Tell Me You Love Me [COMPLETED]

Chapter 3: The Big Dog Comes Home

Saturday February 29, 2020 - Orlando, Florida

Joe POV

"While I'm gone, I wanna hear from you everyday, when you wake up, before you leave the hotel, I need to know where you're going, who you're with, what y'all doin'..."

I'm in my rental for the week, driving down the highway going about seventy-five miles per hour, and I'm desperately fighting the urge to throw my ass out this door and into the heavy traffic. Paulette is on another one of her "while I'm gone" rants, telling me how I need to do this, I need to do that, I need to tell her when I eat, piss, and sleep, in what order, and who I'm with while I'm doing it; like, this is too much. She's always been clingy, I can never go too far without her finding me again and then wrecking my nerves about having to "search" for me, but this is excessive. The bad part is that I'm not going to say anything to upset her because negative moods and negativity are big no-no's for a pregnant lady. So, I just sit here and nod my head, hearing her but not really listening...but then she figures that out and that's a problem, too.

Fuck my life.

"Leati, are you even listening to me??" She asks catching onto me as if she can read my mind...which I really wish she wouldn't do.
"Yes, Paulie, I hear you."
"Yeah, but are you listening?"
"Yes!"
"Yeah? What I just say?"
"Uhhh, something about a garden hoe?"
"No! I was sayin' that these hoes ain't nothin' but snakes and they're gonna try to fuck you while I'm gone. You need to open your damn ears and stop ignoring me 'cause I swear to God if you even breath in another girl's direction, I will make your life a living Hell."

Like you haven't already succeeded in doing that?"

"Okay, Paulette, calm down, don't be so hasty. It's not healthy for the baby to be this upset over nothing."
"I'm not upset, I'm just lettin' you know. You and me forever, I'm not letting you go because we've got this family to work on now, so you bet' not think about leaving me."
"I wouldn't dream of it, babe." I say internally rolling my eyes.
"Good. Now, I'm gonna take a nap, wake me up when we get there."
"Mhm." I say as she settles herself down and falls asleep.

What the Hell have I gotten myself into? How did this happen? I always strap up, I've always strapped up. Did the rubber break? That's gotta be it, it has to be. Around the time she conceived, we weren't fucking like usual but we did once around that time and you know what they say: it only takes one time.

My phone begins to ring and I quickly answer trying not to wake the pregnant sleeping beast, the default iPhone ring tone ringing loudly since I didn't take the time to silence the device a few minutes ago when she first fell asleep.

"Hello?" I whisper into the phone.
"Hey, boo, how long?" Galina cheerfully responds.
"Uh, I'm about forty-five minutes out of Dover, traffic's moving pretty nice, though.
"Okay, cool. I won't keep you. Uh, where's your girl at?"
"Here, in the passenger seat, sleeping."
"Oh, okay, uh, you sure she asleep?"
"Yes, I'm sure."

Just then, Paulette pops awake and is running her mouth per her usual behavior.

"Joe, tell your ex to keep my motherfuckin' name out her motherfuckin' mouth. I may be pregnant but I'll still rock a bitch, no problem."

I guess I should've turned the call volume down, too."

"Aye, what the fuck she say? Tell her if she wanna get big, I can get bigger." Galina yells in my ears and I feel an instant migraine. Paulette's a firecracker but she's all talk; Galina, however, talks the talk and walks the walk, all day, everyday; Paulie ain't ready.

"Can you two please fuck off with the arguing for once?"
"Tell yo thirsty ass ex to stay in her lane."
"Tell that silicone slut to stay the fuck up out your conversations."
"Stop it! Both of you!" I yell, both women instantly shutting up.
"I'm gonna be home soon, both of you just shut up so I can get us there in one peace, please?" Paulette nods and Galina huffs into the phone.
"Great. I'll see you soon, G."
"Uh-huh." She says and hangs up. If we were talking on good ol' corded phones, she definitely would've slammed it down on the receiver.