Summary: First, Justin had mistaken her for a boy. Secondly, he criticized her for the way she dressed. And the icing on the cake…her older sister and not she, was the cause of all his wet dreams. Yet, twelve years later who is he married to…yes her. Ironic isn't it?
Note: Some chapters are set in the past.
Categories: In Progress Het Stories Characters: Justin Timberlake
Awards: None
Genres: Alternate Universe, Angst, Drama, Romance
Challenges: None
Series: None
Chapters: 7 Completed: No
Word count: 42425 Read: 22920
Published: Apr 07, 2007 Updated: Dec 31, 2007
Story Notes:
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
1. Every Relationship Has a Casualty by Kahlymilla
2. Taste the Familiar by Kahlymilla
3. Tight-lipped Therapy Session by Kahlymilla
4. New vs.Old by Kahlymilla
5. Untitled by Kahlymilla
6. Chapter 5: Untitled by Kahlymilla
7. Divorce is a Bitter Pill to Swallow-Chapter 6 by Kahlymilla
Every Relationship Has a Casualty by Kahlymilla
Amongst the starry Baltimore night sky, slight wind-chill and noisy surroundings, Justin sat alone in his backyard, in a grim lawn chair with his feet propped on a stack of useless cement blocks. In his hand was a can of his favorite drink, Yoo-hoo, which he sipped slowly, despite that it had long ago lost its icy appeal and was now flavorless and warm. Taking another tortuous sip, he mulled over his current situation.
Just last week he had been calling this house, his home. Yet, due to recent changes, he settled for calling it home from afar, well from the backyard as he stared up at its brick structure.
Almost every night, he would relax--if you call sitting in the backyard, in the cold, sipping warm cans of Yoo-hoo relaxing--and watch the back windows, where the faintest of light shone against the windowpane. Tonight, his chest tightened as he followed through his usual routine of window watching.
He was hoping someone would finally come to the window, notice him, and invite him in, preferably, the person who put him out. His wife.
His wife would blow a gasket if she knew he was still coming around, where he was so-called not welcome. His wife probably wouldn’t care if she knew he was still going to the kids school every day to see them, in spite of the separation. Yet, his wife would definitely kill him if she knew he was about to sneak into the house via the back window. He polished off the last drop of Yoo-hoo and stood. He stretched in preparation.
Groaning, Justin wondered just how he would get inside. He didn’t have the privilege of the safety ladder that he had brought for the kids in case of a fire. That was inside. There was a faithful ladder, a gift from his father-in-law, in the garage. It wasn’t very safe or sturdy, but it would do.
He gathered the ladder and lined it with the window above. He winced when it noisily clanked against the bricks. Nervously, he glanced around; hoping his wife would mistake the sound for neighborhood noise and remain asleep.
Determined to get back to where he belonged, he climbed the first few rungs, unsteadily of course. He gained confidence when he made it to the middle off the tall ladder without falling to his death.
Grasping the side rails tightly, he peered up at the cracked window. Someone had left it open. His eyes narrowed, worried, and before he realized it, he was at the top of the ladder gazing into his daughters’ bedroom. The oldest slept closest to the window. Even though it was a school night, he considered waking her up to let him in.
Deciding that she had gotten plenty of sleep, Justin started knocking on the window.
“Michal!” He whispered loudly. She turned over immediately as if she’d been awake all along. Tossing the covers back, she smiled at him, and then proceeded to wake her younger sister.
“No, leave her alone. Open the window.” Michal followed his orders and stepped aside as he crawled through. Relieved, he stretched out on the floor for a minute. He hadn’t realized how cold it was out there until the heat slowly warmed his frozen limbs.
Justin stood, smothering his daughter in a hug. “Oh thanks Mikey.”
“Mmm hmm.” She put a hand to her ten-year old hip before climbing back in bed. Her smirk of mockery faded as she tucked herself in. “Kori made me leave the window cracked because she said you was coming. I guess she was right.”
He watched her fluff her pillow. “Damn, I owe her five bucks now.”
“Michal.” Justin warned.
“Sorrryy.” She whined, staring down the length of the bed at him. She narrowed her gaze at his barely visible face beneath his black hoodie. “Mommy said it was okay for me to express myself, so I can deal with the divorce better.”
Justin choked. “She told you we were getting a divorce?” They hadn’t really discussed that. They had only been separated for a week, which during that time he’d been staying with his mother.
Michal shook her head. “But I heard her telling you to leave. And yesterday, I heard her tell Auntie Darrien that she put your pale ass out.” She said with an attitude identical to one his wife would express.
“Mik-”
Michal huffed. “I was just telling you what she said daddy.”
“I know swe-” He paused. “Did you hear that?”
“Hear what?”
“Is your mommy up?”
“No. Daddy where you gonna sleep tonight cause I heard mommy tell Auntie Darrien that she wasn’t letting you back in her bed even if you begged for it.”
“Michal.”
“Yes?”
“Stop eavesdropping.” She could only open her mouth to form a response before the bedroom door shot opened. Seeing her mother rushed in with a weapon in hand, Michal gasped as her eyes darted to her father’s who sat on the edge of the bed. With his back facing her mother, Justin had yet to comprehend the situation.
“If you don’t back away from my daughter’s bed, I’m gonna blow your fucking brains out.”
Justin froze; his petrified gaze mirrored Michal’s. “When did your mother get a gun?” He mouthed. Michal shrugged.
“Mikey, what are you doing? Don’t talk to him!” She screamed, frightening everyone even more and awaking Kori in the process. Kori rubbed her eyes, and then noticed Justin.
“Da-!”
“Michal, get your sister and come over here” She hesitated. “Mikey, c’mon. It’s okay. I’m watching him.” Michal didn’t move.
“Does your mother really have a gun pointed at me?” Justin asked and Michal nodded. Contemplating his next move, he took a moment to wave at Kori. She smiled shyly. He returned his attention to Michal. “Are you scared?” She nodded harder.
Justin sighed. It was time he took over the situation, starting with identifying himself.
“Freeze!” His wife shouted as he made a move to stand. “Put your hands up.”
“She watches too many episodes of Cops.” He told Michal.
“What? Are you begging for a death wish?” Justin heard her say.
He chuckled. “You wouldn’t shoot me.”
“I would.” The hammer of the gun snapped. Justin panicked. “Now back away slowly or I’m putting my nine to your head.” She was serious.
“Darnell! Wait, don’t shoot, it’s me!”
“What?”
“It’s me, your husband!” He was now trembling.
“Turn around. Slowly.” She said, unbelieving. When he was facing her, she pulled back his hood. Justin winced at the barrel of the gun staring him in the face. Gasping, the gun fell from her tight hold and landed loudly on the hardwood floor. They all jumped, expecting it to fire. “Shit Justin!” She was trembling now, “I could’ve killed you! What the hell were you thinking sneaking in here?” and crying too.
“I wanted to come home.”
Darnell sighed as Michal and Kori, finally sensing that it was safe, crawled towards Justin. “Whatever happened to knocking on the front door Justin?” The night of their last fight, she told him that he couldn’t come back.
“I don’t know.” Justin shrugged.
“So you risked getting killed?”
“Yes.”
“Justin sneaking in through bedroom windows wasn’t a good idea on my birthday and it’s not a good idea now.”
“Yeah but you didn’t pull a gun out on me that day.”
“Daddy didn’t give it to me until later.”
Justin rolled his eyes heavenward, and then hugged the children to his sides. “Y’all okay?” They nodded.
“Hi daddy.” Kori finally spoke.
“Hey Kor.” Justin ruffled the mop of curls atop her head. He then refocused on Darnell. Her hair was tied up in one of her many silk scarves and she was wearing one of his old t-shirts. Her arms were wrapped around her middle and she was gnawing on her bottom lip. He missed her.
“Hey Dee?”
“What?” Still shaken, she wiped at the tears settling in her eyes.
“When you had that gun in my face, I uh, I peed on myself.” They both cracked a smile.
“Eww Daddy!”
Taste the Familiar by Kahlymilla
Summer of ‘92
The young boy impatiently tapped his worn black and white Chuck Taylor’s against the parquet floors as he waited for his cousin to appear. Rolling up the sleeve of his flannel shirt, he glanced at his wristwatch anxiously. If they didn’t leave now they would miss the matinee of Batman Returns, the biggest movie of the summer. He would never forgive him if he didn’t see this movie on opening day.
His gaze shifted to watch his older cousin move into the foyer, smiling brightly and skipping too.
What is he so damn happy about?
“Sorry about that Justin. I was on the phone with this fly chick.” He grabbed his converses near the entrance and put them on.
Justin reached for his Polaroid instant camera and looped the black strap around his slender neck. “You ready now Andrew?”
Andrew eyed the camera hanging from his younger cousin’s neck. His brows shot up in disapproval before he spoke, “You’re not going to take that thing along are you?”
He fingered the thin black strap around his neck and nodded. “I wanna take some pictures.”
Andrew rolled his eyes heavenward, “Oh that is so lame Justin. This girl is going to hate me if you bring that stupid camera with you.”
Justin’s ears perked up at the mention of a girl accompanying them. “A girl? What girl?” He croaked.
“My date. Her name is Darrien Simmons and she is so sexy.” Andrew licked his lips and Justin groaned in disgust. Sexy!
“You’re going on a date! I thought we were going to the movies?” He shoved his hands into his stonewashed jeans, clearly angry with his cousin.
“We are. Darrien is bringing her brother Darnell along because I told her that I was supposed to hang out with you tonight.”
“Oh. We’re still seeing Batman Returns right?” Justin tried to hide his disappointment at having his fun intruded by some girl.
“Yeah, but I don’t plan on paying attention to the movie if you know what I mean.” Andrew elbowed Justin in his side, grinning slyly.
He rolled his eyes and followed his cousin out to his car not bothering to remove his Polaroid camera as his cousin had advised.
Andrew turned toward Justin as he fastened his seatbelt and noticed the grimace on his face, “Hey dude, don’t look so sad.” And with that said, he pulled out of the driveway.
*~*~*~*
He sat quietly for a few moments, toying with the “lucky” stone in the pocket of his jeans as they waited in front of the house of Andrew’s date.
At the sound of a long whistle, Justin looked up. Whoa. He watched her walk toward him, her hips swaying ever so slightly and her dark hair glimmering in the sunlight. Her presence captivated him. He had never been attracted to a black girl-woman before, but now he was smitten. She wore a white tank top under a jean jacket, straight-legged Levi’s jeans, and K-Swiss sneakers, and her hair was styled into attractive bangs.
“Hey Andrew.” She smiled shyly at him, and then bent low to peek into the car at Justin. Justin lifted a finger to wave at her, she smiled back and his insides melted.
“Oh this is my cousin Justin.” Andrew gave him a thumbs up and a toothy grin as he watched Darrien walk around to the passenger side.
“Damn.” He swallowed roughly. “Get in the backseat Justin.”
Justin quickly climbed into the backseat, keeping his eyes glued to Darrien as she slid into the front seat and closed the door.
“Uh…where’s Darnell?” He managed to ask despite the frog in his throat.
“Oh here she comes right now.”
She!
Both Justin and Andrew turned to see a young girl that looked like a boy, but she was clearly a girl. Unlike her sister, she wore baggy overalls with one side fastened, a red tank top, green and white Chuck Taylor’s, and a white cap over her braided ponytail. If not for her braids, Justin wouldn’t have known she was a girl from a distance.
Andrew eyed the girl then turned to his cousin with an unmistakable glint in his gaze, “Uh Justin open the door for Darnell.” He flashed a smirk.
Justin reached over to unlock the door and slid into the far right corner of the car.
“Darnell say hi to Justin.” At the mention of her name, Darnell acknowledged him with a slight wiggle of her fingers and a barely audible, “Hey Justin.” She hadn’t even bothered to turn her head to look at him.
Andrew released a deep breath and shifted the car into drive. He watched Justin in his rearview mirror, hoping that he didn’t screw up this date for him. He had been trying to work up the nerve to ask Darrien Simmons out for weeks and now that they were going on their first date, he wanted everything to go smoothly.
Justin didn’t mean to stare, but once she stepped into the car, he couldn’t take his eyes off her. He didn’t know why he stared; it wasn’t like she was a miniature version of her sister, whom he continued to sneak glances at through the left side mirror. He’d thought she was beautiful before, but that had been from a distance. Up close, she was gorgeous even though he hadn’t focused on more than what was below the neckline.
Justin shifted awkwardly and focused his gaze back on the sister that would keep his hormones at bay.
Darnell tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear to adjust her headphones, cocked her head to one side, and continued playing her handheld game, oblivious to him watching her. Or maybe not quite oblivious.
He’d thought she had ignored him because she was entranced in her video game, but he quickly realized that she was purposely ignoring his presence when he made an attempt to talk to her.
“Uh…um Darnell?” He whispered and reached to tap her on her shoulder, but thought better of it before completing the action. Fumbling with his “lucky” stone, he cut his eyes at her and found her staring directly at him. He swallowed.
When he lifted his hand to wave, she looked away, resuming her game. He hadn’t missed the roll of her eyes before she’d dissed and dismissed him. What is up with her?
He didn’t know what made him do it, but he quickly snatched the Game Boy from her grasp and sat on it. Darnell’s eyes widened in irritation and she shot him a deathly stare.
Justin cringed inwardly, but he managed to mirror her challenging stance. Yet, neither one of them wanted to be the first one to speak. Instead, Darnell flipped him the bird and stuck out her tongue before pinching him, causing him to yelp out in pain.
“Ow!” She had continuously pinched him until he lifted his body enough for her to retrieve her Game Boy.
“What the hell? Dee why did you do that?” Darrien asked trying to contain the chuckle that bubbled in her stomach. She had quietly watched the exchange between the two of them after Andrew had alerted her of their bickering.
“He took my game and put it under his pale ass and farted on it!”
“What I didn’t fart on it!”
“Did so.”
“Did not.”
“Did so.”
The bickering continued for a while until Justin stole her headphones and escalated the dispute.
Darnell launched herself on him. She had no problem fighting boys her own age, in fact in all her thirteen years, it had become a special hobby of hers. In the midst of their fighting, Darnell suddenly moved away, staring at him with an expression of utter shock.
Oh dear God!
“Darrien I wanna go back home.”
“What- no. What’s wrong?” Andrew spoke up. Damnit Justin!
He and Darrien glanced back and forth between the two of them wondering what the hell had just happened.
“I didn’t mean in it.” Justin blurted out, not aware that he and Darnell were the only ones aware of the swelling in his pants.
“Gross.” Darnell mouthed her contempt, cringing against the door as far away from him as possible.
*~*~*~*
Andrew pulled into the driveway and placed the car in park. He turned toward Darrien to smile at her. Despite the earlier confrontation between Justin and Darnell, the date had managed to go surprisingly well.
“Do you think we can do this again sometime…without them?” He tilted his head to acknowledge the children in the backseat.
“I would like that.” She reached for his hand and fingered the scars along the back of his hand.
Andrew returned the light squeeze lifting her hand to land a kiss against the back, “I’ll call you later on tonight.”
“Darrien come on!” Darnell huffed breaking the flirtatious ambiance that floated in the air. She jumped out the car and slammed the door.
“Okay. Um…well bye Justin.” Darrien slid gracefully out of the car and walked around the left side to meet her younger sister. “Tell Justin bye Dee.”
Darnell shot her older sister a look of incredulity. “Are you buggin’? Why would I say anything to that…ugh. Okay, bye Andrew and Justin.” She obeyed her sister’s orders, but made sure that her tone was laced with disgust especially for Justin.
Justin rolled down the window, “You better watch your back Simmons.” To that, Justin received the middle finger again. Darnell rolled her eyes and stalked off. Darrien followed behind a few moments after.
Andrew waited until they had closed the door behind them before speaking, “What the hell were you trying to do Justin? This was my first date with a black chick and…” He paused focusing his eyes on his cousin, who held a Game Boy in his hand.
“Justin! Why do you have that game?”
“Dee-Darnell left it.” He replied without looking up from the game.
“No, she didn’t. Take it to her and apologize too.” Justin had no choice but to abide by Andrew’s command, unless he wanted to walk a few miles down the road to get back home.
Trudging up the stairs slowly, he thought about the names he could call her once she opened the door, but when an older black man opened the door instead, his throat closed up.
“Can I help you young man? Whatever you are selling the Simmons’ don’t want it.”
“I’m not selling anything sir, um…” His palms became extremely sweaty and he had to relieve the sweat on his hands by wiping them on his pants.
“I need to see Darnell.” As soon as the words left his mouth, Justin had regretted them, especially when the man’s eyes narrowed into slits at the mention of his daughter. Justin was certainly glad he hadn’t mentioned the date.
“Uh I wanted to…um…” Speak up and get it together!
Suddenly Darnell appeared beside the older man, “Daddy, mommy wants your help in the kitchen.”
Her father looked down at her and smiled, “Baby don’t buy anything from this boy he needs to pass English first.” He walked off mumbling incoherent statements about young people and education.
“I thought you had left. What do you want camera boy?” She gave him a smug look, challenging him to come up with a competing statement.
Justin took a step forward, but Darnell stopped him with the palm of her hand, “You and that thing stay right there.” She said then held out her hand, “Give me my Game Boy.”
He placed the object in her hand and stepped back.
“Why don’t you take a picture of this camera boy?” She held up the offending finger for the third time that night and shut the door in his face.
Andrew’s loud laughter echoed in his ears as Justin walked back to the car smiling as well.
Despite the mutual dislike they had for one another, Justin and Darnell saw more of each other that summer than they ever wanted. If Darrien went out with Andrew, their overprotective father expected her to take Darnell along, and then Andrew was forced to bring Justin. When Andrew came to visit, Darnell and Justin were used as chaperones. They teased and fought each other in the basement while Andrew and Darrien played kissy face in the corner. Sometimes, but not often enough, they would be civil to each other during a game of Super Mario Bros. or Street Fighter. Soon, they all fell into a routine. Andrew came to see Darrien. And believe it or not, Justin came to see Darnell.
However, today as Justin stood on the Simmons’ porch waiting for someone to answer the door, his mind wasn’t consumed with Darnell or any game. It was Darrien who fascinated him. She was always dolled up with make up, various hairstyles, and wearing excessive amounts of jewelry. And being three years older than his fourteen years, she had a body more developed than most girls his age. Girls his age barely had any body at all, having more bones than an actual shape. Take Darnell for instance, she surely didn’t have a body that made him have wild dreams at night.
The door finally opened and low and behold, little Darnell filled the entrance. Her plump mouth formed a grimace. Yet, her eyes shone brightly as she said, “I finally got the new Legend of Zelda game and I wanna beat it before school starts next week, wanna play?” She didn’t wait for him to reply as she dragged him towards the basement. Justin clasped onto the banister to prevent her from dragging him further.
“Justin c’mon.” Darnell yanked on his wrist.
“Actually, I already played Zelda and I beat it three weeks ago.”
“What?” She had yet to let go of him. “Well, my daddy just got mine off of layaway.” The frown that she was currently sporting didn’t last long as she continued downstairs.
Justin pulled back again. “Actually, um…” Darnell halted on the stair before him and turned. Her hands were on her hips and her lower lip was tucked between her teeth. Her eyes narrowed. “Is Darrien around?”
“What?”
“Darrien, is she, um, around?” Justin croaked.
“What do you wanna see Darrien for?” Darnell rolled her eyes as if the idea of him wanting to see her sister was ludicrous.
“Uh err, no reason.” He quickly stuffed his hands into his pockets. “Is she here or not?”
“Wait, stop the presses. Are you telling me that you came here just to see Darrien?” Justin nodded. “And not me?”
“No. Darrien is hot, and you’re-” Darnell never let him finish. She landed a shove so hard to his chest that it knocked him on his back. He even slid across the floor.
After checking to make sure his camera was not damaged, Justin stared at her like a deer caught in the headlights. “Darnell, what-”
“Talk to the hand because the face ain’t listening!” With that, she slammed the basement door in his face.
Justin was dusting off his faded jeans and standard flannel shirt when Darrien and her mother entered. He forced himself not to stare up at Darrien’s long legs escaping from her white miniskirt so he focused on her hot pink Converses instead.
“Hey. Mrs. Simmons.” Justin spoke to her first because he couldn’t find the voice to speak to Darrien.
“What is this Mrs. Simmons? You make feel old. Call me Ms. Victoria, honey.” She smiled; politely shaking his hand yet, did not bother to help him up.
