“Harlow…hi,” my lawyer spoke to me with a tight lipped smile. I could tell that something was wrong. I looked from him to my husband with a frown. I was just ready to move on with my damn life but it seemed like Marcio wasn’t ready to let me go, even though in reality he had no choice.
“Harlow let’s walk and talk,” my lawyer Timothy said walking up to me. He grabbed my hand before I could say anything and pulled me away and down the hall. He pulled me into one of the mediation rooms and closed the door behind us. I looked at him as he held onto a manila folder. His caramel colored skin held a light sheen of sweat to it, as he shifted from one foot to the next in his expensive, brown suit.
“Harlow…he’s got us right where he wants us. You might have to sign over the rights to the kids to him,” he said quietly. I looked at him as if he was crazy.
“Timothy, they aren’t even his fucking kids and he thinks he can take them? Hell no! He will have to kill me to get my sons!” I yelled on the verge of crying. Timothy handed me the folder and took a seat at the small round table. With shaky hands I opened it and pulled out pictures and papers. The pictures were of me kissing Jhene when Marcio forced us to have sex and the papers were from when I checked into the hospital the day Marcio came back and they showed I had pills in my system. None of this bullshit would hold up in court. My hospital documents were given away without my permission and the picture of Jhene and I was erotic, but I couldn’t see a judge giving him custody because of it. I looked at Timothy and started to wonder if Marcio had paid him off as well because he was ready to throw in the towel over this dumb shit.
“Timothy, Marcio has been to prison so he is in no position to judge me or even try to blackmail me into doing what he wants. This shit won’t hold up in court. I’m not signing those fucking papers!” I yelled.
“Look, he has money and he knows the right people. The judge is already looking into what addiction you have and things like that. He is going to win Harlow.” I walked to the door and grabbed the handle.
“He’s not getting my sons and you can consider yourself fired. I’ll send over whatever I owe you but I no longer need your services,” I said and opened the door. I walked out of the room as Timothy sat speechless in his seat at the table.
“Not looking too good for you mami, eh?” Marcio asked leaning against the wall outside of the room I was in. I looked at him and smiled, wishing I could slap that smirk right off of his face. He had put me through hell and he still wasn’t happy. I licked my lips that were drying out from my matte red lipstick and walked up on him.
“No it’s looking just right actually. Those are my sons and you aren’t even the biological father of them. Marcio, I will die a thousand deaths before I let you take them away from me. Get with that ‘desperate to have you’ bitch you have back at home and make some kids with her because you won’t be taking mine. I promise you that papi,” I leaned into him and kissed him gently on the lips. I grabbed a hold of his bottom lip and bit the fuck out of it. His body stiffened but even then I could feel his dick harden between us. I pulled away after a few seconds and wiped the lipstick off of his lips. “You have a good day. I have to go find another lawyer.” I walked away from him showing more confidence than I actually felt. I left out of the courthouse and I found myself driving to my dad’s house. My babies were with my aunt Kitty but I really wanted to see if I had lost my father forever, or if he had gone back to the man that raised me. I hadn’t talked to him since Marcio had brought me over so I was very nervous, but I was also desperate. I needed him now more than ever. It took me forty-five minutes to get to his house from the courthouse. I parked in the driveway behind his wife’s car and got out of my truck. I walked slowly lost in my thoughts as I made my way to the front door.
“Why you tip toeing to the door and shit?” I rolled my eyes and turned around. Jaycion stood near my dad’s garage holding a bottled water. I walked over to him and smiled.
“What your big headed butt doing here?” I asked playfully. Jaycion looked me up and down and licked his full lips.
“If you think my head is big wait until you see-”
“Jaycion!” I yelled wanting, but not wanting to hear him talk about the size of his dick. Jaycion laughed and shook his head. Something as simple as a grey thermal with grey jeans and a burgundy, leather Burberry Brit bomber vest looked so sexy on him. His smooth, dark skin, straight row of teeth and plump, full lips did something to me as I stared at him. His thick, wavy hair that he kept cut low seemed to be lined perfectly as well as his mustache and goatee. He drunk down the rest of his water and walked over to me. Things had been weird between us since his birthday party. I cut him off before I left town to protect him from the drama, but a big part of me missed him so much.
“My grandma is in there talking to your pops about some shit. You know how she get. She woke up talking about your moms and that turned into me bringing her over here to talk to your dad. Today is our day that we are supposed to chill out and go shopping, but we done spent most of the day here. What’s wrong?” he asked looking down at me. I shrugged, shaking my head. Shit, what wasn’t wrong?
“It’s nothing really. Marcio is not only giving me a hard time with the divorce he’s also trying to take my babies away not to mention Marcos is going to press charges against me if I don’t give him Jolie by Friday. I just stopped by to talk to my dad and see….I don’t know, if maybe he had forgiven me and if he could help. I can’t lose my kids Jay,” I whispered quietly more to myself than to him. Jaycion grabbed my waist and pulled me into his arms. His big body engulfed mines as he hugged me tightly, giving me the comfort that I so desperately needed.
