Page 58 of Ony If It's You
“Yeah, baby, Mommy’s just tired. Come on, we’re going to go see Granny tonight instead of staying home.”
“Yay!” They both hopped down and rushed to the car with me following slowly behind. I was pissed. All of my work stuff was in my house. Pharaoh was definitely going to regret his decision. He was used to me being chill and passive but playing with me and my kids’ livelihood was a violation.
After climbing inside and starting my car, I tried to breathe in and out a few times to calm down, but it wasn’t working. I was so overwhelmed with frustration that I just broke down crying. I hated for Messiah and Jocelyn to see me crying because I didn’t want them worrying about me, but I couldn’t help it.
“Mommy,” Jocey whimpered.
She climbed into the front seat and settled on my lap. I just hugged her little body while I cried. She was crying with me and I could hear Si having a conversation with someone behind me. I tuned completely into the conversation when he started explaining our house to someone.
“Si, who is that?” I sniffled.
“JV.”
Knots formed in my stomach when he answered me. I didn’t want him to see me crying or hell, see me period, but it was too late. Si was hanging up seconds later.
“He said don’t move, he would be here in a minute.”
“Messiah, why did you call him?”
“Because you and Jocey are crying.”
Using my shoulder to dry away some of my tears, I waved him up to the front seat with us.
“Are you okay?” he asked, wiping my tears away and some of his sisters.
“Yeah, don’t worry about me, okay?”
He nodded and climbed into the passenger seat. Jocelyn was still in my lap wiping away her own tears trying to make sure I was done crying. I pulled her little body into a tight hug when she had gotten herself together. Si opened the door and hopped out catching me off guard.
“Messiah!”
I hurried to open the driver’s door and get out with Jocey in my arms. When she noticed that it was JV, she pushed out of my arms and ran to him. He scooped her small body up.
“Pretty girls don’t cry,” he said to her as he examined her face.
“Mommy was crying.” She sniffled.
“I know, both of you are too pretty to cry.” His eyes made their way to mine before he lowered her to the ground. “Y’all run and get back in the car for me. Let me holla at your mama.”
The two of them nodded and ran back to my car. I watched until they settled in their seats before turning my attention to Javyous.
“I’m sorry he called you. I’m dealing with something and it just got the best of me.”
“Who else would he have called?”
“I—nobody, I’m just saying. I know you may have been busy…”
“Nothing will ever have me so busy that I don’t drop everything and come running for the three of you. Ever.”
He didn’t hesitate or stutter as he spoke. Instead, I was enmeshed in the surety in his tone.
“Thank you.”
“Why were you crying?”
I feigned ignorance. “It was nothing.”
“Kehlani.” The way he said my name had my heart rate increasing and my eyes fastening to his. “Answer my question.”
