Chapter 12
CHAPTER
TWELVE
Tiomi
Jawan and that hoe at his shop ain’t gone be satisfied until I come up there and mop the shop floor with her ass.
He’s lucky that I trust him and believe that he wasn't on no bullshit with her skank ass. I wanted to tell him to fire her immediately, but I’mma let her live.
At least until I had Lae, then I’m going to show her why I’m not the one to fuck with.
I’m not about to play with any of these hoes about my husband.
That thought caused me to laugh to myself. I’m really about to ‘MY HUSBAND’ muhfuckas to death.
“Baby I’mma take you and Jarae to the shop with me today, can you do her hair and change her clothes?” I literally had just got her dressed, did her bun and laid her baby hairs.
“Jawan, I just dressed her, why do I need to change her clothes?”
Scrunching his face up, “She ain't wearing no damn coochie cutters to the shop, where them basketball shorts at that I bought for her?” he asked me. This fool is out of his mind.
“Nigga you’re not taking her anywhere in basketball shorts, take her like she is or leave us at home Jawan.”
Sucking his teeth, “Aye man you ain’t gone be dressing my babies like no lil’ hoes and shit,” he said. “Look at her diaper hanging out the bottom of them lil’ ass shorts.” He continued to exaggerate.
“Boy I said what I said.”
With that I got up to go get myself ready, deciding on a cheetah print romper and slides that I just got in from fashion nova, I dressed and threw my hair up into a bun just like Rae’s. It was hot as fuck for it to be September. This weather don’t know what it wants to do these days.
After I was done getting ready, I met Jawan and Jarae in the living room. When he looked in my direction, he immediately started to shake his head no.
“You think you wearing that to my fuckin’ barbershop Tiomi? You got me fucked up. Go change man.”
Looking down at my outfit, I asked, “What’s wrong with what I have on Jawan?”
“I can see your pussy print from all the way over here, that’s what’s wrong. If I can see it, I know other people can, so go fuckin’ change. And hurry that shit up.”
Stomping my foot like a spoiled child, I went upstairs to change into a Gucci tank top, some biker shorts, and Gucci slides. Returning to the living room, I stopped directly in front of him.
"Happy now?” I asked with an attitude.
He stood to his feet with Jarae in his arms and headed towards the door.
“Very.”
I rolled my eyes and followed him out of the house so we could head out. When we got to the shop nobody was there but Mr. Jeff and a few of his regulars, I spoke and kept moving to his office to get started on balancing his books and inventory.
Since I helped him do it the first time, he acted like he couldn’t do it anymore.
I went over the books and inventory for both his legal and illegal side of things.
The legal side looked perfect, but the illegal side was looking a little off.
I called him in here to show him what I saw but was interrupted by his door being opened.
We looked up and saw it was this Daddy Warbucks looking ass bitch barging in here like she was right.
“Oh, I didn’t know you had your girlfriend in here with you Jawan.”
See this hoe has me fucked up. I attempted to get up, but Jawan stopped me.
“Aye, chill yo’ ass out Tio, don’t play with me. Nia what the fuck you want man? And why you coming in my shit without knocking.”
She was staring while he was talking to her like she was gone do something.
“And tell the bitch to call you Mr. muhfuckin’ Jones too nigga, she don’t fuckin’ know you like that.” He sighed and did what the fuck I said.
“And watch what the fuck you call me, I done told you about that shit.” The frown she wore deepened.
“You're going to let your girlfriend come in here calling shots, Grim?”
She asked and I laughed. Lifting my hand, I flashed her my wedding ring and quoted Kash Doll.
“Get it right bitch, I’m wife bitch!”
I guess Jawan was fed up with our antics because he stood straight up.
“Tiomi I said to chill the fuck out, aight?”
I just rolled my eyes and sat down at his desk because I knew he was serious now.
“Nia, this my bitch, my wife, she can come in here and do & say as she pleases. Now again what the fuck you want?”
She dropped her head and shook her head from side to side, stating that she didn't want anything, but that wasn’t going to suffice for me. I must not have made myself clear the first time.