“When are you gonna let me be there for you? Whatever you need, I can help you with it. I like your pops I do, but don’t beg his ass to love you. That’s some bullshit and you know it,” he said still hugging me. I buried my face into his shirt. I was so tired but I couldn’t give up. I had to be strong for my babies.
“My dad was the first man I ever fell in love with Jaycion. I have to know that he still loves me. My mother is dead, my siblings don’t fuck with me like that so all I have is Kitty and my dad besides my kids.” Jaycion pulled back from the hug and looked down at me.
“So you don’t have me? You don’t trust that I will be there for you? You have been pushing me away long enough. Damn Lee, I love you and I was willing to give you the space that you need but I can’t sit by and watch these niggas tear you down any fucking more. I let your ass up leave and I accepted when you told me to fall back but this is some bullshit. Please let me be there for you. Let me help,” he said and kissed me. A kiss with no tongue but still it set my body on fire instantly. I closed my eyes and he kissed me harder. He pulled me to his body and I felt an imprint that seemed to have no ending. How big was he?
“So you go from twin husbands to your best friend. Where is the little girl that I raised?” my father’s deep, voice asked. I could hear his disappointment in me all in his tone. Jaycion and I slowly pulled apart and turned to him. Standing in front of us was Jaycion’s grandmother that carried herself like she was still in her forties, along with my father. I wiped my mouth and walked over to his grandma. She was like my grandma too, I loved her so much. On any given day she could tell me a million stories about my mother. My father never talked about my mother without getting choked up, so after a while I stopped asking him. His grandmother pulled me into her arms, grinning from ear to ear.
“If you don’t leave my Harlow Lee alone. We all make mistakes. It’s called life and I don’t think that you are in any position to judge her. I remember her mother telling me some things that weren’t too nice of you when she was living. I didn’t run over here and call you out, now did I?” his grandmother Diane asked. “Hell had her crying about this and about that. Wanted to work a thousand hours but couldn’t take her out on a decent damn date. Don’t get me started on how long y’all went without sex,” she said still hugging me so tight I could barely breathe.
“Grandma,” Jaycion called out not liking when she got to gossiping. She laughed as she released me.
“What? It’s the truth, I know some things that would have your children upset with you so I think that the least you can do is find the kindness that your first wife had and forgive your daughter for what you feel she might have done. Shit. You ain’t no damn angel and you will never be a saint,” she said getting a little upset. I looked at my father trying my best to hold in my laugh. He looked down at me and I could see that he was pissed for being put on the spot. I stepped towards him and smiled wide. I grabbed his hand and he pulled me into his arms.
“Harlow….Harlow. I missed you beautiful,” he said as he hugged me. I closed my eyes as my heart filled with joy. I started to cry into his black dress shirt as happiness washed over me. My father was my protector and I felt so happy knowing that he and I was in good spirits again. He rubbed my back lovingly as I let out all of my worries onto him. “It’s okay Harlow Lee. I did some things that I am not proud of and I took money when I should have been trying to make amends with you. I’m sorry baby girl because you didn’t deserve that. I really am sorry. I let my anger get the best of me,” he said in a voice laced with guilt. I nodded and continued to cry. “Let’s go in the house and discuss how we are going to successfully get you away from these men. I promise to do whatever I have to baby girl,” he said and pulled me away. Jaycion and his grandma followed behind us.
****
“I love you so much baby. Do you know that?”
“I love you too mommy,” Jolie said not understanding at all what was happening. I wiped away my stray tears and pulled playfully on her long pigtails. I tried to remember every detail of her fair skinned, chunky face. From her hazel eyes to her chubby cheeks and deep-set dimples. She was most definitely Marcos’ daughter but love had also made her mines as well, and I didn’t wanna let her go.
“You have to know that I will always be in your heart no matter what baby. I love you so much,” I said and pulled her into my arms. When Marcos brought her home to me I had no clue how I was going to raise her while being pregnant, but I found a way to make it work and I spent more time with her then he did.
“Okay mami, it’s about that time,” Marcos said stepping off his gold-plated Porsche 918. The same bitch that he claimed was nothing to him, got out of the front seat of his car, and looked over at me. She still looked the same as she did the day Inga beat her ass in the restaurant. Pretty but ghetto as hell.
“Marcos come on, I’m hungry,” she said in a whiny ass voice. I smiled loving how she felt the need to make it known that she was with him. If that bitch only knew Marcos was everybody’s nigga not just hers. I was happy that he was no longer my damn problem.
“Ginger, go get in the damn car,” he said not bothering to look back at her.
“But-”
“But nothing. Get your ass in the car and take Jolie with you.” Ginger smacked her lips and walked over to us. I kissed Jolie again and started back crying. That seemed to be all I did lately was cry. Jolie stared blankly at Ginger as Ginger picked her up. Ginger looked at me and smirked before walking off with my baby.
“I’ll pay for you to have her stuff brought over. I know she got a lot of shit or you can just keep it for whenever she comes to visit you. I’m sorry that things turned out the way that they did Harlow. I would have gotten my shit together for you,” he said walking up on me. I glanced back at the Phantom hoping Jaycion didn’t hop out because that would only cause more problems.
