‘Shit!” Tatum couldn’t help but to spit out. “I cooked this dinner. I got my hopes up…I didn’t want to sleep alone again,” she found herself speaking her thoughts aloud.
“I’m sorry sweetie.”
Before Jayde apologized, Tatum had forgotten she was on the phone. They ended the call with little to no more conversation and Tatum stepped out of her stilettos and took a seat at her dining room table with a sorrowed look on her face.
“Don’t worry,” she whispered, placing her hand on her stomach and her head on the table. “I know it sucks. But daddy will be home tomorrow.”
7:58 pm.
The doorbell to the condo sounded twice in a row.
Ding. Dong… Ding. Dong…
Tatum lifted her head, the imprint of her arm making slight lines on her face. She had fallen asleep.
Ding. Dong… Ding. Dong…
Standing up slowly, Tatum made her way through the large dining area, to the living room and toward the door.
“Who is it?”
Ding. Dong…
“I said who is it?” Tatum snapped, with a little more annoyance. She peeked through the peephole and then let out a sigh. Should I open it?
She cracked the door and stood in the space.
“He’s not coming home tonight…didn’t Jayde tell you?”
Her eyes were heavy, still being tempted by the sleep she had recently departed from. She was anxious to peel off her dress, wash off her makeup and climb into bed.
“No!” Johnny gasped, sounding surprised. “Are you serious? She didn’t tell me.”
Tatum folded her arms across her chest.
“Yeah…they’re gonna release him in the morning. So…party’s over.”
“Damn,” Johnny shook his head. He was dressed leisurely, in tan slacks and a cream short sleeved polo shirt. “So party’s over?”
His smirk would have been charming had it not repulsed Tatum slightly.
“It is…goodnight.”
She went to close the door.
“Wait!” He yelled out, sticking his foot in the space slightly. Tatum arched any eyebrow at him and he chuckled.
“No…look…I was just gonna ask if I could go to the bathroom. I been holding it since the exit,” he grinned. “Pretty please,” he added, pressing his hands together.
Tatum rolled her eyes and had an inner debate, a quick one being that he was waiting on her answer. The bathroom was right through the kitchen, really was no harm although she’d be wrong if she said she felt entirely comfortable.
“Alright, whatever…just make it quick.”
“I should call Tatum…let her know I’m on the way-”
“No!” Jayde yelled out, glancing from the road quickly and wrapping her hand around his, which was holding his cell.
“You should…surprise her,” Jayde smiled sweetly at him. “She thinks you’re not coming home until tomorrow. You coming home tonight to put her to bed will be a present in itself,” Jayde winked.
Ree cut his eyes from her to the passenger window, not taking any of her snide comments seriously. Ree was no dummy, he knew Jayde had a thing for him. He figured it had no real merit though, just another notch on her belt.
“Why would she think I’m not coming home until tomorrow?”
“Because that’s what the jail said earlier,” Jayde lied.
Ree thought about it and reasoned that was why Jayde had been there to pick him up instead of his wife.
“I’m telling you…she’s gonna flip when she sees you,” Jayde assured, licking her thick lips and flooring the gas.
“Yeah…aight.”
Ree ran his hand over his face and leaned back. He didn’t give a fuck about nothing Jayde was talking. He was just ready to see his wife.
“So you like living here? In Atlanta?”
Tatum stood against the counter, her arms crossed and covering her cleavage. Johnny had emerged from the bathroom, drying his hands on a small towel and started a conversation. A conversation Tatum was not interested in.
She wanted to tell him that the idea of living in Atlanta was all fun when her and her bestie were on good terms. But now, it was purposeless.
“It’s fine.”
Johnny grinned and nodded slightly.
“What about Respect? He likes it…? Or he likes what you like…?”
Tatum rolled her eyes subtly.
“Look Johnny…not to be rude or anything. But…it’s late. And I’m tired.” She wanted to say that she was pregnant, but it was none of his business.
“I understand…my apologies.” He started out of the kitchen and Tatum followed to walk him out. When she was close behind him, he turned around and smiled a white charming smile at her. His dark eyes sparkled at her beauty and his handsome features hid his desire and intentions.
“You know…just for the record Tatum. If I was Respect, I’d like whatever you liked as well. You are a truly…beautiful and amazing woman…I wish I had a chance with you.”
His words caught Tatum off guard but the last thing she wanted was to reveal her nervousness and give him the upper hand.
“Look…Johnn-”
“No…wait…” He leaned in to her. “I’m not…I’m not trying to disrespect you in anyway…it’s just…”
“Johnny you need to go.”
“Tatum…listen…Just hear me out. You’re special. And to be honest, this whole gangster’s wife lifestyle isn’t for a woman like you. You’re better than this.” His voice was smooth, dripping charm, but it was giving Tatum the creeps. A chill crept up her spine.