“What mom, you make everyone and their mama call you Mrs. Simmons.” Darrien added.
“Justin does not have to as long as he continues to show interest in my daughter.” She turned from Darrien to fix him with a firm stare. “Lord knows I’ll pay him hourly if he can get that child to behave like the girl she is.”
“Mom, you’re kidding right?” Darrien blinked.
“Hmph, I most certainly am not. You and I are not doing the job. And your father, lord he encourages her with those stupid video games and action figures. He treats her as if she is a boy!” Victoria tossed her arm into the air. “You know I have never forgiven him for naming you two after his brothers. My two daughters with boy names? That is unjust.” She scoffed going into the kitchen to prepare dinner.
“I happen to like our names. They’re unique.” Darrien spoke up on her and her sister’s behalf.
“Whatever!” Her mother’s snappish reply traveled from the kitchen. “Help Justin up.”
“C’mon Justin.” The simple action of her stretching out her hand caused her shirt to dip low and expose her cleavage. Justin gulped hard as he grew warm all over as usual. His sweaty palm grasped her delicate one. After she pulled him up, she wrenched her hand away and wiped it dry against her skirt. Embarrassed, Justin folded his hands below his belt and rushed for the basement door.
“Um, I’m gonna go see, what uh, Darnell is doing.” He stumbled into the door until it opened and then hurried downstairs, kicking the door shut behind him.
“Stupid, stupid!” Justin smacked his forehead as he walked towards the couch. He plopped down next to Darnell.
“I thought I was the only one who thought that.” Darnell looked away from her game to add her own two cents. Then her gaze dropped to where Justin was covering the front of his pants with his hands.
“Oh Gross! Not again. Justin you’re gonna have to do something about that or bounce! That is nasty!” She whined, scooting to the other side of the couch, and then resuming her game.
“I’m sorry! I can’t help it. It’s something that happens to guys around girls.”
“Really?” She paused her game to watch Justin nod. “You never react that way around me.”
“Yeah right.” Justin let loose a boisterous laugh. “You dress like a boy and I don’t swing that way.
“But I’m not a boy.” Darnell objected, pretending not to be offended. She tossed aside her game controller to focus her attention on him.
“I know that but you look like a boy.” Justin was grinning until he saw Darnell raise her fist to him. “Wait, don’t hit me again.” He attempted to shield himself.
“Personally, I don’t care what you or those stupid immature boys at school think of how I dress. I’m all girl underneath these boy clothes!” She forced out her chest, bucking at him.
Justin pressed his hands against her thrusting shoulders to prevent her from falling on top of him. “Okay, chill out!”
“Say I’m a girl. Say it!” Darnell lunged on top of him and soon had him in a headlock. “Say it.” When Justin remained silent, her grip tightened. “Boy, you better say it!”
“Okay, you’re a girl! Darnell, I said you’re a girl!”
She backed away. “Thank you.”
“You’re a flat-chested girl!” Justin laughed and then broke out in a run. Darnell chased him around the basement until they both conked out right in the middle of the floor.
~*~*~*~*~
Winter ‘93
“Oh man oh man. Darnell is going to kill me! Why’d your stupid car have to break down?” Justin stopped walking along side his cousin to let him have a piece of his mind.
“Justin, dude chill out! We’re almost at her house. You guys’ll get to the dance on time.”
“Yeah, but this snow is messing up my suit and my hair.” He gently brushed the flurries from his head and clothes.
“J, stop being a girl. You look fine.”
“Hey, don’t call me a girl.” Justin threw his shoulder into Andrew’s stomach.
Andrew pulled him away and they continued walking. “You’re acting all emotional over a date with Darnell. I’m just calling it as I see it. Hey, how did you hook up with Darnell for this dance anyway? I thought you didn’t like her.”
“Err, her mother asked me to take her. I don’t like her.” He diverted his attention to the snow falling from the sky. “
“Yes, you do. You’re over there more than me.” Andrew teased, jabbing his shoulder.
“She’s cool to play video games with, but I like Darrien.” Justin gave Andrew a teasing smile of his own.
“Darrien? You’re trying to take my girl dude. Wait, those dreams you’ve been having are about Darrien?”
“Mmm hmm.” Justin licked his lips just to torment Andrew some more.
“You punk.” Andrew smacked him playfully in the head. “So you think Darnell is going to wear a dress tonight?”
“Yup. She told me she is wearing a black dress.”
“She’ll probably look just like Darrien all dressed up.”
“Hmm I doubt it. Darrien is hot!” Andrew shook his head at Justin’s enthusiastic response before telling him to go knock on the door. Justin did as he was told and then waited on the porch as usual. He could hear all the commotion taking place on the other side of the door.
“I’ll get it, I’ll get it.” That was Darnell rushing for the door.
“Oh no you don’t. Get your hind parts back upstairs and put on those shoes. You have to make an entrance.” That was Ms. Victoria. “C’mon let me put some make up on you. Your father will get the door.”
“Aww mommy.” The voices faded away before he heard the sound of the door unlocking.
“Hey, Mr. Davis.” Justin croaked. The tall man always frightened him.
“That’s Mr. Simmons to you. Is that your cousin out there? You two come in here.”
Justin looked over his shoulder at his cousin with weary eyes and gestured for Andrew to follow him.
As soon as Justin entered the house, he tried to make himself scarce before Mr. Simmons had the opportunity to grill him, but he hadn’t anticipated him blocking the entrance to the next room.
“Who brought your suit young man?” Even the simplest question sounded like a death threat.
“I did sir.” Andrew spoke up saving Justin from becoming a stuttering fool.
“You need to fix your tie and take that damn camera from around your neck.” Justin quickly removed the camera from around his neck but continued to hold it in his hand.
Uneasy footsteps sounded from upstairs and when Justin heard Darnell’s voice he figured the footsteps had belonged to her. She had confessed a couple of weeks ago that her mother would be forcing her to wear heels for the first time.
“Okay…” He could hear the stammering of his “date” followed by a faltered footstep. “Darrien stop stepping on my dress before I fall!”
Justin glanced at his watch wondering how long it would take Darnell to get down the steps. His boredom must’ve displayed on his face because Mr. Simmons eyed him with dislike and walked over to him. Justin could’ve sworn he heard booming footsteps as he neared.
“When my daughter comes down I want you to tell her how beautiful she looks.” Justin swallowed hard and nodded. Why is everyone in this family so demanding, except for Darrien of course?
“You look beautiful Dar-Darnell!” The compliment left his mouth as a screech as soon as her first foot hit the last stair. He wondered if anyone else noticed his faltered compliment. He had almost complimented Darrien instead of Darnell, the one he was forced to compliment. In fact, he hadn’t even looked at Darnell yet.
True to her usual self, Darrien did indeed look very beautiful in minimal amount of makeup and slim-fit jeans.
“Hi Darrien.” He smiled widely, watching her walk over to Andrew and hug him.
After witnessing the flirtatious exchange between the two of them, Justin had no choice but to look at Darnell.
He blinked his eyes several times at the sight she presented. Am I dreaming? Justin figured that he was so freaked out about the date, that he had imagined Darnell coming down the steps looking that good. No, she looked better than good, she looked…like Darrien!
The black a-line gown accentuated her figure; in fact it actually gave her a figure, in Justin’s eyes at least. Where had she been hiding those? The aforementioned thought referred to the breasts Darnell suddenly possessed. When in reality she had had them all along. He was thankful that the neckline displayed a little cleavage to ward off the suspicion that she had stuffed her bra. The gathered bodice extended to just below the hips where the skirt flared out creating a mermaid shape, it created somewhat of an hourglass figure that he had thought only her sister had owned.
At a sudden loss for words, Justin couldn’t form a coherent phrase to say anything more about her appearance.
“I thought Darnell said the boy had learned English.” Mr. Simmons grumbled under his breath adjusting the lens of his camera.
“Okay, time for pictures.” Mrs. Simmons clapped her hands together excitedly and all but pushed Darnell toward Justin.
Justin cautiously laced an arm around her waist and unintentionally toyed with the satin bow. He would have toyed with it a moment longer if her father hadn’t extracted his arm from its resting place.
“Not so close there young man.”
“Davis move out of the way.” Mrs. Simmons reprimanded pushing him aside before quickly repositioning Justin’s arm around Darnell’s waist. Beaming, she stepped back.
“Take the picture honey. Oh Justin give me that stupid camera.” He did as told, reluctantly handing over his precious camera.
After her mother had forced them to strut every possible pose, they were ready to go. However, Justin felt that he should have a picture to add to his collection.
He cleared his throat before speaking, “I’d like to have a picture too.”
Mr. Simmons reached for his camera but Justin shrugged away from him insisting that he’d take the picture himself. “Can you stand against that wall Darnell?”
She inched across the room to avoid tripping over her own feet and stood against the wall. Justin didn’t allow her the time to pose before snapping the picture just as she had looked up.
“What was that for?” She demanded hotly.
“I don’t want you to pose that’ll look so fake.” Mr. Simmons cleared his throat at Justin’s comment, believing that he had taken a stab at his photography skills.
“Oh…well can we go now? My feet are starting to hurt.” Darnell rolled her eyes, which gave Justin the perfect opportunity to snap another classic picture.
“Is that even going to look nice…?” Mr. Simmons whispered in dislike.
“Who cares?” Mrs. Simmons whispered back with a smile.
Darrien walked forward dangling her father’s car keys. “Ya’ll two ready now?” Andrew had explained to her about his car, therefore she had to take over the task of driving.
“Yes.” Justin and Darnell spoke simultaneously followed by Andrew. He was tagging along for the ride so that he could steal some time alone with Darrien.
Grabbing their jackets, Darnell and Darrien followed the men outside to the car.
Darnell adjusted the lapel of her jacket and looked up to find Justin watching her with intense blue eyes, a small smile playing at his lips.
Narrowing her eyes, she combed a loose tendril behind her ear. “Why are you staring at me like that?” She asked as he opened the passenger door for her.
“Err…no reason.” He stumbled over his words as he waited for her to get in. Immediately after he entered the car, he began fidgeting with his tie.
“Justin why are you acting…” She watched how the expressions had changed on his face and then she dropped her eyes to where he held the camera in his lap.
Darnell leaned over to murmur in his ear, “Is that what I think you are hiding?” So much for her attempt at discretion, Justin thought as he nodded.
“Is that because of me?” Her eyebrows lifted at the question.
“Uh…no…yes.” He sighed finally giving up, but he made an attempt to sugarcoat his reaction with a lie, “It’s the clothes and makeup, I swear.”
“Mmm hmm.” Darnell hadn’t said anything further, but a smile appeared on her face anyway.
Tight-lipped Therapy Session by Kahlymilla
Divorce is a Bitter Pill to Swallow- Chapter 2
Tight-lipped Therapy Sessions
Winter ’93 continued…
Justin looked at the beautiful golden-skinned girl seated across the table from him and wished he were elsewhere or at least at another table. She was wearing a white princess style dress with a matching tiara to boot. Pink lip-gloss tinted the lips that had been blabbing his ear off since he entered.
Darnell had forced him to sit at this table with her supposed group of “friends”, but he wondered if she knew her “friend” was giving him the “I want to rip your clothes off” look. At first he had believed that he had been mistaken, but his cousin had described the “look” to him countless times. And to put the icing on the cake, her mouth was running a mile a minute and she wasn’t even talking about anything important.
He blocked out the rest of her words as he observed the decorations that lined the interior of the cafeteria. It wasn’t until Darnell had softly jabbed him in the side that he had started actually listening.
“Darnell that is so cool that you brought a high school boy as your date! What grade are you in Justin?”
“The ninth.” And that was the end of the conversation as far as he was concerned.
“Darnell why don’t you go get some drinks for you and Justin?” To that question, Darnell gave her a withering stare, but she left the table at the insistence of Justin’s brilliant smile.
Not even a second passed before the “friend” glided into Darnell’s empty seat. Immediately, she whipped out her French-manicured hand, “My name is Whitney Dickerson.” She winked and then smiled brightly, expecting Justin to take her hand.
Justin stared at it for a while before grasping it with the tips of his fingers. He shook her freckled hand lightly and then let it fall to her lap. Offended, her lashes fluttered.
Justin turned away to look for Darnell. Where is she with those drinks? Then he found her, strutting awkwardly but carefully back to their table as she tried to balance the pair of drinks. He smiled at the scene.
Whitney scoffed, her eyes following his line of vision. She watched Darnell almost trip over her feet and drop the drinks. She shook her head. “Darnell is such a boy! She can’t even walk in those little heels she has on. Who paid you take her out? Her mama?”
At that, Justin whirled around to face her. If these words were coming out of the mouth of Darnell’s “supposed” friend, she needed some new ones. “Look, lay off of Darnell, alright?”
Whitney smirked, “Why? You like, like her or something?” The grin that she was flashing either meant two things; she was jealous or holding back laughter.
Justin’s eyes averted to Darnell, who had been stopped by one of her other friends.
“Don’t bother. Darnell hasn’t ever shown any interest in boys.” She paused to chew on the tip of her nail. “Sometimes I wonder if she is-”
“Don’t go there Whitney.” Justin warned, yet she only giggled and moved back to her seat as Darnell came over to reclaim hers.
“Darnell, Justin is so fun-nyy!” She made a show of just how funny she thought Justin was by giggling loudly and obnoxiously.
Darnell cut her eyes at him with a ‘what the hell’ look. Justin shrugged because he didn’t know how to tell her that her friend had been bad-mouthing her. He retrieved his drink from her grasp and sipped it slowly while Darnell conversed with Whitney. They talked about all of the girly things that he or Darnell could care less about. After a while, Justin forced himself out of boredom and interrupted the one-sided conversation.
“Hey Darnell, do you wanna dance?” Whitney snorted, attempting to hold back her laughter. Justin and Darnell cut her a look at the same time.
“This isn’t really your flava Justin.” Tevin Campbell, Can We Talk was playing. Justin was a Punk Rock addict.
“It doesn’t matter.” Justin jumped up, clasped her arm, and yanked her from her seat. Darnell’s arms fell around his waist as she stumbled into his chest. Anxious to get away from Whitney, he all but dragged her to the dance floor with her heels scraping the polished surface.
Once he found a desirable space amongst all of the dancing bodies, he stood awkwardly in front of Darnell with his arms wide open and not knowing what else to do. He was used to only knocking his head to the beat rather than two stepping. Darnell must’ve also suffered from lack of dancing talent because she just stood there.
She seemed nervous until she said, “Don’t you embarrass me boy,” and then began walking towards him. Whitney had been watching them with a mocking smirk.
Justin rolled his eyes and hauled Darnell to him. Breasts smashed against chest, pelvis against pelvis, and his hands on her hips. Darnell tried writhing away to increase the space between them, but to Whitney, who was laughing uncontrollably, he was sure it looked like really bad dancing.
Whitney had been looking down her nose at Darnell all night, and since he knew that Whitney wanted him, Justin decided to get back at her by flirting with Darnell. It seemed to work. Whitney was now glaring, trying not to look at them, but jealous all the same.
About halfway through the song, Darnell had felt the need to inform Justin of his lack of dancing skills, “Justin you’re not dancing on beat.” Not that he’d actually cared.
“And you keep stepping on my feet. Pay attention.”
“Sorry.” Justin adjusted his footing to her liking, but somehow managed to continue flirting with Darnell, unbeknownst to her. However, Darnell had become aware of his visual fixation with Whitney.
She abruptly pushed away from him to turn around and shoot a menacing glare at Whitney and then turn on Justin, “Why do you keep staring at her? Do you want to dance with her or something? Because if you want to that-”
He silenced her by pulling her arm to lead her back into the slow dance although the next song had already started. “I’m not looking at that slut okay.”
Darnell’s eyes widened at the insult as she avoided his reach again, “Don’t talk about my friend like that Justin.”
Justin looked around to see many eyes watching them. “She is not your friend Darnell…” He whispered through clenched teeth. Why did she always have to refute everything he said?
Darnell frowned as the rest of his words trailed off. “What are you talking about? What do you mean she’s not my friend?”
Justin hadn’t known Darnell that long, but he knew her well enough to know that the fury brewing in her brown eyes wasn’t a good sign-neither was the clenching and unclenching of her fists.
Justin knew that the last thing he should be focusing on was how incredibly sexy Darnell looked when angry. He knew the fiery eyes and pursed lips all to well. However, as she stood there with her hands on her hips and her chest heaving with anger, she looked sexy as all get out. Just like a miniature version of Darrien.
As soon as his mind registered how good Darnell looked mixed with visions of Darrien, it didn’t take long for his body to get the hint as well.
“What did she say to you?”
Justin hadn’t even realized that they were still discussing the same useless topic. “Just forget about it for now. You shouldn’t let her ruin my-I mean your night.” If Darnell had caught his slight blunder, she hadn’t bothered to say something about it.
Apparently, Darnell was willing to leave the topic unfinished because she stepped back into the circle of his arms. She rested her head on his shoulder and fingered the satin fabric of his tie. However, Justin’s words still left her stomach unsettled.
“Did Whitney try to come at you?” Her question came out as a low whisper that Justin had to move closer to hear. The action caused her mouth to inadvertently brush against the flesh of his ear. Justin jerked and unconsciously pulled her closer to him. The shell of his ear had always been a sensitive part of his body. How he figured that out? He doesn’t remember.
“Yeah she did.” He didn’t even bother trying to sugarcoat her friend’s ignorance for the benefit of her feelings.
Darnell released a breathy sigh and brushed her nose against his collarbone. “Okay.” She hadn’t said much after that statement. What else could she say? Whitney obviously had the hots for Justin and she was positive that Justin returned the sentiments, even though she didn’t have the nerve to ask him such a thing. She could never be as girly as Whitney, Darrien, nor any of the girls in her school. At least Justin had the guts to let her know it.
The unsettling feeling in her stomach returned and Darnell had felt propelled to lift her head from Justin’s shoulder. Suddenly she was repulsed by the thought of being near him, when he clearly wanted to be dancing with Whitney.
“Where are you going Darnell?”
She closed her eyes to think about her answer and then opened them when she was prepared to speak. “Don’t you want to dance with Whitney?”
Justin blinked a few times as he comprehended her question, “Why would I want to dance with her? I just called her a slut.” He reached for her again and pulled her flush against him much to her protest.
“Justin I know that thing under your jacket is because of Whitney.” She grimaced and rolled her eyes, attempting to wriggle free from his grasp, but only causing more disruption to Justin’s hormones.
Justin hung his head low, fiddling with the satin bow at her back. “No it’s because of you Dee.” He sighed daring himself not to look up and see her devastating reaction, revealed by the grip on his hand and her cry of her surprise.
~*~*~*~
“He’s always horny! He’s constantly asking for it as soon as I get in the house like I’m not tired after taking care of his three kids.” Darnell crossed her arms over her breasts and glared at her husband.
“All I want is a little bit of love every now and then Dee. You can’t even give me any on the weekends!” Justin mirrored her stance.
“You hear that? It’s always about Justin twenty-four seven. I’m sick of it. And I’m sick of him always brushing up against me and poking me with his thing….trying to persuade me to do it in the closet and shit like that.” She hissed rising from her seat to pace around the office.
Despite his anger, Justin’s gaze traveled up his wife’s figure. His eyes continued their journey over every luscious curve until they reached her delicate neck. He sighed as he imagined wrapping his hands around it to shut her up.
His heart squeezed at the sight of her long, thick hair spilling down her back. With great effort, he struggled to remember the last time he ran his fingers through her soft locks or tugged it during the throes of passion.
Two months.
When Justin finally broke through his reverie, he realized that Darnell was headed toward the door. He jumped up quickly and jutted his arm across the threshold to block her escape.
“Where are you going?” If he had to sit through this therapy session than she had to as well especially since they both wanted this marriage to work.
“I’m leaving.”
“This was your idea Dee-”
“Move out of my way,” she hissed again.
Justin crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the doorway daring her to leave. “Can we please talk about this like rational adults?” he said.
“I’m done with being rational Justin.”
“I can see that. But what about the kids, can we try to settle on something for them?”
Darnell glared up at him. “I’m tired of this life. I’m tired of…”
He sucked in a deep breath and narrowed his eyes, “What? You’re tired of what Dee? Say it.”
Darnell clamped her mouth shut, shoved his arm out of the way and stormed out of the room.
Justin descended down the hall quickly after her, ignoring the insistent shouting of the therapist. “Say it Dee.”
