Sweet in the Middle

by TaugJaye Crawford

  Plus, it was one of her stipulations, and she was thankful that Royce didn’t pitch a bitch and got on his son to call her more.

  Eris never knew what to expect from her child’s father.

  He was a damn Gemini.

  Enough said.

  Brendan confessed it to his dad that he didn’t wanna seem “soft” or like a “punk” for missing his mama. He loved his stepmother, but it was hard seeing his younger siblings wake up to their parents every day when he didn’t—when that was something he’d also grown accustomed to before Royce announced his new job, marriage, and move.

  The shit brought tears to her eyes.

  Here she was thinking that her son didn’t want to talk to her when her big man was missing her just as much as she was.

  A conversation over his living arrangements was the first thing on her to-do list once Eris and Royce had the chance to sit down.

  No if’s, and’s, nor but’s about it.

  Not only did she promise him their trip to Egypt once she was done with school, but her being closer to him was a must, too.

  “Mama!”

  “Hi, man!” Eris cooed with tears soaring down her cheeks.

  These last two months without physically seeing him was some of the hardest shit she’d ever had to do. It was hard enough going through their arrangement, but missing a month?

  Whew, it did a number on her.

  “Dang, kid. You’ll be taller than me before I know it,” she cheerfully cried.

  Her baby had a death grip on her waist to match the one she had on him.

  “I was five-five at my last check-up.”

  “Never!”

  Lord, another pool of tears formed in her irises the moment she pulled back and looked at him.

  His silky, ocean curly brown hair was braided in plaits with a fade crowning the back and sides.

  Malika kept up with her son well, and Eris was thankful.

  “Yup,” he emphasized.

  Brendan’s ginger-colored brown skin was smooth like fresh spinning moist clay. His orbs glowed like blazing pools of melted caramel; his lips were wide, just a grinning with his braces front and center.

  Her little guy was gonna be a heartbreaker, and Eris needed a damn gun, like, yesterday.

  Eleven-years-old and he’s five-five?! Good, Lord!

  Her baby was a product—a precious reflection of herself, and the love she had for him made her whole.

  “I’ve missed you,” she squealed with a red face.

  “I missed you too, mama. I got our whole week planned out, and I gotta surprise for you.”

  “A surprise?!”

  Hell, she was speechless.

  The side effects from receiving unconditional, reciprocated love from your kids?

  It was priceless.

  “I’m cool with that, baby. Mama’s got you a bunch of surprises too. Whatever you wanna do, let’s do it.”

  She hadn’t noticed Royce standing there in the background until he cleared his throat. She couldn’t stand his Meek Mill looking-ass, posted up there looking all goofy and shit. God was looking out when Brendan adapted her resemblance. Royce wasn’t ugly, but he was, well, had been a clown more times than she could count.

  “Wassup, baby momma?” he grinned while holding his arm out.

  Eris playfully rolled her eyes and hit him with a side hug, hardly making body contact.

  “Wassup, Royce?”

  “Damn, it’s like that? You gon’ play me in front of my son?” he cheesed.

  “Boy, if you don’t get your ass on somewhere. Carry this suitcase since you want something to do.”

  “Damn, son. Yo’ moms tripping already.”

  “Nah, dad, it’s just you. My hug felt like grandma’s. You hungry, ma? I hope so ‘cause we can either hit up Commander Hamburgers—ma, them burgers be so big, man! Or we can go to Pizzeria Bianco. I know you love pizza. We can even go to our favorite Cuban spot; it’s whatever! And I’m dusting you when we go to Octane Raceway! I took and passed my class for Modern Round too since pops know the owner, so I hope you got good aim. You ain’t been doing too good on GTA lately.”

  Brendan was so excited, Eris could hardly get a word in. He talked her ears off until they made it to Commander Hamburgers to grab lunch.

  When Royce grabbed a table for three adults and five children, that’s when Eris realized that the wife and kids were joining them.

  That was cool and all.

  She didn’t have a problem with Malika. Malika was oddly fond of her and always had been. Eris figured it was better than beefing with the bitch or going through any unnecessary drama.

