Trapped Between Heaven and Hell

by M. Skye

  When she felt his arms around her, she relaxed. “Ty, being back here is all too much. I shouldn’t have come.”

  “Mia, he needed you,” Tyree whispered into her hair. He once again had forgotten the anger he felt for her, and he just held her, running his hand down her back until she realized what was happening, and she backed away. “Mia.” He moved toward her, and she bumped into the wall. “Don’t—”

  “Tyree, stop. We can’t do things like that. We can’t be that for each other, not anymore.”

  “Mia, you were clearly upset. Surely you don’t hate me that much that you can’t accept me comforting you. We have a son together. If you’re not okay, then it affects him.”

  “That’s not what’s going on here, and you know it. It’s what we always do. We become vulnerable and then fall into the arms of the wrong people. It’s a pattern that we need to break.”

  Tyree sighed and stepped away from her until he thought about what she said and looked over at her questioningly. “Are you saying you made a mistake by choosing Jake? Are you finally admitting that you were wrong?”

  Mia opened her mouth and then closed it, at a total loss for words. Before she could respond to him, his phone rang, breaking the silence in the room.

  Tyree pulled it out, saw that it was Renee, and silenced the ringing before focusing back in on her. “Mia, I’m waiting.”

  “It’s her, isn’t it?” When Tyree didn’t respond her voice intensified and that beautiful rasp she always exhibited suddenly sounded extremely harsh. “Pick up the phone and answer your fiancée.”

  “Mia—” he started, wanting to reason with her.

  “Tyree, pick up the damn phone.”

  Tyree laid the phone down and crossed the room, and before she could react, he was standing right in front of her, breathing down her neck. “I’m done with this game, Mia. I’ve waited two years to hear what you have to say, and you’re going to answer my questions. You owe me that much.”

  Mia shivered and tried to move, but he cornered her, planting his hands beside her head. She looked like she wanted to run, but he offered her no escape. When she tried to sit up from the wall, he leaned closer to her. “Ty, let me go. This is pointless, and I think you should leave.”

  He smirked angrily and leaned in to whisper in her ear until he heard movement coming from behind them.

  “Daddy, are you leaving?”

  When Tyree heard Kyan’s voice, he backed up, releasing Mia from the wall. As soon as she had room, she fled, putting as much distance between them as she could.

  Tyree sighed and plastered on his most convincing smile and turned to face his son. “No, we were just talking about me getting us some dinner for tonight. I’m going to leave for just a second, but I’ll be right back.”

  “You promise?”

  “I promise.”

  “Just you?”

  “Just me.”

  Making a quick exit, Tyree got out on the porch and took a deep breath. That whole scene was too intense for him, and he had almost lost control. For a split second, he felt intense love and anger all at the same time. He had never had that happen with anyone but her.

  Chapter Six

  Mia just sat watching the door after Tyree left the house. She shifted about for a while before she and Kyan finally ended up in the living room. For some reason, she had an uneasy feeling about the woman he was involved with. She wanted him to move on, but the way Kyan just reacted made her curious as to what had been going on since he arrived. She knew he might be homesick, but this was something different. Kyan liked pretty much everyone he encountered, but he seemed to have a particular distaste for the new woman in Tyree’s life. When Mia took a seat on the couch, Kyan followed her, nuzzling as close as he could, putting his head against her neck.

  “Baby, what’s wrong? I know you miss me, but is there something you want to tell me?”

  Kyan was dead silent for a few seconds as if contemplating what to say, and Mia lifted his chin, forcing him to look into her eyes.

  “Come on now, it’s me. You tell me everything. What’s going on with my favorite boy?”

  “I keep hearing the people in the masks.”

  The people who kidnapped Kyan wore masks most of the time except for one man. He said the man was nice, but he would always have night terrors about them because he was taken away from his family. He was so smart and brave, but even he was entitled to be rattled because of his experiences.

  “Those mask people will never hurt you again, baby. Daddy and I are here. We will never let that happen again.”

