My Husband's Mistress

by Racquel Williams

  As I parked my car and walked toward the buildings, I took a quick glance at my surroundings. Even though I grew up around here and was considered one of them, I didn’t trust these niggas; these dudes be hating hard, especially if you was one of them and you moved out and made a better life.

  I knocked on Ms. Dorothy’s door, but no one answered. I banged a few more times, and there still was no answer.

  An elderly woman from the next-door apartment peeped out and said, “Keep that noise down.”

  “I apologize, but I was looking for Ms. Dorothy.”

  “Who are you? You look familiar. Do I know you?” she asked.

  “I’m not sure. I grew up three doors down. Ms.Paulette is my mother.”

  “Paulette. . . Paulette, I remember her. She moved a few years back. Well, you must not have heard. Dorothy passed away about a year or so ago. She had cancer. She was such a good soul.”

  “No, I didn’t hear that.” I turned to walk away.

  “Wait, what’s your name?” she asked.

  “Hassan.”

  “All right Hassim, you take care and tell your mother I send my regards.”

  “I sure will.” I shook my head and walked off, I had no idea why older people always messed someone’s name up.

  It was sad to hear of Ms. Dorothy’s passing. That lady played an important role in my life when I was growing up.

  On my way back to my car, I passed by a few old heads playing dominoes. I nodded my head to acknowledge them. I saw much hadn’t changed around the way; everything looked the same.

  * * *

  My phone started ringing; I looked at the caller ID and noticed it was Amaiya.

  “Hey baby girl.”

  “Daddy, Mommy is in the hospital. She had a heart attack,” she yelled.

  “Say what, baby? Calm down. I’m trying to understand you.”

  “I said Mama had a heart attack and she’s at South Shore Hospital.”

  “What? Who told you that? I ain’t get no phone call.”

  “Grandma came and picked me up from school. We’re on our way to the hospital.”

  “Damn. Calm down, baby. I have to go to the office first and then I’ll be there shortly.”

  “Did you hear me? I said Mom is in the hospital and you’re talking about you got to go to the office,” she raised her voice.

  “Watch your mouth. I said I’ll be there.” All I heard was the dial tone in my ear.

  Her ass needed to be grounded. She knew damn well that I ’ont play that disrespectful shit. I didn’t mean to sound cold or anything like that, but if this was a phone call telling me that bitch was dead, I would’ve felt much better. I would not have had to worry about no divorce and giving her any of my money.

  I went back to the office to handle some business. Two new clients came in who needed me on their drug cases ASAP. Just because she was up in a hospital didn’t mean I had to stop my money flow.

  I finally locked up the office about a quarter after six. I got on the expressway and headed to New Rochelle. When I got there, I walked into the lobby. Before I was able to talk to the receptionist to let her know why was there, I spotted my mother-in-law. She wasn’t too fond of me, and I didn’t like the old bitch. If you asked me, I honestly thought the old bitch was jealous and just wanted some of this good dick. I headed over to where they were seated.

  “Ms. Jackson.”

  “Hmm. . . My daughter is laying up in here fighting for her life and your worthless behind just now rolling up in here.” She shook her head in disgust.

  “Grandma, you promised not to start nothing,” Amaiya said.

  “Sorry, grandbaby.”

  “Baby girl, what are they saying about yo’ mama’s condition?” I asked.

  “Amaiya, go get some snacks. You been here for a while.” she handed her a twenty-dollar bill.

  “You know, I have no idea what my daughter sees in you. I see you for the piece of shit you are. You can dress up in that fancy suit, but underneath all that you’re nothing but a two-headed snake. You’re the reason why my daughter is in the hospital. I will be happy when she gets rid of your sorry behind.”

  “Lady, you should be ashamed of yourself, talking like that. However, I do see where your daughter got her bitterness from.” Amaiya returned before I could finish telling this old bitch how I really felt.

