Page 24 of Out of Bounds
“Oh, you have a pool?” I asked.
“Yeah,” he responded coolly. Opening the back door, he pulled Aurora out of her seat and pecked her face, making her little ass blush. “Get out, girls,” he said to the other three.
While he got their bags out of the trunk, I went around the other side and got Kree out. “You need his car seat?”
“Nawl, I got one.” Turning to the girls, he signaled toward the house. “Come on… let’s go inside.”
The girls immediately filed behind him, while I was hesitant to move. I guess he could feel it because he paused mid-stride and waved me on. Sucking my teeth, I shut the truck door and followed them up the driveway, into his new house.
“I’mma go drop these bags off. Y’all can hang out here.”
Instead of going into the living room with the kids, I stood by the front door and checked the place out. He’d gotten it furnished, and it looked good. He had pictures of all of us hung up on the walls in the foyer. The house was a good size. It wasn’t bigger than the one we resided in, but, it was big enough for the kids to be comfortable, so I was happy about that.
“They got their own rooms,” he shared, scaring the fuck out of me. I had ventured further into the house without even noticing it.
“It’s nice.” I smiled.
“It’s not home,” he responded.
“Well… you didn’t want home.” I tossed back.
“I’ve never not wanted home, Masai.”
“Okay, Kreed.” I chided. I could tell he wanted to say something else, but he refrained. Instead, he clasped his hands together and watched me until I spoke again. “Make sure you put Sophie and Aurora in a life jacket before you let them get in the pool.”
“You know you can chill out and kick it with us today. It’ll feel like old times.”
“That’s the problem. Old times would’ve been us doing this together. Now, I gotta split time with my kids because you were selfish.”
“I’m trying to make it right, Sai.”
Shaking my head, I protested. “I don’t need you to make it right for me. Make it right forthem. They’re the ones that need you.” Paying him one final glance, I spun on my heels and walked out. I heard him calling my name, but I didn’t stopmoving. I didn’t stop until I was safely planted behind the wheel of my truck.
That’s when it happened. That’s when I broke down and cried worse than the day I found out he had another child. I don’t know how Koya knew I was having a mental breakdown, but my phone started ringing and her name came up on the screen of the truck. Hitting the button on the steering wheel, I slammed my eyes shut.
“Masai…” she mewled. “What happened?”
“I just dropped them off with him.” I sniveled and wiped my eyes with the sleeve of my shirt. “This is so fucking hard.”
“We knew it was going to be hard, babe.”
“I know. But I didn’t think it would feel like this.” I sobbed until I was able to continue speaking. “I hate him so much, Koya. I really hate him.” Glancing up at the house, I spotted Kreed standing in the doorway sporting a sympathetic look. For a minute, our eyes locked on each other. His were pleading with me, and mine were filled with sorrow and rage.
I was at war with my feelings and suffocating from the fact that my marriage was really over.
“If you want to work on your marriage, Masai, you are well within your rights to do so. Kreed messed up, and granted, you might feel like the situation isn’t worth redeeming, but if you love him, Masai, and you want him back… You make him work for a spot in your heart again.”
“I don’t want him back,” I blubbered. “I just don’t want to hurt anymore.”
“I’m coming to you. I’m on the way now.”
“Okay…” I breathed.
“Give me thirty minutes.”
“Okay.” Finding the strength, I crunk my truck and pulled away. As much as I wanted to stay and be with my family, I had no choice but to accept that it was really over. Those kids weremy family, but not Kreed. He was the man I love who broke my heart.
Sitting Indian style on the sofa, I accepted the glass of wine from Koya.
