Just Be A Man About It

3.

"Amar, stop scratching. You're going to get scars on your arms."

"I can't help it, Mommy. It itches too bad," Amar says, scratching his face and stomach.

"Maybe next time you will think before you hide in a bush of poison ivy."

Amar groaned and stop scratching. My phone started ringing and I pressed answer on the steering wheel.

"Hello?"

"Hey baby, where are you?"

"I had to go get Amar. He got into a bush of poison ivy and is itching like crazy," I say looking back at Amar.

"Hey, Daddy."

"Hey, lil man. I'm gonna put you in an oatmeal bath when you get here."

"Ew. Daddy, that sounds nasty," Amar says, scrunching up his face.

"You won't itch as bad after the bath."

"Okay," Amar says sitting back in his seat.

"I'll be home in five minutes babe."

"Alright. I'll heat up your food."

"Okay. Love you."

"Love you too," he says.

I hang up the phone and turn up the music. Jennifer Lopez's I'm Glad came on. I was singing along. This song kind of reminds me of how I was when Malik and I first got together. I didn't want to trust him but I did anyway. I fell in love with him so hard, and I was so determined to stay happy. Malik just makes so happy. He hasn't failed at being there for me yet.

I pull into my drive way and turn the car off. I look in the back seat and see my itchy baby sleeping. I get out of the car and go to the back seat. I grab his jacket, put it around me and pick him up. Seven years later and Amar still isn't heavy. I close the door and walk up to the house. Malik opens the door for us and gives me a kiss. He grabs Amar from me and takes him to his room. I take my jacket off and put it on the coat rack. I see the Applebee's bag on the counter but nothing was in there. I checked in the microwave and saw the tray. I heated the tray up for thirty more seconds and stood by the counter. I pressed the voicemail button and listened to the messages. My food stopped and I took it out and put it in a bowl. I stirred up my food as I heard a familiar voice appear on the machine.

"Naomi, you can't ignore me forever. You just got to come home eventually and when you do, I'll be waiting for you and Amar. You know you can't ever forget your first love, so I don't know why you are trying to front and act hard knowing how easily I can break you down. It's okay baby girl. I'll wait. Just not for long."

The message ended and my heart was pounding. I grabbed a water bottle out of the fridge and gulped the whole thing down.

"Now can you tell me who that was?" Malik says leaning on the open door frame in the kitchen.

I stood still. I didn't even breathe. If Malik found out it was Trey calling me, he would fucking flip out then go to jail for murder.

"Naomi."

I jumped. His voice was so stern, it was scary. I heard his footsteps come closer to me. I tensed up. I felt his body on mine as he turned me around.