O M N I S C I E N T
Jhenea sat in the busy cafe with her finger
trailing the outline of the folder she had in hand. She didn't bother to buy anything to eat due to her appetite diminishing once she realized what she was about to do. She looked out the window nervously still seeing Carson and Ashton posted in the all black tinted Cadillac. They assured her whenever she felt uncomfortable they'll drive around the block and she could meet them there.
Letting out a stressing sigh, Jhenea combed her fingers through her hair. The more she read the message Anthony had sent her, the more relaxed she became.
Anthony Mason
—You highly appreciated for this. I'll give you the world if I can. ❤
It caused her cheeks to warm up and her heart to beat faster. Jhenea knew it was out of character for him to be all sentimental and romantic, so he must of have meant it.
She out stretched her hand into the center of the table where she began to toy around with the wooden coffee stirrers that sprawled in every direction in the glass container they were being held in. She was beginning to grow nervous and impatient, a bad mix. She had been waiting for over twenty minutes of course Ximena was still not there, like always.
Jhenea's stomach began to churn at the thought of being face to face with Ximena, this time voluntarily. She didn't know if she was becoming sick or she was just getting over a bad stage of anxiety that she hadn't gotten in a while. Sightly holding the sides of her stomach, she rubbed them soothingly hoping that it'll ease the sea sick feeling.
Taking in a deep breath, Jhenea calmed herself realizing that she was causing herself to feel this way because she was over thinking way to much.
Her eyes glanced towards the door this time hoping the chimes of the entrance wasn't going to be followed by the stature of Ximena. Her hopes served her no justice as Ximena also scanned the cafe in the search for her guest.
She was a slightly curvy women, mid height with long dark hair that she put in a ponytail as she clipped her bangs with a bobby pin. Her eyes were slanted, just as Jhenea's and Ai'Milan's were. Her cheek bones stood up, making it seem as if her eyes could barely open to showcase her chocolate brown pupils. Her attire of a pair of white slacks that stopped right above her ankles, a yellow long sleeve blouse that blossomed outwards at the bending of her elbow, while her feet were adorned with a pair of light tan Steve Madden heels. Jhenea was shocked at her mother's sense of style and how young she still looked, she didn't expect this at all.
Ximena's eyes fixated on Jhenea causing her feet to shuffle quickly over to the table. Ximena didn't know whether she should hug her daughter or just sit down in the booth and just smile. The look on Jhenea's face showed the same. She didn't bother to get up to hug her nor did she bother to greet her.
Ximena slid into the booth sitting across from Jhenea. Placing the red and gold Saint Laurent bag onto the table, Ximena folded her hands together refraining herself from touching Jhenea's face to admire her beauty. "You're so beautiful."Ximena complimented with a wide stretched smile.
Jhenea pursed her lips, not knowing whether to thank her or just ignore it. Staying silent, Ximena realized she wasn't to easy to please and she was going to have to do a bit more than smiling and complimenting her to make her open up.
"What do you want with me?"Jhenea asked not bothering to even thank her about the compliment.
Ximena furrowed her brows, she thought it was pretty evident that she wanted to be a mother, a real one this time. "Well, I supposed a mother and daughter relationship would suffice."Ximena answered with her cheeks suctioned inwards as nervousness drenched her body.
Jhenea chuckled, an uneasy chuckle, one that'll make you want to cry because you know you were about to get your feelings torn and burned. "It's just so crazy how— seventeen years— I waited, I cried, I waited some more, shit I even looked— you know what, maybe I wasn't ready for this shit." Jhenea held the bridge of her nose while shaking her head.
She hated that she was so close to showing her mother she had some type of emotion towards her. She wanted Ximena to feel battered and hurt, so crying and showing her that she was hurt, wasn't going to help. Jhenea looked up at Ximena after gaining her composure back. Folding her hands together and leaning in towards the table Jhenea spoke. "You have three minutes to get whatever the hell you need to get off your chest out in the open, because when I start on this next conversation prepare to start shifting uncomfortably in your seat because you have finally fucked with the wrong one."Everyone knew when it came to Anthony, Jhenea wasn't sparing anyone and it was vice versa with him. They were gonna defend one another until they couldn't anymore.
