This chapter is dedicated to all the wonderful fans who waited patiently for the start of this story. The girls really appreciate it and they've worked really hard.
They work so hard that they barely have time for me.
I really hope you enjoy!
-Jaquan (Jake)
Paige.
LA, California.
February 1st.
10:00 pm.
I really hate planes. They’re the absolute worst. I used to love them. That was until I actually started riding on them frequently. I hate the turbulence.
I’ve been on this plane for hours and all I can think about is what’s in store for me in LA. We’re only 30 minutes away and I’m glad I’m home. I’ve been up this whole ride. My parents went to sleep a while ago. Nee and Asyah’s parents went to sleep when we first got on the plane. I was pretty much up all alone.
I began thinking about my whole break up. I really was dreading going back to that apartment. I knew I had to, though. For one, I had to get clothes and two; I want to let Quin stay with his dad tonight. He, at least, deserves that.
I heard a voice come over the intercom on the plane.
“We will be landing in 10 minutes. Be prepared.” I heard the pilot’s voice.
My mind began to overflow with too many thoughts. I was thinking about Quin, Prince, my relationship, the turbulence, and just about everything I was worrying about previous to this flight.
I heard yawning all over the plane and the sound of people stirring in their seats, preparing for landing. I looked around and saw my dad stand up and make his way towards me. He knelt down beside my chair and looked into my eyes for a while.
“Are you ready to get your things?” he sympathized.
“Yeah. It’s gotta get done.” I forced a small smile.
“I’ll get your things if you want me to. It’s not a problem.” His accent was forcefully coming out.
“Daddy, I can do it. If he’s home, I’d rather deal with him than you.” I chuckled.
“Okay sweetheart. I love you. Remember that.” He smiled as a tear escaped from my eye. He quickly wiped it away.
“You’re a beautiful young woman. You don’t deserve him.’ He said it sternly but yet with a smile.
He walked away to his seat. When he sat down, the tears started flowing from my eyes. I couldn’t take it. I missed my family but I was heartbroken. He broke my heart and he never came to make sure I was alright.
“Mama, you okay?” Quin said as he looked up at me with sleepy eyes, wiping away a tear with his palm.
“Mama’s perfectly fine. I’m just gonna miss you when you stay with daddy tonight.” I said as I pulled him onto my lap, hugging him tightly.
“I stay with daddy?” he cooed.
“Yeah. He’s gonna be really excited to see you.” I smiled as I pulled away from the hug, pinching his chubby cheeks.
“I excited. I miss daddy lots.” He said spreading out his arms to show how much he missed his father.
“Yeah. He misses you, too.” I smiled.
He began to rub his sleepy eyes but I quickly pulled them away.
“You’re gonna make them red.” I said as I looked into his light hazel eyes.
“Sorry mama. I not do it again.” He said.
“You won’t do it again.” I put emphasis on the “won’t”, correcting his error.
“I won’t do it again.” He emphasized the “won’t” also, showing he understood my correction.
I sat him back down in his eat and dug through my purse to find some gum. I found a pack of Winter Green gum and gave him a piece as I put one in my mouth. He stuck the piece of gum in his mouth and chewed it as if it was his last piece. I smiled at him as I watched him, happily, eat his gum.
“We are now on the LAX runway. You will be off this plane in 5 minutes.” I heard the pilot’s voice once again.
I saw people stand up out of their seats and collect the electronics they’d been using on the plane. They all began grabbing their bags out of their overhead storage areas and putting them in their seats, ready to get off the extremely long flight.
I laid back and relaxed as I watched my parents and Nee and Asyah’s parents get their bags also. I closed my eyes for about a minute until I felt someone tap my shoulder.
“You gonna get your bags?” I heard my mom’s voice. I opened my eyes and she flashed me her beautiful smile.
“Yeah. I was just thinking.” I said as I stood up and reached for Quin and I’s bags.
I finally got them down and had them in my seat. I picked Quin up and sat him on my hip and he buried his face in my neck as people started to look at him. He was the only toddler on the plane so he drug attention.
I felt the plane come to a stop and I let him sit back down. I dug through our carry ons and found one of his sweatshirts. I slipped it over his head and put his hood on. I did the same for myself and grabbed a pair of shades. I’d been crying and I didn’t want my baggy eyes all in the tabloids. Quin looked at me and began jumping up and down.
“I want shades.” He chanted.
“I don’t have yours.” I shrugged.
“Papa has shades.” He said.
“Yours?” I questioned.
“Yeah! I put in his baggy.” He smiled.
“Daddy!” I got his attention from a couple seats behind me.
“Si?” he answered me in Spanish.
“Do you have Quin’s shades?” I pulled mines off of my eyes and put them on my head.
“Yeah.” He said as he tossed them to me.
I quickly slipped them on his face and picked him back up as I saw people exiting the plane.
“Where’s Ralph?” I heard my dad looking for my bodyguard.
“Right here, boss.” I saw him stand up from his seat.
He was a tall, heavyset, muscular man in his 40’s. He was African American and I grew to love this guy! He’s the best.
