𝙸𝚜 𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚆𝚊𝚢

Sᴇᴠᴇɴ.

Amani's thumb circled the send button. It had been an hour since she received that message. Pictures of them flooded through her phone, picture of them together.

Her name was Chloe, and she was married to Silas. They had a child together. Milan.

Amani didn't know how to react, she didn't know what to do. She was happy with him for the short time she knew him which made her blame herself. She didn't cry, she had a blank expression rereading the messages over and over again.

You don't know me but...

My name is Chloe, I'm Silas' wife and we have been married for 4 years now.

We have a daughter together called Milan, and I know that's where you first met him. I'm sorry that you had to find out like this.

Amani sent a screenshot to her Kaia and Terah before setting her phone on a table, letting out a bitter chuckle and a few curse words she whispered bitterly under her breath. She knew she wasn't dealing with the pain correctly.  for her daughter's sake, she didn't think she had time for heartbreak.

There were only two days left in Jamaica and she would be back to normal life and able to distract herself. Every lie he told her, all the late calls, all the fake touches ran through her head making it harder to think. One bottle was two then three before she sat on the kitchen floor back leaning on the wall. She cried and cried. She wished it didn't have to be her.

"Mani, what's wrong come here", Kareem's eyes widened as he walked into the kitchen after hearing her cry. His heart ached. The past few months he had wanted Amani's presence and his mind wandered to her during the day. He knew it wasn't her main focus so he pushed it aside.

"He lied to me", Amani hiccuped, continuing to sob. "He said he wanted me but he lied, an- and he had a whole family I- I ruined their family."

Kareem was speechless; he didn't fully understand what she was saying, his heart broke. He rubbed her back leading her to his room, grabbing a bottle of water before they went in. He checked on Ariyah quickly before he came back to Amani sitting on the edge of his bed.

"Come here mama", Kareem motioned her over before she laid her head on his chest circling his tattoos with the tip of her nail.

"I'm sorry Kareem", Amani spoke, her voice just below a whisper making Kareem's eyebrows knit together.

"Sorry fa what ma? you will be okay, it's okay", Kareem continued rubbing up and down her back. "I'm sorry it happened, Mani I promise you will be okay, you are beautiful and so loved please don't ever forget that." He spoke, making her smile.

"Thank you, Kareem." Amani smiled simply as he rested his hand on her lower back kissing her cheek.

"Always, you need anything I can get your-", Kareem spoke as she shook her head sliding into the thick comforter.

Kareem nodded as he also slid under it holding Amani the whole time. His arm didn't leave her waist as she got comfortable in his bed with her back pressed against his chest till they both fell asleep.

Two days later

"Mama, can we stay here forever and ever!", Ariyah pouted sitting in her daddy's arms waiting to board their plane.

"I promise we can come again baby", Amani giggled back at Ariyah as she put her head on Kareem's neck.

"Can we come back to Jamaica tomorrow then?"Ariyah proceeded to ask, making her parents laugh.

Amani still felt as if it was her fault, she had blocked Silas on every social media, she didn't want his explanation and she hoped she wouldn't ever see him again. She referred him to a different dietician clinic entirely too. Amani couldn't deny that she was still hurting but she had to put on a brave face. She was a mother, her daughter was her main priority. She had to do it for her.