Temptation • An NBA Love Triangle

20 • the truth hurts

Armelle dropped her donut and ran to the bathroom to throw up. She felt completely disgusted.

"Mommy, are you okay?" Tabitha kneeled next to her mother and rubbed her back.

"I'm fine, sweetheart. I just haven't been feeling well." Armelle flushed the toilet and stood up before walking over to the sink with Tabitha beside her.

"Do you want daddy?" Armelle nodded and rinsed out her mouth with mouthwash before turning on the water to clean out the sink.

Tabitha grabbed her mother's hand and led her to the bed, making her get in bed. "I'll call him for you, mommy."

"Thank you, baby doll. I love you so much." She blew a kiss to her mother before walking out of the bedroom.

Armelle closed her eyes and tried to get the sight of John and her mother out of her head as she clutched her pillow. Tobias was the only person who could stop the pain and make it all better, but was nowhere to be found.

She was over John, but was confused as to why he was messing around with her mother.

"Mommy, aunt Tes is calling him. I'm gonna lie down with you, okay?" Armelle smiled at her daughter and nodded before opening her arms, allowing Tabitha to cuddle with her.

After a few minutes of silence, Tesia walked in with a cup of tea. "Are you feeling okay?"

Armelle nodded at her sister-in-law and took a sip before sitting the cup on the nightstand

"What made you come up here to check on me, Toes?"

"I heard grandma mumbling something about you and I got worried." Tesia shook her head and looked at her niece with a soft smile.

"I told you about eavesdropping, little girl!"

"Aunt Tes! I had to!" Armelle couldn't help but to laugh at her daughter.

"Did you hear what she said, baby?" Tabitha scrunched up her face and looked at her mother before shrugging.

"She said something about someone named John and how you're getting on her nerves. She also said that the baby is gonna ruin her life." Tesia looked at Armelle and shook her head in disbelief.

"Tabs, could you go check on your brother? He's eating his lunch in his room." She nodded and walked out of the room quickly.

"Tes, I can't deal with my mother. She's acting ridiculous. It's stressing me out." Armelle ran her fingers through her hair and closed her eyes.

Tesia rubbed her back and comforted her sister-in-law.

"It'll work out, little sis. I know it will. Talk to him tonight. I'll keep the kids out of your hair." The second the words left her mouth, Tobias walked in.

"Hey, baby. Are you feeling okay?" Armelle nodded and let her husband kiss her before giving him a hug.

"She hasn't been feeling so well lately, little brother. She's under so much stress." Tobias sighed and ran his fingers through his wife's hair before getting in bed with her.

"I'll leave you two alone. Just hold her, Tobi. She needs you right now." He nodded and looked at Armelle as soon as the door closed.

"Are you okay, baby?" She simply kept her eyes on his and poked out her bottom up slightly before crying.

"I'm so tired, Tobias. I can't keep this act up. My mom is acting like a fool." He closed his eyes and sighed while holding her tightly.

"You can't let her affect you this way. I don't want you stressed out while you're carrying my child."

"I hear you, honey. I'm just gonna talk to her later and try to get something out of her." He nodded and kissed her repeatedly before pulling the sheets over them.

"I noticed you were tossing and turning all night. Take a little nap, baby." Yawning softly, Armelle rested her head on her husband's chest and closed her eyes.

•

"I'm here, Armelle."

The sound of her mother's voice was bitter and cold. It made her feel bad, for some reason.

"I'm in the kitchen."

Eileen walked into the kitchen and sat at the island with a scowl.

"Mom, is there something we need to talk about?" Armelle looked at her mother and tossed the dish towel towards the sink.

"There is, actually. I just want to know why. Why did you have to ruin my love life?"

"I ruined your love life? I'm lost."

"You slept with John and now he can't get you out of his head! You remember now? He thinks your baby is his, so he doesn't want to be with me! You remember now!?"