Page 24 of Ony If It’s You

Chapter Sixteen

K ehlani

What the fuck?

My key wasn’t working. I looked down at the key to be sure that I was using the right one, and when I verified it, tried to turn it again and got the same result.

Releasing Jocey’s hand, I went over to one of the chairs and felt around on the back of the leg for the spare key that I had taped there.

Once it was retrieved, I tried it and got the same result.

“What’s wrong, Mommy?” Si asked.

Smiling even though I didn’t want to, I shook my head and got my phone out of my purse.

“Nothing, you two sit and give me a second.” I pointed to the two chairs on the porch. They both climbed in the seats and continued to play on their iPads while I made a call.

“Yeah?” Pharaoh’s tone was amused when he picked up the phone letting me know that he was behind this shit before I even said anything.

“My key isn’t working, Pharaoh.”

“That’s because I changed the locks.”

“Why the hell would you change my fucking locks?” I barked.

“Because I pay the bills there, fuck you mean?” he asked incredulously. “You think you about to be reaping the benefits of staying in a house I pay bills in while you’re fucking married? Got to be out your mothafuckin’ mind.”

I knew he wanted a reaction out of me, and I knew he wanted me to bend and do whatever the fuck it was that he wanted me to do, but he had me fucked up.

“Okay, come let me in and give me the keys, I’ll handle the bills from now on.”

“Hell naw. I bought that mothafuckin’ house.”

“Yeah, nigga because I have your fucking kids, what the hell?”

He snickered. “And now you have a husband. Let that nigga buy you a house.”

I wasn’t about to do this shit with Pharaoh. If he wanted to act like a bitch, that was fine. He could have the house. I’d start from scratch before I begged his ass for anything.

“Then let me get our stuff and we’ll be on our way.”

“Nope.” He allowed the p to pop.

“Pharaoh, I bought my own fucking clothes and shoes and majority of the twins’ stuff is in here.”

“Well, I’m busy,” he replied.

Chuckling, I tossed my head back and smiled although I was anything but amused. Pharaoh had always been spiteful, but I hadn’t expected him to be like that when it came to our kids and holding their stuff hostage.

“So just fuck the fact that our kids stay here too and won’t be able to sleep in their beds tonight?”

“Where they been sleeping?”

I scoffed. “Wow. Fine. Fuck you, Pharaoh.”

I disconnected the call and released an exasperated sigh. I was fuming, but I had my kids, so I had to keep my cool. I couldn’t believe he was acting like that especially considering that we hadn’t been together in years and he had his own situations going on.

“Everything okay, Mommy?” Jocey quizzed.

I sighed and put on a fake smile. I didn’t want them to see me stressing about anything.

“Yeah, baby, Mommy’s just tired. Come on, we’re going to go see Granny tonight instead of staying home.”

“Yay!” They both hopped down and rushed to the car with me following slowly behind. I was pissed. All of my work stuff was in my house. Pharaoh was definitely going to regret his decision. He was used to me being chill and passive but playing with me and my kids’ livelihood was a violation.

After climbing inside and starting my car, I tried to breathe in and out a few times to calm down, but it wasn’t working.

I was so overwhelmed with frustration that I just broke down crying.

I hated for Messiah and Jocelyn to see me crying because I didn’t want them worrying about me, but I couldn’t help it.

“Mommy,” Jocey whimpered.

She climbed into the front seat and settled on my lap. I just hugged her little body while I cried. She was crying with me and I could hear Si having a conversation with someone behind me. I tuned completely into the conversation when he started explaining our house to someone.

“Si, who is that?” I sniffled.

“JV.”

Knots formed in my stomach when he answered me. I didn’t want him to see me crying or hell, see me period, but it was too late. Si was hanging up seconds later.

“He said don’t move, he would be here in a minute.”

“Messiah, why did you call him?”

“Because you and Jocey are crying.”

Using my shoulder to dry away some of my tears, I waved him up to the front seat with us.

“Are you okay?” he asked, wiping my tears away and some of his sisters.

“Yeah, don’t worry about me, okay?”

He nodded and climbed into the passenger seat. Jocelyn was still in my lap wiping away her own tears trying to make sure I was done crying. I pulled her little body into a tight hug when she had gotten herself together. Si opened the door and hopped out catching me off guard.

“Messiah!”

I hurried to open the driver’s door and get out with Jocey in my arms. When she noticed that it was JV, she pushed out of my arms and ran to him. He scooped her small body up.