“Baby, let me say something right quick.”
He gave me a look letting me know he wasn't with the bullshit.
Kissing his lips, I said, “I promise to be good babe.” Reluctantly he nodded his head and let me speak.
“Look Nia, I know you call yourself having a crush on my husband but as I told you before you should find you something safe to do because he ain’t it.
Maybe if you had met him a year ago you coulda seen what that dick do, but its married to me now so you're SOL. Just chalk it up as a L while you still have breath in your body boo.”
I had been walking in her direction the entire time I was talking, and she was backing up, so when I was done talking, I slammed the door in her face. That is definitely the last chance that I’m giving her.
I hadn’t really got to spend time with Granny since we got back from Mexico, so I dropped Jarae off with Ma Cheryl so I could spend some time with her. She wanted to go out and get Jalae some things, so we agreed on going to the mall.
Since it was finally cooling down, I wanted to get the girls some winter clothes too. It felt like we had been in here all morning, and my stomach was touching my back, so I suggested that we head to the food court. Plus, that would give Granny some time to sit down and rest her legs.
“So how have you and JJ been settling into married life over this last month baby?”
All I could do was smile. Besides that small hiccup, everything has been amazing.
“Granny, he has been perfect. Like it still seems so unrealistic. Like how we are here after only seven short months.”
It was so crazy. Anyone that saw us out and didn’t know us thought that we’ve been together for years.
“There ain't ever been a time frame on love baby. Me and my late husband met and married in two months. Stayed together until he died.”
Jawan had told me the story one night when we were pillow talking, so it made me feel a lot better about our situation.
“So, we meet again?”
I heard from behind me. When I turned around, I saw Terrance’s fine ass. Like the first time I saw him, my voice was caught in my throat. Granny clearing her throat is what made me tighten up.
“Hi, Terrance, how are you?”
Outside of Jawan, I haven’t seen a nigga as fine as him or one to literally have me speechless. I reached up to shake his hand which he kept in his grasp.
“Better now that I get to see you.” He then turned his attention to Granny, “And how are you, Beautiful?”
Granny wouldn’t be Granny if she didn't say or do something smart. Turning her nose up, she completely ignored him and addressed me.
“Tiomi do you want your husband to come blow this mall up with us in it?”
At the mention of Jawan I snapped out of it and Terrance’s eyes moved down to my hand. If I’m not mistaken, I’d say that there was a hint of anger that flashed in his eyes, but I ignored it and removed my hand from his. I nodded my head at Granny and stood to my feet.
“Okay Granny, let's get ready to go.”
All it took was her saying my husband's name for me to get some act right. I started picking up our bags while Granny cleared the table.
“So, marriage, huh?”
He must not have gotten the hint or the memo when it came to Jawan because he’s still standing here with his hands in his pockets questioning me.
“Look Terrance I—” I didn’t even get to finish my statement.
“You what Tio?”
A hostile Jawan approached us. Again, my voice was caught in my throat because from the look in his eyes, I knew he was mad.
Shaking my head from side to side, my heart rate had sped up.
I already know what he’s capable of. I didn’t want him to kill this man or me for that matter in the middle of this mall.
“Nothing baby, I wasn't saying anything.”
He let out a low chuckle and said, “Nothing? I been watching y’all for a lil’ second and it looked like a whole lot more than nothing to me.”
I knew I had no business talking to this nigga.
From the moment I saw him in Charlie’s I knew he would be trouble.
By the time Jawan had turned around to address Terrance, he was gone.
He had disappeared into the crowd of shoppers and I can't say I wasn't relieved.
Turning his attention back to me he snatched the bags outta my hand, grabbed my hand with the other, and basically drug me out of the mall.
When we were almost at the car I started to complain.
“Jawan can you slow the fuck down please? You’ve damn near cut the circulation in my hand off because you're squeezing it so tight, and in case you’ve forgotten you're dragging your pregnant wife across the parking lot!”
Everything I said went in one ear and out the other though, because he kept his grip and stride all the way to the car.