Ximena's mouth quickly grew dry. She had always dreamed of this day, but she never imagined her daughter would be speaking to her in such a harsh tone with such vulgar language. Ximena bit down on her lip, not knowing where to begin. It has been basically Jhenea's whole life existence that she had been gone so there was no use in trying to catch up. Jhenea was on her way to college, lived her teenage life and got over her teenage adversities with the help of her family , friends and boyfriend. There was absolutely no parent involved and Ximena couldn't be ungrateful and spiteful and say Calvin and April didn't raise Jhenea to be the greatest she can be.
"Two minutes and forty nine seconds." Jhenea warned looking down at the live timer she set on her phone.
"I'm sorry. "Ximena began.
Lets get this shit over with. Fuck your apologies and you. Just let me and my man get our revenge, Jhenea thought.
"I know those shouldn't be the first two words coming from my mouth, but that's all I could think of. Jhenea you have to forgive me, I'm being genuine. I just want to pick up any damaged pieces that may have strayed away from your life and show you how well of a mother I could be. You were my first born and I know I let you down, so down that you speak to me as if I'm nothing to you—"
"Oh you aren't. "Jhenea clarified. "Two minutes ten seconds."
Ximena disregarded the rude comment that came out of Jhenea's mouth before continuing. "I was a young girl when I had you, only in my twenties, I had no preperation for being a mother. It ran me thin when you would cry in the middle of the night, sleep throughout the day and bask in attention of your father by wailing in tears. I always felt I was doing a bad job when I'll be on the phone with April and she'll let out this deep sigh once I began to complain. I had personal issues that couldn't be fixed nor pushed aside without affecting my child, so I gave you to someone who could love you unconditionally without my issues. I know it may sound selfish—"Jhenea cut her off again.
"Very, very selfish."She chuckled dryly. "One minute thirty seven seconds."
"And once again I apologize for that." Ximena sighed. "But I was young and didn't know what the hell to do with my life. Your father was going through something which was stressing me out even more. He was now a college drop out, he quit his job to gamble and he was doing drugs and drinking alcohol. Seeing your husband go from one of the most put together men in the universe to just nothing was hard for me so I grew distant with my baby. "
"One minute thirteen seconds."Jhenea stated carelessly.
"Of course Ai'Milan came about after I gave you off to April, but that was only because we found out about her way to late, I was already five months pregnant, way to late to terminate the baby. Le'Cray and I were forced to keep Ai'Milan but this time, we really just left her."Although Jhenea had already heard this story from both of her aunts, it felt like some type of closure now that her mother was opening up about it to her personally.
"Forty three seconds."
"What I'm trying to say is, I'm sorry. I'm sprry about all the times you felt abandoned and worthless, I'm sorry for the untolerable hurt I caused you. I'm sorry for not being the mother I should have been and most of all I'm sorry for not giving you the love and appreciation that you deserve. I know I won't be getting your forgiveness right away, but I hope somewhere down the line as you prosper and continue to flourish into the woman I wished I raised you to be, I would get forgiven. You're beautiful, brave, intelligent and a kind hearted girl and its hard knowing that I could have had a hand in raising you and I couldn't be women enough to step up and do what I had to do. Baby please for—"Before she could even spill the wrap up of her apology, Jhenea's phone vibrated signaling the end of the timer.
"You've had your three minutes, now onto better things."Jhenea sighed carelessly as she lifted the folder from her lap and placed it on the table.
Ximena was hurt that she had just finished pouring her miserable heart out to her daughter and she didn't even attempt to feel sympathetic towards her. Instead she rather talk about something else that probably wasn't that important. "In this folder, I hold the path to the ending of this meeting. You could either lie and we can go tit for tat, or you can tell the truth and you gain a relationship with your beloved daughter."Jhenea smiled as she folded both hands underneat her chin batting her eyelashes innocently.
She was definitely playing no games today.
Ximena eyebrows rose in confusion, her hand went out to reach for the folder but Jhenea already had her hands placed on it while she shook her head no. "I dont think you should be that eager to know what's inside, just brace yourself love. We're in public there's no cameras, so don't make a scene."Jhenea smirked as she held the folder up in a taunting and teasing manner.
