“We’ve moved kind of fast in our relationship. We met the exact same day I got laid off. So, I’m just thankful that God sent him at a time that I needed him.”
“You know I was down to help you, though.”
“I know. And I appreciate that Donovan. I was okay that first month. After that, it went downhill fast. My unemployment didn’t kick in right away of course, so it was hell trying to play catch up.”
“Well… is he treating you right?”
I could hear the disappointment in his voice. Donovan wouldn’t be a bad catch if he would handle that body odor. Of course, he was nowhere near Haji in comparison, but he was nice-looking. I wasn’t attracted to him in no way, though. He was a great co-worker and was a good friend. That was it. “He treats me very well, Donovan. Thanks.”
“Okay. Well, I heard that 102.5 was hiring if you’re interested.”
“Okay. I’ll shoot my resume to them. I have a pending interview with Verizon in their marketing department as well.”
“That’s great. Is that in Beaumont?”
“No. Houston. I’ll have to drive back and forth until Haji can get situated with a job out there as well. Well… that’s if I get the job.”
“I don’t see why you wouldn’t. You’re extremely smart and dedicated. Any business would benefit by having you on their team.”
“That’s really nice of you, Donovan. Thank you.”
“Are you busy? You wanna meet for lunch?”
“No, I better not. I had a late breakfast, so I’m not really hungry.”
“Aww, come on, Nara. Your fiancé can come, too. I just wanna see my friend.”
He seemed a little pushy and that seemed suspicious to me. I didn’t like that feeling. It wasn’t like we went to lunch together all the time. We’d only gone to lunch once the entire time we’d known one another, and two other co-workers had joined us. So, his behavior was somewhat weird. “No. That would be awkward. Just Facetime me.”
“A’ight. That’s cool.”
He switched the call to a Facetime and once I answered, the excitement shown in his eyes. I smiled and I saw a flash. “Did you just take a picture of me?”
“Yeah. You look beautiful. That way I can see you when I want. This may be our last time talking.”
I rolled my eyes playfully, but I was still a little uneasy about what had just happened. I was already regretting letting him Facetime me. “So, how are things at the station?”
“They’re okay. It hadn’t really been the same without you, Janelle, and Adrianne, but it hadn’t been horrible either.”
“Well, I guess that’s good.”
I still felt weirded out by the way he was staring at me. “You are so beautiful, Chinara. Your pretty, chocolate skin seems to be glowing.”
“It’s glowing because I’m extremely happy, Donovan. I have to go,” I said with a frown, then snapped a picture of my own.
“I didn’t mean to offend you. I was just making an observation. I’ll let you go. Hopefully, I’ll see you soon. If not, take care of yourself.”
“Bye.”
That was the weirdest shit ever. I went back to my book and just as I read about how the man in the story was manhandling the female character against a wall, Haji sent a message. I miss you already Pretty Black. I should be home in a couple of hours.
I exhaled with a smile. Being here all day without him and not having close friends was a drag. I knew quite a few people, but I was never one to go out, so I didn’t develop those types of relationships. I went to restaurants and that was about it. A couple of times I’d gone bowling with a group of people, but I didn’t really enjoy it that much. That was probably because Donovan’s stank ass was there. He always insisted on putting his arm around me. Sometimes he would be so ripe, I would have to go to the bathroom or somewhere away from him to keep from throwing up.
Not having a job made me become more acquainted with myself, and I was appreciative for that time. It made me realize that while I didn’t have close friends, I really didn’t enjoy being alone that much. When I had a job, it was different. I only had to be alone with myself for a few hours. But after a week of being in Haji’s home, I knew I really didn’t like being here without him. His days at work this past week, I’d gotten my things organized and gon’ to the store to make the room feel like home, but that was unnecessary since I’d been sleeping with him.
Going to the room to put on a bra and some pants, I decided to go to the store to get some plantains to go with the stew I’d cooked yesterday. I could fry them as a side. We had enough left for a late lunch. Taking the time to text Haji back, I typed, I miss you, too. I’m going to the store for plantains. Do you need anything?
