“Now what? What do we do now?” Nadia looked at Ke’yoko and asked. Ke’yoko could see the pure hatred in Nadia’s eyes. The need for revenge, the need to make Ja’Rel understand what he had done and taken from her so many years ago.
Ke’yoko looked Nadia dead in her eyes and said, “I don’t know yet; just know he gon’ pay dearly for everything he has done and all the pain and turmoil he has caused. I promise this, Nadia!” With that being said, Ke’yoko got herself together and headed for the door. She needed to be alone to think. Ke’yoko had to get a plan in order; only thing was she wasn’t quite sure what.
Chapter Twenty-four
Ke’yoko was at the stove finishing up dinner when Ja’Rel walked in.
“Ummmm, what you cookin’?” Ja’Rel walked up behind Ke’yoko, wrapped his arm around her waist and asked, before kissing her on the cheek.
“I’m makin’ your favorite.” She smiled while lifting the top off the Cajun shrimp medley. “The garlic bread is in the oven cookin’ and the salad is in the fridge.”
“That’s wassup.” Ja’Rel smiled happily, while rubbing Ke’yoko’s belly. “You’ve been cookin’ a lot lately. What did a nigga do to deserve this?”
“Shoot, I haven’t cooked in such a long time. And I was lookin’ at you one day and you looked like you was losin’ weight so I said I better start feedin’ my baby,” Ke’yoko said, smiling.
“Yeah, ’cause I’m kinda’ gettin’ tired of eatin’ fast food.”
“Shit, I bet. Now go upstairs and get washed up for dinner,” she looked at her husband and said.
“I can’t wait to eat.” Ja’Rel turned around, walking out of the kitchen to go change out of his work clothes.
“I can’t wait for you to eat either,” she said deviously.
Ke’yoko waited until she heard Ja’Rel walking up the stairs before pulling two pills out of her apron pocket. She opened up the kitchen drawer and grabbed the pill crusher and finely crushed the pills up into tiny pieces of dust. She quickly fixed Ja’Rel’s plate. She then sprinkled the powdery pills on top of his food before grabbing the parmesan cheese out of the cabinet and shaking some on top to disguise the medicine.
“It’s time to eat, Ja’Rel,” Ke’yoko yelled while placing his plate on the kitchen table before getting him a glass of Kool-Aid.
“I’m comin’,” he said on his way down the stairs.
Ke’yoko stood at the stove, fixing herself a plate. She looked back and smiled as Ja’Rel devoured his food.
“Damn, this is the bomb!” he said as he scarfed down his meal.
“I’m glad you like it,” Ke’yoko said, sitting down across from her husband, watching. “You want some more?”
“Naw, I’m full right now. I’ll eat some more when I get back,” Ja’Rel said, taking the last little bite of his garlic bread and driving it around the leftover sauce on the plate before sticking it in his mouth.
“Where you ’bouta go?” Ke’yoko asked, not really caring.
“I got some business to handle. I won’t be gone too long,” he said, finishing off his Kool-Aid and letting out a loud belch.
“Should I wait up for you?”
“Naw, don’t wait up ’cause I don’t know how long I’ll be gone,” he said, getting up from the table and walking out of the kitchen.
You’ll be back much sooner than you think.
“Damn, you coulda put your plate and glass in the sink,” she yelled, but Ja’Rel was already out the door.
Ke’yoko shook her head and smiled as she cleaned off the table before going upstairs to shower.
* * *
“Again?” Ka’yah frowned.
“Look, I don’t know what’s wrong. It’s gotta be stress,” Ja’Rel said, lying on his back as Ka’yah was in between his legs on her knees with his limp dick in her hand.
“Stress?”
“Yeah, stress,” he said, irritated.
“What the fuck you gotta be stressed out about?” Ka’yah asked with an attitude.
“I got a lotta shit to be stressed out about. I got a baby on the way, my wife stay on my fuckin’ neck about me stayin’ out all night, not to mention I’m fuckin’ her twin sister! As if that alone ain’t enough to be stressed out about!”
