you?"

Not realizing how foolish she looked she said playfully, "Wow baby! You were like a volcano!" While licking the semen around her mouth she said, "I was just having some fun. Besides I'm an essential part of your life!"

"What are you talking about?" he said looking confused.

"You know! The message you left on my answering machine last night!" she said while smiling.

"Oh, yea! I remember now. Did you bring the airline ticket."

"Yes, here it is." she reached into her purse and handed it to him. "Where are we going now?" she purred.

"I've scheduled a trip to the Virgin Islands. I have to return these San Francisco tickets to my agent." he said while putting the tickets into his brief case.

"When are we leaving?" she said enthusiastically.

Looking at her as if he was sitting on his bench in the courtroom about to sentence a criminal he told her, "We? I'm sorry Diana you're not going. When I said I was divorcing my wife and making some very important decisions regarding my life you were not included. We no longer can see each other." Still sitting on the floor with semen on her face and blouse she was stunned. She thought that he was leaving his wife for her. She had just made a fool of herself. "Your services are no longer needed!" he said as if she was a prostitute.

Diana jumped up and ran out of his chambers. When she got outside she closed the doors and cried. The secretary looked at her and got up with a box of tissue in her hands. As she handed the box of tissue to Diana she said, "Go over to the mirror on the wall and wipe your mouth and clean your face!" Diana walked over to the mirror on the wall and saw Calvin's semen covered all over her mouth, face and blouse. She turned to run to the restroom and bumped into another woman entering the door. She stopped to apologize to the woman. But, before she did she couldn't believe her eyes. The woman had to be in her early twenties. She was dressed in a miniskirt and a see through blouse with a lace bra. She was a younger version of her.

"I'm sorry Miss" she said and ran to the restroom. While in the restroom she began to cry uncontrollably. She looked at herself in the mirror and saw semen on her mouth, face, and blouse. As she began to clean herself up she noticed something else, also. She had one gray strand of hair on the left side of her head and faint age lines on the edges of her eyes. "He wanted that ticket back so he could take that bitch to the Virgin Islands" she thought. As she continued to clean herself the judge's se cretary came into the restroom.

Looking at the secretary she said, "You must think I'm a fool, don't you?"

"Yes, I do!" the secretary said without looking at her.

"Well I won't be any longer!"

"That's only because he dumped you for a younger woman. You women are so foolish. You weren't the first and that young lady you bumped into won't be the last." The secretary stated sarcastically. "You chased the Judge because of the money, power, and prestige he holds. If he wasn't a judge you wouldn't have given his fat ass a second thought!" she said bluntly.

Diana trying to explain herself said, "No it wasn't about his money, power…" But before she could finish the secretary cut her off.

"Listen, don't try to con me! I'm not a fool like you! I'll use the restroom after you are gone!" The secretary then turned and left. Diana stood there speechless. She cleaned herself up and went to Chandler's game.

***

Diana arrived at the game right after tip-off. She sat on the front row and cheered for Chandler like she always did. When he saw her he smiled and waved enthusiastically. She felt good when he did that, "Maybe that talk with Emmanuel did him some good!" she thought. Chandler had one of his best games ever. He had 30 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists. His team won going away ninety-five to sixty-nine. After the game Chandler showered and came out of the locker room smiling. He ran to his mother and hugged her. As they were leaving the gym he spotted Mr. Towns on the other side of the gym.

"See you later Mr. Towns. Thanks!" he shouted

"Good game Chandler! Hi, Diana! See you all later." he shouted back.

Diana never even acknowledged Mr. Town's presence. She just continued to walk out the gym. Mr. Towns smiled to himself, "She's still emotionally disconnected from me," he thought.

"Chandler, I'm going to Technical Business Systems this afternoon to apply for a Management Trainee position," she told him as they approached her Ford Explorer.

Chandler couldn't believe what his mother just told him. He hugged her. He held her for a long time. She didn't want him to let go. It felt good to know her baby loved her again. They drove home quickly. She had to change clothes before she went to Technical Business Systems to apply for the position.

***

Diana pulled up to Technical Business Systems confident that she was going to change her life. She entered the Human Relations office and asked for an application. As she sat down to complete the application, she noticed how young everyone else completing an application for Manager Trainee was. They were in their early twenties. She started getting nervous, "What if I'm too old?" she wondered. As she was filling out her application, a woman behind the front desk motioned for her.

"Miss, my name is Andrea Appleton. I'm the Human Resources Manager. I was told to inform you that you start tomorrow at 8:00 a.m.," she said.

"But, I haven't turned in my application yet." Diana said confused.