By the time I’d made it down the stairs, he’d texted back, Honey and chocolate syrup. Oh, and a can of whipped cream.
My face heated up as I shook my head slowly. He was so damn nasty, and I loved it. I quickly texted him back as I grabbed my keys and asked, What are you gonna do with that?
Getting in my car, I headed to the grocery store, waiting for Haji’s nasty-ass response, but it never came. I figured he’d gotten busy. That happened quite a bit when we were texting while he was working. After getting the plantains and picking up the items he’d asked for, I made my way back to the house. Once I peeled them and cut them, I added a little oil to the skillet and put them in, sprinkling a little sea salt to bring out the flavor.
The whole process only took about fifteen to twenty minutes. Grabbing one from the plate I put them on, I popped it in my mouth. Closing my eyes as I chewed it, I was tempted to eat all of them. They were so good, and it had been a while since I’d had any. They always reminded me of my aunt because she loved them. Smiling slightly at her memory, my phone chimed with a Facebook notification. When I grabbed my phone to look at it, I nearly lost my damn mind. Donovan had posted that fucking picture he took of me, saying one day I would be his. Not only did he tag me in it, but he tagged Haji.
My entire body heated up in anger. I commented on his photo with the picture I snapped and asked, What in the fuck is your motive?
Why would he do some shit like that? I would have never accused him of being petty and shady like that. That may have been why Haji hadn’t responded to me. I noticed he made the post almost an hour ago, but for some reason, I was just getting notified of it. I immediately texted Haji. Everything okay, baby?
I didn’t want to alert him of the post if he hadn’t seen it yet. Telling him some bullshit like that on his job was a no-no. I’d done that shit last time, and I’d regretted it. I wouldn’t want to be arguing with my significant other while I was at work. My phone chimed and the message said, We’ll talk when I get home.
That let me know that he’d seen it. He had to know that I wouldn’t fuck around on him. When he first slid inside of me, he knew I wasn’t lying about my celibacy. I wouldn’t even think about seeing someone else. I wanted to call Donovan, but instead, I chose to block him. Calling him would only make the situation worse. I was so nervous about what Haji would say or do. He would probably be here in less than an hour now.
After wrapping up the plantains, I took the stew from the fridge and set it on the stove. I’d heat it up whenever he was ready to eat. Walking up the stairs, I felt like I’d fucked up. I shouldn’t have let him Facetime me. That was so stupid. When I got to the room, I flopped to the bed, instantly smelling Haji’s beard oil. Falling to my back, I laid there until I heard the back door open and his keys hit the countertop. I took a deep breath and kept my eyes closed tight until he opened the door.
I sat up and looked at him. He didn’t look angry or upset, but I still kept my mouth closed. He got undressed, then turned to me and said, “We’ll talk after I get out the shower.”
I nodded. He was so calm, and that shit had me trembling. I’d never really seen him angry and I didn’t know what to expect. I’d heard him mouth off to Kyley and his brother, but that shit wasn’t directed at me. If his brother saw
it, this would only give him ammunition against him. Ugh! I stood from the bed and he stepped out of the bathroom, naked as the day he was born and walked over to me. Grabbing my hand, he pulled me to the bathroom. Gently sliding my tank top off, he stared into my eyes as his hands traveled behind me to unfasten my bra. The tremble going through my body didn’t go unnoticed by him.
Lowering my head, cowering in his presence, he lifted it by my chin. “What did I tell you about doing that shit?”
His lips went to my neck as he tilted my head back and his hands slid to my waistband, pulling my pants and undergarments off. Sliding my tank down my body as well, he stared at my nakedness, taking in every inch of me. He pulled my hair up and tied it up with one of my scrunchies from the vanity, then led me to the shower. No words were spoken as he went to his knees, kissing my stomach, sides, and lastly my mound. I didn’t know how to react to his tenderness.
