"So long story short...I think I might be getting back with my baby daddy slash ex-husband" Rhonda shrugged her shoulders before she took a sip of her drink. I smirked at her grin, because I already knew the REAL reason & she didn't even have to tell me. The unspoken was very loud & very clear...She loves him, yeah of course, but she misses that dick!
"So a Parent/Teacher meeting, made you get your man back?" she shook her head yes, to my question & I raised my eyebrow. "After you swore up & down that, that was never gonna happen?...I heard that!" I chuckled, watching Maurice walk out of the kitchen, wearing a black tank top & baggy basketball shorts. His muscles looked like God had sculpted him, himself. The way the sun was hitting his bare arms from the kitchen's window, to the way his full lips puckered as he sipped the water out of the bottle. Maybe my period was near, because that ovulation horny ain't nothing to play with. Just looking at him made me wanna suck & fuck the shit outta him right now. But we had company and it was only about to be 1 PM. He grabbed some water out of the kitchen for me too, after putting Halo down for a nap & joined us, sitting down beside me.
"Nah, it led to what made me want him back for real for real...Chiiile, when he pinned my arms back, so I couldn't hold him back & went balls deep...I re-fell in love with him. Shit had me questioning myself, like, so I wanna continue on without him? That nigga was hitting ALL of my spots. I was busting nuts left to right. Creaming! Do you hear me sis?!" she spilled, her eyes to the ceiling, reminiscing on the time.
"I just sat down & now I'm getting back up" Maurice said in pure disgust, pushing forward on his knee area to raise up from the couch.
"Oh boo you whore. Don't nobody say shit when you & Niecy get to low-key but high-key bragging about y'all lil' wack ass sex!" she fanned her hand & I clutched my imaginary pearls.
"Wack?!" I shouted in shock. She laughed, while I sat there still looking like I had just seen a ghost. Maurice paused.
"Yeah, wack" she reiterated, rolling her neck, sipping her drink some more. "Lil' missionary, maybe a back shot if you're lucky....Y'know dry shit" she continued, pulling her cup back up to her mouth.
"I'm appalled, our sex isn't wack--" I started.
"In fact, it's far from it, tell her baby. I put it down. Don't play with me Rhonda" he defended, hitting his chest with his hand & trying his best to hold in a laugh.
"Girl, have you ever busted a nut from a look--" I started again, but was interrupted by her quickly.
"A look? Stop the cap, Niecy. You ain't bust no damn nut off him lookin' at you with them lil' beady ass eyes" she cut hers at him and he flicked her off.
"Swear to God. On our wedding night, I sure the fuck did. Picture it. I'm butt ass naked on the bed, hot, turned all the way on. He pulls his pants down, standing at attention & made the dick jump! Just looking at me with this look! I can't explain it but I nutted instantly" I turned to him, smiling big as ever.
"I still bring that shit up to this day. Can't tell me I ain't that nigga...That night I thought I was trippin', so I asked her & sure enough. I made her cum off a look" he bragged, puckering his lips in my direction.
"You ain't had REAL sex until you've cum off a look. A sensual kiss, one stroke in. Him whispering your name in your ear ever so gently, while hitting your spot & talking you through an orgasm! Chile, lemme stop!" I clapped back, clapping my hands & damn near jumping off of the couch. I was getting a lil' hot at the thought. I fanned myself, cutting my eyes at Maurice, who bit down on his bottom lip with a head nod. He probably knew what was up. Catching my drift, if you will. I was definitely swallowing dick tonight.
"Please do, I don't wanna know y'all like that.
Y'all basically my siblings. Yuck...Anyway, look, clap for a nigga cause she got her man back. That's number one, but the most important thing is, is now my baby can go back to being raised in a complete family" she rolled her neck with each word, Maurice clapped sarcastically as he walked backwards to head to the back door. I did a little dainty clap as I continued to watch their interaction.
"Nah, for real though. I am happy for you & even more for TJ. It's great that you & Travis can come, no pun intended, back together for love & for your son. That's what's up" he replied with a big smile.
"Thank you, bro" she smiled in all seriousness, as Maurice started back for the backdoor, the doorbell rang.
"Uncle Maurice, can you come play football with me? Nevaeh doesn't want too" TJ asked, peeking his head through the slightly opened back door.
"Yeah, I got you" he replied, opening the door a little more.
"Oh bae, can you get that?" I asked, referencing the front door.
"Niecy, y'all are literally closer to the front door than me, babe" he griped.
"Yeah, but you're already up & I'm talking to Rhonda and--" he raised his hand up, stopping me short of what I was saying.
"I got it, babe" he replied, turning to TJ he continued "I'll be back there in a minute, Lil Man" he said, walking past us to get to the very impatient person at the door. They continued to ring the bell, up until the point of him opening it.
