by Coco Amoure
He’d been trying to shake the feeling that something was up with his wife and the dude he ran up on her with at the hospital. There was something about the way he stood so closely to Natasha and how nervous she was when Jason walked up on them.
“Babe, do you plan on cooking tonight or would you like me to order some take out?” he asked.
Natasha simply sat on the sofa staring into space. The television was on, but the volume was on mute. She struggled to fight back the tears that were so close to running down her face.
“Natasha, babe, did you hear what I said?” Jason walked over to where she was sitting and noticed the disturbed look on her face. He immediately became concerned. It wasn’t like Natasha to be sitting around staring off into space. The fact that her hair was a mess and she was still in her night clothes at five o’clock in the evening was a clear indication that something was wrong. One thing he knew about Natasha, was that her hair was always done, and she loved getting dressed up on a daily basis.
“I’m fine, Jason,” she replied without looking at him. Natasha hadn’t eaten in three days. Her appetite had deserted her the moment the baby was sucked out of her womb.
“What’s going on with you, Tash? You’ve been acting strange for weeks. I’m really worried about you,” Jason said.
“I said I’m fine Jason!” she forcefully replied. Natasha still hadn’t looked at her husband. She continued to stare straight ahead as if she were in a daze.
Jason sat down beside her and clasped his hands together. “I’m really trying to be patient with you, Tash, but don’t play me for no fool. I know when something is wrong with my wife. Now you need to tell me what’s up, because I have a few theories of my own. But I’d rather hear it from you.”
“Jason, I’ve just not been feeling like myself lately. I’m sure whatever it is, that it will pass.” Natasha stood up and simply walked away. She never answered Jason’s question about dinner or even attempted to fix him anything to eat.
Jason followed Natasha into their bedroom. She threw the covers back and lay down in the bed with her back towards him. He stood there dumbfounded, in all of the years he’d known Natasha, she’d never behaved this way.
“Tash, when you’re ready to talk about whatever is bothering you, I will be right here, baby. I’m going to order a pizza. Do you want an order of those honey barbeque chicken wings you love so much?” he asked. Typically, females stuck together no matter what. He’d thought about reaching out to Delaney, but her loyalty belonged to Natasha even though he and Delaney were friends as well. He quickly dismissed the notion to reach out to Delaney for any answers.
“No,” she replied, and covered her head with the comforter.
Jason shook his head, turned around and walked out of the bedroom, closing the door behind him. He was desperately trying his best to be patient, but his frustration was on the verge of causing him to blow up. He needed answers and he needed them quickly. Jason had been dealing with her strange behavior ever since he’d come off the road from long distance truck driving.
“Damn, where are all of the coupons?” Jason said, as he searched in the kitchen drawers for pizza coupons. Any other time, there would be a gang of coupons lying around all over the place.
He noticed that Natasha’s purse was sitting on top of a stack of mail, along with a bunch of advertisements. Jason tried to pull the mail from under her purse and ended up knocking the purse on the floor.
“Shit!” he sighed in frustration.
He bent down to pick the items that fell out of her purse from off the floor. A business card caught his attention, so he picked it up to examine it. Atlanta Women’s Center. Abortion care, other services, counseling and education he read the card out loud.
“What the fuck is this!”
Panic struck him. He could almost hear his heart beating through his chest. Could his wife have had an abortion? Was she cheating on him? The questions that were running through his mind caused him to sweat profusely.
Jason glanced at the time and realized it was too late to call, since the clinic was already closed. Besides they probably wouldn’t give him any information anyway. His heart was racing. Why would Natasha be carrying around a business card for an abortion clinic in her purse?
Suddenly, he lost his appetite. He needed some answers. One thing his father always told him was to trust his gut instinct. If he smelled shit, then it probably was some shit lying around. Jason marched into their bedroom and slung the door open.
“Natasha, get up!” he yelled. The caring and patient approach wasn’t working. It was time for him to use force. Jason didn’t like raising his voice at his wife, and for the most part he’d handled her feelings with care.
