Chapter 7 #2
“Nah, she didn’t like to talk about her.” I remembered that much. She never even brought the woman up.
“She wouldn’t. Our mother was a very beautiful woman, regal.
She was adventurous, and she loved to dance.
Harbor did too, she just didn’t like to do it in front of people.
She would hide in her room.” Harmonie spoke with a smirk.
“Especially after our mother disappeared. Our father came to despise anything that reminded him of her. They had a real love/hate relationship.”
“So you never found out what happened to her, or where she is?” I questioned.
Harmonie shook her head and swallowed the last of her drink.
“Nope. She left, and I didn’t care.” She lied.
It was obvious from her behavior that she gave a damn. It affected she and Harbor in different ways.
“Halo was selfish. She didn’t give a damn about us. She spent more time in the streets than she did at home. She was adventurous and our boring little life became too mediocre for her. Sound familiar?” Her harsh stare shook me.
She held in a lot of resentment. She was cloaked in it, like it was her armor.
“So whatever you felt, whatever she made you feel bad about, don’t let it eat you up.” Harmonie advised. “She moved on. So should you. And whatever happened between us… it doesn’t matter.”
She was right. I didn’t want her to be, but she was.
At this point, there was no turning back, and I had to let go of that part of her.
It wasn’t going to go well for anybody if we kept hanging on to the past and trying to revisit it.
After a couple of more drinks, Harmonie and I ended up in one of the private rooms above the club that they rented out.
We sat downstairs and got white boy wasted until we were both slurring our words, laughing and falling over one another.
My dick was solid, and since Alba was on her emotional tirade, I didn’t even want to bother going home to her and trying to talk myself into some pussy.
I needed a release, and Harmonie happened to be there.
I told myself that this didn’t mean anything, she was only fulfilling a need that I had, and a nigga needed that more than anything.
After pleasing each other into the sunrise, we both fell into a sex coma.
Chevy
The kids were getting restless at home. I was so happy that Knowledge offered to come and get them for some quality time.
I got to go get my nails and hair done, plus an hour massage and grab lunch before heading home to eat in peace.
My kids could eat a full course meal and still be in my face for my plate when they’re done.
So I was about to take advantage of this me time.
I’d also done a little shopping since the nail shop was right near the designer district, so my arms were full of shit as I tried to get the door open to the house.
“Need some help.” A familiar voice asked from behind me, pausing me where I stood.
I spun around and came face to face with Kitana.
It wasn’t that I was scared of this bitch or no shit like that, but seeing her right now unsettled me.
That hoe was standing there all smug and it took everything in me not to drop my bags and rush her ass like I did the last time.
Before I could even react, one of the guards that Knowledge had placed on me popped up behind her, startling us both.
I felt a little less off guard with him around.
“The fuck are you doing on my doorstep!” I spat at her.
“Hmm, you think you can get away with taking everything from me? I came here to see which portion of your life I wanted to take from you. Nice house. Are those Fendi shopping bags?” She asked.
“Get her the fuck out of here.” I told the guard.
He nodded and went to snatch her up by the arm.
“Tell Knowledge fuck him and his little negotiations! I don’t give a fuck and I got nothing to lose! You both took everything from me, so I’m going to make sure that debt is repaid!” She kicked and screamed, damn near foaming at the mouth when he dragged her off.
“Psychotic ass bitch.” I muttered, letting myself into the house.
I dropped my bags at the door and kept it pushing to the kitchen. Deciding to check in with Harbor and alert her to the craziness that was my life, I called her up. She’d been acting weird lately, and I think I knew why, at least I suspected. She hadn’t copped to anything, so I didn’t press her.
“Hello.” She picked up her phone and sighed.
“Damn girl, what’s wrong?” I asked, frowning into the phone.
“Girl, dealing with Ivy and all her extracurricular shit got me wore the hell out. I’m tired and I’m hungry.”
“And pregnant as hell.” I voiced, making her damn near stop breathing on the other line. “Now you over there playing step mama, too.”
“What… how did you—”
“Mmm hmm, you just told me you little heifer.” I laughed and she released a breath finally.
“Oh, thank God you know! I don’t have to hide it from you anymore.” She countered, relieved. “It’s been so hard holding that in.”
“Then why are you?” I asked, opening my salad container so that I could dive in.
