Page 30 of Fever: Love In Scrubs

I laid in bed with Jamari wrapped up in my arms.

Since we got back to my house last night, she’d been in my skin.

She was so upset after her mother showed her ass that she just wanted to leave.

I ended up taking her back to my place while her father and the rest of the family helped get the skating rink cleaned up after the party.

The poor girl cried all the way here. I got her in the shower and the minute she was out and in her pajamas, she was in my arms again.

When Aunt Kira, Tinka, and Jaxson made it back, we were curled up on the couch with her asleep and me watching TV.

He tried to get her up to take her home, but she didn’t want to go.

I told him she could spend the night and he could pick her up today.

While he didn’t want to leave her, he allowed her to stay with me. All night long, she’d slept in my arms.

It broke my heart to hear her whimpering in her sleep.

Yesterday was too much. Yelling at Amandela about her child triggered me with thoughts of my father once again.

I felt Jamari’s anger. I felt her words because I’ve felt the exact same way at her age.

Our stories weren’t the same, but I understood not feeling like you were ever put first by a parent.

I kissed her temple and eased out of bed to go shower and get dressed for the day.

When I came out of the bathroom, she was still asleep, so I carefully closed the door and headed downstairs.

I could smell a mixture of coffee and bacon and knew my aunt was cooking breakfast. When I walked into the kitchen, she stood at the stove, while Tinka was at the kitchen table on her laptop. When they saw me, they both smiled.

“Good morning, baby,” Aunt Kira said.

“Good morning, auntie. Hey, Tink.”

“Hey, boo. She still asleep?”

I nodded. “Yeah. I’m gonna let her get her rest.”

I grabbed a mug from the cabinet and went to make myself some coffee.

“I can’t believe that woman showed her ass like that yesterday,” Aunt Kira said, shaking her head.

I snorted. “I can. It’s not the first time.”

Tinka spun around in her seat. “I don’t even know that woman and I wanted to slide her yesterday. If Stacey and Asia had taken her outside, I was going too. She wants to talk about being jumped, she was about to get it.”

My aunt shook her head. “No lie, if she had touched you, I was gonna show my ass in there too. I feel so baby for that poor baby.”

I was quiet with a million thoughts running through my head.

“Wynnie?” Aunt Kira called.

“Hmm?”

“You’re awfully quiet.”

“I just keep seeing the look on her face, auntie. She’s in so much pain over that woman. I know how she feels. Daddy wasn’t abusive, but he was neglectful in so many ways, especially emotionally. My heart hurts for her.”

She pulled the last of the bacon off my griddle and came to me, pulling me into her arms.

“I know you love her, Wynter. It’s obvious. And I know Jaxson trusts you with her. He didn’t hesitate to let her stay over because he knew she needed you. You can’t fix this, just be there for her and love her like you’ve been doing.”

I nodded as a soft knock came to the door. She released me and I went to answer it. When I opened the door, Jaxson was standing there in a plain shirt, sweats, and socks with slides. His eyes looked heavy, like he hadn’t slept at all last night.

“Hey, baby,” I said, sliding into his arms.

“Hey, baby,” he said softly, kissing my temple.

As I looked up into his face, I could tell that something was wrong. This was more than yesterday.

“What is it?” I asked.

“Can we talk outside?”

I nodded as he grabbed my hand and led me out to the front porch. He took a seat on the steps and I took one beside him. For the longest time, he sat there, staring off into space. I didn’t rush him but allowed him to speak when he was ready.

“I um… when I left here last night, I went by my sister’s place.

I just needed to vent and the shit I had to say, I didn’t need Jamari to hear.

Kacie was with my parents so it was just me, Asia, and Johnathan.

I was there for about an hour when I got a call from my neighbor stating that someone drove their fucking car through the front of my house. ”

I gasped. “What!”

He chuckled. “Here’s the kicker. While I was on the phone with her, with her husband calling the police, she starts screaming that the house was on fire.”

“Jaxson! Oh my God!”

He shook his head. “When we got to the house, guess who was sitting in the back of the cop car because she was so drunk that she passed out and couldn’t get away.”

“N-no. Please don’t say?—”

“Amandela. She drove her car into my house, then set it on fire.”

I was at a loss for words. What the fuck was I supposed to say to that?

“Baby… I’m so sorry.”

He shook his head again. “I’ve tried my best to be a good person, Wynter.

Maybe I wasn’t the perfect husband, but I was good to her, and I showed up when I was expected to.

I took care of home, and she did me dirty.

I can take that. What I can’t take is her doing my daughter dirty.

She started that fire in Jamari’s room.”

My hands flew to my mouth. “What?”

“Poured fucking gasoline all over her bed and the room and set it on fire. How am I supposed to tell her that, Wynter?”

He dropped his face in his hands and his shoulders shook slightly as he cried.

All I could do was pull him into my arms and hold him.

It seemed to be one thing right after another.

First last night, then this? This was crazy.

That bitch was crazy! The only good thing to come out of it was the fact that she was going to jail and couldn’t do any more damage.

“What if my baby was in that house, Wynter? She could have been dead.”

“I’m so sorry, Jaxson,” I whispered, kissing his head. “You and Jamari can stay here as long as you need to. I’m here for whatever you need.”

He simply nodded and continued to cry. My heart was breaking for him and Jamari.

