~Thirty Seven~
Karrueche
“Karrueche Tientrese Tran, where the hell have you been?!”
I sighed deeply rubbing my forehead as Mom came over to embrace me. I mean I expected this but damn , I was not ready for all this yelling. I walked in and saw two police officers and knew this was some shit. Mom kept checking me and examining if I was all right while asking a million questions and Dad did the same. I looked back at Ro and cleared my throat pushing them.
“Guys, I’m fine.” I groaned slightly pushing them away. “I brought someone with me though.” Their eyes landed on Ro and Dad looked shocked as Mom was just shook.
“Rozonda.” Dad breathed coming closer to her.
Ro seemed as if she wanted to cry but didn’t. “Dad.”
The front door opened and we all looked towards it. It was Chris with a mix of fear and sadness on his face. Once his eyes landed me, he was calmed. I felt a sting of guilt because he must’ve been like this the whole time I was gone. My poor baby.
“Chris….” I whispered frozen in place.
“Kae….” He came closer to me and once he closed the gap, Chris hugged me tight and repeatedly kissed my forehead.
“Thank God you’re ok!” Chris pecked my lips and he changed from worried to angry. “I was worried sick about you! Where have you been? What have you been doing? Why did you leave? Why didn’t you tell me?” Then he pulled me in closer. “Karrueche, don’t leave me like that again! That was the scariest shit I’ve ever experienced!”
My mom spoke up. “I thought….you knew where she was…”
“Does it look like I did?” He glared then looked back at me. “Baby, I love you and I’m so sorry for what happened before you disappeared. Where did you go?”
“So this must be the boyfriend. Hi I’m Rozonda or Ro, I’m Karrueche’s half sister.” Ro stretched her hand towards him. Chris awkwardly shook her hand then looked back at me.
“Kae, you didn’t tell me you had a half sister.”
“Look you two need to catch up while I need to do the same with my daddy and step mommy.” Ro practically push us out the door. It was Chris and I on the doorstep and immediately there was a silence.
“Start talking, Kae.” Chris stared at the ground. I sighed deeply.
“Look, you know how my parents are trying to move me away. I don’t want to leave you, Chris. So I looked up my half sister who lives in Tappahannock and went to convince her to let me stay with her. This was the only way.” I opened the plastic container I was holding giving him a shy smile. “You want some chicken?”
He ignored it even though I know he really wanted the chicken. “You couldn’t just call her?”
“I didn’t have her number, Chris. Just her address.”
Chris chuckled sarcastically. “But the million dollar question here is why did Honey know this but not me, your boyfriend?”
What the fuck, Honey?!
“Karrueche, do you even understand how I feel that you not only disappeared but you told her and not me?! Am I not good enough?! Did you not trust me?! What is it, Kae?!” I flinched at his final statement and began to stutter.
“Baby, I knew you would try to stop me or come with me. I couldn’t let you mess up my plan.”
“What?!” Chris yelled causing tears to form in my eyes. Why is he so mad? I did this for him. For us. I swallowed hard wiping my tears.
“Chris, calm down.”
“Why the fuck should I? My girlfriend not only disappeared without a word, but hold up! She did say a word! To fucking Honey and not me! Karrueche, you can’t say I don’t deserve to be upset! You basically showed me that you couldn’t trust me.”
“I didn’t say that!” I screamed.
“But you fucking did! Through your actions!” Chris scoffed getting off my doorstep and walking away as tears rolled down my cheeks.
Jasmine
I got one question.
Who the fuck does August think he is?
This nigga denies our child, abandons me during my pregnancy, and now has the nerve to try to be a good father? My son is in the damn ICU fighting for his damn life due to him being premature and he lays this bullshit on me. Not only must i worry about the condition of my son, I gotta worry about a fucking court date. I’m only 18. God help me.
I was speechless when August said that and walked out the room. I looked back at my baby Nicky in his incubator one more time before exiting the room and being faced with my sister.