  It was water under the bridge for her…

  Her son was so grown.

  Brendan may have been eleven, but he refused to have his mama walk him to the restroom. He didn’t care how much they missed each other.

  “Lord, have mercy, that kid is too much for me,” she smiled while watching him head to the men’s restroom. “How’s it been?” When she turned around and made eye-contact with Royce, of course, he was staring at her with lustful eyes. “Stop biting your lip at me and answer the question, Royce,” she checked with the raise of her brow.

  He ignored the hickey on her neck and said, “We straight, girl. You look good.”

  “Royce, for real. Don’t start with that.”

  “Daaaaaaamn,” he exclaimed. She wanted to slap the hell out of his cheesing ass. “I can’t give you a compliment? Why you always so damn mad?”

  “And don’t do that either, ‘cause you know what you doing.”

  “I ain’t even on no disrespectful shit. You look good as fuck. I see you getting in shape. Graduation in May, so you wanna look good. Let me admire that.”

  “You can admire your wife, Royce,” she nodded her head in the opposite direction.

  He scoffed then chuckled a bit when Malika and their crew came into view. Her fourteen-year-old brother and sixteen-year-old sister had tagged along with them. Jilani and Jilano, their five-year-old twins, were racing for their father.

  Yup, that means that Royce was fucking with Malika while he and Eris were still together, but she could give a damn. A giant “X” had been drawn and outlined a million and one times through his name for the longest. Nothing about his scrawny, goofy-looking ass would ever make her revert back to him, and that’s why he’d been so damn nice to her. Royce was tryna get back in her good graces, but Eris wasn’t stunting his ass.

  “Hi, daddy!” the twins sang in sync while jumping into his arms. “Hi, Ms. Eris!” they then bombarded her.

  Their kids loved Eris. Even Jerad, the older boy, and Minnie, the older girl, fucked with her, too. Again, a little weird considering how everything originated between Royce and Malika, but why fix something that wasn’t broken?

  “Hey, kids? Y’all are getting big! I like your hair, Lani!” Eris greeted them while admiring the baby girl’s pigtails.

  “Thank you, Eri! Ooooh, I like your purse! Baby blue is my favorite color!”

  Eris couldn’t believe it when she pulled the MCM box out on Valentine’s Day. Emery put all her gifts to shame when she laid eyes on the Anya Shopper in Visetos tote and matching zip pouch. No, Eris didn’t go the cheap route. She bought UGG boots and slides, a pair of maroon-colored Air Max that she knew Em would love, plus a bunch of other knick-knacks, but dropping money on a bag?

  She didn’t want to accept it but surely made a mental note to step her game up.

  Emery had to talk her into keeping it.

  Just like her Eri, Em was a pleaser. Hell, she made one-point-five mil last year alone. She needed something else to spend that money on.

  The gesture was done from Emery’s heart, and she hoped Eris wouldn’t run with that. It didn’t mean that Em expected her to shower her with designer. Eris wasn’t broke nor average, but it was clear that they were in different tax brackets and that was cool. Relationships weren’t about who could cash out the most. Gifts were a luxury, a plus. It was the
intimacy that mattered.

  “Yeah, that is a nice lil’ bag, shorty. New nigga?”

  Chile, if her eyes were laser beams, he’d be split in half. Eris didn’t like his tone, and Brendan’s arrival saved him from getting chewed the fuck out. Fuck his wife; she could watch her man catch this fade for sure, but she refused to argue with him in front of her son.

  “Hey, Eris. It’s good to see you. You look good,” Malika greeted with a bright smile.

  Eris stood up to embrace her and her siblings. She told Malika thanks, complimented her on her hair, and they all got seated to enjoy their lunch.

  The days had passed them by so fast that, before Eris knew it, in another forty-eight hours, their little vacation would be coming to an end.

  “Ma, can you stay yo’ last two nights back at the house with us? Please?”

  He’d surely taken her by surprise. They were having brunch at the Original Breakfast House, so the whole table was looking at her crazy when she choked on her mimosa.

  “Dang, ma. You a’ight?” her son asked as he patted her on the back.

