Page 40 of Mister Jeweler

Placing her head on the headrest, Denali closed her eyes and inhaled a deep breath.

“You mishandled me, but I wouldn’t try to keep you from them unless I felt like I couldn’t trust you with them. I don’t know what’s gotten into you lately, but…”

“I’m sorry, aight?” His apology caught her so off guard, Denali couldn’t respond. “Denali?”

“I heard you,” she muttered.

“Do you accept my apology?”

“No.”

He laughed, making her smile. “That’s fair.”

“What the hell was up with you, Blaze?”

He sighed into the receiver. “It’s some shit going on that I haven’t been honest with you about. Work shit and personal shit. I didn’t want to tell you because I didn’t want you stressing, so I wanted to fix it on my own. But I’ve been… mad as hell about that shit, and I guess I just took it out on you. I apologize for that.”

“I apologize for not coming to you privately about the situation, but my question didn’t warrant your reaction at all.”

“I know,” he replied softly.

“You cared about literally everyone else but me.” Her eyes watered, but she refused to let a tear fall. “You know how that shit made me feel?”

“I’m sorry, baby. I really am. Since I got this new job, a nigga’s ego been a li’l boosted. I been hanging out a lot and shit and just… focusing on the wrong things and wrong people. But you right. I should have kept my word about it just being my family and warned you when I decided to invite my friends. And I should have made you feel safe and at peace in our home instead of like an outcast.”

“Who were those women?”

Blaze sighed and let a few seconds of silence pass. “Just some females Trey cool with. Half of them were gay, but still. It’s women I met through him and the guys. They were coming, but you know their asses be late, so the women just got there first. That was my fault for not warning you.”

“And Whitney?”

“I’m not cheating on you with her.”

“Then why didn’t you introduce her like everyone else?”

“Because I used to fuck off with her friend when me and you were on a break. She’s messy as hell, and I didn’t even know she was going to be there. That’s why I didn’t want her talking to you. I was trying to get her out the house, but she said she had to use the bathroom first. So I was trying to let her hurry up and do that so she could leave.”

“But you passed a whole bathroom to take her upstairs, Blaze.”

“I wasn’t thinking clearly, aight? All I was focused on was getting her ass the hell up out the house before she said some slick shit to you and made you think I was still fucking with her home girl. I guess I took her upstairs because I didn’t want to risk somebody being in the downstairs bathroom and having to wait.”

Denali’s head shook. Even if she believed him, it didn’t matter. She wasn’t invested in their relationship anymore, and every little thing he did wrong pissed her off.

“I don’t like who I am with you anymore. This version of me that’s always nagging and complaining and questioning you. I missed the old days when we were having fun and happy and at peace.”

“I agree. So what you tryna say?”

Nibbling her bottom lip, Denali stared out of the window at the front door. “I think you should get your own place and we just focus on co-parenting. Us trying to be together isn’t working anymore.”

The quieter Blaze remained, the harder it was for Denali to hold her tears in. Hell, it was hard enough just saying that. She’d promised her kids while they were still in her womb that she would do whatever it took to keep their family together, happy, and healthy. Denali had grown up with parents who had split up, and she didn’t like the back and forth, the tension, or the arguing between her parents.

Even with the issues she and Blaze were having, Denali was committed to keeping their relationship solid enough for them to remain in the same home until her kids were in college. But after Saturday, Denali didn’t think that was possible. It was a lot she would sacrifice for her kids, but her safety and wellbeing at the hands of their father was not on that list.

“I can’t agree to that,” Blaze said. “Not permanently.”

“Blaze, you don’t have a cho—”

“I’ll get my own place so we can have some space, but we ain’t over, Denali. You and our kids are the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I might need to get my shit together to win you back, but I’ma do that.”

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