She went to bed upset and was going to wake up upset.

He had to tell her about the fire. That couldn’t be kept a secret.

It would kill her to know her mother started the fire in her room.

That seemed like a clear message to me, and I knew it would be one to her too.

Jamari didn’t take the news about the fire well at all.

The minute her father told her what happened, she broke into a fit of tears and anger.

She started screaming about how much she hated her mother and how she wished she was dead.

It was hard to watch. She allowed my aunt to take her out back to calm down.

Currently, they were in the hammock with Jamari resting in her arms.

Through the screen door, I could hear Aunt Kira singing to her. She used to do the same thing for me. Whenever I was feeling down, I could curl up in her arms and she would sing to me until I fell asleep.

Since Jaxson informed his parents that he broke the news to her, everyone was over here at the moment to offer their support.

Asia was livid and wanted to go down to the police station to beat Amandela’s ass.

Stacey had called to check on Jamari and Jaxson told her what happened, so she came by too.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned to see Ms. Tabitha standing behind me.

“You okay?” she asked.

I nodded. “I’m fine. Just worried about Mari.”

“This is devastating, but she’ll be okay. Jaxson is already looking for a therapist for her.”

“Good. She’s gonna need one.”

“Thank you for opening your home to my babies, Wynter. They are more than welcome to stay with us, but I get the feeling that you are what they need right now.”

“I’m trying to be.”

“No. You are . You’re good for them. Both of them are so much happier with you around.”

“I don’t understand why she would do this. She couldn’t have been that mad.”

She sighed. “Amandela is the type of person that doesn’t want you happy if she’s not happy. She ruined her marriage and when she realized she couldn’t have my son back, she decided to make him miserable. He was unbothered with her, and she knew the way to get to him was to get to his child.

“Jamari is a sweet girl. She has her moments, but all that baby wanted was to feel loved. My son gives her that and while a father’s love is important, little girls need their mother too. Asia and I give her as much as we can, but there are things she needs from her mother.”

She sniffled as she looked out at her granddaughter and I could tell this was hurting her.

“She’s bottled up so much that her mother has said and done over the years and it kills me that she felt she had to keep secrets in order to have a relationship with a woman that really didn’t want her around.

I just… I know you’re good to her, Wynter.

I know both she and Jaxson want you around.

Just promise me one thing. If you’re going to be here, please continue to be good to her.

If you ever feel like this is too much for you, walk away. ”

I shook my head. “It’s not too much. I didn’t come back here expecting to find love, but God blessed me with Jaxson and Jamari.

Your son and I have spent a lot of time getting to know each other.

We’ve had in depth talks about our past and understand what we need from each other.

I know it’s still new, but I love that man.

I fully believe that he is my soulmate and I accept everything that comes along with him, Ms. Tabitha. ”

She smiled and pulled me in for a hug. “I knew you were the one. I can’t wait for him to make you my second daughter.”

She kissed my cheek and left the kitchen.

I stood there for a few moments watching my aunt and Jamari before heading upstairs to check on Jaxson.

He was exhausted and said he needed a nap.

Slowly, I opened the bedroom door and stepped into the room.

He was laid out on his back with one arm tossed over his stomach and the other behind his head.

Kicking off my slippers, I climbed into bed and cuddled up next to him. No sooner than I had gotten comfortable, did I feel his strong arm come around me and he rolled me on top of him. His eyes remained closed as his hands caressed my body in a soothing manner.

“I didn’t want to wake you,” I said softly.

“I smelled you as soon as you walked in.” He kissed my temple. “I just need to hold you for a second.”

“I got you, baby.”

“Give me a kiss… a slow one.”

I smiled as I cupped his face in my hands and pressed my lips to his with a few pecks before slipping my tongue into his mouth. One of his hands gripped the back of my neck, while the other gripped my ass.

“How did I live thirty-five years without you?” he asked when our lips finally parted.

I giggled. “I don’t know, but you’ve got me now.”

“Yeah…. I got you and I’m never letting you go.”

“I mean, I know where to find you since this is your residence now. I know where you work, where your parents and sister stay. You can’t escape me that easily.”

He smiled and it was the first one I’d seen all day.

“I’d be crazy to lose you.” He pecked my lips. “I promise we won’t be any trouble. I can always go to my parents if this becomes too much.”

“I can’t hunch on you at your parents’ house. They like me, but probably not that much.” We shared a laugh. “You could never be any trouble, baby. I love having you two around. I just want you to feel safe and most of all welcomed.”

“I know.” He sighed heavily. “I guess I’ll take tomorrow and see if there is anything salvageable. I’m gonna go out later and pick us up a few things since we’ll be here for a while.”

Silence fell upon us as I laid in his arms. He’d closed his eyes again and went back to caressing me. I was almost drifting off to sleep when there was a light tap on the door. I rolled into his side and called for the person to come in. It was Jamari.

“Can I lay with you?” she asked, softly.

Jaxson opened his other arm to her. She quickly closed the door and kicked off her shoes before climbing into bed and snuggling up to her father. She reached for my hand and linked our fingers. Jaxson pulled us in closer.

“My girls,” he whispered. “As long as I have you, I’m good.”

Simultaneously, we all released a breath.

This was comfort.

This was peace.

This… was love.