Nicole.
"Girl, you gone make yourself sick with all that crying." Ms. Yolanda fussed at me. "What I told you about that?"
"I'm already sick and I just can't help it." I shook my head, placing an already wet and used tissue over my face. "I'm hurting so bad and I'm so tired of always coming back to this point with this Man."
Today was Sunday so we of course were having Sunday Dinner and instead of joining everybody else outside on the Patio, I was sitting in the kitchen crying my eyes out to Ms. Yolanda about Tae and I's relationship.
"A lot of it comes from you wanting total control— don't look at me like that Nicole!" She caught my attitude. "You know I don't take sides and I'll always tell the both of you right and wrong."
"Things would be easier if he'd just do what I say." She laughed but I was dead serious. "We wouldn't have any problems at all."
"That's how you feel but he's not a Robot and you can't turn him into one." She told me sternly.
"Unfortunately" I mumbled under my breath. "Aren't you tired of talking to me about this same thing? I know you are." I definitely needed to put her on my payroll as much as I vented to her.
"No I'm not, Baby. I'm used to y'all bumping heads and as sad as it is, I'll be here to have many more talks about it if you need it." She sat a piece of Pecan Pie in front of me along with a fork. "Now come outside and stop being all in your feelings. I'm sure everybody looking for you."
"He's not even here. I bet he's with whatever girl he's cheating on me with." I brung up Tae, not giving a damn about everybody else.
"He's coming, Baby." We cut our conversation off, heading outside with everybody else. Mila also decided to show her face after her fiasco of a outing party last weekend. We were giving each other the silent treatment— mine was because I literally had nothing in me to give; and hers was out of fear. She didn't know how to take me and I hadn't said anything to her about it at all so she had no clue how I felt, or if Ray had reacted in any way.
"You okay?" Korea moved my purse for me so I could sit down. "You look like you been crying."
"I'm good" I started eating my pie. "Just thinking about Tae."
"I'll keep your kids tonight so you can have the night to yourself." She offered. "You know I got the space." She and Julio still were at odds at well. He'd taken his House off the market and officially was back to living like a Bachelor.
"Maybe" I picked a few fresh pecans off the top of my pie. I didn't like too many and Ms. Yolanda could get carried away with the pecans at times. "I've been letting them both sleep in the bed with me all week." I implied I'd be missing them without actually coming out and telling her.
"Well the offer is on table."
"Thank you"
"Mommy, Troi threw sand in my face!" Taejin ran up to me out of nowhere. "Look!" I closed my eyes and counted to ten as he shook his sandy ass hair all into my pie. "My eye burns!" He busted out in tears.
"Let me see" I grabbed his face in my hand, trying to pry his eye open with the other one. I blew air into his eye as he squirmed around, crying like it was the end of the world.
"Blow again, Mommy!" I did as he said. "I still feel it!"
"Come on, let's go inside to the bathroom." I picked him up and carried him into the House. Ignoring the loud TV's and talking, I carried my Son to the hall bathroom, sitting him on the counter.
"You gotta keep it open so I can see Taejin." I told him calmly as he continued to cry in panic.
"It hurts!" He cried harder. "I can't hold it open!"
"Let Mommy do it."
"No! Your nails are too long!" He was starting to irritate me. He wouldn't hold his eye open himself and refused to let me do it, yet he wouldn't stop crying. He was just sitting on the counter with both of his eyes closed, crying loud as hell.
"Taejin"
"Ma'am?" He asked, irritated as well.
"We could've been washed your eye out and you could've been back outside by now— let Mommy see, I promise I'll be gentle."
"Your nails are too pointy!" He complained. "I don't like those nails."
Little did he know his Daddy said and thought the same thing, but I didn't give a damn. I only wore my nails short when my kids were babies and I didn't see myself having another baby on my hip any time soon.
"Lay back and let's do it that way." I tried to lay him down causing him to protest against me even more.
"No, no, no! I don't want to do it that way!" He jerked away from me. "You'll get water in my nose!"
"Taejin-"
"What's wrong with him?" I jumped, clutching my chest. Tae stood in the doorway of the bathroom, looking at me for an explanation. I hadn't even realized I left the door wide open.
"Your daughter threw sand in his eye and he doesn't trust me to get it out without poking him."
"Why you ain't just have him lay back?" He accepted Taejin's loving as he felt around for his Dad, hugging his torso with his eyes closed. "Lay back, Son."
"I tried" I sat down on the toilet seat, letting him take over. Taejin complied, laying down like Tae told him without a response.
