"Bring me my snickers bar from the front middle console!" I called out to Troy, my petty ass fiancé. He was bringing our luggage inside.
Between my asshole and Troy's balls being on fire, we didn't bother with it last night.
Two weeks of traveling with our son Tron was a handful. We literally got off the plane from New York, dropped him off to Troy's parents then made our way to a secret sex dungeon party.
We came home and thought we'd try out our lil' goodie bags.
That ended in a disaster.
Troy pissed me off. Talking about if we get married, I'd want to stop doing the things we do. Apparently, I'm not enough for him.
Now, he calls himself mad at me because I took my engagement ring off last night.
One thing about me is all you have to do is say the word, and I'm out.
"Did you hear me?" I yelled louder, getting no response. "Niggas," I mumbled to myself while carrying our now five-month-old son upstairs to change him. He's a good baby. He even slept the entire flight going and coming back from New York.
"My sweet boy." I cooed, making it up the stairs to his nursery.
Sometimes I find myself staring at him for no reason at all. Watching his little smile —his daddy's smile.
I wouldn't trade being a mom for anything in this world. With his bad little ass.
"That's funny? I'm funny too, you Tron?" I scrunched my face at the little farts he made while I laid him down to remove his clothing.
"Stinky butt, save that for daddy." I pulled the blanket back. "Make sure that's all you're doing in that diaper."
Troy and I are still unpacking our home. We haven't had a chance to put much together. Only the nursery, our bedroom, and the kitchen are furnished. Everything else was bare.
It took a few years to find the perfect first home. We wanted something close to my job and not too far from Troys first gym location.
It's a two-story, three bedrooms, two bath starter home. Nothing too big. We were able to get a good size backyard, and the neighbors aren't too close. I'm happy with it.
We could've gone bigger, but my weird-ass fiancé wanted to pay for it all. Like I don't have my own money.
In the end, it doesn't matter who paid, both of us own it. My name is on the deed too. Tuh!
I am happy about being out of his small two bedrooms, one bath bachelor pad. It was cute for a little while, but hell naw. I wouldn't do that again. It's too cramped and not in the best location.
I was able to make a smooth career transfer here in Atlanta. —Yep, I left everything behind to be with this nigga.
He irritates my soul, but I wouldn't want to do life with anyone else.
Believe it or not, I do want to spend the rest of my life with his annoying ass. But for us to get serious, we need to cut off the extras.
The crazy thing is I created it. Now Troy doesn't want it to be solely us anymore. He's afraid we'll grow stale. He was never one for monogamy before me.
We started innocent, crushing. That turned into buddies messing around when I came to town, or he came to see me. Later we were exclusively pursuing each other (around the time of Mike's engagement party). Then our threesomes.
I heard Troy traveling up and down the stairs making trips, bringing the bags up.
"Babe, what do you want for dinner? I'm putting him down to get started on it." I spoke loud enough for him to hear me. He walked in towards the nursery. "I hear those heavy feet of yours, Troy, and I know you hear me."
He finally made his debut, walking passed, pretending not to see me. He leaned over and picked Tron up from the changing station.
"Really?" I smiled humorously, turning to him directly with my face inches away from his.
He walked towards the door then turned to face me. I placed my hand on my hip, waiting for his response.
He shifted Tron on one side to dig his hand in his pocket. I watched seeing what he was about to do. He did a little smirk while pulling my snickers bar out of his pocket and tore it open with his teeth. "I'm not hungry."
He pulled the wrapper back and bit into it.
I sucked my teeth. "Dusty ass."
He took another bite, devouring half of the king-sized bar.
I rolled my eyes hard with thoughts of smacking it out his hands. Our son was his savior. "You ready to talk about our conversation from last night now, or are you gone continue being petty?"
"Are you ready to put your ring back on your finger, or are you gone just shut the f-u-c-k up?" He retorted sarcastically, mocking me in the same tone. This clown.
"Ok." I nodded, ready to play this game. "You want the floor in the living room or the floor in the guest bedroom tonight?" I retorted with options for his sleeping arrangements since we don't have much furniture yet. I'll be damned if he's taking that attitude back to our room.
"Hell naw. I'll see you in the room. I ain't put all this money in this house to sleep on this hard ass flo'." He mugged me up and down while taking another bite. And there it was. This is why he wanted to purchase the house solo. So he can say that.
"You're not cute, and I hope you choke." I pushed passed him, walking out of the room as he finished off my snickers.
Choke on this Deez-." He pointed down below with his tongue hanging out. Lame ass.
"If only your package was bigger, I'd be flattered. I'll stick with the other guy." I snapped back before I made my way to our bedroom to finally unpack.
While I unpacked, I felt my phone buzzing in my pocket.
