Chapter Twenty-one
Kylee lay in bed crying and in pain. Ja’Nay had just dropped her off and offered to stay with her until Eli got off work, but Kylee wanted to be alone. She needed time to think about what she’d just done. She couldn’t get over the fact that she’d just taken a life and prayed to God that He’d forgive her for doing such a horrible thing.
As Kylee was trying to get some rest, the doorbell rang. She slowly got up and walked to the top of the stairs. “Who is it?” she yelled down asking. No one answered. “I said who is it?”
Getting no answer a second time, Kylee eased down the stairs and looked out the peephole. “What the fuck?” Kylee snatched the door opened. “What the fuck you doin’ at my muthafuckin’ house? Bitch, you done lost your mind, but I’ma whoop yo’ ass until you find it,” she said to Tionna, knowing she wasn’t in any shape to fight anyone, but she sure wasn’t about to let Tionna know that.
“Wait, wait, wait, Kylee,” Tionna said, holding up her hands trying to stop anything from happening.
“Wait my ass; bitch, you at my house and how the fuck you know my name?”
Tionna looked a hot mess. She looked like she hadn’t slept in days. She had big bags underneath her eyes and looked nothing like she had at the gas station or the Dairy Queen that day.
“Have you ever had a man mess around on you?” Tionna asked.
“Hell naw,” Kylee snapped.
“Well if you had, you would know that I done my homework until I found out your name, where you live, and what you about,” Tionna replied boldly.
“Okay, so what the fuck you want at my house?”
“My husband,” Tionna answered desperately.
“Look at you. I know this ain’t the same bitch who was at the shop poppin’ fly in front of an audience; now you here standin’ on my porch, beggin’ for your husband back.” Kylee smirked.
“Just let me explain, Kylee, please, and after you hear me out, you will never have to worry about me again,” Tionna pleaded.
“What you wanna explain? How I do have more than just ass to offer Eli? Oh wait a minute, or how you finally come to realize that Eli is never comin’ back to you?” Kylee antagonized her. Kylee’s words were cutting into Tionna deep. Kylee was outdone. She couldn’t believe how much nerve this chick had to actually walk up on her property and ask for her husband back. The old Kylee would have commenced kicking her ass, but the new, maturing Kylee was going to hear her out first, then kick her ass for coming over to her house.
“Please, just hear me out,” Tionna begged.
“You got five minutes, then I’m goin’ back to lie down,” Kylee said.
Tionna stood quietly, trying to get her thoughts together. She knew this would be her one and only chance to ask Kylee for her husband back.
“Talk,” Kylee snapped, tired of waiting.
“Look, Kylee, first I want to apologize for callin’ you out of your name at the Dairy Queen,” Tionna started. “And for tryin’a front on you at the shop.”
“It ain’t no biggie,” Kylee said.
“Look, I really don’t know where to start, but all I can say is I wish you would leave my husband alone. I love Eli, and me and my daughter need him home with us,” Tionna said.
“Eli don’t love you, and you know he don’t.” Kylee frowned.
Knowing Kylee knew the truth about Eli’s feelings hurt Tionna badly. “He might not love me, but I love him. Truthfully, I didn’t at first, but I fell in love with him. And the worst feelin’ in the world is seein’ the one you love, love someone else,” Tionna said as tears filled her eyelids.
Kylee listened as Tionna continued pouring out her heart.
“You just don’t know how many nights I sit up and wait for my husband to come home, tell me he’s sorry, make love to me, and tell me that he’ll never leave me again.”
Kylee felt bad and felt her eyes welling up, too. She knew messing around with this woman’s husband was bad enough, but taking him from her was even worse and she knew better than anyone that karma was a dangerous bitch!
“It’s so hard to wait for somethin’ you know might never happen, but it’s even harder to give up when you know it’s everything you want,” Tionna said as the tears poured.
“I’m really sorry, Tionna. I never meant for any of this to happen,” Kylee said as tears flowed down her cheeks. “I only planned on sleepin’ wit’ Eli. I never intended for us to be livin’ together or anything.”
“It’s okay.” Tionna was glad that she’d gotten through to Kylee and was even happier that her husband was finally coming home so they could be a family again. Tionna made a promise that when Eli came home she would treat him like the king he was. “I’m so happy you see where I’m comin’ from and even happier that you’re goin’ to leave Eli alone,” Tionna said, smiling.
“Who said that?” Kylee asked, surprised.
“I thought you understood where I was comin’ from,” Tionna said.
“I do understand where you comin’ from. But you gotta understand that a lot of people’s relationships end badly; if not, they wouldn’t have ended in the first place,” Kylee said.
“So what are you sayin’?” Tionna asked desperately.
“I’m sayin’ why keep chasin’ a nigga who’s already gone? Focus on your future and not your past,” Kylee stated. With that being said, Kylee walked back in the house, leaving Tionna standing on the porch.