“Don’t worry about it, she will eventually get the point and go away.” I reassured her, “We all deal with a crazy ex from time-to-time.”
Smiling, Tabitha looked at me and asked, “What is your favorite crazy ex story?”
This was a question that I didn’t even have to think about because I never had a crazy ex, “Mike has been my one and only Tabitha.”
With her eyes widened she laughed loudly, “Are you kidding me? You have only been with one person your entire life!”
“No I’ve only been with one man, but I had a lover in college and she was fantastic, but not crazy.”
“Aww I’m kind of hurt that I’m not you’re first.” She pouted. “Does Mike know about this lover?”
“Hell no, I wouldn’t dare tell him about this. Mike is a religious fanatic who despises homosexuality in every form.”
“Wow what a head job he is. I can’t believe that you’ve only been with one man your entire life though. That is the oddest thing that I’ve ever heard.” She laughed, but I didn’t get the joke.
Embarrassed I got out of bed and began putting my skirt on, Tabitha came to me and gave me a hug, “I’m sorry Santana I didn’t mean to offend you. It is just that in this day and age I don’t see many people who have only been with one person.”
“Well it is not like this was intentional,” I defended, “It just ended up that way.”
“Wow, I can’t even get my mind to think what it would be like to have been with only one guy my entire life. Dicks come in so many shapes and sizes and pussy comes in so many flavors. Girl you have been deprived!” she laughed once again.
I didn’t see the humor in all of it.
Sensing my irritation Tabitha kissed me softly on my lips down to my collar bone, to my bare breast, shoulders and down to my stomach, “I’m glad to be your second.” She smirked before laying me back on the bed and burying her face between my thighs once again.
Mike and the kids were watching a movie when I finally came home that evening, I grabbed a slice of pizza that he ordered and sat on the couch next to Malik. Looking at my life and my family I seemed to have it all, a nice house, two very nice cars, two wonderful children and my high school sweetheart. However, on the outside things can be very deceiving because inside I was unhappy and bored with my life and with my marriage.
That night after ho-hum sex with Mike, he retreated to his side of the bed and I to my own side with no loving words being said.
27
Asteria
Picking up my phone I sent Keith a text:
Miss you already
But as usual he didn’t respond so that meant that he was either with my sister or some other bitch. At this point it didn’t even matter to me because I know that Keith really wants to be with me, but I understand that he has an obligation to my sister as well. Just as we once shared a womb, we now and forever will share a man.
While I was in love with Keith and I wanted him to love me, I didn’t see a point in my putting my life on hold for him, so I decided to start taking a few men up on their offers to take me out on a date. I figured since Keith can play the field so should I, after all I am not the one that is married and unlike my sister I refuse to sit at home every night waiting on a man who may never come.
Eric was tall, light and handsome and he had been trying to get me to go on a date with him for months, but because I held out hope for Keith to finally come to his senses I always declined him. Eric was not only handsome, but he also had a good job as part owner and mechanic for an automotive repair shop and most importantly he was single, available and child free. I was excited to finally be able to go out on an actual date rather than sit at home waiting to get fucked night after night. The life of the mistress isn’t an easy one and while I was not ready to let Keith go completely, I was ready to finally enjoy my life and have fun being treated like a lady.
Eric took me to Chipotle Grill he surprised me by being a real gentleman. He not only opened car doors for me, but also he made sure to pull my chair out at the dinner table and allow me to order whatever I wanted from the menu. Keith’s idea of taking me out to eat was ordering take out. I knew that he was attractive while in his mechanic’s uniform, but Eric also cleaned up very nice making him look even better. Keith better stay on his toes because Eric can give him a run for his money.
“How long have you been living in St. Louis?” I asked after he told me that he was from Florida.
“I have only been here two years off and on.” He answered.
“Oh, so you are a virgin.” I laughed.
“I guess that you could say that since I’ve mainly stayed on the coasts. I’ve lived in Florida, Maine, New York and California.”
“Wow so much moving, are you sure that you aren’t running from the law Eric?” I joked.
“No, I just feel that since I’m still single with no children I get on my bike and go wherever the wind takes me.”
“That is understandable, live your life while you can.”
My phone vibrated with a new text alert, but I ignored it.
“Where have you lived?”
“I was living in Phoenix, but when my mom died I came back to St. Louis to be with my twin sister, Pandia, and that is when we decided to open up Gods and Goddess.”
“That was nice of you to have left your life down South to come up here to be close to your sister.”
“Yeah, I love my sister and we are all that we have. Besides Phoenix was too hot and I can’t operate in the heat.”
We both laughed, I felt my text alert vibrate again, but I ignored it because I was having such a good time with Eric.
Following dinner he drove me back to my place where I saw that Keith’s truck was parked in his usual hiding place and instantly I regretted ever beginning things with him.
“Thanks for dinner Eric, I had a nice time.” I said as he walked me to my door.
“Damn, I don’t get invited in for sex!” he joked, “Seriously though thank you for allowing me to spend some time with you finally. See it was not all that bad was it?”
