Chapter 24
Rashad was at a crossroads. Even though he promised he’d never get rid of any of the women in his life, he knew it was impossible to live that way. Something had to give. He knew he’d blown it with Kiara and he felt regretful. She really was a good woman. And he wanted to try to be a better husband, but pussy was his weakness. Selfishness was his vice. He decided he needed to do something different. He would intentionally hurt someone in order to save himself. It scared him to become a man who was different than his dad, but he would give it a try.
So he stayed at a motel the night that Kiara kicked him out of the house. He lay around all night long tossing turning and thinking. The next afternoon after he checked out, he drove around for hours. His cell phone was off all that night and day. But suddenly, his mind was more clear. He powered up his phone. Only Nicole had tried to contact him. He neglected to read her messages. Instead, he typed up a text and then pressed send. It read:
Hey. We need to talk. Can u pls meet me today at 4 at the spot.
Nicole texted him back.
K. What you want me to wear?
Right before he could respond, his cell phone rang.
It was Alexis, “Hey. I got your text. I’m assuming this is about Hayley. I can meet you but I will be running twenty minutes late.”
For the first time in his life, Rashad wanted to die. He didn’t mean to send a group text. And he couldn’t be in two places at one time. Or could he?
Which woman should I go meet? Which one will I eliminate? I feel like a judge on Chopped.
He decided to meet Alexis. Since Nicole was the more emotional one, he’d deal with her later.
He got to the restaurant before she did. Hayley was with her. He smiled and turned off his phone.
“Hey, Rashad, what’s up. You texted the wrong woman.” She smiled. “I saw it was a group text, but the facetious side of me decided to meet you anyway.”
“Oh, yeah.” He blushed with embarrassment. Alexis acted hard but Rashad felt she was so chill in spite of her spunky attitude. “You know you ain’t right, but I’m glad you met me anyway. I’m here just to try and gain some understanding. Try and be a better man.”
“Oh, really? How will you accomplish that?”
“I came to give you my blessing.”
Alexis yelped and laughed. “Thank you for that, Jesus.”
“Seriously. I don’t have a right to keep you from your happiness. If dude makes you happy, go for it.”
“Wow! I’m touched. I am skeptical, but touched.”
He laughed too, knowing he probably sounded foolish. “I know you think I’m bugging. This new me will take time. You ain’t used to this type of Rashad Eason.”
“No, I’m not.”
Rashad felt like a burden had been lifted. Maybe he needed to be more truthful so everyone could be happier. . . including himself.
“But you’re used to this Rashad. Order whatever y’all want from the menu. Last night, Kiara pushed me out the nest. And can you believe she cooked and did not even let me eat one green bean? I fasted all day like a Roman Catholic. So I’m starving, too.”
“Let’s eat,” Hayley yelled.
“Let’s.” Alexis smiled. For a minute she felt sorry for Rashad. He looked like hell. But it was his own entire fault. She told him that she appreciated his honesty, and confessed she was ready for something different, too. And that it did include her new man, Varnell Chester Augustus Brown.
It felt good for both of them to just talk to each other like adults with no arguing. They ate and enjoyed a nice, pleasant conversation.
An hour later he powered on his phone.
Frantic texts started loading. All from one woman.
Where R U?
I came to the spot. U weren’t here. What’s up?
R U Ok. Call me!!!
Kiara had been super busy that evening because Myles started throwing up as if he had a stomach bug. She stayed home and cared for him. But she realized she needed to run out to the store real quick to stock up on some medicine, soup, and orange juice.
By four-thirty, she managed to get Myles settled in the front seat of her car. She put the car in reverse and pressed the button to raise the garage door. She glanced at the rearview mirror. A lone figure stood directly behind her car. And it wouldn’t move.
Kiara peered closely. It was Nicole. She blew her horn.
Nicole continued standing directly in front of the trunk, blocking Kiara from being able to leave. Kiara pressed on the horn again.
Finally Nicole walked up to the driver’s side window. Tears streamed down her face,
“P-lease,” she wailed, “I want Rashad. Give him up.”
Kiara gasped. She got out of the car and faced the distraught woman. Nicole didn’t back away. She grabbed her boss by the arms and shook her. “You need to face reality. Y’all had your time together. But it’s not working out anymore. If Rashad really loved you, if he was happy with his life, he wouldn’t be kicking it with me.”
“Nicole, please don’t say these things—”
“But as long as he thinks he’s supposed to be with you and trying to work it out, he will continue holding back from me. Let him go. I don’t want him to sneak around anymore. I know what I want. You’re still young and pretty, Kiara. You can get a second husband. I’ve never had even one.”
“You’re crazy. Nicole, I’m serious, get away from me with that mess or I will call the police on you so fast—”
“Are you sure you want to do that? You actually want to involve the police in this? Because if I told Rashad that you’re fucking around with Eddison Osborne, I will spill some tea that even Molly Maid can’t clean up.”
At first Kiara felt that fear rise up in her, but something made her want to face it. She could either face it or run from it.
“You can’t handle all this, Kiara. You’re greedy as hell seeing that you’re fucking two men. Two! All I’m asking is for one of them.”
Kiara realized Nicole had no idea what she was talking about. She felt sorry for the chick.
“My son is in the car. Hush your mouth.”
“I’m going to open up my mouth like I should have done all along and tell Rashad what’s really going on with you.”
Kiara felt so much hatred for Nicole right then.
“You know what? Go ahead. Call Rashad. Tell him I had sex with another man. I don’t give a damn anymore.”
Nicole looked shocked. “You don’t?”
“I don’t. So call him. See what he says. I’ll be waiting right here for him. Because I know he’s going to be running back to me.”
“You wish he would, psycho bitch.”
“Hold on, Nicole, I get sick of the way you talk to me as if you don’t work for me.”
“When I’m off the clock, I can say what I wanna say.” Nicole looked angry. “In fact, I dare you to fire me. I will put you on blast everywhere I can. Twitter. Facebook. Instagram.”
It took everything inside Kiara not to put her fingers around Nicole’s neck and choke the life out of her.
“You know what?” she said. “We aren’t at work right now. Get the fuck off my property, bitch.”