"Just finish your application and turn it in on your way out."

Diana completed the application and left. "If some sorry ass man thinks I'm going to sleep with him for this job he's wrong!" she thought.

***

Diana arrived at 7:45 a.m. to start her new job. She was dressed in traditional business attire; white blouse, blue herringbone skirt, and blue pumps. Andrea Appleton greeted her as she entered the front door.

"You're early! That's good."

Diana smiled. She wanted to make a good impression. "I'm going to learn everything I can about this position. I'm not as young as the others, so I have to work harder." she believed.

Andrea began to tell her about the position and the benefits that she would receive once she worked a year.

"I didn't know that you knew our CEO" she said. "When he saw you sitting in Human Relations Office he told us that you were a hard worker and to hire you. He told me to bring you directly to his office once I briefed you about the position." Diana got nervous. None of the men she had been with over the years worked or owned Technical Business Systems to her knowledge. They got on the elevator and went to the 16th floor. When they exited the elevator it opened to an office that covered the whole floor. Andrea escorted her to a chair in front of a big mahogany desk. Sitting in a big leather chair behind the desk with his back to them was the CEO on the phone. Andrea walked up to him and notified him that Diana was waiting. She smiled at Diana and left. Diana was very nervous. "Who is this man? How does he know me?" she thought. She looked around his office for any pictures or plaques that would give her an idea who the CEO was. There were oil paintings hanging on the wall, but no family pictures or college degrees. The chair began to slowly turn toward the front. When he faced her, she didn't recognize him. He couldn't be over thirty years old. "He's too young. I've never been with someone younger than me!" she thought.

As he hung up the phone he smiled and said, "Diana! How are you doing!"

"Fine, Sir!"

He began to laugh. "You don't remember me? Do you?"

She smiled nervously, "No, I can't say that I do!"

"I'm Barrington Wells' son, Lance. Do you remember me now?"

She sat motionless for a moment. She wanted to get up and run out of the office. But, she needed and wanted this job. So, like many times before she showed no emotion and answered, "How is your father?"

"He's doing fine! His company, Wells Industries, is doing great."

Speaking calmly she continued to hold a conversation with him, "That's good, Mr. Wells. Why aren't you working for your father?"

"He's handed me everything in life. So, when I graduated from college I started this business. I wanted to do something on my own! You know how that feels don't you? If you didn't you wouldn't be here!"

While faking a laugh she answered, "Yes, there's some truth to that."

"I couldn't do anything on my own. I couldn't even go out and get my first piece of ass without my father's interference. I can still remember entering his bedroom and you lying in his bed. Boy you were the prettiest woman I had ever seen."

She could remember that day also. She was handed down to him for his birthday like a family heirloom. She was so humiliated, but she had negotiated a trust fund for Chandler's education. "Yea, you did everything my father told you to do, and he stood there the whole night just applauding you and urging you on. Boy, that was every sixteen-year-olds fantasy! It was the best birthday gift I had ever received!" he said while smiling.

"Yea, I bet it was," she said while staring at him. What he didn't know is that his father had misled her. After receiving the trust fund she believed she would be entertaining his father. Not some fat pimple faced little boy. Afterwards, she confronted his father about the situation; he beat her in front of Chandler. "Mr. Wells, I'm very excited about my new job, when can I get started?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sitting here reminiscing about my first sexual experience and you're ready to begin working as one of our new Manager Trainees. Just go to the fourth floor and they will assign you your seat and get you started."

As she got up and walked to the elevator she smiled and said, "Thank you, Mr. Wells."

"No, problem Diana." Then he began to laugh hysterically, "I believe you will be an ASSet to the company."

She forced a smile and walked over to the elevator. While keeping her eyes focused on the floor she pushed the button to the fourth floor and watched the doors close. "I'm going to stay here and learn everything I can in a year for work experience, and then I'm going to look for a new job!" she promised herself. When she made it to the fourth floor she saw a desk with her nameplate on it. She sat down and began to read the company's employee handbook. As she was reading, she over heard two filing clerks talking.

"Girl, my divorce from that sorry ass nigga just became final!

"So, you're a single woman again!"

"That's right! And this time I don't have time for that relationship stuff. I get child support from my daughter's father, and I'll start receiving it from my baby's daddy too!"

"Girl, with this job and the child support from your baby's daddies you're going to get paid!"

"I don't need no man! My new motto is, GET THE MONEY, NOT THE MAN!"

When Diana heard that, tears slowly fell from her eyes. She laughed to herself, "Yea, get the money not the man! She sat at her desk and continued reading the employee's handbook.