A look into Michael and Semaj's house so y'all don't be asking me questions, lmao.
Sierra Lannister
Alicia Cruze
Shelby Berry
***
Semaj's POV
"Melanie Harris," the physical therapist said as she held out her hand for me to shake. I did and returned the warm smile I was given. I was supposed to meet with her a little over a week ago but being that it was our first weekend with Mimi I had decided to reschedule.
I pointed to her hair. "I love the blonde."
"Oh, thank you. It's straight out of the box," she chuckled and reached to close the top of the laptop that was in front of her.
"Really? And you did it yourself?" She nodded, and I was impressed. "That's a really good job."
"Thanks. It's better than paying seventy or eighty for a dye job here in L.A. Who did yours?"
"Oh, I paid to get it down this way. I had a lighter blonde in it, but after a while it started to get old. I needed something new, but I didn't want to be entirely black, so this was the next closest thing. My man likes it blonde though."
"Girl, they always like something that they don't have to wear." She waved me off, playfully rolling her eyes and I nodded in agreement.
"Okay," she grabbed the manila folder that she had to the side of her computer and opened it, grabbing a pen from the rose gold holder on her desk that matched the theme of her office.
"I've had plenty of patients come through with knee fractures, so this isn't something I haven't seen before and I'm well accustomed to dealing with it. Your elbow included. So, today I'm just going to ask you a series of questions-simple really-how your pain is, does it vary, when is it high or low, and then we're going to have your initial examination. From there I'll decide your course of treatment; how often you should visit, exercises to do on the days you don't have therapy, etcetera."
"Sounds great," I nodded and stood up from the seat I was sitting in across from her desk. I pointed to the brace I wore on an everyday basis except when I was sleeping or if I didn't plan on getting out of the bed much during the day. "Should I keep this on or? Doctors recommendation."
"No, it should be fine. You can remove it. We'll work slow just to see where you are."
I nodded again and bent down to remove the brace from my knee, slipping it down my exposed calf and off my ankle. I already knew what to wear, having done physical therapy before, so I had on an oversized t-shirt and a pink pair of biker shorts.
The questions didn't take long at all about ten minutes at most and then we moved on to seeing how well my knee and elbow did with the exercises. My arm I didn't have much problems with. I was able to throw, catch, bend, extend-whatever. But the real challenge was my knee. As long as I didn't but hard pressure on it, it was fine. But the minute she had me trying to balance myself on my bad leg was when I realized my knee wasn't as healed as I had thought.
By the end of my session I had sweat more than I intended-or thought I would-because my knee was giving me that many problems. I guess I had babied it way too much in the brace the Orthopedics doctor had required.
"So, with all knee injuries certain exercises or movements with certain muscles can be a challenge. Some people wonder why they can do some movements without pain and others it hurts like hell, but it's just the way the bones line up and which muscles were affected by the injury, so I don't want you to worry to much about it." She explained when we were back in her office in the back area of the therapy center. I was reattaching my brace to my knee.
"So, let's stick with three times a week for your knee and two of those three we'll also work on your elbow, though it seems your arm is healing very well and so is the function."
"At least one of the two are doing good. I half-expected my knee to give me some trouble. It's always the one that hurts the most."
"Which is common so it's perfectly fine to feel that way," she glanced at me and smiled before tapping away on the computer she had opened up. "So, we can do Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and then as you progress we can do it every other week and then continue on from there. Is that okay?"
I nodded again and once we figured out a good enough time-eight in the morning-I was leaving out of the building. It was almost 11 o'clock and I still needed to go to my apartment that Michael and I agreed to keep-just until my lease was up-to shower and change before going up to surprise him at his job.
Today was his 28th birthday and also his first family court hearing for the custody battle. And today the Judge would hear both sides and either throw the case out or allow it to flow through the system. If the latter was the case, then that meant Michael would have to take the entire ordeal of a custody battle on his back which could consist of a thousand things. We'd have someone coming out to the house to investigate/inspect, his lawyer said both of us would be asked questions, drug-tested, and amongst other things, too.
I was fine with it, knowing that the last time I smoked was probably well over a year ago. Michael being about the same. And neither of us were scared either. We would never hurt Camille and our home was practically what all parents dreamed of raising their child in.
What we were most upset about was that we would have to go through it at all, but Camry was adamant on proving a tasteless point.
