by J Peach
From the moment Moniece and I met, I liked her. She had taken my kids in and treated them as if they were hers. I never had a problem with that woman, but for her to call me talking out the ass like she was, I wasn’t going to have that. Not once had she ever come to me disrespectfully, and the shit wasn’t about to start happening.
“Bitch, I will whoop your ass! Janessa, who in the hell do you think you’re talking to like that? Bitch, you have really lost your gotdamn mind. You think you’re gonna get on my phone and talk to me like that? Are you fuckin’ crazy!” she yelled into the phone.
The crazy thing about that was she seemed genuinely surprised.
“Yo’ ass left Montrell and took the kids from us. You know we love those damn kids. You’re fuckin’ wrong, Janessa, point blank period. I don’t give a fuck what Trell has done to you, that don’t give yo’ low down ass the right to leave and take the damn kids from him!”
I pulled the phone from my ear and looked at it. “Did you not hear what the hell I just said, Moniece? If he or you loved them so damn much, why would Montrell even throw us out? Are you not hearing what the fuck I’m saying? He had our shit on the fuckin’ porch!” I stressed that to her, hoping it would click in her head. “If yo’ ass loved them so much, where the fuck was your open doors, Moniece? Huh? Why is it that when I end our relationship, you’re suddenly calling? Your fuckin’ son—who loves my kids so much—put them out and beat my ass—”
“Maybe you needed your ass beat. That’s why he whooped yo’ fuckin’ ass. Have you ever considered that, Janessa, huh? Don’t try to turn this shit on Montrell when you’re wrong.” She continued to go off.
I was so shocked by her words, especially because she was a woman herself. Moniece was still yelling and cussing me out. I just hung up the phone. I didn’t understand how the hell I was in the wrong. How could she really fault me for being tired of being accused of cheating and getting my ass beat for years behind false accusations?
For Moniece to think any of that was cool said so much to me. Maybe Trell’s father used to whoop on her head as well. Hell, I didn’t know, but my days of fighting that damn man for no reason at all were done and over with. I couldn’t go back to that. I refused to. I wanted more and needed better, which Montrell couldn’t give me.
Trell: You done really lost yo’ fuckin’ mind talking to my momma like you fuckin’ stupid. Nessa yo’ ass better fuckin’ apologize to her. I ain’t bullshittin’. And when you gon’ let me see the fuckin’ kids, man?
When I got the new phone from Jerome, all the messages Moniece and Montrell were sending was of them constantly asking to see the kids. But since I didn’t have a phone and couldn’t respond, the pair started cussing me out and leaving voicemails. When I finally had the time to call Moniece, she immediately started going off.
Given how quickly Montrell texted me, I knew he had to be near his damn mother. I didn’t know what they were trying to play, but I was over their dramatics, especially Moniece. She hadn’t even called me about the kids since Montrell threw us out. Now, all of a sudden, she was pissed and want to see the kids.
Me: I’m not apologizing for shit! She was disrespectful and out of line talking to me like she did. Look, Trell, leave me alone. We’re over. There’s no point in you calling or texting me about my kids. Leave us alone, please!
After sending that message, I turned off the phone. I was done arguing with them. I tossed the phone on the bench out of frustration.
“You break that screen, I ain’t giving you another one.”
Hearing Jerome’s voice caught me by surprise. I hoped like hell he hadn’t heard my conversation with Moniece. I picked up the phone and rubbed over the black screen. “Oh, I’m sorry. How long you’ve been right there?”
He pushed off the wall and walked further into the room. “Since you told Moniece to shut the fuck up. I started to walk off, but I liked how you was going off. You good?” Jerome tossed a pair of boxing gloves next to me.
Putting the phone in my bag, I nodded. “Yeah, I’m good. It’s nothing I wasn’t expecting or can’t handle.” Although that was a lie, I hoped my voice and demeanor didn’t betray how I really felt. My body had actually become numb of emotions. “Are you going to have your phone out there with you?” I pointed to the wall, indicating the gym area.
“Yeah, why?” He grabbed my wrist and pulled me up off the bench.