"Detectives, what brings you two by?" he asked, stepping aside to let them in. They followed him to the living room, where Rhonda & I were in mid-cackle fest from the jokes & insults we let fly about each other, only stopping when we realized who was here.
"We think we may have solved your case" Det. Washington started. "At Denise's request we visited Ms. Rogers at her office. We have reason to believe your father, Mr. Howard had something to do with it. Ms. Rogers had no involvement at all. We believe Mr. Howard, hired the two men seen leaving your daughters birthday party."
"I fuckin' knew it!" Rhonda shouted but immediately got quiet to allow him to continue. We glanced at each other, then Maurice & back to the Detectives.
"How did you come to that conclusion?" Maurice quizzed in disbelief, folding his arms over his chest & waiting.
"Ms. Rogers said she saw your father & a woman believed to be his wife talking to the two gentlemen she invited to the party--" Det. Walsh said & I just had to put my two cents in. Since that meant that, that gut feeling I always had about Matthew was accurate.
"I told you not to trust that piece of shit! I fuckin' told you! But you just didn't wanna listen to me, you wanted to have a relationship with him anyway. Said I was buggin' & the whole time I was right about his funky ass! See!" I shouted & Maurice's face changed in an instant.
"You right, you right. I mean shame on me for wanting to have a relationship with my damn father. My fault!" He spat back at me, pointing his finger into his chest. I sucked my teeth & rolled my eyes, crossing my legs as he continued.
"But we ain't just gon' skate passed the fact that the two niggas that did it, is the same two niggas you fucked! You didn't hear that part huh?" he shouted and once again, those invisible pearls of mine were clutched. I fixed my mouth to say an insult but Rhonda interjected. Reminding me so much of our younger years where she'd be the voice of reason in our arguments. Like a Mama, but our age.
"Hey!" Rhonda shouted, gaining everyone's attention in the room. "Both of you clowns need to chill the fuck out. Now is not the time for y'all to be falling apart. Y'all need to stick together, fuck all that noise. Fact of the matter is, is that people that you both trusted once upon a time, betrayed you. Cut this childish ass 'I told you so', tit for tat shit out! Now I'mma go outside with the real kids. Since you two muhfuckas wanna act like some..." she continued on, mumbling under her breath as she made her way to the back door.
"So the both of you know the assailants?" Walsh asked, pen to pad.
"Well no, just--I mean I do. One is an ex, the other a fling--" I started.
"I've met 'em before" Maurice replied, sitting down on the couch. I looked his way & scrunched my face up.
"That time at the park & at the party" I said, thinking I knew what the hell I was talking about.
"For the light skin one, yeah. That other cat? No."
"Care to tell us how you met him?" Walsh asked, wagging her pen with raised brows.
"His name is Andre, I don't know his last name. I met him 5 years ago..." he trailed. He looked at me and one corner of his mouth curled up until he had a slight smirk.
"How you think I got your number all them years ago?" he asked and my jaw bout hit the floor.
"We never talked about how. You just said an old friend--."
"I was in town for business. I stopped in a coffee shop to get something to wake me up, after a shit-ton of long, boring ass meetings. A guy in front of me was on a FaceTime call & my ears perked because the voice sounded familiar. By chance, I got a good look at his phone & saw it was Denise. My heart started racing, cause I couldn't believe it was her. So, when he concluded the call. I asked him if her name was Denise, told him we grew up together, lost contact in college & that my mother would be thrilled to talk to her. I didn't think he would go for it but his stupid ass gave me her number" he smiled as he sat his back against the cushion. Walsh pen just going to town. I scooted over closer to him & sat down beside him, just in complete shock at the revelation.
"I waited until night time, thinking that maybe he would be asleep when I called her. To my relief, she wasn't even home. We met up. I got her pregnant & the rest is history" he shrugged with a smile. The Detectives looked at each other & then him.
"Wait, so you knew I had a man the whole time? So why did you give me the third degree at your mom's house?" I asked. He turned to me & smiled that dazzling smile, with the dimples, rubbing my thigh.
"I was trippin', I can admit that. But I knew you would be mine again & homie was just in the way...I guess our encounter wasn't memorable for him, cause he didn't recognize me at the park that day...But anyway" he said, turning to the Detectives.
"Have you heard from your father?" Det. Washington inquired and Maurice shook his head no.
"My sister's, his daughter's don't even hear from him or his wife, their mother. He cut off all contact with all of us. Which in retrospect is suspicious" he responded truthfully.
"Well, we're gonna put a warrant out for him & bring him in for questioning & out of hiding. You two just kick back & relax, because this whole ordeal is coming to a close. We'll be in touch" Washington said, tapping Walsh's arm, signalling that they were leaving.
When we heard the front door close, I kept my eyes on the side of Maurice's face. Feeling guilty about slightly going off on him earlier. I leaned my head on his shoulder & rubbed his forearm in the silence. He let out a small laugh & kissed my forehead.
