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“I don’t think you’re crazy. Sad, angry and misguided. Yes. Crazy? No.”
“Really? Twelve jurors and a judge would argue otherwise.”
“They don’t know the whole story. I believe you can turn your life around if you really want to, if you focused on wanting to be happy and not let your past destroy your present.”
“How would I do that?”
“For starters, this feud that you have going with your half sister, why not end it?”
“Because, Naima grew up with everything, she got the father I always wanted. If I had had a father around, no one would have been able to abuse me. I would have had someone there to protect me.”
“Why do you blame Naima for you growing up without a father? Did it ever occur to you maybe she wanted a sister and felt just as robbed of the opportunity as you feel robbed of growing up without a father?”
“I don't care whose fault it is. She should have to pay."
“Did you ever stop to think that maybe the person you're really angry at is your mother?”
Emeri was surprised when she felt moisture behind her lids. Talking about her Mama always made her break down.
“I can't blame her. She's not here to defend herself.”
“In your process to not blame her, you're lashing out at everyone else for something they had no control over.” Softening his voice, Tyson put his pen and paper down to focus all of his attention on Emeri. “Think about it, what would you say to your mother if she were here?”
“I would ask her how could she do this too me.” Tears free falling now, Emeri didn't care if Tyson saw them or not, “I would tell her she fucked up my whole life, but I still love her and I need her here with me now.” Turning to bury her head into Tyson's chest, “why did she leave me? I need her, I need her...” Her voice trailed off.
Somewhat expecting the tirade, Tyson was excited that Emeri had finally made a break through. He knew after speaking with her previous therapist Coleen, that she seemed to be in a state of denial. He wondered if it was harder for Emeri to confide in Coleen because she was a woman.
Camille could not believe the way Chris treated Haven the day they all ran into one another at the Cheesecake Factory. It was one thing for him to be sticking through the marriage until he got Copyright © 2010 Mychea
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what he wanted, but assault and battery of his wife in her advanced stage of pregnancy was beyond comprehensible to her. She never wanted to see anything bad happen to the baby and was surprised that Chris would go to such extremes with Haven in a public place and risk hurting the baby he was so excited she was carrying. The whole situation just didn’t make sense and before things got more out of hand, she needed answers. Since the incident at the restaurant, Chris had been staying with her trying to lay low. He hadn’t been to see the baby yet, didn’t even know the baby’s name and anytime she brought up the situation he would say it wasn’t up for discussion. Well his self pity grace period was over. Today was “D” day and she was coming to collect the answers she sought. Walking into the garage, where Chris was fixing the brakes on his car, she figured she could talk to him now.
“Chris.”
“What?”
“Please use manners and don’t speak to me that way.” Huffing as he looked up at Camille, Chris could tell she was going to have her say, but that didn’t mean he had to make it easy for her.
“What, can I help you with? Is that better?”
“Somewhat.” Turning a bucket over to sit on she faced him as half his body was under the car. “I want to talk about the other night. Don’t you think you owe it to me to explain what happened?”
“Not really.” He replied. Not even bothering to pause in what he was doing,
“Well, I think that you do. So we will be discussing right now.”
“Fine Camille, whatever you say. What do you want to hear from me? That I messed up?
Ok,” he threw down one of the tools he was using causing a loud clanking noise, and picked up another, “I messed up.”
“I just don’t understand why you got so mad at her. You acted like she didn’t have a right to say anything to you in there.”
“She doesn’t have rights to say anything that has to do with me, are we clear on that?”
“Don’t use that tone with me. All I’m saying is you didn’t have to react that way. And furthermore, I thought you were excited about the baby? Why would you intentionally hurt Haven knowing that the baby’s life could be at stake? None of your actions from that night make any kind of sense to me and I need an explanation.”
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Chris had to hand it to Camille, she was no pushover, she had come out here to get answers and that is what she fully expected to do. People could underestimate her if they wanted to, but he knew better.
“Honestly, I lost my head a little that night. I never meant for things to go as far as they did.
That’s why I haven’t been home or to see the baby. For all I know, she could have the police waiting for me when I get there.”
“I seriously doubt she will have the police waiting for you. I’m pretty sure Haven is smart enough to realize if you haven’t been at home, then chances are you must be staying with me.
She could have sent them over here at any time, but she didn’t. You know Haven loves you, and she probably still feels guilty for what she made you go through years ago. She’s not going to put you behind bars again. Trust me.”
“Why are you defending her?”
“I’m not defending her; I’m trying to help you to stop being stuck up your own ass for once and go see your child. I know it’s killing you to not know what he looks like, or his name.
Everything you missed with Kaven, you have the opportunity to witness with this baby. Stop making excuses and go.”
“Will you come with me?”
“Ok, see now you have gone and bumped your head. I am not showing up at you and your wife’s doorstep, with her husband in tow.” Camille threw her hands up in the air not believing his nerve. “Sorry Busta, you will have to do this alone. I will not disrespect her house, where her children are.”
