Nafessa Williams
When I made it back to Toni's room, I saw that I'd missed three calls from Ryan and one from Kelly just in that short amount of time. My face furrowed as I unlocked my phone and called them both on Group FaceTime.
Kelly answered first and she was driving. "Hey, listen. Don't say anything about where I saw you know who."
My face furrowed in confusion but Ryan's face finally appeared on my screen. She looked pissed. "I'm finna kill this nigga Fes."
"Wait what? What happened?"
"He think I'm stupid. That's what happened." Ry was fuming as she walked somewhere in her condo. "Keith ass told me he had to go to work today..."
"Okay?"
"Fessa, I check this mans location because when I woke up this morning his uniform was still in the damn closet. Check his location and this nigga three cities over." She ranted as she flipped the camera suddenly. "You see this? All seven pairs of his uniforms are hanging here!!"
She yelled and my eyes widened as Kelly simply drove in silence. I spoke. "Maybe he meant to say something else."
"Nafessa... do not make me feel crazy right now. I'm not crazy. I know that man and he's lying to me."
"You know how many uniforms that man has. That's pretty crazy to me." Kelly joked causing me to laugh.
Ryan flipped the camera back to her face and we both stopped laughing instantly. "Y'all hoes think I'm playing, huh? Okay."
"Okay?" I asked with worry. "Okay what?"
"Okay I'm about to pick your ass up from Toni's house sleep over cancelled, I got y'all location for a reason, Kelly take your ass home cause I'm on my way to you first. We heading three towns over."
We didn't have a choice and we both knew we didn't but still I objected. "Come on Ry, you know that man wouldn't cheat on you. Plus, I was supposed to be spending the weekend with Toni while Kennedy is at a sleepover."
"Yeah, I'm agreeing with Fes here, he wouldn't cheat Ry. It's Keith we're talking about here and I didn't want to go home right now. I'm avoiding Tim." Kelly tried to ration with her as well.
Ry chuckled sarcastically. "Okay, I see how this about to go. Kelly, when you wanted to go pop up on Janet when she first started touring because you thought she was cheating with her dancer so we had to drive 18 hours upstate, was I complaining then?"
Kel mouth dropped. "Aw come on Ry, that ain't fair."
"Or how about when you met that nigga with all that money before you met Tim and he cheated so you wanted to scam that dumb ass nigga so you made me ask my pregnant cousin for a pregnancy test and ultrasound picture just so his dumb ass could give you 1500 for an abortion, was I complaining then?"
I laughed as Kelly looked at the camera. "Okay! Damn! We said we wouldn't bring that up again, bitch. I'm on my way home. Fuck."
"I don't know why you laughing Nafessa cause I'm on your ass as well. Remember when your adventurous ass went and smoked weed and came back to your house blazed so your mom told you she was gonna drug test you and you made me pee in that damn bottle so you would pass the test? Was I complaining then?"
My smile dropped. "No..."
"Or how about that time you wrecked your car cause you were driving drunk and I had to get Zendaya bum ass to bring me to where you wrecked because you didn't wanna get in trouble so you made me lie to your mom and say I was driving cause you knew I didn't have a license yet, was I complaining then? Or did I just lie and take the heat?"
I smacked my lips. "Alright bitch. Damn. I'll be ready when you pull up."
"Alright then. Y'all better act right." She rolled her eyes. "I'll see you bitches in 5 to 10 minutes and wear some comfortable clothes."
She hung up and Kelly and I stayed on for a few moments longer. "She ain't have to eat us up..."
Agreeing, I got up from my bed and went to my bags. "Exactly. I'll see you in a few— oh wait Kel."
"Yeah?"
"Janet's here."
Her eyes went to me for a couple of seconds before she looked back at the road. "Fessa... what the hell am I supposed to do?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean... I'm a jackass either way. I can tell Tim I want a divorce. Break apart my family. Leave him for Janet and coparent for the rest of Titan's childhood. Or I can stay with him... carry this guilt. This guilt of cheating but mostly the guilt of me just not being in true love with that man. What the hell am I supposed to do?"
I paused when I realized she was tearing up and I told her. "Kel, you need to do what's going to make you happy. I know I'm not team Janet, but you were genuinely happy with that She-Devil. And whatever rocks your boat is what makes me happy. Titan will understand. Tim? Maybe not at first but it isn't fair to either of you that he is your second choice."
"He's not my second choice." She mumbled softly.
"He is though because if he was your first choice, you wouldn't even consider any other options. You love him. We know that. He knows that. You gotta do whatever is gonna make you happy though sis."
"What if it's just a fling? Something that sparked after years but it'll die down soon. I have a child."
"So does she." I replied knowing that now from ease dropping earlier.
Kel nodded. "Yeah. She does. I don't know..."
"You have a big decision to make. It's okay to not know right now." I grabbed some tights and my jacket from my bag before walking into Toni's bathroom.
"I do." She sighed. "I'll see you in a few. Ryan's already here."
"Girl wait... what are we gonna do?" I asked with widened eyes having forgotten about our main topic.
"Lie Fessa. We gone lie. Ryan cannot know what that man is planning. You know that. Alright. I have to go. Love you. Bye."
"Love you too." I called back before we both hung up. Rushing to get dressed, I threw my hair into a ponytail and put on my shoes before heading downstairs to put Toni food back.
Janet and Toni had sat on the couch talking and when Toni saw me come down fully dressed with her guac and chips still in tact, she asked. "You're leaving?"
I rushed to put the guac and chips back before walking back into the living room. "Yeah. I'll be back though. Ryan's got an emergency so she's picking up Kel and I so that we can help."
When I'd mentioned Kelly's name, I saw Janet's face light up some. Damn... maybe she really did genuinely want this woman back.
Toni nodded as she got up and came over to me. "Okay. Be safe."
"I will. I promise." We kissed before I heard a knock on the door. Walking over to it, I opened it and was going to walk out before Ryan and Kelly pushed me aside to walk in.
"Hey Toni!" Ryan called out before pausing when she saw Janet. "Hey... Janet."
"Hey." They both called back.
Kelly stood next to me rooted and I whispered. "You not gone speak?"
"I told Tim I needed to talk to him when I get back tonight. So he brought Titan to his moms."
"Oh so you know what you're gonna do?" I looked at her waiting for my answer.
She nodded but didn't look at me. Instead her eyes were on Janet as they stared at each other. I looked between the two before Kelly walked over to Janet and kissed her.
My mouth dropped and Toni gasped. Ryan spoke. "Okay yeah, they're getting back together. That's not new. We knew that."
Toni looked at me. "You knew that?"
"You told them?" Janet asked Kelly.
Kelly and I, now under two heavy spotlights, both nodded and replied. "Well yeah."
"Exactly," Ry mumbled. "Now Toni, I need to borrow your girlfriend for a few hours. She'll be back tonight. I know y'all probably had plans but look, I'll babysit your daughter anytime after this so that y'all can continue y'all plans."
T chuckled. "Okay Ry. Be safe."
"We will." Ryan replied as she walked back over towards me. "Kelly! Un-attach yourself from Janet's face so we can go. We got a ride cut out for us."
"Yes ma'am..." Kelly mumbled before kissing Janet one last time. "I'll call you tonight. Okay?"
Janet smiled. "Okay."
As I walked out, Toni sent me a look that told me we were gonna talk when I got back. I mouthed the word. "Sorry," before walking out of the door and following behind my friends.