Intertwined

Chapter Eight

Rubycould sense that Jerrod was aggravated but she didn't care. He owed her theirfamily back. It was broken because of him. She wasn't going to sit back and lethim just be happy with his "someone". He was going to miss shit and have toleave early and disappoint her ass many of days. There would always besomething parenting wise he needed to do. This night was no different. Shemessaged Jerrod telling him the children were refusing to go to bed without himreading them a story. He had stopped by every night since they moved in andread them a story. All of a sudden he said he wouldn't be by. "Ruby laughed toherself. 'That's what the fuck he thought.' 

The doorbell rang. Ruby answered wearing nothing more than boy shorts and a sports bra. She was petite but very curvy. "Hey Jerrod." She smiled stepping aside to let him in. The kids were standing at the door jumping with excitement. The smile on his face was all the kids needed to race to their bedroom grab a book and jump into bed. "Jerrod and Janai, daddy has to have a talk with you two. I love you both more than anything in the world. I love being able to read you bedtime stories and have dinner with y'all during the week. It feels great not only getting to see you on weekends." He paused. Ruby stood just outside the door listening. "Daddy cant come read to y'all every night. Just because daddy cant make it doesn't mean give your mom a hard time. You must be big kids and go to bed as instructed. Okay?" he raised an eyebrow as they both pouted and said okay.

Thirty minutes later they were sound asleep. Ruby was waiting to ambush Jerrod. She was completely naked laid out in front of the fireplace. A Lyfe Jennings song was playing. He was singing about staying together. "Come." Ruby beckoned moving into a kneeling position. Jerrod stood not moving. Ruby got up and walked over to him grabbing his crotch. "It's been too long daddy." She pressed up against him kissing his neck. He was still not moving. Not even his dick jumped. Ruby nibbled his earlobe. Something that always turned him on.

Jerrod grabbed her by both arms and put some space between them. "Ruby I invited you to lunch tomorrow to talk about us getting back together. I realize we need to have that talk now." She smiled at him trying to close the gap between them. He stepped back. "Ruby you are an amazing woman. You are kind and beautiful. I will always regret what I put you through. It took you leaving me to push me to become a better man. We will always be family but getting back together isn't the right thing to do." She looked confused. "What do you mean it isn't the right thing to do? How can putting our family back together not be the right thing?" She tried to hold her anger at bay. She felt foolish standing naked damn near begging him to be with her.

"No matter how perfect you may be that didn't make you perfect for me. I cheated on you almost the entire marriage because something was missing. Now knowing what I want I know that it would be a matter of time before I was cheating again. I'm not saying this to hurt you but to protect you. I never want to hurt you again." He genuinely meant that. "What's wrong with me that you think you'd always cheat on me Jerrod?" her attitude was pushing through.

"Ruby it's not you. Its me. I know this now. I just need something different than who you are. It was hard for me to figure out how to say this to you. I don't want us not getting back together to turn us into enemies. I don't want to have to go back to only seeing my kids every other weekend. The answer isn't being in a relationship I know isn't right for me." He looked at her looking for understanding. "Who is the bitch Jerrod." Ruby was done playing coy.

"Ruby it's not about a bitch." He kept his tone calm trying to keep it from getting ugly. "WHO IS THE FUCKING BITCH JERROD!" Ruby was screaming. Her anger had officially boiled over. All the shit she had tolerated and now he wanted to feed her bullshit over some hoe he just met. "If you are asking if I am seeing someone. Yes, Ruby I am seeing someone. She isn't a bitch. She is a very nice woman. I'd like you to meet her and get to know her. I'd like to blend our lives together as one big family." He truly hoped Ruby would come around.