"Hey Lina," I said once I was in the car and had it started up. She'd called me while I was in therapy, so I was just returning the call. "What's up?"
"Hey, I tried to call ya boy to tell him Happy Birthday and he didn't answer. Does that mean what I think it mean?"
I sighed. "Yeah," I mumbled. "They judge probably approved the case to go forward. Damnit."
"Bruh how? That's fucked up. He ain't gon hurt that baby." She was at work snacking on something. "Now that mama? That's a different story."
"He wouldn't hit Camry," I shook my head, but Lina gave me a look.
"I ain't say he would, but you about her size. Fuck her ass up."
"That's one of her arguments now," I rolled my eyes. It was a whack one at that.
"That you tried fightin her when she was pregnant? We thought her ass was lyin'! If I wasn't into that jumpin' shit I woulda got in and started whoopin her ass too." Lina kissed her teeth as she looked at her phone screen. I started backing out of my parking space as she said, "Damn I ain't been inna fight in a min. My hands shakin from lack of contact."
I laughed, putting the car in drive. "I hope your child comes out like Tucker. I really do."
Michael's POV
I picked up the phone to call Semaj again, but she ain't answer. Once I heard her voicemail I hung up. It was goin on a lil' passed one o'clock and I knew she should've been out of therapy, so it was buggin' me that she wasn't picking up the phone.
Then I thought maybe she called while I was down at family court and Hailey ain't relay the message. I used my office phone to call Hailey but got no answer. The minute I got up to go and see if Hailey was sittin at her desk, my office door opened and in walked Camry like she paid a bill or owned a share in my damn company.
And since my child wasn't in her arms I knew that she knew she ain't have no damn business in my building.
"Yo, how the fuck you get back here?"
She let the door close as she answered. "There was no one at the desk to stop me. I came to talk to you because you left out of the courtroom fast and I was trying to catch up to you."
"That's the point on me gettin the fuck outta there. So, I ain't gotta talk to you."
"Can we talk like adults for this one time?"
I laughed at her. Straight in her damn face.
"Oh, now you wanna talk this shit out like adults? But when Semaj was tryna put her pride to the side you said fuck that."
"Yeah, because fuck her. She doesn't give a damn about Camille and you know that Michael. There's nothing she could say to make me think otherwise."
"Get out, man. 'Cuz you full of shit and honestly I ain't tryna hear it. Not today."
Camry looked around my office and then back at me. "Where is she?"
"Don't yo ass gotta job?"
"It is your birthday."
"You comin' here to start shit?"
"I'm just saying," she shrugged and folded her arms. I licked my lips and walked to the front side of my desk and leaned in the middle of it. Camry was standing a few feet away, between the two chairs I kept across from my desk. "It's your birthday and you're at work. Alone at that because it's like a ghost town out here." Her thumb pointed behind her.
"You needa be at your damn job. And I'm tired of talking, so if you don't say why the fuck you here in the next five seconds I will personally escort your ass out."
She took a deep breath and held up her hands. "Since our current visitation agreement stays put-until the courts come to their senses that is-I need to know if it's okay if I have Camille this coming weekend? We're going to visit Eric's grandparents and some of his other family in Georgia and I want her to come with us."
"Nah," I shook my head. "Y'all have fun though."
"What do you mean no?"
I stood straight from leanin' on the desk. "Just what the fuck I said."
"And why not?"
"Y'all visitin' Eric's family. That ain't got shit to do wit my child. They don't wanna see her, knowin that she's only around 'cuz you stepped outta your marriage to him. So, the answer is no. Hell no."
"Wasn't she around Semaj's sister? Her cousin Lina? Cut the bullshit Michael and just say you don't like Eric and you don't want her to go."
"I ain't even say all of that. If I ain't like or trust Eric he wouldn't be around my damn child. I don't know his fuckin' family. I don't know how they move, and Camille is my responsibility. Wit that bein' said I will have her this comin weekend regardless if you go on the trip or not. Is that it? A'ight, now get out."
"Michael-"
"Ima say this once. I have been accommodating, nice, and considerate. I been real patient wit you because you Camille's mother, but what you not finna do is walk up in here like you run shit because I can't deal with it anymore. I'm tired. So, whatever you gotta say save it cuz I ain't tryna hear it. But lemme tell you this. If you even step foot in them doors downstairs again to try and come to my office, unless I send for you, Ima be sure to take some legal action out on you 'cuz at this point it's straight up harassment."