Laughing I wanted to invite him inside, but thanks to Keith my night was ruined, “No it wasn’t and I hope that we can do it again.”
“And again…” he leaned and kissed me softly on my cheek. “Call me.” He whispered in my ear then walked back to his car.
I was floating on cloud nine when I came inside of the house, but my balloon was quickly deflated when I saw Keith lying across my couch.
“How cute.” He said sarcastically, “I can actually see you with a mechanic.”
Ignoring him I went to my bedroom and began undressing, Keith followed behind, “Where Latif?”
“Maybe if you took your ass home sometimes you would have known that he is at your house with Pandia.”
“You actually want me to go home?” he laughed, “After all of these years of begging for me to stay, I’m shocked.”
“Keith I’m tired and I don’t feel like it.” I went into my bathroom and washed the makeup off of my face.
When I came back into the bedroom Keith was lying across my bed, naked as usual. “I guess that you don’t feel like this either.” He said pointing at his erect dick.
With contempt in my eyes and voice I asked, “Is that all this will ever be Keith?”
Holding up his left hand he pointed to his ring finger, the bastard doesn’t even bother to take his wedding band off when he came over anymore.
“Well then take your ass home if that ring means that much to you!” I snapped.
Keith walked over to me, putting his strong arms around me, “Don’t do this Asteria. You know how I feel about you and I know how you feel about me or are you going to let the mechanic come between us?”
“Eric has nothing to do with the way that I’ve been feeling Keith. I’m sick of being on standby mode all of the time.” I pulled away from him and plopped down on my bed. “You are living a life, but what in the hell am I living?”
“Is that your only defense Keith because I’m sick of hearing it? I am single, but you are married. You made me promises that you knew you weren’t going to keep and I am foolish for keep believing you and your bullshit.”
“Cut to the chase Asteria because I have to get home soon.” He yawned.
Looking at the man that I knew that I would love for the rest of my life I said the words that I didn’t think that I would ever say to him, “Keith it is over please leave and don’t come back unless it is to see Latif.”
Keith’s deep voice let out a laugh as he walked towards me, his dick fully erect, he stood in front of me pulling my arms above my head, laying me down on the bed with the weight of his body on top of me. I could feel his hard, dick on my bare thighs, “It’s not over until I say that it is over.” Keith spread my thighs with his knee and slid inside of me with force and aggression. “Don’t ever tell me no.” He growled as he pounded my body and bit my neck. As much as I wanted to push Keith off of me, as much as I wanted to hate him, my heart wouldn’t let me and it was my heart that allowed my legs to open wider to him taking him all of the way inside of me.
After he finished, Keith got out of bed and began getting dressed. There were no begs from me asking him to stay because this time I wanted him to leave.
“I don’t give a damn that you date Asteria and I sure as hell don’t give a damn who you fuck, but if that nigga puts his hand on my child I will kill him then I will kill you.” Keith said as he turned and walked out of the bedroom then out of the door heading home to his family.
“How was the date?” Pandia asked when I came into the shop the following Tuesday.
“It was okay.” I answered dryly as I tried to avoid eye contact with my sister.
“What do you mean that it was just okay? Girl you have been so tied up with Mr. Mystery Man that you don’t even know how to date anymore.”
Rolling my eyes at her for being stupid and weak for Keith I said, “Yeah, well since you are happily married why don’t you tell me how to date sis.” I retorted with a hand on my hip.
Pandia was taken aback by my spitefulness and said, “Well excuse me Asteria, had I’d known that this was bring your bitch to work day I would have brought Tweet to the salon.” She said about her pit bull.
“Good morning ladies.” Keisha said as she walked into the salon.
I cut my eyes that Keisha then walked back to my office, slamming the door behind me. Soon Londyn knocked at the door letting herself in, she had her curly afro pulled back into a pony puff which made her round, chubby face look angelic.
“Talk to me girl.” She said matter-of-factly as she sat in the chair in front of my desk. “I have never seen you talk to your sister like that before and there is obviously an issue between you and Keisha so lay it on me.”
“There isn’t an issue Londyn.” I lied.
“Is this about Keith?” she put dryly.
Looking at her in shock I couldn’t say anything.
“You didn’t think that I knew did you? I may be a lot of things, but the one thing that I am not is a damn fool.”
“How did you find out?” I asked trying to hide the fact that my heart was pounding hard in my chest and my breathing was ragged.
Londyn popped her gum and said, “One would be a fool not to have noticed how Keith sits in that girl’s chair smiling and carrying on and that hoe just eats it up every chance that she got.”
She knew about Keisha, but not about Keith and me, relieved I said, “Yeah I just found out, she is a scandalous bitch Londyn.”
“Is that the reason that you were going to fire her?”
“Yes.”
“Well why didn’t you?”
“Because I felt bad about it and we don’t have anyone to fill that booth right now.”
“Did that hoe feel bad while she was fucking your sister’s husband?” she asked, “And that booth would be filled in no time.”
I was silent.