"I'm sorry" I started, messing with my nails only hearing the faint sound of the kids & Rhonda playing in the backyard.
"I am too...But you better not be apologizing again for the past. Whatever reason they did what they did, ain't your fault or no fault of mine. We're the victims" he sighed & pulled his phone out. He FaceTime'd Tiffany, who was riding with Erica to the Beauty Supply store.
"What's Poppin'?" she answered happily.
"What up big head" Erica shouted in the background, not visible on the screen.
"What up" he greeted, panning the camera to me & they greeted me as well. "I was calling to tell you that the uh, the Detectives said they've solved my case" he said, holding his head down briefly, before he resumed eye contact with Tiffany.
"Oh word? That's great news Maurice. You're finally gonna get Justice. I can't wait to go to court & see the pieces of shit that did that to you."
"Me too" Erica agreed.
"They're sending a warrant out for Matthew. They believe he hired the guys that attacked me" he revealed & it got dead silent on their end. I saw Tiffany shake her head & it looked like she was holding back tears. Erica, who still wasn't visible to us, was still quiet only the hum of the car driving could be heard.
"Daddy had something to do with it?!" Tiffany asked in shock, Maurice just shook his head yes. In response she shook her head no, the tears falling from her eyes.
"I'm so sorry, Maurice" she cried. "I can't believe the man that he is. He never was like this when we were growing up. It's like I don't even know him for real. He's evil & our damn Mama is right there with his ass."
"Tiff, you don't have to apologize for him, alright. It ain't your fault--".
"No Maurice. I don't think you understand. He was nice, charming & everything good you could think of. That's who he presented to us, that's who we knew him to be and it was all a lie. The fact that he's a wolf in sheep's clothing, willing to harm his own flesh & blood for his own selfish reasons is sick. He's like a sociopath or psychopath or something!"
"Shits like a culture shock...He was bogus as fuck our whole lives, cause while he was doing all this good shit for us. He left our brother fatherless and used us to use him cause he needed him. And Mama is so damn lost in the sauce, her stupid ass is willing to stay with him. You can't tell me she didn't or doesn't know, what he did" Erica chimed in.
"Do you want us to come over?" Tiffany asked and he shook his head no.
"Nah, don't stop what y'all are doing, I just wanted to give y'all the update...Y'all still ain't heard from him?" he leaned forward, making me sit up straight in the process.
"Nope, tried calling his number but it's disconnected. He probably got a new one. I did the same thing with my Mom & it was the same result...Can't reach 'em" she shrugged, drying her eyes a little more.
"That's messed up, but aye. I'm about to call my Mom & let her know too...I love y'all."
"We love you too" they said in unison.
"Talk to you later" Tiffany added, before the call ended. Maurice sat back & huffed, dropping his phone down beside him. He turned to me and looked at me, tears building in his eyes. I cupped his face, kissed his lips & hugged him. He perked up, when our daughter came running from outside and jumping into his lap.
"Hi, Daddy!" she shouted and wrapped her arms around his neck, basically hugging his head. He wrapped his around her & kissed her cheek before burying his face on her shoulder. Rhonda looked on from behind the couch & signaled for me to follow her to the front door. When we got to it, she stopped & held my hands in hers.
"Stop this self sabotage shit and stop beating yourself up about your past. Your Husband needs you to be his rock more than ever right now and the Niecy I know, doesn't give a damn about what an outsider think or gotta say. It's not your fault or your karma for what happened to Maurice. Real talk, people ain't shit & they always got their motives for being even more ain't shit--"
"Ooow Mommy" TJ sang behind us. Rhonda turned to him & gave him a look that had him strengthen up quickly before she returned her attention to me.
"But if I--".
"Nope" she put her hand up. "Stop it. Matthew ain't been shit Maurice's whole life, ain't got shit to do with you. So stop it. As for the dudes, refer to what I said before my water head ass baby interrupted me" she chuckled & I joined her. She wrapped me in a warm embrace & held it for a second.
"Now go, cause it's up from here, ya hear me? I'll call you--Bye Maurice, bye Vaeh Vaeh aunties baby!" she shouted so they could hear her in the living room. They said it back & I gently shoved her when I heard Halo crying.
"Tell Angel circle Auntie loves him too" she laughed as she & TJ rushed out the door.
Hey y'all hey. I know it's been a minute AGAIN, my apologies. I appreciate your patience tho. If you're this far in the book, then you know how my ADHD has given me severe focus issues lately. On top of life doing what it does, just recently lost my Great-Aunt. In the New Year, I vow to be more consistent & stop having the month(s) long gaps in between chapters ❤️ I plan to REALLY focus, so that I can keep giving you all the story you have grown to love & I appreciate continuous support.