All That Matters

Chapter 18

"And he should."

"But I think cutting him off from your family is a bit harsh."

"Are you kidding me? Your fiancée outed something about our marriage and our personal life that we didn't want out. And he said it on national TV and you think I'm overreacting? That's bullshit Nikki and you know it. Your fiancée has no boundaries."

"And you think that watching you rub in his face the fact that we don't have kids was easy to watch?"

"That's nothing in comparison. Everyone knows that, you two put it on Total Divas. My shit was buried. Look, I don't understand why you're freaking out. I didn't cut you off."

"But we're together. We're a team. You cut one off—" she stops herself.

"You might as well cut the other off." I finish. "Is that how you want it?"

"It doesn't matter what I want. It's what I'm supposed to do... as a wife. You of all people should understand that."

"Fine. If that's how it has to be."

"I'm sorry."

"Yeah. Me too." I hang up the phone.

"Well?" Joe asks.

"Nikki's done too." I toss my phone aside and go upstairs to my room.

Joe's POV:

Galina and I watch as Malaika goes upstairs, clearly very upset.

"Is she gonna be ok?" Galina asks. We hear the door slam.

"Eventually." I sigh.  "She will be." 

"She doesn't need Nikki." Galina says. "She has plenty of other people. And she has us." I look at her.

"Yeah. She has us."             

X

September 1, 2017
Tampa, FL

"You sure you're gonna be ok with me leaving?" Joe asks.

"Yes. Go or you'll miss your flight." We kiss and he leaves the house. Anjali comes strolling into the room with Boo with a confused look on her face.

"Mama no go wif daddy?"

"No. Not this time baby girl."

"Why?" she asks with a hint of an attitude.

"Because John—"

"Twin?" I shake my head.

"No. John Cena."

"Oh."

"He made mommy mad at Raw."

"Oh."

"So he's not coming to your birthday parties anymore."

"Ok." She shrugs.

"That's it? 'Ok?' That's all you have to say?"

"Yes."

"You're not gonna ask why?"

"Nope."

"Why not?"

"He made mommy mad. No one makes my mommy mad."

"Smart girl." I pick her up and kiss her head. "Come on, let's go to daycare."

~

After I drop Anjali off at daycare, I go by my mom's place. Since my sister is in jail and my dad is still technically living there, he doesn't want to sell the place so my sister has someplace to stay when she gets out. But they still go back and forth between apartments. My mom is a professor at University of South Florida and she doesn't have classes on Fridays.