Page 16 of Out of Bounds
“Excuse me?” Koya squeaked.
“Yeah.” I nodded. “My husband was cheating on me and now has a baby with the woman.”
“I’mma beat his fucking ass!” Jream retorted.
“No sense.” Swiping away my tears, I tsked. “Koya, remember the girl from the bathroom?”
Koya eyed me suspiciously. “You mean the one who was ‘just a fan’?”
“That’s the one. Kree and I were in Publix after his doctor’s appointment when she approached me.”
“Okay. Can I play devil’s advocate for a second?” Jream pondered. “How do we know it’s his baby?”
“Figured you might say that.” Instead of telling themhowI knew, I decided to show them. Going to the messages ole girl had sent me, I handed her the phone. “His name is Kreed. He’s six months old. When she approached me the first time, she was pregnant.”
Koya and Jream took turns swiping through the proof I’d received. Much like me, they gasped after reading every message she’d sent. When the two of them were done with their perusal, they sported looks of shock.
“It’s been going on that long?”
“That long, Koya. He’s been hiding it for that long. And there’s no telling when he would’ve come clean.”
“That is so messed up, Masai. I am so sorry,” Jream mewled.
“Yeah, friend. I’m so sorry. This is so messed up.”
“As am I. I feel like my life is over. I want to hate him sooo bad…” I drawled. “Like, so fucking bad. But I love Kreed. I’ve loved that man more than I’ve loved me. Jream, you know. You’ve been with us for years. You know the things I’ve sacrificed for him and this family.
“I gave up my career because he sold me this dream. A fucking façade. And I believed it. When everybody was in my ear telling me not to quit the law firm, I let that man convince me that being home with the kids full-time was where I needed to be. And don’t get me wrong… I don’t regret it not one bit because I truly believe no one can raise my kids like I can.
“But I had dreams. I had goals, and I gave them up to be his wife.” Cradling my head in my hands, I sobbed. I had really put my life on hold for this man, and he’d done the one thing hepromisedhe wouldn’t do. That shit hurt so fucking bad. I believed him, had faith in him, and trusted that he wouldn’t hurt me. I did all that, only for him to turn around and do the very thing he swore he wouldn’t.
“Where is he?” Jream asked.
“Hell if I know. I put him out. His key and the garage opener is over there.” I tossed my head to the counter where Kreed had placed his things.
“Have you thought about what you’re going to tell the kids?”
“No, Koya. You gotta a PR script for shit like this?” I chuckled bitterly. “’Cause I need all the help I can get right now.”
“There’s no script for this, friend. But you’ve gotta let them know something. They’re going to have questions.”
“And to which I feel like the answers should come from him. Fuck! They’re going tohateme,” I cried out.
“No, babe, they won’t,” Koya tried to reassure me, but it was of no use.
My kids adored their father, and my kicking him out was going to upset them. Even if I had a valid reason to do what I did, they wouldn’t understand that. All they would see is that I’m the reason he’s not here anymore.
“I’m going to ask you what I would ask anybody that’s in a crisis. What do you need from me?” Koya asked with sincere eyes.
“A divorce attorney,” I uttered, using the sleeve of my robe to wipe my eyes. “A damn good one.”
“Is reconciliation off the table?” Jream quizzed. “Like… are you certain you want to split, and I’m not asking because I’m on his side, Sai. I’m asking because I’m onyourside. I don’t want you to rush and make a decision because you’re hurting. I want you to look at things from every angle and be sure that walking away is the right thing to do for you.”
“Jream, he has another baby. A child. I’m not raising another bitch’s kid. That is absolutely where I draw the line.”
“Well, in that case, like Koya said… What do you need from me?”
“Just be here. That’s all I need.”