She looked at me in disbelief. "Seriously? This is what-"
"Yeah, seriously. Cuz I'm sick of yo shit. Do not talk to me unless it concerns Camille's wellbeing. No, you can't have her on my weekend, no I will not switch days with you, no to whatever the hell you thinkin bout fixin your mouth to say to me. Don't say shit to me. If you got anything to say you are welcomed to call my lawyer because this, us, is over. I tried bein nice. I tried to have a simple relationship with you but you pushin me."
"I'm pushing you? You wanna yell at me about this but did you forget what or better yet who is the reason we're in this in the first place? You beat a man half to death over a woman who left you, so yes! Yes, I believe you're unfit for that because you almost threw away your entire life. You almost lost your daughter over someone who probably doesn't even care that much about you, but is back with you because it's in her best interest."
"I almost lost my daughter? You tryna fight me right now. If you was so adamant on me not losin her you got a funny ass way of showing it because you tryna take her from me now! And that right there," I laughed. "That validates everything I already knew."
"And what's that?"
"You don't give a fuck about what I did or who I did it to. You only care about who I did it for. But don't blame Semaj, Cam." I took a step toward her and she took an unintentional one back. I was tired of sparing her feelings for the sake of preventing an awkward relationship since she was Camille's mother. "You have this idea that if Semaj wasn't in the picture me and you would be a thing. Or there would be a possibility of a me and you. Lemme tell you right now, hell could freeze and there wouldn't be a me and you. Because you Camry... are my biggest mistake."
I turned and grabbed my lawyer's card I kept on my desk for quick reference. I grabbed her wrist and gave her the card. "Anything you gotta say to me, don't. Say it to him instead."
She took one look at the card before scowlin' and throwing it in my face. She turned to walk off as I spat sharp words at her through a grit in my teeth. "And if I win this-when I win this-you will never see Mimi again if it's up to me."
Camry turned to look at me giving me an amused look. She scoffed. "She needs a mother Michael. Don't be stupid."
"And she'll have one."
Her expression fell and then hardened as she gritted a sharp, "Fuck you."
I saluted her with a sly smile on my face. "Never again."
She left outta my office, slamming the door behind her, and I went to pick up my phone to try Semaj again. It was the same thing though, but this time instead of ringing it went straight to voicemail. I stood there for a few seconds and left out of my office and Camry was right. What was usually a bustling area was damn near a ghost town.
Confused as to why I was paying muthafuckas to work and they weren't working, I walked toward the lounge room. I saw the head of one of my employees poke out of the door and then back inside quickly. That made me mad suspicious.
I pushed the door open ready to cuss everybody out for fucking with my money when an offkey Happy Birthday started to be sung and I noticed my Semaj standing in front of everyone, holding an oversized cupcake in her hand with the candles at the top. A 2 and an 8.
She walked slowly toward me, cupping the lit candles with one hand so it wouldn't blow out. She stopped about two feet in front of me and I gave her a look that only made her smile harder as everyone sung happy birthday.
"So, this is why you wasn't pickin' up your phone?" I asked once everyone stopped singing and those around us laughed.
If wasn't for the crowd I woulda said somethin' a lil' different 'cuz she was lookin too damn good. Semaj was always a conservative dresser, but when she wanted to show skin and curves she did. And damn was she showin' out today. Her dark brown hair was curled, she had on glittery eyeshadow-somethin she knew I liked seein' on her-and the skin tight chestnut brown dress hugged her hips just right.
I could wait for her to turn around, so I could get a look of that ass. And so I could catch that glimpse sooner rather than later, I leaned forward wit a lil' smile on my face and blew out the candle.
"What did you wish for?" Hailey's excited voice asked behind Semaj, but my eyes were still glued to her.
"At at, don't answer that. If you do whatever you wished for won't come true. Here, take your cupcake," Semaj smiled and I took the cupcake. She turned around to walk back toward the table that had a bigger sheet cake on it with an array of untouched food.
But my eyes left from the food and landed right to her rounded ass in the tight dress. Gotdamn.
"I just wanna let all y'all know that you're fired," I playfully announced but my voice and face were serious.
Everyone looked at me and Semaj-who was cuttin the sheet cake so her back was to me-kissed her teeth loudly.
