CHAPTER 8
BITCH, YOUR HUSBAND WAS SINGLE WHEN I FUCKED HIM
“Please tell me this ain’t what the fuck I think it is.”
Nobody said shit.
Jalisa stood in the parking lot with her sunglasses in one hand and murder all over her face.
Her eyes went from Rashaad.
To Zaviyah.
To Kyren.
Then back to Rashaad.
“Somebody better start fucking talking.”
Kyren squeezed Zaviyah’s hand.
“Mama.”
“I know, baby.”
Jalisa’s eyes dropped to him again.
Zaviyah immediately stepped slightly in front of her son.
Whatever happened next, Kyren wasn’t about to be in the middle of it.
Rashaad walked toward his wife.
“Jalisa, calm down.”
Wrong.
Fucking.
Words.
Her head snapped toward him.
“Calm down?”
“Listen.”
“You got me tracking your ass to a DNA testing center and you telling me to calm down?”
“I was going to tell you.”
“When?”
“Today.”
“When today?”
Rashaad said nothing.
Jalisa laughed.
“Exactly.”
She pointed toward the building.
“What the fuck did you just test?”
Rashaad rubbed his jaw.
“Paternity.”
Jalisa’s face went blank.
Even though she clearly already knew.
Hearing it out loud hit different.
“Paternity.”
“Yes.”
“For who?”
Rashaad looked toward Kyren.
Jalisa followed his eyes.
Her mouth opened.
Then closed.
She looked at Zaviyah.
“No.”
Zaviyah sighed.
“Jalisa.”
“No.”
“It happened before y’all got back together.”
Jalisa stepped closer.
“You fucked my husband?”
“He wasn’t your husband.”
“BITCH.”
Kavon moved slightly.
Zaviyah immediately held up her hand.
“I got it.”
Kavon stopped.
Jalisa noticed him.
Her eyes narrowed.
“And why the fuck is Kavon here?”
Great.
Just fucking great.
Kavon looked at her.
“Hey, Jalisa.”
“Don’t hey Jalisa me.”
Zaviyah looked at Kavon.
“You know her too?”
Jalisa laughed.
“Everybody knows everybody except your ass apparently.”
“Apparently.”
Jalisa looked at Kavon.
“What are you doing at a paternity testing center with Rashaad and Zaviyah?”
Kavon said nothing.
Jalisa’s eyes slowly widened.
“No.”
Zaviyah closed her eyes.
Here we go.
Jalisa looked at Kyren again.
Then Kavon.
Then Rashaad.
Then Zaviyah.
“Bitch.”
“Please stop calling me bitch in front of my child.”
“You got both these niggas taking a DNA test for your baby?”
Zaviyah’s jaw tightened.
“Yes.”
Jalisa covered her mouth.
“Oh my God.”
“Don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“Act like I had a fucking train ran on me.”
Kavon looked away.
Rashaad coughed.
Jalisa stared at her.
“Girl.”
“No. You pulled up here assuming shit, so let’s get the facts straight.”
Zaviyah stepped closer.
“I was dealing with Rashaad first.”
Jalisa looked at her husband.
“When?”
“Before Tampa,” Rashaad said.
Jalisa’s eyes narrowed.
“What month?”
“August.”
Her face changed.
“August?”
Rashaad nodded.
Jalisa slapped him.
Hard.
Everybody froze.
Rashaad grabbed his cheek.
“What the fuck?”
“You lying motherfucker!”
“We were separated!”
“We were still fucking!”
Silence.
Zaviyah slowly looked at Rashaad.
His face changed.
Oh.
Now this was some new shit.
“You told me y’all were done.”
“We were.”
Jalisa laughed.
“No the fuck we weren’t.”
Rashaad turned toward her.
“We were not together.”
“You were at my house every other night!”
“That doesn’t mean we were together.”
Jalisa’s mouth dropped open.
Kavon whispered, “Damn.”
Zaviyah looked at him.
“Not one fucking word.”
He nodded.
Jalisa stepped toward Rashaad.
“So when you told me you needed space to figure yourself out, you were fucking her?”
Rashaad sighed.
“Jalisa.”
“Answer me!”
“Yes.”
Her eyes filled.
“Wow.”
Zaviyah felt uncomfortable.
This part wasn’t hers.
At least she hadn’t known it was hers.
Jalisa looked at her.
“Did you know about me?”
“No.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“Yes, because it’s the fucking truth.”
“Samaria never told you?”
“I didn’t know you!”
That stopped Jalisa.
Zaviyah continued.
