Not anymore.
Hadn’t gotten into it like this since Aubry was little. The last time she was like this, it was after finding out I was cheating for the first time. She went ballistic. Showed me a side of her that I didn’t know existed. She even went as far as spitting in my face. If it was one thing Mahogany had it was a mean streak. A lethal ass right hook too. Shit might’ve not landed like it would had she been a nigga, but it landed. My eye was blurry as hell. Face stung, ribs hurt… she was a fucking maniac when she was mad. This mad at least.
“Get the fuck off me, nigga,” she said in a harsh whisper before biting at my nose, missing.
“Mahogany. Chill man, you hear him at the door. Chill.”
“I don’t give a fuck. I hate you! I hate you so fuckin’ much,” she cried. “Get off me, Duke!”
“Ma!” Yelled Aubry. “Dad!” The doorknob rattled again. “Man… What is going onnnn!?”
Fuck.
Fuck. Fuck.Fuck.
“Nothin, ‘Bry. Just… go to bed. Please. We just?—”
“Mama!” Aubry yelled, ignoring me. “Open the door!”
“I just heard her tell him to get off her. Ay. I swear to God, bro,” Gabe threatened without actually threatening.
I looked down at Mahogany… pleadingly. I needed her to chill. I really, really needed her to chill. We didn’t do this in front of the kids. The last time we argued in front of the kids, they were younger. Too young to remember. Well… Gabeand Spark were. Honesty wasn’t here. Aubry was about ten. She remembered. We might not have fought but she had to remember the arguments. Back then, we weren’t as private. We didn’t start to really shield them from the drama until Bry was around eleven, twelve.
“Listen!” Mahogany yelled, before trying to head butt me. “Go to bed y’all. Everything is…” She paused and tried again. She was bugging on me, and I hadn’t even admitted or said shit about Diary. Did I need to though? “Everything is okay. Please go to bed. I love y’all.”
It was quiet on the outside of the door before they grumbled and said I love you too. Instead of hearing both bedroom doors close, I only heard one. Which told me one of them hadn’t moved. I knew exactly who.
“G.”
“Yeah dad?” he called out. “I’m just—I want to see my momma.”
“I’ll see you… I’ll see you in the morning, baby. Okay? I promise I’m okay.”
She bit at me and then looked up at me with heavy fire in her eyes. She wanted to kill me, and I felt like if I let her go, she would try.
Finally, I heard him walk away and shortly after his bedroom door slammed. He was pissed but I didn’t give a fuck. I was checking his little ass about that shit tomorrow. Fuck he thought this was?
“Ne—“
“Fuck you bitch,” she spat. “Get off of me!”
With that, she bent her knee and kneed me in the stomach. I didn’t let up. I kept a mean hold on her. However, I did loosen it just a bit. I went from aggressively holding her, to holding her with love that I hoped she could feel. I didn’t want this. I didn’t want any of this shit.
“Mahogany. You gon’ let me explain?”
“Who. Is. Diary?” She asked through gritted teeth.
I swallowed. “NeNe?—“
“Bitch ass nigga can’t even keep it real,” she interrupted with an angry laugh, her chest heaving. “Please get off of me.”
“You gon hit me again?”
“You don’t get off me right now I’m going to kill you.”
The venom in Mahogany’s tone was heavy. Did I think she would actually kill me? I didn’t know. Had never hurt her as badly as I hurt her with this one. I didn’t know what to expect from her. A nigga was scared. As hell. Wasn’t afraid to admit it either.
Regardless, I let up. I loosened my grip and slowly climbed down off her. Standing, I ran my tongue over my bottom lip, the taste of blood immediately filling my mouth. I shook my head, watching as she sat on side of the bed. Her elbows were pressed into her knees, and her head was down. I tilted mine a little to get a look at her face. Wanted to see if she was crying. Would pain me to see her dropping tears. Honestly pained me to see her the way she was.