She turned with the butter knife in her hand. "No one is fired," she said makin some of my employees laugh nervously. "I promise."
That calmed everyone down then I got a bunch of Happy Birthdays, a card which had been signed by a lot of people, and a gift basket with a bunch of shit I ain't even eat but I saw Semaj peaking her big head in it, so it was probably something in there that she wanted.
I looked down at my watch. "I appreciate this everybody, enjoy the food, conversation, if you need me I'll be in my office. I got a couple of calls to make."
Semaj turned from talking to one of my employees, but before she could stop me I eased right out the room and went back to my office. A few minutes later she was coming in my office too with a plate of food, the gift basket, another birthday bag, and a cold drink in between her arm.
"Calls my ass," she rolled her eyes at me and I smiled. "Just say you didn't want to be in there."
"You know I hate bein' around people like that."
"I know," she kissed her teeth as she sat the basket and birthday giftbag down. Then she leaned across my desk and placed the paper plate and can in front of me. "You've been a loner since I met you."
"I think I got a lil better..."
"No," she laughed and grabbed the giftbag she had sat down and walked around the desk to the side of my chair. She held the bag out to me. "You get worse with age. Happy Birthday."
I leaned back in my chair while Semaj moved my plate and drink over a lil before taking a seat on my desk. She crossed her leg revealing a slit in the dress and the brace that covered her knee. She hissed as she did it, and I raised my eyebrow.
"It's a little sore," she answered my nonverbal question. "I'm fine. Open your gift."
It was a lil red bag with sparkling giftpaper coming out at the top. I removed it and brought out the frame. In the shape of a heart were red footprints about Mimi's size. Then red painted hand prints were on either side of the heart she'd made with her feet. At the top in Semaj's neat cursive she'd written Happy Birthday, Daddy! And at the bottom it said Love Mimi.
"You like it? She had a blast playing in the paint with her hands and feet."
I nodded, smiling as I stared at the gift. I looked up at Semaj. "That explains the red bathwater she was in when I woke up last week."
"Yup," Semaj laughed. "I had to wash away the evidence. I'm glad you like it."
"I love it" I got up from my chair to kiss her, but with my eyes closed, and me leaning in her lips ain't meet mine.
Instead I felt, and tasted, the soft buttercream icing of the cupcake I brought with me into the office. My eyes flashed open and Semaj was cracking up. Her finger tapped my nose, taking off some of the icing and she ate it.
"Mmm," she moaned. "So good."
My eyebrow raised. "Oh yeah? You want some more?"
She nodded leaning in, "I do."
I wiped what was on my face right on to hers just when she thought I was gonna kiss her.
"How's that for that ass? What's wrong with you girl?" I laughed as she licked her lips to eat the icing. She was cracking up a storm while I grabbed a napkin to wipe my face clean.
"Is there some on my nose?" Her soft voice asked, and I shook my head. I nodded when she asked, "what about my lip?"
Her tongue curved to lick her lips and what she didn't get I used a napkin to clean her face.
"Dab, Mike, dab. I have on makeup and I took my time. Don't mess it up."
"Chill," I laughed and finished cleaning her off. Then I kissed her lips. "Where my gift at from you?"
"Oh, now you want a gift? Any other time you're like 'don't buy me anything blah blah blah', so now you want a gift?"
She was lookin at me the same way I was lookin at her. "Stop playin' with me Sey."
She threw her head back and laughed before shakin her head.
"My present is going to be few days late," she said not givin' me no types of hints as to what it would be. Then her legs unfolded and her good one wrapped around one of my legs as I stood in front of her. "In the meantime, I have something for you tonight."
"We got Mimi tonight," I reminded her. Camry had her over the weekend, so I would have her for today and Tuesday. "Remember what happened last time?"
"Mmmm.... I forgot," she whispered and pecked my lips. "Looks like you'll have to wait until Wednesday night."
"I don't think I can wait that long Sey. I'm tryna make our son right now."
She laughed and shook her head. "We're not making anything until..." She flashed her hand and wiggled her naked ring finger.
"Is that right?"
"If you think I'm having a baby out of wedlock Mr. Jackson you are sadly mistaken."
"Say the words Sey. The courthouse ain't too far from here."
She leaned in and pecked my lips. "I'm all for being your wife on paper again, and I have no doubt that we'll make it this time, but I still want to take things slow. That doesn't mean I don't believe in us though, okay?"
