𝓐𝓾𝓫𝓻𝓮𝔂
Waking up some hours later to an empty bed. I felt around, Dom's space was cold so I knew she hadn't been in bed for a while. I checked the time noticing it was 5 P. M. Fuck I had slept the day away. Rubbing my face, trying to shake off the remnants of last night's haze, I got out of bed and got myself together. The house felt too quiet, almost unnerving.
I made my way downstairs, hoping to find Dom and the kids, but they were nowhere to be seen. In the kitchen, I made a sandwich, my mind racing with questions. 'Where could they be?' I wondered. Pulling out my phone, I dialed Dom's number, but it went straight to voicemail. That was odd, she rarely ever turned her phone off. A sinking feeling started to settle in my stomach.
I tried calling Ms. Sheila next, but she didn't pick up either. Just as I was about to call again, a text from her popped up. Aubrey, the kids, and Dom are here with me. She's upset, I'm guessing because of you coming in so late and not letting her know. She won't talk about it. Just give her a little space. The kids are fine. My heart sank as I read it. Dom was upset with me, and she had taken the kids to Ms. Sheila's. 'Fuck! I knew she would be upset,' I thought to myself, frustrated and disappointed.
My phone rang, pulling me from my thoughts. It was Mike. " Hello?" I answered.
"Hey, bro you good?" he asked.
I sighed, "Not really. Dom's pissed. She done took my kids to her mom's."
Mike's voice was serious, "Bro, Moe and I told you to chill with the drinking last night. You went too far plus you smoked like 5 blunts. You wouldn't listen though."
I knew he was right. "Man, I was just a little stressed and I needed a little moment," I tried to explain, but it sounded weak even to my own ears. Mike didn't buy it, "You gotta handle that stuff better, man.
I started thinking. Why should she leave though? We could have discussed this. And then to just take my kids without telling me. I know they're safe but it just doesn't sit well with me. She could've woke my ass up and discussed this shit with me. Mike interrupted my thoughts.
"Look I'll hit you up later, aight? I'm at the grocery store with my girl."
" Cool,"
After hanging up, I grabbed my keys and wallet and headed to Ms. Sheila's. When I arrived, I saw Omari outside playing football with Pooter. "Hey, Dad!" Omari called out, throwing the ball to me.
Catching the ball, I managed a small smile, "Hey, Mari." I dapped up Pooter, " What's up, bruh?"
"Ain't shit, what's going on?" Pooter replied, his expression showing a mix of amusement and concern. " Man, I don't even know. I guess she's mad about me staying out late. I'm trying to fix this shit." I answered.
"Good luck with that, nigga." He laughed and patted my back.
Nodding, I walked inside. Music was playing and I heard my baby cutting up as well. In the living room, I saw her in Dom's lap, but as soon as Ryleigh saw me, she reached out excitedly. I walked over and picked her up, "What's wrong, mamas?" I kissed her cheek, and she responded with a smile, her finger in her mouth.
I hadn't dared to look directly at Dom. Ms. Sheila came in, "I wondered what calmed her down. Her daddy," she said, rolling her eyes but smiling before heading back to the kitchen.
I sat down next to Dom, who immediately stood up and started walking towards the stairs. "Dom!" I called out.
"I have nothing to say to you!" she yelled back, her voice full of anger.
I stood up, holding Ryleigh. "Bae, I'm sorry. It won't happen again. I was stressed and needed something... different," I tried to explain, but my words sounded hollow.
"Different? Get the fuck out!" Dom's yell scared Ryleigh, and I felt a pang of guilt.
"No, I'm not going anywhere. I admit I was wrong... I should have..." I started, but Dom cut me off.
"I don't want to hear anything you have to say! Give me my daughter and leave!" she demanded.
Frustration boiled over, and I raised my voice, "Why are you acting like this?"
Ms. Sheila intervened, taking Ryleigh from me. "No! You will not do this in front of this baby! Whatever's going on, it needs to be fixed," she said sternly and walked back into the kitchen.
"I'm not fixing anything with him. I should have never moved down here with him," Dom yelled, then stormed upstairs, slamming the door behind her.
"Don't be slamming my doors, little girl!" Ms. Sheila walked back out, shouted after her, then turned to me, shaking her head. "Give her some space, Aubrey. This should teach you not to be out all times a night when you have a family waiting for you at home."
She went back to the kitchen, leaving me standing there. I could hear her talking to Ryleigh and Ry laughing. I went upstairs and tried to go into the room where Dom was, but it was locked. I walked back downstairs, my mind a whirlwind of emotions, not sure what to do next.
Standing at the bottom of the stairs, lost in my thoughts, I couldn't shake the feeling of disbelief and guilt. Dominique's words echoed in my mind, the hurt, the anger. I had never seen her this upset. It was more than just anger; it was a deep-seated disappointment. Taking a deep breath, I pulled out my phone and sent her a text, "Dominique, baby. Please talk to me." It felt inadequate, but I had to start somewhere.
