“You didn’t give me what I liked so I had to grab yours.”
Tru nodded. He sat back in his seat as Normani’s phone began to ring once more.
“You need to take that?” he asked making Rebecka look over at Normani.
Normani shook her head. Her body temperature rose as she swallowed her food.
“No, I’m good.”
Tru rubbed on his waves with his eyes on her.
“You sure? They seemed pressed to talk to you.”
Normani frowned and River began to clap.
“Ne, Wo, Ree, Our, Ive, Ix,” she said happily.
Tru leaned towards River and kissed her cheek. His eyes filled with love as he stared at their daughter.
“You smart just like mommy. My biggest blessing,” he said lowly and he made Normani inhale a deep breath when he kissed her cheek as well. He veered towards her ear and licked the bottom rim of it before touching her hip.
“You and River are the best parts of me. My family and I’m not walking away without a fight. Let that bitch ass nigga know that shit. You two is all me,” he whispered before sitting back in his seat.
Sweat formed at the center of her back and slid down her spine slowly. Her eyes rolled as she imagined Tru feeding her the dick. Kissing on her in ways that only he could — even making her body shake for him. Lately, he’d found a way to pop into her mental at the most impromptu times. She was sick of it and frustrated because she didn’t want to go back there with him. Normani wanted a divorce and was angry that he was trying to make her doubt that.
Azariah stopped stroking her to look at her face.
“I love you, ma, you know that?”
Normani nodded. She sighed as those dark, intriguing eyes bored into her. Why did she have to feel bad for choosing herself? Tru was the one that had cheated for years while she sat back and did everything that was expected of her. She was the one that had been faithful and loving to him, so why would she lose sleep over giving out the same medicine?
That damn conscious was a motherfucka.
Normani slid off Azariah’s member and fell beside him on the bed. As her chest heaved up and down, he flipped on top of her. He hiked her legs up and smiled as he slid inside her wet center.
“What’s the matter?”
“I’m sorry, and while I know you don’t have any trust in me anymore, can you stay while I rebuild that shit? I know our love didn’t leave that fast. Did it?”
Normani closed her eyes as Azariah’s thick dick stretched her insides out. She moaned, and he pumped harder inside of her.
“You feel so good. Bout to make me cum and shit,” he groaned and buried his face into her neck.
Normani sat still and lost in her thoughts as he released inside of her. Seconds later, Azariah pulled out of Normani and swallowed hard.
“I saw your pics online of you at your lil dinner and shit. You was all smiles with that nigga. I thought y’all was getting a divorce. That changed?”
Normani sighed. She looked at the wall as her heart slowly went to its regular beat.
“We are, but I mean things are complicated.”
Azariah sucked his teeth while frowning.
“Complicated, how? You divorce the nigga and move on. It's as simple as that.”
Normani glanced around the spacious room and looked at all of Azariah’s baby momma’s belongings.
“And then do what, be with you? It looks like you're already into it deep with Dollar Tree,” she quipped.
Azariah chuckled.
“Aye don’t spin this shit on me. You playing your games is what got us in this position. Like I told you before you will always be my favorite girl. You already know that if you want me, you got me. No matter what,” he said before his eyes closed.
His words soaked into Normani and she stewed on them before falling asleep herself.
Hours later Normani and Azariah walked through Dave & Buster’s with River. Tru was in Flint doing a show with the rapper Kasam’s son KJ on his promo tour. They had four more cities to do, and it would be another week before she saw him again. Normani planned on enjoying herself because after that she was going down south with Tru and his mom and she wasn’t necessarily looking forward to that.
“Let’s take a picture,” Azariah said and picked up River.
Normani trailed behind them as he headed for the photo booth. They stepped in, and she sat beside him as he held her baby. Azariah slid the card into the slot, and soon, the camera was going off. Together they did silly faces to smiles as the camera captured the moment. Azariah grabbed the photos and gave Normani one while he kept the other three.
“-Um, y-um,” River said slowly as they stepped out of the booth.
Normani smiled at her talking baby. Her words weren’t clear, but she was trying and was moving at a much faster pace than most kids her age.
“She’s hungry. Let’s go sit down for a sec,” she said and pulled him towards the eating area.
Normani and Azariah took a seat with River sitting in between them. Normani checked her work email eager to see how River’s clothing brand was doing as Azariah ordered them a large pizza and something to drink.
“How shit been hanging?” he asked once she’d sat her phone down.
Normani smiled.
“It’s doing so well. I have two pop-up shops this month, and Tru sent so many people my way that I now have a meeting with a big distributor that can get her onesies into stores like Target, but I have to reach a certain fiscal number.”
Azariah smiled while staring at Normani.
“That’s good. You trying to do that?”
Normani shook her head.
“I’d much rather work for myself. All the money I’m making from this is going to her account. I want her to have something that no one can take away from her. I’m trying to leave her a brand that will sell itself,” she replied.
Azariah nodded with a smirk on his handsome face.
“I wouldn’t expect anything less from you. You got shit going for you, and I’m proud of you,” Azariah said and pulled on a loose string of Normani’s hair.