"Really Taejin? Now why I had to be told no but Daddy gets nothing?"
"Daddy doesn't have long nails like you." He made me and Tae both laugh.
I watched as Tae dampened a paper towel, squeezing out most of the excess water. "Hold your eye open."
"You do it, Daddy."
"You a big boy or what?" I chuckled at his question. Taejin immediately held his eye open for Tae to wipe it clean. "This may feel a little funny but it won't hurt so don't get to acting like it does."
"Yes sir"
He used the paper towel to drop a few drops of water into his eye, ripping another off the roll to wipe it dry. "All better?" He took the chance the shake as much sand as he could out of Taejin's hair into the sink since he was still laying flat in his back.
"Yes sir, thanks Dad." He hesitantly opened both of his eyes. His face broke out into a grin. "It doesn't hurt any more!" He looked from me to Tae, excited.
"Good, Baby." I smiled at him. "You going back outside to play?" I asked him as Tae moved out the way so he could jump down from the counter like we knew he wanted to.
"Yes ma'am! Can I have a piece of cake? Nanny said she made chocolate cake and I loveeeee chocolate cake."
"I know Taejin." I turned the light off on Tae, holding my son at his shoulders as he walked in front of me towards the kitchen. "Mommy will cut you a big piece." He went to sit at the table while I grabbed a plastic plate from the pantry closet.
"Daddy I like your shirt." I rolled my eyes, realizing Tae hadn't went to a separate part of the House or outside like I hoped.
"Thank you. I just bought it a couple days ago when I went shopping."
"Did you get me one?"
I smirked.... That's right, Son.
"Yes, I got you the same shirt and a lot of other cool shirts and shorts you can wear for the Summer."
"What about shoes?" Tae laughed. "Remember those Jordans I sent you a picture of on my IPad? Remember those?" He asked again. "I liked those shoes, Daddy."
"I know, I got them for you and Troi."
"Thank you!" I smiled at the gratefulness in his voice. "I should get you something, Daddy."
"You don't ever gotta buy me anything. Your love is enough for your Old Man."
"What about cake? Mommy, Daddy wants a piece of chocolate cake too! You like chocolate cake too, don't you Daddy?"
"Yeah" Tae answered his question.
"He can get it himself!" I said it before I knew it. "I already put the knife in the sink anyway." I lied, tossing the knife in the sink just to be petty.
"That wasn't nice, Mommy." I covered my face, not wanting to laugh as Tae laughed uncontrollably.
"Tell her again!" Tae laughed while I tried to hide behind the cake pan. Taejin shamed me so I sucked it up and cut Tae a piece of cake anyway.
"Here" I sat it down so hard the cake bounced up off the plate. "Don't ask me for nothing else."
"I didn't ask you for this— our Son did."
"My Son" I continued to be petty, watching Taejin eat his cake with his hands instead of using the perfectly good fork I gave him. "Don't get that on your clothes, Taejin." I'd dressed him in a really cute white and navy blue short set that I got online from TrueReligion.
"Yeah, your son yet you couldn't get the sand out his eye."
"He wouldn't let me!"
"How a four year old not gone let you do something and you the Mama?"
"Oh shut up and go outside or something."
"I was just about to tell you to the do the same."
"I will after I fix myself another burger and a hotdog." I bent over, looking into the beautiful pan of beef patties and hot dog wieners that were sitting in the stove.
"Fix me a burger."
"Tuh!" I laughed at him. "You'd like that wouldn't you?" I asked him as I sat my meat down on my plate, looking at him.
He smacked his lips, looking at me while he smacked on his cake. "Man, fix me a burger please."
"Please?" I looked at him in disbelief. "Oh we're asking with manners today? You must really want it!"
"Why you always gotta do so much? Just fix me a burger because I asked."
"Fine"
"I was expecting a smart mouth ass response. You must been missing a nigga?" He asked with a smirk on his face. "I missed you too, Baby."
I bent back over, acting like I needed another piece of meat so I could hide my blush. I did miss his rude ass but I'd swallow a gallon of gasoline before I admitted it to him. I damn sure wasn't telling him I'd just been crying over him not even an hour ago.
"What all you do want on it?" I opened the refrigerator, taking out Mayo, Lettuce, Cheddar and Pepper-jack Cheese, sliced Red Onion, Mustard, Tomatoes, and Barbecue sauce.
"You know how I like my burgers but no mustard today."