"In my life, I haven't been able to trust many people, I always had this paranoia that people were always just out to get me. Not having anyone to vent to, the first person I told of this problem was my teacher, Mr Johnson. Mr Johnson told me, one day I'll know when that feeling vanishes, it'll be the day I meet the right person that I can instill trust into. I've met a couple people that never really fit into the puzzle piece I was missing, but when I met Anthony,—"Jhenea cut off with a chuckle as she began reminicsing about how he and her met at the awful party that brought her to her enduring these awful things, this situation being prime example.
"Anthony was a very complex charcter that I actually disliked, but the more you pushed him onto me—"Jhenea chuckled again finding all of this ironic as ever. "the more I grew to love him and the more he grew to love me."Jhenea smiled. "When you love someone, you care for them and you defend that person so in this situation, I'm going to defend Anthony."Jhenea opened the folder.
In the folder, Jhenea held many text threads and phone call records. Pushed down in the bottom of her MK side bag were two flash drives that were full of phone conversations between Ximena and Anthony. It wasn't the smartest thing for Ximena to attempt to cross Anthony since Anthony was already planning to cross her. Anthony was making it pretty hard to believe that he had everything already planned out if shit did go left, but of course, he proved everyone fucking wrong.
Every single conversation up to the last one was recorded by Anthony just in case Ximena wanted to try some funny shit with him. He never deleted any text messages nor did he delete any call log information.
Ximena shifted in her seat anxiously not really knowing what Jhenea was going to pull out from the folder. The thought of Anthony now brushing all of the dirt he had on him onto her was really nerve wrecking.
Opening up the folder, Jhenea took all twenty four pages of message threads that were stapled together and placed in chronological order showing the flow of conversation betweem the two."January 12th, 2017 3:12 PM, Ximena says, 'Stay low for a little while, there has been heavy talk about you.' January 27th, 2017 9:48 PM, Ximena says, 'I have some new info, they think you were apart of that homicide on Vickson Dr.' Shall I keep going?"Jhenea looked up at her mother whose demeanor had now stiffened up and her face had drenched up into a scowl.
"Stop."Ximena stated sternly."I dont want to hear any more of it."Jhenea smiled in her seat while she basked in success. She only had to read nothing, but two messages and already had Ximena shifting in her seat. "How did you get those?"It didn't take much to jog Ximena's memory, she went through with the action so she should be able to remember it.
Closing the folder not even bothering to show her she had more information besides the text messages, Jhenea looked over at her mother. With a small chortle Jhenea rested her elbow onto the folder just in case Ximena tried to make any quick grabs of it. "Answer this first, what do you have on Anthony? I'm willing to spill all the dirt I have."
Ximena wasn't as gullible as she wanted to be for her daughter. She herself, began to chuckle uncontrollably now finding Jhenea completely amusing. "You think I believe you? You must really think I'm dumb? I may not have raised you, but while I was gone living the life I deserve without two pestering kids, I learned to never trust someone I just met."Ximena's words hurt herself more than it hurt Jhenea. It was evident that Jhenea had no interest in investing herself emotionally to her mother so all the awful things Ximena was capable to dish out, wouldn't inflict an ounce of pain onto Jhenea.
"Yes, but while you were gone being scandalous and manipulative, I learned to play my cards right, so I know not only are you playing both good cop and bad cop, but you're also doing insurance fraud. I see those couple hundred thousands have done you well and I'm sure Le'Cray is turning in his grave right now after seeing the bullshit you've bought yourself."Jhenea smirked as she once again filed through the folder pulling out a death certificate that was signed by Ximena and notarized by the courts of Louisianna.
Although Le'Cray was fairly alive, but in horrible conditions, Ximena had him pronounced dead so she could inherit his whole life insurance refund. Along with all that lump sum of money, Ximena also gained extra money due to Le'Cray's mental and physical issues. Basically, she was rolling in all his cash while he suffered in a small bedroom in her home while she fed him twice a day and bathed him once a week. In all actuality, if Le'Cray died today in that room, no one would know until the following week, thats how horrible he's treated.
