Chapter 7 #3
“What are we doing here?” Noreen scoffed, turning to face us. “What are you doing letting him lay on top of you all spread out like that?”
“Images that I’ll never be able to unsee!
At least now we don’t have to interrogate you to ascertain the truth about you and him,” Her dad piled on.
My jaw clenched and I looked over at Elise.
We were in the midst of a test, and it was time for Elise to choose me for once.
At thirty-five, I couldn’t keep moving in secret.
“I knew as soon as you moved down here that…” Her dad continued but Elise interjected before he could finish his statement.
“Mom, Dad, stop!” Elise shouted. “That key is supposed to be for emergencies only. I’m still not ready to talk after what happened at the Fall Festival.
Especially not right now after you barged in here, invading my privacy.
I’ve lived in Tampa for almost twelve years, and you guys have never taken the initiative to drive up here.
I know you two probably better than you know each other.
You drove up here because you suspected I was seeing Rashawn, and you wanted to catch me.
Well, here we are, your eyes are not deceiving you.
I love Rashawn, and to accept me is to accept him. ”
My face stretched into a smirk, and my heart did some skipping shit.
Hearing Elise choose us in front of her parents healed my heart from the crack that was left eighteen years ago when she sent me away to appease her parents.
We built something worth fighting for, and I squeezed her hand as a form of gentle reassurance but a silent reminder that I wouldn’t hesitate to take that cane and beat her father’s ass if he got out of line.
“Accept the man who helped corrupt you at such a young age? The man who defiled your body before your prefrontal cortex fully formed. While unwed. Never!” Peter bellowed.
“Alright, man, bring that shit down. Essex just told me I have to learn to problem solve without putting my hands on people, but you’re making it hard for me,” I grimaced.
“You know what, young man, this is a family matter. You can leave. This is a conversation that should be held in private.” Peter suggested, immediately lowering his tone.
“Dad, I just said to accept me is to accept Rashawn,” Elise griped.
“Yeah, and I’m not leaving Elise here with y’all. We are going to finish this conversation. Come to some type of understanding, then we are going to bed,” I detailed, motioning between me and Elise. “We both have a long day tomorrow.”
“I guess the devil gotta knock on your door like he did with Essex before you open your eyes. You just better hope that you aren’t the Victoria in the situation,” Noreen addressed Elise.
Her eyes flinted from Elise to me for a brief moment before she continued.
“I thought that after the abortion, and everything that transpired after you shared your body with him eight years ago, you would have learned your lesson.”
Elise’s hand tensed in mine, and I felt my heart racing. I zeroed in on Elise, blocking out our surroundings. It felt like my heart was ripped out of my chest, and I swallowed hard, fighting to keep my composure.
“Rashawn, let me explain,” Elise sputtered, grasping my other hand.
Her body moved directly in front of me, and I desperately searched her face for something I never found.
I needed to find a sign that told me her mama was lying.
Instead, guilt washed over Elise’s face the longer I looked.
Tears rimmed her eyes, and she took a silent, deep breath.
“So that’s really why you went cold on me?
You killed my baby?” I queried, snatching my hands away from her grasp.
“We were all dealing with some dark shit after losing Victoria. My best friend tried to kill himself, and then you shared that your love for me never died and how Victoria’s death made you realize that life is too short.
Sucked me right back in just to spit me out and kill my baby.
It was never my lifestyle that pushed you away again, you knew what you did, and you put that shit on me.
God forbid you have my baby and disappoint your people,” I ranted, plopping down on the couch to collect my shoes.
Just as quick as my heart healed hearing Elise ready to stand up for us, it was shattered into a thousand pieces, leaving me empty that time.
I felt like I was suffocating. I had to get the fuck away from Elise and her people.
My brain was scattered, and then I started rambling my inner thoughts; I wasn’t holding shit back.
“I get it now. It almost took two decades, but oh, I get it now. I took so much on the chin because I love you. I love your brother. I’d never do anything to hurt you and inadvertently hurt him. But fuck this!” I stood with my shoes on as Elise touched my hand, and I snatched away from her.
“Don’t fuckin’ touch me!” I barked.
“Young man, please watch your mouth and tone,” Peter addressed me.
“Aye fuck y’all too,” I smiled, ready to tell them how I always felt.
