I stood between Tyra and Elise. I was saving Tyra more than Elise because I knew what she could do to her. Tyra’s gaze went from Elise to me and she roughly nudged my head. “You a pussy for smiling in my face…” Tyra started talking shit, but Elise snatched her wrist and yanked her across me before she could finish her sentence or before I could stop her swift hands from reaching the woman.
“Don’t put your hands on him! Have you lost your mind?” Elise snarled, while I pried her hand from around Tyra’s wrist. “Are you saving her?” Elise shrieked in my face, anguish lacing her tone.
My lips flattened at Elise’s audacity to question me about a fucking thing. Essex mugged me as he pulled Elise away from me, and Ms. Candace got a hold of Tyra. Innocent Elise was already the victim because she put on one hell of an act. I could give her that. The disgruntled stares Tyra and I received further pissed me off.
“What the fuck y’all did to my sister?” Essex questioned as silent tears streamed down Elise’s face. He cupped her arms, ready to baby her ass like he always did.
“Man, get the fuck out of my face with that bullshit! Your sister ain’t as innocent as she portrays!” I snapped. “You better talk to her and get the fuck up out of my face.”
Essex looked between me and Elise before I stalked off. “Happy birthday, twins. Essex, I hope you and Nariyah enjoy your birthday trip.”
“What’s going on?” Nariyah questioned, her stomach leading her path through the sliding glass door.
“Nothing at all,” I replied. “See you later, sis.”
“You’re leaving before we cut the cake?”
“Yeah. Tonight was beautiful, and I don’t want to ruin the rest of it,” I informed Nariyah before wrapping her up in a hug.
I’d rather be anywhere but there.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Elise Marshay Hunter
Rashawn’s voice carried a distant chill as he declined the conversation without a second thought. He couldn’t even bring his eyes to meet mine the entire night, and I couldn’t help but steal glances at him every few minutes. My silent tears grew worse watching his tall frame bend down to hug Nariyah just before he reached the sliding glass doors. He was leaving, and my chest heaved harder. Without Essex bringing us together like he used to before he got with Nariyah, it was possible for Rashawn to avoid me for only God knows how long.
Essex grasped my arms as he peered down at me, asking me what was wrong. He repeated himself at least five times, but my attention was on Rashawn. My brother’s words were a distant background noise.
“Rashawn, I’m sorry!” I shouted as he inched closer to the house.
He paused for a moment, and I stiffened, bracing myself for his response.
“Sorry,can’t fix this shit.Sorry,can’t rebuild my heart and piece it back together.Sorry,can’t bring back what you took from us.”
“I was scared. Essex was going through a lot and then… my parents… I didn’t want to disappoint them,” I explained, rushing towards Rashawn.
Essex was right on my trail but I didn’t care. My focus was on Rashawn, I had to make things right. It was too difficult to function without Rashawn in my life. I was having withdrawals without hearing his voice before I went to bed at night. My mornings were dreary without a kiss to my forehead or a good morning text.
“Well, you disappointed me,” he continued through the sliding glass doors, and I was right behind him.
“Well, this is some next level dinner and a movie type shit,” Ms. Candace joked in the distance.
“Ma, stop,” Nariyah scolded her.
I really didn’t care about the scene I caused, or who thought what. Nothing would get in the way of me making things right that time.
“Rashawn!”
“What the fuck you want from me, Elise?” Rashawn roared, spinning around to face me in the middle of Essex’s foyer.
“Aye nigga! Ion give a fuck what y’all got going on. We can take it there about Elise. Don’t talk to my sister like that!” Essex argued, brushing me to the side of him.
“Move Essex. Stay out of this!” I shoved him back.
Both men stared at me like I had lost my mind, and maybe I had. They were both shocked that I was going against Essex at that moment when he was trying to protect me. Essex’s annoyance was mixed with confusion. He had an idea, but not the full details, and it was eating him up inside, but I couldn’t focus on that.
“Yeah, please stay out of this,” Rashawn snapped. He opened the door and stormed out.