“Whatever,” Ka’yah said, climbing out of bed. “This the third time this week you couldn’t get it up! I mean, what the fuck, Ja’Rel!” Ka’yah snapped while grabbing her pack of cigarettes and a lighter off the dresser and lighting one up. Ka’yah took a couple pulls from the cigarette and blew the smoke out before putting it out in the ashtray. She looked over at Ja’Rel and shook her head. “Are you fuckin’ her?”
“Fuckin’ who?” Ja’Rel asked, already knowing who she was talking about.
“Ke’yoko, nigga!” she snapped.
“Naw, baby.” Ja’Rel climbed out of bed, walked over to Ka’yah, wrapped his arms around her waist, and pulled her into his body.
“Are you sure?” she questioned.
“Baby, I promise I ain’t fuckin’ her. You the only person I fuck wit’,” Ja’Rel lied with a straight face.
“Ummmm huh,” Ka’yah said, skeptical. She didn’t know why Ja’Rel thought she was so naïve. She knew that he was out there laying more pipe than a little bit.
“This yo’ dick,” Ja’Rel said, grabbing a handful of his limp manhood.
“If you don’t fix yo’ little problem it won’t be too much longer,” Ka’yah said while staring at his pitiful-looking member.
“You gon’ let all this good dick go to somebody else?” He smirked.
“Ja’Rel, I need some dick! I can’t keep goin’ through this wit’ you. A sista got needs,” Ka’yah said, disgusted.
“Come on back over to the bed and try to suck it again. I think it’s about to get hard,” Ja’Rel said, grabbing Ka’yah by the hand.
Ka’yah looked down at Ja’Rel’s Johnson and smiled as it looked like it was about to come back to life. “Come on,” she said, walking over to the bed.
“Let me go pee first,” Ja’Rel said, turning toward the bedroom door.
“Damn! This is like the tenth time you done pissed since you’ve been here,” she snapped while rolling her eyes.
“Calm down. I’ll be right back,” he said, heading across the hall to the bathroom.
“Uggggh, I don’t know what’s wrong wit’ this nigga.” Ka’yah grimaced as she waited for Ja’Rel to get back.
Ja’Rel walked over to the bed and lay back. Ka’yah positioned herself between his legs again, anxiously grabbed his manhood, put it into her mouth, and went to town. She pulled every trick she had out of the bag, trying her best to get his dick hard. After about ten minutes of putting in work, Ka’yah gave up.
“Look, it ain’t no use. Ya shit ain’t gettin’ hard!” Ka’yah said angrily.
“Just keep tryin’. It’s about to get hard,” Ja’Rel said.
“Keep tryin’? Shiiiit, nigga, my jaws hurt! Just face it, ya shit ain’t gon’ get hard,” she said, irritated.
“Come on, one more time,” Ja’Rel said.
“No, nigga, I’m done!” Ka’yah was fed up as she climbed out of bed with a straight attitude. “Uggggh, this nigga’s dick won’t even get hard!” she said aloud to herself.
“Come on, baby, just one more time!” Ja’Rel begged as he climbed out of bed.
“No! Just go home to ya wife,” she said, bending down, grabbing his clothes, and pushing them into his chest.
“Are you serious?” Ja’Rel asked.
“Hell yeah, I’m serious!” she snapped. “And don’t come back until you get some Viagra, some Cialis, or somethin’! Shit, I coulda had a V8!”
“Okay, I see how you are,” Ja’Rel said as he got dressed.
“Naw, you ain’t seen shit yet,” Ka’yah said, still frowning.
“I ain’t fuckin’ wit’ you no more,” he said, putting his shirt on.
“I don’t give a fuck, nigga! Take yo’ limp-dick ass on up outta here
and don’t worry about comin’ back!” she yelled.
“It’s cool. I won’t.” Ja’Rel got himself together and headed out of the bedroom. “Don’t call me for shit! If it ain’t about my son, it ain’t about nothin’!”
“Boy, bye,” Ka’yah said, waving him off. She was heated. Her hormones were on high and her body was throbbing with need in more than one place. She needed to get off point blank. The worst thing for her was to have this nigga lying next to her, unable to get the job done. Ka’yah’s mind was in overdrive; she just knew this nigga was fucking her sister, or else he would be able to get that shit up.