“Is it cool if I have my daughter text your phone? I’m going to leave mine back here. But, just in case something happens—”
“You can have her call my phone, ain’t no problem,” he cut me off while holding out his phone.
“Thank you.” Taking his phone, I called Keke and put the call on speaker.
“Who is this?” Kierra answered the phone, sounding confused.
“That is not how you answer a phone. What are y’all doing?” My head shook at the way she answered the phone.
“Oh, Momma, I didn’t know who you were, and nothing. I was just on the phone with Jayda, and Kae in the room playing that stupid game. But, we’re good, Momma. We ate and everything. You still at the gym? How’s that going?” she asked, sounding like a grown woman.
Laughing at her, the drama with Moniece was quickly forgotten. I didn’t even know why I was so upset with Moniece. Her anger meant nothing to me for the simple fact that I was getting out of a toxic relationship for my babies.
“Yeah, I’m still here. It’s going okay. I mean, we haven’t gotten started yet. Keke, I shut off my phone and was just calling to let y’all know to call this number if you needed anything,” I explained.
“Oh, okay, cool. I’m saving it right now. So… is this your student’s phone?” she whispered. Kierra’s tone was low, as if she didn’t want to be overheard.
I glanced over at Jerome, and he was grinning. Rolling my eyes at him, I returned to the call and laughed. “Bye, Keke—”
“No! Momma, wait!” she suddenly yelled. “Just answer me this, and I’m not trying to be all in your business or anything. But do you like him? Kae was saying how he might be feeling you or something. You know I don’t judge, so you can tell me.”
I just stared at the screen in disbelief. Why the hell was that even a topic in their conversation? Of all things they could be talking about, they chose Jerome and me.
“Momma? Momma, why you not saying nothing?” she questioned.
For some reason, I chuckled. “Keke, I’ll talk to you when I get home. Bye, girl.”
She let out a heavy breath. “Fine, we’ll talk later, Momma. Bye, love you.”
Smiling at the phone again, my head shook. “Love you too, baby.” We ended the call, and I raised a finger at Jerome to shut up. “Don’t even say anything smart. What did you say to Kaeden to make him think you might like me?”
Jerome shrugged while laughing. “Shid, I don’t even remember for real. Little dude asked me a lot of questions. Shid, I don’t know why you just ain’t tell her you were feeling me.”
Laughing, I once again rolled my eyes at him. “How would that look, Jerome? Especially after that whole blow-up with Montrell. Yeah, I like you, but I’m really not trying to jump back into dating anyone—”
“Look, sweetheart, I’m not asking you to jump headfirst into shit right now. I get it. There’s no rush with me, so don’t stress shit. I was just bullshittin’ with you, Janessa. I know shit with us gonna move differently because of yo’ youngins.” He grabbed my face and tilted my head back.
Instinctively, my lips puckered, and I stood on my tiptoes.
“I wasn’t about to kiss you, Janessa. I was only going to repeat what I said to make sho’ you understand that I mean that shit. If you feel like shit is going too fast for you, let me know, and I’ll step back. I know what’s important to you, and I can respect that, even more so after meeting yo’ son.” With that, his lips pressed into mine, giving me a simple kiss before he moved back. “Come on, let’s go start this warm-up.” He nodded toward the door, motioning for
me to go first.
Smiling at him, I went ahead and left the locker room. Even when I left the room, my smile didn’t dim. It was strange how nice and sweet he had been toward me lately, especially given how rough of a guy he was. I felt so conflicted because a part of me knew I shouldn’t be moving so quickly with him, especially with everything I went through with Montrell.
Then, there’s this whole other logic side that knows I shouldn’t even be thinking about Trell because I wasn’t forced to be with him, I stayed out of choice. The beating and fighting could’ve stopped a long time ago. However, I chose to stay in that relationship and situation.
“Hey, Nya!” Jerome suddenly yelled. The tone of his voice was one I’ve gotten all too familiar with.
Immediately, I felt a sense of jealousy fill me. I glanced over my shoulder at him, and he had that smirk on his face. His eyes met mine, and I rolled them at him.