“So how’s my nephew?” Heather asked looking in my eyes to detect any emotion.
I shrugged slightly and looked through the translucent screen. “Doctors say he’s doing pretty ok but soon they have to remove the breathing tube to see if he can breathe on his own.”
Heather squeezed my shoulder coming next to me. “And he will breathe on his own. God got us.”
I scoffed turning to take a seat and put my face in my hands. “God don’t like me, Heather. I’ve been a shitty person to everyone and now he’s punishing me through my son…….and August.” I sighed at his name.
Her eyebrows knitted together in confusion. “What do you mean? Are you still salty August’s the fath-”
“No!” Heather stepped back at my outburst. “I’m “salty” because August is taking me to court for full custody of Nick!”
“But you wanted to give Nick up for adoption. Instead of him going to strangers, he’s going to his dad. What’s the problem, Jazz? Not to sound harsh, but you didn’t want him.”
I stood up out of my chair with anger evident. “Ok I did! I’m 18! I freaked out! However, there’s no way in hell August is taking him!”
“So are you gonna do?” Heather asked with her arms folded across her chest.
I turned to give her a wry smile. “I’m gonna beat his ass in court. Nick is coming home with me.”
Chris
*Buzz*
Wifey: Chris, come on!
*Buzz*
Wifey: Babyyyyyy
*Buzz*
Wifey: Please talk to me.
*Buzz*
Wifey: Christopher, you can be mad at me but you’re not leaving me. You got me fucked up if you think that.
I couldn’t help but smirk at that last message but I quickly wiped it off my face. I haven’t spoke to Kae in 2 days since she came back so this, Ladies and Gentlemen, is her routine whenever I’m upset with her. Well, it’s my routine too. We’re both Tauruses.
But on a more serious note, she can’t blame me for being angry with her. Baby girl disappeared, didn’t say shit, got me worrying my balls about her, and just gonna show up like “Hey! You want some chicken?” Like hell yeah I want some chicken, but I really want to know why the fuck you up and leave me like that? I would just really like her to put herself in my shoes. If I disappeared without word and showed up like a black Houdini with some chicken, she’d rock my shit and eat the chicken.
Anything could’ve happened to her and I wouldn’t have a clue, but she’s acting like I’m tripping.
*Buzz*
This woman is persistent. I glance at my phone.
Wifey: Good night, baby. Even though you’re angry with me.
I sighed locking my phone and turning over to go to sleep.
“So, Chris,” Honey plopped a seat between me and Ty looking straight at me. “When are you going to talk to Kae?”
I glared at Honey and bit into my fry. I gave her the ultimate look saying “Fuck off” and looked at Ty saying to collect his girl.
“Uh, baby. Chris is still upset about the thing” Ty cleared his throat while grabbing her waist. Honey rolled her eyes scoffing.
“Chris, it’s been 3 days.”
I got up from the table and discarded my trash in the trash bins. I met Kae’s gaze as I turned to leave the cafe. She slowly got up and approached me and I wanted to walk away from her. She gets a nigga tight, She managed to push every one of my fucking buttons, but I can’t walk away from her. No matter how much she hurt me.
This girl will be the fucking death of me.
Kae stared at her interlocked fingers before looking straight up at me. “Hey.”
No response.
She sighed. “I realize you’re still upset but if you want to, I need help moving into Ro’s place. The boys are gonna be there helping and i figured my boyfriend would want to help too.” She shrugged staring up at me sheepishly. “If I still have one….”
You make my balls itch but I still love your ass.
I thought it but i’m not going to say it. Yeah my ass is being petty. I didn’t hear her for a while, Why should she hear mine?
“I haven’t seen you for days, Chris. I miss you so much” Kae whispered.
Go find Honey and tell her this. Since you can’t tell me shit.
“Please just say something. At least let me know you’re gonna be there.”
I want to be there but you keep pushing me away when I get close
Once again, I remained silent. I turned around and walked out of the cafe putting my hood over my head.
