I looked up slow. “Who?”
“I’on know, bro. Some dude.”
The switch flipped in me instantly. I dropped the squeegee in my hand and walked out without sayin’ shit else. My pulse was already thumpin’ in my neck ‘cause niggas don’t just walk up on me, especially at my shop.
The sun hit me when I stepped outside, and that’s when I saw him some professionally dressed nigga holdin’ an envelope like he had a damn mission.
“You Kay’Lo Mensah?” he asked.
I looked him dead in his face. “Yeah. Why? What you want?”
He ain’t answer. He just held the envelope out like he ain’t wanna get any closer than he had to, then turned around and walked off fast like he didn’t wanna be caught standin’ in front of me too long.
My stomach dropped before I even opened it. Somethin’ in my spirit felt off.
I tore the envelope open and unfolded the papers.
Petition for Dissolution of Marriage.
Toni Mensah vs. Kay’Lo Mensah.
My whole body went cold, and everything ot quiet as fuck.
I read my name again, and it still didn’t feel real.
Toni was divorcin’ me.
Toni… my wife… really went and did that shit.
I couldn’t stand in this fuckin’ parkin’ lot no more. I couldn’t even hear nothin’ around me. I walked back inside, grabbed my keys, and walked right back out. I ain’t tell nobody shit, and I ain’t lock up shit.
I got in my whip and hauled ass to the mansion.
My heart was slammin’ so hard I could feel that shit in my back. My mind was spinnin’ so fast it felt like the windshield was closin’ in on me. The minute I hit the gates, I damn near broke my wrist hittin’ the code. I sped up the driveway, left the car runnin’, and stormed inside.
“Toni!” I called out, my voice already raw.
I took the stairs two at a time, mad as fuck and sick at the same time. When I hit the bedroom doorway, there she was.
My whole world was sittin’ on the floor with open suitcases. Sha’Nelle was next to her foldin’ shirts. When they heard me, Sha’Nelle looked up first. Her face changed quick, like she saw every demon I had ever fought in my life behind my eyes.
She looked at Toni, then back at me.
“I’mma… go downstairs,” she said soft, leavin’ the room fast.
I ain’t move, ‘cause I couldn’t.
I was starin’ at Toni like my soul was tryna jump out my body and run to her.
She ain’t look at me at first. She kept foldin’ clothes like her heart wasn’t shreddin’ itself in her chest.
“Toni.” My voice was low, almost hoarse. “What the fuck is this?”
I held up the ripped envelope in my hand. “You filin’ for divorce? You really doin’ this shit?”
Toni finally looked at me then. Her whole body was shakin’ when she pushed up from the flood, snatched her phone off the mattress, and unlocked her phone with hands that wouldn’t stay still. She ain’t say shit at first, she just walked right up on me and chunked that bitch into my chest so hard it stung, and the sound bounced off me like she threw a damn brick at a wall
“Nigga shut the fuck up!” she screamed, her voice breakin. “You been in a whole fuckin’ relationship while I’m over here tryna breathe through some shit YOU caused. Look at the shit! Look at what the fuck you did!”