"Okay" I felt his eyes watching my every move as I maneuvered around the kitchen, making our burgers and my hot dog.
"Mommy, I'm finished with my cake. Can I have another piece?"
"Maybe later" Tae and I said at the same time. "Go wash your hands." Tae nodded towards the hall bathroom with his head. "When you done go back outside."
I tried to hurry up and finish making Tae's plate so I could sit it in front of him while Taejin was still inside with us— I didn't want him trying anything with me but I was too slow.
"Don't try to grab my ass or nothing." I stood a few feet away from him with both of our plates in my hand.
"Girl ain't nobody worried about you." He looked me in my eyes. "Eat your food." I went to place his plate containing his double meat cheeseburger in front of him and he quickly pulled me down into his lap, securing wrapping his arm around me so I couldn't stand up.
"I knew you were going to do that." I sighed, picking up my hot dog.
"Good, so the shit didn't surprise you." I felt his chest come in contact with my back. "I been missing your ass like crazy."
"You haven't acted like you been missing my ass like crazy." I gave him his words back, covering my mouth as I chewed. "You been treating me like trash."
"I still got a scar in my face because of you."
"It's only been a week." I swallowed my food. "I hope you didn't expect it to heal and be completely gone that fast."
"Smart mouth"
I shrugged "Oh well"
"I can stay at your place tonight?"
"No, but you're welcome to take your kids home with you so I can have some time to myself. Korea offered to keep them but I haven't given her an answer yet."
"Let her keep them then." He leaned forward, picking up his plate so he could comfortably eat with me sitting in his lap. "We can do something."
"Something like what? I don't wanna have sex with you. Remember what you said?"
"I wasn't talking about sex but yeah we can do that too."
"No thank you."
"Quit fronting"
"Sex hasn't even been on my mind." I told another lie. "Actually, I haven't thought about it since you said what you said."
"What did I say?"
"You know what you said."
"The truth? You do turn me off when you get all negative and crazy."
"Ok Taelor"
"Sorry if that hurts your feelings."
"It doesn't" I scoffed. "Dick don't be that good all the time anyway so it's not like I'm missing nothing."
"Alright, Cry-Baby." He snickered behind me. "I'll keep my dick to myself then."
"Keep giving it to those whores you cheating on me with. I'm sure they enjoy it." He busted out laughing while I kept still, not finding anything funny at all.
"You a fool, Nicole." He laughed. "Too fucking funny and crazyyyyy. It started out as one hoe, now it's multiple? How?"
"You're the only one that can explain that."
"I'm not cheating on you so no I can't explain it."
"Okay" I left it alone. "You still can't stay the night with me." I knew he'd still try his luck.
"I'm sorry I've been being so mean and distant with you. I got a lot of shit on my plate right now and the negativity you spew out onto me isn't helping."
"So I'm just this big ball of negativity in your life is what you're saying?"
"I'm not saying that at all, Nicole." He assured me. "All I'm saying is you've been being a lot more negative than usual. I can't deal with that right now so I'd rather keep my distance."
"The distance is my problem!" He was making me mad. "Do you think I'd be accusing you of cheating and all that if you weren't being so distant? I don't know, it's like ever since Deacon Emory died you've changed a lot! Is it because you're worried about your Mom's emotional health?"
Silence...
"I told you I'm trying my best to be there for her and nurse her back to her old self. I'm throwing her a little get together— I'm working on the invites now and I-"
"I know all you're doing to help her, Baby." He cut me off. "Thank you for that."
"What else can I do to make whatever you're dealing with easier for you?"
"Remember that you're my peace and be that for me." He stressed. "My whole world is negativity but when I come home to you and my kids, I'm good."
"Alright, I can do that." I swallowed the last of my hotdog as somebody slid the patio door open, coming inside.
"What y'all doing sitting in the House?" I heard Julio's voice, causing me to groan under my breath. "Y'all light skins scared to get black? Sun ain't even shining that bright today."
"Shut up, Ju." Tae laughed underneath me, making my body shake a little as well. "I ain't even light skin, Nigga."
"You act like it." Julio grabbed a Wiener out the stove with his bare hand. I watched him open up the Hotdog Buns with his gross ass teeth and grab one with his other hand. "What?" He asked me, noticing I was staring a hole into him.
"You probably haven't washed your hands all day and you're touching everything with them." I told him dryly.
"And?" He raised his brow. "That's what hands are for."
"They also for rolling up weed and that's what your dirty ass need to be doing." Tae butted in our conversation. "Watch out, Baby." He tapped my arm for me to get up. "Meet me in the garage."