I nodded, our faces barely an inch a part. She was staring at me with those brown eyes I loved on her so much. "I hear you."
"And I want you to know something else, too. I know you have a lot on your plate and I know, judging by the fact that you haven't been picking up your phone to everyone that's calling to tell you happy birthday, how things went at the court today. They can do what they want, but when it comes time for you tell your truth they'll know you're an amazing father. An amazing person. Just like I do. I just want you to know that I got you. You know how you say you always got me? Well, I got you too. No matter what."
"Forreal?" I smiled, just playing with her. "You got me?"
"Like Whitney had Bobby."
"Ooh," I laughed. "Shit, that strong huh?"
She pulled me closer by my tie which wasn't much distance. "That strong, baby. Happy Birthday."
Semaj's POV
I stayed at the office with Michael for majority of the day. I missed working and until I had my meeting with my boss Wednesday morning I had found solace in helping Michael out at work.
Working with Michael though-and I suppose it was a defense mechanism too-kept the incident with Jason in the far corners of my mind, though I would look at myself in the mirror and sometimes be reminded of the bruises I used to see every day for weeks.
Though they were now healed, I tried not to think about them as much, but was soon forced to remember what happened to me when the New Orleans prosecution attorney called my phone.
Michael was closest to it being that it was in my purse on the table and I was standing in front of the middle island.
We'd bought some food on the way home since it took longer to get Mimi. Michael had told me about the choice words he and Camry had, and it was obvious he was sticking to what he said about wanting nothing more to do with her unless it pertained to Camille. So, Eric ended up being the one to meet us at Michael's job at five o'clock to drop of Mimi.
But he didn't say a word to Michael. Instead he handed her over to me and just like that got back in his car and drove off. Michael didn't seem to care, but I'd read in plenty of parenting books when I was pregnant with Summer that babies could feel vibes, for lack of a better term. They sensed danger, happiness, and even fear better than adults did.
And honestly, I felt bad for Mimi because she was just an innocent baby caught in the middle of her parents' mess. Well, Camry's mess since she decided to be a petty baby mother and walk around with a chip on her shoulder.
"Sey," Michael's voice snapped me out of my thoughts, my head lifted, and I turned around. He held my phone out to me. "It's the prosecution attorney."
"What did she say?"
He shook his head. "It's somethin 'bout the case. She won't tell me. Only you."
I took the phone from his hand, nodding, and then putting it on speaker. "Hello?"
"Is this Semaj Jackson?"
"This is she."
"Hi Mrs. Jackson. This is Sharon Isley the prosecution attorney for the aggravated assault case against Jason Lewis."
"Yes, what can I do for you?"
The woman wasted no time cutting straight to the point.
"I know what I'm about to ask you will be hard for you to do, but when it comes to aggravated assault cases proving beyond a reasonable doubt is necessary for there to be a conviction. I've seen your photos, and I thank you for releasing your medical records to me as well, but what would really help me is if you were to come and testify."
The word testify had Michael getting up from the table and snatching the phone out my hand. "Y'all want her to do what?"
"Mr. Jackson will you please allow me to speak to-"
"She can hear you. You're on speaker. Now answer my damn question. What the fuck y'all need her to get up there for?"
"In domestic violence cases-ones that lead to felonious charges like this- where there are no eye witnesses, no 9-1-1 recordings, or surveillance tapes a victims testimony can be a crucial part to the indictment. The hotels floor cameras are not as reliable as we'd hoped as they're are inconsistencies with the company's servers, and I need her to put him in the room. If she testifies about what happened that night, it'll be the nail in his coffin and I want her to put him away."
"As much as that hotel charges a fuckin' night and you tellin me they cameras ain't reliable? That's bullshit." Michael turned to look at me and I couldn'r really say anything. I just looked up at him and his eyes lowered. "No, she ain't about to testify. Y'all got the photos, the hospital records, he did that shit and you know it. So does his damn attorney."
"Yes, I do know, but when it comes to the eyes of the law everything is based on beyond a reasonable doubt. And not all the time, when it comes to domestic violence, is the law fair. If she testifies that will be all I need to put him away for ten years at least."
"She would have to see him."
"I could fight so she doesn't. I could try and get a video recording, but Mr. Lewis' lawyer will fight me on it. They'll try and make it so she has to physically be in the courtroom. I will try to be as much of an advocate for her as I can, but either way it's a high possibility that I will need her to testify."
