Rio snorted a laugh. “Sentimental? Man say, your client don't have a heart so don't fall for that bullshit she talking about.” He glared at Cali, giving her the eye contact she had been craving. “You can try to stall this shit all you want but this divorce is happening. It ain't no need for you to carry my last name when you ain't earn it in the first place. Don't piss me off, Calia.”
She gulped, wishing she could’ve disappeared at that very moment. This was harder than she’d anticipated. Rio hatedher. The love he once had was gone and there were no traces of it left. Cali had no one to blame except herself but still, it didn’t feel good.
“Okay,” she muttered, not having any fight in her. “I won’t keep his last name.”
“Are you sure?” Candace asked.
“Yes, I’ll respect his wishes.”
“Okay,” his attorney concluded. “My client will receive the house and yours can keep her vehicle. Any saving or checking accounts will be split down the middle. We will file this paperwork and wait for the judge to sign off on it. Any other questions?”
“No, it looks like you’ve covered everything,” Candace chirped.
“Alright.”
Everyone stood and Rio was the first to stalk out of the room. Following her first mind, Cali went after him.
“Rio, wait.”
Instead of turning around, he continued walking. Cali then reached for his arm, causing him to snatch away from her.
“You lost your mind,” he seethed, backing her into the wall. “Don't ever put your hands on me.”
“Okay.” She raised her hands in surrender. “I didn’t mean to upset you. I just wanted to say that—”
“You sorry?” he finished her statement. “Do you think I give a fuck about your sorry? Sorry ain't gon’ fix this shit. So, keep it.”
“But I am,” she cried, tears dampening her blush-toned cheeks. “I wish I didn’t do what I did. I wish I could take it all back, Rio. I never meant for you to get harmed.”
A sinister smile rested on his lips. “Yet, you helped a nigga try to take me out.”
“I would never set you up!” she spat, defiantly.
“I ain't trying to hear that. You did all this shit to me. You're the reason I keep having headaches and trying to get back to who I was before this accident. My blood is on your hands, Cali. You ruined me. You wanna know why?” He stepped closer, piercing her with his intense eyes. “‘Cause I know I’ll never be able to love another woman properly because you fucked me over. So, your tears don't mean shit to me. Stop begging and stay the fuck outta my way.” He backpedaled, grilling her with disgust. “You might as well go bury yourself because ain't nothing good gon’ come to you.”
Rio turned around, taking what was left of Cali’s heart. She silently whimpered. The pain became too great. Instead of it resting in her chest, it covered her entire frame, provoking her to kneel down.
“Calia, are you okay?” Candace asked, bending down.
“He hates me now. I think that’s the worst part of this.”
Candace gently rubbed her shoulder. “I hate to say this but it’s normal for spouses to hate one another when a divorce happens. I see it all the time. The person that you marry isn’t the person you divorce. It’ll be okay.”
It wouldn’t be okay for Cali. The love of her life detested the ground she walked on. She would never be able to live this blunder down. Rio was right; she should go to a cemetery, pick a plot, and bury herself alive. That way she could escape this misery.
Eight
2007
Irish peeped out of her bedroom and spotted her mother sitting at the table. Seeing that she was alone, she decided to go and talk to her without Emanuel around.
“Mama,” she softly said. “Can I talk to you?”
“What is it?” she asked, peeling some russet potatoes.
“Uh…” she stalled. “I um, Emanuel took me to this place. And it was smoky. There were a lot of grown people there—well, there were grown men there looking at me. It made me feel creepy. Emanuel even touched me and I didn’t like it.”
Daisy angled her head, sitting the potato on the table. “Touched you where?”
