sight of him. As far as I was concerned, this was no longer his home, and I was hoping he’d pack his shit and leave. Hell, this wouldn’t be the first time a nigga packed up and left me.
“Nina, can I talk to you for a minute?” He popped into the laundry room, where I was washing clothes. I acted like I didn’t hear him.
“Nina, you gonna talk to me or what?”
“Go talk to the bitch who just returned from the dead. I’m still trying to figure out why you’re here. I know you don’t think you’re going to have us both?”
“Nina, stop.”
“Stop?” I turned around to face him. “Stop? Rick, do you realize that I am this close to telling you to pack your shit and get out of my life? This is so not fair! I loved you. You got me pregnant. You put a ring on my finger. My kids call you Daddy. This house here, we turned into a home, together. You fixed up the baby room, for God’s sake. I trusted myself with you. I allowed myself to feel safe.” I choked up. “I knew this was going to happen. Why did you lie to me?” I started sobbing as I slid down against the dryer onto the floor.
He came over to me and bent down. He held my face in his hands. “I didn’t lie. She’s been in the hospital in a coma.”
“And you just popped up and found her?” I had to laugh at that one.
“Crazy as that may sound, that’s exactly what happened. And that’s the truth. Nina, you should know by now that I would never hurt you intentionally, and I never lied to you.”
“You already did hurt me intentionally. You fucked her, Rick. The entire time we’ve been together I know you secretly wished she wasn’t dead. You wished that bitch back to life. And that hurts. My heart use to have love in it for you but now I hate you. I hate you for what you did to my love for you. I trusted you. All of my trust for you went out the window. I have to face reality. There is nothing left.”
“What do you mean there ain’t nothing left?”
“Typical question from a nigga who wants the cake and the icing. Rick, your story is whack as fuck I don’t give a damn if they posted that bitch on the side of the milk carton saying she was found alive, apparently our love was never shit. How could you do this to me, Rick?”
“Nina.”
“Nina, Nina, what? ‘It’s not what it seems!’ Rick, you were fucking her, and then you spent the night with her. You didn’t come home with me! How do you think that makes me feel, Rick? How am I supposed to compete with her?”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Now you’re lying again! Go! Just get the fuck out of my life!”
CHARLI
It sent chills up my spine just to hear Mr. Macklin’s voice. Don’t act surprised. You read my diary excerpts, 50 Shades of Trae. You know my feelings for him.
I can honestly say that I am at peace with myself. It took a while, but finally I’m here.
The loss of our baby was both bitter and sweet. Sweet because I was under the impression for years that I couldn’t get pregnant. But I did. Bitter because my father would never approve of me having a baby out of wedlock. And definitely not by someone my father would consider a common thug. He wanted me to marry a leader of a country. Royalty.
I knew that when I was ready to reach out to Mr. Macklin again, it had to be worthwhile. I didn’t know of anyone to use better than my father to get his attention. And it just so happened that my father was looking to expand one of his operations, and he needed someone. So I decided to suggest Mr. Macklin. Now all I had to do was persuade Father to bring him in.
I tapped on the door to my father’s study.
“Come in, my little one.”
I eased the door open. “Father, how did you know it was me?”
“I can always sense your presence.” He got up from behind his desk and met me. We hugged, and he kissed my forehead. I stood back and bowed.
“Father, I have an idea that you may be interested in.” I sat in one of the chairs in front of his desk.
“It’s Sunday, little one. Your day off. This must be