Page 2 of Pieces of Us

Morgan Prescott-Coleman

P resent Day

The auditorium was filled with the parents of Charles H. Wright Academy scholars. The hushed tones of the attendees serenaded the atmosphere as we waited for the showcase to begin. My eyes perused the auditorium, seeing smiling faces and hearing conversations happening amongst them.

Jolie Dupree sat in the row across from me in all of her snooty glam, talking to her husband in a hushed tone. I was sure she was filling him in on the happenings of other people’s lives. The woman lived to gossip. She talked about everyone but kept her shit close to her chest.

But I knew. I knew all about where her husband, Jonathan, had been spending his spare time—at Truth gentlemen’s club.

In the VIP might I add. While she was home playing Mrs. Perfect Patty, her husband was getting his lap bounced on in more ways than one.

I only knew of this because my husband, Justin, took his clients there to close on a deal.

I looked around once more, trying to locate Justin.

He said that he’d be here to see our daughter Megan play her violoncello for the first time.

My baby spent countless hours and days learning the art, and she was beautiful at playing it.

Tonight was important to her, so she wanted her parents here to witness her showcase.

However, Justin had been moving funny these past few weeks.

I tried to overlook it because he was one of the top sports attorneys in the state of Michigan.

Nonetheless, he’d promised our child he would be here tonight.

The lights dimmed as the principal took the stage and greeted everyone.

“Good evening, and welcome to CHW Academy’s first annual showcase. Here, we allow our scholars to showcase their talents through dance, poetry, and music. Thank you all for joining us and enjoy the show.”

Applause resounded around the auditorium just as I saw movement in my peripheral—Justin. He’d finally made it in just the nick of time.

“Sorry. Traffic was hectic,” he whispered before planting a kiss on my cheek.

I didn’t bother to reply. Justin Coleman had been on my shit list for the past three weeks. I didn’t know where this sudden change had arisen from, but he had been in the doghouse since the day after our anniversary.

We had spent a beautiful five days in the Philippines.

Justin made me feel as if the sun rose and set on me, and I couldn’t have fallen any more in love with him.

I got to visit my grandmother, Allegra, and my cousin, Santo, while there.

That was truly the highlight of the trip because I missed my Ginny so much.

However, since our return three weeks ago, I had seen less of my husband.

The late nights, the secret phone conversations, and the quick sex sessions were becoming dead giveaways that something wasn’t right.

I didn’t want to dwell on it because I wanted to look past his shifty ways.

I loved Justin. He was the second man I’d ever given my entire being to.

Being a preacher’s kid, I grew up with the knowledge that I had to save myself for marriage. My parents, Maylynn and Gioni Prescott, made sure my sister Drue and I remained pure until we got married.

That didn’t ring true for me, though. As soon as I got the opportunity to lose my virginity, I took it.

Being caught after the fact, my father made me get baptized, and I couldn’t date until I graduated high school.

It took a lot of repenting and convincing for him to allow me to date Justin a few months before our graduation in high school.

Although my father was the pastor of Renewed Salvation Baptist Church , he was super cool, and me and my sister had nothing but respect for him at one point. He spoke from the Bible but had a dope way of delivering the Word, and our entire community loved him.

When Justin and I started dating, my father invited Justin over for dinner. I was a nervous wreck because Justin wasn’t into church like that, but he did believe in God. When Gio summoned us into his study, I just knew he was about to ban us from being together just like he’d done with Nehemiah.

“Listen, I was once a young man. I did a lot of things I’m not proud of while growing up, but I had to grow up, you feel me?”

“I do,” Justin replied.

“So, I know what you expect when you want to be in a relationship.

I give my girls the game, then I leave it up to them on how they want to play it.

As her father, I would love for her to follow the commandments of the Father.

I hope she understands that defiling her temple without being equally yoked and married to whomever she agrees to be with will knock some points off her record with the Big Man.