“I met you through Samaria after Kyren was already born.”
Jalisa frowned.
“We met at her birthday dinner.”
“Exactly.”
“You didn’t know I was with Rashaad?”
“No.”
“Never saw pictures?”
“No.”
Jalisa looked at her husband.
Rashaad stared at the ground.
Zaviyah’s temper started rising.
“Hold the fuck up.”
Rashaad looked at her.
“You knew.”
His eyebrows pulled together.
“Knew what?”
“That Jalisa was Samaria’s friend.”
“No.”
“Bullshit.”
“I didn’t.”
“When you saw me at Samaria’s birthday dinner, why didn’t you say anything?”
Jalisa slowly turned toward him.
Rashaad went quiet.
Zaviyah laughed.
“There it is.”
Jalisa stepped closer to him.
“You saw her after y’all fucked?”
“It wasn’t like that.”
Zaviyah’s eyes widened.
“Oh, now you stealing Kavon’s favorite fucking sentence?”
Kavon frowned.
“Why I’m catching strays?”
“Because you’re standing there.”
Jalisa looked at Zaviyah.
“When?”
“What?”
“When did y’all see each other?”
“Samaria’s birthday last year.”
Jalisa looked at Rashaad.
“You told me you didn’t know her.”
Rashaad rubbed his face.
“I didn’t want shit getting weird.”
Jalisa laughed.
“Well, congratulations, nigga.”
She pointed around the parking lot.
“Shit is weird.”
Kyren tugged Zaviyah’s hand.
“Mama, hungry.”
Zaviyah immediately softened.
“I know.”
“Chicken?”
“You want chicken?”
Kyren nodded.
“French fry.”
“Okay.”
Jalisa stared at him.
Her anger slipped for half a second.
Kyren looked back.
“Hi.”
Jalisa blinked.
Then quietly said, “Hi, baby.”
Zaviyah watched her.
Jalisa looked away first.
Whatever she felt toward Zaviyah, she knew
Kyren didn’t have shit to do with it.
Zaviyah respected that.
“Look,” Zaviyah said. “I’m taking my son home.”
Jalisa laughed.
“You think we done?”
“No.”
“We definitely not.”
“I didn’t say we were.”
“Then don’t leave.”
“My two year old is hungry.”
“Then Rashaad can explain while you feed him.”
Rashaad frowned.
“Why I gotta explain?”
Three heads turned toward him.
Jalisa stared.
Zaviyah stared.
Even Kavon stared.
Rashaad looked around.
“What?”
Jalisa pointed at him.
“You see this dumb motherfucker?”
Zaviyah almost laughed.
Almost.
Kavon actually did.
Rashaad looked at him.
“You got something to say?”
Kavon shook his head.
“Nah.”
“Then stop laughing.”
“I wasn’t.”
“You were.”
Zaviyah sighed.
“Can we please not have a fucking parking lot fight?”
Jalisa looked at Kavon.
“Wait.”
Everybody went quiet.
Her face changed again.
“How does Samaria fit into this?”
Zaviyah’s stomach dropped.
Kavon looked away.
Rashaad suddenly became very interested in his phone.
Jalisa stared at Kavon.
“Where is Samaria?”
Kavon said nothing.
“Kavon.”
“We broke up.”
Jalisa blinked.
“When?”
“Last night.”
“Why?”
Silence.
Jalisa looked at Zaviyah.
Then at Kavon.
Then at Kyren.
“No fucking way.”
Zaviyah closed her eyes.
“Jalisa.”
“Kavon might be Kyren’s daddy?”
“Yes.”
“And you fucked him when?”
“Tampa.”
“Before Samaria?”
“Yes.”
“How long before?”
“About a year and some change.”
Jalisa stared.
Then she started laughing.
Not because it was funny.
Because apparently her brain had run out of other reactions.
“Wait.”
She held up her hand.
“Let me make sure I got this shit.”
Nobody interrupted.
“You fucked Rashaad.”
Zaviyah nodded.
“Then you went to Tampa and fucked Kavon.”
“Yes.”
“You got pregnant.”
“Yes.”
“Never knew which one was the daddy.”
“I couldn’t find Kavon.”
“But you could find Rashaad.”
“I didn’t know for sure it was his.”
Jalisa looked at Rashaad.
“You never told him?”
“No.”
“And then somehow my friend Samaria starts dating Kavon.”
“Yes.”
“And none of y’all knew?”
“No.”
“Until last night?”
“Yes.”
Jalisa stared at Zaviyah for five long seconds.