  “Yeah, I’m good. I just ain’t expect you to ask me that.” She smiled.

  “Don’t look at me. This my first time hearing about this.”

  Royce threw his hands up in mock-surrender, looking back and forth between his wife and baby momma.

  “Maaaaaaaa, you got to! We got enough room. You know we just got a new/bigger house. It’s an empty guest room up the hall from mines.”

  Eris smiled.

  She wished you could see the look in this kids’ eyes as he curled his fingers into the prayer position. She hated to put a damper on his little parade, but that shit was not happening.

  “Brendan, baby—”

  “You can come stay with us, Eris. After all these years, you know you're welcomed to our house.”

  Eris and Royce both flashed Malika with the same perplexing expression. The older kids at the table even laughed at the way Royce held an open hand over his heart with his head cocked back.

  Because, say what?

  “Aaaaaw, for real, Malika?! You dope for that!”

  Brendan hopped out his seat and ran to hug her.

  His mama still hadn’t responded.

  Eris was still tryna process what the hell had just happened.

  “Why y’all looking like that?” Malika smiled while eyeing her husband.

  She honestly had no problem with it. Home girl knew Eris ain’t want Royce, and maybe that’s why she fucked with her so much.

  “Shit, I’m just shocked to hear that shit come out yo’ mouth.”

  Royce could only keep it a hunnid. Yeah, their family got along pretty good, but weren’t there lines that you just shouldn’t cross? Or was he looking too deep into it?

  “Y’all, it’s nothing. Cancel your room, Eris. I’ll make sure Royce pays you back. You should’ve been staying with us instead of wasting yo’ money on hotels, anyway. You part of the family.”

  “Aaaaw, man, we gon’ really turn up these last few nights!” Brendan exclaimed.

  She didn’t exactly know when she agreed to it, but later on that night, all of Eris’ belongings were in that guest room, and they all were chilling, having a family fish fry.

  Malika’s parents came over, the kids ran around while the adults threw back shots and played spoons.

  They had a good time.

  Eris stayed up with her son and played the game until he fell asleep. It was around midnight when she made it back to her room and prepared to take a bath. When Emery didn’t answer her FaceTime, she figured her boo was sleeping and started to tie her hair up when there was a knock at the door.

  Malika entered before she had the chance to respond, catching her in nothing but her lingerie.

  “Oh, I’m sorry, girl. I knocked a couple times, thinking you might not have heard me. I brought some more towels and face rags.”

  Did she really knock more than once?

  Eris couldn’t tell. She was so high from the edibles Royce bought for the night that she ain’t know left from right.

  “Thank you,” was her response as she tied the belt on her silk robe.

  “You’re welcome. You doing okay? You need something?”

  Malika sat on the edge of the bed and ran her fingers through her hair.

  She was really sweet, reminding Eris of the Hagg Twins. Her smile, her voice, her build and all screamed their aura. Malika was a trendy, Love & Hip Hop, IG model-type chick.

  She was the heir of a rich mommy and daddy and stayed home/traveled for a living.

  Shit, Eris couldn’t knock it. Live yo’ life how it’s been presented if it’s fruitful, girl.

  “I’m good. I swear. I appreciate your hospitality.”

  “Girl, it’s nothing. Your son lives with us. His home is your home. I know my husband probably don’t tell you this much, but he appreciates what you did, letting Brendan move here.”

  Eris really wasn’t in the mood to talk. She had candles lit and music playing so she could try out her new waterproof vibrator. This whole “sleeping here” mess had put a hole in her little plan to video chat with Em, but like hell if she didn’t try it. She didn’t know what was going on with her body lately, but she couldn’t cut her horny radar off even if she tried to. And Malika’s little talkative ass was interrupting that.

  Yet before she could respond, there was another knock at the door and in came Royce.

  Yo’, what the fuck?

  Eris might’ve been high out of her damn mind, but she could sense that something was off about this moment.

  “What you doing in here? I been looking all around this house for you,” his bird chest having ass slurred in reference to his wife.

  He’d been drinking something heavy all night.

  “Baby, here I come. I was just checking up on Eris. We don’t need a referee. We’re cool.”