She ignored him and continued to the front door.
He caught up to her and grabbed her by the arm, forcing her to face him. “You have something to say, Darnell. I want to hear you say it.”
“Since when?” She tried to pull her arm free to relieve herself from this conversation.
He moved to within inches of her face. As much as he wanted to kiss her he held his ground, clenching his fists at his sides. “I’m here ain’t I? Isn’t this what we came here for?”
Their glares merged as they stood in a stalemate.
“What else are you tired of?” he asked.
“You.” She lifted her chin, now that she’d finally voiced her feelings, her heart constricted, but nevertheless she continued. “I'm tired of me too, Justin. Sometimes I get really tired of just trying to be me."
Darnell broke their heated gaze first, easing her arm out of his grasp. She felt relief and regret when he let her arm go.
“I’m sorry.” He said in a quiet voice that spoke volumes just as she placed her hand on the door handle.
His words kept her frozen in place. She wiped a fallen tear from her eye with the back of her hand.
“I miss you Dee.” He ran a finger through her thick locks, wanting nothing more than to pull her into his arms.
Darnell closed her eyes tightly as she released a harsh breath and gave a forced smile, “I know.” Another tear fell and she left the building before heavy emotions threatened to spill from her trembling lips.
The sound of the door closing echoed behind her retreating figure. He felt pain clutch his heart as he watched her climb into her car.
“Shit Dee.” Justin stared up at the white panels of the ceiling willing himself not to react emotionally to Darnell’s stubbornness even though he wanted to strangle the life out of her yet with the tenderness of a loving embrace.
“Fuck this shit man.” Justin punched the wooden door before dragging his feet to his seat in front of the therapist. The therapist, knowing that this, emotional breakdowns and a spouse storming out was all part of her job, remained quite and allowed Justin to gather himself. And she didn’t dare comment when she heard him sniffle back a tear.
Suddenly, he looked up at her. “We’re done here right?”
“Um…” She began fumbling with her notepad and looking over her notes. “Is it safe to assume that Mrs. Timberlake is not returning?”
Justin laughed a dry sad laugh. “Yes.”
“Alright. Well, would you like to continue as a solo session?”
“Hmm, I don’t know if I’m up to that right now.”
“Understandable.”
“So…” Justin wiped at his eyes. “Do we have to come back?”
“Well, yes, you have nine more sessions left.”
“Fucking fantastic.”
The therapist cleared her throat. “Unless, you want to cancel?” Justin didn’t answer right away.
“Do you?”
“No.” Justin replied after a while. Professional or not, the therapist smiled in response. “I mean I don’t want to get a divorce because I still love her and I think she still loves me. Actually, the subject of divorce hasn’t even come up yet. We’ve just been in a period of separation for two months. I moved out and then I moved back in, but then she moved out. Now she is living with Darrien.”
“Hmm, interesting…Is Darrien another man?”
“Hell no!” Justin shouted at the absurd idea. “Darrien is her sister.”
“Oh she was never mentioned. Let me pencil her in.”
“Yeah please do that.” At his request, the therapist smirked.
“So when do you want to schedule the next session for?”
“I’ll have Darnell call you.” Justin stood, quickly gathering all of his belongings.
“Ok well…” He was already out of the door before she could add, “see you then.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Darnell sat outside her mother’s house for what felt like hours. Finally she felt her chin tremble as an onslaught of tears threatened to spill over again.
Another long moment passed. A voice in her head screamed that she should just go inside, that she had to get her children, but she couldn’t make her feet walk up to the door. Her mother would surely jump to conclusions if she walked into the house a crying mess. Nonetheless, Darnell unbuckled her seatbelt and started the long walk up the driveway.
Her legs wobbled and her palms became sweaty the closer she arrived.
As usual her mother’s demanding presence filled the doorway. “Come here, darling.” As always the strong scent of Chanel No.5 preceded her. She extracted her arms in preparation for a hug, which Darnell returned as expected.
Darnell pulled free and moved into the entryway expecting to see her children rushing to her with open arms. She shot her mother a wayward glance. “Where are the girls?”
“Oh your husband came to pick them up.”
The uncomfortable knot in Darnell’s stomach tripled in size. Maybe it knew as well as she did that her mother was seconds away from launching into her “marriage is meant to last” tirade.
Irritated, Darnell went to the kitchen to pour herself a glass of juice. Instantly, her mother was alongside her eyeing her with disapproval.
“You shouldn’t drink sugar like that honey. I only keep that stuff here for the children anyway.”
Basic politeness forced Darnell to ask, “How was your day? How were the girls?” even though she had no desire whatsoever to discuss the topic. She was sure her mother had launched a “be more girly” campaign on her daughters.
“The girls were fine. Victoria is in the other room taking a nap.” A wide, approving smile split her face, and she smacked her lips. Her mother had never hid her dislike for her grand daughters’ first names; in fact she insisted on calling them by their middle names instead.
“Justin didn’t take Jordin? Why?” But before she even thought to ask the question she already knew the answer.
“He said that you would get her.” She would bet that her mother was so insistent on keeping Jordin that Justin was forced to bear with her and leave his daughter.
Darnell tilted her head back and dissolved the juice in the glass before leaving the kitchen in search of her youngest daughter. When she entered the room, Jordin was standing in the middle of the room with her thumb in her mouth and glassy eyes.
Darnell immediately rushed to her, “Baby, what’s wrong?”
Her daughter looked up at her with big blue eyes and features reminiscent of her father’s. Sometimes just looking at Jordin would make tears gather at the back of her throat.
“Kori and Michal went with Daddy.”
Darnell had to force herself not to throw her mother a glare instead she proceeded to pack up her daughter’s things. Darnell hid a grimace as she stuffed Jordin’s toys into her backpack. Why had she foolishly hoped that her mother would allow her to raise her own daughters? Or-most foolish of all-that her mother would stop meddling in her marriage.
Her mother stood there waiting, as if she was waiting for Darnell to tell her what she had already expected- Darnell had walked out on yet another therapy session. She saw the condescending look in her eyes; she sensed the “you have to keep your marriage together” speech. As a wife, Darnell had received that look and speech from her mother many times during her marriage. That look was meant to tell her that her mother was disappointed with her.
“You did it again, didn’t you?” The assumption was laced with incredulity. A touch of disgust brushed over her features.
“Mama please don’t start.” Darnell pleaded, her voice weary with effort. She brushed her hair away from her face and lifted Jordin into her arms.
“Am I going with daddy too?”
“Yes you are because mommy has some stuff to do.” This was officially the first time she had lied to her daughter. In all actuality she didn’t have any tasks to complete that was more important than spending time with her daughters, but she couldn’t bare to face Justin after that botched therapy session-she had never been able to face him afterwards. A therapy session to fix a life she wasn’t happy with didn’t make sense to her.
However, she attended the first two sessions anyway hoping the therapist could somehow tell her what went wrong in her life without Darnell having to disclose any personal information of her own.
Darnell adjusted the strap of her daughter’s book bag and exited the room with her mother hot on her trail spewing off questions.
As she reached the entry her mother proceeded to berate her for supposedly allowing her marriage to fall apart- allowing her family to fall apart. “So you’re just going to walk out on this conversation like you’re doing your marriage and your family?”
Darnell opened her mouth to reply but continued walking, believing it was best to ignore her mother when she went into her “tirade”. If her mother knew any better she would stay out of her marriage, her meddling hadn’t worked with her sister Darrien, and it surely wouldn’t work with her. Yet, ignoring her mother would not help ease the frustration she would feel later knowing that she was slowly manifesting into the woman she was “supposed” to be.
Although, Darnell attempted to disregard her mother’s advice, Victoria’s final phrase caused her to stop in her tracks. “Running away doesn’t solve anything Darnell.” Her mother was right, but what her mother had failed to realize was that staying wouldn’t solve anything either.
“Mommy I miss daddy.” Her youngest voiced the feelings that were floating inside her.
“Me too, baby.” She decided not to lie to her daughter this time.
~*~*~*~
The car had barely been set in park before Jordin, who had been quite antsy the entire ride over, began begging her mother to unbuckle her seatbelt. She quieted once the ignition and radio went off, but as soon as Darnell exited the car and opened the back door, she was at it again.
“Hurry up Mommy!” Jordin whined anxiously. She was bouncing up and down in the car seat and wiggling her little K-Swiss covered feet. The buckle finally loosened and Darnell stepped back. Jordin wasted no time jumping down from her seat and dashing towards the house. Joyously, she skipped up the steps and even scraped her small hands on the cement when she tripped and tried to catch herself.
Darnell swore she told her too many times to count not to run because she would get hurt. However, voicing that same warning now would seem pointless seeing as Jordin only dusted off her spring jacket and continued up the stairs. Instead, she shoved her scraped palms into her jacket and drew her leg back so that she could kick the screen door hard enough to announce her presence.
“Open door Daddy! It’s me…Jordin!” Surely if he didn’t hear the kicking, he heard her desperate shouts for acknowledgement.
Shaking her head, Darnell turned away from the amusing scene to empty her sister’s car of Jordin’s things. There wasn’t much, but she took especially longer when she heard the screen door creak open and Justin step out onto the porch. He must’ve picked Jordin up and tossed her into the air before settling her against his hip because she kept screaming, “Do it again!” as always. But she whined, “Aww man,” when her father put her back on the ground.
“I thought you were staying at Grandma Victoria’s?”
“Me no stay at Granma V’to-to…ri-ah.” Poor Jordin still couldn’t fully pronounce her grandmother’s name, yet her grandmother with her ways insisted that she learned how, and learned right. “Mommy get me.”
“Okay.” Justin sighed. Now knowing that it was his wife and not his mother-in-law, he didn’t feel so bad for gawking at the figure bending over in the car.
“Daddy where my iceqweem?”
“In the house.” Justin patted her hooded head.
“Oh how mar-ve-lous!” She grinned before yanking open the screen door and running inside.
“She’s definitely been spending too much time with Ms. Victoria.”
“Tell me about it.” Justin blinked at the sudden and unexpected sound of his wife’s husky voice.
“H-hey Darnell.” Justin moved slightly to the left so that she could join him up on the porch. When she looked directly at him, he quickly lowered his eyes to his bare feet. Taking advantage of the moment of awkwardness, Darnell checked him out thoroughly.
She hadn’t stayed long enough or paid much attention to him during their last two therapy sessions. And when she came to get the kids she usually honked the horn. When she dropped them off it was the same thing, only she delivered hugs and kisses to the girls before doing so. So until now she hadn't notice that he was sporting a low-cut that hardly hinted at the mop of dirty-blonde curls she was accustomed to.
When he decided to shave his head, he must’ve forgotten about the stubble of spiky hairs around his jaw line that made him appear roughly male. He rocked a plain black tee shirt that he probably owned in two other colors, dingy white and shabby gray. To accompany the ever-present shirt, he wore a pair of even more raggedy black sweatpants.
She hadn’t seen him show this much disregard for his appearance since before they were married. She had gotten use to him clean-shaven and dressed as if he lived among civilized people and not like those rock stars, he fancied so much.
Darnell wouldn’t admit to anyone, not even herself that seeing him like this made her remember the good old Justin and Darnell days. Those days when they didn’t care what people like her mother thought about how they acted and dressed or how they wore their hair.
She suddenly smiled, remembering how her mother almost fainted at the sight of Justin’s hair when he showed up to escort her to her junior prom. He had grown his curls out to shoulder-length but had always pulled it back when her mother was around. However, that night he must’ve washed and roughed it a bit with his fingers because he entered her house with his damp hair framing his face à la Kurt Cobain, his favorite musician.
Darnell snickered also recalling her mother’s loud and deafening shrieks of dismay, as she had to be assisted by her father to the kitchen for a glass of water.
“What’s so funny?” Darnell looked up to find Justin’s intense questioning eyes on her.
“Oh…nothing.” She mumbled allowing the moment to pass. “Um…Kori and Michal inside?”
Justin continued to stare her down before responding, “Yeah, I was just about to order pizza.”
Darnell hooked her thumbs into the loops of her jeans. “Sounds good.”
“Err, you know I don’t mind if you stay for dinner.” Darnell blinked, taken aback by her husband’s offer and slightly embarrassed. It was sad how she had to be invited to a dinner with her own family. It was even sadder that she was somewhat hesitant to accept, knowing that he was most likely mad at her for running out on yet another session.
“I don’t-um I really sh-okay, I’ll stay.” She finally relented after seeing the expressions of hope, disappointment, and then lastly excitement play across face. Justin smiled a small smile in return.
“After you.” He held open the door for her. Darnell unenthusiastically moved towards the door until Justin tapped her on the shoulder. She raised her eyebrows to him. “You okay?”
“Mmm hmm,” was her only reply before Justin watched her enter the house and navigate through the small hallway into the living room. He let the door slam after him as he followed her into the kitchen. And much like earlier, he couldn’t keep his eyes off her. Blame it on the fact that he had been a sex-starved man who hadn’t engaged in any physical contact with his wife in two months, unless he considered the one time he met her at her car when she dropped off the kids and he couldn’t stop himself from kissing her senseless. She had left completely disoriented while he entered the house happier than he had been in a long time.
Remembering that night alone had him seriously contemplating a repeat performance. How would Darnell react if he suddenly snuck up on her? Would she slap him? She hadn't yet. Would she let the scene play out and put him out of his misery? She hadn’t allowed that yet either. Since Darnell was so set on being separated, he was sure he was going to die from lack of sex soon.
Justin sighed and went to sit at the kitchen table.
“So…are you going to order the pizza?”
“Oh hand me the phone.” He watched her as she turned around and reached up high to retrieve the telephone. His gaze lingered a little too long on the exposed small of her back before traveling to the full curves of her bottom. He groaned and forced himself to look away, deciding not to torture himself anymore.
“Here.” Darnell stretched out her hand, signaling him to take the cordless phone. He didn’t, asking her to make the phone call instead. Darnell rolled her eyes, while silently asking what he was up to.
“Call Little Joes that’s Jordin’s favorite.” Rolling her eyes again, Darnell strolled to the counter. She balanced her wide hip on the edge and folded one arm beneath her ample breasts. He watched annoyance transform her round and delicate features as she was put on hold. To past time, she began fiddling with her lengthy dark hair that she had now pulled back with a headband. He wouldn’t dare tell her this but the polka dot hair accessory made her look almost as girly as Darrien, especially with the pink lip-gloss gracing the bottom lip that she was currently gnawing on.
“It’ll be here in forty minutes.” Darnell suddenly ended the call. Justin nodded and they both fell silent while watching each other from across the room. Then Darnell opened her mouth as if she had something to say.
“What Dee?”
“I-I need a drink.”
“That’s what you were going to say?” He looked at her as if he didn’t believe her.
“Mmm hmm. I need something strong too.” Her eyes shifted to the refrigerator as Justin stared her down. He was hoping she would elaborate more, or apologize for her behavior at therapy but as always; she was tightlipped about her true feelings. And he was sure she had something to talk about considering she had not long ago left her mother’s. If she wasn’t upset with him, she was definitely upset with her mother. He wondered what the argument was about this time. He never found out though. He usually made a few calculated guesses.
Justin stood. “I’ll be back.” He decided that he would get her that drink after all.
Darnell released a sigh of relief as soon as he was gone. She was glad he hadn’t mentioned therapy. The first time she stormed out and he called her on it, it had been a very long telephone conversation. And she was so frustrated that she stayed up and watched a late night classic basketball game to calm her nerves rather than go right to sleep.
“Mommy look at what Grandma did to my hair.” Darnell turned her head and immediately she was blinded by the excessive amount of ribbon ponytails in her baby’s hair.
“What in the Grey Goose hell? Justin hurry up with that drink!”
Divorce is a Bitter Pill to Swallow - Chapter 3
Fall 1993
The alarm clock sounded at exactly 7:10 am.
Anxiously, Darnell rolled out of bed. She was ready for her first day as a high school student. She prepared to jump right into the shower until she stopped in front of the mirror.
Curiously, she spied the black satin scarf that maintained and hid her newly styled hair from her gaze. Darrien had forced her to wait until the morning to take it down, an obvious scheme to make her wear it to school even if she hated it.
Darnell sighed. How did she let Darrien convince her to begin high school with a, “fresh and more approachable look,” as she had simply put it? When she thought of high school, she didn’t see herself as the approachable type. And if high school is anything like middle school had been, a boy wouldn’t even give her a second thought.
She could see it now, today would be the first day of The Dreaded High School Years. During those years, she would probably stick out like a sore thumb amongst all of the polished and more attractive girly girls. During those years, she would sit by the phone, waiting for the hottest boy in school to ask her to the dance. And if she were lucky enough to grow up and be as pretty and as girly as her sister, she would have at least one boyfriend before she graduated.
Turning away from the mirror, Darnell’s gaze drifted to the outfit she planned to wear; denim overalls with one strap hanging off the shoulder, a baggy long-sleeved v-neck sweater, and a pair of navy blue Converses. Surely, in that outfit, no boys would be chasing after her anytime soon. And she wasn’t sure if she preferred it that way.
Of course she hadn't had much time to ponder the thought before Darrien came bursting into the room, basking in a morning glow that it was definitely too early to have.
“Hey, hey freshman.” She strutted over to Darnell, “You ready to see your hair?”
“Well, I haven’t showered-”
“What!” Darrien shrieked. “Go shower, I’ll pick you out a cute outfit to go with your even cuter hair!” Unable to contain her excitement, she squealed.
“I already have my cute outfit picked out.”
Darrien glanced towards the bed. “I must be blind because I don’t see anything remotely cute over there.” With that said, she pushed Darnell out of the room and into the bathroom. After loudly telling her to hurry up, Darrien shut the door.
~*~*~*~*~
Justin buckled himself in the passenger seat as he waited for his mother to join him and take him to school. As usual, she took an unnecessarily long time to get ready just to drop him off at the corner. Then, finally, she would come to the car after he had waited for fifteen minutes, wearing one of her snug jeans, a tight-fitted shirt with a sophisticated hairstyle, and a splash of makeup to complete the look.
She explained to him that a woman must always look her best because she never knew whom she would meet. He assumed that to mean that she was looking for a man otherwise; she wouldn’t have bothered with the three-minute ride to the corner.
Once, he actually inquired about her desperate man-fetching attempts. She told him not to worry about it because he was the only man she needed in her life. Either way, he knew that she had the hots for the male crossing guard.
His mother, Lynn, smiled as she pulled up along the corner and his tight backside, as she had once called it, came into view. Then, she must’ve spent a few seconds in fantasy land before hugging him close and kissing his forehead, which he absolutely despised. For that reason alone, he was thankful that she dropped him off here instead of at school where all his fellow highschoolers would be willing witnesses.
“Bye Mom.” Justin reached to retrieve his backpack from the backseat and then he exited. He closed the door before leaning into the open window.
“Mr. Miller doesn’t work the after school shift anymore Mom, just the mornings.”
“Oh.” She was actually disappointed as he told her about the crossing guard’s new schedule. “What a shame…well you’ll walk home then?”
“Yes.” He replied simply, though he was beaming on the inside. No more being picked up by his overprotective mother.
“Okay, see you at home sweetheart. I love you!” She shouted loud enough for the whole block to hear, and everyone including the crossing guard turned to look at them. They were an adorable mother and son pair, both of them flaunting curly blonde ‘fros and fair skin.
Justin grunted before returning the sentiment. He held his head down as he walked to the corner where he would wait for Darnell. He listened for the sounds of his mother peeling away from the curb until he heard someone calling him. When he looked up, he expected to see Darnell because that’s who he thought he heard calling him. However, it wasn’t her. It couldn’t have been her.
Hell would have to freeze over first before Darnell stepped out of the house appearing like a Darrien carbon copy with straight hair draping past her shoulders and framing her plump round face. And dressed in what was nearly a turquoise floral mini skirt with the thick waistband cuddling her pudgy waist and a white sleeveless scoop neck shirt that hugged her breasts. Justin’s gaze traveled to her thick knees before dropping to the navy blue Converses on her feet, which were probably the only item of the wardrobe that this girl had in common with Darnell.
Before his body could respond in its usual fashion to her various appeals, Justin made a move to step around her and cross the street, he added an, “Excuse me,” as he did so.
“Where the hell are you going camera boy?” The girl was irritated.
Justin whirled around as he stepped into the street. “ Dee!”
“Yes.” Darnell shifted her weight to her right leg and tugged on the hem of her skirt. She had already felt uncomfortable and Justin’s wide-eyed gaze made it worse. “Do you mind?”