“Johnny, you need to get the fuck out of my house!” Tatum had been calm, but Newark, NJ had just emerged from her.
He grinned at her and then took a step, closing the space between them.
“Do I?” He asked, leaning down so close that she could smell his Gucci cologne and Scotch on his breath. Maybe he had a drink before he arrived, Tatum didn’t know and didn’t care. “God damn, Tatum, that’s what I’m talking about. I love your spunk,” he cooed, towering over her and backing her up to the wall. “You’re so fucking sexy.”
“Johnny, if I gotta tell yo ass one more time!” Tatum pushed her hands into his chest with anger and she briefly had thought of Crush saying to call him if she needed him. She wished the phone wasn’t on the other side of the living room. Because she needed him.
Johnny grabbed her wrists, restraining them as he chuckled at her.
“You feisty, huh? I like that.”
Tatum’s heart began to pound out of her chest and a cold sweat broke on her forehead. She looked into his eyes and wasn’t sure if he would take it there. Was he just not getting it or did he not care? Either way, she had enough.
Alright nigga, c’mon. I got something for you. Tatum was ready to knee him in the nuts and reach the bookstand that held one of the many guns in the condo.
Johnny felt her body relax and he leaned down again.
“That’s right baby. I know you been lonely. Let me keep you company tonight…” Tatum was just ready to bring her knee up and make contact, when…
“Yo, what the fuck is going on?”
A sigh escaped Tatum’s lips. There was an instant feeling of safety. She didn’t have to be scared or worried or do anything, because he was here. He would protect her. Johnny took a step back and she looked around him and laid eyes on her man and she felt happy. Happy that he was home. But then she saw the darkness in his eyes. Something she was unfamiliar with. Not even when he had pistol-whipped her ex, Ty or held a gun to her brother’s head had she seen this look. It was a look…of death. And it scared her.
“Heyyy, Respect… you made it, man!” Johnny tried to state, masking his nervousness, as if he were thrilled. As if being this close to Tatum in their home at this time of night was normal. He quickly took a few steps away from Tatum. “How about that trial, brother? I told you everything would go smooth. Good to see you. We weren’t expecting you ‘til the morning.”
&n
bsp; Ree stood there, indecipherable and intimidating. He placed a calm stare on Johnny. There was no emotion of his face, not even in his body language. Ree shifted his gaze from Johnny to Tatum, who stood and now seemed nervous, scared. Ree tried to rationalize in his mind and submerge any emotions that tried to consume him – anger being the most dominant, rage in fact.
“Is that right?” He finally responded as he walked over to a nearby bookshelf. “You weren’t expecting me, Johnny? What about my wife? Come here. Come over to me, Tatum…where you belong,” he demanded to her seriously.
Tatum swallowed hard, a knot in her stomach from the whole situation. Besides the fact that she was still shaken up by Johnny’s harassment, she had never seen a murder. And she didn’t want to start tonight. But she could feel it in the air. She was terrified. Someone may very well die tonight, if she didn’t prevent it.
“Hey baby…,” she spoke as she began to walk, trying to play it off. “I thought… I thought you weren’t coming until the morning. I mean, at first…I thought you were…tonight. That’s why you know….I cooked…and this…” she motioned her hands over her tight dress and appearance trying to mask her anxiety. Ree could see she was visibly shaken up. “But then, Jayde said…” Tatum shifted her eyes to Jayde quickly and cut them before bringing them back to Ree. “..That you weren’t. I’m so glad you’re here,” she said wearily, fighting tears. “I’m glad you’re home.”
She wouldn’t say that she was scared of Ree at that moment, but she was scared of his potential. Tatum wanted to tell him she was glad that he had stopped Johnny from possibly taking things too far, but she knew he’d kill him, no questions asked. She didn’t know if she wanted to be responsible for that.
“And everything’s okay?” He asked her seriously, as if they were the only two people in the room. Tatum finally looked him in the eyes as they held long eye contact. Ree searching for the truth and Tatum trying to hide it. She sighed, just wanting to cut the intensity and take him and go to bed and never see Johnny again and stop anyone and everyone from getting hurt from the potential rage of Ree. Johnny was a jerk, but Tatum didn’t want anyone dead.
“Yeah,” she lied. “Everything’s fine…I’m straight.”
Ree stared at her long and hard, once again, unreadable. Tatum tilted her head to the side and forced a tired smile. Her heart was racing though. What the fuck was happening? And why hadn’t Jayde told her that she was going to get him and they were going to let him come home?
Johnny used the opportunity of the moment between the couple to try his escape. He was seconds away from shitting on himself and he just wanted to make it past Jayde who stood statuesque by the door.
