She cleared her throat as she stood in the doorway, “Hello, I’m so sorry I’m late.”
“Hello beautiful.” He said as he walked over to her.
She sidestepped him, “What have I missed?”
The realtor didn’t look up when she spoke, “Nothing, I was just showing Matthew the new property that you wanted the specs on. It is still available, but not for long. Another agent called me this morning and said that she was taking a client to see it.
“Well can we still see it?” Cheryl asked.
“Sure. Can you go now?”
“Uh, yes, just let me make a phone call and I’ll be right with you.” Cheryl said as she turned and headed back to the door.
“Great. Do you want to drive or shall we car pool.” Sharon said as she printed out the address and stood.
“We’ll drive.” Matthew spoke up.
“Sharon, can you point me to your bathroom. I need to freshen up.” Cheryl said as she walked past Matthew.
“First door on the left.”
“Thanks, I’ll be right out.” she said and quickly pulled out her cell phone. Cheryl quickly went into why she couldn’t come for her counseling session but promised that she would call and make another appointment soon.
“Everything ok in there?” Matthew asked from behind the closed door.
She flushed the unused toilet and washed her hands.
“What happened?” Matthew asked.
“Do you really want to know all of the details?” she said with a weak smile.
“You know what I am talking about.” Matthew said.
“Are you two ready?” Sharon asked.
“Yep.” Cheryl answered, walking around the corner of the office.
They walked out and Matthew guided her to his truck.
“It is going to be about a twenty minute ride.” Sharon said as she pulled up beside them.
“No problem.” he said “that gives you twenty minutes to explain what in the hell happened.”
“Look, I don’t have to explain anything to you.”
“Like hell you don’t. You are the one who set up this meeting, and then you waltz up in here almost a half hour late and you don’t say what the hell is going on. Then you have on glasses and haven’t taken them off since you got here. Now, if there isn’t a good excuse to have them on, then take them off.”
“Look, I had an eye appointment today and they dilated my eyes, so my eyes are a little sensitive, ok. Damn, I didn’t think I had to tell you everything.”
“Ok, sorry.” he said and tried to hold her hand, but Cheryl pulled it away.
Her phone rang and she spoke to Donnell, asking him to stay with Kayla until she arrived home.
“Problem with Kayla?”
“Not that you need to be concerned about.” she said with a wave of her hand.
“What does that mean?”
Cheryl rolled her eyes to the top of her head, “Nothing. Can you stop talking, I have a headache.”
Matthew started to say something but instead he turned the radio to the jazz station and kept his mouth shut.
He walked into the outer office and heard Ashley finishing up the travel plans for Rebecca and Toni. Then he asked her what time they were leaving.
Kevin turned and headed towards Rebecca’s office where he overheard them talking about the trip.
This time it was he, who walked in, unannounced. “Do you have everything that I asked you to have ready?” he said to Toni.
“Almost”
“Almost?” he said with an attitude. As she started to explain, he interrupted her and told her he needed to talk to Rebecca.
“I’m busy.” Rebecca said as he dismissed Toni.
“Who in the hell do you think you are?” Kevin said as he walked over to her desk. “I think you better remember who you are dealing with.”
“I already know who I am dealing with. You are the nigga that thinks you are going to go back on your word about the Atlanta office.”
“I’m also the nigga that signs your fucking paychecks.” he said while walking behind her desk and standing in front of her.
She stood up, “Let me tell you one…”
He grabbed her upper arm, “No let me tell you something. You don’t ever threaten me. Do you understand me? I don’t want to have to hurt you, so you better remember who the fuck you are dealing with.”
“Get your hands…”
“No, see I think you are still forgetting.” he said while tightening his grip. “I would hate to show you how I handle bitches like you.”
“Oh, is that how you kept Cheryl under your thumb?”
“That is none of your business.”
“Really, why don’t I refresh your memory? Remember when you raped your wife and I came and helped you clean up your shit? Let’s see if I can help you remember something else. How about when you went to see her in the hospital and you went into her room and she told you that she lost the baby because of what you had done to her? You didn’t think I heard that did you? Well, I’ll tell you what, it’s not a fucking threat, it’s a promise. You will give me the Atlanta office, or you will be the one sorry my friend. Now take your fucking hands off of me.” She said as she snatched her arm free.
“Yes, I think I would be able to pull off the asking price, but I don’t want to offer it right off. See if they will take twenty percent less and then give me a call later.” Cheryl told Sharon as they walked back towards their parked vehicles.
Once in the car, Matthew turned to Cheryl.
“Ok, so can I ask you a question without you biting my head off?”
“Sure.”
“Why do you still have on those glasses when the sun went down almost an hour ago? The dilation should have worn off by now?”
“Are you serious?”
“Deadly, and I am not moving this truck until you tell me or you remove the glasses.”
His phone rang, saving her from telling him another lie. He told her that his daughter would be staying at his house and she steered the conversation in that direction.
“We should get going. Do you need to stop and get anything? I really need to get home to Kayla. I have left her to her own devices long enough today.”
As they pulled up in front of the realtor’s office, Cheryl quickly unbuckled and got out of the truck and made her way over to Sharon.
