Chapter 17
Today was Scottlyn’s birthday.
As I placed the pretty, small tiara inside her cute bun, I smiled in admiration, watching my baby bounce in excitement, not knowing how special today was.
Tears threatened to come to my eyes, but I promised myself I wouldn't cry today—not over my situation, and not over Damien missing her first birthday.
None of it.
Today was Scottie Pie’s day, and we were going to enjoy every waking moment of it.
Since discretion was pivotal, I decided to throw a small gathering at Truce’s home.
It would be very intimate with just a few people.
I had Jasmine reach out to my best friend, Iyana, since I was too chicken to do it myself.
Iyana had a son, Marshawn, who would be three in February, and who was supposed to be my godson.
I felt horrible and nervous after ghosting them for a year.
I even told her to reach out to Marcy and Amber, my two other best girlfriends, even though they didn’t have children.
I just wanted my life and my friends back, and I prayed that they would be accepting and come through for Scottlyn, if not for me.
I had the house decorated in purple, white, and gold with the Encanto character cutouts surrounding the living room.
My baby loved that movie. I decided on cupcakes instead of a cake since there wouldn't be a lot of kids attending.
I moved the furniture to one side of the room and had set up a mini playscape equipped with a slide, a small bounce house, mini trampolines, a ball pit, and a small tunnel the kids could crawl through.
I made sure everything was child-proof for all the kids' safety.
There was a popcorn machine, a cotton candy machine, and a bubble machine.
My mom created a station for finger and face painting, and Jas set up a station for a puppet show.
Even though we couldn’t be outside for her birthday, being inside wasn't all bad either.
It looked like a mini fair in the living room.
My phone chimed with a text from the dope sex slayer himself.
Over the past two days, I had been sleeping in his bed and going through withdrawals.
I did as he asked and sent him sexy photos, but that wasn't enough for me.
I wanted to feel his hard, hot flesh on my body, stroking me into a damn stupor.
Tru Bear:
Thirty mins away.
Me:
Hurry… I miss you.
Tru Bear:
I miss you, too, baby.
I smiled, slid my phone in my pocket, and lifted Scottlyn from the dresser.
“You ready to have some fun, Scottie Pie?”
“Fuhhh!” she yelled in excitement.
I carried her downstairs, seeing my mom opening the door for someone.
When Marcy, Iyana, and Amber walked through the door, I paused.
Amber and Marcy had brought their nieces, who were toddlers, and of course, Iyana brought my godson.
They all looked up at me, and I continued my trip down the stairs.
As I approached them, I could see the happiness in their eyes, and that made the tears I was trying to hold in fall freely down my face.
“It’s okay, bestie,” Iyana said, coming over to me and wrapping her arms around me. I wrapped my one arm around her and cried on her shoulder.
“I’m so sorry, bestie. I should have listened to you. I should have listened to all of you.”
“It’s okay. We didn’t come to bring up past bullshit. I genuinely missed you and came to meet my beautiful niece finally.” We released, and Iyana reached for Scottlyn. “Hi, pretty girl! You are just a chunky doll! You want to come to Auntie Yana?”
Scottlyn allowed her to hold her, and I smiled, moving over to Amber and Marcy.
“Thanks for coming.”
“We’re going to always show up for you, Jela,” Amber said, hugging me tightly.
“That's right. That's what real friends are for,” Marcy countered.
“Auntie Marcy. Go play?” her niece, Kindell, asked, tugging her hand.
“Yes, take off your shoes. Phoebe, you want to play too?” Marcy asked Amber’s niece.
“Uh huh.”
“Okay, take off your shoes and give them to me.”
“I’ll take them over,” my mom offered.
“Thank you, Mama,” Amber replied.
“You want to go play, Shawn?” I asked him, dropping down to my haunches to be eye-level with him. He was just the cutest thing, standing and holding on to his action figure with his finger in his mouth.
“Yes.”
“Okay. Let me help you with your boots.”
“I’ma take my niece.” Iyana beamed. “You ready, birthday girl?”
“Not too much, Iyana. I’m her only auntie,” Jas said, coming from the kitchen with a basket of popcorn.
Iyana waved her off. “Girl, please! You may be the blood auntie, but I’m the bonus one. You’re sharing her, ma’am.”
“I’ll think about it.”
“Oh goodness,” I said, laughing.