“I don’t know about this.”
“Why not try calling first? See what she’s willing and not willing to do.”
Pondering for a moment as he secured the last brake pad in place, Chris figured that Camille had a point.
“Kadir is absolutely beautiful.” Naima couldn’t help admiring his little fingers and toes. He smelled like baby powder and Johnson and Johnson’s baby lotion, just yummy. Her heart melted, just like it did every time she was around children, whether they be hers or someone else’s. He was staring up at her with beautiful bright green eyes.
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“Please explain to me how both of your babies got green eyes? Usually one will get them and the other won’t. Like my kids. Green eyes completely skipped Kalani…he has hazel ones like his Momma though! But girl, there is no way Chris can deny these children.”
Haven was trying to focus on whatever Naima was going on and on about, but for the life of her, she just couldn’t. A month had passed since Kadir’s birth, a month since that crazy night when Chris put her in the hospital. A month and he still hadn’t seen or held his baby.
“Yeah, it is crazy how much he looks like Chris. Kaven, looks more like me and still miraculously came out with those green eyes. Guess in my case eye color is not the dominant gene.”
Concerned with her lack of enthusiasm, Naima stopped doting on Kadir to give Haven her full attention. “You ok over there? You seem a little out of it.”
Haven shrugged her shoulders, “I’m ok I guess. It’s just hard for me to belie--” interrupt
ed by the shrill sound of the phone, “I haven’t heard from Chris.” She said, finishing her statement.
“Hello.” She answered into the receiver.
There was a prolonged silence before she softly heard her name spoken at the other end.
Gesturing at Naima to get her attention while she pointed to the phone and mouthed, “Speak of the Devil.”
“Hello.” She repeated into the receiver, as if she hadn’t heard them speak the first time.
“Haven, it’s me.”
“Who is me?”
“Please don’t play games. You know who this is. Can you stop this and listen to what I have to say for a minute?”
“Why should I?”
“Because I want to apologize.”
Haven broke into a fit of laughter, the nerve of this guy. “You wait a whole month to apologize? You haven’t seen your son, you’re pathetic.”
“Damn, could you stop being difficult and just listen to me for a second?”
“Ohhhh, so now I’m difficult? You’re the one that tackled me in a parking lot garage. Did you forget about that? Or how about you trolluping around with that little bitch Camille out in the open for the entire world to see? You’re the one that didn’t come to the hospital to your son when he was born and you’re the one who has been God only knows where for the past month, Copyright © 2010 Mychea
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then you have the nerve to call out of the blue with a phone call apology, no flowers, no candy, asking me to listen to your trifling ass. And I’m the one who’s difficult? Please!”
“You taking things too far as you usually do, which seems to be the Haven way. All I want to do is see my son. Is it clear for me to do that?”
“What do you mean is it clear?” and it suddenly dawned on her, Chris was afraid she would have the police waiting for his ass when he got there. Humph, he deserved no less than that, with his wanna be Ike Turner ass. But she didn’t feel it was fair strictly because she shouldn’t have sent him to jail years ago, serving time for a crime he never committed.
Sighing in defeat, “It’s clear, feel free to come and visit your son. But if you bring that whore Camille anywhere near my house all bets are off and it will not be clear for you, the boys in blue will haul your lying, cheating, abusive ass away kicking and screaming for all I care.”
“Aight, you made your point. Chill out ok. Is it cool to come now? I can be there in about ten.”
“Now is fine.”
“Thanks, I really appreciate this.”
“Whatever. Get off my phone.” She hung up.
“So,” Naima chimed in, “I take it he’s on his way over?”
“Yeah, I would really appreciate it if you stayed till he’s done visiting Kadir. I don’t trust him not to try and attack me again.”
“I don’t think Chris is that crazy.”
“You don’t know him like I do. He is on get back. That night at the restaurant all but proves it.”
“Well, when you put it that way, I’m inclined to believe you. Cause that night was crazy. I still can’t believe that he and Camille have a fling going. She was always such a sweet girl. I wonder how that came about anyway. What are you going to do?” Naima asked as she placed kisses all over Kadir’s fat cheeks.
“I haven’t decided yet. I don’t know what to do.”
“Have you ever considered praying about it and letting God lead you from there? That’s what I did when we were going through our situation. I prayed till I didn’t know what else to do, then I prayed some more. He knew exactly what to do and we’re friends now because of me praying so much.”
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“I prayed about the Chris situation and look where that got my ass.”
“Maybe you weren’t praying for the right thing.” Walking across the room to place Kadir in his bassinet, Naima went back over to Haven and grabbed her hand. “How about we pray together? I will lead this one off and over time you’ll get more comfortable and you can lead.”
Dropping to their knees on the carpet, they clenched hands and Naima began, “Lord, we come to you humbly in search of guidance and strength. I pray that Haven and Chris seek you in any and all decisions they make moving forward with their marriage. Lord only you know what the future holds for the two of them as they work on rebuilding their marriage and raising the two beautiful sons you have entrusted into their care in this world. Please lead them in the way that they should go and grant peace and serenity to deal with any decisions that they make from this moment on.