"Who? You talking to me?" I asked him as he looked down into my face. Julio started laughing making me glare at him. "What's funny?"
"No he wasn't talking to you. You smoking?"
"I will!" Now I felt like I had to prove a point. I went through a phase of smoking with them all the time, but then I stopped and Julio started calling me lame and a wannabe.
Julio turned his face up at me, giving me a goofy look. "You ain't bout it."
"You wanna bet?"
"I'm like Tae when it come to the bets." He told me. "We only betting if we bet money."
"My money good!" Him and Tae started clowning me. "Money is longggg!"
"Alright, Big Shit. I bet you ten thousand right now that you tap out." He held his hand out for me to shake. "You scared?" He laughed, amused at my facial expression. "I thought the money was long?"
"It is but-"
"Don't let him try to puss you out, Bae." Tae pumped my head up. "Use his 10k to get you a new Chanel." I shook Julio's hand, shaking it firmly. "How many blunts we talking about though?" I wasn't about to front like I wasn't nervous. I had two toddlers to take care of after our smoke session.
"I don't know but I brought enough." Julio put his hotdog on a napkin, using another to wipe his hands clean. "Let me go to my car right quick."
I followed Tae into the garage, standing off to the side as he gathered a couple chairs that were prompted up against the wall for us to sit in. I stuck my changer in the outlet beside me, sitting down waiting for Julio's big head self.
Unsurprisingly, he came back with Mila behind him. We made eye contact and I immediately rolled my eyes hard as hell at her, letting her know I wasn't fucking with her like that. Being Mila, she pulled her chair up directly in front of me.
"Hey Sis" She gave me a half smile, touching my leg trying to gain my attention.
"Milan" I looked down at my nails.
"You mad at me?" She sounded like Taejin or Troi with her tone of voice. "I-"
"Hey, hey, hey!" Julio repeatedly clapped his hands causing an echo in the garage. "We don't do all that when we smoke." He reminded her. "We here to have a good peaceful time, y'all can talk about that shit later."
"Who died and made you the decision maker?" Mila flipped him off. "My Daddy is dead, Hun."
"I'd be dead too if I was your daddy, dealing with a daughter like you." He plopped down into his chair. "You full of nothing but air and bullshit."
"Agreed" I raised my brow.
"Sunny loves me!" Was all she could say. "I don't need y'all."
"Here" Tae handed me a freshly rolled blunt along with a red lighter. "You starting us off?" He smirked, eyeing my face.
"You just wanna watch me smoke." I playfully snatched it from him. "Which end do I light again?"
"The only that's looser and where the most weed is." Mila answered my question before he could.
"What end do I light again?" I made sure everybody knew I was talking to Tae and Tae only. What she failed to realize was I didn't need or want her to kiss my ass. She was dead wrong and she made her decisions based off her own selfish reasons. She'd dragged not only me but also my business into her personal drama and now I was potentially being sued by my former employee and friend. Rayvon was damn good at his job and I loved him. He understood and respect what I liked and I appreciated his love for his job. I'd never find another Rayvon.
"I'm sorry about everything, Nicole." She sounded so pitiful.
"Again!" Julio spoke up. "We not about to talk about no shit while we smoking!"
"Remind yourself of that when you get high and wanna start going on and on about Korea." Mila spat. "Save your tears for your pillow."
"You save yours for that raggedy ass Charger you got." Tae and I laughed. "You need to retire that mothafucka, it's begging for a break."
Mila couldn't help but to laugh as well. "You think you a Comedian, don't you?"
"You laughing right?"
"Shut up and light your fucking wood!" She bucked at him.
We smoked three blunts and a wood back to back and I felt like I was about to die. "You good?" Tae kept laughing at me. I didn't know if it was because he was high or if I really was struggling that bad.
"My eyes keep crossing." I complained. "Open the garage."
"Fuck no!" Julio protested, rolling up another blunt. "That's the whole point of us smoking in here!" He shouted over the music we had playing, turning it down a little bit on his phone.
"It's hot in here!" I slid down in my chair.
"Enjoy it, Bae" Tae stared at me. "You feeling paranoid?"
"No, just hot."
"I don't even see how you high." Julio shrugged his shoulders. "Them baby ass hits you taking ain't gone get you my 10 thousand."
"Fuck your money." They all laughed at me. "You can at least give me half for trying."
"Trying don't get you shit but a L unless you win." Eventually we agreed he'd give me 2k for my effort and I immediately left the garage, going in the front yard to get myself together.
