by Jahquel J
It didn’t matter what she had going in her life; she would always make time for me. Mo’s house could be on fire, and she would be trying to put the fire out while helping me with my issues. It was one of the things that I loved the most about her. They didn’t make people like her anymore and I was glad I had her by my side.
“Awe, give him a kiss for me. I can call back later and let you get some sleep.”
“No, you’re fine. I need to be waking up, so I could get these kids something to eat for dinner,” she yawned. “What’s going on with you? I don’t like how you sound.” It was another thing I loved about her. She could always tell when I wasn’t myself.
“Me and Denim got into an argument about Yolani again.”
I smirked because I could see her rolling her eyes up in her head. “About what this time? He knows you’re married, so what is he complaining about now.”
“He doesn’t complain. He’s just… frustrated. We’ll talk in a few days when I get back from Miami.”
“Um, what? The hell are you going to Miami for?”
“Well, Yolani wants us to spend a few days together there. She planned this whole romantic dinner for the both of us.”
“You sound excited.”
“I am excited. You know she doesn’t do things like this. I feel like she’s finally understanding what I’m talking about and applying it.”
“Hmm. Let me guess; she called right when you were fresh off Denim’s dick?”
“You don’t have to make it sound like that,” I snapped as I pulled onto the highway. There was traffic, but not too much where I couldn’t make it home to shower and change before Yolani made it home.
“You’re being stupid and not thinking right now, Hazel. I know I’ve told you that you need to be selfish, but you’re being stupid and selfish at the same time. This man is feeling the hell out of you, and you’re feeling him as well. Anytime home isn’t right, you rush into his arms, and he’s been there for you. You expect him to fucking sit there and be happy that you’re going to spend a few days in the sun with your wife?”
I didn’t expect him to be excited or even happy. However, I did expect him to deal with it. He knew I was married when he decided to fuck me into bliss that night. Even after, he knew and continued to be there for me. What was I supposed to do? End shit with my wife because the mere mention of her made him upset?
“He knew what it was before we started fucking around, Mo. Why are you putting it all on me?”
“I’m not. You’re the only one who can control it, and you’re not. You’re playing both sides of the fence when you want to. When Yolani pisses you off, you run right to him. Then when he’s applying pressure for you to choose if you want to leave Yolani, you’re pissed with him. You can’t have shit both ways when you’re dealing with two people with feelings.”
“Why do I even bother to call you?”
“Because you know that I’m right. You also know that I’m not about to sugarcoat anything. Denim is who you were supposed to be with. It doesn’t mean you’re supposed to be with him now. Yolani is who you married, and that doesn’t mean you have to be with her either. You need to take time for yourself first.”
“I hear you,” I sighed.
“I hope so. Enjoy your time in Miami. The Lord knows that you need the time away from the shop. I’ll hold down the fort and make sure business is conducted as usual.”
“What would I do without you?”
“Who knows, just know you will never be without me.”
“Love you, Mo,” I smiled.
“Love you too. Call me when you land in Miami, safe flight,” she told me before we ended the call.
With the rush hour traffic, it didn’t take me too long to get home. When I made it home, I was happy that Yolani hadn’t made it back to the house yet. Turning the key in the door, I placed my purse on the foyer table and headed straight to the stairs. When I heard the sounds of slippers sliding across the wooden floors, I knew it was Pit Pat ready to ask me where I been and if I wanted something to eat.
“Where you going, child? You forget that I’m here.” She smiled, exposing the one dimple she had on her left cheek.
“I’m going to shower. Today was a busy day,” I lied. Since I knew I was spending the day with Denim, I opened the shop and headed to his condo shortly after.
“Busy means money. Yolani told me about your little trip,” She smiled because more than anyone, she knew how much I wanted my wife to do these things.
“Yes, I’m excited to relax and spend time with just the both of us together. It’s way overdue.”
“It is. I told you my hardheaded granddaughter would get it together. It may have took some time, but she is going to get it together. She loves you, Hazel.”