“Bitch, your life is exhausting.”
Zaviyah nodded.
“Imagine living it.”
Kavon snorted.
Zaviyah looked at him.
“Stop laughing.”
“I’m sorry.”
“You not.”
“No.”
Jalisa turned toward Rashaad.
“And your stupid ass could potentially have a two year old?”
Rashaad nodded.
“We waiting on results.”
Jalisa’s face hardened again.
“You should’ve told me before you came here.”
“I know.”
“No. You should’ve told me before you let me track your location and find this shit.”
“I know.”
“Stop saying you know.”
“What you want me to say?”
“The fucking truth would be cute.”
Rashaad went quiet.
Jalisa stared at him.
“Were there more?”
“What?”
“Women.”
“Jalisa.”
“While we were separated.”
He looked away.
Her face changed.
“Oh.”
Zaviyah stepped backward.
Nope.
Not her circus.
Not that monkey.
She picked Kyren up.
“We leaving.”
Kavon looked at her.
“I’ll walk you to your car.”
“No.”
“I’m not trying anything.”
“Still no.”
Jalisa looked at them.
“You two need boundaries.”
Zaviyah laughed.
“Thank you.”
“I’m serious.”
“So am I.”
Jalisa’s eyes narrowed.
“Samaria is my friend.”
“And she’s my sister.”
“Then act like it.”
That landed.
Zaviyah’s smile disappeared.
Kavon stepped forward.
“Jalisa.”
Zaviyah stopped him.
“No.”
She looked at Jalisa.
“You got every right to be mad at your husband.”
“I am.”
“You can even be mad that I fucked him if you want.”
“Oh, I am.”
“But don’t stand here acting like I knowingly betrayed you.”
Jalisa folded her arms.
“I didn’t know you existed when I slept with Rashaad.”
She pointed toward Kavon.
“And I damn sure didn’t know my sister would end up falling in love with him.”
Jalisa stared at her.
Zaviyah continued.
“The only person I owe an apology to is Samaria because I should’ve told her immediately when I recognized Kavon.”
Kavon looked at her.
She ignored him.
“But I’m not taking blame for shit I didn’t know.”
Jalisa’s face softened slightly.
Not much.
But enough.
“Fair.”
Rashaad looked surprised.
“Fair?”
Jalisa turned toward him.
“Don’t fucking speak to me.”
He shut up.
Zaviyah adjusted Kyren on her hip.
“I’m going home.”
Kavon looked at Kyren.
“When do results come?”
“Tomorrow if the lab gets everything done.”
Rashaad nodded.
“Call me.”
Jalisa laughed.
“Oh, I’ll make sure she does.”
Rashaad looked at her.
“You coming home?”
“No.”
“Jalisa.”
“I said no.”
“Where you going?”
She put her sunglasses back on.
“None of your fucking business.”
“That’s my wife.”
Jalisa smiled.
“And apparently you might have somebody else’s baby mama.”
Zaviyah frowned.
“Somebody else’s baby mama?”
“You know what I mean.”
“Not really.”
Jalisa waved her off.
“Girl, I’m mad.”
“Fair.”
Jalisa walked toward her Range Rover.
Then stopped.
She looked at Zaviyah.
“Tell Samaria I’m coming over.”
Zaviyah frowned.
“Why?”
“Because somebody needs to check on her.”
That stung.
“I’ve been trying.”
Jalisa looked at Kavon.
“Maybe stop doing it while standing next to her ex.”
Then she got into her truck.
Zaviyah stared after her.
Kavon exhaled.
“She don’t like me right now.”
Rashaad laughed.
“She don’t like none of us.”
“Especially your ass.”
Rashaad looked at him.
“Man, fuck you.”
Kyren gasped.
“Bad word!”
Kavon smiled.
Rashaad looked at Kyren.
“My bad, lil man.”
Kyren pointed at him.
“Time out.”
Zaviyah laughed.
“See. He got you together.”
Rashaad smiled.
“Yeah.”
That little moment made Zaviyah uncomfortable again.
Because tomorrow one of these men might become Kyren’s father.
And the other one would become nothing.
She hated that.
She hated all of it.
Kavon looked at her.
“You need anything?”
“No.”
“Money for food?”
Zaviyah’s face changed.
“Excuse me?”
“I’m asking.”
“I got money.”
“I didn’t say you didn’t.”
“Then why the fuck you offering?”
“Because if that’s my son.”
“Kavon.”
He stopped.
Not here.
Not yet.
He nodded.
“Okay.”
Rashaad looked at her.
“You got my number.”
