The Only Exception

24

"They would elect Janet, you just aren't giving them the chance too. Everyone doesn't need sarcastic, closed off, and impatient Jo. Give her a break sometimes." Shawn instructed me.

"I will. Now, can I call in something for Kelly or no?" I asked out loud.

"No!" Shawn exclaimed.

"You don't need to call nothing in, I'll handle it." Essence stood up and began popping her fingers.

My friend looked over at Essence. "Sit down Essence. Nobody's fighting anyone. Letoya took that route and it solved nothing. Let's just wait for her to wake up and go from there."

"She's not going to do anything." E told Shawn and I.

"She didn't even want us to know." I added in. "I literally wiped the foundation off of her face that was covering the bruises she was trying to hide from me." 

"Jo." A voice called out from my steps. We all looked and I saw Letoya standing at the bottom step with her hand on the stair railing.

"You're supposed to be sleeping Toya." I scolded slightly.

She walked over and sat on my lap as she pouted. "You said you would stay with me."

"Shawn and Essence were down here." I mumbled back.

Letoya put her face in the crook of my neck and didn't reply. Her sister stood and grabbed her arm. She looked at her hand before nodding. "Alright, as long as you got your licks in. You won?"

"Yeah." Toya mumbled back and I saw that her knuckles were in fact bruised as well.

"Do you want me to fight her?" Essence asked just for Letoya to shake her head. "Do you want another round with her?"

"No. I told her every time I see her it would be on sight and I mean that. She talked about Grayson. We have problems now." Letoya spoke in all seriousness as she lifted her head.

Essence yelled out. "Oh hell nah! Look at yo face!"

"I know right." Letoya mumbled back.

"You hid all of that with foundation?" Shawn asked her.

Toya nodded. "You'd be surprised what a makeup brush and some concealer and foundation can do. I wanna go back to sleep."

"Go up there and lay back down, I'll meet you in a second." I told her.

"Alright but hurry up. Night guys." She got up lazily and climbed the steps to my room.

"Night Letoya."

"Night sis."

She disappeared from our sights and Shawn shook her head. "Yeah, whoever she fought needs to get their ass beat. She had marks around her neck like the girl tried to choke her or something."

"She did." I confirmed. "That's why I'm saying that we need to do something."

"Letoya is a big girl. If she said she doesn't wanna handle it, then maybe we should leave it." Essence commented and we all looked at her.

"Okay, you were just saying you were gonna fight her to. Whose side are you on?" I asked her.

She chuckled. "I don't know girl. I flip and flop. Don't pay me any mind. Matter fact, let me get home. I know my poor baby is probably irritated and tired of watching himself."

"You have a child and you left him by himself?" Shawn asked.

"Oh no. His daddy is there but he watches his daddy half the time. I have a little baby and a big baby." E told us causing us to giggle. "I'm out guys. Night folks!"

"Night." We called back to her as she walked out the house. I went to lock the door and when I came back Shawn had begun fixing the pillows.

"Going to sleep?" I questioned.

"Yeah. This should be fun. Us two back under the same roof. I never thought you'd be sharing a bed with someone seriously though."

"Who are you telling?" I asked her as if I wasn't shocked myself.

Shawn chuckled. "You didn't give her a contract huh? She doesn't act like she got a contract. The others seemed—."

"Shut up." I spoke with widened eyes.

"Oh please don't tell me she thinks she's the only one you've gotten your hands on." My friend rolled her eyes at me.

"She does and it needs to stay like that." I put emphasis on the word.

She shook her head. "Some things just don't change. You can't always have your cake and eat it too. You need to tell her, this ain't—."

"Jo, you said a second!" Letoya yelled out from up the steps.

"Coming!" Climbing the steps, I looked at Shawn. "I gotta go. Night."

"Night, Janet." She shoot me a look. "Sounds like she's got you pretty vulnerable."

Rolling my eyes at my friend, I shot her the finger. "Goodbye Shawnette." Walking to my bedroom, I walked in and closed the door behind me. She was on her side and I crawled in the bed besides her as I pulled her into me. Letoya laid her head on my chest as her arms wrapped around my frame.

"What time do we have to go in tomorrow?" Letoya asked me.

"We?" I asked as I lifted a eyebrow.

"Yes. We."

"We don't have to go anywhere tomorrow. I have to go in at 10. Letoya has to stay in this house until her body feels better."

She pouted. "How come you don't make me go in? If I hadn't have signed them papers you would make me go in."

"No I wouldn't." I replied honestly.

"Mhm and why not?"

Answering her, I let my eyes close for I had begun to get sleepy. "Because you're the only exception."

"You always say that, what do you mean by that?"

"Get some sleep Toya." I mumbled.

She lifted her head. "But Jo—."

"Go to sleep Letoya." This time I left no room for arguing and I felt her place her head back on my chest.

"Good night Jo."

"Night baby."