My Woman His Wife Saga

by Anna J.

  “If she does we’ll just get her ass next. Both them bitches can go as far as I’m concerned.”

  Just as I was preparing to open my eyes, a hard slap jarred my eyes open, making blood gush from the side of my mouth. A scream rang out only to be quieted by a slap from the other side. I was seeing stars as a blow to my chest knocked the wind out of me, and vomit rushed up my throat, splattering all over my legs and on the floor. I could feel my eyes start to swell as blows rained down on me, and I could no longer hold in the screams. Just as quickly as it began it was over, and I cried as bloody saliva dripped from my busted lips. I wanted God to take me now, but it wasn’t going down like that. I would have to suffer this one out until they were ready to take me out of my misery.

  “You had my man killed, bitch,” I heard Sheneka say close to my ear as she circled my chair. I kept the prayer going in my mind because trying to reason with Sheneka at this point would be useless.

  “I knew you would slip up and come back here eventually. When Carlos got the call from Yolanda that you were touching down here I didn’t believe that your very own sister was still that scandalous after all these years. I thought she was pulling my leg up until I saw you at the airport. I knew I wasn’t letting you leave without an ass whipping. This is for Rico.”

  The punch that landed on my forehead was so hard it knocked the chair backward, sending me crashing to the ground. It wasn’t lost on me that she said my sister set me up. Now it all made sense. No one in Philly knew I was coming here; that’s why it was so weird that I was being followed after only being here for a few days. I was hurt, but I wasn’t surprised. This wasn’t the first time Yolanda put me in harm’s way, but I vowed that if I didn’t die out here and I made it back home she would definitely get what was coming to her. Keeping up with the prayer, I did my best to brace myself as Sheneka kicked and pounded on my body. I could feel myself losing consciousness and I hoped that the next time I opened my eyes I would be out of this world and on my way. I had no regrets at this point and was ready to go.

  “Cancel this bitch,” I heard Sheneka say as she got one last kick in before leaving the room. Her crying could be heard from the hall, and it rocked me to sleep like a lullaby as I slipped away. I felt my body being scooped from the floor as they lifted the chair up, and just as they were cutting me out of the binds and picking my bloodied and battered body up I surrendered to my will.

  I was hoping to be out completely by the time we got to wherever they were taking me, and by the time they slammed my body into the trunk of a car and pulled off I just prayed that this was the end of it and I could just go. I had already made my peace with God, so there was nothing left to do but get in line and head toward the Pearly Gates.

  Jaydah

  Second Thoughts, Last Regrets

  What the fuck did I do? I was pacing the floor as the cops questioned me about Monica’s whereabouts, and I felt like shit about what I was getting ready to do. I couldn’t let them do my baby like this, and if they acted fast maybe they could catch them before too much damage was done.

  “So you’re saying that she got into a fight with your sister outside, and some men came and snatched her. Do you know who the men where?” the detective asked, looking at me skeptically. It dawned on me that they might take me down with the rest of them, but I didn’t touch her and was at least trying to help her. Maybe that would work in my favor.

  “Yes, well only one of the men. His name was Carlos. He runs an auto body shop in the city, and I can give you the address. My sister’s name is Sheneka, and she’s certifiably crazy. I really hope you act fast because I think they are going to kill her,” I responded as I pulled out a pen and pad to write down all of the information I had on both of them. I could feel myself hyperventilating and feeling lightheaded, and I had to take a seat before I hit the floor.

  “Ma’am, are you okay?” one of the officers asked.

  “Yes, here is the information. Please hurry,” I said to them as tears stained my face. I fucked up royally this time, and I don’t know what I will do if they killed Monica. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.

  They took down my contact information as well, and after they left I collapsed on the couch in a heap of tears. Monica was going to die if something wasn’t done, and I just couldn’t stand by and let it happen. Hopping up from the couch, I grabbed my wallet along with Monica’s belongings. I had to get over there and try to stop them. Once I got to my car I called my sister’s phone, only for it to ring out to the voice mail. Deciding against leaving her a message, I started my car and typed into the GPS the address I obtained to the auto shop. It was only about a half hour away, from what the screen read, and I figured maybe if I took the back roads I could shave off some minutes.

  Once on the road, I called my sister’s phone a few more times, and decided I would keep calling until she answered. I was getting angrier as the minutes passed, and I was losing hope. What if I was too late? What if they had already gotten rid of her? I called my sister at least fifty times before she answered and I was pissed. They better not hurt Monica too bad, or it will be on.

  “Why are you blowing up my damn phone?” Sheneka answered in an angry voice laced with tears. She was still hung up on this Rico shit after all these years, and it irked me that she never got past it at least a little bit.

  “Did you hurt her, Sheneka? Tell me she’s okay,” I pleaded into the phone as I rushed through the streets.

  “That bitch is canceled, and if you keep up with the dumb shit you will be next. Don’t call my phone no more!”

  “Sheneka, wait,” I screamed into the phone. I was met by dead air, and when I looked at my phone the call was dismissed. I was so super irked, and couldn’t stop crying.