Normani blushed before going back to her food. Soon they finished up their meal and grabbed River the biggest bear that they could from the toy shop. As they walked through the parking lot, Normani clung tightly to Azariah’s hand as he held River.
Honk! Honk!
Normani jumped and clutched Azariah’s hand tightly. A silver Buick Enclave stopped inches away from Normani and Azariah. Seconds later, out jumped a pregnant woman with fiery eyes.
“Dollar Tree done lost her damn mind,” Normani muttered.
Azariah shook his head as he passed River to Normani. The woman looked from Azariah to Normani then finally to River.
“Is this what we’ve come to baby? I’m the one pregnant with your child yet you frolic around town with a married woman? You don’t want my baby, but you love on her’s? Why?”
Azariah cleared his throat. He swallowed hard as he stared at the pregnant woman.
“Look, just relax. Go home, and we can discuss this shit in private. This not the place to be doing all that,” he said sternly.
The pregnant woman nodded. She looked at Normani and scoffed.
“And you are such a dumb ass bitch. How could you get played how you did by your husband then put another woman through that hurt? You must not have any respect for yourself. Low self-esteem having ass hoe. In case you didn’t get the memo I’m the woman that’s about to have his child, not you. Go find your husband and make that nigga treat you right. And in the meantime, leave my fucking man alone with your thirsty ass,” she quipped.
Normani was more affected by her words than she would have liked to admit. She shrugged as she shook them off. She knew her history with Azariah; she also knew what they meant to each other. She wasn’t looking to explain it to anyone that had a problem with it.
“I’m not about to do this. Azariah lets go,” she said and walked away.
&nb
sp; “Oh, really bitch? You fucking my baby daddy at the place I sleep at and you not about to do this? Yes, the fuck you are!” she raged and rushed after Normani.
Normani walked faster, knowing that if she wasn’t carrying her daughter, she would have been whooping that girl’s ass pregnant or not.
“Normani, watch out!”
Normani glanced back and before she could pay attention to what Azariah was saying a black sedan drove into her side, making her and River fly back onto the pavement. River’s loud cries greeted Normani’s ears as she faded in and out of consciousness. Normani attempted to lift her head, and before she could call out her baby’s name, her body drifted off into darkness.
“Are you sure this is the right thing for you? I think you should be home with me,” Diana pleaded.
Normani’s swollen eyes looked her mother over slowly. She shook her head as she leaned on Tru for support.
“Mom I’m fine. We told his mother that we would go with her and we wanna honor that promise. River’s good, thank God.”
Diana nodded with wet lenses.
“Yes, thank God, she came off easy with only a few scratches. It’s you I’m worried about. You’re the one that suffered a miscarriage. You need to be resting.”
Miscarriage.
The word made Tru clench her hand so tightly that she winced. She hurt from it as well, for so many fucking reasons. It was a sad ending to something she’d created with another man. Someone that wasn’t her husband. Someone that she hadn’t heard from since the accident when he’d chosen to leave her at the scene but had been kind enough to drop River off at the police station without showing his face.
Normani was hurt, confused, and lost. It was as simple as that. She didn’t know where to go from there.
“Ma, she’s good,” Tru said clearing his throat.
Diana smiled when she gazed up at him. Normani wondered when her mother had grown so fond of him.
“Baby, I know that loss was hard on you as well. A baby is a blessing, and God will give you two another child if it's meant to be. If you all need me to keep River, I can,” she told him.
Tru shook his head.
“Nah she’s good but we appreciate the offer. If you want, we can pray before we hop on the jet,” he suggested.
Normani’s brows pulled together. He’d been speaking and moving so different lately, and she was sick of his charade. His holier than thou attitude was driving her insane.
“Tru since when did you start praying so much?”
Diana, Tru and his mother’s eyes darted Normani’s way. Tru clad in army fatigue joggers with black Bally’s and a crisp white V-neck looked down at Normani. She could feel his dark eyes bore into her as he licked his lips.
“Since you shot me,” he confessed quietly.
It wasn’t with malice and it wasn’t with humor. He pulled her close and Normani dipped her head to avoid eye contact with him.
“God, we come to you today humble and in need of your comfort. We also come to you grateful that you showed mercy on my wife Normani. I ask that you give all of us the comfort that we need to forge ahead. Life is far from easy my guy, but we're trying and I know that with you we can do it. Amen.”
Normani swallowed hard.
“Amen,” she whispered lost in her thoughts.
Diana pulled Normani into a one-sided hug and embraced her tightly.
“Please be safe and call me as soon as you land. Okay,” she sniffled.
Normani sighed. Every time her mom cried, she felt guilty. She hadn’t forced the elderly driver to sideswipe her but had she been at home and not with Azariah it wouldn’t have happened.
“I promise I will. I will do better,” she said meaning the words in term of her life in general.
Diana pulled back and stared into Normani’s eyes.
“You better,” she said quietly before hugging Tru. “Take care of our girl baby,” she told him and he kissed her cheek.
Normani felt like she was in the twilight zone as she watched Tru and her mom show each other love.