"Can we talk now?" Mila asked from behind me. Had I known she was following me outside I would've took off running on her ass.
"Not now, Milan." I waved my hand at her to leave me alone as I sat down on the curb.
"Pleaseeeee?" She begged. "I don't want us to be at odds." I looked up at her through the blazing sun. She had her lip poked out and her hands together, literally begging. "Two minutes?"
"Go ahead" I sighed, knowing she wasn't going to leave me alone like I wanted. "What is it?"
"I didn't mean for things to play out like they did. I just wanted everybody to know the real Marcus and what he's actually doing! Did you know he's been pretending we're still a family and lying to his Mom and Brother about us being together? I know you seen him trying to get in on the pictures with me and Sunny at the party— I had to do it, Nicole. I HAD to!" She sat down beside me. "I'm sorry you and Ray got involved but if it's anybody's fault, it's Marcus and Byron."
"You could've and should've handled things differently. Why didn't you pull Ray off to the side one time throughout the months? You're always at my Spa, always in his face and you never said nothing then!" I raised my voice, glaring at her inconsiderate ass. "You WANTED to hurt everybody involved because you got hurt so you did what childish Mila wanted to do." I shook my head. "Now I'm being sued."
I could feel her eyes on me, looking at me in total shock. "Rayvon is trying to sue you? He can't sue you for that! You didn't do anything!"
"Exactly and I already talked to a Lawyer— he doesn't have a solid case, but he's angry. He has every right to be."
"Yes he does but you still didn't do anything."
"I knew though, Mila." I felt guilty and I couldn't shake it. "I'm just as bad as you."
"I'm sorry Nicole."
"I hear you." I swatted a fly out my face, looking out at the House across the street from Ms. Yolanda's.
"So he quit his job?"
"Yes he did" I planned on reaching out the Ray to hopefully resolve things, but I wanted to wait a couple weeks until things cooled down.
"You still mad at me?"
"Furious, but I don't have it in me to react to you how I want to." I side eyed her, letting her know she'd be receiving hers as soon as I had the energy.
"You wanna fight me?" She touched her chest. "Nicole-"
"Girl, I'm not gone put my hands on you." I laughed, cutting her off. "Stop being so scary."
"I've seen you fight and I don't want that issue." She kissed my ass. "I'm sorry" She told me again after a few minutes of silence. "Still my Sis?" She hesitantly laid her head on my shoulder, putting her wild curls in my face.
"Move, Milan" I lifted her head off me. "We're still Family, but I'm not fucking with you right now so don't be trying to love on me."
"That's fair"
***************
Tae.
"Long time no see, Brody." Mel dapped me up as we sat down across from one another. "What brings you to the trenches on this lovely day?"
"Money" I yawned. "Just figured I'd stop by since I'm in the neighborhood. Where Lauren at?"
"Work and Naomi at summer camp."
"Aw shit, how she liking it? Taejin and Troi go to camp in the summer too, but it's ran by the Church Daycare so they don't know the difference."
"She say it's alright." He chuckled, thinking about it. "Her my first day, my baby girl was so tired she didn't even eat her dinner."
"Sounds about right."
"I'm glad you stopped by though because I did want to talk to you about something."
"What's up?" I scooted to the end of my seat, interested in whatever he wanted to talk about. Mel was one of my first childhood friends and I took my loyalty to him serious. We were more than mud brothers and that was a fact.
"You still got that Duplex building, right?"
"Yeah" I pushed the thought of Sofia and her three children living there in the back of my mind. "Why?"
"I got this business venture I'm thinking about starting and you the only Man that can help."
After talking and smoking with Mel for a couple hours, I finally left and made the long drive back to my side of the city. Nicole asked me if I could drop off some Lunch to her at her Spa so I went by Panera first.
"What's going on Lay" I sat her Green Tea on her desk. "I got you a drink and a sandwich— Nicole asked me to." I wanted to let her know I didn't just do it out of the kindness of my heart although I would've.
"Thanks Tae!" She didn't look up from her computer, letting me know she was busy. The Spa was packed for a Wednesday so I figured she didn't have time to talk even if I felt like holding a conversation.
I excused myself and made my way to the back of the building where Nicole's office was located. She had the door closed like she always did. Instead of knocking, I let myself in. She looked up at me, holding her office phone to her ear.
"Yes, so next month on the 23rd correct?" She wrote something now in her pink notebook. "Yes ma'am, I actually have a sales employee for all of that information. I can transfer you to her now or would you like to just give my receptionist a call back when you know for certain how many ladies will be in your party?"
