Chapter 13
Thirteen
Karla
W e paused at the sound of someone calling my name, and I groaned when I saw my brother approaching.
“Who’s that?” Elias asked.
“My brother.”
“Cairo said you’ve been laying up with some nigga. That’s not very becoming of a mother with two young daughters, lil sis.”
My brother and I were never best friends, but we had a solid sibling relationship. I hated how much things had changed between us, but I didn’t regret telling my sister-in-law that he was a trash-ass, cheating-ass nigga.
“It’s also not very becoming of a man with a wife and young children to cheat on his wife with not one but multiple women. It was good to see you, though, Karlos.”
“You not gon’ introduce us?” my brother asked as we turned to walk away.
Elias responded before I could with, “I’m just some nigga. Have a good day, bruh.”
Thankfully, my brother didn’t press the issue. When we made it to his truck, Elias helped me inside before hopping into the driver’s seat. I didn’t speak until we were on the road.
“There’s no telling what lies my brother will tell our parents.”
“Why would he tell them anything? He doesn’t know enough about what’s going on between us to speak on our relationship.”
“Because Karlos is an asshole. I don’t have any other explanation. Also, he’s their golden child, and rarely do they acknowledge the wrong he does head-on. They’ve never admitted it, but once we were adults, I could tell he was their favorite.”
“Even after everything that happened with his ex-wife?”
“They were upset with him and scolded him for his behavior, but they also had a few words for me about minding my business and said I wanted Karlos to be miserable because I was.”
“Damn.”
“Yeah. I wasn’t even miserable. I was pissed, for sure, but not miserable. They kind of apologized. You know how parents do when they’re wrong but don’t want to admit it.”
“What’d they do?”
“Instead of apologizing, they bought the girls a new bedroom set. I didn’t have the energy to be pissed at them for long, so I let it go. They can’t stand Cairo though. I had 100 percent of their support when I told them we were divorcing and why.”
“Yet they gave their son a pass for the same behavior.” He shook his head. “That makes no sense.”
“It doesn’t. My mother says they don’t agree with Karlos’s behavior, but they didn’t feel it was my place to tell my sister-in-law. They think I should’ve let her find out on her own like I did.”
“How she found out shouldn’t matter, but I suppose that made sense to them.”
I shared a bit more about our family dynamic on our way back to my place.
I didn’t want him to think my parents didn’t love me or mistreated me, because that wasn’t the case at all.
Until they were grandparents, they showed very little affection.
Even though it appeared my brother was their favorite, he didn’t receive any more affection from them than I did, but they definitely let him get away with more.
“What do you want to do on our last night together?” I asked as we entered my home.
“I can think of a few things.”
“Care to share?”
“I could start by tying you up and blindfolding you before I eat your pussy from the front, back, and side. I saw that little vibrator in the drawer next to your bed. I could?—”
“I’ll meet you in the bedroom.”
He grabbed my wrist, stopping me in my tracks.
“I think I want to start in the kitchen. Take those panties off and hop on that counter.”
“Who said I was wearing panties?”
As we rushed toward the kitchen, the doorbell chimed.
“It’s probably just a delivery. You got thirty seconds to get that mouth ready.”
I made a detour to the front door while he continued to the kitchen. If I lived in the suburbs, I would leave the package on my porch, but that was risky. Although I lived in what most considered a decent neighborhood, I’d had a few packages stolen.
Without confirming who it was, I opened the door and found Cairo and our daughters. As they always did, the girls hugged my waist and legs before coming inside. Thankfully, before they got away from me, I remembered it was Saturday, and Cairo had brought them home a day early.
“Hold on, girls.” I kneeled down to their level. “Mommy needs to talk to Daddy about something very important. Please go to your room, close the door, put on your headphones, and play on your iPads for a little while. Mommy will come and get you when I’m done talking to Daddy.”
“Okay, Mommy,” they sang innocently before I kissed their foreheads.
Thankfully, their room was on the opposite side of the house from the kitchen, and they wouldn’t see Elias on the way. Once they were in their room with the door closed, Elias peeked around the corner.
“I’ll grab my things,” he whispered with a tone and expression that told me he knew exactly what was happening.
“It’s Saturday, Cairo.”
“I know. Are you saying you don’t want your kids?”
“No, nigga. You know that’s not what I’m saying. You’re not supposed to bring them until tomorrow.”
“You just don’t want your company to leave,” he said, sounding like the little ass boy that he was.
“You’re right! I don’t want my company to leave because he was about to eat my pussy and my ass and fuck me until he had to leave tomorrow. Is that what you wanted to hear?”
“Did you just tell me you fucking that nigga in the same house where your kids lay their heads? I bet the judge would love to hear that.”
I sighed. “Are you serious right now? I’m not fucking him in their beds. You wanna go back to court because I’m getting some dick that is remarkably better than yours?”
“I can’t believe you’re out here acting like a ho. Did you forget you have daughters?”