Natasha quickly rolled over at the sound of his voice. It was rare that Jason ever raised his voice. “Why are you yelling?” she asked, rubbing her eyes.
“What the fuck is this about and don’t lie to me either! I swear on everything I love you better tell me the damn truth.” Jason tossed the business card on the bed.
Natasha’s eyes fell on the business card and her heart dropped. Fuck! The lady at the clinic handed her that card when she and Delaney were leaving the clinic. She told Natasha to call her if she had any questions once she got home. Natasha meant to give Delaney the business card, but her mind was all over the place at the time, and she must’ve stuffed it into her purse instead.
“Why were you going through my personal shit?” she asked, slinging the covers off of her and sitting up in the bed.
“Fuck you mean, why am I going through your shit? I’m telling you now, Tash, don’t fuck with me! Why do you have an abortion clinic card in your fucking purse?” Jason was so angry that spit was flying out of his mouth. In his heart, he already knew the answer. Memories of all the times his calls went unanswered, even in the wee hours of the morning started to infiltrate his mind. He even thought about the many times she refused him sex when he came in off the road. One look into her eyes and he knew the truth, his wife was fucking around on him.
Natasha sat on the bed with her lips trembling and tears rolling down her face. There was no sense in lying about it anymore. She was ready to come clean. She’d already lost her baby and now she was about to lose her husband too. The guilt of what she’d done was too heavy for her to continue to carry.
“Jason, I’m so sorry,” she cried.
“Sorry, what the fuck do you mean? What are you sorry about, Tash?” he yelled. Jason wanted to hear the words, he deserved to hear the truth and that is exactly what he intended on getting from her.
“I…I…I’ve been having an affair. You were never here and I was bored and lonely. I know it isn’t an excuse, but at the time I wasn’t thinking clearly.”
“Now ain’t this some shit! I ain’t never cheated on you during this entire marriage. Not once! I’m out here working my ass off to take care of you and this is the fucking thanks I get! Man, what the fuck!” Jason was so mad, he punched a hole in the bedroom wall.
Natasha sat on the bed crying hysterically. She never meant to hurt Jason, hell she loved him more than anything. Seeing him in so much pain was tearing her apart. In all of the years she’d known Jason, he’d never gotten this angry. Violence was not his thing, but at the moment she was frightened that he might hit her. Even if he did, she wouldn’t fight back. The pain she was feeling now numbed her to the core.
After a few minutes of Jason pacing back and forth, he stopped and looked at Natasha.
“Who is the nigga, Tash?” In the back of his mind, something was telling him that it was dude who was all over her at the hospital the day Delaney awakened from the coma.
“Is that really important, Jason? You don’t know him,” Natasha said, looking down at her hands. She didn’t want to confirm what she was sure that Jason already knew. Natasha recalled the way Jason looked at her and Drake that day at the hospital. The suspicious look on his face was one she couldn’t forget. No matter how hard she tried to play it o
ff, Jason was no dummy.
“Nah fuck that, I want to know who the nigga is that fucked my wife and got her pregnant!”
Natasha didn’t know what to do. She was in a total state of shock and confusion. Her entire body was trembling with fear and nervousness. Never in her wildest dreams did she think she’d be in this position.
“Tash, you have three seconds to tell me this nigga’s name before I do something that I might regret,” Jason fumed. He was so angry the veins in his neck were protruding from his skin.
“I had an abortion a few weeks ago,” she said barely above a whisper. Natasha was trying her best to stall on answering Jason’s question.
“Yeah I kinda figured that from the fucking card I just found and how sick you’ve been lately! Now tell me the nigga’s name!”
“Drake! His name is Drake Porter! The man you met at the hospital. Tyson’s business partner,” she yelled out in frustration.
“I fucking knew it! And you standing your ass all up under that nigga right in my fucking face! I oughta fuck you up, Tash! How the fuck you gon’ do this shit to me?” Jason was so emotional that tears were running down his face.