Now that Ximena had successfully inherited Le'Cray's money, she was hoping that she could do the same for her second husband, John. But, in this case, she had no choice but to actually kill John due to how known he was. He couldn't be pronounced dead while he still went around the world preforming operations and participating in seminars. It would be to strange. Way to odd.
"I'm going to let that sink in and when your ready to talk—"Jhenea paused while she wrote down her number on a piece of paper. "get in contact with me."Ximena had no intentions on speaking to Jhenea, she made it very clear whose side she was really on.
Jhenea smoothly slid herself out of the booth gathering her MK bag along with her phone. "Keep in touch love, and visit my father's grave whenever you can."Jhenea smirked as she began making her exit out of the cafe.
As she stepped out into the sun, Jhenea let out a heavy breath that she had held captive within herself. "I handled that well."
Walking across the street where Ashton and Carson had migrated, Jhenea slid into the back seat. "You did good lil Ant, we proud of you."Carson praised from the driver's seat.
"Thank you."Jhenea smiled as she clicked her seat belt, a habit that she picked up ever since she began talking to Anthony, he always persisted on her wearing a seat belt.
"I did what I can."
"And once again we appreciate it, you officially thugged out now cause this ain't even half of it. We just fucking' with her mind now, but when shit get hectic now we know we can trust you to hold shit down." Ashton added causing Carson to agree right along with him.
"I'm just doing what I signed up for."She laughed lightly thinking back to when Anthony and her first started out.
__________________
"Where you at handsome?!"Jhenea shouted as she pulled the key out of the door shutting Anthony's house door behind her.
Slipping out of her olive green Creepers, she walked in her socks throughout the wooden tile floored house.
It had been a little over two days since Anthony has been home and he just wanted to learn how to adapt to things independently which is why he refused to go stay with his mother or Beylan. He also went ahead and changed his locks giving Jhenea the only spare key he had.
It wasn't nothing personal against Beylan nor his mother he just knew Jhenea was willing to let him be as independent as he could be and won't fault him for not asking for help when he did fuck up. "I'm in my room!"Jhenea heard Anthony shout back.
Following his voice, she arrived at the door frame of Anthony's dark room. "Why it look like death in here?"Jhenea walked further inside turning on the light allowing the TV to not be the only source of illumination.
"Don't fuck up the whole vibe with that highlighter pink in yo' head."He laughed as she sat up against the headboard.
Jhenea rolled her eyes. "Shut up you like it, stupid."
Anthony shook his head. "Nah, you stupid for getting that shit in you head."He continued causing Jhenea to laugh along with him. "But c'mere head ass, you missed me. I know you hate when you gone too long and away from me.."
Jhenea scrunched up her brows. "I know you just—"She laughed not even bothering to go at it with him. Anthony always did this, he'd play as if he didn't miss her just as much ad she did just for the hell of it. He knew he was fronting, but he also knew he wasn't always going to admit it. He had done enough of that when he was trying to get her back and now that she was back, he didn't have to do any of it anymore.
Jhenea shuffled her feet over to him where she stood at the side of the bed. "Stop playing son, you know you want this kiss I'm about to offer."
Jhenea mugged him. "From a crippled person? Nah, I think I'll pass."
Anthony glared at her, she had been calling him crippled lately and it always pissed him off. It was a sight to see on Jhenea's part. "Stop tryin' me bruh. I can cripple yo' ass to while I'm fuckin' crippled so tighten up." Anthony warned.
Jhenea laughed loudly not able to control it. "You're not that cute, but I'll give you a kiss for humor."Jhenea leaned over the bed hovering her lips over his. Everytime she'll lean in he'll move his head causing Jhenea to laugh. "Mason stop playing stubborn." Jhenea pouted. "I missed you handsome."
Anthony broke into a small smile at the sound of her complimenting his looks. "You lucky you gassing a nigga."He applied his lips onto hers a couple of times before biting on her bottom lip. "I ever told you I appreciate you?"The seriousness in his voice showed Jhenea that he was no longer in his playing mood, what he was about to say was about to be genuine.
"Yes you have, but I think I should hear it one more time."She smirked.