It was my Lil cousin, Raina. I answered, "Hello?"
"Sooo, what happened last night?" I noticed she had me on speaker.
That meant Rai and A3 were ready to bust a gut. Let me stop that dog from hunting. Won't be clowning me."What did you hear?"
"I don't know, something about you and Troy in the room—" She tried to explain.
But I interrupted her. "Then that's what happened. Good day." I quickly hung up, laughing to myself.
Unpacking for three was already a bit much. I still needed to put something on for dinner.
After finally putting everything away, I made it downstairs to cook. I heard water running upstairs before I came down. Troys must've been bathing fat boy.
Opening the fridge, I made a mental note to go grocery shopping. We barely had anything worth putting together.
"Let me see what I can whip up without having to make a grocery run," I mumbled while sorting through the freezer and fridge.
I decided to go with something easy and quick, tacos.
I went ahead and got out my ground beef to run over some water to thaw.
As I was chopping up my seasoning and prepping toppings, my phone buzzed on the counter.
It was a text from the oversized gremlin upstairs.
5:47 PM
TroyBoo: I found your ring.
5:47 PM
Me: Never was lost, just off my finger.
The word bubbles popped up, then disappeared.
I focused on finishing dinner. He can stay in his feelings. I don't care. I will not put that ring back on until things change.
As soon I shook the taco seasoning in the pan with the fresh season and drained ground beef, the fumes permeated thought out.
After finishing and cleaning up behind, my phone vibrated again.
6:27 PM
Troy Boo: Tacos done yet?
6:28 PM
Me: MY tacos are.
I placed my phone down on the counter and went on to fix my plate. Even though this dude gets on my last nerves, I did manage to put his in the microwave.
While taking my plate over to the table, I heard footsteps down the stairs.
"Tronny man sleep?" I inquired as I walked to the fridge to pour me some lemonade.
"Knocked out cold." Troy scanned the stove and counters searching for food. "Cyrene, did you seriously only make enough for you?"
I didn't say a word. I poured my glass and kept it moving.
He glanced at me before walking over to the microwave above the oven. "I knew you were sprung over a nigga." He laughed, grabbing his plate.
"I shouldn't have fixed your dusty looking ass anything." I sat down in front of my plate to send up a silent prayer.
"Anyway," he sat his plate across from me. "I'll have my first client at the new gym tomorrow. She wants the full treatment. Meal plan and all."
Huh, did someone say something?
No?
Ok, cool.
"Mmm, " I moaned while ignoring him, biting into my softshell taco. Damn, I put my foot in these.
He cracked up loudly by himself with his weird-ass.
"Why you so mad, guhh?" He reached in and pecked my cheek. "I swear you too pretty for that."
"People tell me that all the time about being with you. But my dumbass is still here." I muttered, eating some nachos I had on another plate for us to share.
"You're way too hyped. It's not even serious like that. We have a new home, new baby, and both us have our dream careers." He sucked his teeth, "so ungrateful."
"You forgot to mention Ana." My eyes darted at him.
He sucked his teeth again and breathed our roughly. "This that bullshit. —Ana was your idea. Don't try to put all this on me. Besides, it's been a year since we've seen her."
He was right. As I said, I started our whole three's company, sexcapades. Before getting pregnant with Tron, I never took Troy to be the serious type. So I was open to it. We were on the same page with not putting stress on the relationship by committing to too much. But that was then. He now wants to continue.
Before me, he's never had to consider committing. When I say Troy, Mike, and A3 got bodies, they do. And I mean that. They grew up and left that life behind, but Troy never could fully let go.
He jokes around a lot and is very friendly. That's his personality. He's that way towards everyone. Which makes him not understand the important's of boundaries.
"We were invited to a party. Neither one of us knew what kind of event specifically. —I didn't realize the girl was into me until mid-conversation. After a few drinks." I stated while listening to him chew oh so incredibly loud.
"You weren't drunk."
"I was tipsy and horny." I countered.
"Ok, that excuses one out of the three nights with Ana." He shrugged, taking another bite then washing it down with his lemonade.
"You know what, it doesn't even matter. I don't want to do it anymore, period. Bottom line. If you can't agree to that, then get the fuck out of my life." I made it clear. I'm so not one for the bull.
"Aight, when you're walking around here with your lip long, don't say shit to me." He moved the nachos closer to him. "Y'all females thinking you got it like that. You' bossing up now?" He did a sarcastic laugh. "Gone be crying later."
"Grow up." I snatched the platter of nachos and my plate from the table and stood.
"Shit was too greasy anyway." He mumbled.
I walked over to the sink and slammed the plates in, making sure I sprayed and turned on the garbage disposal.
