Honey Brown II

Chapter 7

OLIVIA

A night with Kenny always produced the best sleep. And last night was no exception. I awoke just as she was leaving for work. When she noticed that I was watching her, she walked over to the bed, and gave me a quick peck on the lips.

"Have a good day, I love you," I told her.

"I love you too," she responded. "Remember our bet," she winked as she walked out of the room.

"Yeah, yeah," I called after her, then I heard the front door close.

Just as I was about to get up to use the bathroom, my cell phone buzzed, alerting me of a text message. I grabbed my phone, thinking it was Kenny sending me one of her daily messages.

However, the phone number was private. I hesitantly slid the notification to view the text. It consisted of pictures of Kenny sleeping in her bed. It struck me as odd, especially since they were from angles that made it impossible for her to have taken them herself.

I scrolled to the end of the text, and instantly felt sick to my stomach. Accompanying the pictures was a message:

She belongs to me. You either back off, or I make you.

What the fuck?

The photos looked recent, but Kenny had already told me that she wasn't sleeping with anyone else. But how was she going to explain this?

I showered and dressed to go for a run. I needed to try to make sense of this, and not being able to go to work didn't make the situation any better. I left my house, setting my phone to silent. I turned on my playlist, and jogged to the nearest park. Once there, I set off on my favorite trail.

She never once lied to me, and never gave me a reason to think that she would. But this was all too much. First the earring, and now the threatening messages. They all pointed towards the possibility of there being another woman who was determined to make her presence known.

I came to the end of the trail, which showcased a beautiful stream, stemming from a small waterfall. The ambiance always helped me sort out my thoughts.

I found a rock and sat for a while, my mind racing.

Should I even ask Kenny about the pictures? What would she say? I'm not even sure I would want to hear her excuses. And what if she gets mad again, I don't think I could remain as calm as I was before.

I needed someone to confide in. Naturally, the first person to come to mind was Tanya. But I felt she was too close to the both of us to be neutral. I could only think of one other person who would be impartial, and play devil's advocate if necessary. I jogged back to my house to retrieve my car.

I pulled up in front of her house about 45 minutes later. I sat in the car for a couple of minutes, trying to determine how I was going to tell her. I took a deep breath. Okay, Olivia. Mind as well get this over and done with. I exited my car, and walked up the pathway to her front door. I rang the doorbell, and waited. A few minutes later, she opened the door.

"Well, if it isn't my Livy! I've missed you, sweetheart," she exclaimed as she pulled me in for a hug. I smiled as I returned her embrace.

"Hi Nana. I've missed you too," I responded. I walked in and felt my stomach growl. She chuckled at the sound.

"I'm assuming you're hungry," she said. I blushed in response. I had been so frustrated, I forgot to eat before leaving. "Luckily for you, I just finished baking an orange cake," she told me with a knowing look.