  “You promise?” He sighed.

  “I promise, baby. Where do you get this feeling? Is it in your dreams?”

  He chewed on his bottom lip and looked to be considering his answer before he gave it. “I don’t know, Mama.” He paused for a second and then switched the subject. “Mama, were you and Daddy fighting?”

  “Your dad and I haven’t seen each other in a long time and, yeah, we disagreed on something, but we’re fine now. We just want you to be okay.”

  “Why were you fighting? Was it because Dad lives with Renee and you live with Jake?”

  “Sweetie, I don’t want you to worry about Daddy and me. We are going to be just fine. We are going to do whatever we need to make sure you know how much we love you.”

  “So we’re staying here?”

  “We’re going to talk about everything once your dad gets back.” Mia wrapped him tighter in her embrace and lay back on the couch. She really didn’t have the heart to tell him she had no intention of staying there longer than a few days. She needed to get out of there before her old feelings arose and submerged her back into the sea of confusion and betrayal she fought so hard to escape. The sooner she made Kyan understand, the better. They needed to make a clean break from Atlanta before she lost herself again. Some wounds, even if they were emotional, never healed.

  Mia held him, thinking over their situation, until his voice broke her from the thoughts racing through her mind.

  “Mama, since you’re here now, can we all just stay here? I don’t like Daddy’s new house.”

  If she wasn’t convinced before, Mia now knew there was something her son wasn’t telling. She pulled him up to ask what was going on and she ran her hand down his face. “Kyan, sweetheart, what’s wrong with Daddy’s house?”

  Kyan dropped his head and bit down on his bottom lip before answering. “Daddy isn’t happy when we’re there. He yells a lot and always looks sad.”

  “Who does he yell at? Is he yelling at you?”

  “No, he is nice to me. He yells at Renee, and she yells back.”

  Mia knew she was wrong, but she had to know. “What do they yell about?”

  “You. I don’t think Renee likes you, Mama.”

  “And what does your dad say when she’s yelling about me?”

  Before he could answer, Tyree swung the door open, and she put her finger to her lips, letting Kyan know to drop the conversation, and he smiled, agreeing. At that moment, Mia thanked God for having a son who was as intelligent as Kyan. After deflecting his father’s inquisitive stare, Kyan bounced over to help with the food, and Mia felt relieved.

  When Tyree went out the door to gather more things from the car, she followed, closing the door behind them. “Ty, when we go back in there, can we pretend like that awkward moment didn’t happen earlier? I thought it over, and you’re right: we should at least act as a family this one time. Kyan deserves to have us in one room, even if it is only for tonight. He doesn’t need to see us fighting too.”

  “Too? What do you mean too?”

  “Kyan hears everything. You know that.”

  “He heard me and Renee fighting? What did he hear?” Tyree asked.

  She knew he didn’t want her to know all the fights they had were about her. “Just yelling,” she lied. “I just don’t want him to hear it from us too. We haven’t been the best examples of parents, and I want to turn over a new leaf.”
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br />   “I agree, and I’m sorry for letting him hear us. I know how this must look.”

  “It’s not my business, Ty. Really.” She placed a hand on his cheek and smiled. “It’s fine. Nobody’s perfect.” They stood that way for a while until Mia chuckled and reached for a few of the items in Tyree’s hand. “Let me help you.”

  When they walked inside, they both smiled seeing that plates were already set on the dining room table. Kyan had pulled out the dishes they would need for dinner that night. After unloading the rest of the bags, Tyree joined the pair at the table and smiled. They ate, they laughed, and they bonded that night. For a brief moment in time, they weren’t a broken family; they were three people who meant everything to each other, even if it was just an act.

  Mia could feel Tyree’s excitement drain as the night wore on and she couldn’t help but feel responsible. She could see in his eyes that he wanted more time before he had to give them up again, but she just couldn’t bring herself to allow it. It would never work, and they both knew it. Tonight was a one-time thing that could never happen again, even if it did feel wonderful.