“I know she does.” I smiled and came down a few steps to hug Pit Pat. She hugged me and then had a unfamiliar look on her face.
“That scent unisex?” she asked.
“Huh?”
“Yoshon has that same cologne… it’s unisex, ain’t it?” Shit! She smelled Denim’s cologne on me. When I walked through the door of his condo he was all over me. His cologne was all over me and I hadn’t noticed.
“I sprayed some of Yolani’s by accident this morning and it has been driving me nuts.” I quickly covered my tracks up.
“Okay… are you hungry?”
“No, I’m going to shower and get ready to go out with Yolani tonight,” I quickly headed back to the stairs. “You need to go and rest your feet. The house is spotless, and you have cooked, so you need to go and rest, Pit Pat.”
“I’m tired of you children trying to tell me what to do. I’m older than all y’all butts. Leave me be.” She waved me off and headed back into the kitchen, where I knew she would be.
When she rounded that corner, I ran up those stairs like a kid sneaking in after curfew. I ripped the clothes off and jumped my ass right into the shower. The water fell down my body, and I leaned my head back and allowed it to run over my hair as well. Pit Pat wasn’t a fool and I wasn’t sure if she believed what I said, or she was just playing dumb for the time being. I had been careful when it came to having my side relationship with Denim. He didn’t have my personal cell number, and he only called my business phone. Even then, the number was never saved and I made sure to delete all our text messages. It wasn’t like Yolani checked my phones anyway, but I just wanted to be careful and make sure I wasn’t being sloppy.
It was no secret that people told me about the women Yolani were involved with. It never came to my front door, so I never had a reason to accuse her. How could I continue to bring her the rumors I heard in my shop? While she was doing her dirt, I was going to do mine. The only difference was that I didn’t plan on stopping what I had with Denim. It felt nice to feel wanted, loved and cuddled. He made me feel like a queen and like I could rule the world with just his love alone. If I could merge both he and Yolani’s good traits, I would have the perfect person. Life didn’t work like that, so I had to play with the cards life dealt me.
I sat across from Yolani as we placed our order with the waiter. It seemed like everyone was in Miami. The flight on the private jet was the highlight of my night. You only saw shit like that on the Kardashian show, and I felt real special stepping off the jet and having a Rolls Royce waiting for us. Yolani went all out to show me a good night tonight, and I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. We had a hotel suite in the Four Seasons and she had a personal shopper picking out some options for us to go on a yacht tomorrow. Whatever this woman had up her sleeve, I was so down for it. This wasn’t like her so I was going to soak up all that she was giving me while we were away. Once we made it back home, I knew it was going to be back to business, and I was fine with that. A few days of R&R was what we both needed, and I planned to soak it all up until we hopped back on that jet and made it back to New York.
“I’m surprised you not hounding me about Valentine’s days in two days,” she brought up as she took a
sip of her champagne. I was so consumed with my double life that I hadn’t noticed that my favorite holiday was coming up. Maybe I did realize and I was torn on who I would spend it with. Denim wanted to do a lot but I told him to hold off on his plans until I was sure what I was going to do.
“We’ll back in the city by then,” I smiled. “I’ve had a lot on my plate with the shop, so I don’t even know what day it is half the time.” That statement did hold some truth to it, yet it wasn’t about my shop, it was more about which person I was going to choose to lay up with. When Yolani didn’t come home, I would leave and head to Denim’s crib. With Pit Pat staying with us for a few, I couldn’t ease out as much as I wanted without her being so damn nosey.
Yolani reached across the table and grabbed my hand. She gently rubbed them while staring into my eyes. “I fucked up. A lot of shit I fucked up on and I promise I’m gonna make it better.”
“This is a step in the right direction, babe. Neither of us have been perfect in our marriage. I just want us to get to a place where we can speak about it without neither of us running out and not wanting to discuss stuff. We can’t keep sweeping stuff under the carpet and ignoring it. Especially you; you shut me out so much, Yolani.”