  I walked away to find the doctor and was told he’d be out in a few minutes. I walked to the other side of the waiting room; I didn’t want to be near that old bitch and her ranting. Twenty minutes later, the doctor emerged from this area. I got up and walked over to him.

  “I understand your wife is Destiny Clarke. The ambulance brought her into the emergency room today. She suffered a minor heart attack. Sometimes when patients are subject to a minor heart attack, it’s assumed that it’s not serious, but the facts are that even a mild heart attack can result in heart damage and can also cause permanent damage. A second heart attack is also imminent.”

  “So what are her chances of fully recovering?”

  “That I can’t tell you right now. We will continue monitoring her situation. We are providing her with the best care she could possibly get.”

  “Okay. When can I see her?”

  “Actually, she’s sedated and needs to rest, but you can go in for a few minutes.”

  “Thanks, Doc,” I said as I followed him to Destiny’s room.

  Soon as I walked in, I noticed that she was hooked up to different wires and machines were everywhere. Her eyes were closed, so I walked closer to her so I could get a better look. She looked so helpless, so different from the bitch that couldn’t shut her mouth for a second.

  I stood over her, looking at the cold bitch that I married. As a husband with a sick wife, I was supposed to be feeling all emotional and hurt, but I didn’t feel anything.

  “Why couldn’t you just die?” I mumbled under my breath.

  I glanced at the extra pillow on the bed. The thought of using it to suffocate her crossed my mind, but my thoughts were interrupted by the doctor.

  “She needs to get some rest, but you are welcome to stay if you want,” the doctor said.

  “No, he don’t need to stay. I’m staying with my daughter,” this old bitch said, as she walked into the room.

  “I’m sorry, Ms. Jackson, but he’s the next of kin so he’s allowed to stay.”

  “That’s fine. She can stay with her daughter. I’m going to take my daughter home. It’s getting late and she has school in the morning.” I immediately left the room and walked over to Amaiya.

  “Let’s go home, baby.” I grabbed her arm.

  “I want to stay with my mom.” She pulled her arm away from me.

  “No, you can’t stay with your mother. It’s almost ten o’clock and you have school in the morning. Now let’s go, little girl,” I said. I was too annoyed.

  I’d had enough bullshit for one day and was ready to get away from it all.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Destiny Clarke

  I woke up in a hospital feeling kind of groggy from being heavily sedated. Soon as I opened my eyes, I saw Mama sitting down in the chair by my bed.

  “Hey baby, you awake?” She squeezed my hand.

  “Hey Mama. Where’s Amaiya?”

  “She’s at school right now. She’ll be up here later to see you.”

  “Okay, and Hassan?”

  “His sorry behind will be up here later, but don’t worry about all that. Focus on your health and getting better.”

  “I know, Mama. I consider myself pretty healthy, so I was shocked when the doctor told me that I had a mild heart attack. I tell you, age don’t matter these days.”

  “Yes, but lately you’ve been under extreme stress. You don’t say a lot, but I see it written all over your face. You’re always sad and not your usual bubbly self.”

  I agreed with everything she was saying to me, but I was feeling down and wasn’t in the mood to really discuss the situation between H
assan and me.

  Mama held my hand and started to pray aloud. No matter what was going on, you could count on her to call on Jesus’s name. I was never a religious person, but I was grateful that the man above had my back. Thinking back, I really thought I was about to die in that parking garage. I was tired and Mama had errands to run, so she left and I decided to take a nap.

  * * *

  “Hey babe,” Hassan said when he walked into my room.

  “Don’t ‘hey babe’ me, you son of a bitch. I was waiting on the right time to confront you. Your nasty ass done gave me some fucking STDs!”

  “What? I ain’t give you shit. I know you want to get rid of me, but accusing me of some fuck shit like that is crazy.”

  I took a deep breath; I knew I shouldn’t be getting myself all worked up. I was tired of lying in this bed and watching him come up in here, pretending like he was the doting husband.