“I’ll be right back.” He didn’t wait for my reply as he jogged away from me. He walked up behind a full-figured female, his arms went around her waist, and he lifted her up, making her scream out.
“What the hell?” she yelled. Once he put her down, she turned around fast and hit him. “Rome, you gonna make me kick yo’ fuckin’ ass. Now, why would you do that?”
I immediately recognized her. It was Titanya, Keke’s dance teacher. Automatically, I felt stupid for even being jealous, especially when I didn’t have a right to be.
“Yo’ ass shouldn’t have ignored me. You could’ve said what’s up or something,” he told her while placing his arm over her shoulder.
Although I knew I shouldn’t have felt any type of way about him interacting with Titanya, I couldn’t help but feel annoyed, especially because I was standing off to the side alone and probably looking dumb, just staring at the pair.
I felt my eyes roll as a heavy sigh left my mouth. I was about to start walking around the gym just to busy myself until they were done talking or flirting, whatever they were doing.
“Hey…” Titanya called, but I simply ignored her because I didn’t know who she was talking to. “Janessa, right?” She spoke louder.
At the mention of my name, I stopped and turned around. She and Jerome were making their way over to me.
My lips formed into a tight, forced smile. “Yeah, hey, Nya.”
“What happened to you coming to the studio a few weeks back? I was looking forward to you being there.” Titanya always had such a sweet and genuine aura to her, which made her easily likable. She just seemed so caring.
I felt stupid for feeling any type of way toward her. The tight smile left and was replaced with a sincere one. “Oh, yeah, I wanted to come, but I had so much going on.” My head shook as I thought about everything with Montrell.
She nodded in understanding. “Well, Saturday evening, there’s another class if you wanna come,” she offered with a smile.
“What class y’all talking about, and how y’all know each other?” Jerome chimed in, pointing between the two of us before his arm went around her shoulder once again.
I had the strongest urge to roll my eyes at his arm but forced myself to ignore that feeling. “Kierra goes to her dance school.” I left it at that, keeping myself from asking how they knew each other as well.
“You so damn, nosy. Move.” She laughed while shrugging him off her shoulder.
“Are you taking up boxing too?” I pointed to Jerome, silently asking if she was joining us. She was dressed down in workout gear, then again, Nya always dressed like that because of dance.
“Man, if you don’t get yo’ damn arm off my wife, I’mma break that bitch.” The same tall, dread headed man I always see at her dance studio, who I now knew was Jerome’s cousin, said while pushing him from Nya.
Jerome chuckled and moved away from her. “Come on, Killah, you know I got love for her. I couldn’t help myself.” That smirk was wide on his face.
Titanya rolled her eyes at the pair before looking back at me. “Anyway, no, I’m not. That’s too much for me. Dancing is enough of a workout as is. Boxing, no ma’am, I don’t have the mindset for that. Oh, that’s what you’re here for… Jerome’s teaching you?” She glanced over at Jerome and her husband, who were off on the side talking.
“Yeah, he offered, and I figured why the hell not? You know?” I shrugged as if it was nothing.
Titanya didn’t say anything at first; she just stared at me, and the intensity of her gaze had me feeling a bit uncomfortable. I couldn’t begin to explain it, but I felt as if she was looking straight through my bullshit. For the life of me, I had this urge to just… cry and just tell her everything. There was just something about her aura that made me want to.
Titanya’s lips pursed together into a warm smile. “Yeah, I understand that, and it’s great you’re doing it. Honestly, it is.” That smile of hers didn’t waver, and I nodded right along with her.
“I see you met Rome’s shorty,” her husband said once he was standing beside her.
My cheeks flushed as Titanya’s features took on a look of surprise. My mouth opened to tell them I wasn’t his shorty, but no words came out. I couldn’t believe he had told them we were together. What if they knew someone at the program where I worked? Why would he tell them that? Even with those questions running through my mind, no words left my mouth.
“Yeah, they know each other. Janessa’s daughter goes to her dance studio,” Jerome answered for us, not once correcting them that we weren’t together.
“You see he went out and found him a thicky thick girl because he couldn’t have you.” Killah, as Jerome had called the man, said.
