Chapter 26 #2
Pointing behind me, I said, “Both y’all’s asses go to the bathroom, so I can wash your hands. Fucking cat hairs all on those damn fingers.
“Yes, ma’am,” they said cheerily, running toward the door.
As the kids stepped into the hallway, politely saying ‘excuse me’, King exhaled sharply. Reaching out to me, King said, “Mona, thank you for coming up here. You didn’t have to. You could’ve sent Azaria up here with Clara and Silas. You being here means a lot to me.”
“King, not now,” Min said softly, stepping in front of the door.
“Then, when? I miss her. She’s family. We’ve swept shit under the rug long enough.
I’m not going to bring it all up. I’m going to wait until we land at the airport tomorrow night.
I just want to thank her for coming and interacting as best as she can.
She’s carrying Averhart, but she’ll always be an Abbott,” he announced warmly, sliding his eyes back to me.
Needing to stay on the same grid as him, but to let him know he wasn’t fucking with an ordinary bitch, like his wife, I stepped closer to him.
Tilting my head to the right, I smiled. “I don’t need your thanks, King.
To be clear, I was never an Abbott. That shit was stripped away from me less than two weeks after being married to August. You did not protect me because …
yeah, you failed to protect me. If it’s not about our daughters …
hold up … this should be to Kingsa’s mother. Then, I’ll come back to you….”
“Mona,” Thiago held out, shaking his head.
“Like King said, things have been swept under the rug long enough. I just want to say this surface shit.” I grinned wickedly, walking toward my sad cousin.
“Ah, don’t look like that, Yasmin Abbott.
Know this. I’m teaching Azaria to not trust Kingsa.
She must look at her like a bitch on the street because she’ll never know when her cousin will drop the fucking dime on her for a nigga.
She’ll never know when her cousin is begging for refuge from a gotdamn maniac.
I’m … teaching … my … daughter … your little …
cousin … to always drop a bitch the moment she feels the shift between them.
Got it?” I barked lowly, loving the fear in my cousin’s eyes.
“Right. My daughter won’t be your daughter’s motherfucking protector like I was yours whenever we had the chance to link.
My daughter will be a thoroughbred, hardworking, smart ass, don’t play fair with anybody’s motherfucking kids.
If Kingsa strikes Azaria, you’d better be prepared for how well Azaria tears off in her ass.
All brakes, no fucking gas! Transmission tore the fuck up!
Motor rods slung to hell, bitch! As you can tell, Min, I fucking hate you, and I’ll never love you again.
If the shoes were reversed, I would’ve opened the damn door.
I would’ve seen you for a few seconds, and gotdamn it, I would’ve knocked King off his fucking feet for life!
That’s what I would’ve done for you because we always said us before anybody else!
No matter what the situation is! Bitch, you aren’t shit to me!
Look at me, but you better never open your gotdamn mouth to me!
Think shit is a game if you wanna, Yasmin Abbott!
You, your parents’ miracle child, will be like my Baby B …
absorbed!” I hissed, barely able to see her.
“Aye, y’all we finna leave,” Thiago admitted, stepping into the room and extending his hand to me.
Through quivering lips, I yelled, “I never hurt you, Yasmin! Growing up, I wished I were like you! Thank God I’m nothing like you!
You can converse with my child because our beef isn’t yours and hers!
You have a fucking amazing life, Mrs. Yasmin Abbott!
Since Thiago will be escorting me to my hotel room, tell your husband …
if it’s not about his cousin and my kids, don’t …
fucking … talk … to … me! Do what Kingsley has been doing perfectly!
Looking like she’s constipated and not uttering a gotdamn word! ”
“Mona,” August Senior called loudly but most importantly lovingly, demandingly from the hallway.
“Yes?” I asked as Thiago wiped my face.
“Did that feel good?” August Senior asked, stepping into my vision.
Seeing the man whom I fell in love with looking bigger, healthier, and more refreshed, my shoulders drooped as I nodded. “Yes.”
“You passed the first stage of healin’. You ain’t sittin’ on that hurt.
You exposed it as you saw fit. An’ you set future boundaries.
Nih, we need to go outside so you can complete yo’ healin’ process wit’ me.
The person who caused everybody we love to betray you,” he voiced smoothly as Min scurried by me, crying.
As I slowly nodded and walked toward him, August Senior and Thiago dapped.
“You lookin’ good, man,” Thiago praised.
While everyone agreed, August Senior looked at me.
His soft eyes were unreadable as he touched my stomach.
Butterflies floated over time as my heart skipped a beat.
Slowly nodding, he said, “I look good, but I feel it. I ain’t come here to let you get yo’ hurts off on me.
I was gon’ do that next month. I’m here ‘cause August Junior sent a distress call last night. He caught me right as I was about to turn off my phone. When I leave, he going wit’ me.
Our boy fucked up, an’ only I can put his head on right.
I ain’t sayin’ you did a bad job. August Junior a daddy’s boy.
He need me, just as much as I need him. If he ain’t right, I ain’t gon’ be right fo’ Azaria an’ our unborn.
So, let’s go outside an’ talk befo’ I see Azaria an’ head back to my room. ”
“Please stay,” Kingdon voiced as August Senior extended his hand to me. I was at a crossroad with putting my hands in his since I’d been holding hands with Thiago.
“It’s okay. He’s yo’ kids father. Right nih, I ain’t gunnin’ fo’ you too hard. I know you in a tight spot. You need all yo’ strength fo’ when the real battle starts,” Thiago voiced as everyone in the hallways sighed heavily.
Dropping his hand at his side, August Senior laughed.
“Who said anything ‘bout a battle nigga? I fucked up so badly that I know ain’t no way in hell she gon’ want me back.
You won. Fair an’ fuckin’ square ‘cause three motherfuckas in this house ain’t drop the uncut dope in my lap.
So, Thiago, you got my lucky charm … fair an’ fuckin’ square.
Just like I got yo’ ex-wife … fair an’ fuckin’ square.
The old, old me … well, not that old … the me befo’ I bam, bam, bam a bitch fo’ havin’ my infant son an’ my lives threatened … backkkkkk!”