Ja’Rel looked back at Ka’yah, shook his head, and walked out the door with both his pride and dick on limp.
* * *
Ke’yoko lay in the bed in her cozy pajamas, head wrapped in a scarf, while eating popcorn and watching one of her old-school favorite movies Bustin’ Loose, cracking up laughing.
“Dakota gotta pee!” she yelled, mocking the little, chubby black girl in the movie.
Ja’Rel walked in the room looking like he had just lost his best friend.
Ke’yoko looked over at her husband. “That was quick.” She smirked before turning her attention back to the TV.
Ja’Rel just looked at her, not saying a word, and walked into the bathroom and slammed the door behind him.
Chapter Twenty-five
Ke’yoko was up getting ready for her doctor’s appointment. She was excited to be getting another ultrasound today. She was hoping that Dr. Confalone would be able to tell her the sex of the baby because every time he’d tried previously, the baby had its legs closed. Ke’yoko didn’t care if it was a boy or girl; she was just happy to be having a healthy, living baby.
“You want me to go to your appointment wit’ you?” Ja’Rel looked over at Ke’yoko and asked.
“No, thanks. I done been to the doctor about twenty times and you’ve never offered to go, so why now?” Ke’yoko asked.
“I don’t know. I just wanna be there, that’s all,” Ja’Rel said.
“I’m cool,” Ke’yoko said with an attitude. “You continue to keep doin’ you, while I do me.” She walked out of the bedroom.
Ke’yoko was tickled pink because Ja’Rel had been staying at home every night for the past month, trying to act like a husband should. It would have made her happy, if he was doing it by choice and not because she’d been crushing Xanax and Lasix in his food making him impotent.
Ke’yoko got in the car, called Ross, and told him she was on her way over to his condo. Ross had been going to all of Ke’yoko’s doctor appointments with her. He made sure she ate right and exercised, and he tried to keep her as stress free as possible. Ke’yoko was grateful to have him in her life.
Ke’yoko and Ross walked out of the doctor’s office with smiles on their faces.
“A boy,” he said, smiling.
“A freakin’ boy.” Ke’yoko smiled too.
“This calls for a celebration,” Ross said.
“Yes, it does. What we gon’ do?” she inquired.
“How ’bout goin’ back to my condo and watchin’ some old movies while eatin’ root beer floats, chips, and pizza,” Ross suggested.
“Whaaaat? You gon’ let me eat all that, Mr. Personal Trainer?” Ke’yoko asked, laughing.
“Yes, but only this one time. We celebratin’ and tomorrow you’ll be right back to eatin’ healthy again.”
“Sounds good to me. Let’s go.”
“Do you wanna go home first and check in wit’ Ja’Rel?” Ross asked sarcastically.
“Ja’Rel ain’t neva checked in wit’ me, so why would I check in wit’ his ass?” Ke’yoko asked, smiling.
“Okay. I just don’t wanna get you in no trouble.” Ross smiled as he and Ke’yoko made their way over to his car.
“Whatever.” Ke’yoko laughed as Ross opened the passenger door for her to get in before walking around to the driver’s side and getting in himself.
“Mommy, how come you didn’t let me speak to Auntie Ke’yoko?” Aiko asked as he and his mother stood outside the Family Dollar store across the street from Ke’yoko’s OBGYN office.
“Oh, don’t you worry; we’ll call her later on,” she looked down at her son and said with a devilish grin.
* * *
Ja’Rel was blowing Ke’yoko’s phone up as she and Ross watched Black Dynamite. She kept letting it go to voice mail. He would not let up; he kept calling back to back, just like she used to do to him. Finally getting tired of her phone ringing, she decided to answer it.
“Excuse me,” she looked over at Ross and said.
“Take care of ya business,” he replied while pausing the movie.
“Wassup?” she answered with a straight attitude.
“Where the fuck you at? And how come you ain’t been answerin’ yo’ damn phone!” Ja’Rel snapped.
“Why? And you don’t answer yo’ phone when you busy,” she said, slightly irritated that he was questioning her.
“Because I asked, that’s why!” he said in a raised tone.