“Get in front of Paige. Make sure no one touches her. I don’t want anyone to lay a finger on Juaquin, either.” My father ordered him sternly.
“Not on my watch, boss.” Ralph grabbed hsi bags and walked to my seat. He grabbed my bags and I pulled my shades on my face, laying Quin’s head on my shoulder.
“Let’s go.” Ralph smiled at me as he walked off of the plane, followed by me and the rest of our group.
When we were off, Ralph pulled me close to him and walked me through our gate and to the exit, into the airport where we would go through security. We went through security and we hurried through the airport to the exit. I signed a few autographs, here and there. I just wanted to get this night over with.
We stopped to get our bags and Ralph got our suitcases and put them all on a rolling cart. He had one of the airport security guards roll it to the exit along with us. When we could see the glass doors, we began to hear screams and we saw a bunch of camera flashes.
I stopped in my steps and Ralph did also. He shot me a look like I was crazy. I began to walk again, getting over my fear of paparazzi. We got to the glass door and stopped once again.
“We’re going to move fast through these people. You get in the SUV first with Quin. Do not get out of my grip.” Ralph ordered me and opened the glass door, letting me breath fresh LA air.
Ralph grabbed me with one arm and pushed men and women away with the other.
“How’s the break up?”
“Any comments on Shay and Princeton’s reuniting?”
“Is he on child support?”
“We thought you’d last!”
I hated every last comment that I could make out.
Ralph opened the door and swatted off another man trying to find out if I was pregnant. A tear escaped from my eye and I hopped into the SUV, not letting go off Quin. Ralph slammed the door shut making me jump. I began to shake in the seat and cry harder. Quin looked up at me and wiped my eyes again. I smiled a little.
Mine and the girls’ parents joined us in the car but I didn’t talk to anyone. Quin eventually climbed into the very back with the girls’ parents so that he could get in his seatbelt. Ralph got into the driver seat and turned on the car. I pulled the seatbelt across my chest and so did everyone else. I leaned my head on the window, removing my shades. I began to cry my eyes out on the window.
Too much was going on!
Paige.
LA, California.
February 2nd.
12:00.
We’re finally here.
I made Ralph drive around the city before I could grow the balls to face him. I wasn’t ready to see his face. Seeing his face would just make me weak.
When I saw the condominium, I began to cry again, thinking of the things Jacob and I did in that condo. When I saw his car, I started thinking about the time that he and I almost got into an accident because we were arguing.
I had been pushing his head and punching his arms when he finally removed his hand from the wheel to grab my wrists and push me away from him. When he did that, he swerved into another lane and we almost hit another car head on. He managed to get us back into the correct lane before anything bad had happened.
I stepped out of the SUV and began crying again. I put my shades again and opened the back door. Quin got out and Ralph picked him up. I grabbed his Team Umizoomi suitcase from out of the trunk and began rolling it to the entrance. I pulled my key out of my back pocket and got prepared to unlock my condo door. We got onto the elevator and I pushed our floor number. Quin got happier and happier by the second.
When I got to the door of my condo, I began to shake. I could barely put the key in the door. I finally gave up and let Ralph do it. He put Quin on his hip and put the key in the door, unlocking it. He walked in first and I walked in after.
The condo looked just like it did before we left for the tour. I looked around at a few things before taking Quin out of Ralph’s arms and sitting him on the couch.
“Sit here. I’m gonna talk to daddy.” I said to Quin.
“Yes mama.” He said as he got comfortable.
I smiled at him as I stood up. I looked up at Ralph and he nodded towards my room I shared with Jacob. I gave him a shy smile and he did the same thing. I sighed and walked past him and down the hall. The door to our room was open and he was on his phone, sitting on the edge of the bed. He was facing away from the door.
I began to cry again. I wiped the tears away and knocked on the threshold.
His head shot up and he slowly turned towards the door. When he saw me, he jumped and stood up. He looked at me as if I were a ghost. He finally collected himself and walked over to me. He looked down at me and gave me a shy smile.
“It’s been so long.” He whispered.
His voice was deeper. He was much more muscular. He had grown a slight mustache. His eyes were a lighter shade of brown and he’d cut his hair down.
“I just came to get a couple of things.” My words came out shaky and unstable.
“You’re leaving?” he asked.
“I don’t have a choice.” I whispered.
I walked around him and into my closet. I grabbed a big suitcase and began throwing necessities into it. I put some stuff in the suitcase but I left a majority of my things hanging up.
I zipped the suitcase up and rolled it out of the closet. I sat it in front of the bed.
Jacob was sitting on the bed with his head in his hands. I slowly sat down beside him but left space between us.
“Quin’s gonna stay here for a couple nights.” I said.
“Where are you going?” he asked.
“Back home. My dad wants me back home.” I said, removing my shades.
“Is there any possibility that we could be an us again?” he said with his face still in his hands.
“Can I tell you something?” he had to know this.
“Go ahead.” He sat up and gave me all his attention.
“When I went to London, I got really sick.” I said.
“I heard. What was going on?” he looked worried.
“I was throwing up and my stomach was killing me.” I remembered the pain.
