Building Trust Through Our Issues

Chapter One

"Jerome don't do this." She cried as tears poured out of her eyes. She was standing in the doorway struggling to get away from the guard and I was seconds away from slamming the door in her face. "I can help you, just let me help you." She pleaded to me.

"Fuck you and your help." I scoffed as she looked at me with hurt in her eyes. I shook my head. "You can't even help your damn self so how the fuck are you gonna help me?" I asked her before I slammed the door hard in their faces.

I looked at the family picture of my family when my Pops was still living, that was on the shelf. I chuckled to myself before throwing the frame against the wall. I sunk down to my knees as it shattered.

Armoni POV:

It's been a whole week since Jerome has been at the rehab facility and since I found out he was molested by his mother. I had a huge ass bruise on my arm from were he grabbed me and put me out. I had to lie to Mike and say I'd bumped into a wall. Of course he didn't believe me but I refused to tell him the truth. All hell would've broken loose. I'm just glad Chris wasn't here to see it.

When he kicked me out of his room and had the security guard escort me out, it was like a slap in the face. After all I went through with my own sexual abuse, you'd think I would be the one person he'd be willing to confide in. The fact that he hid it from me, for years and continued lying to me about it, hurt like hell.

I was the one person he claimed to trust but he was still lying to me. The trust that he claims to have in me must not be shit if that's really the case.

The way he talked to me made me feel so damn worthless.

Fuck me?

Fuck me and my help?

I hate you.

Get out!

That hurt. After Jerome and I got back on good terms I never thought I'd hear those words directed towards me from him again.

Finding out that Jocelyn had molested Jerome made me sick to my stomach. I literally threw up all night and I couldn't even drive myself home, I had to call Mike to come and get me. He just picked me up from the rehab facility with no questions asked.

It all made so much sense to me now. His addictions, issues, his relationship with his mom, and his struggles were all tied back to his molestation. It was the root of all of his problems and pain.

In the short time I counseled him, I asked him if he had ever been sexually abused. I study addictions and behaviors for a living so I thought I had figured out the root of his problems. I had it all planned out; his treatment and his therapy. Then I asked him if he'd been sexually abused and he said no. He lied to me.

It all made sense now.

In all my years of knowing Jocelyn, I never thought she'd do something so evil and disgusting to her own child. I could never think of doing something so horrible like that to my own child.

The more I think about it, it makes so much sense to me now. Jerome would always be a little apprehensive about the kids staying with her, he cut her off completely, and he was hostile towards her at times. I thought it all came from her alcohol addiction and all that he went through as a kid, but little did I know.

"Mama?" Jr asked coming into my room and getting into the bed with me, breaking me from my thoughts. "When is my Daddy gonna call?" He asked making me sigh. He was supposed to call two days ago but no one has heard from him. Not even Mike or his siblings.

I called the facility and spoke to Rose but she said that Jerome didn't want any visitors or phone calls for the remainder of his stay. I couldn't believe Jerome could be so damn selfish. If he would really go six whole months without speaking to his kids, that's a damn shame.