  As I pulled up to a stop sign I noticed Carlos and his boys riding past in the opposite direction. After they got past me I made a U-turn and quickly followed them. Reaching for my phone again, I called the cops. They needed to come now.

  “You’ve reached nine-one-one emergency. How may I assist you?”

  “There is a body in the trunk of the car I am following. I need someone to come now!” I yelled into the phone, hoping that would get someone to come out quickly. I didn’t know where they had Monica at, but at least if they pulled the car over and searched it or something, they may get arrested and tied into Monica’s missing person’s case.

  “Ma’am, how do you know that? Did you see them put the body in there?” the officer questioned. I was getting pissed that there wasn’t a squad chasing us down by now. Every minute that went by was wasted time on saving Monica.

  “Yes! The license plate number on the car is C-B-O-4-Z! Please hurry!”

  I stayed close behind as I waited for the cops to show up after giving them my location on the block that we were driving down, and we went for about a good six blocks before I started to hear sirens from police cars. A part of me hoped Monica was in the trunk so that she could be saved. I was so stupid for setting her up, and once again acting on my emotions. At the next light the cops began to swarm in, and I slowed my car down a little to lag behind. When the cops pulled them over I parked my car a few spaces back to see what would happen.

  They were first ordered out of the car, and were lined up against the wall as the car was searched. I was starting to lose hope, and was hoping they would open the trunk up to be sure. The cops began to search the vehicle, and discovered several guns in the back seat. There were at least five of them, and they probably used them to kill Monica if she was already dead. I wanted to scream out the window for them to pop the damn trunk already, but before I could say a word the lid of the trunk went up and a few of the cops rushed over to it. Before I knew it I was out the car and over there too.

  “Ma’am, you have to step back.” One of the officers grabbed at me. I was still trying to push through to see the inside of the trunk, but the cops had me gripped tight.

  When the cops dispersed there was nothing but guns inside of the ca
r. There was no body in the trunk like I had hoped. Just more guns and a suitcase that had yet to be opened. Where was Monica’s body, and where was my sister?

  “What did y’all do with her? Where is she?” I screamed as I cried and collapsed into the officer who was holding me up.

  “Ma’am, you need to calm down.”

  “These guys killed my friend. Where is the body?” I was feeling delirious, like I was going to faint. It was too late, and there was nothing I could do about it.

  I heard one of the cops calling for an ambulance, but all I could do was ball up in a fetal position on the ground and cry. It was too late. My baby was gone, and it was all my fault! All I remembered was the EMT scooping me from the ground as I watched the officers handcuff Carlos and his crew. I couldn’t let it end like this. I had to find out what happened to her. As I was stretched out and checked out in the ambulance I began to formulate another plan. I had to make sure that they stayed in jail until I at least figured out where the body could be. They wouldn’t get away with this, and for Monica I had to find out what went down.

  Jasmine

  Home Sweet Home Going

  I was pretty quiet for the days remaining after I came out of surgery to have my jaw wire removed. James ran it all down on how he found out that the kids weren’t his because Jordan needed a blood transfusion for his injuries from the car accident. When they ran his blood for a match it came about that he wasn’t the dad, and wasn’t even the same blood type to be able to donate. I felt like shit when he revealed that information to me. A lot of stuff happened in our past, but that type of secret was unforgivable. I couldn’t blame him for being upset, and I allowed him to get his feelings off his chest without interruption. He deserved at least that much.

  I was shocked when he told me that my mom knew everything. I mean everything! She was there when the doctor revealed that the kids weren’t his, and he even told her Monica’s role in all of it. They both knew about the twins, and came to find out my dad was the one who called the twins up to the hospital to talk to James. They had been trying to be included in the kids’ lives for years, but I never allowed it. James didn’t know that when we moved from our old house I was not only running from Monica, but from them as well. I didn’t need them just popping up one random day, especially considering I cheated right in our very bed that James and I shared every night. Everything was a mess, and I deserved whatever happened to us and this marriage.

  None of that took away from the fact that the accident happened, and because he wasn’t holding up his end of the responsibilities I had to come out of work that day and almost killed all of us. Just thinking about it pissed me off, but I knew arguing the point was pointless. The main thing is both me and the kids made it through, and hopefully we can pick up the pieces and move on with our lives.

  I was released a few days later from the hospital in a whole lot of pain. It felt like every inch of my body was falling apart, but I was alive at the end of the day, and that was all that mattered. I got a prescription for some painkillers, and was also set up with appointments to manage my back pain because I had developed herniated disks from the accident, and it was hard for me to bend. I would be in therapy a few days a week to get my body back in working order.

  On the day that I arrived home I was surprised with a welcome home party. People from my and James’s jobs, as well as family and a few friends were there to greet me. I stayed downstairs with them for a while, but the level of pain that I was experiencing made me turn in early, and once James was done with assisting me up the steps and helping me get ready for bed he went back down to the party. I was out quickly, and didn’t even realize James was in the room until a sharp pain woke me up. I tapped James, and he jumped up immediately to help me. I wanted to smile but it hurt too bad. Even after all of the mess that had come out and gone on, he still loved me enough to take care of me.

