Her body shuddered against mine as she took a deep breath and let it out. “I’m conflicted.”
“About what?”
“About us. About going back to work. About everything.”
“Why haven’t you been talking to me, Jameela? I don’t need you running scenarios through your head and spiraling out about things that would never happen. Let me know when something is bothering you. We will talk about us, but first, tell me what’s going on with your job? Are they still giving you a hard time?”
“Yes and no.”
When she stopped talking, I didn’t push. I wanted to give her room to process her thoughts and understand that she was safe to share them with me.
“It’s so complicated. I never wanted to bring you into this. My boss . . . he’s Bella’s dad.”
“Oh wow.”
I didn’t know if I was more shocked that she had kept that from me or furious about that asshole making my baby cry and holding her job over her head.
“I promise there is nothing going on between us, and there hasn’t been for a long time. It’s just that he’s the one deciding when and if I get to go back to work. He has been giving me a hard time since the day I had her. He was supposed to take everything to HR, and then he got a promotion and shut that idea down. I didn’t want to keep sneaking around, so I cut him off. I’m not sleeping with him, but he’s using the job to control me.”
“Don’t let him scare you out of doing what you love to do. Have you been looking for another job?”
“They actually want me to come back.”
“That’s a good thing, right?” I asked, confused about why she was crying if this was good news.
“He’s been calling about an opportunity that would be great for my career. I just don’t like it. Everything with him comes with strings and stipulations. Not to mention that he’s sleeping with someone in the office, and she thinks I’m her competition. It’s just a lot.”
“Baby, you don’t have to put up with him. I know you want to work, so I’m not going to keep telling you that you don’t have to. What if I find something for you at the hotel?”
“I don’t know. I don’t want to let them think they’re running me away from my job, but every day I consider turning in my resignation a little more.”
“How about you sleep on it for a few days? Set up a spa day or something for you and your girls and let them help you talk yourself through it. Whatever you decide, I’m behind you one hundred percent.”
“Thank you. You’re too good to me, Nicholas.” She cooed as she peered up at me under heavy lids.
“Nothing’s too good for you,” I said, kissing her temple.
“Thank you for saying that. “
Her posture relaxed, but I wasn’t sold.
“I’m behind you with whatever you decide, habibti. Just don’t think you have anything to prove to anyone. Don’t force yourself back to a place where you no longer fit. If it’s making you this miserable, can the opportunity be so good?”
Jameela was going back to work. She was going back to the man who’d hurt her and abandoned their child. I didn’t like it. I fell in love with Bella the first time I laid eyes on her. I didn’t like the idea of the man who contributed to making her not being absolutely in love with her. What kind of man could turn his back on something so precious?
Did she think this new opportunity he dangled over her head was worth it? Hopefully, some time to think would bring her clarity. I had a ton of questions. For now, I would temper them down. Tonight, I just wanted my lady to feel safe.
“I don’t even know.”
A couple of days after Jameela’s breakdown in the hall, she was still undecided about going back to work. I decided that I would step in and find some opportunities for her in the casino. Having her close to me on a daily basis would be perfect.
I had some great news to share with her. Lucinda came over out of the blue, with papers, giving me full custody of Amira. Apparently, she wanted to move to Florida with the father of the baby she was carrying. I didn’t give a damn why she did it or where she was going. I was just grateful to have paperwork on my daughter. Who would have thought I didn’t even have to beg Cindy to sign them?
My next step was to finish completing my family. I wanted Jameela and Bella to join my family officially. I needed Jameela out of the house for a while, so she was out getting her hair and nails done and having lunch with her girls.
Since it was a rainy day, they decided not to get their hair done and decided to just have lunch instead. She didn’t need to know that everything was on my dime. I just wanted my baby to unwind. Life was stressful enough without having to worry about whether you wanted to give up your career or deal with your child’s absent father on a daily basis.
I’d had to bribe her friend Sade with a two-night stay at Cashville Hotel to get her to give me her spare key to Jameela’shouse so I could get in while they were out. I wanted her surprise to be all set when she came by to pick up some more clothes.
