𝐊 𝐄 𝐈 𝐓 𝐇
"Baby are you gonna get out of bed?" I ask Crystal as I finished getting dressed for the day.
"For what?" She asked with an attitude. "I'm not celebrating my birthday." She said before hiding under the cover.
This has been her attitude for the last few days. I mean she's having a rough week and ever since her shop got broken into she's been depressed. She thinks Eva did it, me personally, I don't think Eva is THAT crazy. But, what do I know? Eva has bipolar disorder I'm convinced. I asked Crystal did she want me to get involved and figure out who did it but she said she doesn't want to risk me going to jail. Trust me, I will go to jail over my wife.
"All your friends are gonna be waiting for you at the brunch you planned, and you're not going to show up?" I ask crossing my arms.
Crystal's head popped up from under the covers, she stared at the wall before speaking, "Oh I did plan that didn't I?" She asked.
"Yeah you did." I reminded her.
"I don't care. Tell them I decided not to come." She said shaking her head.
"Look I know you're upset about what's going on right now but seeing your friends will make you feel better. Savannah, Khadeen, Kelly, Sebastian..." I said rolling my eyes thinking about her employee.
"I can see those people later." She said softly.
After getting fed, I just walked cover off of her body.
"Get ya ass and go shower." I demanded. "I'll be downstairs whenever you're ready." I said throwing a pillow at her.
I walked out the bedroom and closed the door behind me. Just as I was leaving Lyric was walking out her room too. I haven't heard much from her these past few days either. She's probably still thinking about her mom and having to see me fuck her up.
"Hey baby girl." I said catching her attention.
"Hi." Lyric said softly. "Are you guys still going to brunch?" She asked.
"I don't know what she's doing, but I'm going to get me a Mimosa." I said making Lyric laugh.
It's been awhile since I've made her laugh. So that made me feel warm on the inside.
"You know my mom didn't break into the shop right?" Lyric said blinking slowly. "As much as I dislike her right now, I don't think she'd do that." Lyric moved closer to me and started to whisper.
"She wouldn't do that." She said shaking head.
"You think so?" I ask crossing my arms.
Lyric nodded, "Yeah." She told me for reassurance. "It might've just been someone looking for some money." She said shrugging. "A lot of young kids pass that place when they're walking from the campus or to school." She informed me.
I never realized that. To be honest I don't just go to Crystal's shop and walk around. There is a high school a few blocks down, so that would make sense if it was a kids being stupid. I'm not going to put all my eggs in one basket and say that Eva is the one that did it because that's a serious thing to accuse somebody of. Not only that, she is still my daughter's mother and when Lyric calms down and she's not as hormonal, she's gonna want to be around Eva.
"I'm going to find something to eat." Lyric said walking down the stairs.
I sigh deeply and grab my phone. Everyone was texting me about the day. I've been telling everybody I'm playing it by ear, but I did plan a dinner for Crystal tonight. It was supposed to be for just me and her but I think she needs to be around her friends. Whatever we do today, I'm gonna make sure my baby has a good day. I wanna make her smile.
𝐂 𝐑 𝐘 𝐒 𝐓 𝐀 𝐋
The car ride to my brunch was very quiet. I'm not really in the mood to be laughing and having a good time, but I am going to show up because people got on flights and came to see me. Today is my special day, so I need to pretend to be happy. But my place of business got broken into so I don't know how happy people want me to be.
"You look beautiful baby." Keith said smiling widely.
I look over at him, "Thanks." Was all I said.
Keith chuckled, "You can at least be grateful that I'm with yo' ass right now." He said.
"Excuse me?" I said looking over at him.
"I could've been anywhere else, especially if you gon' be acting like this." Keith told me.
"It sound like you to go be with another bitch on your wife's birthday." I said looking at my phone.
Keith chuckled, "I'll go be a with a bitch ride now." His words made me mush him in the side of face causing the car to swear into the next lane a little bit.