“What? I’m still trying to make myself believe it’s you?”
Darnell wanted him to quit staring at her chest so she quickly stretched to punch him in the arm. “Does that help?”
“Oww, yeah” Justin rubbed the spot where she had hit him. He walked cautiously as he went to stand beside her.
“Wow, dude you look like a different girl! And you actually look like a girl!” He stared at her lips as she prepared a response.
“Duh, I know.” She tried to appear giddy about it, but failed. She was more sarcastic than anything. “Anyway, I had to try something new for high school; you know what I’m saying?”
“I guess.” Justin shrugged and Darnell responded with another punch. “What?”
“That’s it?”
“I’m sure you’ll hear more once we get to school.” He started with a smirk as he crossed the street without Darnell.
“More? Like what?” Clearly fishing for compliments, she followed behind him.
“Guys telling you that you are all that and a bag of chips.” Darnell burst into a loud laughter and shoved him once more. Then, she told him to shut up.
“You know I wasn’t even going to do this but Darrien convinced me. She said that high school was all about looks and what you’re wearing. She said I had to start off fresh and look fresh while doing so.”
“But Dee, this aint you…” He paused to run his fingers through her hair. It was unbelievably soft. The smoothness of it made his fingers tingle. He dropped his hand back to his side and Darnell finally released the breath that she had been restraining.
“I’ve never dressed like this so how do we know it’s not me?”
“It’s not you.” Justin repeated firmly. “It’s Darrien.” Immediately, Darnell sucked her teeth at his comment.
“How come every time I attempt to be girly I’m trying to be like Darrien? My mother gushed about the same crap when I left the house. How pretty and lady-like I looked. How I had to dress like that more often. How much I looked like a Darrien mini-me. How finally she was happy that I was growing out of my boy phase. It’s not a phase. I just prefer to be comfortable.” She stretched out her skirt again for emphasis.
“God, I feel like my ass is showing!”
“It’s not.” Justin said after having the nerve to check. “If you want to change you can borrow my gym shorts but you’ll have to bring them to my seventh period. I need them for gym class.”
“No that’s okay.” She sighed. “I promised Darrien and mom that I wouldn’t change today.”
“Really? Cause you can change in those bushes. I’ll cover you.”
“Eww that’s perverted.” Darnell giggled, Justin soon joined her but tried to defend himself. The next ten minutes, they walked in silence. Darnell felt awkward and Justin was nervous. He couldn’t stop looking at Darnell while she wished that he would.
He wasn’t accustomed to this new reaction towards her nor was he used to her appearance. And she wasn’t familiar with his attention or any boy’s for that matter. It actually made her stomach flutter.
“Hey Justin?” She touched his arm once they reached the school stairs. The way she was staring at him was so innocent, yet anxious. He didn’t know what to make of it. Usually, Darnell was evil eying or wrestling him, especially when he would whip her in a video game, never ever was she willing to show her softer side. She’d send him home before she’d allowed him that privilege.
“Yeah?”
“Don’t lie to me just because I’m your friend…but do I really look pretty?” Justin was prepared to reply with a standard, “I guess so’, but Darnell wanted his honest opinion.
“All that and a bag of chips.” She rolled eyes and giggled at his unfamiliar use of the phrase, yet there was no mistaken the hint of blush on her cheeks. “And you look even better than Darrien.” That last compliment did the trick. Darnell laughed away her nervousness.
“You’re trippin’, but thanks anyway.” She rushed up the school stairs ahead of him. Justin stared after her and quickly realized his eyes were not the only ones doing so.
~*~*~*~*~
So far, Darnell had only made it through half of the day; however, she quickly concluded that it had been eventful. Not only did she get compliments on her newly straighten hair from all the popular girls she didn’t yet know, but she also received a couple appreciative looks from some of the boys.
She was actually surprised that everything had gone the way Darrien said it would until she found herself along with several other female classmates in the principal’s office because of her eye-catching attire. Apparently, her skirt was too short and her shirt too tight. It was all new to her since she had never been accused of showing too much skin.
In reality, her mother, Victoria wished she showed her legs more often. She even complained to the principal that Darnell didn’t show off her curvy little figure nearly enough.
“My daughter wasted so many years wearing those godforsaken baggy tee shirts and overalls that she probably didn’t know she had big breasts and hips until this morning!” Her mother’s exaggeration carried through the speakerphone. Mr. Owens, the principal, was more than a little shocked. He had expected Darnell to be scolded for her “inappropriate” wardrobe rather than praised for it. Afterwards, all he could do was send her out to the waiting area until he thought of what to do with her.
Now, she was getting weird looks from the boy beside her who had refused to do something as simple as a ten-minute class presentation. Evidently, doing actual work on the first day of school was unheard of and ridiculous.
In the span of a half hour, she had learned that he, Jason McMillan was an eleventh grader on the varsity basketball team as a point guard. He had just made the team despite the fact that he had tried out his first two years of high school. Also, he planned to make it big in the NBA one day. Not interested at all, she only pretended to listen because he was talking about one of her favorite sports.
“So what are you in for?” He abruptly asked. Darnell turned and found herself staring into his light brown eyes. He raised a dark brown brow at her when she didn’t immediately respond.
Darnell followed her sister’s advice and licked her lips. She had done so nervously but all that mattered was that it had been done. She managed to look at and converse with a boy without scrunching up her face due to absolute boredom.
“Hey, I’m talking to you.” He urged her to open her mouth and speak.
“I know and I’m listening.” Darnell winced as soon as she uttered the attitude-laced words. Darrien told her that she couldn’t treat every boy as she treated Justin if she was hoping to one day have a boyfriend.
“Oh so what are you in for?”
“You make it sound like we’re in prison.” His lips lifted into a sly smile.
“School is prison. That’s why I’m trying to elevate my ball game so the NBA will snatch me up. I won’t have to worry about stupid classes and homework anymore. That’ll be the bomb, right?”
“Well, I just started high school today so I’m not looking to drop out anytime soon.”
“Oh so you’re fresh meat, huh?”
Darnell tried not to roll her eyes. “I’m a freshman, yes.”
“Okay.” He chuckled, showing off two rows of perfect teeth. “What’s your name?”
“Why?” Once again, she couldn’t control her mouth. Darnell sighed; she wasn’t cut out for this flirting stuff. However, rather than be offended Jason just brushed it off.
“I just wanna know the name of the pretty girl I’m talking to.” Aww, she heard the words pretty girl and nearly melted all over the bench. That was the second time today she had been told that she was pretty.
“My name is Darnell.”
“Darnell? Isn’t that a boy’s name?” Okay, why’d he have to ruin it? She almost reached out and punched him in a reflexive action.
“I’m named after my uncle if that’s what you’re asking.” Darnell gnawed her bottom lip to keep from expressing her annoyance with a range of colorful words.
“Oh that’s dope.”
“Thanks.” She murmured while standing. Automatically, her hands went to her skirt. She had been toying with the length of it all day until the principle stopped in the hall and called her into his office. “I’m going to go see if I can go back to class. So…bye Jason.” As she walked off, she folded her hands behind her back just to shield her butt from his view. She was never wearing a mini skirt again.
“Hey Darnell…” She turned back around. “You know, you would look good as my girlfriend. You know that don’t you?”
“Um, no, no I didn’t.”
“Well, now you do.” He smirked and licked his lips. Darnell whirled around towards the principle’s office with a blush tinting her cheeks again. Her first day of school had been a day for many firsts. And before the week was over she had her first boyfriend.
However, there was something strange about their relationship. She didn’t stay up all night talking to him on the phone like Darrien and Andrew often did. In fact, he didn’t even have her number nor did she have his. They only talked during lunch periods, and before and after school. Sometimes she would watch him practice in the gymnasium, not knowing what else a girlfriend was supposed to do. Like now, she sat in the bleachers and played one of her handheld videogames, oblivious to everyone around.
“Hey.” Startled by the sudden voice Darnell shoved her Game boy into the front pocket of her backpack. She raised her eyes to Justin and not Jason as she anticipated. She sighed relieved. She wasn’t ready to tell Jason about her tomboy like addiction to videogames.
“What game were you playing?” Justin asked while moving her backpack to the floor so that he could sit beside her. He settled the school’s digital camera in his lap. As a part of Dunbar High’s yearbook staff, he had to be prepared to take pictures.
“Um Super Mario.”
“One, two, or world?”
“One.”
“Oh cool.” And that was the end of their conversation as they drifted into an awkward silence. Their walks to and from school had been uncomfortable as well ever since Darnell told Justin about her new boyfriend one day while they were in her basement.
“You know that boy you were taking pictures of in the gymnasium?” She had asked.
“Jason McMillan? Yup, why you like him?” He was only teasing her knowing that between the both of them she would be the one to least likely show interest in dating. However, then she blindsided him while wearing the cheesiest grin on her face.
“He’s my boyfriend.”
“I guess this new look paid off, huh?” His attention had drifted to his shoes strings and he hadn't paid enough attention afterwards to hear her response. He had gone home and hadn't been back to her house since.
“So what are you doing later?”
She shrugged, “Um I might stay and watch Jason’s game.” That wasn’t out of the ordinary. She loved basketball. Her favorite player was Michael Jordan.
“Yeah me too. I have to take pictures. But what about after?”
“I don’t know yet Jason might wanna do something.”
“Oh ok.” He tried hard not to relay his disappointment.
“Why? You wanna help me with my homework 10th grader?” She smirked teasingly.
“You don’t need my help you’re smarter than I am.”
“True.” Darnell bragged with a bright smile as the atmosphere eased from tense to comfortable. It had only been four days since they hadn’t talked to each other or hung out after school, yet it seemed much longer.
“So have you told your moms and Darrien about Jason?”
“Oh God no! They would have a congratulations party, no thank you. So right now they think I’m spending all of my time with you.” She laughed lightly while he forced out a chuckle and watched her intently as she flipped her hair out of her face. He noticed a hint of gloss upon her lips.
“You like being the girly girl and being someone’s girlfriend don’t you?”
Darnell pursed her lips. “Jason likes the way I look so, um, it’s okay.”
“Just okay, huh?”
“Yeah I’m still getting used to it and I don’t know how long this will last.” She tugged on the hem of the knee-length denim skirt she wore with a blue tee shirt.
“Well, I need to take your picture then.” He lifted the camera.
“To savor this look when it’s gone and buried?”
“It doesn’t matter. I like both versions of you Dee.” He admitted, then snapped the picture. The flash nearly blinded her.
“Damn, you never let me pose first!” Her bottom lip poked out in a pout, giving him the opportunity to snap another photograph. “Justin!”
“What? That was cute.”
“My fist is cute too.” She tucked in her bottom lip and held up her fist towards the camera, which deserved another picture.
“That’s the last one, I promise.” Justin hurried to put the camera away when she reached to hit him in her favorite spot, his arm.
“Hey Darnell.” Still laughing, they turned towards a sweaty Jason. Justin scrunched up his nose. Darnell kept their distance when Jason sat beside her.
“What’s up camera boy, you taking pictures of my girl?” He threw his arm around Darnell’s shoulder in a decidedly possessive fashion. She cringed. She definitely wasn’t one of those prissy girls that was afraid to get sweaty, as long as it was her own sweat of course.
“Don’t call him that.”
“Why not? He takes pictures.”
“Don’t call him that. I call him that.” And she had been calling him that for the past year so obviously that made it okay.
“Oh you know him?”
“Yeah.” Darnell replied but didn’t bother to elaborate. It was then that Justin decided it was time for him to leave. He was already disgusted by them as a couple as it was.
“See you later Dee.” He stood and began to gather his things.
“Wait, take our picture for the yearbook. Caption it cutest couple.” Justin almost threw up in his mouth.
“I’m all out of space on this thing. I’ll get you next time.” It didn’t take him long to dash down the bleachers and out of the gymnasium.
Justin and Darnell hadn’t spoken to each other since that afternoon in the gym. Even when he happened to pass by her in the hall, the awkwardness and tension were too much to share more than a slight wave.
Justin, unsure of how to handle the “new” Darnell, spent less time at her house playing video games and more time sulking in his lonesome. However, Andrew, his ever perceptive cousin, noticed the change in him and had tried to pump him for information, but he’d been evasive.
Justin suspected that Darnell still hadn’t told Darrien about her new boyfriend or else Andrew wouldn’t still be interrogating him about how his and Darnell relationship had seemed to change overnight.
Justin lifted his head from his arms as soon as he heard the turning of the lock; he needed to pretend to be at least somewhat happy to keep Andrew off his back. Of course it didn’t work.
“I thought you would be at Darnell’s. Are y’all still not talking?” Andrew eyed him suspiciously as he shrugged.
Justin tried not to show his irritation at hearing Darnell’s name, but he failed miserably. “Why don’t you ask Darnell that?” He muttered under his breath, toying with the rope of his camera.
“Oh she’s Darnell now? What happened to ‘ Dee’?” Andrew laughed and held up his hands defensively when Justin glared at him.
He pushed away from the table and stood, leaving his camera on the table before leaving the kitchen.
“Well I’m going out with Darrien, anything you want her to tell Darnell?” Andrew’s voice followed him in the bedroom.
“No!” Justin yelled and plopped down on the edge of the bed. He had nothing to say to her, nothing at all. Besides she was the one that didn’t want to talk to him so why should he bother.
A few seconds later Andrew appeared in the doorway, “You’re lying man, but whatever. Peace out.” Andrew hadn’t allowed Justin to say more before exiting the bedroom.
After about thirty minutes of absolute boredom with the video game, Justin stared at the Sega Genesis controller for another five minutes before tossing it to the side. Briefly, he wished he was at Darnell’s playing video games in the basement, but he pushed that thought aside too.
The phone rang suddenly and Justin looked at it before answering it. “Hello.” He rushed out.
“Justin?” Dee?
“Darnell.” He would not make the mistake of referring to her as Dee.
“I was wondering-” Her sentence was cut short when Justin abruptly ended the call. He stared at it and his hands began shaking in anger.
“Shit.” The muttered expletive summed up his life perfectly at the moment.
He knew Darnell would not bother calling him back. In fact he hoped she wouldn’t. Hopefully, he wouldn’t make the mistake of running into her in the hall or worse the cafeteria line since they shared the same lunch period. He had been doing such a good job of avoiding her during lunch or maybe it was she that had been doing a better job of spending time with her “new” boyfriend.
~*~*~*~
A walk through the woods was usually a peaceful entity, a way to bond with all of the beauties of nature. However, apparently, Justin felt differently as he kicked away rocks that were in his path and snatched leaves off poor innocent branches as if they had offended him. Yet, it was neither the rocks nor the leaves that had offended him, it was Dee, no, Darnell.
Just hours earlier, he had been sitting at the far end of one of the cafeteria tables by himself when just last week he and Darnell had shared that spot. Not wanting to spend another dreadful minute alone, he hurriedly ate the lunch that his mother had packed for him. Afterwards, he stood and headed towards the trashcan, which was positioned conveniently in the middle of the cafeteria. Seconds later, Darnell had been standing beside him. She had used the moment to talk to him while Jason was at the front of the lunch line.
“Hey, you’ve been M.I.A?”
“Uh huh.” He dumped his trash.
“And last time we talked, your phone accidentally hung up on me.” She was eyeing him knowingly.
“Uh huh.” He put his tray on top of the trashcan.
“Whatever. Do you wanna come over tonight? I got a new video game.” Her smile almost made him forget what he was going to say.
“Uh…no I’m good. Plus I gotta eat dinner with Mom, it’s family night.” He was treading in dangerous territory. He didn’t want to be having a conversation with Darnell, yet here he was.
“Maybe your boyfriend might wanna play?” He was satisfied enough with the annoyed expression on her face to walk away, and that’s exactly what he did. He stomped out of the lunchroom with Darnell staring questionably at his back.
Justin, always the one with an eye for detail, lifted his camera to snap a picture of a stray dog that somberly ambled down the block, searching for his next meal or maybe a new friend---he had concluded as the dog quickly crossed the street to lick his hand.
“Hey buddy.” Justin had no choice but to pet the large animal. He smiled slightly as the golden retriever tagged along beside him.
“You’re funny.”
Justin looked up from the food that he was gathering from his backpack to feed the dog. There one block behind him, stood Darnell and her boyfriend or “boo”-as he heard some of the students refer to Jason.
Today her hair fell in array of ebony curls on her shoulders and she accessorized the style with a multi-colored headband. He hated to admit it but the look suited her even though it was so unlike Dee.
Defiant, he turned his back to the sight of his displeasure and continued to his destination, attempting to ignore the anger that was seeping into him. However, every few seconds he found himself looking out the corner of his eye in her direction.
Justin did a fantastic job of trying to discreetly spy on Darnell and managed to walk home at the same time until suddenly she met his intense gaze. He froze and tripped over his own feet.
Both Darnell and Jason turned too see Justin quickly rise to his feet and collect his belongings.
“Hey, isn’t that the dorky camera boy you know?” His insult fell on deaf ears as Darnell quickly walked the rest of the block to catch up with Justin.
She’d tried calling his name, but it seemed that his steps quickened whenever she had. At this rate, she would have to chase Justin down the block or else he would turn the corner and be at Andrew’s house before she made it to the next block.
Darnell called after him again, rushing around the corner and ignoring the insistent yelling of Jason. “Justin!”
Justin struggled to maintain control of his camera and the items that were overfilling his backpack as he approached oncoming traffic. The crossing guard abruptly held up the stop sign when he saw Justin coming, thankfully the light had turned red just in time.
The retriever was surprisingly keeping up, assuming that Justin was running as part of a race. However, the only thing that was racing was his heart as he contemplated what Darnell would do if she managed to catch him. Apparently, she wasn’t that far behind him as he had suspected because now it seemed as if she was directly behind him. He could feel her breath on the back of his neck and clearly hear the angered voice in his ear before she tackled him. He hit the ground with a thud. His chin scraped a patch of dirt rocks.
“Oww! What you do that for!” He tried to roll over.
“Why the hell have you been ignoring me Justin?” He winced as he felt the force of Darnell’s elbow in his spine. It was amazing how ladylike she could be in her skirt and still be “tomboy” enough to chase him down like a fugitive. The dog barked loudly, circling them excitedly.
Justin spit out the distasteful flavor of grass before speaking, “You were ignoring me first!”
“You hung up on me!” She spat, her words, condemning. Her voice, winded.
“That was an accident!” He lied.
“Bump you Justin. Why are you acting different now that I go to Dunbar?” At her question, Justin instantly thought that she had obviously mistaken him for herself since she clearly was the one who had done a 360.
“I’m still the same.” And that was all he said before he miraculously shifted his weight so that he would no longer be kissing dead grass. Darnell eased off of him and settled beside him, but still kept one firm hand on his chest.
“You’re the different one, not me. The Darnell I know wouldn’t have had her head so far up Jason’s ass, drooling all over him every time I see you.” He stuck his finger in his mouth and pretended to throw up.
Darnell flinched, shoving his chest. “No I do not!”
"Uh huh!” Justin shouted his great comeback.
“Oh grow up.” She scoffed and stood, wiping the grass from her skirt. Unfortunately, it was stained. Justin watched her from his position on the ground. Darnell looked up the block looking for Jason although he had long ago headed back the other way.
“I’m actually surprised you didn’t forget about me.” Justin mumbled. The moment he settled his elbows on his knees, Darnell pushed him over and he dropped to the side with little resistance. She kneeled beside him once again.
"Forget about you? Boy Please. Who called you? Who did you hang up on? Who tried to talk to you at school? Who walked away from whom? Correction ran."
“Oh like you really wanted to hang out with camera boy?”
“What?”
“Ever since you found out that you’re actually pretty, it’s been Jason this and Jason that. He’s only with you cause of how you dress now. Go to school tomorrow in your braids and overalls, he won’t even remember you. I’ll bet you five bucks!” Justin boasted.
Darnell rolled her eyes. “I’m not betting you my lunch money!” Following her refusal, Justin finally rose to his feet. He dusted off his pants. He helped Darnell up.
“I bet you.” He felt the need to add as he started up the block again to walk Darnell home. The ownerless dog followed behind.
~*~*~*~
Sitting with her back against the base of the couch, Darnell jabbed the buttons of the game controller as she tried desperately to beat the board to reach the next level. She had barely made it through the first level all because she had been distracted. Distracted and angry. Angry with herself because Justin was right. Jason had forgotten about her.