“Marcos that would have happened when we were old and grey and you could no longer get your shit up. I mean, I was right for leaving you. You’re with the same bitch you said was nobody and now you’re taking away a baby that you forced me to raise that you had on me. Our whole relationship was a fucking mess. For some reason we just didn’t wanna let each other go.” Marcos smiled. For a second I was catapulted back in time to when I first met him. I was so wrapped up in him that I didn’t take the time out to get to know who he really was. I let the sex, trips and fast life convince me that he was the man for me. Only none of that was enough to deal with his infidelity and the pain that was left behind.
“I’ma always love you. Ginger is Ginger, Lee. I can find a million women like her but it’s only one you. Some ill shit happened to her a few months ago so I do owe her a lot for wanting to stay with a nigga, but that still doesn’t change how I feel about you. Marcio is refusing to let you go because he knows that you are one of a kind. We fucked up and I’ma regret losing you every day that I’m alive, because you are the only woman besides my mom and daughter that I have ever loved.” He leaned in closer and grabbed my face. His hazel seemed to bore into me as he gazed down into my eyes. “I’m sorry mami. I really am. I hope that he knows what he has. You know I took care of his bodyguard that popped me but the only reason that nigga is alive right now is because of you. I want you to be happy because you deserve it,” he said still holding my face. “You won’t have to worry about me as long as you let me see my boys Lee, but Marcio is his own man. Tell Jaycion to stay out of it and he won’t be touched. I love you mami,” he said before kissing me gently on the lips. I enjoyed the goodbye kiss for a nanosecond before pushing him back and he smiled at me. “I get it, I get it. You finish with me. I hope he do you right because if he don’t I’ll be trying to convince you to take me back. I’ll drop Ginger and all just for you.” Marcos shrugged as he started to back away from me. “I mean, a woman like you is just too hard to come by.” I looked at him one last time before walking away. I got into Jaycion’s Phantom and closed the door. I waited for him to pull off but he didn’t. He sat with his phone in his lap while he smoked on his blunt. Three days had passed since we had been at my father’s house and we had been stuck to each other like glue. It felt good to have him near but damn, I didn’t wanna rush into anything either and risk getting hurt or losing a best friend, so I was scared to do anything physical with him not to mention I was still legally married to Marcio.
“So you just gone let that nigga kiss all up on you and shit?” he asked still looking down at his phone. I sighed not in the mood to argue. Jaycion looked at me and his brown eyes were glazed over and hanging low. He licked his lips and smiled. “I’m just fucking with your ghost ass. Damn Lee, can we go to Miami or what? Your ass need a tan badly. I can see your damn veins and shit,” he joked and started laughing. I rolled my eyes and hit his arm. My skin was in need of a bad tan but that was the least of my worries.
“She’s gone Jaycion. He had a baby on me, had me raise her then he took her. He took my Jolie,” I said starting to cry all over again. Jaycion passed me his blunt sighing.
“I know Lee, but the truth is she is his daughter and he should be raising her. Shit the nigga can do everything else that he wants to do let him be a fucking man and raise his child. Marcos walked over you because you allowed him to do whatever the fuck he wanted to do. Baby you should have fucked him up when he brought home his child that he had with his side bitch. Shit, any bitch I know would have killed that nigga. You gone be good ma. Take some hits of that blunt and stop crying so damn much. Shit, I’m tired of you fucking crying. We gotta toughen you up bae,” he said all calm like he hadn’t just insulted the hell out of me. I took the blunt rolling my eyes at his ass.
“You know you could have said it nicer than that Jay.” Jaycion shrugged as he pulled off.
“Why? I love you and unlike your girls I’ma keep it real with you. You should not have been raising that girl to begin with. If you want a little girl I’ll give you one,” he said with a smirk and turned his radio on. I took two amateur puffs on the blunt trying hard not to choke and passed it back to Jaycion. I blew the smoke out of my mouth as I openly stared at him. I was coming out a marriage where I was married and sleeping with twin brothers, yet here he was still by my side and wanting me. I didn’t know if that made me the dumb one or him. “What you thinking about Lee?” he asked pulling me out
of my thoughts. I sighed not wanting to piss him off but also feeling the need to tell him how I felt.
“I’m thinking about us and how crazy we are. I want this to be right Jaycion. I am getting divorced and going through hell right now. You don’t have to deal with this, you could be with someone with less issues…less drama. Why are you here with me when I have repeatedly pushed you away? Is it because of our friendship?” I asked. I didn’t want him to feel like I needed saving. I didn’t need a father, I already had one of those.
“I’m here because I wanna be and because I have been in love with you for a long fucking time. I’m here because I refuse to keep living my life without you by my side. That shit is torture. I don’t care who came before me because I’m a be your last so sit back and enjoy this ride to get your sons that’s spoiled as hell,” he replied and smiled. I smiled with him and turned to look out of the window.
The Way That I Love You 3 Page 15