"Oh so you wanna kill us on your birthday?" Keith asked me.
"Yep and I don't give a fuck." I said rolling my eyes. "You so damn irritating. Why you even come? I ain't even invite you to my birthday brunch." I remind Keith.
"Girl I'll drop your ass off at this restaurant and go the fuck home." Keith said.
"Alright whatever." I said becoming annoyed. "Stop talking to me." I said turning the music up that was playing.
Keith slapped my hand, "Don't touch my shit." He said coming to red light.
"Hit me again and imma show you something." I threatened him.
Right down the street was the restaurant I was having my brunch at. Keith reached over and placed his hand on my thigh. I looked over at him and squinted, he always tryna touch me after he just talked some shit.
"We're here. Get out my car." Keith said parking in the back of the parking lot.
"Why did you park all the way back here?" I ask mugging him.
"Stop complaining and get out the car, goddamn!" Keith said turning the car off.
He got out and walked to the other side of the car. He opened my door and I smiled at him.
"See, you need to be a gentleman." I remind him.
"Come on baby, I got you." Keith said helping me out the car.
He closed the door behind me and made sure to lock it. Apparently, someone is out for us, or maybe just me.
When Keith and I walked into the restaurant I saw all of my favorite people almost filling up the place
I turned to Keith after realizing how empty the place was.
"Babe you didn't have to rent this out for me." I said turning to him.
He shrugged, "I kind of did." He said smiling. "Happy birthday baby." He said before pecking my lips.
"Hey girl!" I hear Leslie's loud voice making me laugh.
I walked up to everybody.
"Happy Birthday." Everyone said simultaneously.
Just like Keith had promised everyone I wanted to see is here. Starting with Kelly, Khadeen, and Savannah, and ending with Leslie, Sebastian, and Mia.
"Oh my god thank you guys so much." I said seeing a table filled with gifts and bags, flowers too. Everyone knows how much I love flowers.
"Happy birthday girl." Savannah said giving me the tightest hug ever. "I'm so happy you came." She said in my ear.
"How do you feel?" She asked.
"I'm okay-- Yeah, I'm doing okay." I tell Savannah.
She smiled and nodded, "We'll talk whenever you're ready." She said. "Until then, drink up!" She said handing me a mimosa.
"Thanks sis." I said smiling.
My eyes roamed around the room until they landed on my employees, they all seemed to be to themselves. I walked over to them and sat don. They all looked at me and waved.
"Happy birthday." Sebastian said nodding. "I hope you're having a good day." He said.
"I wasn't at first but now I feel better." I tell them.
They all just stare and blink at me.
"Look everything with the shop is going to be okay-"
"The unit needs heat." Leslie said.
"I will call someone and have it fixed." I tell her. "Look just work with me you guys. I promise I will get it done."
Mia sat up and placed her glass on the table. She gave me a sympathetic look before speaking, "I just feel bad because you did all that work to build that place and someone ramsacked it." She said in disbelief.
"At least it's still standing." Sebastian said. "At least they didn't burn it down." He mumbled.
I smile, "See that's the attitude I need from you guys. Be a lot more grateful." I tell them.
"They still don't have any camera footage?" Leslie asked.
I shrug, "They said the camera's were ripped out the walls." I tell her.
"That means whoever did it knows the blueprint of the shop because those cameras are barely even noticeable if you don't know they're there." Mia said making a lot of sense.
I closed my eyes and touched my forehead, what she said immediately made me realize something.
"Has Michael came to the shop recently?" I ask them.
"The guy that built it?" Sebastian asked. "I haven't seen him." He said.
"He came in there looking for you this past weekend, you were out the whole weekend. He said you guys were supposed to have a meeting or something." Leslie said shrugging. "I don't know." She said.
"Fuck!" I said standing up. "I'll be back." I said grabbing my phone.
"What? What's wrong?" They all asked.
"Nothing." I said walking away.
I tried to get to the bathroom but Keith was standing there.
"Where you going baby?" He asked.