“Yeah, I hear you. Shit don’t be easy to sit and talk about shit with you. You don’t understand that I need to be in the streets. It’s where my money is tied and how we survive, feel me?”
“What you have to understand is that I get all of that. I know that’s how we survive, but you don’t need to be out there for everything. You have a team and you need to trust that they will handle what needs to be handled while you’re away. My team at the salon makes sure everything is handled, even before I hear about the stuff. While you’re trying to be everything to the streets, you’re lacking in your home.”
“I’m gonna try and do better,” she promised me. I needed her to do more than promise me. She needed to actually apply the shit I was saying to her. This wasn’t going to work unless we both tried, and I couldn’t go off her, and the word try.
“I need more than you trying. Yolani, you need to actually do this. Babe, I’m this close to calling it quits, I swear.” Tears streamed down my eyes. Staring into her eyes the love I had for her was there and would never leave. Why was it so easy to tell her that I wanted to leave, but actually leaving was something I couldn’t do?
“Why you crying, Ma?” She stood and leaned across the table to wipe my tears. I had no intentions on crying. I guess it happened when you were so tired of holding everything in, and your wife tells you she would try to be better in y’alls marriage.
“You don’t know how hard it is to wake up and try to keep a smile on your face. It’s hard as fuck because I have to head to work and act like my entire life isn’t falling apart, Lani. You head out, and you’re gone all day, and you don’t think to check in with me, or even come home from dinner.”
“Babe, I’m home for dinner and all night now,” she tried to counter like her recent behavior change changed everything that she did in the past.
“You just recently started doing that. What about before? You would be gone for days and then show up to shower, and you’re back in the streets. I feel like we’re not on the best terms and it hurts.”
“I can’t speak on my actions in the past. I’m going to be better when it comes to you and our marriage. I’m not perfect, and I’m gonna fuck up and shit, but you got my word that I’m gonna give this shit my all.”
“Promise?”
“I promise, Stinky,” she called me by my nickname that only she was allowed to call me. Standing up, she reached across the table and placed a kiss on my lips.
I’m done with this shit. You want to work on your marriage, then I’m falling back and allowing you to do that shit. Don’t call or text this number because I’m changing this number tomorrow. Just when shit was getting sweet with me and Yolani, here comes Denim with his bullshit. I didn’t understand how these men juggled more than one woman. Here I was struggling with a man and woman, and I felt like I was going to pull my hair out and scream.
Stop being like this. I’ll see you and we’ll talk when I get back. I waited for him to reply and he never did. Slipping the phone back into my purse, I turned my attention back to Yolani who was staring at me.
“What happened?”
“What you mean?”
“Your whole facial expression changed and shit. You good?”
“Yeah. One of my clients is pissed I’m out of town. I forgot I booked her whole entire wedding party. I left her in good hands anyway; she’ll be fine.”
“You sure? We can fly back so you can handle your business and come back.”
“Babe, how am I going to handle business when I’m complaining to you about business? I’m fine, and we’re enjoying ourselves, no business.”
“No business.” She sniffled and rubbed her nose.
“Are you getting sick? You’ve been sniffling since we got on the jet in New York,” I pointed out.
“Yeah, I think I’m fucking coming down with something.” She rubbed her nose and then finished the rest of her champagne.
“You need to order some soup when we get to the hotel. Knock it out before it gets worse. Should have told Pit Pat, she would have had something ready for you.”
She laughed. “Nah, that shit would have me sweating out my ass. I’m good on her old remedies. I’ll get some medicine at the hotel and chill tonight. I’ll be good for tomorrow.”
“Okay” I smiled.
While on this date and enjoying Yolani’s company, I couldn’t help but to stare down at my phone to see if Denim had messaged me back. He hadn’t, and although I should have felt like I was on top of the world, I didn’t. I wanted him to message me back. I wanted to know everything between us was alright and that we could fix it when I got home. Only time would tell if I would be able to fix what I did. Knowing Denim, I would be able to fix our situation soon as my feet hit the pavement in New York City.
