Chapter 27 #2
Proud of her for taking my bait as X suggested she would, I walked in front of the sobbing woman, holding her face. Kneeling in front of Mona, I removed her hands. Pulling her into my lap, I ordered, “Wipe yo’ face an’ listen to me well.”
Sniffling, she did as I said. Upon placing the hood over her head, I placed my ear by her mouth and whispered, “I ain’t fuckin’ wit’ nobody.
I ain’t got no contact wit’ her at all. I only said that to rile Thiago.
If you was payin’ attention to him, I struck a nerve.
You see, folks ain’t expect me to look this good.
I ain’t expect it, but once I landed in the airport …
I knew all would be well wit’ me. Motherfuckas have no idea who I’m wit’.
If they did, they would bow down an’ stay down.
I love my family, but I’on trust them. A major point in my life shoulda been told to me, regardless who said it shouldn’t be said.
That’s betrayal I can’t get over. No amount of therapy gon’ make me get over that shit an’ tell them niggas that I forgive ‘em. I’m never gonna be ’round them like that again.
Ever. I’mma keep it funky wit’ you … I ain’t think you would house an ounce of love fo’ me.
Even wit’ a healthy mind an’ confident ‘bout myself as a man, I ain’t think you would say you still love me.
I need you to get yo’ shit together mentally.
There gon’ be a time when I come see you, I ain’t comin’ at you as the father of yo’ kids or ex-husband.
I’m comin’ in completely different. You gon’ recognize my face, voice, an’ walk, but you ain’t gon’ recognize me.
You won’t even step to me the same ‘cause I ain’t gon’ be that nigga.
I’mma be the nigga. Then, you decide if I’m worthy of yo’ time as the new an’ improved Mona Averhart.
To be clear, you single, an’ you can do whatever you want.
I won’t even be mad. How can I? I destroyed us.
Don’t be boggled by shit. Don’t live in the past. Stay in the present an’ strive fo’ a better future. I mean that.”
?????????
As if it were a minty soft whisper, the wind and loving instrumental music slid into my left ear. At the same time, I opened the white gate of Aleana’s and Kingdon’s home. Cautiously and quietly, I scanned the decked-out backyard with tents towering over the black wrapped folding chairs.
“It’s beyond me why this nigga chose to have a night weddin’ in this kind of fuckin’ weather. This cloaked dick ‘bout to shrivel into a fuckin’ belly button. I know I ain’t finna be in the back fo’ long,” I whispered, causing August Junior to howl in laughter.
I winced from his sincere, happy tone. Through gritted teeth, I hissed, “Bees yo’ ass quiet. You damned near shook the earwax an’ few pieces of hair from my ear.”
“Is Momma pretty?” the overly talkative kid asked as I stepped by the porch, ensuring to stay in the dark.
Carefully surveying the yard with dressed-to-impress people, I replied, “I ain’t found her yet.”
“Do you promise to put our family back together?” he asked as my earlier backhand dealing work with Mona skated into my mind.
Rapidly, I nodded. “Fuck yes, but this the thing, Son. I gotta make it seem that she got a choice. This shit gotta ride out smoothly. Innaminute, I’mma flick yo’ ass off my phone. I need to talk to her one-on-one. Pure grown folks convo.”
“Roger that, Captain Enforcer.” He chuckled, causing me to smile as my chest poked out more.
“That’s what I love to hear,” I told him, seeing Mona dressed in black tactical gear with a stick at her side.
“My God, look at my guh,” I whispered more in love than the day I saw her.
“What is she wearing?” August Junior rushed to ask as I noticed the back of the bulletproof vest Mona wore.
“She in Mrs. Enforcer tactical gear.” I chuckled lowly, stepping back from the sliver of light coming from inside the house.
“I know you are lying,” August Junior laughed hard as I did Mona and my snapping call to action.
I snapped my fingers twice and took a break before snapping two more times. Upon the completion of the first set of snapping, Mona stopped walking and looked over her shoulder. Her eyes were halfway in the right direction, so I did our snap call again.
“Come on, baby. Remember what I taught you. Tune everything out an’ come find me,” I coached, stepping further into the dark.
By the third time of our snapping call, Mona was before me, unable to fully see me.
“Yes?” she asked hungrily.
“Where’s Azaria?”
“With Uncle Silas and Auntie Clara.”
“Text them that you need to step out fo’ som’ air. This weddin’ shit too much fo’ you right nih,” I ordered, extending my left arm gently to touch her.
“Okay,” she replied urgently as my hand landed on her moving belly.
“Tell Momma I said ‘hey’ and ‘I’ll call her tomorrow morning’,” August Junior yawned.
“August Junior said, hey, an’ he gon’ call you tomorrow moanin’,” I told her as her phone’s bright light illuminated the happiness in her eyes and smile.
