Chapter 17 #2
Shay snorted, grilling Irish. “Yeah, and you need to answer my question. Why you here with him?”
Irish’s lips parted, shock consumed her at an alarming rate. She looked at Noble then back at Shay, hoping someone would explain or at least deny their relationship between the two.
“It ain't none of your business,” Noble checked her. “Fuck you thought.”
“None of my business?” Shay snorted. “The nerve of your ass to say that shit to me.” Shay then turned her fiery gaze on Irish. “This is what you do? Sit around listening to women talk about their exes just so your ass can go on dates with them and shit?”
Irish cocked her head, not appreciating the tone Shay used with her.
Out of all the women in St. Parklynn, she had no inkling that Noble was the man that Shay couldn’t get over.
For years, they listened to her rant and rave about how he had broken her heart or how she attempted to make him jealous with another man.
The shop even named her Resentment Shay because no matter how much time had passed, she couldn’t get over the man she claimed to hate.
“Excuse me? I don't have to sit around nobody and try to get with an ex. I told you I was catching up with a friend. What the fuck is your problem?”
“Irish, you don't owe her no explanation,” Noble chimed in. “Daysha, stay outta my business and move around.”
“Yeah, and watch your mouth, sitting up here trying to assassinate my character like I betrayed you or some shit. I didn’t know this man was your baby daddy.” Irish was offended at Shay’s aggression toward her. “And if you claim this is your ex, why are you worried about what he’s doing?”
Without warning, Shay invaded Irish’s personal space. “Bitch, I’ll fuck you up!”
“Aye, chill out.” Noble slid between the two and turned to Irish. “Sit down. I’ll handle this.”
“Handle what?” Shay exploded. “You can’t handle shit. You need to tell me why you sitting up here on a date with this married-ass bitch.”
“Noble, you better get her ass in check,” Irish warned. “I’m not about to be called out my name too many more times.”
“Sit down like I told you,” Noble ordered.
Reluctantly, Irish took a seat, waiting for her to disrespect her so she could give Shay her first underwater ass whooping.
Shay shook her head, disgust written all over her features. “Noble, you ain't shit just like I thought. You really out here fucking with a married female. Like how could you downgrade like this? So, you leave our marriage to play side nigga for this hoe?”
“Marriage?” Irish repeated, appalled by the news. “You were married?”
Shay snaked her body around Noble to look at Irish. “Yes, marriage. I was married to his ass for three years before he broke my fucking heart. I still got his last name, too. Do you really know what you’ve gotten yourself into?”
Irish attempted to swallow but Shay’s revelation was too bitter to consume.
Marriage? Divorce? There was too much information being given that Irish could barely process it.
Did she miss the red flags? Was she so engrossed in this commanding but gentle man that she had ignored the signs of him being just like the rest of ‘em?
Noble pulled Shay back. “Stop playing with me, Daysha, before I ruin you.”
“You already did!” she bellowed in his face. “You ruined me the day you requested a fucking divorce. The way you dragged me and all for nothing. You’ve always been a piece of shit and now you're an even bigger piece of shit because you're messing with her ass!”
“Uh, excuse me. I’m going to have to ask you all to leave,” the manager of the restaurant requested.
All eyes were on them, making Irish recoil in her seat. She had never been in a confrontation like this. Being confronted by a woman, who Noble obviously damaged, wasn’t the way she envisioned spending her evening.
“Fuck this!” she spat, grabbing her clutch off the table. Irish rose from her chair and stormed off toward the exit.
“Yeah, take your ass home to your husband!” Shay yelled.
Irish would’ve doubled back and slapped some sense into her, but she was far beyond embarrassed at this point. Walking away was her only remedy to end this humiliating scene.
“Irish!”
She heard Noble’s voice and normally it would’ve stopped her in her tracks, but she was filled with too much embarrassment to obey his command.
“Look at you! Running after her ass!” Shay snarled bitterly.
Irish hiked the stairs at a fast rate. As soon as she got to the underground parking, she realized that she had been escorted to the restaurant.
“Shit,” she whispered, walking down the structure. “I should’ve drove my own damn car.”
“Irish!”
“Leave me alone, Noble!” she raged, stomping in her five-inch heels.
“Aye, stop fucking playing with me!”