“Please make sure you call me whenever you hear anything.”
“I sure will. You have a great evening.” Sharon said.
“Thank you, I will.” Cheryl walked to her car and got in. As she was about to shut the door, Matthew held it open.
“Do you honestly think you are going to go anywhere without answering my question?”
“Matthew, come on. Now what does it matter? I told you earlier, I had an eye appointment, no big deal.”
He reached for her glasses.
She put her hands on her glasses, “Matthew, will you please. I really need to get going.”
“Ok, but trust and believe I am not letting this go. I expect an explanation.”
“And I expect my offer to be accepted, but we don’t always get what we expect.” she said while closing her door, putting the car in drive and leaving him there.
Matthew picked up his daughter and was enjoying spending time with her. His job was so busy that he didn’t like that she was growing up so fast. He walked into her room and saw her on the computer.
“Hey baby girl. What ‘cha doing?”
“Nothing, just on my Facebook page.”
“Yeah, let me see who you have as friends.”
She sucked her teeth which caused an instant reaction from him.
“Ah, I know I didn’t just hear you suck your teeth young lady. Now, either you let me see, or I will make sure that you don’t have access to the internet again. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes sir.”
He turned her computer around and started scrolling through the pictures.
“W
ho is this?” he said as he pointed to the young woman on the screen.
“Dad, are you serious?”
“Yeah, why?”
“You don’t know who that is?” she said with a look of disbelief on her face.
“Tamia, no I don’t, now just tell me who it is, you know I hate guessing games.”
“That’s Kayla.”
The young girl had on a bikini, on her hands and knees with her tongue licking her lips. The makeup tried to hide the young features but you knew if you stared at the picture long enough that girl was way too young for the men that she probably fooled with those pictures.
Matthew did a double take on the next picture.
“Who the hell is this?” he said pointing at the screen.
“That’s Mr. Malcolm.”
“No baby girl, I’m talking about this guy.” he said while pointing to the picture. “Yeah, that’s Mr. Malcolm, mom’s friend.”
“What the hell!” he raced back into his bedroom and grabbed the cell phone off of the nightstand and called Sherrie. After ringing four times, it went to voice mail.
Chapter 34
Kevin turned his computer on and sat back in his chair with his drink in his hand and the computer glowing back at him.
Kissmehard: hey sexy.
Suxcesblkman: hey yourself.
Kissmehard: what r u up 2
Suxcesblkman: nuttin
Kissmehard: r u up 4 sum fun
Suxcesblkman: not 2nite
Kissmehard: WTF!!! clutch the pearls lol
Suxcesblkman: I am not n the mood
Kissmehard: well I am
Suxcesblkman: I’m sure u can find sum1 2 play wit
Kissmehard: I want u
Suxcesblkman: well I want 2 talk
Kissmehard: whazzup
Suxcesblkman: I think I made a mistake dat bitch tryn 2 take my company
Kissmehard: ? Cheryl?
Suxcesblkman: no, RH
Kissmehard: didn’t I tell u to watch that trick?
Suxcesblkman: yea, but u know…lol
Kissmehard: yea…she probly sucked ur dick or sum shit and had u sprung
Suxcesblkman: sumthan like dat
Kissmehard: LMAO I took n tole u
Suxcesblkman: not took n tole….lmao
Kissmehard: dat’s more like it
Suxcesblkman: yeah, I knew I could count on u
Kissmehard: yep, c I know what my boo likes
Suxcesblkman: yes u do. Now come give me what I like
Kissmehard: oooo..u so nassy.
Suxcesblkman: & u like it, don’t u. now open up, let daddy give u sumthan
Kissmehard: oooo its so big…mmmm..Mmmm
Suxcesblkman: Ssssss…yea…suc it baby
Kissmehard: mmmm….I can taste ur cum on da tip
Suxcesblkman: mmmm deep throat me baby
Kissmehard: mmmm..
Suxcesblkman: turn a round
Kissmehard: oooo daddy…I’m on my nees
Suxcesblkman: …ummmm mmmm mmmm mmmm….shit..my dick is so hard
Kissmehard: give it 2 me daddy…yes….yes….grab my ass….yes…yesss
Suxcesblkman: shit….u want me 2 cum baby
Kissmehard: yes..Oh yes….I want 2 cum 2 baby..yes..
Suxcesblkman: yea…yea…. …yea mmmm
Kissmehard: oh yea….
Suxcesblkman: shit…
Kissmehard: yeah daddy…Ahhh ooooo…yessssss…..
Suxcesblkman: shit….I needed that…I gotta run clean up…brb
Kissmehard: take ur time. I need a cig…
Kevin logged off and headed into the shower in his office. As the hot water rinsed away the last few minutes, his mind turned to his childhood.
Kevin had walked to his friend’s house after another episode with Henry. He heard them from the backroom telling Mike’s mother what was going on. Well their version of it anyway.
“Look, he got out of line so I beat his ass. That is how you have to bring these kids back in check. If not, they will try and run all over you.”
“Henry!” he heard his mother call, but he wasn’t moving from his spot in the closet.