“Yes.”
“Call if anything changes.”
“Fine.”
He walked toward his car.
Kavon remained.
Zaviyah stared at him.
“What?”
“You okay?”
“No.”
“You want me to leave?”
“Yes.”
He smiled slightly.
“At least you consistent.”
“Bye.”
“Bye, Kyren.”
Kyren waved.
“Bye Kavon.”
Kavon’s face softened again.
Then he left.
Zaviyah strapped Kyren into his car seat.
She got behind the wheel.
And finally breathed.
“Chicken!”
She looked in the rearview mirror.
“You really don’t give a fuck about none of Mama problems, huh?”
“French fry.”
“Exactly.”
She pulled out.
Ten minutes later, her phone rang through the car.
Samaria.
Zaviyah answered.
“Hey.”
“Did y’all do it?”
“The test?”
“Yes.”
“Yeah.”
Samaria went quiet.
“Both of them?”
“Yes.”
Another pause.
“Okay.”
Zaviyah waited.
Then Samaria asked, “Was Kavon there when you got there?”
“Yes.”
“Did y’all come together?”
“No.”
“Leave together?”
“No.”
“Mari.”
“I’m asking.”
“I know.”
“You mad?”
“No.”
“You sound mad.”
“I’m tired.”
Samaria went quiet.
Then Zaviyah heard something in the background.
A woman.
Jalisa.
Of course.
Zaviyah sighed.
“She made it to your house already?”
Samaria frowned.
“Who?”
“Jalisa.”
“How you know she here?”
“Because she pulled up to the testing center.”
Silence.
“What?”
“Yeah.”
“What happened?”
“Your friend tracked her husband.”
“Oh my God.”
“She knows.”
“About Kyren?”
“Yes.”
“About Kavon?”
“Yes.”
Samaria went silent.
Zaviyah gripped the steering wheel.
“Mari?”
“I gotta go.”
“Wait.”
“What?”
“Results should be tomorrow.”
“I know.”
“How?”
“Kavon texted me.”
Zaviyah’s stomach tightened.
“When?”
“About twenty minutes ago.”
“What did he say?”
“Why?”
“I’m just asking.”
Samaria laughed softly.
“You sure?”
Zaviyah immediately regretted asking.
“You right. None of my business.”
“No.”
Samaria paused.
“It isn’t.”
That hurt.
Zaviyah swallowed.
“Okay.”
“Bye.”
The call ended.
Zaviyah stared at the road.
Kyren sang something to himself in the back seat.
Her phone vibrated again.
A text.
KAVON.
She almost ignored it.
Then she looked.
KAVON
I’m sorry about today. I know this is a lot. I’m gonna respect whatever boundaries you set. I just need you to promise me one thing.
Zaviyah frowned.
She shouldn’t respond.
She knew she shouldn’t.
She did anyway.
What?
His response came immediately.
If the test says Kyren is mine, don’t make me fight you to know my son.
Zaviyah stared at the message.
Her anger disappeared.
For a second, she saw Kavon on her porch again.
The way his face had crumbled when Kyren smiled.
She typed.
I won’t.
Three dots appeared.
Then disappeared.
Appeared again.
KAVON
Thank you.
Zaviyah put the phone down.
Tomorrow.
By tomorrow, they would know.
Rashaad.
Or Kavon.
One answer.
One father.
One less question.
At least that was what Zaviyah thought.
Until her phone rang again twenty minutes later.
Unknown number.
She almost didn’t answer.
“Hello?”
“May I speak with Zaviyah Raines?”
“This is her.”
“This is Broward Family Diagnostics.”
Zaviyah’s heart jumped.
“Is something wrong?”
“No, ma’am. We’re calling because the laboratory was able to begin expedited processing earlier than expected.”
Zaviyah sat up.
“Okay.”
“We should have your results this evening.”
Her mouth went dry.
“Tonight?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“What time?”
“Before seven.”
Zaviyah looked at the dashboard.
3:41.
Three hours.
Less than three fucking hours.
“Okay.”
“We’ll contact you as soon as they’re available.”
The call ended.
Zaviyah sat at the red light staring straight ahead.
Kyren kicked his feet behind her.
“Mama.”
She looked at him through the mirror.
“What, baby?”
“Chicken.”
Zaviyah laughed nervously.
“Yeah.”
She wiped underneath her eye.
“Let’s go get your chicken.”
Because by dinner time, Zaviyah was finally going to know which man gave her the little boy sitting in her back seat.
And whichever name was on that paper was about to fuck up somebody’s life.