Irish came to a halt and spun around. Right away, she was greeted by Noble’s grimace. That was appalling since he was the person who had contributed to the embarrassing altercation.
“What the fuck you storming off for?” he fumed, towering over her.
“Why didn’t you tell me you used to be married, huh? How come I had to find out like this?”
“Why does it matter?”
Her eyes widened. “Are you serious? You don't think it mattered that I knew your ass was married?”
“No!” he snapped, running his tattooed hand down his fade. “Daysha ain't no factor, so no, I ain't tell you.”
“Well, you should have,” she countered, pointing toward his face. “That way I would know when bitter-ass hoes would run up on me. You're dead wrong.”
Noble’s pinched brows unveiled how annoyed he was, but Irish didn’t care. Their magical night had been ruined by a quarrel she didn’t see coming.
“Listen, she’s my son’s mother and yes, we were married but we’ve been divorced for three years. So no, I wasn’t about to bring her up, especially to your married ass.”
Irish’s eyes expanded. “Oh, so, now it’s a problem that I’m married?”
“It’s always been a problem, Irish. Don't act stupid. But I fuck with you, so I ain't really harped on the shit like I should have.”
She chuckled but it lacked humor. Her marriage had never been an issue but now that Shay had come and given him a reminder, now it was somehow a barrier.
“Fuck this! I don't need no more drama in my life.” Irish walked away but was snatched back by her arm.
“Stop playing with me, Irish,” he warned, inches away from her face. “Me and you don't even be on this type of time. Stop letting her ass get inside your head.”
“No, fuck you! You got hoes coming up to me talking shit because of you.”
“You act like I knew that shit would go down. I don't know why you letting Daysha even get to you.”
Irish snatched out of his grip. “It’s always the woman’s fault, huh? What did you do to her? Sounds like you did a number on her.”
“I did,” he shot back.
Irish was taken back by his brash honesty. She expected him to deny Shay’s claims and blame her for the demise of their marriage. Nevertheless, Noble stood with his shoulders squared, looking her dead in the eye.
“The truth is…” His voice softened. “I fucked her over. When we got married, it was only because she was pregnant. At the time, I thought that was the right thing to do. You know, step up and be a man. Make a woman outta her…” He paused, seeming to visit his reverie.
“I realized shortly after that I wasn’t in love with Daysha.
I loved her because she was a good woman, and she carried my son.
When he was born, she stepped in her role as a mother, and she did it well.
Still, she didn’t make me feel shit that a husband is supposed to feel for his wife. ”
“So, you never had any feelings for her? You just suffered in silence?”
Noble released a heavy breath. “I don't wanna use the term suffer because that makes it sound like Daysha was unfit when she wasn’t. She did everything she was supposed to do but I still found it hard to fall in love with her. After three years, I started feeling this guilt, knowing I was keeping this girl away from a man that could truly love her wholeheartedly. Daysha thinks that I’m selfish and a part of me is, but when I asked for a divorce, it was to free herself to be available for the man that could give her the love she deserves.
Do you know how many niggas take a woman’s good years, knowing she’s not the girl for them?
Or those men who know they don't like their lady but keep her around because she’s good to them.
I couldn’t be one of those men. I wouldn’t be able to face my son knowing I had stolen his mother’s essence. ”
Noble’s honesty was refreshing. Like sipping on aged cognac while vintage jazz music played in the distance.
After all the years of hearing Shay rant about the treatment he had given her, Irish felt her pain.
A woman always bet on love and somehow crapped out.
Shay couldn’t get over their divorce and Irish understood it.
Noble was one of a kind. A man of great stature and of his word.
Witnessing him take all accountability for the collapse of his marriage was eye-opening.
Most times, men did the dirt but somehow made a U-turn to blame the woman for their actions.
Noble didn’t put it on Shay. He took it all, bearing the weight on his shoulders without shifting the guilt on her. Irish respected him for that.
“Daysha is bitter and guess what? She got a right to be. I sold her a dream. Told her we would be a family when I knew deep down, I didn’t feel it.
So, I made sure she was taken care of when we divorced.
I gave her the house and paid it off. She got a brand-new car, and I give her money every month.
It’s not child support because I take care of all of my son’s expenses, but I make sure she’s good. ”
“Yeah, but money won’t soothe her broken heart, Noble. I don't think no amount will take away how inadequate you made her feel.”