“Nigga, you forgot you had a wife and daughters when you were fucking every bitch that would give you the time of day. Cairo, I’m not about to do this with you now, or ever.
You’re lucky I’m not ready for the girls to meet Elias.
I’d turn this gotcha moment into family day with their new stepdaddy. Get the fuck off my porch.”
I closed the door before he could say another dumbass word. When I turned around, Elias was approaching me with his duffel bag on his shoulder.
“I’m sorry our time got cut short.”
He pulled me into his arms and kissed my forehead before saying, “Don’t be sorry. I enjoyed my time with you.”
“Me too.”
He opened the door, kissing my lips before leaving. I waited until he drove away to lock up. Sighing, I shook off my annoyance with Cairo and hopped right into mommy mode.
“Hi, titi!” my girls said as they ran to give her a hug.
“Hey, nieceypoohs. The girls are in the family room.”
“Okay!” they said as they disappeared around the corner.
“Hey, mama. Let me see that baby bump,” I said after entering Lariah’s home.
She lifted her shirt to give a better look at her growing belly.
“I still can’t believe you’re having another one, but I’m so excited for you.”
“I can’t believe it either, but we’re excited too. Every night, the girls want to talk to my stomach before they go to bed. It’s adorable.”
“Aww. Do they want a brother or a sister?”
“They go back and forth depending on the day. Dom wants his junior, of course, but he’ll be happy with either.”
“Of course, he would. Have you heard from—oh, that’s probably her.”
Mona had arrived, and she didn’t have either of her little ones with her.
“Hey, Mo.” We exchanged a hug. “Where are the kids?”
“At home having a movie afternoon with Clinton. Hey, Lariah. Look at your little bump. You look so cute. How’ve you been feeling?”
They exchanged a hug as Lariah replied. “Thank you. So far, I’ve been feeling good. This baby has been much nicer to me than their sisters.”
“Hmm, maybe that means it’s a boy,” Mona speculated.
“Maybe. We’ll find out in two weeks. So, what’s been going on with y’all?”
“I’m still in newlywed bliss, and my husband is determined to get me pregnant again,” Mona said.
“Yes, sis! Let him do it so we can be on this newborn journey together,” Lariah exclaimed.
“Girl, I’ve been on this newborn journey for two and a half years, but I love it. It’s really not about letting him. If we can still conceive, he’ll definitely get what he wants. The good thing is, he promised to get a vasectomy after number three is born.”
“That’s a good ass compromise. He needs to talk to Dom because the last thing I want to do after birthing baby number three is get my tubes tied.”
“I hear you. I was surprised when he told me, but I sure as hell agreed with a quickness. What’s been up with you, Karla? We haven’t seen much of you since you left the lounge with Elias.”
“You lie all day, sis. We’ve had lunch at least three times since then.”
“You’re right, but it’s still been a minute. How have things been?” Mona asked.
I felt myself smiling as my friends looked at me, waiting for a response.
“Things must be good and juicy with the way you’re smiling,” Lariah said.
“I like him more than I am ready to admit to him. My gut is telling me he’s a good guy and would probably make a great husband.”
“Why do I hear a but coming?” Lariah questioned.
“Because there is. He seems like a good guy, but they all do in the beginning. Plus, I’m worried about how to explain this to the girls.”
“What did your gut tell you about Cairo in the beginning?” Lariah asked.
I thought back to all those years ago when I met my ex-husband.
He was handsome, charismatic, and outgoing.
He was the life of the party, and back then, I loved how everyone loved him.
As a twenty-three-year-old, being with someone like Cairo was exciting and made me feel special that he’d chosen me.
Honestly, Cairo had never been the nice guy. He didn’t open doors, give compliments, or openly show affection. I wouldn’t say he didn’t love me, but I would say he didn’t show it in the ways that I craved it. Eventually, I got used to it and stopped expecting certain things from him.
“That he wasn’t husband material,” I admitted.
“Unfortunately, your gut was right about Cairo, and you ignored it. Maybe this time, trust your gut. You know I know how hard it is, but I’m the happiest I’ve ever been since I decided to do exactly what I’m telling you to do,” Mona advised.
“You’re right, but I have the girls to consider. They’ve only seen me with their father. Not only that, but Elias doesn’t have any children of his own. What kind of stepfather will he be? Does he even want to be a stepfather? Shit, what if he wants biological kids? It’s a lot to consider.”
“The only person who can give you those answers is him. Talk to him and find out where his head is. He knows you have children, so I’d imagine he wouldn’t have a problem being a stepfather,” Lariah said.
“I know one thing,” Mona began. “Cairo gon’ have a fit when he finds out you’re moving on. Remember, him and Winston are best friends.”
“Oh shit! How could I forget to tell y’all this? Cairo knows about Elias.”
Their eyes widened.
“Do tell!” Lariah ordered.
“And don’t leave out a single detail!” Mona demanded.