Page 32 of Adonis Gates

“Is that Jru?” I heard my mom ask in the background before she came to the phone. “Hey, baby.”

“Hey, Mama.”

“What are you up to?”

“Just drinking my coffee before I go down to this cooking class.”

“A cooking class? For what? I taught you how to cook, heffa.”

“I know, Mama,” I laughed, “but it doesn’t hurt to learn new things. They’re doing a Caribbean class today.”

“I do love me some Caribbean food.”

“I know,” I grinned. “I’m going to learn to make some authentic food then come home and make it for you and Daddy.”

“You won’t hear any complaints from me.” I heard my dad yell in the background, and I laughed.

“You know that boy has been by here… twice,” my mom said.

My smile faded as I released a heavy sigh. I knew he would eventually show up but I also knew it wouldn’t be right away because I was sure he knew I’d told my parents what happened. He’d been blowing my phone up with calls and texts from random numbers because I’d, of course, blocked each of his. I didn’t bother to tell him the obvious, that he should move on and leave me alone, because it would be pointless.

I was sure that he thought this was the same as any other time he cheated, but he was severely mistaken. I took a lot of his crap because I felt like less than a lot of times, and bad about not being able to fully do my job as his woman, but I was drawing the line at having a baby with my coworker and telling her something sensitive about me only for her to throw it in my face later. He didn’t respect me or our relationship, so I was doing us both a favor by leaving.

“What did he want?”

“An ass whooping!” my father quickly answered. He never really cursed, but he hated Derrick, so I wasn’t surprised. “And he almost got it too. Shoot. He better be glad your mother was here.”

“I don’t like that bastard, but I can’t have my man crashing in behind him.”

“It’s crashout, Mama!” I cackled. “You need to stop hanging around Geri.”

“Same thing,” she giggled. “But seriously, Jruelle, when you get back, I want you to get a restraining order. I don’t trust that fool.”

“Derrick is crazy, but he isn’t stupid. He won’t do anything to me.”

“That’s what you think, Jru, but I saw the look in that man’s eyes. He looks deranged. You cannot underestimate him.”

“I’m not, Mama, I just know him.”

“Okay, be hardheaded, Jruelle.” I could hear the disappointment in her voice. “That boy is trouble.”

“I’ll do it, Ma,” I conceded. “If that will make you worry less.”

“It will.”

“Fine. I’ll do it.”

“Good,” she replied. “We won’t keep you, but please be careful, Jruelle.”

“And call us if you need us,” my dad added causing me to smile.

“I will. I love you guys.”

“We love you too, baby.”

After hanging up with them, I stayed on the balcony to finish my coffee before going inside and getting ready for my day. Since it was just a cooking class and there was a chance that I could get dirty, I just threw on some leggings, an ACU t-shirt, and my Birkenstocks. They were new and hadn’t been broken in, so I knew I’d regret my shoe choice later.

Once I was dressed, I brushed my teeth again, flossed, threw my hair in a bun, put on some perfume, and headed downstairs.