  Chapter Seven

  Tyree stepped outside as his phone began to ring. He hadn’t spoken to Renee all night, and he knew he needed to take her call. He had also conviently missed the meeting he was supposed to have with John, and he knew that was going to lead to an argument. She was bound to be feeling uneasy about his evening with Mia, but he wanted to reassure her that she had nothing to worry about. After tonight, he learned that they could be in the same room without killing each other. It was refreshing and exactly what Kyan needed before they broke the news to him. When he answered the phone, he could hear the sadness in her voice.

  “Hey, babe, you okay?”

  “I’m okay,” she said quietly. “How’s it going with Kyan? How did he take the talk you guys had?”

  Tyree sucked in a deep breath and then let it go. He really wanted to skip this part. He knew it was going to get ridiculous. “We haven’t talked to him about it yet. We wanted to ease him into it. We both felt it was best.”

  “So what have you been doing over there all day?”

  “We had dinner, and I’m about to put him down for bed. He’s staying here with her tonight, and we’ll figure the rest out later.”

  “Okay.” By her snappy response, he knew she was obviously annoyed. “So when should I expect you home?”

  “That’s the thing. I will be in late. I promised him I would stay but—”

  “Like hell you are! You get your ass home now.”

  Feeling his anger flaring, Tyree tried to choose his words carefully. “Whoa, I hadn’t planned on staying, but you don’t talk to me like that. I told you my son needed me, and he comes before anyone, even you.”

  “You know what? If you want the bitch, then stay over there. I’m tired of this game you play. You keep me at bay, and when she comes to town, you drop everything to be next to her.”

  “I’m not doing this with you. I’ll see you when I get home. Hopefully, you will have your attitude in check by then.”

  “Don’t bother. Stay your ass there.” She hung up.

  He hissed into the air. He was growing tired of these petty arguments. He was just about ready to say to hell with all the women in his life. He just couldn’t seem to make either of them happy. First Mia and now this mess with Renee. He was at his wit’s end with all this drama.

  When he walked back inside, Tyree found Mia sitting on the couch with Kyan in her lap rubbing his sleepy eyes. He sat in the doorway, smiling at his son and the woman who once owned his heart, and he wished it could all go back to when they were happy. He longed for times like these when it was just them and their son; it was so much simpler. When she saw him, she looked back and flashed him a shy grin. After all this time, he could tell she was still unsure how to be around him; it was apparent on her face.

  Kyan broke the stolen glances when he sat up and asked Tyree to tuck him in. He gladly obliged, feeling ecstatic that he still wanted him with Mia being there. He knew his son loved him, but he also knew that he and Mia were as close as any child and mother could be. As hard as he tried, he could never be the parent she was.

  Tyree walked him to the room and tucked him in before reading him one of his favorite stories. Kyan fell asleep as soon as he was done, and Tyree leaned over to place a kiss on his forehead. Smiling over at his greatest creation, Tyree backed out of the room, bumping into Mia, who was listening in the hallway.

  “Sorry, I’m clumsy. I was just making sure he didn’t need anything.”

  “It’s cool, he’s fine. He is sleeping like a baby.” Tyree grinned.

  “Good. So are you going to wait a little while or are you out of here? I know Renee is probably waiting up for you.”

  Tyree huffed at the mention of her name. For a second, he had almost forgotten the latest disagreement. Things had gotten so out of hand between them, and he needed some clarity. He also needed her to be the strong and confident woman he first met, not this insecure version he was dealing with now.

  “I’m going to get out of your hair and let you have some down time, but I doubt I’ll be going home just yet. I need to clear my head. I swear, I can talk to anyone about anything, but when it comes to my little man, I get nervous. I don’t want him to see the flaws in his dad. I know he looks up to me, and I just want to keep that admiration. Is that crazy or what?”

  “It’s not crazy. I mean we’ve been apart for two years, but I can’t bring myself to tell him that we’re never moving back here. He misses it so much, and I just feel awful.”