My mouth hit the floor when he said that, and my eyes slid to Titanya. She was, in fact, a plus-sized woman, a bit bigger than me. Did he really have a thing for that woman? I didn’t know how true it was or if the man was just joking.
“Yo, fuck you, Killah, real shit. Man, don’t play about no shit like that in front of her. That bullshit ain’t even fuckin’ cool, man, real shit.” Jerome’s tone of voice showed that he wasn’t playing and was pissed off by the joke.
“Nigga, fuck you with yo’ sensitive ass.” He chuckled before looking at me. “I was just bullshittin’, sweetheart, real shit. You still coming out with us Saturday night, right?”
“Um… yeah… I am.” I glanced at Jerome, wanting to ask him questions, but I knew now wasn’t the time.
Jerome caught my stare and chuckled. “Relax, Nessa. Akil is my cousin. He don’t know nobody at that place, and even if he did, the nigga wouldn’t say shit, nor would Titanya, so chill.”
I let out a light breath, glad for his reassurance. “Okay, cool.” Although I was relieved, I still felt a bit uneasy, for the simple fact that Titanya’s whole demeanor had changed once Akil mentioned that I was seeing Jerome.
“You ready to start?” I didn’t like the vibe that was coming from Nya and felt it was best to walk away from her before the conflict started. I felt that was where things were about to lead.
“Wait, I’m trying to wrap my mind around this. Hold up…” Titanya stated, waving her hands. The woman really looked conflicted.
“What are you trying to wrap your mind around?” Although I didn’t want a conflict, I did, however, want to know why she was suddenly put off.
Titanya’s arms crossed over her chest, and she looked me up. “How does your husband feel about this? Do you have an open marriage or something? I mean, to be honest, he doesn’t seem like the type to share.”
Now it was my turn to be confused. “I’m sorry, what? I’m not married.” Once those words left my mouth, she glanced down at my hand. I raised them, waving my fingers. “I’m not married, Titanya, never have been either. Who told you otherwise?”
She didn’t say anything at first just continued to stare at me with a look of confusion.
“Babe, what’s up?” Akil asked.
Nya looked at him and shook her head. “If I’m wrong, then I apologize, but your husband, the man I saw you with that one
time, came up to the studio today looking to pick up y’all daughter. When I told him she didn’t come today, he was really pissed off…” Her words trailed off, and she looked between Jerome and me. “So, wait, he’s not your husband?” My head slowly shook at her question. “This isn’t the first time he’d tried to pick her up. He came earlier, I think Monday or Tuesday, but I told him that since he didn’t drop her off, I couldn’t release her to him. He seemed mad then but said it was cool. He got on the phone, saying your name and relaying the message back to you. I seriously didn’t know. Oh, my God. So, you two aren’t together anymore?” Titanya looked stressed the hell out.
“No, we haven’t been together for a few months now. Kierra never told me that—”
Nya’s head shook, and she quickly cut me off. “That’s because she didn’t know. She was inside the studio when he came by, and I was outside both times. In fact, Akil had come by to drop off our baby during both incidents. I didn’t think to bring it up to you, because like I said, he had gotten on his phone, making it seem like he was talking to you. The second time, he said something along the lines of, I thought you were gonna talk to her. Although he is her dad, I still wouldn’t send the kids off without getting permission from whoever dropped them off,” she said as if trying to reassure me.
I nodded, trying to wrap my mind around the fact that he had tried to pick my daughter up, and what for? What the fuck was he trying to do? I needed to get in contact with the schools and let them know that Trell wasn’t allowed to pick them up at all.
“Janessa—”
I smiled at Titanya and pulled out of Jerome’s grasp. “He’s not her dad.” Why I felt the need to say that was beyond me at that moment. “Look, I have to go. It was nice running into you again.” I told her while backing away.
Turning around, I quickly made my way into the locker room and grabbed my stuff. I didn’t know what the hell Montrell was thinking by trying to pick up Kierra. Hell, it was no telling if he tried to get Kaeden either since everyone at the school knew Montrell, and if he went up there, the school officials wouldn’t be alarmed and call me.