"I see you got your hair done in the end." Venice said to Lani as she sipped her cocktail.
"I did..." she smiled. "if there is one thing I know, it is that Chloe is the bomb at doing hair... I wouldn't go anywhere else.." she realised what she was saying, and looked around sheepishly to see if Chantal and Lamar were in earshot.
"Sis, you can talk about her, I know that you're friends... It's all good as long as she's not here I'm happy" Lamar said as Chantal was off, talking to Charlotte over the other side of the garden.
"Well, I shouldn't really be telling anyone, but I'm going to... She has a new man" Lani said.
Lamar raised his eyebrows.
"Are you okay with that Mar Mar?." She asked.
He held his hands up. "I'm happy for her... Me and her are done, she's a great mother to the kids and she deserves some of her own happiness... Seriously, I'm good with it.." he said.
"What's going on over here" Keegan said joining his kids. Trying to put the conversations with Charisma about Chloe behind him and enjoy the evening.
"We're just talking daddy." Venice said giving him a hug. "That was such a nice thing that you did for mom and aunt Lena."
"You would think so, right." He said.
"What does that mean?" Lani said.
"Sometimes there is no pleasing yo mama." He told them.
"Well, Lamar is now a happy man with the news that Chloe has a new man" Venice said in front of everyone.
"good, I'm also glad about that because maybe that means yo mama can get off my fucking balls" Keegan snapped, and suddenly walked inside.
"Woah! What did I say.." Venice said a little taken back by her father's tone.
" he literally went from 0 to 100 in a second"
Lani said.
Lamar furrowed his brow. "Aye mom..
Charisma heard her name, and she walked over to see them with a smile on her face. "Hello, my babies... are you having fun?.."
"Can I talk to you for a second." He said getting up and taking her to one side.
"What is it you're worrying me?." She said looking at him.
"Dad is in a hell of a mood...
She rolled her eyes. " We've just had a few words that's all, when is he ever not in a mood?" She said.
"Why would you be on dad's balls about Chloe?"
Lamar asked her.
charisma shook her head. "Mar, it's nothing, he's just being an ass as always."
"Mom cmon, what did he mean by that?" He said not leaving it alone. " he literally flew off the handle... as soon as he found out that Chloe got a new man..
"She what?... when?..."
He shrugged. "I don't know.... I only found out myself tonight. Lani said, so she must've said something today.... Mom, why is everyone so fucking fixated on Chloe and why would dad be so irate when she was mentioned?... and why are you on his balls about her with him?... someone needs to tell me what's going on..."
"Lamar, leave it, it's all in the past... I'm gonna go talk to him... Go back and see your girl and enjoy the rest of the evening.." she said not wanting him to know about the kiss.
Charisma headed inside, but she could see that Lamar kept looking back at her. She found Keegan sitting on the desk in his office. He looked at Charisma and looked away.
"Why are you in here when everyone else is outside?"
" I don't feel much like socialising with anybody right now is that okay with you?" he said sharply.
" Lamar just came up to me, asking me about the reasons why I would be on your balls about Chloe... Do you want him to know?... do you want your son to know that the mother of his kids and his father were kissing in this house?.."
"C, what the fuck is it that you want from me BLOOD!." He snapped.
" I just want you to come back outside with everybody else, I don't want anyone else to know... But the way that you're acting it is going to raise questions"
He shook his head. "I need to go to sort out some business, I got to get away for a bit." he picked up his car keys and left.
Charisma felt bad, she hadn't stopped goading him since they got back. Maybe it was the fact that walking back into the house, brought back the memories of the place that they kissed. When she was away on the yacht, she didn't even think about it, but now she was home she couldn't help but nitpick at him.
She heard the car pull away with a screech of the wheels, she closed her eyes, and then headed back out with a smile painted on her face to the party
————-
Dakota was in tears as she arrived at Kat and Josh's place. "Babe?.. what is wrong?" Kat said putting her arms around her and bringing her inside the house. They were just about ready to leave to head to the party for a couple of hours, Josh was upstairs, finishing off getting dressed.
"I... I...." she was sobbing so hard that she couldn't even get her words out.
Kat sat her down. "It's okay... take a few deep breaths, and take your time..."
"He scares... me.." she said in between her sobs.
Josh heard the raised voices and crying. He came rushing down the stairs. "what the hell is going on?... Dakota?.." he said seeing her in tears.
"My step brother... he turned up... he got put in jail about 10 years ago, I have not seen him or heard from him in about 12 years. He turned up at my place, he tore the place apart... I was so scared.."
"what did he want?" Kat asked.
"Money.. he said that I owed him, called me a bitch...
"Where was Arlen?." Josh asked.
"He's not been at home today, he was doing some business for Nash I think...
"so where is yo brother now?" Josh asked.
"he's at my apartment, he won't leave... I don't wanna go back there.." she said, she was really upset.
"Stay here with us... i'm gonna go and call Arlen" Josh said.
————
Keegan felt his cell buzz. He took it out of his pocket and saw a couple of messages.
C
Come back to the party baby please I'm sorry... I don't know what possessed me to keep on going on about it maybe it was just coming home. I am over it, I just want you to come home please.
He read the next one
Unknown
I hope you had a great trip. I would really love to see you even just to talk. I have thought a lot about you. I know that sounds crazy but it's true. I'll be at my apartment and I'm alone the kids are at Demi's. It would be great to see you x
Marlon called his cell. He picked up. "Where you at man?."
"I just had to get outta the house for a while... I'm prolly gonna head to the containers and do some counting in.."
"It's late man.. come back...
"Naw, I'm gonna be a few hours" he told him:..." and ended the call.
———
Marlon walked across to Charisma. He could see that she was smiling and pretending to be happy, but he could see right through it. "Charisma, I know about the kiss." He told her.
She glared at him. "he told you?" She said taking Marlon to one side so that nobody else could hear.
"just like you told Lena, he needed someone to confide in just as much as you did... and I can tell you now, he does not remember it. He is deep in his feelings about this because everything was going so well before that. He knows that you're different with him, and he knows that he's got form when it comes to things like this. he doesn't know what to do to make you realise and trust him"
Charisma nodded. " I'll talk to him, when he decides to come back....