All For Love (Urban Fiction) Part 5

Chapter 41 Chantel

For month I felt angry, suspicious, and alone, until I didn't. 

Months had passed, and while the pain was still there, it didn't consume me like before. I had thrown myself into my priorities—being a mother, therapy, and finally focusing on myself instead of everything Marcus left behind.

The house he bought me? Gone. Sold. Now, I was standing in the middle of my home—one I chose, one I paid for, one that belonged to me and my kids. The scent of fresh paint still clung to the walls, and unopened boxes were scattered everywhere, waiting for me to make this place feel like home.

I pulled some dishes from a box, lining them up in the cabinets as Meilani stretched out on the couch, peeling tape off another box.

"You know," she started, twirling the roll of tape around her finger, "since we're making fresh starts and shit... maybe it's time you reach out to Kaidyn."

My hands froze, a throw pillow clutched against my stomach. Kaidyn. We hadn't spoken since my birthday dinner, since she sat across from me and let me believe she and Daniel used Marcus as their scapegoat to go legit. That night had been heated—accusations thrown, resentment boiling over, and the trust we had damn near shattered.

I scoffed, shaking my head as I adjusted the pillow on the couch. "You really think I should?"

Meilani shrugged. "Look, I get why you were pissed. But y'all been too tight for too long to let it end like that. She's not the enemy, Chantel."

I bit my lip, because deep down, I knew she was right. But pride? That was a different beast. Once I felt betrayed, it was hard for me to come back from that. Still, I couldn't deny that it had been on my mind lately—reaching out, seeing if there was anything left to salvage.

Before I could think about it any longer, my phone vibrated on the kitchen counter. A reminder popped up—Visitation: 2 PM, Marcus.

I sighed. No matter how I felt about him, I wasn't gonna keep the kids from their father. Even if I hated everything about that jail, Sky and Casey needed him.

Grabbing my purse and keys, I gave Meilani a look. "I'll think about it," I muttered before heading out the door.

*

The air inside the prison was wreaked with bleach and bad decisions. The harsh lights did nothing to soften the cold atmosphere, and even after months of coming here, I still hated every second of it. 

Sky and Casey were practically buzzing as I led them toward the glass. The second they saw Marcus, their little faces lit up, Casey knocking the phone receiver off the hook in excitement. Today wasn't the face to face visit, so the barrier of glass blocked a more intimate encounter. 

"Daddy!" Casey pressed his hands against the glass, bouncing in his seat.

Marcus gave them a rare, real smile—the kind that reminded me why I fell for him in the first place. For a second, just a second, I saw the man I used to know.

But then the moment passed, and I saw what I hadn't noticed before. He looked different. Not just because of the jumpsuit, not just because of the stress. His energy was off. His shoulders were still squared, his frame solid, but there was something in his eyes. Something distant.

He picked up the phone, eyes flickering between me and the kids. "Y'all gettin' big on me," he said with a low chuckle.

Sky grinned, kicking her feet excitedly. "Mommy let me wear my new shoes today!" She stuck her foot up, even though he couldn't see them past the glass.

Marcus nodded like she just told him she won an Olympic gold medal. He was present, but at the same time, he wasn't. His mind was somewhere else.

I narrowed my eyes, tilting my head as I held the phone up. "You good?"