Page 50 of Out of Bounds
“Take all the time you need. But at the end of the day, you gon’ be good. This separation with you and sis is temporary. Eventually, y’all gon’ work it out.”
“Shit…” I snorted. Deuce had high hopes for some shit that I knew wasn’t happening. Masai’s ass wasn’t budging, and I ain’t have nobody to blame but myself.
She was busy getting her life together, and my ass had been sitting here holding out hope that we would reconcile. I couldn’t front. When I sat there and watched her sign those fucking papers, something in me tore. That shit had me feeling like my girl had really given up on me and the life we built together. Granted, I know I fucked up, but it was the fact that Masai acted like the shit couldn’t be fixed. She was acting like she ain’t want to fix it. I know her fixing it meant that KJ would be a permanent fixture in her life, and maybe she didn’t want that to be her reality. I respected it because, after all, his existence was constant proof of my infidelity.
Masai had moved on with her life, no matter how hard I tried to prevent the shit from happening. Maybe it was finally time for me to accept that shit was really over and move on with mine too.
“Nawl, I think my girl done with my ass. But say… we ain’t gotta talk ’bout it. We done now. The papers had been signed. All we can do for each other is be the best version of ourselves for our kids. I’m good.”
“You sure? ’Cause I got yo’ ass on suicide watch.” Deuce joked. “I went to the bank the other day to check and make sure the policy I took out on yo’ ass was still valid.”
Tossing my head back, I laughed. “Fuck you, dog!”
“Shit. I’m just saying.”
“I ain’t selfish, bruh. Me taking myself out will devastate my kids, and they done already been through the worst.”
“Aight. I’m just making sure.” He patted me on the chest. “Now that we done got this depressed nigga outta his head, it’s time to see some ass shaking!” he yelled that last part, making Jrue lean over and slap hands with him.
The two of them used any little excuse to see some strippers, but I got it. Both of them were from Atlanta, and if you know anything about the A, you knew the naked hustle was a rite of passage. When the waitress came back with our drinks, I had no choice but to shake myself out of my sullen state. My niggas were trying to get me to enjoy myself, and I refused to ruin their night because my issues were bearing down on my shoulder.
Instead, I slipped off to the ATM and grabbed a few stacks out and had the waitress break them down to the some ones. For the rest of the night, I sat in our section and paid somebody’s fucking rent for the next few months. By the time we dipped, my ass was so fucked up that them niggas had to help my ass in the crib.
I had to give it to them; their plan worked, even if it was only temporary. For the first time in weeks, I wasn’t sitting up stressing about my life or what it had been. I was finally able to sit back and enjoy myself without any inhibitions. My marriage was already over—wasn’t shit else I could do about that.
Stomping her little feet, Aurora threw her hands on her hips. “Come on, Daddy! You promised.”
“Aurora, I ain’t promise no shit like this.” I frowned.
Masai thought Aurora was going to change her mind about the type of party she wanted. My baby was serious when she said she wanted to be the black Little Mermaid. I was down for it because whatever my kids wanted, they got. What my ass didn’t expect was for them to show up at the crib with a fucking King Triton costume. I don’t know what the fuck Masai was thinking, but I ain’t plan on wearing no costume.
“But it’s my birthday!” She pouted.
“I know, baby, and you look beautiful in your costume. But why does Daddy have to wear one? Mommy ain’t got a costume on.”
“That’s because Ariel doesn’t have a mother,” Masai noted as she stepped into the living room.
They wanted me to dress up, but her ass had on a pair of shorts and a fucking T-shirt with Aurora dressed up as Ariel on it. Her ass had the nerve to be looking and smelling all good and shit. I know I told her I preferred her with long hair, but this bob shit she was sporting damn near had my dick on hard.
“Mommy could’ve been Ursula, the evil auntie.” I jabbed, making Masai narrow her eyes at me.
“The last thing youwantme to be is Ursula. I would ban you to the depths of the ocean with no possibility of return,” she tossed out so casually that I had no choice but to believe her ass.
“Daddy!” Aurora groaned. “Please put it on.”
“Aight, baby girl,” I finally relented. “I’mma run upstairs and get changed. Masai, if you want, you can show the kids to the backyard. The decorator has everything set up.”
Masai grabbed Aurora’s hand. “Come on, Princess Ariel.” She smiled down at my baby before the two of them trotted off.
Taking the steps two at a time, I strolled into my room so that I could get dressed. Masai’s ass knew exactly what the fuck she was doing. I know for a fact that her ass was the one who even thought of this shit, and my baby girl just went along with it.
After we were sure Aurora wanted to keep her theme, we worked hand in hand with the party planner to make her day extra special. The decorator I hired had turned my backyard into the most gorgeous “under the sea”theme. Masai had taken the liberty of ordering the little girls, whom we’d invited, their own Mermaid costumes to change into once they arrived. We wanted everyone to be in theme for my baby girls’ fifth birthday. The way her face lit up at the balloon arch hovering over my front door made me happy. My marriage might have been over, but my kids were still smiling and happy. That kept me pushing forward.
Checking myself out in the mirror, I scowled. “My got damn arms ’bout to rip this lil’ ass shirt to shreds. And these fucking pants are too tight.” The costume Masai’s ass had bought me came with these slim fit tights that had fucking fins on the bottom of each pant leg. “Bruh, I’m not ’bout to put this fucking wig on either.”
I was standing in the mirror, fussing, not even realizing that my ass wasn’t alone anymore, when I heard Deuce’s ass laugh.
“Yo’. Not you in here dressed like you ’bout to hit the end of Bourbon street.”