Last night after Justin had walked her home, Darnell decided to test her options. Instead of wearing her hair straight or in curls as she had been doing for two weeks now, she asked Darrien to braid it. And when she awoke this morning she opted for a pair of her favorite overalls and a loose-fitting jersey in her favorite color, North Carolina blue.
Darrien rolled her eyes when she saw her and her mother mumbled her disappointment before she walked upstairs to her room where she would watch television prior to the spending the whole day cleaning up the house. Before leaving to meet Justin at the corner, Darnell grabbed her baseball cap and fitted it over her braids.
As he soon as he saw her, a wide smile lifted his lips. He was happy but surprised to see the Old Dee back in full effect. Darnell rolled her eyes, but admitted that she finally felt comfortable again. She was also secure in the fact that she wouldn’t be in the principal’s office today for inappropriate attire.
Darnell managed to survive two periods of horribly boring classes before she went to find Jason so that they could go to lunch. She rounded the corner towards his locker section and saw him talking some girl, whose honey-toned hands were all over him. She didn’t find that out of the ordinary being that she was used to the female attention he received as an athlete.
She spent a few minutes watching from afar before she strolled over to the pair. She stood behind the longhaired girl whose back was facing her. Since the girl was the taller one of the two, Jason hadn't noticed her. This prompted Darnell to call his name.
“Jason.” The girl whirled around to face Darnell and ended up knocking her books to the floor. Darnell bent to retrieve them.
“Oh my bad dude. I didn’t know you were behind me.” Darnell looked up in time to see the smirk that accompanied her words.
“I’m not a dude.” Darnell whipped off her hat. Her creatively braided cornrows settled past her shoulders.
“Oh my bad.” She repeated.
“Sure.” Darnell stepped around her and stood before Jason. He eyed her hair oddly before his eyes drifted to her chest; most likely wondering where her breast had ran off to beneath her baggy shirt.
“H-hey Darnell, ‘sup?”
“Darnell?” The girl choked on a laugh. Darnell sighed and attempted to ignore her. She definitely wasn’t going to the principal office for a short skirt, but she probably could for fighting.
“You ready to go to lunch?”
“Um…” Jason paused to scratch his head. “Yeah. What’s with your look?”
“What look? This is how I dress.”
“This the first time I’ve seen you dressed like that. I like the skirts and curly hair better.”
Darnell gnawed her bottom lip as she was well on her way to becoming annoyed. “Look, I can’t dress like that everyday, too much work.”
“But if you dress like that then you’re not my girlfriend.” Jason folded his arms and leaned against his locker door.
“What?” Her feelings were crushed. “I’m still the same girl.” She didn’t know why she had to explain that fact to everybody.
“No my girl wears skirts and nice shirts. Not an outfit that looks like it could’ve been borrowed from my little brother.” At his harsh remarks, Darnell withheld a gasp. However, she felt tears gather at the back of her throat.
“So you gonna wear a skirt tomorrow?”
“No.” She wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of ogling her.
“Okay well I’m gonna go eat lunch with Alisha since she just asked. See you around.” He tossed a long chocolate arm around Alisha’s shoulder and the two walked off towards the cafeteria. Darnell headed to the library to bury her head behind a large book where no one would see her crying.
Now hours later, she was in her basement alone after rushing straight home after school without Justin in tow. She had hurried past the curious faces of Darrien and her mother and slammed the door behind her. When she had decided to focus on a video game, she concentrated more on not crying than the actual game. Finally, she began to take out her braids.
Darnell jumped up when she heard the basement door open and the sound of approaching footsteps.
“Leave me alone,” were the first words out of her mouth.
“Darrien said you would say that.”
“Oh…hey Justin.” She mumbled and relocated to the floor.
“Hey, what’s up?” Awkwardly, he stood with his hands stuffed into his pockets. Never ever seeing Darnell truly upset, he tried not to focus on the puffiness of her eyelids.
“Nothing.” She started on loosening another braid.
“Oh. I heard about what happened.” Actually, he had seen and heard the whole thing as he was walking into the lunchroom.
“Yeah I know. I’m not going to have your money until Monday though.”
“I wasn’t betting you for real Dee.”
“Oh ok.” She simply answered and reached her hand up towards another braid. Meanwhile, Justin finally went to sit on the couch. Darnell remained on the floor below him, her face close to his kneecap.
“Jason is a jerk.”
“You can say I told you so.”
“I told you so.” Darnell lifted her head to see him grinning. “What? You said I could.”
“I feel stupid and I dressed up for a stupid boy, then he dumped me. I had a boyfriend for a whole week. That’s pathetic.”
“You’ll get another one.”
Darnell wasn’t as assured. “Bet me money.” She looked up at him and smiled her first smile of the last few hours.
“I can’t. Don’t have any money.” They both laughed.
“What about you? You gotta gurrlfriend camera boy?” Justin immediately tensed at her question.
“Nope but I did kiss a girl today.” His confession made Darnell gasp.
“When?”
“Just now.” He replied and before he could lose his nerve, he pulled Darnell upright and into a kiss, an innocent kiss on the corner of her lips that was more like a peck, yet a kiss nonetheless. Darnell stiffened and then relaxed before slowly returning to her spot on the floor. When her back was to him again, she pulled her hand away from her hair to touch her lips. They tingled. She couldn’t believe her first kiss was with camera boy.
Surprised as well, Justin too touched his lips. Kissing a girl was much better than dreaming about them all the time. In fact, he should probably say something before he managed to scare Darnell away because of a natural body reaction to the kiss.
“You’re taking out your hair, is Darrien going to straighten it again?” That was the first thing he could think of.
“I was going to ask her to, but now I’m just gonna have her braid it again.”
“Oh.” He settled his hands in his lap before continuing. He stared at the many braids in her hair. “Do you need some help?” Darnell turned to stare at him oddly, but allowed him to help. She scooted back until she was sitting between his knees and he could reach the ends of her hair.
“Oww.” Dee winced as he yanked too hard on one braid. Obviously, he hadn't done this before.
“Sorry.” Justin groaned. He knew if Darrien came down and saw them, she would tell Andrew and he’d have hell to pay. Yet, that didn’t seem to matter as long as he had his Dee back.
After minutes of content silence, Darnell spoke up. “I’ma tell Darrien about what Jason did. She might be girly but she can whip his ass!”
Author's Notes:
Sorry this chapter took forever to be added we just got busy and wanted to make sure the chapter was great and not rushed. Enjoy
Divorce is a Bitter Pill to Swallow-Chapter 4
Darrien entered her sister’s bedroom early afternoon to an image of Darnell, clad in a pair of Superman pajamas pants, a white tank, and stretched out on her stomach with her knees bent and her feet swinging in the air.
She was oblivious to her sister’s presence as she eagerly flipped through the pages of the recent issues of Game Informer and Animation Magazine. Being equally interested in the drawing that she was now completing on the drawing pad, her pencil flew across her paper.
Beside her in her own little corner of the bed, Jordin had her own set of drawing paper and Crayola crayons as she peeked over at her mother’s drawing and attempted to imitate. She scribbled an orange and red spiral-like shape across her paper and asked for her mother’s opinion.
“This good mommy?” Darnell offered a simple, “mmm hmm.” However, Jordin was full of smiles afterwards.
“ Dee?” Darrien finally announced herself.
“Hmm?” She raised her brows to her but not her eyes.
“What are you doing?”
“Drawing.” Darrien rolled her eyes at the reply.
“Well no shh-shoot.” She spied a quick glance at Jordin, who must have not heard the slip-up otherwise; she would have admonished her Aunt for it, as her own grandmother would have done.
Darrien moved the stack of magazines aside to make room for herself on the full size bed. She bumped her sister’s shoulder in the process.
“Hey!” Darnell whined and scooted over. Much to her displeasure, several of Jordin’s crayons stabbed her in the side. As she carefully picked them away, her sister used the moment to snatch away her drawing pad and studied it.
“Darrien! Give it back!” She tried to snatch the pad from her sister’s grasp. However, Darrien held it out of reach.
“Dang Dee, you never let anyone see your drawings as if they suck or something. But they are always fabulous.” She smiled suddenly, “You remember the first drawing of yours that you let me see?”
“Let you see? You mean the one you stole out of my backpack?” Darnell sat up to better observe her sister’s reactions to the pages of the pad.
“Whatever. You remember what you drew?” She only paused for a second, not exactly expecting her sister to answer. “You drew Justin.”
“I did not.” Darnell lied, yet heat raced up the back of her neck at the memory. It had been her junior year, second semester. She and Justin were using their study hall period to finish their homework in the library. However, while Justin was struggling with his math assignment, she sat beside him and discreetly sketched his profile.
She remembered how much detail she had put into the sketch, especially his sharp jaw line and his wavy hair, which at the time had reached his chin. The day she finished it, she rushed home to tuck it in one of her dresser drawers, yet Darrien took it before she could. Her sister was the first and only person to ever see that drawing.
“You did and it was so beautiful. Lord girl, I could tell from that one drawing that you were so in love with his punk rock, dorky ass. Hell, you still you are; only he’s a little less dorkish now. God bless him.” She laughed while Darnell tensed uncomfortably. She could already sense where this conversation was heading.
“But yeah these sketches are amazing. You seriously have to send these into one of those major animation companies.”
“I know.” Darnell mumbled. She had been telling herself that for years, but never put forth the effort because she was afraid of rejection. She knew all the people would think her sketches were beautiful but as soon as they realized she had only a high school diploma, a semester’s worth of college credits, and no technical experience, they weren’t as eager to hire her. And since she couldn’t get her dream job she somehow let her mother, who despised her choice of profession, convince her that is was much better to be a housewife.
“So when are you going to do that?”
Darnell shrugged. “I don’t know, but now isn’t the time.”
“Yeah obviously with you living here and not at home with your husband.”
As soon as her sister began, Darnell rolled her eyes and flopped down on the bed. She glanced over at Jordin, grateful that she was content with her coloring book rather than listening in on their conversation. “My therapy session isn’t until four thank you.”
“Okay I’ll give you that one.” Darrien relented, instead she returned to analyzing her sister’s drawings. She flipped a few more pages before voicing her opinion.
“Uh-oh somebody had Justin on the brain.” Darrien looked over her shoulder with a goofy grin brightening her features.
Darnell instantly sat up to inspect her own work. “Oh that’s an old one.” She replied coolly.
“Sure.” Darrien smirked and studied the sketch further. “Why does he look like a super villain?”
“I think I was mad.” She shrugged. “I was sitting here looking at Jordin this morning and she looks so much like him it made me mad.”
Darrien laughed at her sister’s frown. “Oh wait, I thought you said this was an old one.”
Now caught in a lie, Darnell folded her arms across her chest and pouted, “Leave me alone.”
“Aww Dee,” she pulled her close, “You’re right though Jordin doesn’t look a thing like you. Oh hold up I think she has the Simmons nose-oops never mind.” Darrien laughed loudly when her sister huffed and shoved her away.
“I need to go get the girls from school and then drop them all off at mom’s, yippee.” She feigned excitement.
“Oh mom’s not that bad.”
“You only say that because she can’t harass you about your marriage anymore with you being divorced and all. I, on the other hand am not as fortunate. You see how she’s forcing me to go to therapy by paying for it all. And because I don’t want to waste her money I go.”
“Yeah but you leave before it’s over every time.”
“I only did that twice.” She defended, while pulling a tee shirt over her head. She considered changing her pajama pants, but then reminded herself that she wasn’t the one that cared about her looks. No that was Darrien, the one who studied cosmetology in high school and currently worked as a hairdresser. Looking at her now, you wouldn’t believe that she had just rolled out of bed. Her pajamas were fashionable down to her matching slippers and her auburn-dyed hair still maintained last week’s roller set.
Darnell envied her for two reasons: she always looked good and she was two sizes smaller, wearing a twelve.
“Of course you only had two sessions so far.” Darrien purposely added before letting the subject drop. “So you want me to do something to your hair real quick before you leave?”
“Nope.” She snatched it back into a simple ponytail instead. She kneeled to look under the bed for her red flip-flops.
“You’re not going to change at least?” Darrien grimaced, when her sister again said no. She eyed the phrase stretched across her sister’s ample bosom. “But Dee your shirt says ‘Got Milk?’ Do you really want to bring that kind of attention to yourself?”
“Well, I didn’t plan on getting out of the car. And besides this shirt is nothing compared to those sweatpants you brought me with juicy written across the ass. Oh Jordin go pack up your toys.” She wanted to get her out of the room before she said any more “bad wurds”, as Jordin would say.
Darrien stared thoughtfully at the toddler’s back as she skipped out of the room. “I wish Calvin and I could’ve had at least one baby before we got divorce.”
“You can have one of mine.” Her sister instantly offered, causing her to purse her lips.
“Sorry girl but you and Calvin weren’t right for each other. Getting married was your second mistake. Letting mom pick your husband was your first.” Darnell fixed her sister with a critical stare as she slipped on her flip-flops.
“I was young and-”
“Stupid. Let’s not forget that.”
“Right. Let’s not.” She rolled her eyes with a smirk. “But being young shouldn’t be an excuse. You married Justin when you were young.”
“Yeah I remember that day, Michal and Kori were flower girls, yup, I clearly remember that.” There was a tinge of sarcasm in her tone.
“Hold up, are you trying to say that you married Justin because of the kids? I know that isn’t what you’re saying.” Darrien stood, hands already on her hips as she prepared to argue with her younger sister. Darnell immediately looked away.
“I’m not trying to say anything.”
“Oh, because if I remember correctly you technically proposed to Justin. Not the other way around.”
Darnell sighed, “Please don’t remind me.”
“And you brought your own engagement ring.” Darrien continued as if her sister hadn’t asked her not to.
“Justin wasn’t known to have a sense of fashion, granted neither did I, but I thought he would’ve picked out something ugly.” Therefore, five years ago, she brought her own ring.
After two months of saving while working at Electronic Boutique, she purchased a simple diamond ring from the pawnshop. She hid it in her purse for weeks before she finally admitted to herself that she was tired of playing house in a small two-bedroom apartment with two kids. She waited in the living room for Justin to get off work and then they would talk about marriage. Only the discussion didn’t go as planned. Justin spied the ring on Darnell’s hand, which soon led to an argument.
“What is that on your finger?”
“An engagement ring.” She decided not to tiptoe around the subject.
“From where? Who gave you that?” He jumped from the couch and began pacing around the living room. Each time Darnell attempted to respond he cut off her with a wave of his hand. It was the most domineering he had ever been since they had met each other years ago, and without saying a thing.
Justin suddenly turned towards Darnell, catching her off guard.
“Is your mother trying to make you marry some ideal man she has picked out for you like she did Darrien? Because if she is I swear-”
“No!” Darnell laughed aloud at Justin’s assumption. She had never seen him get so worked up. “Well maybe if we didn’t have kids she’d sure as hell try to.” Justin instantly frowned, “But I wouldn’t go without a fight.”
“You’d fight your mother to stay with me?”
Darnell scoffed, “Hell yeah.”
“Why?” Justin settled his hands on lean hips and waited for her answer.
“Why wouldn’t I?”
“That’s not what I wanted to hear.”
Darnell shrugged, “Then what do you want me to say?” Justin offered no response. He figured she would come up with one in her own time. Soon she started rambling.
“I mean we have two kids so it only makes sense to be together.” Justin’s frown deepened. “Since forever you’re the only guy I have ever had something in common with. I would be no use to someone else.”
“And?” He liked what he was hearing so he moved back to his previous seat beside her on their small loveseat.
“I don’t think anyone else would put up with me and my mother.”
“True. And?”
“You love me.” She grinned arrogantly.
“Crazy about you. And?” Darnell melted at Justin’s admission. She decided to come clean about the ring.
“I want you to marry me.”
“What?” He drew back a little, confused by the sudden request.
“I want you to marry me. That’s why I brought this ring.”
“But Dee I thought-”
“You don’t wanna get married?” She looked offended.
“Don’t put words in my mouth. I never said I didn’t wanna marry you. You said you didn’t want to get married. You said that Dee, it was you.” Justin pointed an accusing finger at her from the other side of the couch.
“That was six years ago!” She tossed her arms to the ceiling. “Things change and besides I didn’t want to get married back then just because I was pregnant with Michal. I was living with Darrien and Calvin and you were living with your mom. It would’ve been a mistake.”
Confused, Justin scratched the cheek-length scruffy locks he called hair, “So you brought me an engagement ring?”
“No boy, it’s mine.”
Justin was stunned. “You brought your own engagement ring then?” She nodded. He chewed on his bottom lip contemplatively while scrutinizing the ring.
“It’s nice, but I would’ve chosen something different, better.” He quickly removed the ring from her finger.
“Hey!” She snatched her hand away too late. “Give that back!” She shrieked and then he returned it, yet he suddenly had something else for her; a diamond ring in between his thumb and index finger. He also had saved money to purchase it.
The ring was slightly bigger than the one Darnell chose. Although not her favorite shade of blue, it was a very light, nearly the color of a white diamond. Darnell loved it.
“Justin! Why didn’t you tell me? I could’ve saved my money.” She playfully jabbed him in the arm. Only after he howled did she pull his face close, kiss him, and say that she loved him.
“You should’ve told me that you were ready to get married. Anyway which one are you going to wear?” He had asked, but she had never been able to make a choice. Hence, in the present day she still wore both rings. Justin’s ring on her left hand accompanied by a simple wedding band and the ring she purchased for herself on her right.
“Mommy gave y’all a beautiful backyard wedding though.” Darrien had a reminiscent smile on her face.
“Well, we couldn’t afford the big extravagant wedding you had.”
“Obviously, that was money wasted. Look at who’s still married.”
“Humph barely.” Darnell murmured.
“ Dee I will kill you before I let you get a divorce.”
“I know mom already told me the same thing last week.”
“Darnell, where are these feelings coming from?” Darrien sighed. “I thought you loved Justin.”
“I do.”
“And I thought you were happy.” Darnell hesitated to answer this time.
“Actually I’m not happy. I don’t have a job. I don’t go out. My whole life is my kids. I play the housewife routine as good as mom but it’s not for me. I didn’t get married just to be at home everyday. That’s not what I planned for myself. All I’m known for is being a mother. That’s all I did with my life.” Unwanted tears soon stung the back of her eyes, but she didn’t dare let them fall. If she cried, she would do so alone.
“I’m twenty seven years old and when I haven’t seen someone in a while and they ask me what I’ve been doing, all I can honestly say is popping out babies! By my twenty-fifth birthday, I had two kids and one on the way. Hey, but you know who is actually happy about that…mom. I’m sure she wanted me stuck at home like her so that she could finally say that we have something in common and would no longer have to convince herself that she must’ve taken the wrong baby from the hospital.”
“I’m sure mom doesn’t feel that way-” Darnell turned quickly and set sharp eyes on her sister.
“Have you asked her? No? You should. Ask her about me and see what she tells you. No better yet, ask her what she thinks about me going to school for animation. I bet she’ll set up a nice little segue way before asking you to get me a job working at the salon.” Darnell laughed dryly.
“Like I said, she would rather see me at home miserable, and know I’m miserable, than help me go back to school for what I want to do.” She started for the door until Darrien jumped up in front of her.
“Mommy’s your problem and not Justin?”
“Justin is Justin.” Darnell shrugged. Her sigh hinted at something she chose not to explain and Darrien didn’t pressure her.
“So you want to go to school and you need help. I can-” Darnell began shaking her head immediately, “Well, maybe if you talked to Justin-”
“It’s really not in our budget trust me.”
“Okay, well…” Darrien hesitated to continue, knowing an outburst was imminent, “Your last choices are mom and daddy or a loan.”
“I guess I need to go apply for a loan then.”
“Have you even asked her? No? You should.”
Darnell folded her arms and engaged in a stare off with her older sister. Seeing as Darrien wasn’t going to give in anytime soon, she eventually had to. “I’ll go see her right now.”
“Call her and tell her I’ll be there in forty-five minutes.” She rushed out of the bedroom with Darrien hot on her heels and sputtering away. She yanked the car keys off a side table and scooped up Jordin and her belongings then targeted the front door.
“ Dee hold up! If you go talk to her then you won’t make it to therapy.”
Darnell opened the door, secured her purse to her shoulder and Jordin to her hip, before glaring at her sister once more. “Exactly.”
