The Taylors

Chapter Twenty Nine

Island walked around her kitchen in house slippers, underwear, and an oversized navy blue Cowboys T-shirt she lifted from Christian's place. With her cell phone in the crook on her neck, Island continued to scrub dirty dishes while holding a conversation with her man.
"It's Friday. Iman is at his dad's house and you really went out of town on me. Now who's gonna give me dick?" She joked, just to get under Christian's skin a little.
"If you know what's good for you, you better wait till I get back to Houston." He said smoothly.
"Is that a threat Mr. Rose?" Island smiled. She was just washing her last plate.
"You can call it whatever you need to just don't play with me. I don't share pussy, baby. And if you do slip up, I feel bad for the nigga you got me sharing with."
"And what does that mean?"
"I don't think you really wanna know. Just don't try me, mama, and we good."
Island paused a second, shifting her eyes from left to right. "Damn, Daddy. You do know I'm just playing right?"
"I guess my woman is just something I don't play about." Christian replied easily with confidence.
Island just shook her head, drying each dish and putting them away in the proper cabinets.
"See, this is why you should be home. Since I'm already in the kitchen, I'd let you put me on the counter and fuck me as aggressively as you sound right now. But nooo. Your ass is somewhere up in Dallas."
"It's business, baby. I told you that. Damn, you feening for the dick, huh?" He laughed.
"I usually get like this right before my period. I don't know if it's hormones or what. But... since the first time we did it, I'm like this all the time. That ain't Mother Nature. That's on you."
Again, Christian released a sexy laugh. He had never known a woman to complain about his pipe game and knew he could please Island properly. But the way she was acting said he was doing his job very well. He, as well as his ego, swelled with pride.
"Alright. Alright I can take the blame on this one."
"I know you will. You made me this way."
Island put the last dish in the cabinet when a knock at the front door caught her attention. She wasn't expecting any company and with the urgency of the stranger's knock, Island began to grow nervous.
She tipped toed to the front door, halfway listening to whatever Christian was saying at that moment. Island took a quick look through he peep hole and almost dropped the phone from her ear.
"Baby, I'mma call you back." Island told him without giving Christian a chance to respond. She snatched the front door open with an angry scowl resting on her face.
"What the fuck are you doing here, Angelo?"
"Damn you.. you look good.." he slurred, leaning against the brick wall to his left, a half empty Hennessy bottle in hand. "You always look good, bae."
"Angelo, what the hell? Did you drive over here?" Island stepped out of her apartment and walked past him, towards the parking lot. From her view, she could see his whip parked crookedly in a handicap space, with no handicap permit. Island turned to find Angelo already inside of her apartment, struggling to take off his Adidas jacket.
"Oh, no. I don't know why you're trying to get comfortable. I'm using this uber app right now and you taking your ass home. TO YOUR PREGNANT WIFE." she told him, leaving the front door open. Angelo flopped on the couch, now struggling to get out of his sneakers.
"That fucking hoe lied to me, dawg. She ain't even pregnant." Angelo spat, using force to kick off his shoes. That last statement caught Island way off guard. She looked up from her phone to gaze at him.
"What?"
"I found out she out here being a hoe, drinking, and God knows what else at the club while I'm out of town." Angelo told her, agony coating his voice. Even after running through half a bottle of Hennessy, one could still see the pain he was feeling, even from a distance.
Island changed the tone of her voice a little, taking a seat next to Angelo on the couch.
"How'd you find out?"
"Man it don't even matter." He scoffed, his mind going back to the conversation he had with Coco via instagram. There was some incriminating evidence in the case against his wife and the proof was just hard to witness. Of all people, Coco would be the one to spill the beans. Angelo truly had I stop himself from snapping Serena's neck in front of his children.
"Um, yes it does matter Angelo. And where the hell is my son? He's supposed to be with y-"
"He's at my moms with Asia and Alani. Shit got a lil wild at the house when I approached her about it."
"So it's true." Island said in disbelief." Serena really lied about being pregnant? For what?"
"She said she thought I was fucking around and she needed something to grab my attention again." Angelo confessed looking off into the distance as if he was replaying he entire scene over in his head.
"Well. An imaginary baby. That should do the trick, huh?" Island replied trying not to laugh.
"This shit ain't funny Island." Angelo roared, standing to his feet and still nursing that bottle of Henny. "This hoe played me! And she suppose to be my wife!"
"Boo Hoo. Poor Angelo." Island sat back and folded her arms. "I mean, you really were fucking around. I know 'cause I was there. You can't really be mad."
"I can't be mad?! Serena ruined my fucking life the day I met her." He cried, now pacing back and forth.
"No, you ruined your life the day you cheated on me.. with THAT bitch and got her pregnant. Then, to add insult to injury, you put a fucking ring on that bitch's finger! So you deserve every bit of this karma. Mmm hmm. I almost wish I had some popcorn 'cause this show is too good right now."