Later on that day, I decided to go over Kae’s sister’s place. Part of me wants to help Kae with this big change but the other part is so fucking pissed and hurt. I parked a block away and watched my friends help Kae with her stuff moving in. My feet wouldn’t allow me to get out and help.
She left me. She left me freaking out and worried. We were not even on god terms when she left. Does she have any damn idea how guilty I felt knowing I said what I said and she disappeared the next day? And she told Honey like I’m not her damn boyfriend, I can’t walk up there and act like we ain’t got no fucking issues because we do. It’s not just this situation. It’s the situation of ever since she brought her ass back to Tappahannock. She somehow always finds a way to push me away.
I put my car in drive and stepped on the gas.
I got pushed too far now.
Karrueche
I breathed deeply and continued up the pathway to Chris’s house. He hasn’t spoken to me in days. He was nowhere to found when I needed help to move into my sister’s place. Had to get help from Ty, Trell, and Trey. Even fucking Devante offered. Where was my boyfriend? Mad at me for doing the right thing for us.
I slowly brought my right fist to the door and banged on it with my left hand holding the stuffed Pikachu he gave us on our first date. His car was home but his mom’s wasn’t so I knew he was home.
“Chris, open the door!” I demanded with my voice cracking. I heard some rumbling behind the door and Chris opened the door looking tired. He folded his arms and leaned against the doorframe.
“What do you want, Karrueche?” He spat as if my name was ash in his mouth. I shook my head trying to keep my anger at bay.
“Are you gonna keep punishing me? Even though I apologized many times, you gave me the silent treatment for days, you ignore my phone calls and texts, dodge me at school, etc. You weren’t even there to help me move. I just want to know if you’re done now?”
Chris began to chuckle sarcastically and I rolled my eyes.
“What? Did you trust me to be there to help me move? You suddenly trust me now?”
“Oh My God! Chris, shut up! Seriously!” I burst out. “I’m sorry! I’m fucking sorry I didn’t tell you! Chris, I trust you! I do! You know more about me than Honey does!”
“No you don’t, Kae. And I’m not even sure if I trust you.” That tore into my heart. “Chris-” “Come on. It’s obvious you don’t trust me. You not trusting me made me not not trust you. You could be doing anything but I can trust Honey would know. We don’t trust each other. If we don’t trust each other, we don’t work.”
“Wait what the fuck are you saying? Chris, we do work!” He shook his head.
“If we don’t have trust, we don’t have love.”
“So now you don’t love me?” I can’t believe what I’m hearing. “Are we breaking up. He came In closer.
"Kae, I don’t want to be in a relationship where there is no trust and im questioning everything.”
Tears began to form and I sniffled. “Maybe we weren’t meant to be together. Maybe just-”
Before I knew what I was doing, I threw the Pikachu hard as fuck in his face.
“WE ARE FUCKING MEANT TO BE! Fuck you Chris! I love you so much and you’re telling me this bullshit! I can’t believe-” I paused shaking my head. “Fuck it. I hate you.” I snarled walking towards my house in anger and tears. I then stopped in my tracks and turned around returning to him.
“No! Fuck that! I love you, Christopher and you can be mad, but you’re going to cool the fuck off and you’re going to talk me because that’s what people in relationships do. We don’t throw what we have away over some misunderstanding and miscommunication. We fucking talk. So you can be mad but you’ll always be mine and I’ll always be yours. Don’t you ever forget that.” I finished with a deep exhale and stared intensely at him.
Chris took my head gently and softly kissed my forehead. He looked down at me with a faint smile moving a hand to my waist.
“I’d rather argue with you than be with someone else. I’m so pissed at you but I can’t let you go. I don’t know why I suggested it. I’m sorry, mama.”
I rested my head against his chest smiling. “I’m sorry too. Now give me some sugar.” I got on my tip toes and pursed my lips. His lips met mine and everything felt alright.