I couldn't help but laugh at her professional voice. She sounded so fake and what made it worse was that I knew the real her. The everyday Nicole that lived a life outside of her business and she was a completely different story.
I sat her food down in front of her, going to sit down on her couch so I could eat and wait for her to finish up her conversation.
"Okay" She paused, listening to whatever the lady she was talking to said back to her. "Alrighty, well we'll see you all on the 23rd. Thank you for calling at reserving an appointment with Parker Spa and Nails. I hope you have a blessed and wonderful day." She smiled into the phone. "Okay, bye" She hung up, throwing her head back and groaning dramatically.
"I'm so tired." She told me, opening her sandwich container. "Thanks for the food. I haven't had time to go anywhere today."
"I see" I noticed the load of papers she had spread out on her desk. "Money don't make itself though." I reminded her.
"I won't be out of here until six or seven today and I promised Troi I'd bring her to get her nails painted after Daycare." She took a big bite of her sandwich, covering her mouth as she talked to me. "Can you pick them up today?"
"Yeah, I already planned on it. I'll bring her by before I take them to my House."
"Thank you"
"No problem"
"How was your day today?" She asked, causing me to have a flashback of the nigga I shot in the head this morning. "What did you do?" It was already going on 3:30 so the day was basically over.
"Nothing really" I cleared my throat, throwing a few kettle chips in my mouth. "I went to see Mel— he got a business venture he interested in partnering with me in."
"Really? What is it?"
"He wants to invest in a couple Duplexes in the hood. You know, change some shit around for the better."
"That's awesome! Are you thinking about it?"
"Of course, but you know how I am about mixing my businesses with friends." I looked at her. "Shit can get real messy when it's legal paperwork and legal money."
"So you'll mix your street business but not legal business?" Her question was nothing but negative and she didn't even realize it. "Well I think you should." She voiced her opinion, realizing I wasn't going to answer her question.
I ate the rest of my food in silence, not interested in holding a conversation. I didn't have much to say and I could tell that bothered her. She couldn't keep her eyes off me or focus on eating her own food.
"What Nicole?" I finally gave in to her, giving her what she wanted.
"Why aren't you talking? You just sitting over there."
"What do you want me to say?" I answered her question with a question. "I'm eating"
"Something!" She pushed her food away from her. "I haven't seen you since Sunday and it's the middle of the week, you don't have anything to say?"
"Well it's not like you letting me come over." I reminded her. "I been working and staying at my own shit. You don't wanna hear about my street business, you already know ain't shit going on with my rent houses, and you made me give up my other income a long time ago. What is there to talk about?"
"What's going on in your head?"
I looked around the room, thinking a little bit. "Nothing"
"Let me see your phone!"
"For what?" I furrowed my brows, scrunching my face up as I sipped on my drink.
"You ain't never asked me for what before!"
"Because you've never came at me how you coming at me. You demanding it like you suspect something."
"I do!" She stood to her feet. "Let me see it!" She held her hand out as she walked up on me. I continued to sip my Green Tea and Sprite mix, knowing she wasn't about to do shit. "Tae!"
"What?" I stared up at her, seeing anger written all over her face for no reason.
"Give me your phone!" She twirled her fingers. "Now! Let me see it!"
"You gone stop yelling at me like you insane."
"Let me see it." She lowered her voice. "I just wanna know for myself and-"
"Do you hear yourself right now?" I couldn't believe what was in front of me. "You sound fucking stupid! I already told your dumb ass I ain't cheating on you! If I say I'm not cheating, I'M NOT CHEATING!" She had pissed me off and I was towering over her, in her face before I knew it. "It's so hard for you to believe a nigga just dealing with his own shit and I don't understand it!"
"You-"
"Save them fucking crocodile tears for a nigga that give a fuck." I sat back down, pulling at my nose as my nostrils flared. She just stood in front me crying and looking stupid. "Get away from me Nicole."
"You still won't let me see your phone." I roughly put my head in my hands to keep myself from punching her ass out. "Please just let me see it so I can ease my mind."
"You still don't believe me and that's fucked up but here." I leaned over, retrieving my iPhone from my pocket. I unlocked it and threw it as hard as I could at her ass, purposely aiming for the wall and not her.
"You better hope it's not cracked." She hurried to the corner, picking it up before the screen went black and it locked again. I watched her go through app after app, not finding anything that she was looking for like I told her she wouldn't. "You probably have another phone somewhere."