"Cyrene?" He stood up. "I was just playing man damn. Why you being so sensitive?"
I made my way upstairs. I grabbed a sleeping Tron from his room and carried him to my bedroom. I placed him in his little sleeper by the bed. Then I went over to lock the bedroom door. I'm so over this nigga.
After showering and brushing my chompers, I got my self ready for bed. I heard the doorknob jiggle. "I could be petty and take it off the hinge. But Ima' let you have this one."
I made my self comfortable in our Kingsize adjustable bed. I reached over to the nightstand to grab my headscarf. I noticed my snickers bar next to my engagement ring in the drawer.
He must've brought himself one when he got mine from the gas station on the way home.
See, he play too much.
****
Waking up in my bed after being in New York and then our disaster of a night, when we got back, was refreshing. Home sweet home.
"Good morning, sunshine." My son Tron sat on the bed, grinning like he always did. He cooed loudly, trying to talk. He said dada a couple of times, but it was never consistent.
I heard a knock on the door.
"Is that dada? I don't know, let's go see." I scooped Tron up to unlock the door.
"Don't ever lock me away from my son again." Troy snatched Tronny man from me without making eye contact. He turned and walked out the door.
I peeked out the room, noticing a blanket and pillow laid on the floor outside the bedroom.
Ok, maybe that was petty to lock the door, but he was pissing me off.
I took this time to shower and do something with my hair.
After getting out of the shower, I heard the door open. Troy came in. I tried covering up.
"I seen everything you got, don't start that shit." He grabbed his toothbrush and turned the water on, while staring at me through the fogged mirror.
I snatched my towel from the shower rod and wrapped it around me.
"I see you ate that snicker bar in the nightstand." He manages to say while moving the toothbrush around in his mouth.
"A metaphor of our relationship. You don't take anything seriously. Everything's a joke. We'll see who's laughing last." I pushed past him making him choke.
I heard Tron making noises through the baby monitor. I looked at the screen. He was in his crib, hitting his stuff elephant.
"You need some dick?" Troy came in scratching at his beard while yawning.
I grabbed my lotion from the nightstand.
"I'm serious. If you need it before you go to work, let me know now." He walked closer to me.
"Not from you, I don't." I opened the jar and placed the lid on the bed.
"You won't find better. I promise you that." He took a seat next to me.
"Already have." I smiled at my phone to piss him off.
He shot up from the bed and grabbed it. As if I would ever leave evidence behind. Ladies are never that dumb.
"You just mad about some old shit we did a year ago. I told you to set a date for the wedding. If you want an old people relationship like A3, Mike, Chance, and Mina go head. I'll do it. I already said I would." He shrugged.
"Gee, thanks I always dreamed it to be this way. And you always mention Ana being my idea, but you never brought up the fact that I saw the way you were with her." I smoothed the lotion in my face and hands.
He turned toward me. "That shit is old. We cut it off. Why you still bringing it up? If anything, we would've gone with a completely different girl if you wanted to continue. But since you don't, let's drop it."
He doesn't get it.
"We stopped because I got pregnant—"
"That plus, if you don't want to do it, then we won't." He grabbed the lotion from me and motioned for me to put my legs on him.
I sighed. The point is Troy desires someone else. I'm not enough. He's settling.
"Why did you propose? Was it only because I was pregnant with Tron?"
He dug his hand in the jar and smoothed the lotion out. "Because you're the only one I know that can put up with me. I can lay my head down at night and know you won't do some slick shit. I trust you enough to mother my kids. I don't want to be alone forever."
He swapped legs as he continued going down the list. Some might think his reasons aren't enough, but I appreciate honesty over all that cute romantic stuff.
"You don't get all emotional when I roast yo' Lil knocked knees ass. —My mama loves you. I'm her only child. So that's saying a lot. —You're a twin. That betters my chances of getting a set. Even though your sister gets on my last nerves. —You're double-jointed, and I can pick you up." His hands crept up to my thighs.
"What about love?" I stopped him from going any further.
"It takes more than that to want to be around somebody every day. But I do love you. You push me in ways no other girl has ever come close to doing. "
This is why I love him back. But he might have to remind me of this everyday because I swear I'm one foot out the door.
"Will you put your ring back on? It wasn't cheap, to be having it out everywhere laying around." He leaned and kissed my shoulder and whispered. "You smell good."
"You don't. So go shower." I dipped my shoulder, causing his head to drop. Then I placed the lotion back on the dresser and got up to get dress.
Hell no, I'm not putting that ring back on. Not until I feel like I'm enough.
💜💚💜💚
🖇Here's another chapter peeps! I hope you like it. 🤞🏾 (These two are a mess).
🖇Don't forget to vote, share, and comment, PLEASE!