“Dirk run Granny to her house, then just meet me back at mine, I need to get her and my lil’ girl home and settled,” Jawan said to one of my guards.
Granny shook her head in my direction and mouthed ‘I told you’ to me, and all I could do is drop my head.
Jawan helped me into the car, then climbed in himself.
I looked in the backseat and saw a sleeping Jarae.
“How long have you had her?”
I tried to make small talk. Knowing him, she probably wasn’t at Ma Cheryl’s any longer than an hour before he went to get her.
“Yo’ Tiomi, don’t say shit to me right now man. Because you probably won’t like anything I have to say to you. Just let me get y’all home so I can be out.”
Him raising his voice at me hurt my feelings, and now I was crying. I knew I was wrong for talking to him, but it was completely innocent.
“You don’t have to yell at me Jawan, I was just asking a question.” Again, he had nothing to say. “And what do you mean be out? Where are you going?”
I asked, he can have an attitude all he wants but I’m still his wife and I reserve the right to know where he is going.
“Out. Look man leave me the fuck alone, for real. You do stupid ass shit. Let that would have been me all googly eyed with a bitch, you woulda cut the fuck up,” he fussed. “I think you like for me to kill muhfuckas in front of you. You like to have muhfuckas blood on your hands, huh?”
I shifted uncomfortably. Again, I knew I was wrong. I would have shown my whole ass if he would have been in another bitch’s face. When he realized that I wasn't going to answer, he sarcastically laughed.
“Now you don’t got shit to say. So what? I can’t trust you not to be in a nigga face when I ain’t around Tiomi?”
“Of course, you can Jawan,” I answered offended.
“Shid, I can't tell. If you don’t wanna be married to a nigga let me know now while we have time to get this shit annulled.”
He said to me as if it’s that easy to him. The regret was immediately evident on his face, but I had no words for him. I just let the tears fall freely. We sat in an uncomfortable silence the remainder of the ride home.
“Tiomi I ain’t mean it like that. Seeing you with another man just did something to me. You my bitch, you ain’t supposed to have no words for another muhfucka.”
Truth was I didn’t. I didn’t have words for another man and I damn sure didn’t have any for my so-called husband. I snatched my door open and jumped out the car as soon as it came to a stop. Since he was being an ass, he can grab Rae and the bags, fuck him.
I went straight to the room to take a quick shower. I knew my baby would be up soon, and I still had to cook. As I stood under the water I thought about the events from today. This isn’t how I want to start things out with our marriage, so I’m going to try and reconcile with my man when I’m done.
After spending some time freshening up, I headed to take care of my baby girl. When I got to her room Jawan was dressing her with his phone tucked between his shoulder and ear. When he noticed me in the room, he told whoever it was that he would see them soon.
“Who are you going to see soon Jawan?” was the first thing out of my mouth when he disconnected his call. Just like before he ignored me and gave his attention to our daughter.
“Aight shorty, daddy will see you later, hold it down for me, aight?” he said to her with his fist out waiting for her to return the gesture, which she did then he scooped her into his arm and planted kisses all over her face.
When they were done, he let her down and she ran right over to me.
I scooped her small body into my arms and kissed her face too.
Jawan looked on for a second then dropped a kiss on my cheek, “I’mma order y’all some food so you don't have to cook, don't wait up,” is all he said before he was out the door. As soon as I heard it close, the tears started to fall. He didn't even say he loved me.
Husbae: Stop fuckin’ crying Tiomi. I love your spoiled ass man.
Me: I love you more baby, and I’m sorry.
Husbae: Don't be sorry, be careful. Food will be there soon, and Dirk is outside.
I smiled, feeling a little better knowing that he knew me. I contemplated asking him when he was coming home, but I didn’t wanna get my feelings hurt again. Me and Rae headed downstairs to get comfortable on the couch ‘til the food got here.
Jawan knows I hate being here alone and since he’s gone, I wasn't opening the door at all. Dirk being here made me comfortable and I knew he would bring the food in.