~*~*~*~*~*~
As she turned down the block where her mother resided, Darnell slowed as she neared the house. “What in the…” Darnell’s face twisted into confusion as she spotted her mother dashing down the driveway in one of her high-priced tracksuits and her newly dyed and cut shoulder-length hair whipping in the spring breeze.
Michal opened her eyes and raised her head from the headrest as a harsh knock sounded at the window.
Her grandmother pulled the door open for her but when she hadn’t gotten out, Victoria yelled, “Come on your mother has to go!” an impatient scowl marring her face.
“Kori Lynn let your sister out.” Victoria grabbed the children’s bags and tossed it over her shoulder after they all exited the car.
“Bye Darnell. Girls say bye to your mother.”
“I’m not leaving.” Darnell finally spoke up after watching her mother’s ridiculous antics. Victoria was apparently trying to get her off to therapy on time, even though she was already late.
“What do you mean? Are you not going?” The bags slacked on her arm as she peered suspiciously at her daughter.
“No because I know what my problems are…” She took a long pause before continuing, “We need to talk.” Darnell lifted Jordin into her arms and entered the house.
With a confused shrug, Victoria had no choice but to follow behind her daughter.
“Grandma Victoria can I have some juice?” Kori skipped into the kitchen behind them.
Victoria didn’t bother to acknowledge her granddaughter, instead she kept her gaze fixed on Darnell and said, “Ask your mother.”
Darnell walked over to the refrigerator and retrieved four juice boxes. She handed two to Kori and one to Jordin. Kori smiled before grabbing her little sister’s hand and following Michal to the basement.
As soon as the children had left the room, Victoria had let Darnell have it.
“Darnell I’m waiting for you to tell me why you aren’t at therapy trying to make your marriage work.” Victoria folded her arms across her chest as she eyed her daughter.
Darnell removed her light jacket and draped it over the back of the chair choosing not to respond to her mother just yet. Instead, she asked about her father’s whereabouts. “Where’s Daddy?”
A frown marred Victoria’s unblemished coffee brown features, and then she quickly masked her disappointment. “He’s probably at your uncle’s house.”
“Which one? I might stop by. I keep missing him every time I drop the kids off.” Darnell poked a hole through the opening of the juice box and intended to drink it before her mother snatched it from her as if she were a child who had done wrong.
“Do not try to change the subject Darnell Ebony Simmons.” Her mother’s voice had trembled a bit before she continued, “Are you going to therapy or not?”
Victoria’s distressed demeanor surprised Darnell, but what surprised her more was that her mother, Miss Prim and Proper, was now drinking from a juice box.
“Ma, I’m not going to therapy. I just don’t see the point right now.” She went to the refrigerator to retrieve another juice box.
“Darnell do not allow me to waste my money. I am trying to save your marriage.” Victoria exclaimed crushing the cardboard juice box against the granite counter.
Standing in front of an open refrigerator, Darnell whirled around to face her mother. “That’s just it. I don’t need you to save my marriage. It’s my marriage not yours mom. And I really wish you would spend your money on something I really need.” Darnell sighed fiddling with the stray hairs at her nape, something she did when she was frustrated.
“Therapy is something you need. Justin is trying to make it work, but you insist on being difficult just to spite me I guess. You must not love your husband enough.”
Darnell was appalled by her mother’s audacity to question her love for Justin and she allowed her shock to show on her face. The problems in their marriage had nothing to do with love lost between them. The fact that her mother had brought it up goes to show that Victoria really didn’t know her daughter that well.
“Oh please Ma, don’t even go there.” Darnell scoffed, her mother surely did have her priorities mixed up. She released another exasperated sigh. “Look ma, I didn’t come over here to argue with you.”
“Well, what did you come over here for then? If this argument is so pointless you can be on your way to therapy.”
“Ma.” Darnell rolled her eyes while her mother simply glanced at her watch.
“If you leave right now you might catch the end of the session. I’m sure Ava and Justin will catch you up on what you missed.”
“Mom.” She chewed on her bottom lip, annoyed as her mother continued to ignore her.
“Why are you still standing here looking at me when you could have left already?”
“Mommy!” The loud shriek made Victoria’s eyes widen in shock. Darnell never called her mommy unless she was fighting for her attention, which she was now.
Three pairs of feet rumbled up the stairs and three little heads peeked around the open doorway to secretly spy.
“What? What are you yelling for?”
“Because you’re not listening. You never listen. I said I didn’t want to talk about therapy but you still have to find a way. You always have to have the last word.” Darnell slammed the refrigerator door and frustratingly yanked a hand through her long locks.
Still somewhat stunned, Victoria’s eyes darted around the kitchen, “What did you want to talk about?”
“School. I want to go back to school.” At the mentioning of school, the children lost interest and Michal carried Jordin back to the basement while Kori followed.
“Why?” Victoria turned her nose up at her daughter’s suggestion.
“I don’t know maybe I want to do something besides stay home all day.”
“Don’t mock me.” Her mother warned and Darnell routinely rolled her eyes. “What about your children?”
“I don’t have to be home 24/7. I can go to school and be a good mother too, Mom.”
“Well, you could be a better one?”
“What are you trying to say?” Darnell’s question was asked through clenched teeth.
“Well…if you could cook for one, and if you bothered to fix yourself up every once in a while.” She frowned at Darnell’s child-like superhero pajamas.
Victoria had never hid the fact that she had wished her youngest daughter was more feminine or more like her oldest, Darrien. She had always thought that by the time Darnell started dating, she would change her look. When that didn’t happened, she hoped that marriage would make Darnell see the error of her ways. At least she would attempt to look nice for her husband, as a wife should. Of course, neither of Victoria’s wishes or hopes became a reality.
Darnell was as much a tomboy today as she was all those many years ago.
“Thank goodness Darrien does the girls hair. Otherwise, they would walk around looking like shrubs in need of a trim with that wild hair they inherited from their father. You should let her do something to yours soon though.” Why did her mother insist on discussing the most trivial of subjects?
She had easily changed the subject from school to hair and Darnell had spent the first few minutes unintentionally indulging her until she realized that her mother had pushed her ideas aside as usual.
“Mom, who the hell cares about how I look?” She asked quickly and cut her mother off before she could say what was burning on the tip of her tongue. “School is all I want to talk about and if that’s not going to happen, then I’m going to leave and you can most definitely forget about me even considering therapy.”
Following Darnell’s command and reference to therapy, Victoria knew she had to compromise. She went to sit at the kitchen table and directed Darnell to join her. Darnell took her time before heeding to her mother’s request.
“Okay what is the real reason you want to go back to school?” Her mother asked in her best “I’m totally interested in what you have to say” voice.
“I want to pursue video game animation.” Darnell replied fiercely as if her nerves weren’t getting the best of her right now. She had never once told her mother of her dreams and it didn’t seem to matter once she had a family and a husband.
“You’re still stuck on those video games? I would have thought you had grown out of that by now. Seriously is there actually a degree for that?” Darnell was waiting for her mother to laugh so she could get in on the joke, but it never came. Apparently, the joke was on her for believing that her mother would be supportive of her decision. Either way, Darnell shrugged off her mother’s comments and pretended not to be hurt.
“I want to start classes in the fall at one of the community colleges. I’ll go part-time during the day while Kori and Michal are in school. Maybe Jordin can go to a daycare; I don’t know if we can afford it though. Darrien might be willing to watch her whenever she’s home or perhaps you could, Mrs. Stay-at-home mom?” Darnell fixed her mother with a questioning smirk.
Victoria waved away her daughter’s taunting comment. “You’re actually serious about this?” When Darnell simply nodded, she began ranting. “Who is going to pay for these so-called classes for this so-called degree? I know Justin isn’t making that much driving for UPS or working at the photography studio. And did you forget what happened the last time you tried to go to school?”
Darnell closed her eyes to ward off the stab of pain at the memory, which her mother conveniently brought up. She still hadn’t been able to fully put that behind her although it happened more than three years ago. But she didn’t dare reveal her grief under the scrutiny of her mother.
“I mean of course the circumstances are different but you cannot handle the busy schedule with three young kids. And what about Justin?
“What about him? He’s doing what he wants to do at the photography studio.”
“You are going to lose him if you keep acting the way you are. You already moved out and then if you let school get in the way…”
“I’ve already lost him. We didn’t talk at home but all of the sudden we’re supposed to talk in therapy. Let some stranger all up in our business? Whatever.”
“She’s not going to tell me what I don’t already know.” She paused, “The only ones who are benefiting from this is Justin, who has a problem with realizing problems before it’s too late. And you of course, who just wants to brag that you helped me just like you bragged about setting Darien up with her first husband, who was a total let down by the way.”
Following Darnell’s disclosure, Victoria actually had the nerve to look guilty.
“Darrien only married him and stayed married for all those years because she has some crazy desire to please you. I on other hand have long ago stopped worrying what you think since you never supported me in any way.”
“This is about school again right? You know I cannot support that not after last time. You went to school against my advice and in the end you made the wrong choice. And I will never forgive you for what happened to my grandchild.”
Earlier, Darnell chose not to respond to her mother’s negativity, yet now her attempt at being impassive abruptly ended. She stood glaring at her mother as she felt the painful sting of her words. “Mother…” She inhaled a deep breath, “I said what I came to say so you know what…”
She paused to turn her gaze towards the bright white kitchen cabinets because she couldn’t stand to look at her mother, who was now wearing a face of shame for the words that she had mistakenly spoken but wholeheartedly meant.
“I’m just going to see myself out. I’ll talk to you whenever. Tell daddy I’ll call him.” She started to walk out of the kitchen and then halted. Thinking her daughter was about to light into her with a few colorful words that she rightfully deserved, Victoria’s eyes widened.
“Michal! Kori! Jordin! Let’s go, now!” Then Darnell stalked to the door. Heavy footsteps thundered up the basement stairs once again. Three sets of curious eyes studied Victoria’s distressed expression before rushing to bestow goodbye hugs.
“Bye Grandma Victoria.”
“Goodbye darlings.” She murmured defeated as she watched them walk out behind their mother. The anticipated continuation of their argument never happened.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Justin’s fingers drummed against his armrest while his eyes were glued to the clock. He watched each minute slowly tick by until he had unknowingly been staring at the clock for a full twenty minutes. Now half-way into the session, therapist, Ava Jennings decided to pull him from his trance.
“So can we assume that this will be another individual session?”
“No!” Justin bellowed before his voice softened, “She’ll be here. She’s just probably running late. She had to pick up the kids from school and then drop them off with my in-law’s across town.”
“Okay well can I ask some questions while we wait a few more minutes?” Ava adjusted her glasses.
“Sure why not.” Exhaling a deep breath, he scratched his goatee before meeting Ava’s slanted eyes, attributed to her Chinese and African-American heritage.
“Tell me about your three sons, Michael, Cory, and, Jordan.”
“Actually I have three daughters, Michal, Kori, and Jordin.” He proceeded to give the correct spellings of their names. “ Dee has a bit of a fascination with male names I guess. Well actually, she’s just obsessed with Michal Jordan that’s how she named two of our daughters. I had no say in that. I was allowed to name Kori, but made sure to keep with her tradition.”
“Is that a tradition her mother started?”
“Oh hell no. Her mother hates it that Darnell and her sister have boy names. Hates it.”
“Okay.” She jotted something on her notepad. “How is Mrs. Timberlake’s relationship with her mother?”
“Um you might want to ask Dee these questions. She could give you a better answer.” For someone who had been so talkative a few minutes ago, he hadn’t had much to say on the subject.
Even outside the therapy sessions, he remained out of the matters of Darnell and her mother. He didn’t want her to discuss the countless arguments they had because he couldn’t stand to see Darnell upset about it and she didn’t care for his advice anymore. Whenever she argued with her mother, she’d come home and argue with him. It was a never-ending cycle until they started ignoring each other all together.
“Well does her relationship with her mother put a damper on your marriage?”
“I said I didn’t want to talk about it but if you’re asking if her mother is the reason we stop having sex before Dee moved out then I’ll say yes.”
“Hmm.” Ava raised her eyebrow skeptically and whipped out her pen to take more notes. She returned the pen to its station behind her ear.
“So you’re blaming your mother-in-law for your sexless marriage?”
“Yes she frustrates Dee and a frustrated Dee can’t get excited about sex. Furthermore, she doesn’t even want to bother with it. When she moved out, you know after she kicked me out and I moved back, it was apparently because she had to be away from me to get herself together. She couldn’t focus because she would have to tend my needs instead of her own. What do you think of that?”
“I actually agree with that.”
“Well yeah who the hell asked you?” Justin snapped.
“You did Mr. Timberlake.” She smirked.
“So…”
“How is your relationship with you mother?”
“Cool. She knows her limits. It took her a long time to respect them but everything’s cool now. I didn’t even tell her that Dee and I are separated otherwise she’d be raising hell.”
“Are you sure it was a good choice not to tell her?”
“Yeah Dee and I won’t be separated for much longer.”
“You sound pretty sure about that.”
“Yes I am.” Justin replied with a definite smirk of his own.
“Oh and when do you anticipate this reunion?”
“As soon as I can make it happen.”
Ava smiled a little, setting aside her notepad, “And if you’re wife isn’t ready?” She didn’t wait for his response.
“What if she wants to drag out the separation until she feels she could be a better wife? Better yet what if she’s just done with you and wants a divorce?”
“Hey don’t use that word. We are not getting a divorce. Dee still wants to be with me. You heard her say that, you heard her.” He was beginning to sound like a desperate little boy.
“Yes in retrospect, but-”
“She still loves me.” He was now perched on the edge of his chair.
Ava sighed. “I’m sure she does, however-”
“Let’s just postpone this conversation for when Dee gets here.” He folded his arms across his chest and sat back in his chair.
Ava glanced at her watch and emitted another sigh. “Our session is practically over. Your wife isn’t coming.” Justin tried not to show his disappointment as he abruptly stood.
“I guess I’ll see you in two days.” He snatched up his coat.
“Yes and we’ll discuss how the children are handling the…separation.” Ava’s last words met the back of the door after Justin’s hasty exited.
~*~*~*~*~
Justin thought he was going to jump out of his car the moment he parked in front of his sister-in-law’s house. However, that was not the case. As angry as he was at Dee for deliberately skipping today’s session, he seemed more content to stalk outside rather than go inside and have that dreaded argument with her.
His decision whether to stay outside or not was made when the front door opened and his daughters came sprinting down the walkway.
Jordin being the daddy’s girl of the three was right in front and screaming his name the entire way. Justin exited the car in time for her to throw her small frame into his. She wrapped her short arms around his knees, forcing him to stand still and acknowledge her.
Staring into her face that had so many of his features and apparently none of her mother’s, he actually felt his anger diminishing. >Jordin’s grayish blue eyes twinkled as she told her father what she did today.
“Me and mommy were drawing. She drew you daddy.”
“She did?” Justin eyes widened as if he was excited when he was actually confused. He had never known Dee to draw portraits of him, ever. It was always cartoon characters and such that she created.
“Uh huh. She make you ugly daddy!” Jordin politely covered her mouth while emitting a fit of giggles.
“I’m not surprised.” Justin murmured, lifted Jordin into his arms, and then looked to his other two girls. “What’s up Mike?”
“I’m cool.” As always, she stood with her hands on her hips, and was frowning much like her mother used to and still does. “What’s up daddy?” She raised her chin to him as if she wasn’t nearly as tall as he was already.
“I’m cool too.” Justin shook his head while cracking a small smile. Michal had clearly spent too much time with him and her Uncle Drew/Godfather when she was a toddler.
“How was school?”
Michal immediately scrunched up her face and plucked away a loose brown curl. She yanked on the hem of her ruffled denim skirt that he was sure her fashionista aunt had purchased. “I had to take a spelling test today. Mommy helped me study.”
Justin simply nodded and stuffed his hand into his pocket. He finally glanced at Kori who had been patiently waiting her turn as always. He wouldn’t exactly say that she was suffering from middle child syndrome. It was more so her laidback personality that made her rarely compete for attention.
She was like her father in which she would wait until acknowledged. However, her outer appearance, except for her light coloring and wild hair, was all Dee. Her face was plump and round, with similarly shaped dark brown eyes. Looking at her current short stature, he knew she would grow up to be no taller than her mother’s 5’4 frame.
“Hey Kori.” He used his free hand to pull her to his side and then ruffled her mop of curls as usual. In fact, she was the only one that allowed it. Jordin had been practically trained in etiquette and grace by her grandmother while Michal was simply too grown to allow her father to play in her hair.
“Hi daddy.”
“That’s all you have to say?” She was quiet but she did enjoy talking about what she did in school each day. “What’s wrong?”
“Mommy’s mad.” Kori began, “She’s in her room. And she locked the door.”
“>Gran’ma was mean.” Jordin offered. “She a poopie head cuz she made mommy cry.” Her lips poked out dramatically. Justin stifled a laugh at the thought of Victoria being a poopie head.
“Is that true Mikey? What did Grandma say?” He asked her because he knew she was famous for eavesdropping.
“I dunno. I forgot to eavesdrop, but mommy went straight to her room and locked the door. She was so mad she didn’t even open it for Auntie Darrien. I didn’t see her crying though.”
Justin sighed, “Alright Mike tell mommy to come outside for a minute.”
“Good luck.” Michal had the nerve to say before walking ahead.
Justin rolled his eyes and childishly stuck his tongue out at the back of his oldest daughter’s head. He lowered Jordin to the ground, she grasped Kori’s hand and then they followed Michal inside.
As always, Justin observed the landscaping of his sister-in-law’s house while he waited for Darnell. There was never a dull moment whenever he took in the details of Darrien’s home.
It was much different from his brick row house that was semi-detached with a large yard and tall tree out front. Darrien’s house was a substantially large four-bedroom structure with a patio and deck and curved cobblestone driveway. She had an arrangement of plants enclosing the façade of the house and stylish outdoor furniture located on the porch. The beautiful house was the only item she requested and received during the divorce proceedings.
While Justin became fascinated by the house, Darnell suddenly appeared in the open doorway. She leaned her hip against the frame as Justin stared as if he hadn’t yet noticed her. It wasn’t until she clamped her hands together behind her back and began sauntering towards him that he blinked and acknowledged her.
He wasn’t smiling. He wasn’t frowning. He simply stared blankly while leaning against the car with his arms folded. Darnell stopped in front of him, the top of her head reaching just below his chin.
Darnell swiped her hair away from her face, “Michal said you wanted me.”
“Yeah I wanted you to come to therapy.”
“Oh well, pfff. I didn’t feel like it.” Darnell shrugged and headed back up the walkway. She promptly entered the house and proceeded to her bedroom. Knowing that Justin would follow regardless, she didn’t close the door behind her.
She tossed herself on the bed, stomach first, and picked up a comic book. The sight of his wife’s retreating back and her simple brush-off made Justin angrier than he’d initially been.
And without much thought, he strolled over to the bed and smacked Darnell across her rear. Months of frustration were evident in that smack, however it only resulted in a feeble sting for Darnell.
She whirled around on her back and glared at him. She asked, “What was that for?” but Justin didn’t specify. Instead, he squeezed onto a small corner of the bed in front of her.
“Are you sick, you’re still in your pajamas?”
“No.”
“Something happened with the kids and time just caught up with you? I’m just speculating here…Is that a no too?”
“Yes.”
“Yes, no or No, no?”
“Yes, no.” Darnell snapped annoyed. She couldn’t stand the sarcastic whiny side of Justin.
“So you just didn’t want to come?”
“I thought about it but then decided not to.” Knowing that Justin would rather not hear about her argument with her mother, particularly the ending, Darnell didn’t bother mentioning it.
Justin momentarily closed his eyes. “Who goes to see a marriage counselor for individual sessions, Dee? I do, obviously. I’m the only one on earth who does that.”
“And do you know how hard it is to convince a therapist that your wife still wants to be married when you’re sitting there by yourself? She basically laughed in my face and told me that you wanted a divorce and I should grant you one.”
Darnell turned to him with her mouth opened wide. “She did not.”
“In so many words she did.” Silence followed Justin’s reply. Shortly, Darnell exhaled a deep breath.
“Well, we never talked about getting a divorce.”
“And we won’t.” Justin quickly added while nudging Darnell over slightly to make space for himself on the full-size bed.
Offended, Darnell propped herself up on her elbows. “So we talked about what you wanted to talk about, allowed you to vent and that’s it? To hell with what I have to say right?
“No. Tell me what happened with Victoria. I heard that she made you cry.”
