Nicki
"You know how Travis made you have that abortion some years back?"
My heart dropped, "How did you know about that?"
"I ain't never met you, but I knew of you. He told me he forced you to get an abortion."
"Well yeah, he said that, that's what was best for us at the time."
"Truth be told, he had another girlfriend and got her pregnant. She ain't want you havin' a baby too."
I backed away from him, "What?"
"He was fucking around with another girl for maybe 3 years of your relationship."
I stopped for a few seconds, trying to process my thoughts, before shaking my head. "No he didn't, why are you lying to me? I don't believe you."
"That ain't my problem. I'm just telling you what you wanna hear."
"But, what does this have to do with you?"
"His other girlfriend was the shorty you could say I was in love with, I was gonna settle down with, I put a ring on her...thought she was pregnant with my baby."
"But Travis only loved me. He said I would be the mother of his first child, he promised me," I felt the tears roll down my cheeks.
"He lied to you Nic. He planned a whole other future with this girl."
"He made me give up my baby so another bitch could have his baby?"
"Uh, yeah, I guess."
I stayed silent.
"You good?"
"What's her name?"
"Who's?"
"The other bitch. What's her name?"
"Why?"
I cut my eyes at him, "What's her fucking name, Meek?"
"Chantelle."
"You still talk to her?"
"Nah, I ain't see her since I stopped fuckin' with her."
"You haven't gotten over it, have you?"
"I'm good."
"No you're not."
"And how the fuck do you know?" He questioned with attitude.
"Look me in my eyes and tell me you're good."
"Why the fuck you so worried about me, like I ain't tell you the nigga you was so damn in love with cheated."
I chuckled bitterly, "You just don't get it, do you? What is it, you're afraid to show your feelings? You're hurt, Meek. She broke your heart."
"Man, shut the fuck up with all that bullshit."
"Nah, you need to hear it cause you're fucking in denial. She convinced you that she would be having your baby and you were excited, but it wasn't yours. That bitch hurt you, she fucked you up, and you're still not over it!" I yelled, making him look down.
"How you figure out?" He asked quietly, but I still heard him.
"Because you wouldn't have me here if you weren't."
"What you talkin' 'bout?"
"Travis took the love of your life, so you figured you take the love of his life, right?" He stayed silent. "Exactly. If you were truly over it, seeking revenge wouldn't matter to you."
I headed over to the stove, turning it off, dumping the water out, and throwing the pasta in the garbage. "I'm going to bed, I'll see you in the morning."
"You gon' be alright? You know, sleeping by yourself?"
I smiled slightly, "I'll be fine. I need time to myself right now. Thanks though," I left the kitchen feeling the tears begin to resurface. "Travis, why did you do this to me?"
-
Nicki
I woke up before Meek once again, the next morning. I freshened up and headed down to the kitchen I start preparing breakfast.
I opened his fridge, looking around a t what he has here. I took out a crate of eggs and found a package of bacon in the freezer. I found flour in the cupboard and took it out to prepare pancakes. I sat everything onto the counter and got out a bowl.
I took a few eggs, cracked them, and began whisking them. I looked into his cupboards looking for salt and some other seasonings. I spent the next 30 minutes making breakfast before I finally heard Meek coming down the stairs. I looked up, hearing his footsteps approach the kitchen.
"Good morning," I greeted him.
"Hey, what's up?"
"Nothing really, you can sit. I'll be done in a few minutes."
"What you cookin' all of this before, what's the occasion?" He questioned making me giggle.
"No occasion, I like cooking and I said I was gonna cook dinner yesterday, but you know how that went..."
"It's cool. You don't gotta cook though, we coulda gone out."
I took his plate to the breakfast table, placing it down with a cup of orange juice, before taking a seat. "Is that what you do everyday?"
"What, eat out?"
I nodded.
"Yeah, pretty much. I can't cook so I just buy shit."
"Why do you have all that shit in your cupboards and fridge then?"
He shrugged, "I just keep it there so it looks good if people come over," he said making me chuckle.
"Cool." There was an awkward silence for a minute or two, before I decided to break it. "So," I started, "How are you feeling?"
"I'm good, there's nothin' wrong with me," he said making me sigh.