“I’m just gonna head-”
“Mothafucka give me one reason why I shouldn’t shoot your fucking head off, you needle dick, pussy ass, square mothafucka,” Ree hissed, now aiming a chrome Magnum 45 at Johnny with precision. No one but Tatum knew where the gun had come from. And when he had walked over to the bookshelf, she knew why he was going there. That was why she was so nervous and trying to diffuse the situation. She knew he would kill Johnny for sure. She realized now she couldn’t lie to Ree, he saw right through her and it made it worse.
“Ree…please…” Tatum begged with tears in her eyes. He had just escaped the law, she was in no rush for him to go back, and this time it would be forever. Especially if he killed big shot Johnny Carson. “Please baby…”
Johnny’s heart caught in his throat and his whole body went numb. The only thing that brought him back to the moment was the feeling of his warm piss running down his right leg, soiling his khakis.
“R-Respect. Th-th-think a-about, this man. L-l-let’s just calm down... T-T-Tatum. Tell him! I-I didn’t do anything. She was upset. I-I was just t-t-telling her you’d be home s-s-soon. Not to worry. That’s all Respect. I-I swear.”
Tatum thought the nigga was auditioning for a script by the way he was putting on the acting performance. Did he convince himself that bullshit is the truth, she wondered.
“That’s true, Tatum?” Ree asked sounding like he was already unconvinced, never taking his eyes or gun off of Johnny. “Tell me if that’s true.”
Tatum looked back and forth between Johnny and Ree. Lie or Murder? Lie or Murder?
“Y-yeah…”
“You’re lying,” Ree dismissed, cocking the loaded weapon. “You’re fucking lying.”
“You were trying my wife, mothafucka? My wife…?”
Johnny shook his head from side to side, tears pooling in his eyes in fear.
“Respect, please,” Jayde finally intervened, after having enjoyed the drama from the sidelines. “Think about what we’re doing. It’s not worth it. We gotta stick to the plan.”
She walked toward him.
“Stay the fuck over there, Jayde,” Ree barked.
“No,” she spat. “Don’t be dumb.” She got close to him. Close to where only he and Tatum could hear her, but Ree’s glare and steady hand was on Johnny, his finger on the trigger.
“Not here…this is messy,” she whispered lowly. “I’m sure someone probably knows where he is and you just came home. Think about what we’re doing,” she reminded him as she reached up and wrapped her hand around the gun. “It’s not worth it.”
Jayde held her grip on Ree’s hand and the weapon and Tatum’s chest heaved in nervousness for whether Ree would pull the trigger or not, and also in anger for Jayde being the one coaxing him. Jayde’s whisper sounded like the art of seduction to Tatum and she wanted to snatch the gun from Ree’s hand and knock Jayde across the jaw with it.
No matter how upset Tatum was though, she was happy when Ree suddenly brought his arm down and tucked the gun in his waist.
“Fuck outta my house you pussy-clot, bitch ass nigga,” he demanded. Johnny wasted no time tripping over his feet to the door.
“Yo Johnny,” Ree called out coolly. The bass in his voice caused Johnny to turn around for some reason. Ree stared at him for a while, no words spoken. And then he smirked.
“I’ll be seeing you.”
A chill went up Johnny’s spine but he quickly turned to exit. He didn’t even close the door behind him, he just scurried his pissy self out, all of that smoothness vanishing.
“I’m sorry, Tatum,” Jayde apologized solemnly after Johnny was well gone. “After I spoke to you, the jail called me back and said they made a mistake. I figured we’d surprise you. Guess it was a bad idea,” she chuckled. “I’m…I’m sorry,” she repeated with a shrug.
Tatum was infuriated at the apology.
“Why are you sorry? I’m not. I didn’t do anything wrong, Jayde.” Tatum felt like that was her implication. “He had to use the bathroom, I let him in, I was walking him out, and you two came in.” She caught Ree’s cold glare at her when she said that and she turned her head to him. Her eyes looked into his face, hoping, and almost daring him not to believe her. But she couldn’t read him.
“And why wouldn’t you tell me that my husband was coming home after you knew what I was planning. And you knew I wanted to go get him?”
Tatum was heated.
“Like I said…I wanted to surprise you,” Jayde reiterated, not backing down.
“You still should’ve told me.”
“Why?” Ree asked calmly, interrupting the spat. Tatum looked over at him in disbelief. Her mouth slightly agape at first then pressed tightly into a frown. They stared at each other, Tatum wearing her emotions on her sleeve, Ree not wearing any at all. Jayde chuckled.
“I mean…that’s what I was about to s-”
“See yourself out, Jayde,” Ree ordered with his eyes on Tatum, cutting Jayde off. Tatum shot her eyes to her, not too happy that he had done so. She wanted her to finish that statement, so she could punch her in the fucking mouth.
Jayde smirked.
“Sure. We just need to talk quickly about the trip-”
TTW 3 ( Thicker Than Water 3 ) Page 18