“I don’t want to talk about it.” Darnell scoffed and lied back down. “Therapy session over.” Remaining silent, Justin tossed his arms behind head.
That right there is why they never got anywhere when it came to taking care of problems in their relationship. If it’d hurt too much to talk about it, then they hadn’t. Instead, when Darnell used to go to a room by herself and cry, Justin learned to pretend not to hear it. All feelings and emotions were kept to themselves.
Noticing how quiet Justin had gotten, Darnell turned over so that she was facing him. Due to an old habit, she tucked her head underneath his chin and her arms around his middle. Those two movements alone proved to be the most intimate Darnell had willingly been in months. She surprised the hell out of Justin when she lifted her head and pecked him on the lips.
“Sorry I didn’t go to therapy today. I didn’t deliberately skip today’s session.” No matter what she had led her mother and Darrien to believe.
“You think an apology and a little kiss is going to change the fact that I’m still mad at you?” Justin said all while pulling her closer. He couldn’t help that his body was dying to be near hers after being denied for so long.
“Mmm, it used to.” Her almond-shaped eyes flickered with amusement as she leaned against chest.
“Well that was back when I was young and horny.” Justin mused over how relaxed she seemed to be with him. He was caught off guard but he didn’t question it. He was going to milk it for all he could until whenever.
“…And how long ago was that exactly?” Darnell tossed back and Justin laughed.
“It’s going to take a lot more than a peck especially after all you’ve been putting me through.” He smirked with a wink. Darnell immediately sat up with a suspicious glint in her eyes and then she frowned. The playful and intimate moment was gone.
“Nuh uh.” She was already climbing out of the bed. “I know what you’re thinking.”
“What?” Justin feigned ignorance and grabbed at the tips of her fingers, trying to pull her back to bed.
“No way Justin.”
“C’mon Dee it’ll be just like old times.” He jumped up to stop her at the open door.
“Look, even your bedroom is the same.” He waved his hand around. “You moved all the same stuff in here, this big ass Michael Jordan poster right over your bed that I’ve always been jealous of, the Wonder Woman one over there, and even these same damn Chicago Bulls bed sheets.”
“And your point?” Darnell place her hands on her hips. “I thought I said until I get myself together sex would be cut off for a while.”
“For a while? Dee it has been an eternity!” Justin exploded. “If I say you don’t ever have to go to another therapy session ever again, can we lock ourselves in this room for two days?”
Darnell glared instantly, not at all amused by Justin’s comment. “Is that all you care about? It is, isn’t it?” She slammed the door close and faced her husband. “You want to get me in that bed, put one more baby in me so I won’t be able to go back to school don’t you. You and my mother are plotting against me, aren’t y’all! I can’t believe it!”
Darnell didn’t give a confused Justin the opportunity to respond as she dashed from the bedroom in a fit.
“School? Plotting? What the hell is she talking about?” Justin scratched at his mop of hair and then his growing beard. “ Dee is going crazy and I think she might be seeing the wrong kind of therapist.”
End Notes:
If you enjoyed the chapter please leave a review it really help us update faster. lol
Chapter 5: Untitled by Kahlymilla
Author's Notes:
Sorry that this chapter took absolutely forever to update!!! We were working more on Sexual Suicide it seems. Enjoy this chapter and hopefully it doesn't take as long next time. This chapter is a long one 20 pages in length.
Divorce is a Bitter Pill to Swallow-Chapter 5
As the polished pitch-black SUV came to a screeching halt in front of its destination, Darnell immediately shifted the gear into park and exited. She yanked open the rear door and began freeing Jordin from her car seat. Kori, who had been forced to sit in the middle after losing a bet to Michal, made quick work of unbuckling her seatbelt. Michal followed suit.
“Mommy, Jordin and Mikey were squishing me back here.”
“Look now…” Darnell sighed as she lifted Jordin from her car seat, and then lowered her to the ground. “Somebody has to take the middle seat because all of you are too small to sit up front.”
“But do I have to sit in the middle for two…whole…weeks?” Kori exhaled noisily and the air in her plump cheeks deflated as she dragged out each word with a whine.
“Who said you had to…Jordin get your butt back over here!” Darnell turned around just as Jordin dropped to her knees and began eagerly snatching clumps of grass from the ground. She shoved the crushed greenery against her doll’s mouth.
Remembering that only her mother cared about that trivial stuff, Darnell didn’t bother to warn her about the dirt stains now on her pretty dress. She turned back to Kori.
“Now what were you saying Kori? Oh hand me Jordin’s toy bag, you know she’ll have a fit if it doesn’t go everywhere with her.”
“I betted Mikey and I loss.” She pouted while struggling to hand over the bursting bag that appeared to occupy every toddler toy made this year.
“Bet her for what?”
“I betted her that you would be back home this week and Mikey said nuh uh cause you and daddy were getting a divorce and I said nuh uh and she said-” Darnell held up her hand, halting Kori’s explanation. Then she attempted to wrap her mind around the fact that her young daughters were so privy to their parent’s relationship.
Kori continued while Darnell drifted into a trance, “And she said-”
“Hold up pause.”
“She said uh huh.” Kori added quickly much to the dismay of her mother who narrowed her eyes at her.
“Who told you we were getting a divorce? Wait who told you what divorce meant?” Kori’s gaze swiveled in her older sister’s direction.
“Mikey, how the he-wait I have to sit down for this.” Darnell once again yanked open the car door before slipping into the driver seat. She didn’t waste any time focusing her glare on her oldest daughter, Ms. Know everything because I never mind my business.
“Who told you we were getting a divorce Mikey?”
“I heard-”
“Figures, I thought daddy told you to stop eavesdropping.”
“This was before he told me.” Darnell rolled her eyes at that. “And you and Auntie Darrien were talking next to me so I-“
“So you eavesdropped.” Darnell sighed, resting her chin against the headrest, “Did you tell your father what you heard too?”
“Uh...” She paused a minute to think about it and then she nodded vigorously, “Yup I did. Daddy said I had to tell him what I heard if it was important.”
“I bet he did.” Darnell groaned, “Well, could you not tell him whatever I know you heard me tell your aunt this morning. Let mommy tell him okay?”
“Okay.”
“So no divorce Mommy?” Kori, who was still stuck on the subject, jumped into the conversation again.
“No divorce.” Darnell frowned and then felt that she should clarify, “Daddy and I are just, we’re just-” Okay so there wasn’t an easy way to explain the subject of divorce to a seven and nine year old.
“What did Daddy do?” Kori questioned and Darnell asked her what she meant. Michal offered to enlighten her.
“Grandma Victoria said that girls are smarter than boys and the boy is always wrong.”
“Ha! I doubt she was talking about your father when she said that. She’s on his side actually.” Darnell added with a mumble.
“But let’s get out of the car. Mommy has to go.” Darnell stretched her legs once she exited the car. Kori exited and went to entertain Jordin. When Michal exited, she called her over. “Stop telling your sister everything, she’s too young to know as much as you unfortunately do, okay?”
“Okay but she still has to sit in the middle for two weeks because she lost the bet.” Michal smirked before walking off to join her sisters.
“That girl is too damn grown.”
“Hey Dee.” She whirled around with her fist balled when she felt a kiss on her cheek.
“Wow, girl you’re looking good these days! Finally let go of the old Dee, huh?”
“Drew! You scared the shit out of me!” She relaxed a little but her heart still raced, “What are you doing here on a Saturday morning?”
“I told Justin I was coming by. He didn’t tell you?”
“Uh no.” Her gaze averted to the ground. She was sure that Justin hadn’t told him about the separation.
“Oh. Hey, this is a sweet ride. Is it yours?”
“Nope it’s Darrien’s.” She said and that’s when the awkwardness set in. It didn’t matter that she hadn’t seen Andrew in months and before then only a few times a year, since he moved to Pittsburgh five years ago. Yet, their reunion was only awkward because she mentioned Darrien.
A long time ago, she and Justin agreed not to bring up Darrien whenever Andrew was around. Likewise, they were forbidden to mention Andrew around Darrien. It was all just a big mess.
“Oh how’s she doing?” His gray orbs twinkled and he licked his lips nervously.
“She’s doing well. Doing the hair thing still. She has a good amount of regular clients too.”
“Cool, cool.” Andrew slowly nodded his head and then shoved his hands into his front pockets before continuing, “She has kids yet?”
“Three.” Andrew’s eyes widened. “I told her that she could have mine.” Darnell laughed aloud and watched as Andrew heaved a quiet sigh of relief.
“Oh. Well how is her husband, what’s his face?”
“You mean Calvin?” Darnell smirked, clearly enjoying seeing her cousin-in-law sweat.
“Yeah him.” Andrew spied a nervous glance at his nieces who were playing an exciting game of freeze tag in the front yard. Poor little Jordin was ‘it’.
“Yeah Calvin. How is he?”
“Oh. I don’t know where he is?”
“What you mean?” His jaw stiffened and Darnell sensed that whatever she said had upset him.
“He just up and left her?”
“Well yeah. They’ve been divorced for the last five years. You don’t remember seeing her alone at my wedding?” She put her hands against her ample hips and waited for his reply.
“Um, no. I don’t remember much of your wedding to be honest with you.”
“What!” She moved closer to him, prepared to attack if necessary.
“I know I was Justin’s best man and I’m assuming Darrien was your maid of honor but Justin and I, well just I actually, had gotten so wasted the night before. I can’t remember seeing her there.”
“You did the toast together and you danced with her Drew.”
“I did?” Andrew scratched at his short and sort of prickly, scruffy, dark blonde mane, something he and Justin both did out of frustration whenever they were racking their brains for a memory. “Fuck, I wish I could remember that.”
And he really wished he remembered since that was the last time they saw each other. He wished he remembered what she looked like and what she was wearing. If she was so mad at him, that they hadn’t spoken to each other unless necessary. If as soon as they got a moment alone, she lit into him with three years worth of colorful curse words. Or maybe they had snuck off and shared desperate kisses in a secluded area of the reception hall, that could’ve led to something more. The possibilities were endless. Yet, if only he could remember.
“Do you have that on tape or something?”
“I have to find ours, it kind of got lost when we moved. But um my mother definitely does, you’ll have to get it from her.”
“Oh scratch that. I don’t like your moms.”
“I’m not liking her too much right now either so join the club.” Andrew laughed with her.
“Well, I heard you say you had to go. So I’ll see you when you get back.” He pulled her into a tight hug and ruffled her flat-ironed tresses. “I just had to do that to see if you would get mad because I messed up your hair and you didn’t so there’s still some old Dee in there somewhere.”
“Yeah, just a little.” Darnell smirked and her arms fell to her sides. She watched Andrew walk away and accept eager hugs and kisses from his nieces. She smiled. They loved their one and only Uncle Drew.
Andrew lifted Jordin in the air and balanced her on his hip. “I’m going to take the kids inside. Is Justin up yet?”
“I don’t think so. He didn’t answer when I called before leaving Darrien’s house. You know he sleeps like that’s what he was born to do.”
“Yeah I know.” He paused and it appeared that once again he was choosing his words carefully. “Hey, um, let Darrien know I asked about her.”
“I will.” Darnell assured him as she climbed into the car. She started the engine and closed the car door afterwards. As she drove off all she could think about was how screwed up everyone’s love life was.
Andrew went to knock on the door but it was snatched open before he could do so. A frazzled and disheveled Justin stood before him.
“Hey cuz, was that Dee who just drove off?” Justin peeked over his shoulder at the car making a right at the intersection.
“Yeah she had to go somewhere she said.”
“Where the hell is she going on a Saturday morning? Dee never goes anywhere on a Saturday morning. Mikey did mommy tell you where she was going?”
“Nope.” Michal quickly moved past her father and into the house.
“She knows something. She always, always does.” Justin whispered to Andrew before lifting Jordin out of his arms.
“What’s up mini me?” He could only call her that because she was the only one that he could have given birth to himself without Dee’s help and all of the feminine parts.
“Mommy let me get dirty, see.” Her smile was bright as she pointed out a large grass stain.
“Nice.” He put her down and then leaned towards Andrew again. “I can’t ever let her wear that over Victoria’s again. She’d have a bitch fit if she found out that Jordin, the one she’s training to be like her, likes to play in grass. And get this she asked for a video game like Kori’s for Christmas.”
“Watch all of her hard work is going to go to waste because Jordin is going to be a tomboy just like Dee was, hell still is a little bit.”
“No that Dee no longer exists.”
“You sure man?”
“I’m sure.” Justin said more firmly and then focused his attention on Kori, “Hey were you waiting for me to say hi to you?”
“Yeah I like when you say hi to me last.” It made her feel less like the middle child and more like the baby of the family.
Justin laughed and pretended to struggle while lifting her up. “Girl, you’re getting big.”
“I’ll be eight in June daddy.”
“Eight already? I’m getting old.” Justin set her down on the floor and she went to find her sisters. He and Andrew relocated to the living room.
“Nothing’s changed huh.” Andrew noted as he took in the living room that was still only big enough for the essential furniture pieces, which included the huge sectional that Justin convinced Darnell to let him buy a few years ago. Sadly, he had just finished paying it off last year and Darnell had made sure he remembered it every time he objected to something she wanted to purchase.
“Yeah we’re getting there though. I’m still working my two jobs. The photography studio and the UPS part time.” Justin took a seat and Andrew sat nearby.
“What about Dee? Is she working yet? When is her comic book coming out or is it video games that she is designing?”
“You know about that?” Justin blinked.
“Um yeah. Darrien used to talk about her drawings all the time. I heard they were amazing.”
“Oh.” He sulked a little. “I haven’t seen that many of Dee’s drawings only the random cartoon ones and you’re right they are amazing.”
“Darrien said she has tons of drawings of you.”
“So I hear and I haven’t seen one yet.”
“Really?” Andrew eyebrows rose in disbelief. “I mean I haven’t either, but you know-why haven’t you seen them?”
“I don’t know she just hasn’t shown them to me yet. But I have pictures that I haven’t shown her either so-”
“What’s going on with you and Dee?”
“What do you mean?” Damn his cousin and his intuitiveness.
“Something ain’t right and I just picked up on it. Dee didn’t even come in here to speak to you, granted she may have seen you before she left this morning. But she didn’t even tell me you to say anything to you on her behalf. That ain’t like Dee. And you didn’t come outside either. Your horny ass is always trying to get in a couple kisses at least. C’mon tell Cousin Drew what’s the matter Justin.”
Justin frowned, “Hey don’t mock me you ass.”
“Hey don’t mock me you ass.” Andrew in response did just that.
“See, I’m not telling you now.”
“Fine I’ll just get it out of Aunt Lynn.” He pulled his cell phone out.
“No! She doesn’t know.”
Andrew’s thumb halted on the talk button, “Doesn’t know what Justin?”
“That Dee and I are separated.” Justin sighed and flopped against the armrest. He closed his eyes and prepared himself for the brunt of Andrew’s outbursts.
“Separated! What the fuck do you mean separated? What did you do pencil dick?”
“Hey! Do you have ridicule me?”
“What did you do?”
“I don’t know what I did man okay.” Justin gestured aimlessly out of frustration. “We had a fight. She kicked me out. I came back. She pulled a gun on me. And then she moved out and moved in with Darrien. She hasn’t moved back and I haven’t had sex in more than two months.”
“Aww man, how do you survive?”
“One day at a time man, one day at a time.” Justin sighed.
“This is sad. You want me to help you find your old booby magazines in the attic?”
“No! I threw those out years ago. I just want Dee back.”
“Yeah I hear you. You and Dee are old school. Y’all been kicking it for like…you’re 29 right?” Justin nodded, “so for like 12 years now. You can’t just let that shit go man.”
“Oh I won’t. We’ll get back on track trust me.” His persistence and pride seemed to override reality.
“Cool.” Andrew propped his feet up on the coffee table and put away his phone, “So Dee told me that Darrien is divorced now…”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
“So it’s nice to see you again Mrs. Timberlake.”
“Darnell is fine.” Darnell replied dryly to the smirk that graced the face of the young woman, who seemed only a little older than her twenty-eight years.
“Alright Darnell-or is it Dee that you prefer? Your husband calls you Dee.”
“I know…but it’s just Darnell.”
“Oookay then.” Ava flipped to a fresh page in her notepad and crossed her nylon-covered legs, one over the other. “Let’s get started shall we. Wait is your husband attending?”
“No. He isn’t.” A chuckle erupted from Ava in response and then she immediately coughed to hide it.
“Ahem, excuse me. I think I’m coming down with something.” In the spring time? Yeah right, Darnell thought smirking to herself.
“It’s just weird you know. He’s usually here and you’re not. And now you’re here and he’s not.” Darnell didn’t bother to inform Ava that she never told Justin about her spur of the moment decision she made to come to therapy.
She had sucked it up and called her mother for Ava’s phone number. Then she told Ava, who usually did not work on Saturday, that she needed to see her. Initially, Ava pretended not to know who she was and then asked her numerous times if she was really going to show up this time before saying that she would meet her at the office. Darnell hung up and almost decided right there that she was going to cancel. Yet, here she was.
“But anyway, Justin and I were going to go in detail about how the girls are handling the separation but I think we’re going to focus on you today.”
Darnell shrugged, “Whatever works for you.”
“Good. So you and Justin have been married for how many years?”
“Five.”
“Oh, hmm, by the way Justin has been talking about you two I thought you’ve been together a lot longer.”
Darnell sighed. She was bored already, “We have. I’ve known Justin since I was 13.”
“Oh how cute.” Ava’s almost black eyes twinkled. Darnell rolled her eyes. “How old is your oldest daughter?”
“Michal is ten.” And before she could ask, “Kori is seven and Jordin is three.”
“Sounds like a cute little family.”
“Thanks.” Darnell replied to what sounded like sarcasm from Ava. She wasn’t surprised at the woman’s behavior; after all she was in cohorts with her mother.
“So tell me what you think is wrong with your marriage because Justin is convinced that there is nothing wrong and I am convinced that you two have opposing opinions on the subject.”
“I don’t know if it’s something wrong with our marriage exactly. I think it may be just me.”
“So Justin couldn’t be a better husband then. Is that what you are saying?”
“I thought we were going to talk about me?”
“You’re right.” Ava agreed following Darnell’s request. “So what do you think is wrong with you? Are you done with this relationship? Do you want out of this union? Do you think you and Justin have grown apart or maybe you’ve just outgrown him?”
God! Darnell thought, overwhelmed by all of Ava’s questions that were being thrown at her all at once.
Justin had sat through this on more than one occasion? She was surprised that he hadn’t followed her right out the door.
“I don’t think I’ve outgrown him because I’ve been stuck at a standstill for a few years now and I haven’t grown since then honestly.”
“So are you regretting getting married then? Is Justin holding you back from what you want to do? Or maybe your three young children are?”
“No I don’t regret marrying Justin. That would be ridiculous seeing as though we were basically together a decade before we were married. And I even had two children before then. Nothing changed about our relationship when we got married. Except that we had one more child.”
“So, Jordin, she’s the youngest right?” Darnell nodded and folded her arms. “Is she the one that changed everything? Were you fine with the way your life was going before she came along?”
“I wasn’t doing much with my life before she came along. A year before though, I was going to school. It didn’t work out though.” Ava noted a hint of disappointment and even sadness in Darnell’s tone.
“Oh what were you studying if you don’t mind me asking?”
“Um no, I don’t mind.” Darnell actually sat forward in her seat, looking interested in the conversation for the first time. “I was studying Video Game Animation and I dabbled a little bit in Comic Art.”
“Wow interesting. Are you any good?”
Darnell shrugged, “I think so. But I may be the only one.”
“Has Justin seen any of your work?”
“Some of them.”
“Good, good. Well, let’s see what else.” Ava began flipping through her notes. “Justin said something about you and Victoria having some issues.” Darnell raised her brow at the first name basis Ava had with her mother.
“Yeah we have our issues but so does every mother and daughter.”
“True but I’m sensing that yours is more serious. Justin seemed really frustrated with the situation. He believes that it’s causing the problems in your marriage.”
Darnell sucked her teeth, “He’s frustrated because he’s not getting any.”
“He did admit to that.” Ava laughed. “But apparently, she interferes a lot.”
“She does, like with this therapy thing. We didn’t ask her for that. Justin and I didn’t even get to discuss it, yet here we are. She has always been like that though. My sister is actually miserable now because she wasted five years of her life married to a guy and because my mother chose him for her. She wanted someone else but she indulges my mother’s foolishness. I don’t obviously.”