Before Michael could say anything, I walked the few steps closer to him and asked, "if I testify he'll be put away?"
"I'll make sure of it," Sharon promised. "Look I'll give you a few days to think about it. In the meantime, I'll try my best to see if we can get a video testimony. Also I find it fair to warn you if you refuse to testify either way his defense may very well subpoena you to attend trial."
In my eyes that would only make it worse. It made me wonder if I chose not to testify would they throw the whole case out? Would Jason get off scot-free with what he did to me?
"How long can we have?" I asked softly, looking into Michael's pleading eyes as he knew I would testify if it came down to it. He was begging me not to.
"Two days is all I can give you. I'm sorry."
"Okay," I took the phone from Michael's hand. "Thank you, Sharon."
"No problem," she said before the line disconnected. I hung up and placed the phone on the table. I turned to look at Michael who was both angry and upset.
"If I testify-" His eyes darted in my direction and he shook his head.
"You not 'bout to do that."
"Did you not hear her? Whatever defense he has is obviously so good that they need my testimony. If I don't testify Michael, he might be like you. He might get off on a few years of probation and some community service. What good would that be? What if he loses his temper with another woman but kills her that time? I can't have that on my shoulders."
"And you seeing him again?" He raised his eyebrow. "How in the hell does that shit help you? 'Cuz it fucking doesn't. And I know they ain't gon let me be there with you. My P.O. ain't finna have it."
"Lina will be right there. You know that. And I'm sure Tucker and Aaron will be, too."
He eyed me for a long minute. "So, I guess this is you tryna tell me you gon testify?"
I nodded, and his jaw clenched. But before he could argue with me about it we heard Camille's cry through the baby monitor. She had fell asleep during the ride home and was just now waking up.
"Go hold your baby," I kissed his lips gently. He growled but walked off and I sat down at the table.
I tried putting on a front for Michael. I knew testifying was the right thing to do, but I couldn't deny the fact that the thought of seeing Jason again scared me out of my mind.
***
I was washing dishes, trying to take my mind off the prosecutors call when I heard the sound of the intercom beeping which meant that someone was at the gate. I was awfully confused seeing as Michael and I didn't have any adult friends in California that we were comfortable enough with to invite over. And my grandma wasn't going to drive here unannounced, so I was caught off guard.
There were two intercoms. One in the master bedroom and the other in the kitchen where I was. Michael probably had his hands full with Mimi, so I shook the sudsy water off my hands and went over to it. I pressed down the button.
"Who is it?"
All I heard was Shelby's familiar voice screaming. "Y'all got moneeeeeyyy!"
Then SiSi came through. "Open the gate, fool."
"Yeah!" Alicia co-signed. "I wanna see the house!"
I quickly punched in the code doing a half run out of the kitchen and toward the front door. I swung open the door and went outside watching as the car came up the driveway and into the roundabout where Michael and I had our cars parked. Which we should've been pulling into the garage pretty soon since it was late.
Within a few seconds they all jumped out of the car running over to embrace me in a tight hug.
"What are y'all going here?!" I screamed. With excitement of course.
"Well after we heard what happened we wanted to come and visit because it's been a minute since we've all been around each other. And when Michael called me-" Shelby stopped when I waved my hands.
"Michael called you?"
"Not only called girl, he's the one who flew us out here." Her head lifted as she looked at the house behind me. "Look at this! Damn, girl."
"I know right?"
"Well we just gonna stand here or are you going to show us around?"
"Y'all already saw the house," I said as Alicia gently pushed me back toward the front door. "I showed y'all on FaceTime."
"Yeah!" SiSi exclaimed. "Like two years ago. Now we wanna see it in person!"
"Okay, okay. How long are y'all staying?"
"A week... Yeah, a week." Shelby nodded, looking at Alicia for clarification. "Michael said we could stay here. Is that okay with you?"
"Of course," I nodded. "It's a six-bedroom property. It's four bedrooms here in the main house and the guest house near the lake has two bedrooms, but you guys can stay in the main house."
"Main house, guesthouse, lake. My pockets are screaming broke," SiSi laughed and I nudged her with my shoulder as we walked inside the house. Alicia was the last to walk in so she closed the door behind her.
"How many floors?" SiSi asked as we ascended the grand staircase.
