Page 58 of Mahogany 2
“It’s about time!” Aubry complained.
“Ma! I called you and—” Hazel said before Sparkle interrupted.
“Mommy!” She shrieked.
“You didn’t get my text?” Gabe asked.
I just looked at them, took a deep breath and bent down a little to pick Sparkle up.
“Momma had a long day at work, y’all. Chill,” Duke defended.
“Sorry. Today was a rough day. I’m working on a big project y’all,” I told them. “Remember?”
Since pulling my disappearance act I had beenextremelytransparent and available to the kids. Today that hadn’t been the case, and I felt like shit because of it.
“Yeah,” they said in unison.
I looked up at Duke and asked, “Please tell me you got dinner.”
He smiled and nodded. “I’ll do you one better—I made chicken wings and fries. I put yours in the microwave, baby.”
I placed my hand over my chest to show gratitude. “Thank you, D.”
“You already know,” He paused. “I was calling to let you know I had it.”
I felt bad about not answering. Felt horrible about the reason for not answering. I just apologized and told him I had my phone on silent because the kids kept calling. He didn’t question it. Just told me it was alright, and we went into the house. The kids gotto talking my head off and I let them. Mind was everywhere but on what they were saying but from the outside looking in, you wouldn’t be able to tell.
Hours later,I was in bed wrapped up in Duke’s arms feeling like shit. I’d taken a shower and brushed my teeth, and I still felt him on me. Crescent Carter.
I cheated as Mahogany Mills-Morris.I kept thinking about it. Couldn’t escape the thought of it. Couldn’t wash away the guilt. The guilt that came from wantingmoreof that. More of Crescent Carter and not only because he was Armani suit but because he made me feel. I felt something with him. For the first time, I cheated and I didn’t leave empty. And because I felt good about it, I felt horrible about it too.
Duke didn’t deserve that.
He deserved a fight. A fair fight.
Because I couldn’t get out of my head, I just laid there with wide eyes and a racing heart. Thinking about the guilt. Thinking abouthim. Sadly, wanting to be with him. I couldn’t help wanting to be in his arms instead of in the arms of the man I married.Whydid I want him anyway? It was messy over there. Here, I had completion. Family. Happily…well… we were working on the happily part… ever after? It was ridiculous. And?—
“What’s wrong?” Duke asked, cutting into the silence, startling me.
I swallowed and adjusted my bonnet. “Huh?”
“You ain’t been sleep,” he mentioned. “Heart racing like a muthafucka. What happened?”
“Nothing happened. I just… I’ve been thinking.”
“About what?” He asked, placing a kiss on my shoulder, pulling me closer.
I sighed and closed my eyes. “I’ve been working crazy hours and I just…” I shrugged. “I feel like I’ve been neglecting a few things. I feel guilty about it.”
“You knew what it was going to be when you picked up the contract. That’s why you were working so hard on securing it. Don’t feel guilty, baby, we got it over here. I got it. I’ve been holding shit down.” He paused and propped himself up on his elbow to look down at me. “Right?”
He wanted reassurance and I gave him that. Duke had been holding shit down. He’d been doing a good job taking care of home which came to a surprise initially. I just knew I would be under more stress coming home from work, but I wasn’t. Every time I came to the house, it was clean, and some form of dinner was on the table. Didn’t matter if it was homecooked or fast food—he made sure they ate.
“You’ve been doing amazing,” I told him. “Thank you. Ducati.”
He kissed me on the cheek and grabbed me to turn me over to face him. When we were face to face, he brushed his nose up against mine and then kissed me on the lips.
“You know I got you, baby.”