"This is exactly why you ain't been getting no dick or the attention you used to." I told her honestly, putting my phone back in my pocket. "This like the tenth day this month that you've turned me completely off from you. When you get this insecure? What did I do to make you feel like I'd cheat on you?" I seriously wanted and needed to know.
"I'm not insecure!"
"Yes the fuck you are." I chuckled. "Hella insecure and for what? You know nobody has ever had my attention the way you do. I had my eyes on you since I met your blood when we were teenagers. I wanted you then and I still want you now— you the Mother of my kids, my Best Friend. Why do you feel like I would risk everything we have for any bitch out here? You should know me better than that."
"You wanna know why I'm like this?"
"I asked"
"You lie to me all the time! You're constantly lying or not telling me the entire truth about everything that you do. Why would I trust anything that you say?"
"I've never lied to you about anything outside of my street business."
"You're still a liar and I don't trust you!" She hurt my feelings a little bit. "And I'm going to find your second phone so make sure you hide it someplace good!" She stood at her desk with her arms crossed, mugging me.
"Alright, well I'm bout to get up outta here." I regretted stopping by in the first place. I should've followed my first mind and just dropped her food off with Layla at the Reception desk. "I gotta pick our kids up from school anyway." She ran in front of the door, stretching her arms out in front of it. "What are you doing Nicole?" I sighed, not in the mood to deal with anything else she wanted to throw out.
"At least give me a hug or something before you leave."
"Move before I move you." I told her bluntly. She responded by hugging me anyway, holding me as tight as she could. "Alright that's enough."
"That's enough? You really don't want to fuck with me. Am I ugly to you now or something?"
"Bye Nicole" I opened her office door before she could say anything else stupid to me.
"How was school?" I held both of my kids hands, walking them to my car.
"Good, I got a green sticker today." Taejin informed me. "Ms. Abby said tomorrow I can help pass out Breakfast since I was the only one to get a green sticker."
"That's good, Son. I'm proud of you. What y'all making for Breakfast tomorrow? Daddy might come get a plate." He laughed as I opened the backseat door for him, taking his backpack from him so he could climb into his seat.
"It's only for us Daddy!" He giggled.
"Buckle yourself up and help your sister." I kissed Troi's forehead before I sat her down in her pink car seat. "You had a good day too, Fat?"
She nodded her head, rubbing her eyes tiredly. "Sleepy, Daddy" She touched my arm, yawning.
"We're about to go Home, Fat."
"Mommy's House or your House?" Taejin asked me, leaning forward to see my face. I hated that they now were aware that Nicole and I stayed in two separate homes. I hated that for my kids but their Mama made it hard for us to come to some type of understanding.
"My House"
"Yes!" He cheered. "I can play outside with my basketball." Nicole's Penthouse was way over the top with all the indoor pools and balconies, when all my kids wanted to do was play outside.
Instead of taking Troi to Nicole's Spa like she asked me to, I went straight home. I didn't want to see Nicole anymore for the day and my baby was too tired to be getting her nails painted anyway.
I looked through the rearview mirror seeing both of them knocked out with their heads turned to the side. Once we made it home, I drove into the garage and took them both inside to their separate bedrooms.
"You not sleepy no more?" I rubbed Troi's stomach as she clung to my neck, not allowing me to lay her down in her bed. She shook her head no but still had her eyes closed. "You wanna sleep in Daddy bed?"
"Yes" I barely could hear her. "Troi want snack." She picked her head up from my shoulder as we passed through the kitchen.
"What kinda snack you want?" I opened both the pantry and the refrigerator, letting her see everything I had. I'd just went grocery shopping and bought a helluva lot of junk food and different blends of fruit snacks.
"I want juice and Barbie snack." She pointed out what she wanted to me. I got her out a Caprisun and two packs of Barbie fruit snacks. We went into my room and I turned on the TV for her. "What you wanna watch, Fat?"
"Elsa!" She held out her snacks for me to open. "Daddy, here!" She yelled for me, watching me flush all my ash and rillo guts down the toilet.
"I'm coming, you impatient." I looked at her little cute face, grabbing the fruit snack pack from her.
"Bruddy watch Elsa too."
"He's sleeping" I got in the bed with her, knocking off the little ash I seen that was on the comforter. "Daddy gotta wash these sheets before we go to bed."
"Troi help"
"Ok, Troi can help." I smiled at her, picking her up so she could be closer to me. She cuddled up into my arms as I started the movie.