“Because of Ivy, and everything else going on. Free is stressed enough, but he does know about the baby, and we are happy about it. I just don’t think I am ready to tell anyone either.”
“Well, that is up to you.” I said, chewing my food.
“What’s going on with you?” Harbor questioned.
“Girl, took the day to myself since Ledge has the kids. Everything was all good until I got my ass home. This bitch Kitana just pops up like a fucking jack in the box and shit, looking like a fucking stalker. What the fuck is wrong with this delusional ass bitch?” I was getting fired up again just thinking about that hoe again.
How the fuck did she even know where I lived?
I was still paranoid as fuck because I was getting random calls throughout the night, mostly hang ups or heavy breathing.
Then there was the pile of snakes that was left on my damn doorstep.
None of that shit made sense until now. Eyes bucking as all the pieces suddenly came together, all roads led back to that crazy ass girl.
“Son of a bitch!” I hissed, dropping my fork into my dish.
“What?” Harbor asked, panic slipping into her voice.
“All this shit that’s been happening, the calls, the fucking snakes, and now this bitch is just at my house? None of this is a fucking coincidence. I can’t believe I didn’t think of this shit before.”
“You think it’s her?” Harbor was stunned.
“Who else?” I shot back. “This ain’t some random shit. Her showing up here only proves that.”
I heard the keys in the front hall, letting me know that Ledge had arrived back.
I had gotten the locks changed, but ended up providing him a key anyway, just in case.
The last few months, he’d been trying to get better.
I was getting flowers and candy regularly, just because, along with little trinkets from Tiffany’s and Pandora.
He was really getting thoughtful with it too, getting me a birthstone charm for each of the kids and a heart that supposedly represented us.
It was sweet, and very unlike him, but I was taking it as it came.
“I gotta go, Ledge is back with the kids.” I rushed her off the phone, tossing it onto the counter.
Hearing the pitter patter of my children’s feet as they bolted my way made me warm inside.
They could remedy just about anything. When they appeared, it was obvious that they’d had a good time.
Laiyah’s hair was all over her head, even though I had two neat ponytails in her head when she left.
Landyn was covered in what I could only assume was chocolate or mud on his Polo t-shirt, and Ledge trailed behind them looking like they had whooped his ass.
I couldn’t help it; I fell over laughing.
He was toting a backpack for each of them of their favorite cartoon theme, Ninja Turtles for Landyn and Cocomelon for Laiyah.
They were both stuffed to capacity, so I knew that meant that Ledge had been spoiling their asses all day.
Watching him in Daddy mode was one of the greatest things to witness.
Most people thought that he was some cold-hearted ass thug or something. I knew better. I had seen him at his worst, and at his best, and nobody could tell me a damn thing about Knowledge Demonte Williams.
“Mama!” Both of my babies rushed me like they were high. Knowing Ledge, he had them hopped up on sugar.
“Hey, loves.” I knelt, bending my knees so that I could embrace them both. “Did you have fun with Daddy today?” I held them in each arm and looked back and forth into their tiny, chubby little faces.
“We went to the park, and we got frozen yogurt—”
“Frozen yogurt? Since when? Daddy always says it tastes like fake ice cream.” I lifted my brows and eyes to his, and he was shoving his hands down his pants pockets.
“Trying that health shit you always talking about. And I only got ’em one scoop of candy.” He noted, making me smile at his adorableness.
“Well, I am glad you two enjoyed yourselves. Go get cleaned up and change your clothes. You can help me make dinner tonight, we are going to do homemade pizza.” I reported, getting them both excited.
They loved making their own pizzas and eating half of the toppings with me.
“Yeah!” They both sang, running out of the room.
I stood and Ledge walked inside, placing their bags on the counter. He released a heavy sigh and dropped down into a bar chair at the counter. I watched him reach for my fork and dig into my salad like the shit had been prepared for him.
“Mmm, damn, I didn’t even realize how fucking hungry I was,” he muttered, chewing.
I approached him as he continued to devour the food.
“They ate everything, didn’t save me shit, and then they wanted me to buy everything they saw.”
“Which you clearly did, and you wonder why they’re spoiled,” I teased, shaking my head.
“We had fun though. They wild. When they get so fucking bad?” He asked, frowning.