Chapter 22
CHAPTER
TWENTY-TWO
Tiomi
Husbae: I miss y’all already.
Me: We miss you more. Two days seems like forever.
Husbae: I plan to make it up to y’all. Don’t give Rex a hard time Tiomi, he has strict instructions from me.
Me: I’m not Jawan, I love you. Be safe.
Husbae: Always. I love you more, call you later.
Jawan had left for Mexico this morning and I was already in my feelings about it.
I’m so used to being with him all the time that it’s a foreign feeling when he’s away, plus with everything going on I was worried.
The only saving grace was I’d be able to do this group project without him overreacting, I just had to figure out a way to shake Rex’s aggravating ass.
“Your place or mine for study group today beautiful?” Noah interrupted from beside me showcasing that beautiful smile.
“Uhh neither, the public library it is,” I stated. Although I’m sure he was joking, I wasn’t about to even allow that thought to linger.
“I know, I was joking. Is your bodyguard even going to allow that?”
“He doesn’t allow me to do anything, I’m grown, but yes we’ll be able to study and prepare in peace.”
I figured that I would have Chy convince Rex to come over to help her with something at her house.
She had just moved into her place on the compound, so she was getting stuff together.
Jawan would never understand that this was an assignment given by our professor and we had to do it together.
All he would care about is the fact that this is another man that is anywhere near me.
After class I ran to grab the girls from Granny.
I was going to let ma Cheryl keep them while I studied because I knew Granny would report right to Jawan about me being late to come and get them.
I danced around the thought of bringing them with me, but I quickly dismissed that thought just as soon as it came.
He would flip his shit about me studying with Noah but finding out our kids were in the man’s presence would result in a massacre.
“Cheryl told me you were bringing the girls by there child, if that was the case you could have just left them here,” Granny chastised.
“Yeah, I know, Granny, but you’ve had them every day this week,” I nervously responded.
“And when has that mattered?” she asked me with a raised brow. “What you doing that you have to leave those babies with Cheryl, anyway?”
I nervously shifted under her gaze. She was looking directly in my eyes as if she was peering into my soul and it had me uncomfortable. When I didn’t answer, she shook her head and spoke up again.
“Tiomi are you trying to get someone killed, including yourself and Dirk?”
“No Granny, but this is school stuff. You know just as well as I do that Jawan isn’t going to allow me to study with anyone, and the first thing that Rex would do is snitch,” I whined.
If I’m being completely honest, I was terrified to study with Noah.
If my husband got wind of this then he would surely board a jet to come and kill the three of us with his bare hands.
“You didn’t even try to tell him child.”
“Because the moment that I would have even brought it up he would have shut it down and made me withdraw from school. Do you know how hard it was to convince him to even let me go?” I cried.
I loved Jawan with everything in me, but he was so unfair at times.
Most things were nonnegotiable with him.
He felt as if he knew what was best for our family, and he did.
He was a man, so I let him lead, but there were times I wanted to compromise on stuff.
“Tiomi go ahead and go. I won’t say anything to JJ about this, but I also won’t deny it if he ask me. You’re playing a dangerous game and I hope you know what you’re doing.”
I nodded my head at her response and left.
It wasn’t like I was going to do anything more than what I said I was doing.
I would never cheat on Jawan. I climbed into the back of the SUV and Dirk headed into the direction of the library.
The whole ride I was in my head. I couldn’t help but to feel guilty sneaking around.
I would be pissed if the shoe was on the other foot, but I told myself that this was school stuff.
When I walked in, I spotted Noah at the table in the back with books and stuff already set up. As I got closer, he got up to pull out the chair that was beside him. “For a second I thought you were going to flake on me.”
Giving him a small smile, I took my seat. “I’m sorry. I had to get my daughters situated.”
“Oh, I didn’t know that you had kids.”
“How would you? We don’t know much about each other outside of school,” I responded without making eye contact.
“That’s an easy fix,” he joked with a shoulder bump, showcasing his beautiful smile.
“Actually, it isn’t. Can we just get this over with? I need to get my kids and get home,” I responded in irritation. It wasn’t my plans to take my frustrations out on him, but the words that Granny said to me had me in my feelings and I couldn’t mask it.
