Chapter 17
Dyani
I looked down at my phone and rejected yet another call from my dad.
The fact that Darryl, who hadn’t really fucked with either of our parents, found the audacity to call our father and tell him something was enough for me to not feel bad that Jayme had pepper sprayed him to break up his fight with Arris.
Darryl sent me a text telling me to call him.
I ignored it and an hour later my dad started calling me nonstop.
I wanted to text him and curse him out but ultimately I knew it wouldn’t help anything.
If we got into an argument, there was a good chance Arris would get involved again and I definitely didn’t need that going down.
I flipped my phone face down and let my head fall back as I groaned.
“It’s going to be okay,” Jayme offered.
I lifted my head slowly and pouted in her direction. She slid her chair closer to mine and wrapped an arm around me. I laid my head on her shoulder.
“Is it?”
“It is. Darryl loves you and Arris loves you and they’re going to work it out. They’re men and they’ve been friends for a long time. They fight all the time. They’ll make up, I promise. You’re worth more than their pride and they both know that. They just have to go through the motions.”
I did my best not to focus on the fact Jayme just said Arris loved me and tried to focus instead on how hopeful she was.
“You think so?”
“I know so.” Jayme kissed the top of my head. “In the meantime, you have me and Blake and Arris and our families and we’re going to surround you in all the love all the time until Darryl comes around.”
“Thanks, baby.”
“Of course.”
She set her head on top of mine and ran her hand up and down my arm.
We both looked over at the doorway when Arris walked in. He was shirtless and sporting a small bruise on his side from when he and Darryl collided into my couch. He walked straight to the coffee machine and set it up. Then he leaned back against the counter and crossed his arms over his chest.
“How you feeling, Yani?” he asked.
“I’m okay.” I gave him a little smile. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m alright.” He shrugged.
“Are you actually?”
“Yeah.” He opened his arms to me. “Come here.”
Jayme let me go and I hopped up quickly to walk over to him. I immediately wrapped my arms around his body and he tucked me in beneath his chin. I snuggled into him. He rubbed up and down my back and kissed the top of my head.
I melted into him and breathed him in deeply. He smelled amazing. Something about his scent and the way his strong arms felt around me made me feel like my entire nervous system was resetting itself.
Arris reached down, grabbed my chin, and tilted my head back. I blinked up at him.
“How are you feeling for real?”
“I’m okay.” I exhaled. “I know shit is going to be tense with Darryl but it is what it is. Either we’re going to make up and everything is going to be good with us or it won’t.
I mean, it’s not like me and Darryl have been close our entire lives.
There was a point in my life when I didn’t talk to him for months at a time; so if that’s what he wants to do, so be it. ”
“Dyani,” Arris said softly. “I’m not going to let it get that far.
I mean, I might fight that nigga again and put him to sleep, but at the end of all of this, I’ll do whatever it takes to squash it.
Even if me and Darryl never actually are cool again, I’m going to do whatever it takes to make sure you and him are good. ”
“You are?”
“I promise.”
I nodded and buried my face back into his chest.
My phone started ringing and I ignored it to just kept breathing Arris in.
“Do you want to get that, baby?” he asked.
“No,” I groaned. “Darryl called our dad and I already know he’s going to give me a really hard time and I know I’m going to have to face the music but—”
Arris cut me off.
“You don’t have to do shit.” He massaged the back of my head. “You can talk to them when you’re ready, but if you aren’t ready, don’t feel pressured about it.”
“Okay.” I exhaled. “I’m sorry for all the drama, Arris.”
“You didn’t do anything, Dyani, and this is light shit for real. You’re worth this lil shit and a whole lot more.”
“Yeah?” I pouted, feeling on the verge of tears.
“Don’t ever question that, baby.” Arris grabbed my face in both hands and leaned down to kiss my forehead, nose, and mouth.
I nodded and he slowly let me go so he could pour his coffee. He kept a hand on my hip while he drank it.
“What are y’all getting into today?”
“I have three appointments and should be wrapped up like an hour before Blake gets out of kindergarten so I’ll scoop him then probably come home and cook something.”
“What about you?” Arris tapped my hip lightly.
“I’m going to hopefully close that deal we vetted yesterday.” I exhaled. “I don’t really know after that. I mean, I’m going to check my emails, see if Iliana has anything she needs help with, and reach out to a few people who are actively hunting and see if anything sticks.”
“If it doesn’t and you don’t want to be alone, you can always come to the shop,” Jayme offered.
“I won’t be in the way?”
“Nope.”
“Okay. I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Good. And what are you doing today, Arris?” Jayme asked.
“Going to the shop to see if Alex needs anything then I have a full day since I rescheduled shit around the appointments I already had today.”
“Sounds like you’ll be busy.” I whistled.
“Yeah, but I’m not complaining. A little extra money ain’t never hurt anything.”
“Tell me about it,” Jayme snickered, the sound making Arris’s little smirk morph into a full-fledged smile.
“If either of y’all need me, call me though. I’m going to leave my cell phone’s volume on.” Arris looked from me to Jayme.
“Alright.” She rolled her eyes with a little grin.
“Dyani?”
“If I need you, I’ll call you,” I assured him.
“I’m holding you to that.”
I nodded and Arris pushed off the counter and finally let his hands fully fall from my body.
The three of us got ready for our days then headed out.
I was able to secure my sale and collect my check.
I spent a little time on the phone with Illiana who actually did have a project she wanted to bring me in on so we met up at her office and discussed the details.
Then I went to work hunting down the art she was looking for.
After about three hours I had it locked down and verification in process.
I continued to ignore text messages from Darryl and calls from my dad. By the time I finished it was a little bit past lunch so I picked up two pizzas and did the rounds, bringing one to Arris, then one to Jayme. Both of them beamed when they saw me and welcomed me with hugs and kisses.
The salon Jayme worked out of was extremely welcoming and I hung out while she worked.
She had magical hands. I’d never seen her at work before but it was crazy how good she was.
She was personable and good at being firm while not being rude as she compromised with the different people in her chair, making sure they got what they wanted and didn’t veer too far from what they originally booked and paid for.
When she finished for the day, we split up so she could go pick up Blake and I could head home and shower.
The new normal of spending every night with Arris, Jayme, and Blake was nice and I hoped we kept it up even when we were out of this “new relationship cupcake phase”.
After my shower, I packed a bag and headed down to Jayme’s spot where she was sitting on the floor in the living room with Blake.
They invited me to sit on the floor and color with them.
I stared at Blake while he talked about how he’d spent his day and the new monster truck he was interested in getting.
Jayme asked about his classmates, teacher, and work and I just listened to the whole thing while I colored the sheet Blake had assigned to me.
We watched a little cartoon, then the three of us had dinner. I cleaned the kitchen while Jayme got Blake in the tub then I helped her with bedtime for the very first time.
She let me read the book to him and watching him fall asleep was the sweetest little thing. We cleaned up the living room and I did a double take when I saw Blake’s little drawing. There were four people in the picture and I immediately got teary eyed because I saw I was one of them.
I hadn’t questioned my relationship with Jayme and Arris in a while but the picture in front of me made all the other noise in my world silent.
I was definitely meant to be right where I was, no matter who didn’t support it.