Chapter 9
J u s t a s I m a n and I were laughing over a bridezilla story, a deep voice cut through behind me.
“Lemme see one more smile that ain’t directed at me, and the next venue we book is a funeral home.
”I closed my eyes for half a second, then turned to see Knuck storming towards us.
Pissed was an understatement. The look in his eyes was deadly. I thought to myself, here we go…
His eyes slid from me to Iman then back to me. “The fuck is this?” he asked.
Iman blinked once but stayed seated as I tried to introduce them. “Babe, this is…”
“Nah,” he cut in, towering over the table. “You told me you was meetin’ ol’ girl. The weddin’ planner.” His eyes snapped to Iman. “So, who the fuck is this nigga?”
Iman stood calmly, extending a hand. “Iman DuBois. Business partner to Shan and…”
Knuck looked at the hand as if it were foreign. “Where the hell she at?”
“She had an emergency, Keon,” I said quickly.
“So instead you sittin’ at brunch wit’ another nigga?”
People were staring now. I bounced Kassim, keeping my voice level. “Lower your voice. You’re forcing it right now.”
Knuck laughed. “Lower my voice?”
“It’s just a business brunch.”
“It looks like a date.”
Iman cleared his throat slightly. “Mr. Jones, I assure you…”
“You ain’t gotta assure me wit’ shit,” Knuck said, stepping closer.
I jumped up, placing a hand on his chest. “Okay. You’ve officially lost your mind. Iman, I apologize for…”
“Oh, so now you apologizin’ to him?”
“Yes, Knuck. Let’s just go.” I placed Kassim in the carrier, grabbed the diaper bag, and turned toward the exit. “Thank you for your time, Iman,” I said quickly.
Knuck scoffed behind me, but I kept walking. I was embarrassed as fuck… again. The moment we stepped onto the sidewalk outside the restaurant, I exhaled deeply and tried to wrap my head around the craziness that was my fiancé.
“What the fuck was that?” he demanded.
I spun around. “What was that?”
“You heard me, Ny. I couldn’tna gotten a heads up you meetin’ wit’ this nigga instead of ol’ girl?”
“First of all, it’s not that deep. It’s literally just a wedding planning brunch. I’m not fucking him! Secondly, how dare you embarrass me again?! You came in there acting like a damn lunatic!” My hands shaking, voice cracking with anger and disbelief.
He laughed like that was funny. “A lunatic?”
“Yes!”
“You sittin’ there at brunch wit’ some random nigga and I’m the crazy one?”
“For the last time, yes! He’s a wedding planner!”
“He’s another nigga.”
I threw my hands up. “Oh, my God. I can’t with you right now.”
He stepped closer. “You ain’t see the way you was smilin’ in this muthafucka’s face, Nyomi.”
“Smiling?”
“Straight teeth.”
“I was laughing at a story he told me! It was fucking funny!”
He dragged a hand down his face. “Ny…”
I shook my head. “No.”
“What?”
“I’m tired.”
His eyebrows pulled together. “Tired of what?”
“This.” I gestured between us. “The constant crazy. I can’t breathe sometimes when you act like this.”
His jaw tightened. “So what you sayin’?”
I turned toward the car. “I’m saying I’m getting a hotel. I don’t even wanna look at you right now.”
The silence that followed was immediate. Knuck’s voice dropped. “A what?”
“A hotel.”
“Don’t play wit’ me like that.”
“Who’s playing, Keon?”
He laughed like I had just said something ridiculous. “You ain’t goin’ nowhere.”
“Watch me.”
“You trippin’.” I opened the back door and carefully placed Kassim’s carrier inside, making sure he was secure before stepping back. Knuck’s voice rose as he moved quickly around the car. “Nyomi.”
I shut the door and walked toward the driver’s side. “I’m not doing this right now.”
Just as I reached for the door, he grabbed it. “You ain’t takin’ my son to a hotel.”
I yanked the handle again. “Knuck, move.”
“Nah, you the one actin’ crazy when you know better. Didn’t we talk ‘bout this shit the last time you jumped out my truck in the middle of the fuckin’ street?”
“Keon, move. I’m leaving.”
“No.”
“Move!”
He yanked the door again. “You ain’t finna drive off mad like this!”
“Yes, the fuck I am!”
“You doin’ too much!”
“I’m doing too much?” My voice cracked, eyes glistening. “You’re the definition of doing too damn much! Embarrassing me in front of that man.”
“Fuck that nigga!”
“Whatever! Move!”
His jaw clenched. “On God, you ain’t takin’ Kassim nowhere!”
“Excuse me? Do you need some help, miss?” The voice of someone on the sidewalk made Knuck whip his head around, distracted. I took the chance to yank the door open, slide quickly into the car, and lock it behind me.
“Nyomi!” He hollered, yanking on the door handle. Kassim started crying at that point. “Open this fuckin’ door!” Tears blurred my vision as I started up the engine and threw my car in drive. Knuck finally stepped back as the car rolled forward. His voice echoed behind me. “Nyomi!”
I didn’t look back as the tears fell quickly, sliding down my cheeks as I turned the corner.
My hands were shaking. Gripping the steering wheel, I hit the next light.
I grabbed my phone and opened my settings.
I turned my location sharing off and put my phone on do not disturb.
Because right now… I needed peace, even if it meant driving away from the man I loved.