JADE

Chapter 21

Chapter 21
Part 2
November 22, 2023

As soon as we were done praying, I was stuffing my face with the delicious food. The whole family was talking amongst themselves quite quietly. The two people who were being the loudest was my husband and Daniel.

They kept bickering throughout dinner, "don't touch me", "stop talking", it kept going on and on. The littlest things angered the both of them. If one of them even coughed, the other would start complaining. They are grown men and are acting like little kids.

Dawson and I were chatting with each other, ignoring the fight next to us.

"Come with me," Braxton said angrily as he held onto my wrists tightly. He dragged me away from my family and into the kitchen. "Did you cheat on me with Daniel?" He gritted his teeth.

"No, where did you get that from?" I asked curiously.

"Your little friend Daniel was explaining how you came flirted with him. Then you guys had rough sex!" He yelled out.

"It's very true," Daniel commented, leaning up against the doorway.

"It was in high school," I admit. "But it was when we were on a break, I was upset and drunk."

"And it wasn't even that good," I confessed. Braxton cracked a smile when he heard that.

"Excuse me?! I wasn't good? I beg to differ." Daniel argued.

"Tic tac dick," I mumbled to Braxton. He howled in laughter, I had to hold him up before he fell over. Daniel gave us a weird look and left the kitchen.

"This is why I married you," he said, wrapping his arms around me. "Let's go eat," Braxton led me back to the dining room. Everyone's eyes were on us.

"What?"

"D-Does Braxton hit y-you?" My mother's voice crack as she spoke. I sent her a confused look. Then, I looked over at Daniel, "why do you have to lie to everyone?!"

He held his hands up in surrender. "It wasn't me,"

"Then who blabbed?" I asked again. Everyone's eyes fell onto Dawson, who stared down at his lap. "Dawson?" A single tear trailed down his face. I cautiously kneeled down to his chair, not wanting to hurt myself. "Why would you think that?"

"Grandpa asked if you get boo boos a lot. I said yes. I never said that Daddy hit you," he explained.

"Dad? Why would you ask your 3-year-old grandson that?!"

"He's probably the only one I can get the truth from! You don't tell me anything anymore." My father exclaimed. "Answer the question!"

"Dawson, let's go home," I said, standing up again. He hopped off the chair and held onto my hand.

"Answer the question," he repeated.

"I'm a very clumsy person, we all know that." I lied. On so many levels, I didn't want to lie to my family. They should know the truth, but I would never be able to see my husband again. He wasn't like that anymore.

"That's not the answer I want." He crossed his arms over his chest. I turned around and began to walk out with my family. I heard my mother break down, knowing my truthful answer. Braxton held me as I softly cried.

"I'm not like that anymore." He stated.

"But they don't know that,"

"Mommy I'm sorry," Dawson cried out, holding onto my leg. I carefully picked him up but Braxton grabbed him from me.