Grace

38

Rosie watched as Destinny hopped into Jeremy's car. They gave one another a peck on the lips. She began to mess with his stereo as he pulled away. Rosie started her car then pushed the gear into drive, while sipping vodka and orange juice from her coffee cup. She followed then for at least three blocks before they halted in front of iHop.

"iHop? Treating this bitch out now?" Rosie muttered while grabbing her phone to take a picture of the two walking, hand-in-hand, to the entrance. Fuck a private investigator. She was the investigator herself and she had a lot of dirt, enough to convince herself she was no longer dreaming. It felt unreal but the nice act had let up, and Jeremy was sticking his little black stick in Destinny.

"Man, a nigga so tired," Jeremy told Destinny as they sat down. She nodded in agreement.

"I can relate. You been putting in work all week, dealing with me then having to go home and play the good boyfriend. I'd be exhausted as well." Destinny's eyes scanned over the menu.

"What about you? Been playing the good girlfriend and step mama since the nigga is so old? I'm sure he has grandkids."

Destinny laughed. She often got a kick out of seeing Jeremy so jealous, talking so bad about King. "I can't play that when he's hardly home. He lost his ex wife so he's just wanting to be left alone. That was easy for me to do considering the fact that I am just tired of relationships. I just want to have someone to call on and have sex with no feelings attached."

"A lot of people want that, including me. I believe Rosie is crazy. She talks to herself a lot and she's always pacing. I mean, she moves like she forgot something."

"Rosie is crazy. The bitch takes pills and has sex like crazy. I know that bitch hasn't changed one bit."

"Now that you say that, I'm going to look into getting my shit and moving out. I'm tired of being with her. She just can't get right." Jeremy shrugged while Destinny nodded then looked over the menu, satisfied with her lie, which neither of them didn't know was the honest truth.

Grace entered the house with her damp hair in a ponytail. She sat her bag down, kicked Valerie's dog aside then entered the kitchen. She was starving! After Desman sent her off in a taxi because they didn't want anyone suspecting anything, she made it home to see no one was there. Grace prepared a turkey sandwich, ate, then went to freshen up.

While standing in the mirror, she noticed the red marks on her skin. She ran her fingertips over them reminiscing on the lovely night. She didn't feel like herself. Grace felt like she was breaking the rules and that made her feel like a new woman. She felt like she was breaking out of the shell King had made for her, and becoming the woman she wanted to be. The carefree one.

The water engulfed her aching body. Before she could even enjoy the peaceful bliss, her phone rang. She sighed staring at the phone vibrating away on the countertop. Whoever it was could wait. Everyone was now on Grace's time and she had no care to give for what they had to say.

King, on the other hand, was pissed. He didn't know who in the hell she thought she was. As he locked up his office and continued to call Grace, Damion approached him. "Yo, I found a match. Ol' boy she was with is supposedly a close family friend. Desman."

King became even angrier. He dropped Damion some cash then raced home. Grace was going to ever regret crossing him.

Grace was hopping underneath her covers when she heard the commotion coming from downstairs. Next, she heard the stairs squeaking under pressure. Before she could even lock her door it burst open and King stormed inside. Valerie was right behind him with a bewildered expression.

"Where were you?!"

"I am eighteen!" Grace yelled, surprised at her sudden outburst. It wasn't her. "You blew my phone up only to ask me where I was! I was handling my damn business! That doesn't concern you."

SMACK!

SMACK!

Valerie gasped at the echoing sound of the slaps. They were so strong that Grace had immediately turned beet red, seeming dazed as she attempted to register what happened. Once she did, she began to angrily gather her things. "I'M LEAVING! Y'all treat me like a child! I hate you!"

"You're not going anywhere. Where do you have to stay? Desman's?!"