The "IT" Factor

Chapter 24

Iman

I pulled into my driveway trying to think of how I can grab Summer and get in the house before he tried to talk about what happened.

The second I opened my door he was getting out of his car with a sneaky look.

"Why are you looking like that bruh?" I said.

"Bruh? I was just daddy. Don't try to act now." He said with his eyebrow raised.

"Whatever give me my baby, so I can go cook." I said unlocking the door.

"Can I stay for dinner? You know how I feel about your food. PLEASE. Besides, we've never had a family dinner. Let me feel like we're a unit for a few more hours please." He pleaded.

"Fine, could you go bathe her while I cook?" I gave in, "but don't think because you got some ass that you're in the clear.".

"Rightttt." He said.

I went into my kitchen washed my hands and pulled my deep lasagna pan out and gathered my ingredients. Lasagna just so happened to Nick's favorite so I'm sure he was going to feel special, but I honestly had already planned to cook it.

After browning the ground turkey and fresh seasoning, I poured the sauce in and mixed it. I layered it and toped it with provolone, triple cheddar, parmesan, and a shredded Italian blend. While it was baking Nick was walking back down with a cooing Summer in his hands.

"Hey Mama's baby, I missed you today. Can I have hugs and kisses?" I said grabbing my baby out of his hands.

"Man, seriously, I need to see this on a daily. I'll do whatever to be apart of this consistently." He said nervously.

"Nick, I don't know. You cheated... with someone I knew. No scratch that, you cheated with my mentee and student. Then you tried to conceal it. Oh, and let's not forget you got her pregnant. Now she's moving on with her life and you're fighting to be a part of your family. Crazy thing is, I'm not even mad with her." I said putting Summer in her high chair.

"Baby, look I admit that I'm wrong for everything that I did. I realize that this is all my fault and I take full responsibility for it. Just give it another try please. We don't have to move fast, it doesn't have to be overnight, just give me the chance to be here for my girls." He pleaded.

"I love you... so much. More than I've ever loved any other man. You don't think I want to wake up every morning to your face? You don't think I want to cater to you and treat you like the king I THOUGHT you were? Nick you humiliated me... but I think we can work towards getting over it. Unfortunately, I don't want to do this life thing without you." I admitted as the guilt from leading Brent on started to attack me.

Brent

I was starting to think that maybe I did too much the other night with the dinner. Iman had been really distant, and it was starting to scare me. I drove to her house unannounced then I thought about how much she hated pop-ups so when I got on her street I decided to just drive by. When I hit the corner, my eyes widened... What was Nick ass doing at my girl's house this late? Well she's not my girl yet, but she will be.

It took everything in me not to get out and go knock on the door. I decided to park a few houses down to see how long he'd be there. Two hours went by and I got disturbed. Why the fuck was he there so long and I knew by then that Summer was definitely sleeping. Midnight came around and he still hadn't left so I shot Iman a text because I saw that her bedroom light was on.

Brent- You up?

Iman- Getting in bed now.

Brent- Can I come lay with you?

Iman- Not tonight, but we need to talk tomorrow

Brent- Cool, I'll bring a bottle of Hen.

Iman- No, I'll come over. It won't take long.

I didn't reply. At that moment I knew what was going on. Nick made his way back in and she was going to tell me that we couldn't move forward. Rage filled my eyes and I whipped my car into her driveway. Hopped out leaving it running and proceeded to her door. Unconsciously I started beating on her front door like a mad man. Not even a minute later the door opened and guess who stood there? Nick....

Nick

Iman decided to let me sleep on the couch in her room instead of driving home so late.

As I went to lay down I heard banging at the door, like it was the damn police. I slipped my shirt back on and went to the door with my gun. I looked through the peep hole and low and behold, guess who stood there looking crazy as hell? Brent...

"Why in the fuck are you beating on my babymama door at 12 in the morning like she your woman or something? And my got damn baby sleep!" I said threw my teeth.

"What you doing here bruh? You ain't been here so why you here now? You know a real nigga about to take care of her now you trying to sneak back in? Move yo pussy ass out the way." He said like he was about to cry. Bitch ass.

"Pussy? I'm not even gone entertain you, cause I know light skin niggas be in they feelings. I'm gone give you a fair opportunity to take yo ass on before you this shit get real ugly."

I heard Iman running down the steps and I knew this shit was gonna escalate. Her ass is too dramatic for it not to.

"Brent what are you doing at my house unannounced? Do you pay bills here? Na, you don't. Go home!" she said trying to not to wake Summer up. "My baby is sleeping and if you disrupt her beauty rest, you won't EVER see her nor me again nigga. Go home, I will call you tomorrow."

"I'll go home... After I beat this nigga ass." He said swinging on me and connecting with my jaw.

I had two options... let this pistol talk or to whoop this nigga ass the old school way. Because my baby was sleeping, I decided against blowing his brains out. I giggled and touched the blood leaking from my lips, stepped back and fell completely in his shit.

I heard Iman screaming "Nick please stop, he's sick." But I didn't give a fuck. He should have kept his hands to himself. For what felt like 10 minutes, but was only 30 seconds, I pounded this niggas face. It was Summer's cry that saved him.

"He's not supposed to lose blood like this! He has sickle cell Nick!" Iman said running to Brent's rescue.

"Well he better call an ambulance. I'm going put my baby back to sleep." I said walking off.

Iman

Although I was pissed with Brent and his "pop-up", I rode to the hospital with him. He decided not to press charges, but I knew that would come with bullshit further down the road.

Upon arrival, he immediately had to have a blood transfusion. I was nervous and aggravated at the same time. It took the doctor about a hour to get him stabilized and told me I could go to the back to see him.

"Brent, are you okay?" I asked trying not to be an asshole off the bat.

"I'm good. More heartbroken than hurt." he said in a low tone.

"Heartbroken how? We never set anything in stone. We said "I love you", that could mean a bunch of things. I'm going to be honest with you, I never stopped loving Nick. Hell, I didn't even fall out of love with him. But you were there, even when I tried to refuse help you insisted, that made me love you... but just not in a capacity that would cause me to be with you. I'm sorry if you feel that I led you on. I have to go check on my child now. Don't hesitate to call me if you need me. Take care of yourself and please avoid popping up at my house. Bye."