  “You know what, Hassan? I’m a grown ass woman that is married to one man, which means I’m only screwing one man. That one man is you. Like I said, your dirty cock done gave me two fucking sexually transmitted diseases.”

  “I hear all that you’re saying and I’ll say it again: I ain’t give you shit. If I had an STD, I’m pretty sure I would have known.”

  I wanted to get far away from this two-timing pig. Just being in his presence made me sick to my stomach.

  “Ha ha, you’re freaking ridiculous. You better go get your cock tested and make sure that ho you fucking gets tested also. I hope you wasn’t eating her pussy too, because that shit might be in your throat.”

  “Man chill out with all that. The only woman’s pussy I ate is yours. I don’t even get down like that.”

  This fool must’ve forgotten he was not in the courthouse. He was talking to me, the woman that knows all his fucked up ways. I pushed the button for the nurse.

  “Hello Mrs. Clarke, this is Nurse Scott, how may I help you?”

  “I need to talk to you.”

  “Okay, I’ll be in there.”

  I turned my head and closed my eyes. As far as I was concerned, the conversation between us was over.

  “What may I help you with?” Nurse Scott asked when she entered the room.

  “I want him to get out of my room and I need to put him on the no-contact list at the hospital.”

  “What…what are you doing?” he looked at me puzzled.

  “Mrs. Clarke, are you sure?”

  “Yes ma’am, I’m the patient and I have that right.”

  “Mr. Clarke, she’s right. She has the right to refuse visitors. I’m going to have to ask you to leave the room and the premises.”

  “Yo, B, you tripping,” he said as he walked out

  “Thank you, nurse, and please let the front desk know that I don’t want him to visit or to call on the telephone.”

  “I will let them know. Now you need to get some rest. I don’t know what’s going on, but your health is more important. Try not to stress yourself out,” she said and then walked out.

  I was too tired... I rolled over and dozed off.

  Imani Gibson

  Hassan said he was on his way over here. I sure missed my daddy. I didn’t care what we went through—I still loved him. His sister and other bitches thought I was stupid for being with him. A bitch like me wasn’t stupid; I knew how to play my position. There was no way I was going to walk away from my man for the next ho to have him. I figured if I stuck around long enough, that ho would get tired of him cheating and she would get rid of him. Guess who would be there to pick him up? Yep that’s right; his wifey.

  Corey kept calling my phone, constantly asking if I told Hassan about him and I. I really regretted sleeping with him again because his behavior had been unpredictable and I was more worried because he knew where I stayed at, I was scared that fool might pop up over here.

  I took a shower and while washing my pussy, I stuck my finger in my hole and smelled it. A bad odor hit me in the face, which was strange. Maybe I just needed to douche, so I reached over and grabbed the Summer’s Eve; I had to make sure my pussy was on point for Hassan. Nine times out of ten, he would want sex and I would be ready to give it to him.

  I heard a bang on the door and I knew it was him, so I popped the door open with a smile on my face. I was shocked to see he had an angry look on his face, so different from the pleasant conversation we had earlier. He pushed past me and I let out a long sigh. What the hell is the problem now, I thought. I locked the door and walked toward him.

  “What’s wrong with you? You was fine when we talked earlier.”

  “Sit down,” he demanded.

  “Why?” I was getting nervous.

  “Sit the fuck down, Imani,” he yelled.

  I saw his temper was flaring up. Whatever got him so angry must be serious, I thought

  “I’m only going to ask you this once, so please think before you answer.”

  “Boy, what is it?”

  “Who you been fucking?”

  “I ain’t fucking nobody. I done told yo ass before. What’s this about? Is it because I told you I’m pregnant?”

  “Fuck you being pregnant. That shit ain’t mine. Nah, I just came from seeing Destiny and she told me I gave her some kind of sexually transmitted disease. See, this is it: you’re the only one outside of her that I’m fucking raw.”