“Hey,” Noah called out and touched my arm. “If you’re not feeling this today, I get it. We can reschedule. Hell, I can research this shit myself and brief you on it tomorrow at school.”
Shaking my head, I declined. “It’s cool. I’m fine, really.” I touched his hand on my arm momentarily for reassurance.
“Naw, Tiomi. Go ahead and go. Your head isn’t in this and I feel bad for having you here.
I know more about you than you think.” I allowed my eyes to connect with his that time and lifted my brows.
“Naw, nothing like that,” he continued. “Everybody knows who your husband is, and I don’t want to cause chaos for you or me.
I’d be more comfortable if I had a conversation with him before meeting with his wife, anyway. ”
Nodding my head, I stood up and started to gather my things.
It was a little weird to me that he said he knew me, but I also appreciate the understanding.
The entire ride here and since the moment I sat down my nerves were all over the place.
After I had thanked Noah, I left the library to get my kids and go home.
Me and Chy had just pulled up to the mall when a call from Star came through. “Hey sis,” I answered.
“Where are you? My vacation started and I need food and drinks. Darren is visiting his family for two weeks so I’m lonely.” I could hear the pout in her voice.
“We just pulled up to the mall. I need to shop for my birthday. Chy insist that I have a party tomorrow, so I need to find something to wear.”
I honestly didn’t want to do anything. My husband got caught up in Mexico on business so the two days that we originally planned for turned into five so far without a definitive return date.
Every time I talked to him and he said he wasn’t on his way yet broke my heart a little more.
I didn’t understand, I mean if he ran shit now, why did they need him to be more hands on?
They paid people to take care of this shit.
“Well, I’m on the way so y’all wait on me. Have you spoke to JJ?”
“Yes,” I answered somberly.
“Has he said when they’re coming back?” Star asked.
“No, I’m about ready to te—”
I was cut off by a hard bump to my shoulder. When I looked up my eyes locked with Jawan’s ex cum rag.
“Daman bitch, can you watch where the fuck you’re going?” she yelled, attempting to cause a scene.
Letting out a low chuckle, I took the high road and stepped around her without responding. For one I had my daughters with me and for two I knew I’d be seeing her punk ass again.
“Yeah, bitch that’s what I thought!” she yelled at my back.
She was really putting on this facade because she was with a group of females that she thought were going to do something, but I was going to let her live today and today only. Next time I saw her I was on her ass and that was something I put on my kids.
“Tiomi, y’all good?” I heard Star yelling into the receiver. Just that quick I forgot I was on the phone.
“Yeah, sis, come on, we’re waiting on you,” I rushed her off the phone. I couldn’t hang it up fast enough to call Jawan. The phone rung twice before he answered.
“Baby, I’m in the middle of something, let me call you back.”
“No, you’re going to talk to me right now Jawan Jones,” I demanded with my eyes in slits as if he could see me. Shortly after, I heard moving around in the background, until it was completely quiet.
“What’s wrong baby?” he inquired once he was alone, I assumed.
“What’s wrong is your bitches are fuckin’ with me while I’m out with my kids,” I fussed. He didn’t really have anything to do with anything, but I was frustrated for more reasons than one. I missed him and I couldn’t beat that bitches ass like I wanted to.
I heard him let out a sigh before he replied. “Well, you’re my bitch Tiomi, so come again and be specific this time because a nigga don’t feel like guessing and shit.”
“That cum guzzling bitch Sierra just bumped into me at the mall and the only reason I didn’t drag her hoe ass again is because I have the girls.”
“Baby you called and interrupted my business meeting about some shit like that?” he asked and let out a low chuckle. “Look, man, fuck that bitch. Don’t let her get under your skin. I love y’all and I’m going to call you as soon as I get out of here aight?”
“We love you too, baby,” I responded before the line disconnected and a tear slipped down my face. I didn’t even know I was crying or why I was crying for that matter, I just wanted my baby to come home.
Me and Chy waited for about twenty minutes before Star finally showed up and we began to tear the mall down.
I only needed an outfit for tomorrow night, but I couldn’t get me something and not get my kids and husband something, too.
While we were in Neiman Marcus shopping for Jawan, I heard my name being called from behind me.
When I turned around, I saw Noah making his way over to us.