To be Loved

Thomas & Lionel & Tiana

Thomas Williams
2:30 pm

"Uncle Lionel!" Maddie yells, running to Tiana's ex.

I've only ever seen him once and I punched him the first and only time so seeing him now seems weird.

"Maddie girl." He says picking her up.

Tiana comes over to me.

"I didn't know he was coming." She whispers.

"It's okay. He was your husband for a long time. Your lives are intertwined. And this is about the boys and not about me." I say giving her a kiss.

"Okay."

I tap her ass as she walks away.

"Jerry, wassup, man." Lionel says dapping him up.

I head to the bathroom. On my way upstairs I run into Makayla.

"Kayla, you good?" I ask because she looks a little shaken.

"Yeah, I just can't believe my babies are turning 1. They were just crawling and now they're 1 whole year."

"Yeah, kids will do that to you."

"You got kids?" She asks.

"No, but I do have little cousins. And a god daughter."

"I'm sorry about Lionel. I didn't think he was coming."

"It's all good. That is his niece and nephews. And anyway it's not about me." I say.

Lionel Micheals
3:00 pm

"What do you want, Lionel?" Tiana asks annoyed.

She looks so sexy and if I didn't know any better I would say she has a bigger ass. She looks thicker. I would even go as far as to say she's glowing.

"I can't talk to my wife."

"No and stop calling me your wife. We're not together."

"And yet we're still married."

"Lionel, why are you here?"

"To see my family."

"Then why are you in my face?"

"You're apart of that family."

"You already have a family. Why didn't you bring your daughters? I mean it is a kids party. Where's Joanna?" She asks looking around.

"They're at home with their mother as they should be." I say grabbing a beer.

"Then why aren't you? They're your family as well."

"I-"

"Don't wanna hear it, Lionel. Just get away from me. I don't understand what you want from me. I'm sick of the back and forth."

"I want you. Why don't you understand that?"

"I'm not doing this here." She storms off out the front door.

I follow behind her and into her car.

"Lionel, I need a breather and you need to leave me alone."

"No, we're meant to be." I say grabbing her hand.

She snatches it away.

"I thought that too. I really thought it was going to be me and you. Forever. I mean, Lionel, I've known you for 15 years! 15! I thought that you loved me!"

"I do!"

"So fucking someone else for 5 years is loving me! And if that wasn't enough having 3 kids with her! That's loving me, Lionel!" She yells tears streaming down her face.

I go to reach over but she slaps my hand away and steps out of the car and slams the door.

"You can have whatever you want from the divorce, Lionel. I want nothing from you." She says her voice even now.

"You don't mean that, Tiana." I say moving closer to her.

She backs away.

"And I'm getting a restraining order. I want nothing to do with you." She says walking back into the house.

***

"Where have you been all day?" Joanna nags as soon as I come through the door.

"Not right now, Joanna." I say moving past her.

"It's always not now, Lionel. What about me? You leave me with the kids for half the damn day! You say you don't want to be married but you're still very much-"

I wrap my hands around her throat and black out. When I come to Joanna's lying on the floor bloody with her face bashed in and in my hands is a hammer.

I drop to my knees and sob. I bring her body to me and cry. I cry until I can't anymore.

I've never hit a woman a day in my life and I never intended to.

I drag her body to the back door and into the yard. I start to dig a hole frantically. I wrap her in Giselle's favorite quilt, it's the least I could do. I shove her in.

"Rest in peace, Joanna. You will be missed. But I was going to leave you anyway. Amen."

I fill the hole back up and walk back into the house.

It's time to get my wife back.

Tiana Micheals
6:30 pm

"Are you sure you want nothing from him?" Thomas asks as he rubs my arm.

"Yes. I'm done with him being in my life. I'm calling my lawyer tomorrow. He's not the man I married. I don't know when he got like that. Or maybe he was always like that." I say rubbing his chest. Thanks for just letting me talk about him. I know no guy wants to constantly hear about their current's ex."

"You've been there for when my Pop's died and you were there for me when my mother found out she had cancer so I can be here for you. I'm always gonna be here for you."

"Thank you." I say kissing him.

"I'm..."

Bang!

Bang!

Bang!

"Who is that?" Tiana whispers hopping up.

"Let me answer it." I say walking out of the room and down the steps.

"Who is it?!" I yell not getting any closer to the door.

"Tiana's husband!"

I walk back up and tell Tiana. She walks down and yells.

"I don't wanna see you! Get away from the door or I'm calling the police!"

"I don't give 2 shits! This is still legally my home too!"

"Lionel, just please leave! I want to be alone tonight!"

"But you got that nigga in there! Ain't no alone!"

"Lionel, I don't have anyone in here! Just go home to your girlfriend and kids, please!"

"T-"

I walk over to the door and yank it open and close it behind me.

"Listen, Lionel, she doesn't want to be bothered by you..."

I'm cut off by him punching me in the stomach. I double over and hold my stomach as he beats on my back. I punch his knee and he falls back and tumbles down the 5 steps.

"Nigga, I said get outta here. Tiana doesn't want to talk to you."

I leave him there on the floor.