“I’m sorry if he caused you any problems. Kevin! Kevin! Get out here.” Kevin’s mother said.
After a few minutes of debating with himself, Kevin came out and walked over to his mom and wrapped his small arms around her waist.
“Mom, I’m sorry.”
“Oh sweetie, it’s ok. Let’s go home and I will make your favorite dinner, ok.”
He took his mother’s hand but noticed the hate dripping from Henry’s face like sweat.
They walked in and immediately Henry slapped his mother across the face and accused her of embarrassing him in front of Mike’s mom. His mom didn’t say anything, she just held her face and then Henry started punching her like she was a rag doll. Kevin’s mom fell into a heap on the floor and then it was his turn. He dragged Kevin into his room and threw him across the bed. Kevin finally got free and was able to flip over and Henry’s face was contorted like he was in pain and his penis was spewing liquid all over him. He was in a different world. He was mumbling something about bringing them back in line and teaching them a lesson, when suddenly he started turning blue and he fell over. Kevin scrambled to the door and let his mom in and she went over to him and then she came back to Kevin and led him out of the bedroom. Thirty minutes later the paramedics came and said that Henry had died. They said something about a massive coronary and that he didn’t suffer.
Kevin and his mom moved from that apartment a month later and soon his mom said she was seeing Henry. She couldn’t go to work anymore, because she thought some of the customers were Henry. One day while leaving work, she ran back into the restaurant and locked herself in the deep freezer because she said Henry was outside waiting for her.
The day that Henry died, mom could have helped him, but she told her son not to call 911 until she told him to, which was after she went in the room, put his clothes back on him, gave Kevin a shower and then washed her face. She told him not to ever say anything to anyone about what happened that day. One day Kevin came home from school and she was hanging from the banister.
Chapter 35
“Cheryl I’m so glad you called. I was worried when you missed our appointment today. Is everything ok?”
“No it isn’t. Today my daughter hit me.”
“Are you ok?”
“Yes, just a sore face and headache, but she actually told my son that she would do it again, if I get in her face. I was trying to discipline…”
“Why are you explaining it to me?”
“I wasn’t, I was just…”
“You were just trying to defend your actions. I am sure you did that with Kevin also.”
“But…”
“I’m not Kevin, and everything doesn’t have to be explained. What needs to be explained is why your daughter felt it is ok to hit you. You remember when you told me that your kids weren’t affected by the violence in your marriage? I guess you can see that you were wrong, they have been. Kayla felt it was ok to hit you, just like Kevin did while you were married. First, you need to address your daughter and let her know that hitting you is not acceptable. Have you thought of family counseling?”
“No, Kevin…”
“What does Kevin have to do with this?”
“He doesn’t want Kayla talking to anyone.”
“Does Kayla live with you or him?”
“Me.”
“So, you are telling me that you are going to let him run your household also.”
“No.”
“Ok, well I know of a nice family counselor here at the center and I will pass on your information. Now, what time is good for you tomorrow?”
“I can’t…”
“Cheryl, you have to meet this head on. Now tomorrow I have an opening at eleven and one, which one would you like?”
“Eleven.” She said reluctantly.
“Great, see you then
. Have a good evening, ok. Tomorrow is a new day.”
Cheryl hung up and called her friend Dee. After some small talk she told Dee about her Kayla hitting her.
“I hope you beat that ass!” Dee screamed into the phone.
“I…”
“Cheryl, I know you are not about to tell me that you didn’t handle that.”
Dee announced that she was on her way to Cheryl’s house before Cheryl could protest.
Chapter 36
Dee raced down the stairs behind Cheryl. She found her standing in the kitchen with pools of water forming in her eyes.
“What the hell was that?” She asked.
“That is what I deal with on a daily basis.”
Dee sucked her teeth and pulled the chair out from the table, “Why? That little girl upstairs should be picking her damn teeth up off of the floor.”
“Everything can’t be solved by hitting.” Cheryl said as she joined her friend at the table.
“Like hell it can’t. It might not be solved, the answer would be crystal clear.” She said as she folded her arms across her large breasts.
“Are you clueless that your daughter is crying out for help, or at the very least, a good ass whopping?”
“Look, I might not be the best parent in the world, but I am not going to hit her every time she speaks her mind.”
“Are you fucking serious? Maybe you haven’t looked in the mirror at your black eye. Why in the hell would you let a 15 year old do that? You let that jackass do it for years, and now you are handing over the gloves to Kayla. That ass would be beat down if my child…”
“That’s just it Dee, she isn’t your child.” Cheryl said as she rose from the table.
“But she is my god-daughter, and that counts as my child.”
“Dee, I have already called the counselor.”
“Was this before or after you tore her a brand new one.”
“No, Donnell came over and talked to her.”
“Why in the hell is Donnell talking to her, instead of you? You are her damn mother. Cheryl, please don’t let her do this. Don’t let your child pick up where Kevin left off.”
“I won’t.”
“But you already have, the minute she raised her hand to you, you should have handled it, but instead, you let Donnell handle it. What does that show Kayla?”
Let Me Say This, Again Page 14