I put my fork down. "You know, there's nothing wrong with showing emotion...you don't gotta keep everything bottled in. It's gonna hurt you in the long run," I suggested.
I waited for a response from him. "Don't worry 'bout it. Like I said, I'm good."
I rolled my eyes, "If you say so," I mumbled.
"You comin' with me today?" He questioned, making me frown.
"Where you going?"
"Same place as yesterday, I need you to help me count again."
"Oh, okay...who's money?"
"Mine."
"Again?"
"Yeah, what you mean?"
"You make all that money on a regular basis?"
"Uh, yeah, pretty much."
"You don't ever think about the consequences though? Going to jail? Death?"
"Them things don't scare me," he said nonchalantly.
"Um, wow, okay then. Anyways, I have a question for you." I felt myself begin to get nervous.
"Wassup?"
"C-can I get another phone call...to my mother?"
I kept my head down, unsure of his reaction. "Why you need to call her for?"
"I know for a fact she thinks I put a man before my family, something I promised I wouldn't do. I just want a chance to speak to her, let her know I'm good, and catch up, even if it's only for a few minutes."
He stayed silent, making me look up at him. "Meek, please. Just a few minutes."
He stood up from the table, heading towards the stairs, "Hold on."
I waited patiently at the table for him to come down.
"Here," he said, handing me a phone. "There ain't no number on that, so don't think they can call you back. You got 5 minutes."
"Only five?!"
"You wanna make it 0? I thought you said you was cool with any number of minutes?" He smirked.
"Alright, that's fine."
I was about to stand up from my chair. "Sit down, you not about to have some private conversation. Hurry up and start dialing before I changed my mind. Put it on speaker too."
I dialed my Mom's number, listening to it ring and putting the phone on speaker, as Meek had instructed.
"Hello?" She answered, making my eyes water.
"Hello?" I took a deep breath, calming myself down.
"Uh, hey Mommy."
"Onika?"
"Yeah, it's me Nicki."
"Oh my God, Onika, where are you?"
I felt Meek's intense gaze on me. "I'm, I'm around," I responded. He nodded his head in approval, continuing on his phone.
"Sherika told me you moved out of New York."
"Yeah, I moved to another state, I just wanted to get out of that environment."
"Really, Onika? You think I'm stupid?"
"What are you talking about Mommy?"
"You think I really believe that you wanted to get out of the environment? Or you wanted to run around with some man you probably knew for a few months, call him your husband, and get gone?"
I wiped the few tears that rolled down my cheeks. "No, Mommy, that's not it."
"So what is it then, Onika?"
I didn't respond, there was nothing I could really say.
"I just hope you don't forget about us forever, Onika."
I was in slight disbelief that she said that. She knows how much my family and friends mean to me. "Are you serious Mommy, you really think that I would forget you? Like, you're forreal?"
"You've been gone almost four months, Onika. This is the first time I'm hearing from you. You didn't even have the courtesy to introduce me to this man that you married, didn't even tell me that you were getting married or moving!"
"Mo-"
"When are you coming to visit us, Nika?"
"Huh?"
"Sherika's birthday is coming up, why don't you come visit us then?"
I held in a breath, knowing she was going to get angry. "I don't think I'll be able to, I'll try to call her though."
"Okay, then, when are you coming to see us?"
I looked at Meek who looked more entertained with his phone, than this conversation. "I, I don't know Mommy. I'm kinda busy at work-"
"That one thing you vowed me, you're just gonna break it?"
"I-"
"You're going to put a man before your family, knowing damn well that I raise you not to?!"
"Mommy, it's not like that. Please, stop talking to me like that," I said in tears.
"Talking to you like what? A child? Cause that's exactly how you're acting!"
"I'm sorry."
"I have to go now, I'm going out."
"Okay, well, I love you."
"Mmhm, love you too," she murmured, hanging up.
I put the phone down, covering my face with my hands.
Lord, why are you putting me through this?
-
This is late af, but thanks for reading 😘 I would promise another chapter this weekend, but y'all know how that goes 😩. If I can get one done, I'll update...don't hold me to that though. Vote, comment, and share 💓💓💓.
IG: @OmeekaOnline