Page 20 of The Heart Of A Real Woman: Marilyn & Moses

Two days later.

Moses

When we made it back home from our trip, maybe I should’ve been content with the fact that my wife forgave me, took me back, and called off the divorce.

That should’ve been enough. But I ain’t never been the type of nigga to settle.

I don’t know how to let shit ride. I don’t do peace when something is still burning within me.

So, there I was, right back in that mode. Old habits. Posted in the backseat of Nathan Woods’ Benz, masked up like the million-dollar life I built ain’t mean shit. I knew what I stood to lose if caught, but I didn’t give a fuck. When it came to Mary, reason ain’t got no place. All I saw was red.

I watched him stroll out of his office like the world was his, smiling and waving goodbye to the paralegal as he crossed the lot.

As soon as he closed the driver’s door, I raised my gloved hand, and cold steel met the back of his head.

The click of the safety made his eyes stretch wide in the mirror, locking on mine through the ski mask.

I had been waiting to touch back down in the city for this exact moment.

“Shit,” his hands immediately flew up in the air. “Take whatever you want. Just don’t kill me. Please.”

“You ain’t got shit I want, bitch ass nigga. Look at the street sign.” I said flatly.

Confusion washed over him. I saw it written all over his face.

He was trying to place my voice and figure out why I was even mentioning the sign.

But before he could speak again, I gripped his head and slammed his face against the window so he could get a clear view.

He breathed heavily, struggling against my strength as blood leaked from his nose.

“ Mickaelson Drive . You see that, muthafucka?

This my block. Matter fact, this my city.

Whole fucking thing. The mayor gave me a key and a day with my name on it…

even named a street after me. I took care of Melrose…

funding more charities than the city budget touches, and my record label put this bitch on the map.

So, with a smile, he stood next to me in front of them cameras, called me a pillar, a hero.

Like I ain’t got bodies buried under these sidewalks.

But I do. Plenty. I run these streets. Nothing moves through this bitch without my say-so.

I got my hands in just about everything.

I could buy your life a hundred times, and my pockets wouldn’t even feel it. So nah, you ain’t got shit I want.”

He squinted as it finally clicked. “Mr. M… Mikaelson?”

“Everything in me screamin’ to paint the inside of this muthafucka red, but I’ma let you live. Only ‘cause I’m the reason to blame for my wife even crossing paths with your bitch ass. But this right here? This your last breath of grace.”

I leaned in.

“Mary is off limits. She mine. Always been mine. Always will be mine. And if you ever reach out to her again tryna change that, I’ll rip your fucking head off and hand deliver it to your grandmother in that little brownstone she raised you in. You feel me?”

The muthafucka couldn’t speak. Just nodded hard, terrified.

“Forget she ever existed. Erase her number, delete her file, clear her from every fucking memory you got. And if you ever see her in the street, you better act like she's a ghost. Understood?”

“Y-yeah… understood, man. Please.”

∞∞∞

“Couldn't get no louder.

We're meant to be, they say we even sound alike.

Lookin' at my mirror.

Come a little closer, show me different sides.”

By the time I made it home, the sun was setting, my son was locked into his game, and Mary stood at the stove cooking dinner with Coco Jones playing in the background.

That meant it was family night, and she had told the chef not to come in and handled it herself.

All three of us would eat on the couch, watching a movie like old times.

And I was happy about it. I missed this shit more than I could say.

She was wearing one of my T-shirts, big enough to fall mid-thigh, hanging off one shoulder.

Her hair was tied up, and her skin glowed in the soft kitchen light.

I just stood in the doorway for a second, soaking her in from the back.

The sway of her hips, the curve of her thighs, the peace she brought without even trying…

it hit me all at once. That woman was my peace, my home, my everything.

And I promised myself to never fuck it up again.

“Hey, you. Where you run off to?” She asked, glancing over her shoulder with a smile. “Your ass didn’t help me unpack.”

“My fault, baby.” I walked up behind her, kissing her cheek. “Had to go handle some business.”

“Business?”

“Yeah.”

“Studio business?”

“Nah.”

She eyed me sideways. “Pokey wasn’t available?”

“Nah. This needed my attention, and my attention only.”

She stopped stirring, set the spoon down, and turned to face me fully. “What did you do, baby?”

“Set a muthafucka straight about what’s mine. You know sometimes you gotta pop out and remind these bitch ass niggas. I been quiet in the shadows long enough.”

“Mm. Okay. I love you.”

“I love you more, Mary.” I bent down and kissed her belly.

The End.

-Thank you so much for reading. I hope you enjoyed.