“You know I got her ma. When we get back, I’ll be through with River so we can catch up on your shows,” he said and Diana laughed.
“I’ll hold you to that and enjoy yourself, Rebecka,” Diana said before walking off.
Silently everyone boarded the private plane. Rebecka grabbed a sleeping River and took her to the bedroom in the back of the jet. Tru led Normani over to an available set of captain chairs and they took a seat. He passed Normani her medicine and a bottled water before getting comfortable in his seat.
“You good? You sore?”
Normani took her medicine and winced as she sat back. She didn’t come off as easy as River had. She suffered not only a miscarriage but also a fractured rib and swollen wrist along with six stitches to the back of her head.
“Tru we should—”
Tru shook his head. He reclined his seat back and placed his hand on her lap. She glanced down at the tattoos covering his brown skin as he gripped it gently.
“Get some rest. Wake me up if you need me.”
Normani nodded as she watched him close his eyes. He’d come through in the clutch for her and River. He’d dropped out of the promo tour and rushed home. Not only did he make sure she had the best care available he sat at her hospital bed and held her as she cried for the loss of her baby. A child she didn’t know she was carrying. A child that she’d created from an affair. He hadn’t once spoken his anger on the matter and Normani was perplexed by it all.
“Did you love her? Do you have an outside child Tru?” she asked quietly.
Tru shook his head. He licked his thick lips and his eyes peered open at her. His wet lenses made Normani swallow hard as he stared her way.
“Never had an outside kid. I took that test before we got married ma. It doesn’t excuse what I was doing, but I didn’t have any kids on you. And I never loved Reba. She appeased to my ego. That’s the only way I can say it. The things I wouldn’t dare bring to you she would suggest we do. It was nothing besides sex, I promise. Do you love him?”
Normani’s breath drew in. Her heart was beating so fast she feared Tru could hear it pounding in her chest.
“Who?”
Tru’s jaw tightened as he stared at her.
“Azariah. That’s who you was with right? Who you been with for months now. Even getting ready to have his baby and shit.”
Normani’s shoulders dropped.
“I wasn’t about to do all of that. I didn’t even know I was pregnant. That wasn’t my intentions with him.”
Tru stared at her intently before closing his eyes.
“I know I didn’t deserve it but when I asked you to give me a fair chance, I believed that you would. When I said I was changing I meant that and I have. If you would stop hating me and open your eyes to the person that’s infront of you, you would see that,” he said and within minutes he was on his way to sleep.
Normani stared at him as his breathing even out and for the first time since the shooting felt grateful for him. She didn’t know where her gratefulness would lead to but she felt it, and atleast it was a start.
7
#sameniggadifferentplay
“I ain’t saying that I’m hitting that but know one thing, she checking hard for a nigga. Even with that hoe ass nigga Durand, she calls my phone still trying to get on, sending naked pics and all. She’s wild as fuck wit her shit, but that’s always been her style. I’m just tired of the games, so I don’t mind exposing her thot ass. She acts like I’m not married with my own family and shit,” Carter quipped and chuckled into the mic.
The brashest radio host out of the trio laughed the hardest. He was a bald head dark skin man with a big smile and wideset eyes.
“Aye! So even pregnant with Durand’s baby she still would let you hit nigga?” he asked rudely.
Carter shrugged before laughing. He raised his hands in the air loving the attention he was receiving.
“Look all
I’m saying is Novah not loyal to shit but a check. I can't speak on the court but know she’s not getting what she used to from me, so she needed another come up. I’m just as shocked as yall to know she was even pregnant. She hid the shit from me because she was trying to get me to leave my wife for her,” he fibbed in a serious tone.
Everyone in the rooms jaw fell slack. The male radio hosts shook their heads while the female host looked at Carter with narrowed eyes.
“So, let me get this straight, she didn’t tell you about the baby?”
Carter shook his head. His anger with the situation showed on his handsome face.
“Nah, she’s shiesty as fuck for that shit too. Old snake ass bitch that I’ll never trust again. Might fuck round and end up hurting that hoe,” he said vehemently.
“Wow! Wow! Let’s calm all that down. Aint you married?” the darker male host asked, smiling.
Carter nodded with a tensed jaw.
“Yeah, but shits complicated. I’m where I wanna be, but me and Novah got history. We agreed that she wouldn’t have any more kids,” he replied, making everyone in the room laugh.
“You seem like you might be hating to me,” the female host said side eyeing Carter.
Carter shrugged.
“Nah, never that,” he mumbled.
“But doesn’t she have her spa? Why would she need to use you or Durand for money?” she asked him.
The brash DJ looked at the woman host and smirked.
“Your ass would know. Even when women pulling in, they own money they could want more. Look Carter it's like this, Durand fuck with us heavy and we not trying to be on some shady shit so how can we know what you saying about your bm is true? How can you prove that she out here thotting it up?” he asked and laughed.
Carter sat back with a smug look on his face. He pulled out his phone and showed everyone in the room a video of Novah being fingered by Durand at his party. The room went speechless as Carter laughed to himself.
Upside of Love Page 12