We all took the kids inside the living room and let them go crazy. I stood back, taking photos and videos, watching the adults act like big kids with them. Feeling arms wrap around my waist, I turned to see Truce smiling down at me.
My lips lifted into a smile. “Welcome back.”
“Thank you,” he replied, staring at me. The way he was smiling and staring at me looked as if he were high or drunk.
“Have you been drinking?” I asked.
He shook his head, and before I knew it, his lips were on mine, kissing me like we weren't standing in a room full of people.
“Woooooo!” I heard shouts and claps behind me as I pulled away, covering my face to hide my blush.
“Hot mama!” Amber yelled out.
I turned to face them, trying to wipe the goofy smile from my face. “Ladies, this is Truce. Truce, these are my best friends: Iyana, Amber, and Marcy.”
“Ladies… It’s a pleasure to meet you all.”
“The pleasure is all ours,” Iyana said, smiling hard.
“Where’s my Chunks?”
“Right here.” Jasmine brought her over. The way Scottlyn got excited when she saw him made me wonder if she had forgotten about her daddy.
The way she acted with Truce as if he was the center of her universe made me wonder if I was wrong for allowing him to be more to us than just his niece and brother’s baby mama.
I erased thoughts of Damien from my thoughts as I watched Scottlyn literally jump out of Jas’s arms into her uncle’s.
“Chunky mama. I missed you,” he said, blowing strawberries on her neck as he often did. “I got a surprise for you.”
“What is it?” I asked as if he were talking to me.
“Dang, you nosy!”
I laughed. “Whatever.”
“Come on.” He took me by the hand, and the girls were watching my every move and smiling way too hard. I knew for a fact I would be spilling the tea later.
Truce led me through the living room and dining room to the back of the house, where the garage was. “Grab her right quick and stand right here.”
I did as instructed and waited for him to come back from the garage. When he appeared with the huge box that held a Barbie jeep, I shook my head at him. He went back to the garage and came back with three shopping bags. I saw the Cartier logo on one of them as he handed them to me.
“Okay, come on!” He was too excited for us to see the gifts.
“You’d think it was your birthday with the way you’re acting… Wait, when is your birthday?” I asked.
“March third. Yours?”
“We’re exactly two months apart. I’m May third.”
“Noted.” He winked as we headed back to the living room.
While Truce busied himself with taking out the Barbie truck, I sat in one of the chairs with Scottlyn, watching him. Alex had finally come back with the pizza and drinks and began talking to Truce while he worked on putting the truck together.
“You know we want to know, right?” Iyana asked, coming over and sitting next to me while Amber, Marcy, and Jas followed.
“Later, I promise.”
“Mmhmm. Girl, he is fine, fine! That fucking hair. Lawd, I don’t even like men with hair, but baby, he is doing it for me! I have to know where the fuck you've been, when you got rid of that loser, and how you came back with this Grecian God of a man,” Marcy said.
“Not too much on it, Marce,” I told her, blushing something terrible.
“I know that’s you, sis, so I’m not trying to cross any lines. I’m just pointing out the obvious. Makes me want to find a nigga with a face and hair like that.”
“Bring me my Chunks, Empress.”
“Empressss! Mmhmm! Gone on, sis,” Iyana said as I laughed and stood, taking Scottlyn over to him.
He took her from my arms and placed her inside the jeep. I took out my phone, recording them, enjoying every moment. “You do know her short, chunky legs can't reach the petals, right?” I laughed.
“They will eventually. Stop coming for my Chunks.”
“So, Truce… How long have you and my bestie been kicking it?” Iyana asked, walking over to us.
He smirked. “Not long, but it feels like a lifetime.”
“What's not long?”
“Iyana…” I said, nudging her with my elbow.
“What? I’m just asking the regular bestie questions. Geesh.”
Truce chuckled. “It’s been almost four weeks.”
“Four weeks!” she yelped. “So, this is fresh, fresh?”
“You can say that, but like I said, I feel like I’ve known her longer than that. It’s one of those situations where you know you’ve found your one, and time doesn't equate to feelings when you recognize what's for you.” His eyes were fixed on me as he said that, prompting me to smile and look away.
“I like that,” Amber commented.
My girls were eating all this up to regurgitate it later.
It may have only been four weeks, but I’d been in Truce’s presence almost every day since I met him.
It was inescapable that we connected the moment that spark flew on Thanksgiving.
I wasn't trying to make this a thing with him, but it happened, and I was so conflicted yet ready for whatever.
