To be Loved

Lionel & Tiana

Lionel Micheals
8:58 pm

How dare she?! How dare she?!

"You cheated." Joanna says in the corner.

"Shut up! You're not helping!" I yell.

My phone rings and I pick it up.

"What?!" I yell into the phone.

"Can we talk?" Makayla says on the other side.

"About what?"

"Where are you?" Her voice a little shaky.

"At my house."

"Send me your address. It's important."

I hang up and send the address. This could be about Tiana.

"What do you want?" I ask yanking the door open.

"Can I come in?" She asks wiping at her cheeks.

"What, Makayla?"

"She's yours." She says.

"What? Who? Who are we talking about?" I ask walking inside and going to the kitchen for a drink.

I pass by Joanna and glare at her.

"M-maddie...she's yours."

"I fucking asked you! I asked you, Makayla! You told me it was some other guys! That's my fucking daughter, Makayla!" She jumps back and starts to cry.

"What?!" Jo exclaims from the corner.

"I-I know-"

"NO! I don't wanna hear that shit! I grew up as her uncle not her father! If I knew I would've took care of my responsibilities." I make sure I can glare at Jo as I scream at Makayla.

"You were married by the time I found out. I-it was too late, Lionel. You were Tiana's."

"I wasn't hers when you were fucking me our entire senior year!"

"Don't do that! Don't say that! Don't make me out to be a whore! I'm not!"

"I never said that, you did!"

"I didn't come here for that! I came here to ask for blood."

Tiana Micheals
11:38 pm

"Where are you going?" I ask Makayla.

"Going to get the blood." She runs past me.

Jerry got in an accident with Maddie and the boys. The boys are unharmed but Jerry and Maddie are in critical condition. Maddie needs blood that is apparently really rare.

"I'm so scared, Thomas." I say rubbing his arm as I look over the boys.

He says nothing and just holds me as I sob into his chest. I'm so worried for Maddie. She's like my daughter. I don't know what I'd do if... The thought just makes me cry harder.

Through it all Thomas holds and comforts me.

"What are you doing here?" I hear a familiar voice ask.

I must've fell asleep. I jerk awake. I see Lionel standing over me.

"What do you want?" I ask.

"I'm not here for you." He simply says.

It is his niece and friend as well. I just didn't think he had the same sentiments as a normal human being.

"Where's the blood?" I ask Makayla standing nervously behind him.

"I-"

"I'm the blood." He says going over to the doctors. A nurse takes him away.

"Any updates on Jerry?" She asks her voice shaky.

"No, nothing." I say leaning back into Thomas.

"Oh my god, how could this happen?!" We hear another woman cry out and drop to her knees.

"I don't want that to be me. God, please! They have to survive. Please!" My best friend drops to her knees and prays.

"Get up, Makayla." And I pick her up and sit her on the sofa.

Thomas jerks awake. I reach over to soothe him and he sits up.

"I'm sorry I fell asleep. I'll get us some coffee." He says and kisses my forehead and leaves to the cafeteria, I'm assuming.

Makayla cries harder. And I hold her like Thomas held me.

"I did it. Hopefully, it'll save her." Lionel says coming to sit next to me.

My skin crawls.

How was I ever married to this man?

"I hope so, too."

Thomas comes back with our coffee and him and Lionel say nothing to each other. I'm glad Lionel can be adult when it calls for it.

"How did Makayla even know your blood type?" I ask now curious.

"You must've told her." He says shrugging his shoulders.

"I don't even know your blood type."

"He's her father." Makayla blurts out.

I freeze up and stop rubbing her back.

"W-what are you talking about?" I whisper out.

"I-"

"We fucked a lot senior year. Apparently she found out she was pregnant after we got married and she saw no reason to mess up a happy home or to tell me I was father." He interrupts and he glares in the corner of the room.

I hop up and look back and forth between the two.

"You fucked him! You made a child with him! I love Maddie! How could you do some vile shit like that! We've been friends since we were 7 years old, Makayla. 7! How could you?! How-Why would you?! Did our friendship mean nothing?!" I say my voice breaking.

"It wasn't like that, Tiana. I was just jealous of your love and I wanted-"

"I don't want to hear your excuses, Makayla. As for you, Lionel. Why marry me if you were always planning to cheat?"

"I love you and I always will. Plus, I was a teen and I was afraid of the commitment-"

"You're a fucking pig." I say sternly staring him down.

I look at both of them and leave. This is not the place for any of this.

By the time I make it to the car I'm in full on tears and they won't stop coming. I realize I forgot about Thomas.

"T-Th-Thom-" I could barely get his name out.

"I'm right here." He says pulling me into his lap and letting me cry for the 15th time today.

I cry myself to sleep. When I wake I'm in his bed. I turn over and groan. I have a headache. I walk to the bathroom for ibuprofen. I take one, dry.

I can't believe she's kept this secret for years! How could a person who claims they love me  do this to me? My heart aches from her betrayal and I'll never get over it. She was my best friend. We shared everything. I was going to be her maid of honor. Our kids were going to grow up together and forced to be best friends. Now we can never have that again. Never!