“Pretty girls don’t cry,” he said to her as he examined her face.

“Mommy was crying.” She sniffled.

“I know, both of you are too pretty to cry.” His eyes made their way to mine before he lowered her to the ground. “Y’all run and get back in the car for me. Let me holla at your mama.”

The two of them nodded and ran back to my car. I watched until they settled in their seats before turning my attention to Javyous.

“I’m sorry he called you. I’m dealing with something and it just got the best of me.”

“Who else would he have called?”

“I—nobody, I’m just saying. I know you may have been busy…”

“Nothing will ever have me so busy that I don’t drop everything and come running for the three of you. Ever.”

He didn’t hesitate or stutter as he spoke. Instead, I was enmeshed in the surety in his tone.

“Thank you.”

“Why were you crying?”

I feigned ignorance. “It was nothing.”

“Kehlani.” The way he said my name had my heart rate increasing and my eyes fastening to his. “Answer my question.”

I fought with myself internally on whether to tell him. Javyous was a little temperamental and I didn’t want to be the reason that he went off the handle and did anything irrational.

Sighing dejectedly, I replied, “Pharaoh changed my locks while I was gone.”

“What?” He frowned and looked at my house then back at me. “Why?”

“Because we were in Vegas with you and because he’s salty that we’re married.”

“You still fucking with him or something?”

“What? No.” I frowned. “Why would you even be asking me something like that?”

“I mean shit, he salty for something.”

“Yeah, because I don’t want his ass,” I spat. “Anyways let me go before you piss me off too.”

Before I could take a step, he was in my personal space, pressing me against the car.

“Chill yo’ ass out, I was just asking a legitimate question. How was I supposed to know you weren’t fucking with the nigga?”

“Because I slept with you twice, dummy.”

“So, what now?”

“So now we go to my grandmother’s until I can figure something out.” I shrugged.

She was going to be pissed and talking shit when I told her what Pharaoh had done.

“Come to my crib,” he suggested. “It’s down the street from here and I have enough space in there for the twins too.”

I shook my head. “We can’t impose on your space. Si and Jocey are really active and animated. They?—”

He cut me off. “They’re kids. Why would I give a fuck if they be running around and shit?”

“I don’t know, I’m just saying. They like to snack too, so it’s best that we?—”

“Aight, so we’ll drop your car and shit off to my spot then we’ll go to the grocery store to get them some snacks and shit,” he suggested, cutting me off again. “You’re making a lot excuses, Kehlani, baby.”

“I’m not, I’m just saying.”

“Saying what exactly?” He angled his head to the side and stared into my eyes.

“I don’t know,” I whispered. “Why do you want to help me? I’ve been mean to you.”

He shrugged. “You’re my wife. And since you’re mine, then that means they are too. I fuck with my little homies.”

My eyes danced around his face as I tried to gauge whether or not he was telling the truth. His didn’t waver one time, letting me know that he was being honest.

“Fine, but only tonight. I know you have your situation and you want?—”

He cut me off and cuffed my chin with his index finger, lifting my head so that I was looking at him. “You. I want you. I want us. I want it all. With you. Only if it’s you.”

Stunned.

That was the only way to describe what I was feeling after hearing his words. They were filled with certainty and conviction.

He wanted me.

My mouth was hanging open slightly as I stood there at a loss for words. Javyous and I had spent time together and had slept together, but I didn’t know he actually wanted to be with me.

“Y-you want me?’

“Of course,” he answered before leaning in and placing a gentle kiss on my lips. “So, what do you say? We really doing this?”

I smiled and nodded. “We’re really doing this.”

Delivering one last kiss to my lips, he walked me to the driver’s door and opened it so that I could get inside.

“Follow me,” he said before closing my door.

I waited ’til he was in his car and pulling away before putting mine into gear and following a short distance behind him.

The drive to his place was only about ten minutes considering that we stayed in the same part of town.

Parking my car behind his, I killed the engine and climbed out.

He went to the trunk to grab our bags while I helped the twins out.

He'd walked ahead to open the door for us but suddenly stopped when he got to the door confusing me. I tried to look around him to see what the problem was, but he quickly turned and ushered us backward.

“What are you doing?”

Ignoring my question, he continued to push us to the car until we were at the back door.

“Javyous! What is going on?” I asked again when the twins were inside of my car.