“Hey, baby, and okay. I love you.” Mona grinned as her eyes welled with tears.
“I love you more,” our son pushed out with all his heart and soul, informing me that I had one chance to get shit right with Mona before I took shit to Hell with Thiago about my guh.
“He said, he love you mo’,” I relayed as Mona texted rapidly. “I’mma see you when I get back. End the call, Aug Junior.”
“Yes, sir.” He yawned again before the call ended.
“Earlier, you said you love me. Is that love or in love wit’ me?” I questioned as she put her phone into her side pocket.
“I’m still in love with you.”
“When I leave yo’ presence, I need you to fall out of love wit’ me,” I ordered, shocking her.
“That shit doesn’t make any sense, August,” she shrieked lowly as I felt she was looking up at me with both eyebrows raised high.
“You see, if you still love the old August, you won’t have any room to love the new August. You gon’ be stuck on the past,” I offered, sliding my hand from her stomach to her jeans’ waistline.
“I’m about to have our third kid. Kind of hard to fall out of love with you,” she said as I pulled her close to me.
“Not really. Think long an’ hard how to do it,” I said, tapping her hips. “May I pick y’all up?”
“Yes.” She nodded. “Where are we going?”
“I’m finna take you on a dinner date, dance a lil bit, an’ if you wanna bounce on this cloaked head you can.
If you don’t, it’s all good. You gon’ be bouncin’ on him fo’ life …
that’s if I surpass Thiago’s charm, tender tone, an’ great way of wooin’ you,” I said, trying my best not to laugh at the fuckery that slid out of my mouth.
“I miss you, Auggie,” Mona whispered into my beefed-up shoulders.
“I miss you, Beezus,” I confessed lovingly, exiting a yard neither of us should’ve been in.
“How much of our lives will change when you return?” she asked, resting her head on my shoulder.
“If you choose me, much of it,” I answered, walking quickly to the idling vehicle.
“All happy vibes. No fears of me hurtin’ you again.
No insecurities ‘bout who I am. Just pure fuckin’ love, silliness, nastiness when the kids go to bed, an’ shit like that.
Just August an’ Mona wit’ nothin’ in they rearview mirrors. Clean slate.”
“Sounds nice.” She exhaled sharply, shooting her head upward when she noticed her head wasn’t on a shirt. “Now, August, it’s damned near 30 degrees, and this is the second time I’ve seen you without a shirt.”
Looking down at the narrow-eyed woman, I grinned. “An’ it won’t be the last time you see me in cold weather without a shirt.”
“Where have you been?”
“I can’t tell you that,” I answered honestly, enjoying the newness that was pulled out of me while I stretched like a horse before a race.
“Just know I been ‘round the best of the best, delved into so many cultures in one day that I can’t begin to tell you who I saw first or last, an’ learned much ‘bout my capabilities as a man, father, family member, etc. I ain’t a follow-the-leader kinda nigga.
I’m the gotdamn leader. Just know I was well taken care of mentally, spiritually, an’ physically. ”
“Good.” She breathed against my cheek while draping her left arm on my right shoulder. “I don’t regret shooting you.”
Stepping to the passenger door, I chuckled. “I don’t regret you shootin’ me either. Matter of fact, if you let me flick my tongue across that pussy … it’ll tell you how grateful I am that you shot my ass up. Fo’ever puttin’ me in my place. The knowin’. The fuckin’ reckonin’.”
“Why does it sound like you ventured to the dark side?” she asked, slipping into the warm vehicle smelling of Black ice.
“‘Cause I have. It’s pretty fuckin’ nice. A breath of fresh air,” I told her calmly, sliding the seatbelt around her.
Mona’s eyebrows drew in as she shockingly said, “You’ve never put the seatbelt over me.”
Slithering the tip of my nose across hers, I nodded. “Not once. But I do nih.”
“Oh,” she held out, intrigued, as I closed the door.
Stepping from the truck, I felt eyes on me.
Slightly turning my head to the right, I saw a figure in the shadows.
Then, I saw the red embers. I chuckled. “Thiago, she in good hands. I’mma return her in one piece.
She might be wore out, but she gon’ be good.
Once I drop her back off, you can return to wooin’ her. ”
Rounding the front of the SUV, no one could see inside, I patted the hood six times and laughed hard. When I slid into the truck, the bright light gave me all the visuals to see a jaw-dropped Mona eyeing me closely.
I dropped the gearshift into drive and chuckled. “What?”
“Did you tell him that you would return me in one piece so he could woo me?” she asked as I closed the door and skirted off.
“I sure did.” I laughed, nodded and zoomed down the street that I had been surveying for two weeks.
As I slid around the cul-de-sac, Mona asked, “Why would you tell him that?”