Wounded. |✔️|

10. what is love

friday, august 25
8:36 pm

aaliyah.

"Mommy mommy mommy!" Amara yells right into my ear.

"Princess, stop yelling. I'm right here," I laugh, tucking her into bed.

"Story?"

"Of course. I'll go get dada."

I walk out of her room, making my way to ours. Amara always likes to fall asleep to both of her parents. She's also in love with stories. Ever since she was an itty bitty baby, she's wanted to try to read the words. It honestly makes me so proud. When I walk into the bedroom, I see James with his head buried in his hands, sitting at the edge of the bed.

"Baby, what's wrong? I ask, sitting next to him.

"Nothing," he says, his voice cracking.

"James, you're crying. Talk to me."

"Liyah, I'm good, for real."

"We don't lie," I say, pulling his hands away from his face.

I hate seeing James cry. He doesn't cry often. The last time I really saw him cry was when Amara was born.

"I can't lose you again," he mumbles.

"Why would you lose me? We just got married, James. I'm here forever."

"Don't say that."

"What happened? Tell me. Is it about Riley? Did something happen between you two?" I ask, starting to breathe heavy.

I don't know what I would do if something happened between those two. If they did anything, I'd break inside. There's no way that he would've cheated on me. If he cheats on me, he cheats on Mari. He has way more to lose than just me.

"Kinda."

"Recently?"

"No, back when we were dating in high school."

"Oh, just tell me, baby. Whatever it was it was years ago. You've grown since then."

"I have, but the second you find out, you're gone. And so is Mari, and I can't lose you two. Y'all are my world."

What the hell did this boy do? And if it was this big, why didn't he tell me?

"James, what happened? Tell me now."

"I was drunk, and she started screaming at me. She was so loud. I could hear her in my brain. She kept accusing me of cheating on her with my brother's girl. She'd always been the jealous type, but... that night it was like... she was on something else. She wouldn't stop pushing me and slapping me, even after I asked her to stop. Next thing I know, she's on the floor with a black eye."

My heart falls to the core of the earth. He hit her. He's hit a woman before. I never thought that James could be capable of something like that. How could he just hit her? Thousands of memories of my father being drunk slapping me around come crashing back. Any man who hits any woman is evil. No matter what. And now the man that I married. The man who I thought I knew everything about is... evil?

"You hit her..."

"Aaliyah, I-"

"Stop. Just stop. Why the fuck wouldn't you tell me that? Knowing DAMN well, what I've been through!" I yell.

"Baby, pl-"

"Shut up. Just shut up. We have to put Mari to sleep. Then, you're sleeping in the guest room. And tomorrow, you're sleeping far away from this house."