“I’m not here to preach to you. I leave that in the pulpit. But as her father, I am going to let you know that my girls are my world. I protect, provide, and love them wholeheartedly. If that’s not what you are willing to do, then just bow out gracefully and leave her alone.”

“I love your daughter, Mr. Prescott. I will do anything to be with her, be anything she needs me to be, and never disrespect her in any way. My father always told me that a man who isn’t intentional with his actions isn’t a man of good integrity.

I’m being intentional when I say she will be my wife before anything else happens between us. ”

He didn’t lie. Once we graduated from college, we got married at my father’s church and began our journey as husband and wife. I gave my heart, soul, and body to him…every piece of me, and I believed I had every piece of him. Our life together had been nothing short of amazing until recently.

They say closed mouths don’t get fed. Well, I planned to open my mouth because I needed Justin to feed my growing concerns of his whereabouts and actions.

Focusing my attention back on the stage, Justin took my hand, kissed the back of it, and smiled at me. That smile was why I fell so madly in love with him. He was so cute and charming that I couldn’t wait until we went on our honeymoon to allow him to do whatever he wanted with me.

I trusted him. I just prayed that whatever I was feeling proved to be wrong. Him being at a strip club to conduct business didn’t sit well with me, but he claimed it was for his client’s pleasure, not his own.

Maybe I needed to learn how to dance erotically. If he was into that kind of stuff, then I would do what I had to do to be what he liked. There was nothing wrong with a little extra spice.

As my thoughts continued to roam, we went through countless musical talents before the time had come for my baby to take the stage. My smile broadened watching her strut onto the stage with poise and grace.

The navy-blue gown with the puffy bottom gave her elegance. I had taken her to my bestie Bailey’s shop to get her hair straightened and put in an updo with spirals framing her pretty oval face. Her three-inch heels clicked across the stage before she took a seat on the bench.

“She looks beautiful,” Justin commented, smiling wide.

“Always.” I beamed. The scouts were in the building, so she had been a little nervous.

Next semester, she would be starting high school, and she wanted to attend the Detroit School of Arts to explore her talent.

I could see my baby on stage, playing her cello for Beyoncé.

Her love for music came from attending my father’s church on Sundays.

She was a part the choir and worked toward playing the piano as well.

For the time being, Mr. Lewis, her music teacher, played the piano for her in the background.

She began her musical piece with Ike and Tina Turner’s “River Deep Mountain High.” She was required to do three musical pieces, so she chose that one, Beyoncé’s “Dangerously In Love,” and “A Whole New World” from Aladdin .

Her cheek rested slightly against the instrument, eyes closed, and face serene as her bow and fingers strummed the strings, creating the perfect symphony.

My smile didn’t leave my face because my baby was gifted.

This was a pivotal moment for her, and I could see and feel the passion in her being as she put on a show for the scouts.

Everyone watched until she finished the last song, then the auditorium erupted in applause and standing ovations.

Megan had closed out the show, stood, and did a subtle curtsy.

“That was amazing,” I said, dabbing the corners of my eyes.

“Those rehearsals really paid off I see.” Justin marveled.

He shouldn’t have been surprised. Megan had only been practicing since she was eleven.

He’d know that had he been present. I understood, though.

His business was a hot commodity. Being a sports attorney was very demanding, so I tried not to put too much pressure on him.

“They certainly did. Let’s just hope she gets into DSA. Look at their faces. Do you think she’s got a good chance?” I asked as my eyes traveled across the room to where Mr. Lewis shook their hands.

“I’m sure she does…I think we should give it some more thought, though.”

I frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Morgan!” I looked to my right to see Jolie approaching.

“We’ll talk when we get home,” Justin whispered to me.

Suddenly, I felt a twinge of discomfort after he said that. Jolie stood in front of me, placing her hands on my shoulders, and giving me fake air kisses. Why she thought we were friends, I’d never understand.

“Jolie, how are you?”

“I’m well. Your daughter is such a doll, and she did amazing.”