"I need to pee." I lied.
"You tryna do a lil sum sum, in the bathroom?" He asked.
I shake my head and push past him, then I turn around and point at him, "Later.. I promise." I say so that he wouldn't be suspicious.
I get to the bathroom and close myself in a stall. I use my phone to find Michael's number and called it. It went straight to voicemail, so I called it again, still he didn't pick up.
"Third times a charm." I said to myself.
I called one last time and it rang for what seemed like forever before I heard the click that meant someone had answered the phone.
"Hello?" I heard Michael say.
"Bitch ass nigga, I know you did it." I said trying not to be loud.
"Happy birthday queen." He said making me gag.
"Fuck you. I know you broke into my shop-"
Michael gasps, "I did no such thing... I didn't do anything." He said. "Now a few of my friends probably did, I won't lie they did damage some of your property." He admitted.
"I thought we had an understanding?" I ask him.
"An understanding? You ghosted me and all I did was try to love you." He said.
"Love?" I repeat sounding confused. "Nigga it was never about love for me. You knew I was going to go back to my husband, I was just upset." I tell Michael.
"And you're stupid as hell for staying with him. You want a nigga that'll have a baby on you, but you don't want me? Come one Crys, you know i'll do you so right." He said deep into the speaker.
For some reason this sounded like a different Michael on teh phone. This Michael was making my skin crawl every time he spoke.
"So you broke into my shop because I don't wanna be with you? You a weak ass nigga." I say to him.
"Aww don't talk to me like that." Michael said. "Look I'll come fix your shop back up if I can see you tonight-"
"No." I quickly replied. "I don't want shit from you! And you better hope that I decide to keep this from Keith.. I don't want my husband in prison for murdering your punk ass."
"Crystal don't send that bitch ass nigga my way." Michael said. "I will have his body outlined right in front of the shop I just had my boys break into." He threatened me.
"You do a lot of talking for someone who moans like a female when they're getting fucked." I reminded him. "Michael you better come fix my shop before I have someone pay you a visit." I warn him.
"And it won't be Keith." I tell him. "Your ass will be under the jail."
Michael laughed, "Okay I see how you wanna play." He said. "But let me just tell you this, remember those videos?" He asked.
I scrunch my face up in confusion, "What videos?" I ask.
"Oh that's right you don't remember them cause you didn't know I was recording you.." Michael said making me gulp. "You think I don't have cameras in my house? Come on Crystal baby, I'm a architect." He said confidently.
"You recorded me?" I ask.
"Not purposely, I just have camera's in my house.. Strategically placed for bitches like you.. Who like to play with my time." Michael sighed disappointedly.
"If you release those tapes of me, you're sick." I tell Michael.
He chuckled, "Well cough cough bitch," Was all I heard before the phone clicked off.
I gulped and swallowed the saliva that was sitting my mout. I wish Michael was here, I'd spit on him. My hands were practically shaking as I walked out of the bathroom. I could feel a weird pounding sensation starting at the top of my head to my stomach. As soon as I walked out of the bathroom Keith was walking up to me.
"You okay baby?" He asked grabbing my waist.
I shake my head, "No.." I said softly. "I'm not, I feel weird-- Like I'm about pas-" Before I could finish my statement I was bending over, puking on my husband's shoes.
"Oh my god!" I heard everyone yell at different times.
"What the hell?" Keith said quietly.
He looked at his shoes and gagged.
"Baby, I'm so sorry." I said shaking my head.
"I'll get her some water." Khadeen said.
"Are you okay?" Savannah asked holding my arm.
I nod slowly, "I'm fine." I said feeling dizzy.
"No you're not." Keith said as someone wiped his shoes off. "You're green in the face." He said picking me up bridal style.
"We're going to the hospital." He announced.
"Hold on. I'm coming." I heard Savannah said.
She was the last voice I hear before my eyes closed on their own. My body felt like it was was trying to self destruct. I'd never felt anything like this before.