  He didn’t know why Malika’s response made something click in his head, but Royce smiled like the Grinch as he closed the door behind him.

  “Gon’ head and tell my baby momma how much you find her attractive and been wanting to eat her pussy, Lika. She get down like that.”

  Eris’ heart literally fell out her chest. She felt like someone had cut her open down the center and let her insides fall out.

  Did this nigga just?

  Was she hearing wrong?

  The fuck was in them got damn edibles?

  Flag on the fucking play!

  “Royce!” Malika squealed.

  Her cheeks flushed in embarrassment as she eyed Eris with guilty orbs.

  “Nah, don’t be shy. You always told me that if we did a threesome, it’d have to be with my BM. She a fine ass lil’ fat bitch, ain’t she? You like bitches, Eris. Heard you dating ole’ girl, Emery, with the boutique in Atlanta. You out here, out here, now?”

  He’d honestly caught her with her pants down. Eris knew that what she and Emery had going on wasn’t behind closed doors, but she wasn’t broadcasting it either. It’s not that she was ashamed. For one, this was something that she wanted to explain for herself and on her own time. Not anyone else’s.

  But how the hell did Royce find out?

  And all the way in Arizona?

  “For one,” she started with a laugh. Had she not laughed at this shit, she would’ve flipped her damn wig. Brendan had been saving Royce’s ass since she got there. “You’re drunk, so that explains why you feeling yo’ self right now, and two? Mind your fucking business. What I do and who I do it with doesn’t need your permission nor your validation.”

  “I knew you was gay when you called me on FaceTime eating Bucky’s pussy that night. Fuck outta here with that shit. ‘I was drunk, it was only one time,’ my ass. You straight out here, E, but you can’t do one lil’ threesome wit’ me and wifey? We welcomed you into our crib, it’s the least you can do.”

  Eris smacked fire from that nigga. He was feeling his self too damn hard, and shorty had to remind him who the fuck she
was.

  “Royce, you got me fucked up. You couldn’t get away with that bullshit back when we was together, so please don’t try to show out for your wife. And don’t ever disrespect me like that again. You just feel a way because I’d rather deal with a woman than to put up wit’ yo’ shit. ‘Cause first of all, let that hurt go. Your ego shouldn’t have shit to do with what I like. And whether your wife said that shit or not, you should’ve known that I’d never go there with you again. Malika, you lost out by casualty of war, but at the end of the day, that’s y’all business…So, that’s what you been getting at?”

  The deposits.

  The gifts.

  It all made sense now.

  “You a grown ass man sitting here playing ‘mad’ ‘cause it ain’t like that with us. And I told you the first and last time we did a threesome, never again. You were embarrassing, standing there like you ain’t have two fine ass bitches at your disposal, yet you was scared to touch us. You really wanna turn that situation around on me out of manipulation? Try me, nigga. Yo’ dick couldn’t even stay hard ‘cause you was so fucking scared. Fuck outta here.”

  It happened so fast when Royce backhanded her. Next thing Eris knew, she was on the floor holding onto the side of her face while Malika mushed her husband upside his head.

  “That’s why I couldn’t fuck wit’ you, bitch. Yo’ mouth woulda’ made me kill yo’ ass. And Malika, get stupid if you want to. You know Ia’ beat yo’ ass.”

  He left the room thinking he was a king instead of a pussy for putting his hands on his baby momma. All because he couldn’t own up to his insecurities. Royce ain’t never put his hands on Eris. Never in all of the years that she’d known and been with him. She knew this nigga was butt hurt and could only shake her head at the thought of him touching Malika whenever he got drunk like this.

  Fighting with him would only make things worse.

  As much as she wanted to run after him and whoop his ass, she didn’t. He played a good game, but Eris knew where to hit that nigga where it hurts. Royce could win the battle; she’d give him that. But if he wanted to jump stupid and let this shit get out of hand, she was bringing army guns to the war.

  *SITM*

  “You should’ve whooped that nigga’s ass. Fuck all that. My damn son woulda’ just had to stand on the sidelines and referee ‘cause I wouldn’t have let that nigga walk away.”