“Jason, it’s not like that. When you walked up I was telling him to leave me alone. I knew you were coming to the hospital that day, but I had no idea he would be there.” Natasha couldn’t stop crying. She felt terrible for betraying her husband.
Jason looked at Natasha will so much rage in his eyes. He was trying his best to contain the raging anger that flowed through his body. He’d never raised a hand to Natasha, or any other woman, but at that moment he really wanted to choke the life out of her.
Natasha wasn’t sure if she should move, get up, leave the room or what. She just sat there trembling and crying.
“I’m outta here! I can’t stand to be around you another minute!” Jason reached into their walk-in closet and grabbed a large duffle bag. He wasn’t sure where he was going, but he had to get away from Natasha before he ended up putting his hands on her.
“Jason, where are you going? Please don’t leave. I will sleep in another room, but please don’t walk out,” she begged.
Jason looked at her as if she’d bumped her head and lost her damn mind. “Do you hear yourself right now? You just admitted to having an affair and getting pregnant by this nigga, and you’re asking me not to leave!” Hummmph! “I may have been a fool for a long time, but those days are over. Matter of fact this marriage is over,” he said, continuing to stuff his clothes into the duffle bag.
“You don’t mean that, you’re just angry. Jason, you know I love you. Can’t you try to understand what I was going through sitting here all alone? No career, no kids, nothing!” she cried.
Jason ignored her cries and pleas. The faster he got out of the house, the better off he would be.
“You don’t have to leave, baby. This is your house. I will go and stay with Delaney for a while. I’m sure she won’t mind. Just give me a few days and I will be out of here.” Natasha knew Jason didn’t have any family since his father died. She was the one wrong, so she should be the one to leave.
Once Jason had packed all that he could into the duffle bag, he turned around and left without saying another word to Natasha. Just like that her entire world had crumbled down all around her feet. Natasha let out a blood curdling scream as hopelessness and feeling of dread consumed her. How could she go on living without the love of her life by her side?
Chapter Eighteen
As Jason drove down the highway, he suddenly became enraged and started banging his fist on the steering wheel. His heart was ripped in two and he wanted revenge. Tears flooded his eyes. Natasha was his everything. He loved her more than anything in the world. All he ever tried to do was take care of her from day one.
He pictured the smug ass expression on dude’s face when he walked up and caught him all over his wife. Jason pulled his cell phone out and googled Drake Porter, so he could find out the name of the club he owned.
In less than twenty minutes, Jason pulled up to Lyrical Soul Lounge. People were standing around talking and laughing, as Jason approached the front door. A few scantily dressed females were throwing seductive looks his way, but he ignored them.
“May I help you?” a fine big boned, brown-skinned sister asked him. The short, black mini dress she was wearing accentuated all of her lovely curves. For a second, Jason couldn’t even speak, until he caught a glimpse of Drake out of the corner of his eye.
“Nah, I’m good, ma. I found who I was looking for,” he said, and walked off.
Drake had his back to Jason. He was leaned over a table staring down some chick’s dress. He never saw Jason coming.
Jason grabbed Drake by the back of his neck and swung him around.
“What the fuck?” was all Drake got out of his mouth before Jason slammed his fist in his mouth. The ladies at the table jumped up and screamed. Jason was a madman bent on revenge.
The two tussled, knocking over tables and breaking the glasses and plates in the process. Drake couldn’t seem to get a good hit in to save his life. Jason was throwing blow after blow at Drake. One of the staff members ran to Tyson’s office and told him there was a disturbance out on the floor involving Drake. Tyson jumped up from behind his desk and rushed out to see what the commotion was about.
He immediately recognized Jason, Natasha’s husband, putting a serious whooping on Drake. Tyson ran over and pulled Jason off of Drake.
“Jason, man what’s up?”
Drake struggled to get up off the floor, but somehow he managed to get up. His lip was busted and blood was coming from his nose too.