“Y’all ain’t shit for real. Y’all fucked up both of y’all kids in the head.
Ran both of them away, but for some reason, Elise still holds on to that honor thy parents bullshit.
I’m glad Essex said fuck y’all when you tried to come back around and apologize to him. ”
“Rashawn!” Elise called my name. I glanced at her, that tear stained face I would’ve killed for just five minutes prior didn’t even shake me.
“Nah, don’t call my name now. You should’ve called me when you pissed on that stick and found out you were pregnant.
That was the time to call me.” I looked back at her parents.
Noreen hugged Peter’s arm like he could protect her if I decided to toss that whole fucking townhouse.
The punch I caught him with when I was eighteen wouldn’t be shit like what I would do to him as a grown ass man.
“The craziest thing is nobody knows Elise better than me. Y’all had so much to say about Essex when he was fighting his case, and you know all of that shit popped off because Elise was pretending to be a goodie two shoes that loved that nigga Jermaine. ”
“Rashawn!” Elise shouted my name again.
“Stop fucking calling my name, Elise. Tell these people how Jermaine blacked yo fuckin’ eye because he went through your journal and saw the woman he proposed to professing her love to a street nigga.
He saw that you were saying how being with him made you realize that you still loved me.
Jermaine didn’t make you feel like I did, right?
Tell your parents that you were the one who insisted that we fucked the day you got pregnant.
How you also initiate sex when we have it because you love me.
You can take this dick in private, and play me in public, then you turn around and kill my jit.
You didn’t even feel comfortable enough to tell me, but you told them.
The same motha fuckas that probably caused you the most pain in life!
So allow me to introduce them to the real you. You treacherous as fuck, Elise.”
I stormed towards the door, her parents parting ways so I wouldn’t bulldoze over them.
On the outside looking in, I chased Elise, but behind closed doors, she really loved a nigga.
The chase was mutual. For so long, I let that shit rock.
I knew how she was raised, and I understood her upbringing.
I was right there to see it, so I knew it would take Elise time to pull herself away from them.
Essex always told me that if he wasn’t shunned from the family at such a young age, he probably would’ve had the same perspective as Elise.
That’s why Essex never judged Elise for still rocking with their parents after everything they put him through.
Unfortunately, the grace I extended to Elise for eighteen years finally ran out.
“Rashawn, wait!” Elise sobbed, and I heard her take one step behind me, then there was a loud thud before her crying mixed with a loud groan.
My neck involuntarily looked back to see what happened.
I shook my head at the pitiful sight of Elise peeling herself off the floor after slipping on my nut she spat out earlier.
If I wasn’t furious I would’ve doubled over laughing.
Instead, I continued towards the door. I felt Elise rushing up behind me, quickly closing the distance.
“Elise, don’t you dare chase him out of that door!” Her father ordered.
I swung the door open and continued outside, half expecting Elise to capitulate to her dad’s demands and go clean herself up.
Surprisingly, her bare feet patted against the cobblestone driveway behind me.
Sprinting down the block to find my truck, I was pissed I had parked far away to surprise her.
Elise was running behind me, screaming my name, and I never bothered to look back.
I knew I couldn’t let her ass catch me. Elise might fuck around and put me in one of those wrestling holds like she did Essex when he tried to off himself, and then I’d have no choice but to listen to her cop pleas.
When I reached my truck, I hopped inside, and Elise tugged on the door handle just as I locked it.
“Rashawn! Please, let’s talk about this in private. I will put my parents out, and we can talk!” Elise shouted.
I kept my face forward and pressed the push start button to bring my engine to life. Realizing her cries fell on deaf ears, Elise started banging on my window. Shaking my head, I let my window down just enough for Elise to hear me.
“I let you keep me a secret and drop me off and pick me up when you felt like it because I wanted to meet your expectations, and the whole time, you don’t meet mine,” I spat.
Elise broke and burst into a loud sob. Noreen rushed towards us and pulled Elise away from my truck.
Peter slowly hobbled behind with his cane leading the way.
As soon as she was off my shit, I peeled out of the visitors parking spot.
I knew I couldn’t go home because Elise would just bring her ass over there.
Instead, I went to my mama’s house and pulled my truck into her garage to hide out.
Even if Elise came over there, I knew my mama would keep it P.