≈Miami, FL...
(1:09 p.m)
"Why are you so angry today ? " Kalvin asked his best friend as they were playing basketball in Terry's court.
This morning, Terry called him to play with him. Even if they went to sleep at five a.m, the both of them already had a lot of energy to spend. Since one hour, they were running, dribbling, scoring baskets and Kalvin could tell that his friend was mad, but he didn't know why.
"I'm cool." Terry lied and sat on the ground out of breath.
Kalvin shook his head and sat down also, "No ! You are not and I know it. What's going on ? " He insisted wanting to help his brother from another to solve whatever his problem was.
Terry sighed, "My mother and stepfather are going to divorce. I can't believe that shit ! I let him be with my mama, I accepted him in our lives and..." He sighed again shaking his head in disbelief.
"Hey T, we can't control everything. Things like that happen, unfortunately. How is mummy Daniels feeling ? " They were really close, so they called each other mother 'mummy'.
He shrugged, "It seems...like she's fine. This shit makes me wonder more what is love ? "
Kalvin frowned a bit, "What ? "
"You know how your parents love life influences so much on yours, right ? I had always been scared to be like my father and to treat a woman like he treated my mother and...when she got married I had...hopes. I thought that maybe real love does exist, but now they're separating. So what is love ? Can you really find it ? Do you really need it to live a...good life ? "
Kalvin couldn't believe what he was hearing. Where all of this was coming from ? He knew that Terry was and will always be preoccupied by his mother's life and wanted only the best for her, but now he was philosophizing about love. What was really going on ?
"T, what...happened to you ? "
His best friend sighed and wiped his face, "I don't know. I...got her number and we discussed during like five hours after the Halloween party through the phone and...I felt that...connection."
Kalvin's frown only got deeper, "So...Uh...Mummy really divorcing or not ? And who is her ? " He questioned completely lost.
"Yes, mummy is really divorcing. And it's Halley, your baby mama's friend."
Kalvin nodded his head, "So the divorce made you think and now you're wondering if...Uh...are you falling in love with her already ? That's why you're questioning me about love ? "
Terry shook his head, "Nah ! I'm not falling, are you cray ? Or...I don't know. I shared things with her that...only you know. I don't know how she made me speak, but she did. Whatever enough talk about me. How are you and Cora doing ? "
Kalvin raised his eyebrow, "What ? Uh...We're just having a baby together." He answered shrugging.
Terry chuckled, "No. Yall are creating a family together. Soon, you two are getting married and then the twins will call you dad."
Dad ? That word made his heart jump. He was still not ready to be a father, "You're crazy and what's you're saying it's making non-damn-sense." He said getting up.
"We'll see."
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Meanwhile, Cora was at Burger King eating with Latoya and Halley. It was lunch time and the moment for them to reunite and talk about their life to the two others.
Latoya smiled proudly, "Okay, guess what ? "
"Oh no, we don't have time for that Toya. My lunch break only lasts thirty minutes." Halley said then bit in her hamburger. She was a nurse at the hospital and couldn't be late or she was going to be in trouble.
"Okay, okay. Well...Me and Adrian are getting back together ! " She announced happily.
Cora and Halley weren't as excited as her. Actually, they were worrying for their best friend. It was the fifth time that Latoya and her on-again-off-again boyfriend were doing this. The first time he cheated, then she forgave him and they got back together. The second time, she cheated and he forgave her and they got back together. The third time, they were arguing too much and then they were missing each other, so they got back together. The fourth time, Adrian had to leave Miami for his job and both of them didn't want to try the distance relationship, so they broke up and finally got back together when he came back in town. This time, the problem was Latoya's trust issues. She was always asking million of questions and acting crazy, well Adrian got tired of it and suggested a break. In short, their relationship was really complicated and Cora and Halley thought that it was best for both of them if they put a final stop to their couple, because it was destroying them slowly.
"What ? Why are you doing these faces ? You're not happy for me ? " Latoya asked looking at them.
Cora sighed, "Toya...I...You know how much I dislike Adrian since he cheated on you. I told you to give up on him, because he wasn't worth it, but you forgave him and took him back...Honestly, I don't think it will ever work between you two. Toya, you deserve so much better than him."
"Yeah. I know it's hard to stop loving someone, but this thing between you two is slowly...Uh...killing you. This relationship is only hurting you. We're not saying all that, because we want you to be alone and sad, but all the contrary, because we want you to be happy." Halley added hoping her friend was not going to react angrily to this.
Latoya took a deep breath to try to calm herself, but she couldn't prevent the tears to fall on her cheeks. She knew her two best friends only wanted what's best for her and that they were right, but she was so in love. She didn't want to let her Adrian go, "Can we talk about something else please ? " She asked them wiping her tears away.
They both nodded their heads, "Of course. Uh...I would like to have your opinion on something. I...I...think I'm going to start going on dates again." Halley said nervously.
Cora and Latoya looked at each other not believing it, "Who is he ? " They then asked in unison.
Halley smiled shyly, "Uh...Terry."
Cora frowned, "Terry ? As Kalvin's friend ? What ? What happened ? " She questioned stunned. How did he do that ?
"Well, he kept trying to talk to me at my Halloween party and he was getting on my nerves, so I finally gave him my number..Uh...to leave me alone. And after the party, really later, he called me and...and...we talked for hours. I thought he was just a total cocky and disrespectful jerk, but actually...he's nice. And he asked me to go on a date with him, but..."
"You said no ! " Latoya finished her sentence shaking her head annoyed, "I don't know what it's wrong with you ! It's been six years, H ! "
Cora nodded in agreement, "And you said that he's actually nice."