"Two. The staircase heading down from the foyer is to the wine cellar. And I'm not sure why they made the stairs this elaborate," I chuckled as we rounded up before stopping when we reached the inside terrace. It was a large open room much like our living room that was downstairs.
We had a full bar and right across from that full bar was the terrace-level wine cellar that Michael kept his collectable old bottle of wines that we popped open when it was really a special occasion and since I had come back it looked as if he'd built on his collection.
Though sometimes being around those old white investors and businessman they often gifted him with old wines.
"So over here," I said once we reached the living room area of the terrace. "Is kind of like our den. We try to get people out of our formal living room downstairs and if the baby wants to play then we'll bring her up here. Out there is the fireplace. It only overlooks the trees, but during the fall it's really pretty and peaceful. Then, down either side of the hallway from the staircase is the two bedrooms on this floor."
We went back downstairs, through the kitchen, to the other side of the house where Michael had a little bit of construction done. Nothing major but the spa and small gym that were in the house were no more. He'd broken down the walls and expanded the theatre from the 12 seats that it was before to 24.
"A damn theatre," Alicia said in disbelief when I opened the French doors that lead into the theatre. Somewhat of a Fox Theatre replica. Michael was such an old head at heart. "Y'all have y'all own theatre."
"Half of it used to be a gym and a spa, but Michael had the walls torn out and added more seats to the theatre. He even made a little makeshift concession stand," I pointed to the glass shelves filled with ready to eat snacks.
"Are those real?" Shelby asked pointing to the box of skittles. "Or just for show."
"It's all real. You guys can take whatever you want. He has yet to get his drink machine he wants so bad so if you want something to drink, or eat, we can go back to the kitchen." They all nodded, grabbing some candy and because I had a sweet tooth I grabbed some chocolate. It would melt in my mouth better than anything else and I was still eating on soft foods though I'd chewed on some chicken earlier when Michael and I ate dinner.
We were all sitting at the kitchen table, talking, drinking (water for me), and eating the candy we'd gotten out of the theatre when I decided to tackle the elephant in the room.
"You guys have been here for almost an hour and if you want to ask me then go ahead."
Shelby looked at me smacking on a purple Now and Later. "Ask you what boo?"
"About me and Michael," I turned looking at the kitchen exit then back to them. "I told y'all he cheated and that he has a baby and now we're back together. So, I know you guys might have questions."
"Uh uh Semaj," Sisi spoke up shaking her head. "That's your relationship. It doesn't have anything to do with us."
"Yeah, are you happy?" Alicia asked, and I nodded.
"Then that's all we care about," Shelby finished.
I felt huge relief seeing their warm smiles as they looked at me and nodded my head. "Thanks. I appreciate it. So, I've showed you my house, we've talked a little bit about me. What's going on with you guys?"
"Girl," Alicia rolled her eyes. "Working. But I love my job, so I'm not complaining, but this adult life is truly for the birds sometimes."
We all agreed to that then SiSi said, "I just got a job as a paralegal at this new firm. The one I was telling you about when I visited you a few months ago? I'm hoping that once I take the bar they'll offer me a full job."
"See? I told you, you would get it. You were tripping over nothing," I gently shoved her shoulder closest to me and she smirked, flipping her hair.
"And Shel, how about you?"
"I don't even know honestly. I thought since I didn't find my fit after we graduated from Duke, getting my masters would help, but even with two accredited degrees under my belt I still haven't found a suitable internship or one that's not in the middle of a foreign city."
"Did you apply to Michael's company?"
"Yeah," she nodded. "I never got a call back, so I thought maybe he decided not to look at me."
"He wouldn't have done that," I shook my head. "I can get him and you and him can talk if you want."
She shook her head. "No, no, that's okay. He's at home with his baby the last thing he's thinking about is work. And I don't want you to think I'm trying to use you for your husband."
"Shel, you were my friend-one of my closest friends-before you even found out who my husband was. Plus, working in this economy it's all about who you know, so if I can put you on then-" I stopped when I heard the sound of Michael's dragging feet coming into the kitchen.
My eyes worked from the floor up of his navy-blue dad house shoes, to the pair of gray sweats, up to his white V-neck t-shirt. I didn't even notice earlier because he had on a shirt and tie that he had on his gold chain necklace I'd gotten him years ago. My trance was slightly broken as the girls gave him a simultaneous Happy Birthday shout out.