“Any woman that fucks another woman’s husband is a disgraceful bitch and should be handled. You and your sister are all that the two of you have so you have to stick up for her in any way that you can.” She added. “I know that if a bitch was fucking my sister’s husband while smiling in my face, I’d handle her right away.” Standing Londyn added, “Get your sister’s back Asteria, don’t let anyone play her in her face like that.”
Once Londyn walked out of my office I felt like an awful person, I knew that what I did was wrong, but at this point I didn’t know how to make it right.
28
Jovanna
BOOM!
The loud sound rang throughout our house waking Justin and I from our sleep.
BOOM!
The sound rang again, it sounded as if someone were trying to kick our door in. Justin jumped out of bed, ran to the closet and grabbed his .45 out of the case.
“Go hide in the closet and dial 9-1-1!” He ordered as I looked at him walk slowly into the living room pointing the gun towards whomever or whatever that was trying to enter our home.
Grabbing my cellphone I ran into the closet and dialed the police, as I was talking to the operator I heard three loud shots ring out.
KAP!
KAP!
KAP!
Running out of the closet, I watched in horror as Justin fought with a much larger man over the gun. The man punched Justin in the face sending my future husband slamming into the wall knocking pictures onto the floor shattering them at his bare feet. Justin lunged towards the dark figure throwing his own brand of fury at the agitator’s face, landing each punch with precision. People thought that Justin was just a rich white boy, but before Justin’s parents came into their money he lived in a bad neighborhood in the Bronx and he didn’t mind taking or dishing out an ass whooping and from the sounds of his punches landing he was not playing.
“Jovanna, grab the gun!” he yelled.
I searched around on the floor for the gun as Justin and the perpetrator fought, I found the large weapon underneath the couch and pointed it at the criminal who just landed a punch in Justin’s stomach and took one in return.
“STOP OR I WILL SHOOT!” I yelled as I pointed the heavy gun, but the criminal pulled away from Justin and ran back out of our shattered door with Justin following behind, but stumbled down the ten ice-covered stairs that lead to our house. The criminal ran down the street finally getting into a waiting red Cadillac.
“You should have shot him.” Justin breathed as he tried to take the gun from my hands, but I gripped the gun tightly. “Babe, let go.” He said as he forced the gun from my grasp.
Coming out of my trance I looked at Justin’s bruised and swollen face throwing my arms around him, “Baby are you okay?”
“Yeah, I know it looks bad, but I bet that he feels even worse.” He said as he wiped the bright red blood that ran down the side of his mouth.
The police arrived five minutes later to take a report, pictures of the damage to the house and to Justin’s face. Justin called his brother to take me to a hotel for the night while he and his father fixed the damage to the front door. Still in shock I threw a pair of tattered grey sweatpants and a pink hoodie on. As Sam drove me to the Moonrise Hotel I kept looking behind us to make sure the red Cadillac wasn’t trailing us.
“Are you alright Jovanna?” Sam asked.
I knew that Justin’s family didn’t care about me, but Sam has always treated me fairly, “I’m just in shock.” I answered.
“I am too; I can’t believe that someone tried breaking into your house while you were there! That is crazy.”
Looking in the side mirror I answered, “People these days are crazy Sam. I told Justin that I wanted to get out of St. Louis after we get married. I can’t imagine raising children here.”
“It isn’t all that bad, Mandy and I have been living here for fifteen years and our children are fine. You guys live in a pretty safe neighbo
rhood so maybe this was just some random asshole looking for something to steal so that he can pawn it and get his fix. I bet that he wasn’t prepared for what Justin had for him though.” He laughed, “The one thing that living in the Bronx has taught us was how to defend ourselves.”
Smiling when I thought of how Justin gave it to the criminal I said, “Yeah, I’ve never seen that side of Justin before and I have to admit I was kind of turned on.”
Sam stayed with me while I checked into the hotel room and I got settled.
“Thanks Sam.” I forced a smile as I hugged him.
“No problem Jovanna; I know that my family hasn’t been the most receptive to you and Justin getting married, but I know my brother and if he loves you then I love you and I don’t care what my family thinks. All that I care about is that you treat my brother right.”
“Thank you Sam, that means so much.” I gushed trying to fight with the tears that were forming in my eyes. It felt good knowing that Sam accepted me and trusted me with Justin’s heart, but Sam only knew Jovanna and not who I truly was. If Sam or anyone knew what I was hiding in my closet my life would be over and Justin would never talk to me again.
This had to stop and I had to settle this with Chad once and forever before he got to me first.
29
Santana
After pulling Mya’s curly hair into a ponytail and wiping the oil off of her forehead I wrapped my daughter in my arms and kissed her soft cheeks.
“I love you.”
“I love you too mommy, I love daddy and I love Malik.”
“That is so sweet.”
“Mommy, do you and daddy still love each other?”
Taken aback by the question I swallowed hard and asked, “Why would you ask that question honey?”
“Because you never kiss anymore and you always fight.”
“Honey, married people fight and still love each other.”
“Why don’t you kiss him anymore?”
“We do kiss Mya.”
“No you don’t. When I go over to Tanisha’s house, her parents always kiss and hug each other and that is because they are still in love, but you and daddy aren’t. Are you getting a divorce?”
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