I must've dozed off because when I woke up she was no longer in the bed with me. I listened for a minute, trying the hear her and Taejin but I didn't hear anything which caused me to panic. I threw the covers off of my body and went into his room. Neither of them were anywhere to be found.
"What the fuck?" I jogged through the House, going to see if they were outside. If they were, they'd both be getting a whopping because they knew better but they weren't in the back yard either. "Man, what the fuck?" I asked myself again as my heart rate started to increase.
I was breathing had as hell as I looked through the kitchen drawers for one of my guns. Somebody had come taken my kids— I knew they wouldn't have ran off anywhere and neither of them were strong enough to unlock the front door. I changed the locks on the door so I knew it wasn't Nicole and I couldn't find my phone to call my Mama.
I made sure the clip was full as I checked all the doors, seeing they were still how I left them. It dawned on me to check my cameras and there it was.....
"What the fuck you coming in my House, taking my kids for?" I unleashed on Nicole as soon as I seen her. "You a fucking idiot!" She was so scared trying to get away from me she almost fell over one of the pedicure chairs. "The fuck wrong with you, huh?" My voice echoed throughout her Spa. "You want me to kill your stupid ass? You ain't gone learn until I do!"
"Can you please lower your voice?" She looked around her Spa, embarrassed. I didn't care that we were in her place of business. She shouldn't have fucked with me when it came to my kids.
"Fuck this Spa! You know I was about to shoot up the whole neighborhood looking for my kids! I woke up in a panic thinking something happened to them or somebody took them out my House trying to hurt them! You have no idea how scary that shit was for me— thinking something happened to my Son and my Daughter while in my care! Like I ain't capable of protecting them and the whole time it's YOU!" I seen her sneaky ass come in through the side door of the House and take them while I was asleep. That's the only door I hadn't changed the locks on and she tried them all.
"I texted you!"
"You knew I wouldn't see that shit! Where the fuck my children at?" I walked out of her face, not giving a fuck about all the ladies that were looking at me. I heard Nicole apologizing as I searched the Spa, finding them in their playroom.
"Hey Daddy!" Taejin ran to me. I hugged him tighter than I ever had before. "What's wrong? Mommy said we're going to get Ice-Cream." He told me as I kissed his forehead.
"Nothing. Daddy didn't know Mama came and picked y'all up. That's all."
"Troi got her nails painted." I nodded, understanding.
"Come here, Fat." I gained her attention from the book she looking at. "Let Daddy hug you." She complied, showing me her light purple nail polish in the process. "Ouuu, that's pretty Fat." She grinned in my face.
"I told you to bring her back after you picked them up." I heard their Mama's voice from the doorway. "I didn't mean to scare you but you didn't listen."
"You lucky our kids right here." I continued to love on the both of them. I planned on treating Nicole ass like dirt from this day moving forward until I felt like she'd had enough of my wrath and only God knew when that could be.
"Or what? What would you do?"
"You wanna still find out?" I stood to my feet, not able to control my mouth anymore. She was in the wrong and here she was still trying to have a smart mouth.
"Show me" She challenged me and it literally took everything in me not to choke her dumb ass until she was unconscious.
"You a stupid dumb ass Bitch, Bruh. I swear you are."
"Bitch?" She couldn't believe I had called her out her name, I never did it before. "I'm a Bitch now?"
"Yeah, a stupid dumb ass Bitch." I repeated myself. "It's cool though, I got something for that."
"Like what Taelorrrr?" She dragged my name out, irritating me even more. "You're about to start treating me bad? You do that already! What else? No sex? We already don't have that! It's not much more you can do!"
"Alright" She'd purposely came and got our kids knowing I'd wake up in a panic, not expecting her to have taken them. Then she had the nerve to tell me she sent me a bullshit text like that would be the first thing to come to my mind. "You talk all that shit about Mila doing shit out of spite when you just like her. You just did the same shit and for what?"
"I told you to bring her here."
"Bitch, fuck you and this Spa." She shouldn't have played with me about the safety of our kids. "Who had this mothafucka built? Who paid for it?"
"Your point?"
"So you can't tell me to bring anybody to any place that I bought until I get fucking ready. She was wore out from school anyway and I was going to tell you that but I forgot."
"Shouldn't have forgotten then."
"Stop trying me, Nicole. You the only one end up hurt every time." I took the ball Troi was trying to hand me.
"So now I guess you really about to start doing me dirty, cheating on me more than you already are."
"Just stand by and see."