15
Yolani
“Right there, baby,” Hazel moaned as I licked her in all the right places. I had her legs up to the headboard as I had my tongue damn near in her ovaries. She kept trying to run from the tongue, but I held her ass right in place. She wasn’t escaping shit when it came to me. It had been a while since I was able to stick my tongue up in my honey pot, and vacation was the perfect time to get a little taste. “I’m about to cum, Babe! I’m ‘bout to…” her voice trailed off as her legs went limp.
“Told you to stop playing with me.” She rolled her eyes as I winked and then kissed her second set of lips. Hazel liked to play games like tasting her wasn’t my favorite shit to do.
“You get on my nerves,” she giggled and closed her legs while pulling the covers over her. “Where you going?” she questioned when she noticed me putting on my robe.
“I’m gonna go smoke a cigarette real quick.”
“Cigarette? I thought you quit months ago, Yolani.” She leaned up, alarmed that I had mentioned a cigarette.
“I did. Shit just been stressing me and I picked it back up. I’m gonna quit again for good; I got you.”
“Hurry up so I can rub my cold feet on you.” She tossed a pillow at me as I left the bedroom. Sliding the balcony door open, I took a seat on the balcony and looked around quickly. Pulling the baggy out, I shook some out on the side of my hand and took a deep sniff. Leaning back, I held my nose and coughed a bit.
If Hazel knew I was out on the balcony doing coke instead of smoking a cigarette, she would have lost her shit. I told myself I was going to quit the coke. Each time I tried some shit always happened, and it caused me to take a sniff just so I could function. With Cherry in the hospital, that shit had me stressing more than usual. When I went up there to see her, her eyes got big as saucers, and she tried to claw all her shit out of her body. With a tube down her throat, she couldn’t speak on why she was trying to rip out everything out of her arm. After I told her what would h
appen to her sister, she calmed herself down and understood that she better keep my mouth out of this shit. The cops were up there every day to question her and ask if she could remember anything. I knew if my name came up, I would do worst to her and she wouldn’t get the chance to breathe another whiff of air on this precious earth.
The reason I decided to come to Miami was to get away for a while. I needed a break from New York and a few days to just sit back and truly enjoy life. With all the work I put in, you would think I would spend my money on lavish trips and vacations. The only thing lavish I saw was the inside of my house. Other than that, I saw the hoods of Brownsville, Brooklyn. See, I was about to dip and then call Hazel when I landed. When I thought of getting away, I thought of being alone and able to do coke when I wanted to and party with some bad bitches here in Miami. It was the reason my ass paid 30k to fucking use my friend’s private jet. Flying commercial wouldn’t have allowed me to bring my shit with me. Me and Hazel been on good terms and she wasn’t stressing me out. Her ass was a little too quiet and it had me worried. Nah, my baby wouldn’t cheat or do no shit like that.
When I realized that Valentine’s day was near, I knew I had to bring her along and do things that she deserved. We were at a point where we didn’t say shit to each other. Hazel was my heart, and I know I didn’t always do good by her, I did love the shit out of her. Everything that I did I thought about her and how it would fuck with our household. It was the reason we had that house and she drove a foreign car. Not to mention, she never had to worry about shit from her salon because I covered it all. Everything she made, she pocketed that shit and put into her accounts. We had separate accounts because I wasn’t ready to make that leap and add both our names to my account. Hazel would never snake me. Still, I had trust issues that I wasn’t ready to deal with now. As of right now, she thought I didn’t have enough time to head to the bank and open a joint account.
I took another sniff and then headed back into the room. When I came into the room, Hazel was knocked out cold. She talked all that shit about wanting to watch a movie and cuddle, and her ass was in here sucking up all the good air with her snores. I shook my head and climbed into bed beside her. I watched as she nuzzled close to me and then kissed me on the neck.