In your name we pray, Amen.” As they were rising to their feet at the end of the prayer, the doorbell rang. Chris had arrived.
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Chapter 10
Damir sat at his desk with coffee in hand about to launch his internet research on Kaden. He’d officially decided he wanted Naima to himself, which meant he had to go through the process of eliminating him from her life and step one was finding a reason to fire him. No woman wanted a man that was unemployed. Pulling up Google’s search engine, he typed in Kaden’s full name and waited for the results to load on the page. The first link he saw was for Kaden’s Wikipedia Bio, he could care less where he was born and that nonsense, the second link was of some tabloid scandal that took place years ago. The third link was the one that piqued his interest; it contained information about an accident that had taken place some years back. Clicking the link, he vaguely remembered when he met Kaden him mentioning something about an accident, or he should say “the” accident that ended his football career.
Practically spilling his coffee over his keyboard, Damir placed the cup down with a heavy force. He was shocked by what he read on the monitor. The place where Kaden’s accident occurred was the same place his sister Alanna was when she was in the car accident that took her life. Eyes steadily roaming the article, Damir found what he was looking for, the date. Either this was one wild and crazy coincidence or the two of them were in the same accident.
Taking a quick scan of his office, framed photos of he and Alanna lined his desk and walls.
He couldn’t count the number of times Kaden had been in his office during his employment and not once had he ever mentioned anything about her. Swiftly jumping out of his chair, Damir left his office heading for Kaden’s cube. He demanded answers and he demanded them now.
“That will be perfect.” Kaden said as he ended the phone call. He smiled to himself.
Everything was almost in place and he couldn’t be more pleased. So into his own thoughts, he didn’t see Damir enter his cube until he was almost directly on top of him. Already feeling a certain type of way about Damir, his unexpected intrusion into his space was very unwelcomed.
It was less about Damir as a person and more about the way this nicca looked at his wife. He could see it in his eyes the day he stopped by to visit Naima. He knew his wife was a beautiful woman, even more so now because of her ability to not give up. He was proud of the way she never complained about anything and took everything in stride and kept it moving.
Shoving a picture in his face, “Do you know this girl?” Damir said in a terse tone.
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Rising to a standing position, Kaden had to put Damir in his place. “Aye, before you stroll into my area with that tone, you need to address me another way,” Staring him straight into his eyes, “and never shove anything into my face again.”
Damir’s temper escalated at Kaden’s stance. “Don’t talk to me that way muthafucka, I’m the reason you have this job, did you forget? You better take care to remember that.”
Not flinching, “You heard what I said. Don’t you forget.” Kaden knew a bitch ass nicca when he saw one and he definitely had
one swimming in “bitchassness” standing in front of him. “Are we done here?”
Trying to regain his composure Damir was pissed off. So, Kaden thought he was untouchable did he? Every man had a soft spot and everyone knew Naima was his, too bad for this nicca Kaden; his soft spot had been sucked, kissed, bitten and fucked by him. Wonder what his
“untouchable” ass would say about that, but now wasn’t the time to break up his world…but soon.
Forcing himself to calm down, Damir handed the photo to Kaden this time, “Do you recognize this girl?”
Looking down at the picture Damir had given him, Kaden saw the girl and handed the photo back. “Yeah, I met her in Texas.”
“You know she’s my sister, you never felt the need to tell me you knew her?”
Shrugging his shoulders, “What was there to say? I’ve seen the photos in your office; I know she’s your sister, what would you gain by knowing that we had met one another in a previous life?” Waving him off, “Who cares?”
“I care.” Damir was seething, “I was reading your file online and I’m willing to bet the two of you were involved in the same accident back then.”
Returning to his seated position behind his desk, trying to make Damir get the hint, “Didn’t your parents teach you not to believe everything you read?”
“It’s true muthafucka, you were there. You saw my sister when she died.” Damir was yelling now, causing a disturbance in the office. People were starting to turn and stare.
Feeling an impending threat, Kaden rose back to his feet. “What if I did? It wasn’t my fault and there’s nothing to be done about it now. It’s over.”
“Fuck you!” Damir screamed lunging at him, forget about his world now, “that’s why I fucked your wife!”
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Kaden felt the impact of his words more than the one from his body. Moving swiftly to deflect the blows coming his way, he spun Damir into a headlock.
“You know, I’ve been staying off your ass because you were my boss, but fuck you and this job. As for your sister Alanna, or better known as ‘Apple’, yeah I fucked the diseased whore; she damn near ruined my life. Actually she did. Meeting her was the worst thing that ever happened to me. I would probably still have my career if I never fucked with her ass.” Squeezing his arms around Damir’s neck a little harder for added emphasis, “Now take that shit to your grave. As for my wife, if I were you, I wouldn’t contact her again or you may be seeing your sister sooner than you think.”