Standing to soap my loofah, he began washing my body. Instead of turning me around to wash my back, he pulled me closed to him. My nipples were hard enough to cut glass as they pressed into his ribcage. How could I be horny and nervous at the same damn time? I laid my head against his shoulder as he washed my back and neck. Pulling away from me, he went to his knees again and began washing my lower extremities, sending bolts of electricity through my body.
Once he was done washing me, he stood like the commander and chief of an army. His presence screamed respect, power, and authority. I began washing him as he’d done me, but I refused to look into his eyes. I couldn’t handle it. After I’d washed every part of him, lingering on his dick for a while, I finally gathered the courage to face him. He’d been staring at me almost the entire time. His gaze was like an all-consuming fire. Everything about me screamed Haji.
After rinsing off the soap, he backed me into the corner and lifted me. I already knew what was to follow. He’d said to hell with not feeling me raw until we were married. Maybe he was only going to be married to me for the amount of time specified now, but I was dying to know what he was thinking. However, those thoughts were out of my mind as soon as he slid his dick into me. My head dropped back to the wall and a soft moan left my lips. Feeling him buried deep inside of me, without anything between us was like heaven.
When I opened my eyes to look at him, I knew he was about to put me through hell. He had a slight frown on his face when he thrust into me, causing me to scream out in ecstasy. “Who is he?”
Before I could answer, his fingers dug into my skin as he fucked me hard. “Who the fuck is he, Chinara?”
“My ex-co-worker. He called to check on me.”
Grabbing my nipple with his teeth, I yelped in excitement, excreting the cream he loved so much on his dick. “If he called, why were y’all Facetiming?”
“He wanted to take me to lunch and I declined. So, I allowed him to Facetime me. Oh shit! Haji!”
He hadn’t let up. He was killing my pussy as I held on tightly to him, lowering my head to his neck and biting him like I was a fucking vampire. He growled out as he dug deeper inside of me, squeezing the life out of my ass. “You shouldn’t have Facetimed him.”
“I know, but I had no idea… fuck! I had no idea he would do something like that. Haji… please forgive me, baby. I don’t know why he did that.”
He didn’t respond to me, just continued to assault my senses and my pussy. His aura had filled the shower and it felt like I was about to suffocate in it. Suddenly, he slowed down and asked, “You obviously mean something to him. Does he mean anything to you?”
“No. I hadn’t spoken to him since my last day at the station. You are the only man I care about. I promise… I belong to you, Haji. Only you.”
He began his assault again, causing my screams to echo off the shower walls as I held on for dear life. My chocolate skin was gaining a red hue from the hot water and passion that he filled me with. In a short amount of time, Haji was my everything, and losing him frightened me. It wasn’t just because he was taking care of me, but the way in which he cherished me kept me longing for him. The fuckboy I thought he was, was clearly a misconception and a terribly wrong assumption. Haji was all man with the woman that was for him. “Since you belong to me, I want that bitch unfriended on social media.”
“Already done and blocked.”
“And also, since you’re mine, I need you to open your heart and freefall with me. Don’t worry about shit… just me and you.”
“Gladly, Haji.”
“Lastly, I need you to cum on daddy dick, ‘cause I’m about to pump you with some premium shit.”
“Hajiii… oluwa mi o! Jowo!”
My body felt like it was exploding all over him as I bucked against him, giving him everything he deserved. My pleas in my native tribal language didn’t go unnoticed as he dug into me. “Oh fuck!” he growled. As he panted against my neck, he whispered, “Du yaa noh lehf mi.”
The tears fell down my cheeks as I listened to him beg me not to leave him. I didn’t even think he meant to say that aloud. At that moment, he seemed like a little boy that craved love and affection. “Haji, I will never leave you, baby. We’re freefalling, remember?”
He lifted his head and looked into my eyes. “I’m falling for real, Pretty Black.”
Pulling his head back to my chest, I said, “You aren’t alone, baby. You aren’t alone.”