"Thank you," he chuckled as he came in closer. Mimi was right behind him. He looked back at him. "And excuse me for interruptin' somebody got a little thirsty."
I stopped looking him up and down as if he was something to eat-which he was-and smiled. "Actually, we were just talking about you."
He'd grabbed the almond milk out of the refrigerator and one of Mimi's sippy cups from the cabinet. He turned to look at the four of us sitting at the table.
"Oh?" He laughed. "Wassup?"
"Well," I looked at Shelby and she shook her head. I rolled my eyes and turned back to look back at him. "Shelby applied to work as an intern under your company. You know for the developmental program?" He nodded. "And she was overlooked. Never got a call."
By then he had capped the bottle and handed it off to Mimi. With her head back and cup in her mouth she padded her small feet my way. I picked her up and placed her on my lap.
"I didn't look at the applications for the IDP this year. I had too much on my plate, so I delegated." He looked at Shelby, "and nobody called you back?"
She shook her head. He hmphed and his fingers tapped on the counter. Then he lifted an eyebrow. "You got a resume on you?"
Her eyes widened and she stuttered over her words. "Um, it's on my phone... if that's okay?"
"Yeah," he smiled. "Lemme see."
Shelby wasted no time getting up to go and show him her resume. While they talked about her credentials Alicia and SiSi were smitten with the baby in my arms, but Mimi was being her same old standoffish self just like her daddy. After a few minutes though she did give them some smiles, a few giggles, and even let Alicia touch her hand but only for a second.
Then I heard Michael say, "Give me a week and somebody will be calling you to set up everything in stone, and even though it ain't on paper yet I can definitely get you in for a position startin next quarter. October."
Then he was coming to steal Mimi away from me after a series of thank you's from Shelby. Who eventually came back to the table with a pep in her step and a wide smile on her face.
I kissed Mimi on her cheek before she was back in Michael's arms. "Y'all ladies have a good night."
Simultaneously the three of them sang bye Michael followed by SiSi's loud shout of thanks before we were all turning back to each other.
"You're the goat Maj," Shelby looked at me shaking her head. "Thank you."
"No problem Shel. Plus you deserve it. You're one of the hardest working women I know." She leaned her head to the side giving me an "awe" look and I laughed before placing my hands flat on the table "Are you guys hungry? I can order a pizza?"
And even though I was still matriculating other foods back in my diet I definitely wasn't going to turn down a pizza.
***
It was almost two in the morning when me and the girls parted ways after I got them all situated, and they got their bags out of the car that was still parked in the roundabout, but we parked it in the garage after I moved Michael and I's cars into the garage too.
MiMi was fast asleep next to Michael who was sleep too, so I was careful as I crawled on top of him. I didn't want to wake her. Then, I showered his face with kisses, waking him up instantly. As low as I could, I said, "Thank you."
His eyes were now completely open and he smiled. "You're welcome. You looked like you missed them. And you was talkin' bout them nonstop."
"I did miss them, and I appreciate this, but you didn't have to do it. Today is your birthday not mine. You should be getting the gifts and surprises. Not me."
"You bein happy is a great enough gift" His hands that were rubbing across my back crossed over one another and his hold around me tightened.
"Is it okay if Mimi stays with me tomorrow? The girls and I are having a girl's day, so I thought maybe she could roll with the big dogs."
"Big dogs? You so damn..." he trailed off, laughing softly, but couldn't finish his sentence because I kissed his lips.
"Tell me something," he whispered, glancing at Mimi. I nodded. "How you fallin' into this so easily?"
Since he'd looked at the sleeping baby next to us I assumed that's what and who he was referring to.
"I was always meant to be a mother. It's something I always wanted. And I don't know," I shrugged trying to keep my voice low. "She's half of you, and you're half of me, so in my mind that means Mimi is just as much a part of me as you are."
Michael hummed, and I kissed his lips again before rolling up and off of his body. "If you lay her in her pack 'n play we might get in a good fifteen minutes in the bathroom."
His eyebrow cocked. "With Shelby just part of the way down the hall?"
I reached to my knee and unhooked the brace and slid it off my leg, followed by the removal of my t-shirt that revealed my lace-y lavender-colored bra.
"Suit yourself," I whispered but one more glance in his direction and he was getting right up from the bed, making me laugh.