Page 29 of Church Girl
“I don’t get it, Von.” Malcolm squints after Sheree, waiting until she shoves through the door. “I don’t even fuck with the cops like that, but even I might get a restraining order on her.” He shakes his head, lifting cabbage to his mouth. “She loose.”
“Get a restraining order because my ex-wife is bitter and trifling?” I snort, shoving my plate away. “Yeah, I don’t think it works like that. Hell, even Hallmark ain’t got a card for that.”
Chelle rubs a hand over the shaved side of her head then props her inked forearms on the table. “I told you she had issues when you first started dating her. A woman knows when another one doesn’t have some damn sense. And Sheree never did. But no.” She draws out “no” until it’s about five syllables long. “She got a fat ass and good pussy.”
“Chelle,” I warn on a low growl.
“Okay, okay.” She holds up her hands. “But for real, I got a question. What did you mean by telling the reason you got divorced? There’s something else besides catching her cheating and stealing your money?”
It’s cliché and laughable how I discovered Sheree was fucking around on me. The one time she didn’t take her phone into the bathroom with her, and “Kia” called her. I answered it, and it was Malik, one of my boys. Finding that out on top of my accountant informing me money had gone missing from my business account? I was done. Past done.
Like those two offenses weren’t enough.
But no. There’s more.
And that fucking more damn near broke me.
A very familiar fury throbs in my head, beating in sync with my pulse. Even if I could get past the cheating or the stealing, I’ll never forgive her for themore.
“Von?” Chelle presses when I go silent.
“Yeah?” I scratch my beard-covered jaw. “It doesn’t—hold up.”
My cell vibrates against the table. I frown. Why is Gia’s school calling me? My gaze flicks to the time at the top of the screen, and I note that it’s only 12:34 p.m. My heart gives a hard thump. Silly. They could be calling for any reason, but that’s my baby. Picking up the phone, I press Answer and lift it to my ear.
“Hello?”
“Mr. Howard?” the voice on the other end asks.
I tamp down my impatience and say, “Yeah, this is him. How can I help you?”
“Hello, Mr. Howard, this is Principal Laurence Hutchinson at Gia’s school.”
“Is everything okay with G?”
Chelle’s and Malcolm’s gazes fly to me at the mention of Gia.
“Your daughter is fine, but...” My jaw locks, barely trapping the “Speak the fuck up” behind my teeth. “Sir, we have a problem with her caretaker and need you to come up to the school.”
Her care... “Aaliyah?”
“Yes, sir. Ms. Aaliyah Howard. You have her listed in Gia’s file as a person permitted to drop off and pick up Gia from school as well as a contact in case of emergency. Which is why, when we had a situation here, we called her when we couldn’t get in touch with you.”
“What kind of situation?” I bark, anxiety spiking inside me. “What time did you call me earlier?”
“It was about 11:15,” he says. And after a brief hesitation, he adds, “I’d rather discuss the other part of this in person as it pertains to another child in Gia’s class, sir. Can I expect you at the school soon?”
I drag a hand down my face. At eleven, I was in the middle of a tattoo, but because of Gia, I never turn my phone off or silence it. I don’t know how I missed the call. Yeah, I added Aaliyah to her file as an emergency contact—and in the three weeks Aaliyah has been with G, they’ve been super tight—but Gia’smydaughter. And my stomach curdles. She’s my first priority, and it doesn’t sit well with me that I failed to be there for her today.
“I’m on my way.” Not bothering to wait for his response, I end the call and shove back my chair, standing.
“What’s going on, Von?” Chelle fires at me, rising from her chair, too. “What’s wrong with G?”
“I don’t know. The principal said she’s fine, but something’s going on if they want me up at the school.”
“Call me as soon as you find out.” She follows me out the restaurant door and onto the sidewalk. “I mean it, Von. Don’t make me have to blow up your phone.”
“I got you. Have Malcolm call my afternoon clients and reschedule them for me.”