Halley rolled her eyes, "Can you let me talk ? Damn ! I said maybe. I wanted to know what you think about it first. I guess, I'm going then." She said then drank her lemonade.
"Okay, my turn now. Uh...Ca-Cam-Cameron is back." Cora told them with his face in her mind. After she cursed him out, she threatened him to call the cops and he left as fast as he came, but warned her that it wasn't the last time that she was going to see him.
He did really something to her to see him again. After their last conversation ten years ago, she thought she was never going to see him again, but now he was back and she didn't know what he wanted from her. If he wanted to see the kids, it was a no categorical. He didn't want them ten years ago, he couldn't just come in their lives like everything was good now. No, nothing was good. She wanted to know what was the real reason of his come back. But she was sure about one thing and it was to NOT trust Cameron. Once he played her like she was his toy, but this time it wasn't going to be the same. Cora preferred die than let something happen to her babies. She loved them so much and she was going to make sure to protect them from their father.
"WHAT ?! " Latoya and Halley shouted at the same time. They were shocked and soon the anger join in the mix of emotions they were feeling.
"The fuck does this punk ass nigga want ?! I thought he got out of YOUR live and YOUR children's lives also. Why is he here for ? Do you want me to kill him ? You know I'll do it. The hell !?! Don't tell me he asked for the kids because I...I..." Latoya couldn't even finish her sentence. That was how much Cameron was pissing her off. She hated him since day one. She knew something was wrong with him since the beginning. She tried to warn Cora, but the poor girl was so in love at the time and so blind. Latoya was praying to be wrong because she wanted her best friend to be happy, but then Cora got pregnant and Cameron showed his real face.
"What did this idiot say ? " Halley who was calmer than Latoya asked. But inside she was as agitated as her. She wanted to kill that bastard too.
Cora shook her head, "Nothing. I didn't let him speak. As soon as I opened my door, I immediately saw all red. I wanted to choke him so bad. Anyways, I told him to go far away from me and MY kids and he said something like we're not done yet. I don't know what he wants, but I can't let him harm my babies. Not like he...hurt me." She said as the bad memories were replaying in her mind.
Latoya took her hand and squeezed it in a reassuring way, "Don't worry. None of us will let him to Acacia and Almar...and you."
"Yeah. What you need is a restraining order." Halley suggested.
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(4:58 p.m)
"Cora, are you okay ? You'd been extremely quiet since I picked you up. What's the problem ? " Kalvin asked concerned, but he didn't get an answer. He sighed and waved his hand before her face, "You know you can talk to me." He said trying to get her attention. Now he was worrying and he didn't know what to do.
Cora shook her head getting out of her trance. She was thinking about her ex again, "Sorry, what did you say ? "
Kalvin raised his eyebrow, "What's going on ? "
She bit on her lips trying to hold the tears that wanted to fall since she saw Cameron at her front door, "Nothing. I'm fine." She lied, then drank a little of her water.
"Listen, I know you're not fine, but...I won't force you to talk about it if you don't feel comfortable to do it. But...it's not good to hold everything in...mainly that you're pregnant and...the doc said to stress the less possible...because it's not good for the baby."
The baby. Now Cora was officially two months pregnant and everything was going well. But there she was starving herself, "I know. And don't worry, I'll be alright." She reassured him and herself at the same time.
Kalvin sighed in annoyance, "I'll be ? In the future ? So you're not good right now ! Plus, you didn't eat and our plates are here since thirty minutes now." It was really worrying and frightening him. His baby had to eat.
"It's too hot ! "
"After thirty minutes, I think it has to be the good temperature."
She rolled her eyes and moved the plate away from her, "I'm not hungry."
Kalvin couldn't believe it, "You are PREGNANT." He insisted emphasizing the most important word. He didn't need her to starve their baby. Mainly that they were at the restaurant now because he asked her if she had fed her body today and she answered no. Effectively, Cora had not taken the breakfast, nor had taken a menu when she was at Burger King with Latoya and Halley earlier. She wasn't feeding herself, so the baby also and it wasn't healthy.
"I KNOW ! " She yelled at him causing some of the other customers to look their way.
"What are yall watching ? Turn your head ! Nosey ass people." Kalvin snapped at them angrily, "Cora, you're carrying my baby and I'm not taking it for a damn joke and you shouldn't either. EAT ! " He ordered through clenched teeth.
She frowned, "You know what, I'm leaving. I don't know who you think you are, but I'm not staying here and being disrespected any longer. Have a nice day, Mr.Ryans."
Kalvin sighed rolling his eyes and ran after her. Fortunately he was fast and caught her on time, before she could even walk out of the restaurant. And now everybody was looking at them. Some instantly pulled their phone out to record the scene.
Kalvin grabbed gently her forearm and turned her around to face him, "Cora, talk to me. What's going on ? "
Cora couldn't hold them anymore, so she let herself cry. She was still shocked, but mostly hurt, sad, mad, scared and confused all together. She really wasn't expecting to see Cameron. She thought she was done with him since a long time, but he was back. She didn't want him to cause her pain a second time. It was like she was that little teenage girl again.
"I...I...I want to...go...to...go...home." She said sobbing. She was feeling all type of emotions. She wanted to be alone. Plus with the hormones, it was just too much for her.
Kalvin nodded, "Okay."
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Feel free to comment and/or to vote =)
•A/N: What do you think about the story so far ? And Merry Christmas !
Thanks for reading !
And sorry for the mistakes.