The Same Difference

Chapter 2

"Tiffany," Kevin called out. "We're going to my mother's house Saturday night for her 50th birthday party, so you'll have to miss work. And dress the boys in their best clothes, you already know how she is," Kevin instructed his wife, Tiffany.

Tiffany sucked her teeth and rolled her eyes. "When these bills aren't paid, or we come up short on anything, please don't blame me. Every time I miss work, you blame our short comings on me, and I'm sick of that shit."

Kevin removed himself from the couch and joined his wife in the kitchen. He pulled her long bangs out of her face and tucked them behind her ears, so that she could look him directly in his eyes. "I'm sorry, what was that?" He asked her.

Tiffany scoffed at him and continued stirring the gumbo she was preparing.

Their sons, KJ & Kannon rushed to their mother's side. "Daddy, no!" Kannon pleaded.

"Son, I'm not going to hurt your mother," Kevin assured their 2 year old son, Kannon. KJ, the eldest, stood silent. The look in his eyes was calm, but he was always in defense mode when it came to his mother.

"So, who wants dessert after dinner?!" Kevin asked, ticking the boys, trying to lighten the mood.

"We do!" The boys shouted in unison.

Tiffany threw the towel that was positioned on her shoulder, onto the cabinet, and rolled her eyes at Devin.

••••••••••

"Ariel, open up! It's me, Devin!" Devin tried peeking inside, but Ariel's blinds blinds were closed, and the curtains drawn. She better be lucky I misplaced my key, I would have been in there right now, changing her mind.

Devin was hitting the door so hard, that Ariel's front windows rattled.

"Devin, go away!" Ariel shouted from the other side of the door. "I have company!" She lied.

She was madly in love with Devin. Even in times when they weren't seeing each other, she would never see another person. Ariel just hated when Devin would shoot down her dreams of having a family, and getting married. "Sooo, I'm okay for you to sleep with me every night, but not good enough for you to commit to me?" Ariel would always nag him.

And just like clock work, he left. Every separation they'd ever had in the past 4 years, was because of Ariel's adamancy. She decided that this time, she would have to teach him a lesson. She wouldn't be so predictable. She would toughen things out until he was ready to be a man. Her man.

"I don't give a damn about you having company! The least you could do is give me a place to live, after what you did, Ariel!" Devin shouted through the door.

The banging finally ceased, and she heard him walk away.

What the fuck did I do? Tiffany folded her arms as her back rested against the door. She wasn't going to let Devin make her feel like the bad person this time. She hadn't done anything, but go after what she loved. If Devin found a problem with that, well he could most definitely go to hell.