“Because, I need to talk to my children’s father.”
“No, your husband!” Jahrein shouted.
“Jahrein, you see me talking on the phone. Now, I’m trying to respect you.” I barked.
He stepped to me. “Who the fuck is you talking to? Huh? You just gonna stand here and disrespect me?”
“Aint nobody disrespecting you. This is a friend of mine.” I found myself explaining.
“Friend? You must think I’m fucking crazy. Tell that nigga that you’re busy.” he dictated, trying to take my phone.
“Move!”
“Do that nigga know that you married and pregnant with my baby?” Jahrein blurted.
“Oh yeah? So that’s what’s good?” Khalil asked me losing his cool.
“I’m not pregnant.” I said speaking to the both of them. I was tired of Jahrein saying that I was pregnant. He didn’t have any proof.
“Are you still fucking that nigga?” Khalil asked me.
“No.” I replied. Well…that was partially true. I hadn’t slept with Jahrein in almost two or three weeks. I lied and told myself two months ago that that was the last time. Well, two or three weeks ago I made that promise to myself again.
“Who the fuck is that hoe ass nigga?!” Jahrein yelled. I could tell that things were about to escalate if I didn’t end the call with Khalil.
“Look, I gotta go.” I told Khalil right before I hung up. I didn’t even wait on his reply.
“Who is that nigga?!” Jahrein screamed about to lose his mind.
I had to take a deep breath. “How many times do I have to tell you that it’s over between us, Jahrein?”
“Raven, we are married. I’m not your fucking boyfriend! I am your husband. Shit aint right between us, but what you doing aint right either. I fucked up. I can admit that, but we are still married. I’m not giving up on us. You still love me and I know it. I’m just trying to be fair and let you have your space. But if this shit with these niggas continues I aint gonna have no understanding. I mean none whatsoever.”
“It doesn’t matter what you say. I told you to give me a divorce.”
“I aint giving you shit!” he growled as he moved in on me. I backed away.
“Jah, I’m telling you right now, if you put your hands on me, your ass will go to jail.” I threatened trying to keep some distance between us.
He quickly ran up on me and grabbed my neck. “You think I give a fuck?” he gritted. “Huh? What the fuck do I have to lose?”
Jahrein and me tussled and argued for the remainder of that night. I didn’t get a wink of sleep. The fact that Khalil blew up my cell every hour on the hour only added fuel to the fire.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I sat and watched my children play. They were tearing up my apartment. They’d been there for three days and were used to being in a much larger space.
Jahrein had some important business that couldn’t wait, so when he left one afternoon I took my kids. I planned on enrolling the kids in school near my home. I felt that I could not move on if I continued to stay in that situation with Jahrein. I was going to keep my own kids and let him come get them on the weekends. I hadn’t discussed that with Jahrein, though. I wanted to give things time to cool down, because he was furious when he realized that I’d taken the kids home. So, he called my cell all day and night making threats. He was talking crazy; swearing that he’d make sure that I never saw the kids again.
The entire situation was highly stressful. Most people in my family had chosen Jahrein’s side, which made me isolate myself from them. I didn’t want to talk to anybody. Khalil wouldn’t stop calling and I refused to answer his calls.
As I sat on my couch I heard a faint knock on the door. I went over to the door quietly, because I didn’t know who was on the other side. I looked through my peephole and saw Khalil.
“What are you doing here?” I asked him as I cracked my door.
“So, now you’re treating me like some stranger? I can’t come in?” he asked.
I released a frustrated sigh. “Look Khalil, I am going through some things right now and it’s just a bad time.”