15
Haji
Seeing that picture of my pretty black doll on Facebook in a facetime call with that desperate muthafucka had me seething with anger. But the moment I got home and saw her, I was scared. I supposed the whole reason I hadn’t allowed myself to fall for anybody was because I was scared. I didn’t come to that conclusion until Saturday. While I had been convinced that I just wasn’t ready, that moment showed me otherwise. I was falling hard for my pretty black doll and there was nothing I could do to stop it or slow it down.
For my lunch break, Chinara and I had gone to the courthouse and applied for our marriage license. Friday we would be at the courthouse to get married. As we signed our names, I’d stared at her, feeling that this moment was something I would cherish forever. I knew from the moment I saw her that she was the one, but I had no idea I would feel this way. That it would happen this fast. She pulled out my innermost feelings, causing me to admit all kinds of shit I would have kept to myself.
As we left the courthouse hand in hand, I smiled at her. “So, what are you going to do for the rest of your day?”
“Wait for you to come back to me. I already cooked and straightened up the house.”
“I’m gonna book us a flight to Lagos. I know you miss your family. Instead of a honeymoon, we can go see what we can do to help your people.”
She turned to me, her eyes wide, and jumped into my arms. “I told my daddy that I would ask if we could go, but after that shit with Donovan, I forgot all about it. I haven’t seen them in ten years.”
“That’s far too long, Chinara. Let me see when I can take more vacation and we’ll go. Secondly… this job with Verizon. How badly do you want it?”
She shrugged her shoulders. “It depends on what they offer as far as pay and benefits.”
“You know you don’t have to work. It’s my job to take care of and provide for you. Getting married is a qualifying event for health insurance. I can add you to mine at work. As far as money, I make six figures a year. Now if you’re just in love with your career path, I don’t have a problem with you working. I would still prefer treating you like a queen. Let me keep your pretty ass like you need to be kept.”
She lowered her head, and I hated that she did that. It always reminded me of the chauvinistic ways of the men in my family. “Please lift your head, baby.”
“I’m sorry. It’s just the way I show you my respect and submission. I’m honoring you as my king when I do that.”
“I appreciate that, baby. But you can honor me in other ways. I don’t like it. It makes it seem like you’re my subordinate.”
When we got to h
er car, I leaned against it and she rested her palm on my cheek. “I’ll try to remember that. Old habits die hard. Please be patient with me.”
Lowering my head to hers, I kissed her pretty lips, sucking her bottom one into my mouth. Roughly pulling her hips to me, I almost got carried away right outside in the courthouse parking lot. “I will, Pretty Black. I can’t wait to spoil you.”
I took her saying she was submitting to me to mean that she wouldn’t be pursuing the job. If that was the case, I would be sure to forever show her my devotion to her. There wouldn’t be anything or anyone that was worth more than her. She smiled at me, then got in her car. “See you in a few hours, Haji.”
“A’ight, baby.”
I went to my Range and watched her drive away. This time Friday, I would be a married man and that shit felt better than I could have ever imagined it would. As I drove back to work, my phone rang. Lately, when my phone rang, if it wasn’t Chinara, I expected the damn worse. Ever since this foolish shit my father had done, it was one thing after the next. I could honestly say that I resented everything about him. Answering the call from my mother, I said, “Hello?”
“Haji! Kusheh!”
“Hey, Mama.”
“How’s everything? Are you still on your lunch break?”
“Yes. I’m on my way back to work now.”
“Umaru told me about the difficulties you’ve been having with Kevin. I spoke to him and I’m sorry that he feels the need to critique everything you do.”
“I handled it, Ma. You don’t have to apologize for a grown man.”
“But he’s a product of me and your father, so I feel somewhat responsible. How are things with Chinara? Did I remember her name correctly?”
“That’s it, Ma. Things are great. We actually applied for our marriage license today. There’s no point in prolonging the inevitable.”
“Wow. So, when are you getting married?”
“Friday.”
“Haji. Really? You don’t want me there?”
Marry Me Twice Page 11