“Thank you. Your son wasn’t too bad himself with the sax,” I lied. The poor kid was horrible, but I would never say that to her.

“Thankies! With all the money we pay for those classes, they had better kill it.” She laughed obnoxiously.

I wanted to turn my nose up but decided it wasn’t nice, even though she ground my gears.

“What’s up, good peoples?” Jonathan approached us wearing a bright smile. He shook Justin’s hand and kissed my cheek before wrapping his arm around Jolie’s waist.

“What’s up, Jon? It’s good to see you,” Justin replied.

I watched Jolie as her eyes roamed over Justin’s frame. I wanted to ask her who the hell was she looking at like that but didn’t want to act out in front of the kids.

What the hell was that?

“I was just telling the Colemans that the children did amazing.”

“Baby, I love our son dearly, but he totally fucking sucked.”

“Jonathan!” Jolie grumbled. “Why would you say that?”

He said exactly what I wanted to say, which was the truth.

I wanted to laugh but held back.

Jonathan chuckled. “Babe, come on. You know as well as I do, he doesn’t follow directions well. It’s okay, though. Maybe he’ll be good at something else, like football.”

“Whatever.” Jolie rolled her eyes…right over to my husband.

This broad was really trying it.

I wasn’t naive to not notice that my husband was very attractive.

His mahogany complexion, chestnut eyes, and tall, solid frame had the women swooning over him every time.

I was by no means an insecure woman. I was confident and secure in myself enough to know I looked damned good, but Jolie was downright disrespectful.

I saw the slight lust in her gaze, and before I lost my religion, it was time for us to go.

“Well, we have to go get our little cellist. It was good seeing you all,” I said, moving into the aisle.

“Morgan, let’s do lunch soon, okay?”

I smiled graciously, took Justin’s hand, and moved up the aisle.

“We’ll talk,” I said over my shoulder.

“Don’t trip, Mo. I saw that too,” Justin whispered to me.

“I wonder why she’s so comfortable eye-fucking you in front of me,” I uttered.

Justin stopped me from walking.

“Hey. Are you okay?” I looked up at him and searched his eyes for any sign that he was being something other than the loving, doting husband I’d known him to be.

I knew Justin. I knew his patterns like I knew all the theme songs from our favorite sitcoms from the nineties.

Something was off. I just couldn’t pinpoint it.

“I’m still trying to figure that out.”

Before he could reply, Megan and her music teacher had approached us.

“Mommy, Daddy, how’d I do?” Megan asked, beaming brightly.

I smiled wide, pulling her into my arms.

“You did so good, Gingerbread!” I exclaimed.

“You sure did, baby girl. You were the star of the showcase!” Justin followed up, hugging and kissing her cheeks.

“Thanks!”

“I can’t say this is on record, but from the looks on their faces, I believe those scouts will be giving you all a call soon,” Mr. Lewis assured.

“I don’t doubt it. Thank you, Mr. Lewis,” Justin said, shaking his hand.

“No problem. See you at school on Monday, Megan.”

“Okay. Bye!”

Mr. Lewis walked away as Megan and I squealed.

“You are truly the dopest kid. I’m sure when your sister gets your age, she’s going to be just as dope,” I told Megan.

She side-eyed me. “Mom, you know as well as I do that Mariah is stubborn. All she’s going to want is her Cheerios and stuffed animals for the rest of her life.”

I guffawed at her statement. My little honey bee was stubborn.

At three-years-old, she wanted what she wanted and would throw a fit if she couldn’t get it.

She had been under the weather for the past two days, so she couldn’t attend.

My sister came over to keep watch over her while I attended Megan’s showcase.

“Don’t do my baby, little girl,” I said, pinching her sides.

“Let’s go get some food, shall we? I’m starving,” Justin suggested.

“Yesss. I’m starved!” I exclaimed.

“Ooh! Daddy, can we go to Fixin’s?”

“We sure can, baby.”

“Yes!” I smiled as we all filed out of the auditorium, heading to get some grub.