  It didn’t take long for me to start slowly moving around the house by myself, and I had to tell James to let me be sometimes so that I could do things myself. We had yet to talk, but I knew we had to clear the air. Things were different around the house. I could still feel the tension between us. When, during dinner one night, the kids asked him when their Aunt Monica was coming back to visit, I was surprisingly able to keep my cool. She was here to see her son I was sure. We did just up and move out of the blue, and she had no way to contact us. I wasn’t sure what she did to find us, but any mother who loved her child would have gone through the same measures that she did. It was just sad that I didn’t get a chance to talk to her about her son, and I wondered how much she knew.

  Junior got on my nerves, but lately he seemed like a different child. He was a lot calmer, and got along better with the kids. James even said that the people at his afterschool program said that he was doing a lot better. I was happy to hear that, and I knew my behavior toward him had to change. That was probably the biggest part of the reason why he was acting the way he was in the first place.

  “So, the twins want visitation rights. I think it’s only right. They are willing to be in the kids’ lives under the guise that they are their uncles so as not to mess up the flow of how we have things going. Monica did the same thing when I introduced her to the kids, and I think it’s the best thing for everyone,” James said to me before bed about a week after I got home.

  “I don’t have a problem with that. What’s up with Monica anyway? Why hasn’t she been back?”

  “I’m not sure. Her phone has been going straight to voice mail for the last week or so. Maybe she lost the phone, or got caught up in something. I don’t think she will just go back home without at least seeing her son one more time. She’ll pop up. I’m sure of it.”

  I didn’t say anything more about the twins or Monica, and decided to cuddle up with my husband and enjoy right now. We had so much damage to get through and undo, and work through. Years and years of damage and dumb shit that almost crumbled us. I would have never thought that years down the line this was where we would be. I’m just glad that we are at a point where we are willing to make it work.

  As I snaked my arm around his back in the bed, my hand got caught a little between the headboard and the mattress. I felt something silky on my fingertips, and yanked at it to see what it was. The looks on both of our faces were of pure shock as I revealed a hot pink thong with a gold “M” monogram sewn into the top part of the thong right where it would sit at the top of her ass if she had them on.

  “What the fuck is this? James, was Monica in my room?”

  “Babe, let me explain . . .”

  I didn’t know where I got the energy from, but before I knew it I was up out of the bed and pounding on his chest. This bitch was still causing havoc in my household, and James’s simple ass had fallen for her again. He got me back down on the bed, and was trying to restrain me without reinjuring me, and all I saw was red through the tears. I knew I hated her for a reason, and I was so pissed that she was able to sneak back in again. I couldn’t do this with her, and she had to go. She could never show her face around here again.

  “Jasmine, it’s not what you think. She came up here to use the bathroom while she was here with the kids. Your mom was here with us, and so were the kids. She must have snuck them in here then. Baby, I love you. You have to believe me.”

  The look on his face was one of desperation, and I wanted to believe him so bad. He held me in his arms and we just cried. Every time we thought we had gotten away, Monica found a way to throw a monkey wrench in the program. I knew we had to stay strong, and we had to keep moving forward.

  Turning the television up a little louder so that the kids wouldn’t hear us, we both were silenced by what flashed across the screen. A split screen with pictures of Monica, one with a made-up face and one of her badly beaten, was shown before the newscaster started her story.

  “Early this morning, the woman that was just shown was found badly beaten and raped in Fairmount Park along the joggers’ trail. A fema
le jogger saw her crawling from the side of the hill near Lemon Hill, barely able to move her left side. She was naked from the waist down and there was blood everywhere. It is said that when she got to the hospital she could not tell the cops who beat her, and that she was from out of town visiting a family friend.

  “It wasn’t until this woman, famous erotica writer Jaydah B from right here in Philadelphia, came up to the hospital and identified the guys to the police. Apparently, just over a week ago, the very men she identified were pulled over for supposedly having a body in their trunk, but the cops only found guns and drugs. What was even more interesting is the writer’s sister was involved with the beating as well, and all of them are in custody of the police and are being charged with rape and attempted murder. More of the story to come after this commercial break. . . .”

  Both James and I were sitting with our mouths wide open. What the hell is going on in the world? No wonder James hadn’t heard from her in over a week, and she was lucky even to be alive after all this time. I felt horrible about what happened to her, and I wondered how I could find out what hospital she was in. She must have fucked up someone else’s life for that to have happened to her, but damn. Was it that serious? They flashed the photos of the guys who beat and raped Monica, and of the girl who set her up. This was some crazy shit, and I knew at that moment that we had to get our household and our lives right for these kids. We weren’t perfect, but we were all they had. When they say what goes around comes around, it definitely does. Karma is a bitch who isn’t playing any games. I was content with not running into her anytime soon.

  Later that night after we checked on the kids, James and I decided that we had to make this work. We had a lot of pain and secrets in our lives, but we had to start living for today. We were starting from scratch. As I lay in his arms and inhaled his scent I knew this was where I belonged and there was no looking back. We would get things straight to find out which twin fathered our twins, and we would deal with Monica when the time came. All of this was scary for both of us, but we had to make it work. We just had to.