Borrowed Time

Eight

➰

When I went outside, I saw Janet standing to the front of her car, holding a bouquet of roses.

I grew closer to her presence, curious. "Janet what are you—"

I then tried to ask about her sudden appearance to my house—at the ungodly hour that it was—but she only impeded my words.

Holding the bouquet toward me, she said, "these are for you. I've been to three different twenty-four hour stores just to find them." The woman paused, taking a deep breath. "When you ran off like that, it worried me. I've been told to come off too strong at times, and I only hope that I didn't scare you."

Though I found it to be completely absurd that she had just showed up to my home, I thought it was sweet that she had searched high and low just for a bouquet to give to me.
"Thank you...for the roses." I held them close to my nose, taking in their scent. "And you didn't scare me. But what are you doing outside of my house? Did you...did you follow me?"

"Of course not," Janet answered, her head shook from side to side. "Why would I do that?" She then eyed me closely.

Motioning toward my house, I said, "I never told you that this is where I live." Truthfully, I wished this night were to already be over. After everything that happened with Joy and then Janet just popping up, I was exhausted.

"It's not that hard to look people up these days, Toni," the woman chuckled, shrugging her shoulders.

But I didn't find this funny, I didn't understand the humor in it. "Well that doesn't sound stalker-ish at all." I crossed my arms above my chest, growing a bit suspicious. This made me think back to our conversation over dinner and the fact that Janet had known about Josiah. Honestly, when she claimed that her knowledge of him was because of Tarik, I did not believe her. It just sounded...fabricated.

"I am not stalking you," she reached for me, grabbing onto my nearest arm. "It's just that when there's something I want, I'll do whatever it takes to get it." Within her eyes, certainty rested. What the hell was she talking about?

"Well, what is it that you want?" I asked, looking at her sideways. I was curious and rather confused. Damnit, she was too mysterious. But, still, I found her bizarreness attractive.

"You," Janet said back to me, now reaching for my waist. This woman held onto my body and I couldn't quite describe the feeling. I mean, it was almost like that was exactly where I was supposed to be. Right there, in that woman's arms. "I want to get to know you. And I want to take you out, to treat you."

Mhm. I could've melted. I felt wanted, craved. And with no reason to lie, I felt the same about her. I wanted to get to know her too, to take her out. But, I recalled the lie I had told her over dinner, and I needed to come clean. She needed to know that if we were to move forward to try and pursue anything, I was in fact still married.

After the release of her touch, I fixed my mouth to prepare for my truth, but before I could, a black pigmented Range Rover abruptly pulled aside of the house. I rolled my eyes, knowing just whose vehicle it was.

Hopping out of the very car and marching towards me, Joy said, "Now don't think I'm here for you, I'm just here because I forgot—" she stopped her words, giving her focus to Janet. She frowned, then asked, "Who the fuck are you?"

Janet stood confident in her stance, eyeing my wife from head to toe. "Who the fuck are you?"

I breathed heavily, shaking my head in a fashion that clearly showed my disbelief. Every time something for me felt right, Joy knew just how to make it wrong.

"I'm her wife, bitch," she responded back to Janet, pointing towards me. I had no idea as to why this damn girl had traveled back to my home, but I needed her to leave immediately. We were done, what more did I need to do to show that to her?

"Wife?!" Janet eyed me sideways, jerking her head back. "Toni, you told me you weren't married." Crossing her arms above her chest, she too shook her head in disbelief.

"I know, I know," I began, finally able to speak. I needed to be honest. "I didn't think to—"
But my wife had impeded my words, once more.

Placing her hands upon both her hips, Joy laughed. "Well nan-nan-boo-boo-kitty, Toni lied to your ass."

I watched as Janet eyed her from head to toe just as she had done before. It was almost as though she had read Joy for filth without even speaking.
"You know, it's funny that you claim to be the wife." She waved Joy off. "You don't seem to be wife material at all."

Feeling offended, Joy said, "Excuse me?" I could tell that her feelings were hurt and frankly, I did not care. She needed someone to finally put her in her place.

Growing her body closer to my own, Janet used her index and thumb fingers to grab ahold to my chin. Making sure Joy watched, she passionately kissed me. "Married or not, call me when you're ready for me." She then walked toward her car, opened the driver's door, and drove off.

A|N:
thoughts?