The afternoon continued with everyone enjoying the festivities of my baby’s party. I had been smiling and laughing all day to the point where my cheeks were hurting. I hadn't felt this feeling in so long that I couldn’t help but think this would only be for the moment.
By seven o’clock, my mom took Scottlyn to get cleaned up and prepared for bed.
My poor baby was worn out, but I knew she had the best time of her little life.
Alex and Truce took the other babies in the den to watch movies while the girls and I went to the basement for drinks and conversation.
I had to mentally prepare myself to tell them who Truce was and what we were now embarking on.
Amber figured out how to work the radio and put some music on while Jas brought over a tray of shots.
I took three to head before anyone else could grab their first ones.
“Damn, J. Slow down,” Marcy said, laughing.
“I can’t… I’m nervous.”
“What are you nervous about?” Iyana queried.
“About how she's riding that man like a rodeo!” Jas guffawed, going over to the bar and bringing the whole bottle of Casamigos over.
I had the opportunity to explore the house while Truce was back in Muskegon, and it was absolutely breathtaking. It wasn’t as huge as the Devil’s house, but I didn’t expect it to be since Truce lived alone. It was a regular bachelor’s pad with all the amenities needed for him.
“Why does that make you nervous? We ain't green to sex talk, sis.”
“Because… he’s Damien’s brother.”
Gasps and shocked expressions crossed their faces as I covered mine from embarrassment.
“Biiiiihh! Yassss! Now that's how you get your fucking lick back!” Amber exclaimed, then she and Iyana slapped palms.
“Period, bestie!” Iyana screamed. “You left with that idiot and came back with his brother! I am so proud of you!”
I shook my head at them, praising my wrongdoing. As much as I wanted to indulge in their jovial behavior, I couldn’t.
“Damien was abusing me…” I revealed. They were quiet for a moment before I continued, “Almost every day after I moved in with him, he made my life a living hell. He tossed out my old phone, never transferring my contacts, so I couldn’t call anyone.
Every day, I prayed that God would just let him kill me so I could be released from the hell he was putting me through. ”
And here come these stupid tears.
“Jela… I’m so sorry and mad at the same time. Now I’m even more happy you ran off with his brother,” Marcy said.
“How did that happen, by the way? Since when did he get a brother?” Iyana asked.
“That's what I said when he introduced us. Apparently, he had been living here for a while, but he never introduced us. Y’all… I feel messed up about it, but at the same time, I don’t.”
Marcy shook her head. “As the fuck you shouldn't, especially if he’s treating you better than that asshole.”
“Yeah, but now they are at war with one another because Truce helped me escape.
Damien doesn't know he did it, as far as I know, but the war between two brothers doesn't make me feel good about this. Not to mention, their mom was in the same boat with Damien’s dad, and she did nothing to help me. That lady just stood by and listened to me vent, never offering any solutions.”
“That's fucked up. I guess the good thing about this is that you’re back home, and you have that man upstairs to thank for that,” Iyana said, squeezing my hand.
“Yeah, but I don’t know how long this will last. Damien is fucking crazy. I just know he’s prowling the earth trying to find me. Truce says, ‘I’m safe with him…’”
“Do you believe him?” Amber asked.
“I’m really trying to. He makes me feel safe and loves Scottlyn so much. I don’t doubt that he’ll protect us, I just don’t want him to get hurt because of me.”
“Well, if he doesn’t have a problem with making sure you’re safe and protected, then I say, don’t worry yourself. He looks like he’ll fuck a nigga up and love a bitch down. Whew, chile!” Iyana exclaimed as we all laughed.
“Okay, enough with the negative talk. My sis is back home, so we’re about to turn the fuck up before we have to get the babies home. Marce, you know what to do!” Iyana hyped as Marcy walked over to Amber’s phone and switched the music. “Anything” by SWV queued, and my head fell back in laughter.
“Yeeaah! Get ya ass up, Jela. Or should I say… Coco!” Marcy yelled.
“Swear! This bitch always had to sing lead!” Amber added while laughing.
“Don’t do me. I let y’all sing most of the leads!”
“One song, Jela…” Iyana mused.
I couldn’t stop laughing as I stood, and we formed a line. Jasmine stood back, recording us as we fell into our old routine.
This was what I missed.
This was what I wanted.
A carefree and happy life with no worries, no stress, and no being afraid ever again.