  “I know you have a life there and you have Jake, but are you okay with being away from everything and everyone? I know you love it there, but I miss him. I wish I could be the dad who’s around him every day. I feel like I’m failing him by not being there.”

  “I’m sorry. I really am, but I can’t stay here. Being here now is hard enough.” She turned and walked into the living room. “God, why can’t this be simple?”

  “Mia,” he said, putting his hand on her shoulder, “nothing with us will ever be simple. We have been through so much, and I don’t think we will ever forget it. Our past isn’t pretty, but we can give him more if we just work together.”

  Before he could form a thought, she turned and flung herself into his arms. Holding on tight, he relaxed against her. He hadn’t felt so content in a long time. He stayed in the moment until she pulled away, backing toward the hallway. He once again felt the sting of her rejection, and he straightened up. He was all set to leave when he heard cries coming from Kyan’s room. They both ran toward the screams and walked in to find him sitting up in the bed, searching the room frantically.

  “Daddy, someone was here! I felt someone touch me!”

  Tyree raced over and looked at the window that was closed and then back at Mia. Her eyes were huge, and she was trembling. “Mia, you see something?” When she shook her head, he flew over, pulling Kyan into his embrace. He rocked him, running his hand down his back, and Mia joined them, putting her arms around the both of them.

  Mia laid her head against Kyan’s back, as he drifted back into a peaceful sleep. Tyree hadn’t looked away from the window, and when he felt her hand swipe over his, he squeezed, closing his eyes. “Mia, I’m not leaving him tonight. I’ll stay right here and sit up all night if I have to. I’ll find some blankets and get settled on the floor. I’ll be right here if anything happens.”

  “No.” She jumped up and crossed her arms over her chest.

  “Mia, I won’t leave my son or you. I—”

  “I don’t want you to.”

  Tyree looked at her in confusion and shifted to the side with Kyan still in his arms. “What are you saying?”

  She grabbed his hand and pulled him up, leading him to her bedroom, and she opened the door. She sat down and scooted across the bed, signaling for him to join her. Following her lead, Tyree climbed in, placing Kyan between them, and he lay back on a pi
llow, trying to relax into the bed he had missed immensely over the years. When she turned to him and placed her hand on his, he gave her a gentle squeeze and closed his eyes, trying to block out all the thoughts racing through his mind. He wanted this all to be a horrible nightmare, and he hoped that’s all it was as far as Kyan was concerned.

  Tyree, Mia, and Kyan all fell asleep intertwined in the bed. But after a few still moments, Tyree arose, suddenly feeling uneasy about something, and he looked around frantically before looking back down to the two sleeping forms beside him. They looked peaceful, and he soon found his way back, deciding to deal later with the consequences of whatever tonight would bring.

  Chapter Eight

  Tyree sat up at 3:00 a.m., looking around with sweat beads rolling down his face. He realized he had been sweating for quite a while. Mia was always cold and never ran the AC. It always drove him crazy in the past but, now, he was just happy with the familiarity. It was what he needed in times like these.

  As Tyree continued to scan the room, he almost fell over when he saw something moving in the dark. When he swung over and swatted in the direction, he heard a yelp from the other side of the bed. He raced over when he realized he had smacked Mia against the face.

  “I’m sorry.” He dropped to his knees, running his hand down her face. “Are you okay? I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

  “I’m all right, Ty. I just startled you. I know you would never hit me on purpose.”

  She tilted her head and, with the angle she held it at and the streaks of light the moon cast through the window, he saw the twinkle her eyes held as she stared at him. It was like she used to look when they were in love. He had convinced himself it had died in her, but now he saw it and inched his lips closer, capturing the moment. But Mia lowered her head, causing his kiss to land on her cheek.

  “Tyree, don’t. I don’t want to make a mistake. We have people in our lives we could destroy with this, and I don’t want to do that just for a fling.”

  “A fling? We will never be just a fling, Mia. We were together for ten years; we have a son. There will always be more between us.”