Omari walked back into the house and sat next to me on the couch. "I'm tired, Daddy," he said, his voice small.
"Same, Mari," I replied, looking down at my son. I could see he was troubled. "Daddy, is Mommy still mad at you?" Omari asked, his innocent eyes searching mine.
I didn't want him worrying about our issues. "Nah, Mari. Everything is good," I lied, trying to reassure him.
"Oh, okay! Good!!" he said, a bit relieved. "I kept hearing Mommy saying she wanted to go back home to Philly. Is she leaving us, Daddy?"
His words hit me like a punch to the gut. "What else did you hear?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper.
"Mommy was crying this morning. She said you don't love her and that it was her fault. But you love Mommy, right, Daddy?" Omari's confusion and worry were evident.
"I do, Mari. I love your Mommy so much. I also love you and your little sister. Don't forget that," I reassured him, my heart heavy.
"Omari, go wash your hands so you can come eat," Ms. Sheila called out from the kitchen, stepping out with Ryleigh on her hip, happily gnawing on a chicken bone.
I chuckled at the sight of Ryleigh, her face smeared with sauce. "Okay!" Omari ran off towards the bathroom.
Ms. Sheila looked at me, her expression stern yet concerned. "I'm not sure what you're planning, Aubrey, but you can come eat. Dom probably won't be coming down anytime soon."
I nodded but decided against eating. I couldn't even think about eating right now. I needed to talk to Dom, to try and fix this mess. Ms. Sheila returned to the kitchen, Omari trailing behind her.
I headed back upstairs, stopping outside the locked door. "Dom," I knocked softly. No answer. "Dom! Come on, baby, I'm sorry. I messed up. I shouldn't have started drinking, and staying out all night was mad disrespectful to you and our family. I'm really sorry. Can you please open the door?"
Silence.
I was about to walk away when suddenly the door swung open. Dom stood there, her eyes red and puffy from crying, her expression a mix of anger and pain.
"Who's the girl you're fuckin?" I could barely hear her but I heard her.
I stood there, stunned, "Who's the girl that you're fuckin'?" She asked again. The accusation hit me like a punch in the gut. I hadn't expected this. The weight of her words, her anger, and the hurt in her eyes struck me deeply.
"Dom, what are you talking about?" I asked, confused and taken aback.
"Don't play dumb, Aubrey! Who was she? The girl who answered your phone last night?" Dom's voice was trembling with a mix of anger and hurt.
I felt a cold realization dawn on me. "This is a misunderstanding," I started to explain, "I was with Mike and Moe, the whole night. Mike had a few other people over but that's it. We were just hanging out, having drinks, smoking. I don't even know who picked up my phone."
"So, you were out all night, drinking and smoking, and now you expect me to believe that nothing happened? That it was all just a big misunderstanding?" Her voice was rising, her frustration palpable. " You've smoked and drank with Mike before and you never stayed out all night!"
"Dom, I swear to you, nothing happened. I wouldn't do that to us, to our family." I reached out to her, trying to bridge the physical and emotional gap between us.
She snatched away, shaking her head. "How can I trust you, Aubrey? You come home at 7 in the morning, not letting me know a thing! How am I supposed to believe anything you say?"
I struggled to find the words to fix this, to explain myself. "I know I messed up by staying out all night and not calling. I was stressed, and I handled it poorly. But I would never cheat on you, Dom. You and the kids mean everything to me."
Dom looked at me, her eyes searching for the truth. "You left me here, wondering, worrying... And then I hear a woman's voice on your phone. What was I supposed to think?"
"I understand why you're upset, and you have every right to be. But I'm telling you the truth. I love you, Dom. I love our family. I wouldn't risk losing you for anything."
The tension hung in the air between us, thick and unyielding. Dom's expression softened slightly, but the hurt was still there. "I don't know what to believe, Aubrey. I need some time to think, to figure things out."
I nodded, feeling the weight of her words. "Take all the time you need. I'll do whatever it takes to make this right. I'm not going anywhere, and I'll be here when you're ready to talk."
Dom didn't say anything more. She closed the door gently, leaving me standing in the hallway. I leaned against the wall, my mind racing with thoughts of how to mend the rift that had formed between us.
Heading back downstairs, I saw Omari and Ms. Sheila in the kitchen. Omari was happily munching on his food, blissfully unaware of the tension. Ryleigh was still in Ms. Sheila's arms, gnawing contentedly on her chicken bone.
"Everything alright?" Ms. Sheila asked, her voice laced with concern.
"I don't know yet," I admitted. "There's a lot we need to work through."
She nodded, understanding. "You two have a strong bond. It'll take time, but I believe you can work through whatever happened."
"I hope so," I said, glancing at Omari and Ryleigh. The sight of them, so innocent and happy, renewed my resolve to fix things with Dom. They deserved a happy, united family, and I was determined to make that happen.
For now, I decided to give Dom the space she needed. I would be there, ready to talk, ready to listen, whenever she was.
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Hi!!!👀
What's going on with Aub and Dom?👀