“That nigga been fucking my wife and got her pregnant!” Jason yelled, snatching his arm away from Tyson.
Tyson’s mouth hung open in shock. Damn he knew the nigga was grimy, but Tyson had no idea Drake was fucking Natasha. “Let’s take this to the back.”
“Nah fuck that, bruh, call the police and have his ass locked up! This fool gon’ learn not to come up in my shit causing a scene!” Drake spat. He wiped his mouth with one of the white cloth napkins that one of the waitresses handed him.
Jason lunged at Drake, but Tyson quickly pulled him back. “Man, don’t do it. Just try to calm down. Let me handle this. I know you’re angry, but don’t do it like this, dawg,” Tyson coxed.
Drake stood across from Jason with the same smug ass smirk on his face that made Jason want to fuck him up in the first place.
“Yeah you better calm his ass down, Ty.”
“Drake, cool it, bruh. Ok, everyone can get back to work, everything is good,” Tyson said, glaring at Drake.
Once the staff and patrons dispersed, Tyson told Jason to follow him outside. He didn’t want to risk the chance of Jason jumping on Drake again.
“You aight?” Tyson asked Jason, when they got outside of the club.
“Yeah, I’m good,” Jason said, rubbing his sore knuckles. He didn’t mean to wild out like he did in a public place, but his emotions got the best of him.
Tyson didn’t really know what to say. He’d only just met Jason recently. However, he could sympathize with how the brotha must have been feeling. Tyson could only imagine how he would feel if he found out that some nigga had been fucking Delaney.
“Man, I can only imagine how you must be feeling. I had no idea Drake was messing around with Natasha,” Tyson said, shaking his head.
“It’s all good. Imma get out of here, and again my bad. I didn’t mean to tear ya shit up like that. But tell ya boy if I see his ass on the street, it’s all the way on,” Jason turned and walked off without waiting on a response from Tyson.
Drake was standing in the doorway watching Tyson and Jason. He didn’t feel one ounce of remorse. Fuck nigga, he thought to himself before turning around and walking back inside of the club.
Chapter Nineteen
Natasha had been staying at Delaney’s house for the past two months since the big blow up with Jason. She had only spoken to him once sinc
e she moved out. Jason continued to deposit money into her account on a weekly basis, and for that she was grateful. So many times Natasha wanted to pick up the phone and call him, but she didn’t know what to say that would ease his pain. The best thing she could do was give him a little space and time.
“Hey, Tash, I thought you were still in your bedroom asleep.” Delaney said, walking into the living room. She was dressed and ready to go out on a date with Chris.
“I actually just woke up. I was just about to go cook something to eat. Where are you going, chick? You look hella cute!” Natasha said, rising up from the sofa and walking into the kitchen.
Delaney followed her into the kitchen and poured herself a glass of lemonade.
“Well, I have a date tonight with Chris.” She beamed. They had been talking a lot more lately and spending more and more time together. Chris respected the fact that she didn’t want a relationship with him. He hadn’t crossed any boundaries either. Lately, Delaney was starting to re-think what she’d said.
“Oh really, y’all sure have been spending a lot of time together lately,” Natasha said. Delaney wasn’t fooling her though. She knew how much Delaney still loved Tyson.
“Yes, we have. But we are strictly friends and Chris is cool with that.”
“Ummm hmmmm, if you think for one minute that he just wants to be your friend, then you are nuts, sis,” Natasha chuckled, as she sprinkled various seasonings on the chicken wings she was preparing to fry. Chris had been in love with Delaney since they were little kids. He was just waiting for the right moment to slide back into her life.
Delaney didn’t want to admit that she was feeling Chris more and more as time went on. There were a few times that she almost initiated sex with him. It had been so long since she’d had some loving and she was horny as hell.
“I can’t speak for Chris, and I’m pretty sure if I wanted to pursue a relationship with him, that he’d be down for it. But I’m just not ready because I’m not over Tyson.”