"I appreciate you."He peck her lips. "Everything about you, the intelligence, the stubborness, the generosity, even the attitude. Even though I be wanting yo snatch you up and jaw you in yo' pretty little face, just know I'm thinking of it in a lustful and loving way."He laughed while pulling her on top of him to straddle his waist.
Jhenea was hesitant due to him being so injured yet he was acting like he was perfectly fine. His side was still banadaged and he still had a cast on his leg along with the hair line fractures in his shoulder and arm. In the midist of all these injuries , he still managed to look nice with a fresh cut from Aven, and still was the unbelievable clean freak he is with the constant showers and constant change of clothes. And the fact that he was able to do majority of those things on his own without any help assured Jhenea that he'll be back in no time. "Gone head and sit beautiful, you straight."He assured her while her hips spreaded out on top of waist.
"You sure you're okay?"Jhenea searched his face for any discomfort while he shifted underneath her to find a comfortable position for the both of them. Of course if he was feeling uncomfortable, he'll try his best to cope so Jhenea wouldn't feel some type of way.
"I'm good baby, I promise."He gave her a reassuring look. Jhenea nodded before loosening up since she was tense at the fact that she could hurt him more.
Silence set in on the two as they took in each others presence. It was clear that the two loved each other, but it was so hard to say it to one another. Anthony did say it once and he meant it 110%, but it was said because he was in desperate need to get her back so he had to just put his pride aside. Now he found it hard to say to her because not only has he built up his pride again, but Jhenea had fucked up trust issues because of him so he didn't want to say it and she immediately dismisses it because she doesn't believe him. Jhenea was certain about how she felt about Anthony, but she was very uncertain about how she could trust him. They maybe back together, but even now she still feels something holding her back from letting her walls completely down for him again. It would just have to be a working process for them both.
Anthony let out a small yawn grasping Jhenea from her deep thoughts of him. "You're sleepy? I can go cook you something for when you wake back up."She immediately assumed that he was ready for some sleep.
Anthony shook his head. "No, you good. Just keep talkin' to me, I love the company."
Jhenea nodded as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I'm surprised you haven't asked about my little get together with Ximena."She prolonged conversation.
Anthony sighed nestling his head into her chest. "Whass' up wit' that nutty as bitch? "He honestly could care less about how he spoke of Ximena, nor did he care if Jhenea grew offended by it as well.
Feeling her chest vibrate due to her laughter. Jhenea played with the small fur hairs at the back of his neck. "She really thought I came on some reconciling shit. I simply gave her three minutes to speak and I made it super clear I wanted nothing to do with her ass. Babe you should have seen her face when I opened up that folder and began spilling stuff especially when I pulled out that death certificate."Jhenea sighed proudly at herself. "Then she had the audacity to try to hurt my feeling by calling me and Milan pestering children."
"That bitch crazy man. But don't stress no shit from her because at the end of the day, she trying' to get on yo' good graces not the other way around. She told you what she had on me? "
Jhenea shook her head. "Nope, she's smarter than we thought so Ashton and Carson was just trying to see how she'll react to all of this. Since she didn't react how we anticipated their on to the next stage, operation chicken head. Their thinking of black mailing her."They guys weren't willing to tell Jhenea the complete plan, but basically the objective of all this is to run Ximena insane than off her at the end. She fuck with everyone so it's time for her to be fucked with. The guys were afraid that if and when Jhenea heard that they were plotting to off Ximena, she'll grow an emotional connection and it would fuck up what they had going on. So they were just going to keep her in the dark as much as possible, Anthony's request.
"They some clowns."He laughed lowly."But all jokes aside, I don't you involved in none of this shit no more. You did yo' part and I appreciate it. Just hold me down from behind the scenes, I dont want you to be caught in any cross fire that's aimed at me. You got shit goin' for yo' self wit' college so just focus on that and let ya' mans work out'chea and I promise we gone shine together."
Jhenea lifted her head that was rested on top of his looking down at him. "You promise? " She held out her right pinky.
"I promise kid, we gone be shinin' out hea' together. "He enlaced his left pink into her's before pecking her lips.
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I literally pulled this chapter out of my ass, I had absolutely no preparation nor planning.
Hopefully it's not all that bad.
If it is, I apologize😒
If it's not, then you're welcome ❤