Deceitful | Book 3

| E I G H T E E N |

Okay, so I decided that with the PAST, I won't put them in there as much simply because I don't want to. It's too much going back and forth between stories to remember what happened and all that. I honestly don't think they even matter at this point now that we all know how grimy Bruce Golden is lol. But anyway... It's short, but enjoy!

P R E S E N T
TERENY
I rang the doorbell, cradling sleeping Britten in my arms while Britney held onto my pant leg. The bags weighed me down to the point where it felt like I was about to collapse into the grass.

    The front door became unlocked and swung open. When he looked at me, all he could do was shake his head. He studied Britten a bit before reaching for Britney's hand and pulling her inside. I dropped the bags down by the door and closed the door behind me.

    "So, what you gonna crash here?" Jeremy asked me as he set Britney down onto his burgundy sofa and crossed his arms. I shrugged my shoulders and stared around his spacious apartment.

    This is Jeremy's first week in his apartment and already, me and my children were probably gonna be taking over. The last person I wanted to bother with my issues are Jeremy, but considering that he was basically all that I had, I just had to deal with it. I couldn't go bothering Martray. He still lived at home with his parents. And Antoinette and Chavez were having problems of their own. I didn't want to add on. Plus, I did not want my parents knowing everything about a falling apart in my marriage. They would always tell me to stick it out. But why?

    "You can if you want to. I'll just take the sofa and y'all can use the bed if it comes down to it." Jeremy insisted.

    All I could do was think of how Bruce betrayed me and it really messed me up. Tears fell from my eyes as if I hadn't cried the whole drive back into town. Jeremy walked over to me and held me in his arms, although I was still holding onto my son.

    "Tereny, it's gonna be alright." Jeremy assured me. "And it's okay to cry. But you have to be strong for the kids." He rubbed my back and looked directly at me.

    "Jeremy, I don't know what to do now? It's like...I'm getting what I deserve. But I don't think I deserve any of this." I cried.

    I knew that I had done devious things in the past. Slept with a married man while knowing he was married. Trying to do all I could to keep him, although his wife begged me to back away. Even went so far as having a baby with this man. And because of all this, karma was getting its revenge...but I don't feel like I deserve any of the things that are happening to me right now.

    "Whether you don't know what you deserve it or not, no one deserves to be cheated on. I know that much." Jeremy assured me as he pulled away and pulled me over to the sofa where Britney sat quietly as if she were spaced out. "When I did what I did to Cheri after trying to persuade her that I was faithful so many times, it fucked with me. I gave into the pressure. I was pissed with her. And I still feel sorry for what I did. Even though we both don't want shit to do with each other, not a day goes by where I don't think that although Cheri is loud and can be obnoxious, she didn't deserve to be cheated on."

    I took in Jeremy's words and looked down at my hands.

    "I don't think there's no coming back from this. Not only did he cheat on me with her, he cheated on me the night before we said our vows. Who does that?" I questioned more myself than Jeremy. Jeremy shook his head as if he just really didn't know the answer to that. "I think the best thing for me to do is just get a divorce. It's just too much."

    "So, you're just going to give up on your marriage just like that? You don't wanna at least fight?" Jeremy asked me in disbelief.

    "Jeremy, he doesn't even know who he wants. He said it himself that he's in love with her." I started to cry.