Angelo wanted to smack the smirk right off of Island's lips but kept his composure. He knew she was enjoying his demise and it caused him to boil inside. Angelo continued to pace the living room floor, breathing deeply in an effort to control his temper.
"Island.. I told you I only married Serena because she was pregnant and her fucking father is religious as fuck."
"Yeah that's the lie you fed me but what are you gonna tell your son when he's old enough to understand? What are you gonna say when he asks you why you made his sister's mom an honest woman while you treated his mother like a slut?"
"Island-"
"No, I'm just asking. What's gonna be your excuse then, Angelo? Matter fact, why are you even here? If you had a fight with your little wife, I could've picked up my son and he could've been here with me. Iman hates going to your mother's place."
"What?!" Angelo cut his eyes at her quickly.
"He's tired of sticking to the damn plastic furniture, okay? And we both know she doesn't treat him the same as your daughters."
"Alright, mama, that's enough! I know you've always had beef with my mother, even in high school, but don't lie on her. She loves all of them the same."
"I guess that's the lie she fed you. I, for one, don't believe it." Island tried not to think about her son's grandmother too much. She was a shapely woman who seem to always have an attitude about something. Angelo was an only child, her pride and joy. When a pregnant teenage Island finally met the woman, there was immediate friction. She never forgave Island for being the fast tail heffier that trapped her son.
Angelo was trying his best to calm himself. He didn't drive all the way over here just to argue with his baby mama. Shit if that was the case, he could've just stayed home and argued with his wife.
"Babe, listen." Angelo tripped over his own feet and fell back on the couch. Island snatched away when he tried to gently grab her hand. "Shit wasn't suppose to be like this. It was suppose to be you, me, and Iman."
"Get to your point, Angelo. Uber is four minutes away." She said.
"My point is...things can still work out now how we wanted them to back then. I'm done with Serena. This was the last straw. Draw up the papers and show me where to sign 'cause that marriage shit is a wrap."
Island shook her head and stood to her feet. She bent over the couch trying to get face to face with him and their eyes connected.
"Angelo let me explain something to you. We will never, do you understand? NEVER get back what we lost. Yes, I love you and I will always have love for you. But I'm not IN love with you no more, Angelo. I'm not. I guess it just took someone showing me what real love feels like to help me realize it."
Angelo's eyes flared at the mention of Island loving someone else. He was so close, he could almost kiss her lips but, in that moment, he'd rather make her lips bleed.
"What you say to me?" He asked for verification.
"You heard me, Angelo. I'm right here. I know you heard me. That's right. Nigga treating like a fucking queen, too. He's good to me, Angelo. He listens to me. Supports me. Makes me feel beautiful even when I'm looking bummy as fuck. He's a real man. A man my son can look up to. Oh, you should see the way Iman lights up when he comes arou-"
Angelo's backhand came out of no where, lifting Island off of her feet and sending her crashing into the coffee table. Island doubled over in pain with broken glass surrounding her and blood spilling from her lip.
"You had this motherfucker around my son?!" He roared in a total rage.
She screamed when Angelo grabbed a handful of her hair, standing over her, gripping it so hard he almost pulled it from the scalp. This time, Angelo squatted down to her level to look into her eyes. His temper was no longer controllable and the liquor in his system only amplified things by a thousand. He didn't care. Island had painted such a pretty image of her new man that Angelo was not prepared to see. Scared shitless, Island began to tremble as tears rolled off her cheeks.
"Now, let me explain something to you, Island. I know you thought you was having fun with this new toy of yours but recess is over and you not finna play with me." Angelo yanked her head for emphasis and had no reguard for the spittle flying from his mouth. "Whatever you thought you was doing with whoever you fucking with is over now. I'm Daddy. And Daddy is coming back home. Champ told me about your lil incident with Coco and your brother. Now that they're gone, I know you have plenty room for me. Imma go pick up the kids from my moms tomorrow and after I drop the girls off with Serena, Champ and I are coming back here. At home. Where we belong. And I expect dinner to be ready and on the fucking table. It's 'bout time the three of us ate a meal together like a real fucking family." He released his grip on her head and pushed her over causing Island's hands to fall over the broken glass. Angelo slammed the front door closed and started heading back towards Island's bedroom, Hennessy bottle in hand.

Even after all this time, Angelo could still find a way to shake her to her core. This wasn't the first time he'd put his hands on her but Island never really thought he'd actually hit her again. Suddenly she was regretting leaving Issy and Coco homeless. Had she not overreacted, Issy would've still been there to protect her. Now Island was on her own. She knew there was no taming the beast that Angelo kept inside once it was released. She had no idea how she would get away from him this time.
"Oh and cancel that damn Uber ride. Ain't nobody going no where. Not no time soon.."