  “What the fuck? So let me get this right. You told me you ain’t been sleeping with her, but here you are telling me you been fucking her raw. Well, you better check that bitch, if she got anything, it must be from a nigga she’s fucking, ’cause I ain’t got shit.”

  I stood up, looking at him. Whatever I said must’ve angered him. He stepped closer toward me and punched me in my left eye; it instantly blurred my vision.

  “Aargh,” I screamed out and covered my eye.

  My screams didn’t stop him. He followed up with another punch that landed me on the floor. “Oh my God, help! Help!” I screamed.

  My face was hurting and I lay helplessly on the floor.

  “Shut up, bitch. I told yo’ ass not to lie to me. I fucking risked everything for yo’ ass and this is how you repay me, huh bitch?” he yelled.

  I think God heard my cries and intervened on my behalf because there was a loud knock on the door. I was too scared to even move. I touched my face and realized it was swollen. I started screaming louder. He didn’t pay me any mind. Instead, he walked over to the door.

  “Ain’t this a bitch? Guess who was at the door? Your boyfriend Corey.”

  I almost fainted when he said Corey’s name. Why Lord, Why? I thought. Anxiety was kicking in and I wished I could just disappear.

  “Get up, bitch; come let this nigga in, so he can join the party.”

  “I’m not doing anything. He ain’t got nothing to do with u. . . .” Before I could finish my sentence, I felt his foot land in my rib cage.

  “No!” I screamed out.

  “Now, get the fuck up bitch.” He grabbed my arm.

  I limped over to the door; I was hoping Corey was gone.

  “Open it,” he yelled.

  I opened the door and like an idiot, Corey’s ass stood there smiling from ear-to-ear.

  “Hey babe, I was over this side of town so I decided to stop by to see you and my lil’ man.”

  I tried to use facial expression to let him know Hassan was here, but this dumb-ass nigga wouldn’t shut up.

  “Corey my man, what’s good?” Hassan stepped from behind the door.

  “Hassan, that’s you partner?” Corey asked. By the sound of his voice, I could tell he was caught off guard.

  “Yeah, this me player. Come in, I need to holler at you.”

  I hoped Corey would’ve said no. Instead, this fool stepped inside.

  “What’s wrong with your face? And why you crying?” he asked me.

  I wanted to tell him, but I couldn’t bring myself to say the words.

  “Yo’, answer me, who did this to you?”

  “Yo’ par
tner, I ’ont think this concerns you.”

  “No disrespect bro, but this my son’s mother, so it do concern me.”

  Hassan took several steps closer toward Corey. “What the fuck did you just say to me?”

  “You heard me right. Josiah is my son and she is his mother, so she is my responsibility.”

  Hassan turned to face me. “Yo’ bitch, what the fuck this nigga saying?”

  I stood still, crying. How could this happen, I thought.

  “Mani, tell him. We’ve been hiding this too long. Let this nigga know who your baby daddy is,” Corey said sarcastically.

  I knew it was my time to talk, but I was speechless. The words wouldn’t come out.

  “Bitch, you better start talking before I beat your ass again.” Hassan stormed toward me.

  Corey pulled out a gun and pointed it at Hassan. “Back the fuck up, nigga.”

  Oh my God, no! The situation was deteriorating by the seconds. What was this fool doing with a gun? Jesus please take the wheel, I thought.

  “Damn, nigga, it’s like that? You goin’ let a bitch come between us? We brothers. We grew up together, slept in the same bed, and ate out of the same pot.” Hassan seemed surprised.

  “Nah bro, fuck all that. You ain’t one of us. You got that degree and said fuck us. Mani is my woman and Josiah is my motherfucking seed.”

  “Y’all stop it!” I shouted.

  “Damn it’s like this Imani? You played me like that and with my so-called right hand man? I guess I should have listened when they told me you was a ho,” Hassan chuckled.

  “Hassan, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for you to know about Josiah like this. I wanted to tell you, but I didn’t know how.” I started to cry.