“Do I call and question your whereabouts or what you doin’ when you not at home?” she asked.
“You used to,” Ja’Rel responded.
“The key words are ‘used to.’ I don’t do it no more!”
“Whatever, man,” Ja’Rel said. “Do you want me to wait up for you?”
“Naw, don’t wait up!” Keyoko pushed the END button on her phone and tossed it in her purse. “Sorry about that,” she looked over at Ross and said.
“You cool,” he said with a smile.
“Now, where were we?”
Ross picked the remote back up and pushed play on the DVR. “You think you gon’ be okay when you get home? That nigga ain’t gon’ try to put his hands on you, is he?” Ross inquired.
“Naw, that nigga ain’t crazy,” Ke’yoko said, unfazed.
“Well, let me know if he do ’cause I’ma put that nigga in the grave,” he said seriously.
“Don’t worry. I’ma be good when I go home,” Ke’yoko assured him.
“Okay. I’m just makin’ sure. I know that’s ya husband and I don’t get in between people’s shit, but I ain’t never gon’ let that nigga get away wit’ puttin’ his hands on you whether you pregnant or not.” Ross didn’t crack a smile.
Listening to Ross defend her had Ke’yoko feeling hot and bothered. “I’m good, baby, thank you.” She smiled. “Calm down, tiger.”
“Okay.”
Ke’yoko and Ross were laughing, talking, and watching the movie. Ross stopped watching the TV and looked over at Ke’yoko and just stared at her, making her feel a little uneasy.
“What?” she asked.
Ross just shook his head as he set his root beer float on the table.
“What?” she repeated.
“You are so beautiful,” he said, smiling.
“Thank you.” Ke’yoko smiled back.
Ross scooted over closer to Ke’yoko, took her root beer float out of her hand, and set it on the table. He then leaned his head back on the sofa and stared up at her. He studied her entire face.
She looked down in his eyes and smiled. “How come you’ve never tried to sleep wit’ me?” Ke’yoko asked after an awkward silence. “I think I know the reason why, but I just wanna be sure.”
Ross smiled and sat up. “Where that come from?” He laughed.
“I don’t know. I guess I just wanted to know. I mean, we’ve been spendin’ a lot of time together and you’ve yet to make a real pass at me. I mean, you flirt but that’s about the gist of it,” Ke’yoko said, needing to know the exact reason.
“You really wanna know?” Ross asked, prolonging his response.
“Yes, I wanna know. If I didn’t I wouldn’a asked,” she said, laughing.
“Look, ma. I’ma keep it real wit’ you. Every time we’re around each other, I wanna make love to you so bad it’s unreal. But there are some niggas who still respect the code and I’m one of ’em.”
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“What code?”
“Ma, you pregnant by another nigga. What I look like fuckin’ you? And even though me and my baby momma ain’t together, she still live wit’ me so I would never disrespect you or her like that. I feel like if I can’t bring you to my home in the daytime, I don’t have no business makin’ love to you at night, you feel me? Now, don’t get me wrong, I take a cold shower every time you leave, believe that,” Ross said, laughing. “But respect and honor, your honor and mine, mean more to me than all that. I don’t care about what the next nigga doin’ or did. I’ma always stay true to myself.”
Ke’yoko couldn’t do nothing but respect Ross’s way of thinking. They watched two more movies and continued laughing and talking. It was almost eleven o’clock and Ke’yoko was getting tired and, even though she didn’t want to leave, she definitely didn’t want to wear out her welcome.
“Okay, big head, I’m ’bouta go,” she looked over at Ross and said.
“A’iiight. Let me walk you to your car.” Ross stood up from the sofa and helped Ke’yoko up. “Now don’t forget tomorrow morinin’ we back in the gym,” he said as they headed toward the door.
“I know, I know. I’ll be there at eight o’clock.”
Ross and Ke’yoko walked into the hallway and got on the elevator. They chitchatted on their way down. Ross walked Ke’yoko over to her car, opened the door for her, then closed it once she got in. She then started the car and rolled the window down.
“You be safe,” he leaned in the window and said.
“I will,” she looked at him and said with a smile.
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