“Ray told me. He said that Nee told him you were in the hospital.”
“I was.” I said.
“Paige. What was wrong?” he asked, getting impatient.
“Just know that I was sick.” I said as I stood up and walked to my suitcase.
I walked towards the door but got stopped as he roughly grabbed my wrist.
“Get off of me!” I said through clenched teeth.
“Just tell me.” He begged.
I rolled my eyes and snatched my wrist away from him. I quickly made my way out of the room with him following behind me.
“Daddy!” Juaquin jumped up and ran to his father as the two of us came around the corner.
“Juaquin!” Jacob exclaimed as he picked him up and lifted him into the air, making him laugh.
Ralph took my suitcase and held it beside him as he waited on me. Jacob put Quin down but he stayed clung onto his legs.
“Quin, come to mommy for a second.” I watched him wobble towards me.
“Yes mama?” he looked at me with his big almond shaped eyes.
“You’re gonna stay with daddy for a few days. Mommy’s going to go and relax at Papa’s house. You remember how mommy needed lots of rest?” I looked back at him with my red eyes.
“Yeah. Doctor say get lot of sleep. No hard work.” He pointed his little finger at me.
“No hard work.” I smiled. “Daddy’s just going to take care of you while I get some more rest.” I pulled him into a hug.
“Okay mommy.” He hugged me back and kissed my cheek as I pulled back from him.
“Go to your room and put your things in your drawer for daddy.” I pointed to his suitcase that was beside us.
He grabbed it and rolled it down the hall to his room. Jacob looked at me with guilt in his eyes and I turned and walked to Ralph. I stood beside him and motioned for us to leave but I was immediately stopped when Jacob stopped.
“When can we be an us?” Jacob spoke up.
“I don’t know. My heart is tired of loving you. It hurts to love you, Jacob. It hurts to see you taking care of another woman during her pregnancy. It hurts to know that you stepped out on your family. But right now, I think we just need to talk only if it has to do with Juaquin’s well-being.” I shook my head at his dumb question.
“Don’t say that. We’re going to be together. I love you too much to let you go.” He said.
“You should’ve thought about that. Do you know how embarrassing it is to see people point fingers at my son and I because they just saw you and Shay exit a hotel together with your handing protecting her baby bump from paparazzi?” my tears were flowing down my face. “I love you! I’m in love you! It hurts, Jacob. I hated having to see you and Shay in the tabloids with headings like ‘Stepping out on Paige’. It hurt!” I yelled in his face as I pointed a finger at his chest.
Juaquin came and peeked around the corner at his mother yelling and crying.
“Paige, let’s go.” Ralph said.
“I love you, Paige.” Jacob said..
“Come give mommy a hug.” I looked over at Quin.
Quin slowly walked towards me and gave me a hug as I bent down to his level.
“Are you mad at daddy?” his eyes were holding back tears.
“Mommy and daddy are just having some differences.” I frowned.
“Is daddy bad?” he asked.
“No, Quin.” I said.
“Why you mad at daddy?” he asked.
“Daddy did something mean to mommy.” I said.
“Why daddy?” Quin turned and looked at his father. “You hurt mommy.” He pointed at me while looking up at his father.
I was still bent down and I dropped my head, crying harder.
“Say goodbye to your mother.” Jacob said.
“Bye bye, mommy.” Quin said as he kissed my forehead.
“I love you, baby.” I said.
“I love you too mommy.” Quin said.
I stood up and walked to Ralph. I opened the door and looked back at Jacob with Quin’s little arms wrapped around his left leg. Quin waved at me and I waved back. I looked up at Jacob and immediately regretted what I was about to do. I walked back over to him.
“I just want to know if there’s still something there. If there’s still that spark.” I stood in front of him, looking up at his blank eyes.
“What are you talking about?” he was lost.
I slowly stood on my tippy toes and looked from his eyes to his lips. He placed his hands on my lower waist and pulled me an inch closer to him. I slowly pecked his lips and it lasted for about 5 seconds.
That spark was still there, but my mind wouldn’t let me act on it.
I pulled away quickly and quickly left the condo. Ralph took me back to the car and I hopped into the passenger seat, assuming my previous position with my head on the window and my body sitting limp in the seat.
Yes, there was still a spark. I still loved him and there was no doubting that. I just couldn’t make myself get back into a relationship with him. Our relationship was emotionally abusive. He caused a lot of stress in my life but I loved him. I still do.
As we pulled out of the parking lot, we stopped at the stop sign and waited for a few cars to pass. I saw a familiar car and watched it turn into the parking lot we were leaving. I looked closely and tried to make out the driver. I finally got a good glimpse at the driver and I couldn’t believe my eyes.
Shay.
Shay was pulling into the parking lot that I just came out of. Meaning that she was going to my condo. There’s no way she could have moved in while I was away because I signed up for email notifications when people move into the condominium. I didn’t get any emails from “Luxury For You” condominiums.
Why is she going to my house at 12 in the morning?
Juaquin on the side. Danielle will be in the next chapter.
Hope you enjoyed.
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