“Interesting. So you avoided therapy just to spite your mother huh?”
“Sure did.” Darnell couldn’t lie about that. “She’s already ran my life enough.”
“What do you mean?”
“Okay well she hasn’t exactly ran my life, not to the extent of Darrien’s anyway, but she doesn’t really give me the support I need, when I need it the most…I don’t want to talk about it.”
Ava saw the tension building in Darnell long before she declined any more discussion about her mother. Darnell’s nostrils flared and her eyes became glossy. This was obviously a very sensitive subject for her.
“Justin says you refuse to talk to him about it too.”
Darnell scoffed, “I didn’t use to. He refused to hear about it any more because it was a recurring thing with us. We were fighting about it all the time. He wanted me to get over it but he doesn’t understand. Not having the support of your mother hurts you know. On top of that every little mistake I make is thrown in my face. And if I make two steps forward towards something I want to do, while everyone else is living it up, something else pushes me back.”
“Are you talking about the school thing falling through?”
Darnell wiped at her eyes, “I don’t want to talk about that today. Can we talk about it another time?”
“Sure.” At least she agreed to a follow-up session. “So Victoria doesn’t agree with your choice of profession?”
“Honestly, she would prefer if I didn’t work at all and she hates that I’m still into video games and comic book as much as I was when I was her tom-boy daughter. She wants me to be a stay at home mom like she was and that’s just not for me. Well, it wasn’t before Jordin came along.”
“So having Jordin made you change your mind?”
“I guess I let my mother convince me that I could’ve been a better mother the first two times, granted I was only eighteen when I had Michal, but the things she was saying were really getting to me.”
“I knew I couldn’t cook and didn’t care much for a spotless house. If my kids got dirty or hurt, I thought they were just being kids but I was criticized for that. Oh and I can’t even do my own daughters hair, Darrien does it, hell she still does mine to this day.” Darnell laughed, cynically.
“She talks a lot about how she wished you favored more of the feminine attire rather than the masculine.”
Darnell scoffed for a second time, “She acts as if my jeans sag below my ass or if I wear button-downs and Timb boots. My clothes were always brought from the girls section when I was younger, just in a size up and that’s because I was self-conscious about my developing body. At thirteen, I was already in a C cup and my hips spread faster than germs in a kindergarten classroom. My mother didn’t see it that way though, she thought I was just being a tom-boy, which I was, but I’m still a woman. Hell, I have three kids to prove it.”
“I’m curious…what did she say when you told her you were pregnant with Michal? Did she flip out because you were still a teenager?”
“Oh no, my father flipped out. He wanted to kill Justin. But my mother, she was ecstatic. She didn’t care that Justin and I, as young as we were, were having very awkward sex and making babies. Trust me; it was very awkward those first few times. We didn’t know what we were doing at all but we were young and in love I guess.” She shrugged but there was a real smile on her face as she remembered.
“But yeah, my mother went overboard with the shopping and enrolling me in Lamaze classes. She went on and on about how she never thought I’d be the one to have the husband and family, even though at that point, Justin and I hadn’t talked about marriage. Finally, I couldn’t take it any more and moved in with my sister and her then-husband, Calvin.”
“So she supported you through that?”
“Yeah she did. She loves her grandchildren, oh but she hates their names. And mine name, oh and Darrien’s as well. She was like; you had to revert to the boy thing again, didn’t you? And I only wanted to keep the tradition of the unisex names that my father started.”
“ Davis is so laid-back.” Ava smiled and Darnell looked at her skeptically.
“I didn’t know you knew my father, but yes, he stays away from confrontation between me and my mother.
“That’s a good tactic. But you and Justin should definitely talk more. You both seem to be doing your own thing. Justin seems not to want to get on your bad side, which could be attributed to fact that you two know so much about each other’s life, so he let’s everything happen as they do without offering much input.”
“That’s exactly right. He didn’t notice that I wasn’t happy until I told him to get out.”
“And he still refuses to accept that his marriage may be over.” The way Ava uttered the words with so much finality made Darnell gulp uncomfortably. She didn’t want to seal the deal on that yet, especially since she promised the girls that there would be no divorce, at least any time soon.
“That’s why I’m here I guess, but I don’t care much for the couple sessions because then I have to worry about saying something that may hurt him and I don’t want to do that. He’s suffering enough without me.”
“Oh he’s heartbroken.” Ava offered, crossing over that barrier of emotional disconnect that she was supposed to maintain with her clients.
Darnell sighed, “Thanks Ava.” And she began to stand.
“Is it time to wrap up already?” She looked at her clock on the mint green wall behind Darnell. “Wow it is. Okay just one more question and then I’ll let you go.”
“Okay.” Darnell agreed but she didn’t return to her seat.
“How are you handling the separation? Are you as miserable as Justin?”
“Deep down inside yeah but things had to change now because if I waited and with where things were heading, by this time next year we would have already been divorce.”
Ava nodded, she could agree to that since most divorces were a result of failed marriages that couldn’t get back on track when hit with one curveball after another. And she couldn’t fault Darnell for doing something about it before it was too late.
“Okay well, you tell Justin to schedule an appointment with me and if you want to attend then please do.”
“Alright, I’ll tell him to call you and I’ll call you whenever.” Darnell slung her purse over her shoulder.
“You have a great weekend.”
“You too.” Darnell offered a small smile before exiting. Although she had already closed the door behind her, Ava’s lips curved into a bright smile.
She was extremely satisfied with today’s session, especially since all of her preconceived notions about Darnell’s lack of commitment to her marriage were now invalid. If anything, today’s session made her appear more committed than Justin, who didn’t really know what to do to fix their problems, but knew without doubt that he wanted to remain married. He loved Dee and wanted her back, but didn’t know how to do that. Next time, they spoke she would have to inform him, that there was nothing he could do to make Darnell come back if he was so sure he did nothing to make her leave, which he was. Darnell would simply have to come back when she was ready.
Still, Ava blushed. She was pulling for these two to make it because she wasn’t looking forward to the bitter divorce she knew would occur if they decided to call it quits.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Darnell set the car keys and her purse on a small table in the entryway before immediately strolling towards her sister’s bedroom. She didn’t bother to knock as she pushed the door open.
Darrien, who was sitting on the edge of her bed with a large bath towel wrapped around her freshly showered frame, whirled around to face her. “Hey! What if I had a man in here?”
“Well, you are sitting there half-naked but I don’t see a man. Is he hiding in the bathroom?” Darnell teased and turned in the direction of the half closed bathroom door.
“Ha! I wish.” Darrien pouted as she smeared a large amount of thick velvety moisturizer on one leg. “But you look drained. Congratulations on your first complete therapy session sweetie.”
Darnell frowned at her sister’s mocking tone and plopped down on the plush king-size, facedown. Darrien laughed softly while patting her sister comfortingly on the back.
“How was it?”
She sulked while propping her head upon a bent arm, “It was just as you said, draining. I went in there thinking that I was going to show my face and not say much. But as soon as she started asking questions about mom, shit just started spilling out. I hope she doesn’t tell mom about how I was blasting her though, they seem really cool.”
“The sessions are supposed to be confidential so let’s hope not.”
Although she was still a bit doubtful, Darnell nodded.
“Oh you’ll never guess what Kori said today?”
“Was it something cute?” Darrien cooed, while spreading moisture on her other leg.
“Hell no!” Darnell cried. Her eyes widened as she remembered the scene and how she wanted to stare at her two daughters with her mouth wide opened.
“Apparently, Michal and Kori betted on how soon I was going to move back into the house. Michal won because she betted that I wasn’t moving back because Justin and I are getting divorce. Can you believe that? How does she know everything? No one told her, and I didn’t think she was old enough to even understand, but apparently I was wrong.”
“Hey, kids are way smarter now than we were at that age and add in the fact that she has mommy’s and Ms. Lynn’s genes floating around inside her, she was born to be nosy.”
“I still feel guilty though, I didn’t want to involve them in our problems this early. Thankfully, Jordin is still clueless to the whole thing. Yet, she asks me every so often when my slumber party at your house will be over.” Darnell smirked with a smile.
“You know why she asks that?” Darnell shook her head. “Because apparently, she sleeps next to Justin every night, well when she’s there, and she claims that she is saving your spot. Isn’t that just the cutest? Aww, I want a baby.” Darrien sulked as she stood up and walked towards her large dresser.
“Hey, my offer is still on the table.”
“I want my own baby, not your bad ass kids!” Darrien teased.
“Fine.” Darnell put her hands on her hips, “Do you at least want to ride with me to go see my bad ass kids? I told them that I would be over when I was finished.”
“Sure. Oh look what I brought from Vicki’s.” She searched through her panty drawer for the brand-new bra and panty set. Finding them, she tossed the set at Darnell.
“Cute.” Darnell murmured while dangling the polka dotted pieces of fabric on her fingertips.
“I know, too bad it’ll probably just stay in my dresser, huh?”
“Don’t speak too soon on that now. Something tells me you might be needing them.”
Darrien spun around on her bare heels. “What are you talking about?”
“Never mind me; I’ll just relax on this beautiful bed until you’re ready.” Her lips twitched as she tried not to grin, “Hurry up and get dress.”
Observing her sister suspiciously, Darrien strolled into the bathroom with her belongings and slowly shut the door.
“She’s going to get my ass for this when she finds out Andrew’s in town.”
~*~*~*~*~
Andrew opened the refrigerator and retrieved one of the several fruit juice boxes from the top shelf. Turning towards Justin, who was sitting at the kitchen counter with a more adult-like bottle of beer, he sipped eagerly on the straw.
“So…exactly how long have you and Dee been separated?”
“Two long months.” Justin groaned, consuming a considerable amount of the bitter drink in one swallow.
“Oh so then you two really separated. Dee cut off everything, huh?”
“Yep.” Justin guzzled down another mouthful.
“So what are you going to do about it?” Andrew asked as he joined Justin at the kitchen counter, peering curiously at him from the other side.
“I was going to marriage counseling.”
“Oh counseling is good.”
“No.” Justin began shaking his head, “You don’t get it. I said I, as in Dee refuses to go with me.” He explained, and lifting the bottle to his mouth, he quickly realized that it was nearly empty, and no more than a swig remained.
He inhaled the last sip and then pushed the now useless bottle aside. Remembering that he had actually stopped liking beer a long time ago, and for reasons he didn’t want to dwell on, his lips twisted into a sneer.
“I wonder where she went this morning though.”
Andrew shrugged, “Maybe she had some errands to run?”
“She did them all during the week. Something else is going on.”
“Maybe you should just ask her. You’re still married so you’re allowed to ask questions.”
“Nah man, I can’t ask Dee if she’s cheating on me.”
“What!” Andrew’s eyes bulged, “She steps out for one Saturday morning to do what she needs to do and you think she’s cheating? I see you’re still kind of stupid when comes to the matters of you and Dee.” He ridiculed Justin further him by throwing his empty juice box at him.
“And seriously when has Dee looked at another guy besides your dorky ass in the last fifteen years?”
“Hey!” Offended, Justin sat forward in his stool. “I’ma say to you the same thing I say to Darrien…I’m 28 years old. I’m no longer dorky, hell I was never dorky, just an awkward little boy, but that awkwardness has never affected my swagger.” He proceeded to puff out his chest.
Andrew shook his head at the spectacle in front of him, “Swagger, psht…yeah right.” He cackled loudly. “But since we’re on the subject of Darrien, she’s really divorced?”
“Yeah I wouldn’t shit you on that. Why, you want her back or something?”
“No, no. I was just wondering how she’s doing. If she’s doing okay because I haven’t spoken to her in forever.”
“Right.” Justin’s lips curved into a knowing grin and a twinkle appear in his gaze, “You know…it’s not wrong to want her back, even though you broke her heart all those years ago.”
“You don’t have to remind me of that!” Andrew snapped.
“Sorrrrry.” Justin held up his hands in defense and then he observed as Andrew stood abruptly and paced the kitchen.
Turning back to Justin, he dragged a hand across his dark blonde locks. “So yeah, Darrien’s not still in love with her ex, is she?” Justin didn’t bother to hide his smile at Andrew’s question.
“I hope not since she’s the one that asked for a divorce.”
“Hmm,” He paused to return to his seat. “Why didn’t they have any kids?” He asked, even though he was secretly relieved that Darrien and her ex did not have children.
“Honestly, I’m sure they tried, but I don’t think Darrien could get pregnant.”
“Oh trust me, she can get pregnant.” The all-telling words rolled off his tongue before he could stop them.
Donning a stunned expression, Justin bolted from his seat, “What the fuck Drew? Did you knock Darrien up? Tell the truth."
“Of course not!” He objected. “You don’t see a kid walking around with these sexy gray eyes do you?”
Justin immediately scoffed, “You dumbass, I mean, back, back in the day. Did you?”
“Did you ever see her pregnant Justin?”
“No.” He thought for a moment, “Well, wait, there was that one time-” Justin began and Andrew’s entire face tensed. “Sike, that was a joke.”
“And it was a bad one too, numb nuts.” His insult was timed perfectly with the ringing of the doorbell.
“Luckily…” Justin flattened his palms against the ceramic countertop surface as he stood. I have to answer that, but I know you haven’t told me the whole truth so we’ll continue this conversation later.”
“Believe whatever you want man.” Andrew uttered and left it at that.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
“Why did you just ring the bell like you don’t live here?”
“I don’t live here.” Darnell retorted and Darrien rolled her eyes.
“You know what I mean. You have a set of keys, you could’ve used them.”
Darnell shrugged, “True, I could’ve.” And then the door opened.
“Hey! It’s Darrien!”
“Why the hell are you yelling?” Darnell’s eyes narrowed as Justin looked over his shoulder into the other room.
Oh, hey Dee.” Justin released a nervous chuckle.
“Damn it’s like that? She gets an ‘it’s Darrien!’ and I get that?” Darnell rolled her eyes and pouted a little.
“Are we just going to stand out here all damn day?” Darrien finally spoke up.
“Sure come on in, Darrien!”
A crash that resembled the breaking of glass sounded from the kitchen. Darrien pushed her way inside.
“Justin, are the kids in the kitchen?”
“Noooo, not the kids.” His eyes drifted to Darnell, trying to give her a hint of some kind.
‘Is he still here?’ She mouthed and Justin nodded vigorously. Darnell huffed, while silently wishing that she had just dropped Darrien off and instantly peeled away from the curb. She gave the idea serious thought before fully stepping inside the house and closing the door.
“So… Dee, where did you go this morning?” Justin’s question was met with dead silence as Andrew entered the room with a nonchalant swagger and a broom at his side.
“Sorry, I dropped a glass but it’s all cleaned up.” His eyes followed Justin’s, “Oh, hey Darrien. What’s up?” His casual greeting and relaxed smile clashed against Darrien’s wide eyes and startled expression. She coughed away her surprise and blinked when she realized that all eyes were on her.
Darnell and Justin huddled by the door, gawking while anticipating her reaction. Meanwhile, Andrew thrust his hands into his pockets, a nervous gesture that she was very familiar with.
“Hey Drew.” Darrien finally uttered and both Justin and Darnell visibly relaxed, “What’s up with you?”
He shrugged, “I’m cool.”
“Good, good.” She nodded with a gaze void of expression and then focused on her sister. It was only then that something very close to fury appeared in her glare. “ Dee, can I speak to you for a minute, alone, upstairs?” Darrien turned and led the way. Darnell, who had been anticipating the request, trailed after her.
“You think she was happy to see me?” Andrew asked as soon as they were alone.
Justin shrugged, “She didn’t yell, slap, or curse at you…so yeah, I guess we can say she was happy to see you.”
“Yeah, mmm, she looked good, didn’t she?” He whispered and then a confident grin enhanced his handsome features, “But did you see how shocked she was? She still wants me man.”
“Drew…you’re still an ass, you know that?”
“Yeah I know.”
End Notes:
I know we'll be getting some questions about what really happened with Darrien and Andrew so we'll clear those up in the future. The next chapter will be in the past, so we'll look forward to typing that. Finally, Dee went to a therapy session, but what about when Justin finds out she went without him....Until then.
Divorce is a Bitter Pill to Swallow-Chapter 6 by Kahlymilla
Author's Notes:
Another lengthy Chapter, 24 pages, 8,000 words. Enjoy!!
Divorce is a Bitter Pill to Swallow- Chapter 6
“Oh hey Darrien, what’s up?" She lowered her voice to imitate Andrew’s deeper pitch, “What’s up? What the hell-we haven’t seen each other in five years and that’s all he had to say?”
“Can you believe him?” Darrien scoffed as she closed the master bedroom door behind Darnell. “Acting like he wasn’t shocked to see me. Yeah, okay…he’s so damn conceited.” She continued rambling, her expressions changing all at once, from irritation to understanding and back to irritation.
“He looked good though, didn’t he?” The sudden compliment caught an inattentive Darnell, who had been observing the subtle changes Justin made to the room, off guard. She turned to see her sister who was awaiting her reply.
“Oh…um, I guess…” Darnell shrugged and scrunched up her face, thoughtfully, “When was the last time you saw him?”
“At your wedding, well and the morning after…”
“You did? What?”
Darrien opened her mouth and then quickly shut it, “Never mind.”
Darnell’s gaze narrowed. Her mind was already whirling with the possibilities of what her sister wasn’t telling her.
“Darrien?”
“ Dee, why haven’t I seen that picture of you before?” Ignoring her, Darrien pointed to the large framed photograph, placed rightfully above the king-size bed, of a young Darnell snuggled into a lush pillow and sleeping.
Darnell dragged her gaze to said picture. She hadn’t seen it either and didn’t remember when Justin had taken it. However, right now she was more concerned with whatever juicy details Darrien was withholding. She would ask Justin about the never-before-seen photograph later.
“You look so cute and innocent.” Darrien smirked while Darnell rolled her eyes, dramatically.
“I was eighteen…now stop bullshitting and finish what you were about to say.”
“I wasn’t about to say anything Dee, sorry.” Darrien held up her hands apologetically and strolled over to the bed, which only seemed to make Darnell more persistent.
“Yes you were!” Whining, she childishly stomped her foot, “You were about tell me what happened that night and I wasn’t paying that much attention to you and Drew so-Oh shit.”
Darrien groaned and plopped onto the bed, “Oh shit what, Dee?”
“I remember looking up one time during the reception and didn’t see you and Drew anywhere. Where’d you go?” Darnell put her hands to her hips and watched as Darrien’s cheeks tinted while she prepared an excuse.
“Damn Dee you’re so nosy!” She huffed before deciding to finally put her sister out of her misery with an explanation. Darnell tried not to crack a smile of victory.
“I was still mad at him then as you know so we went somewhere to talk and-”
“Annnnd…you had sex with him.”
“I sure did.”
“Oh my God, Darrien I was joking!”
“Oh my bad.” She shrugged, casually and Darnell shoved her shoulder before sitting beside her.
“How is it that you married Calvin when you were on the rebound from Drew and then you slept with Drew when you were on the rebound from Calvin?” She asked because her mind and her ears weren’t agreeing on what was said and needed a confirmation.
Darrien took in her Darnell’s wide-eyed and eager gaze, the usual whenever she was anticipating hearing classified information about her older sister.
“I don’t know but yeah, emotions were out of control and it all happened in the blink of eye.”
Darnell couldn’t contain the smirk that instantly appeared, “The actual sex or-”
“No! How it got to that point.”
“Oh I was about to say, what happened Drew?” She laughed much to the dismay of her sister.
“Funny.” Darrien offered a smirk of her own.
“No it’s sad actually because I talked to Drew earlier and he couldn’t even remember seeing you at my wedding.”
“What?” All traces of amusement vanished.
“Mhm, apparently he was too drunk.”
“Oh.” She seemed offended, hurt even, but quickly masked it with a shrug of disregard.
“Don’t sweat it Darrien. I’m sure he was lying when he said that because he’s not that stupid.”
Darrien slowly nodded even as she said, “Yes he is.”
*~*~*~*~*~
“They must be talking about me up there?” Andrew’s gaze automatically diverted to the empty staircase.
“Man, really? You think so?” Justin gave him a wide-eyed, mocking stare.
Pouting, Drew flung his head against the back of the couch, “They’ve been up there forever.”
“Well, maybe Darrien has a lot of shit to get off her chest. You know seeing you again probably made all that-” He whirled his hands in front of him for emphasis, “negative energy resurface.
“What-” Drew imitated him, “-negative energy? It’s been ten years since we broke up. She shouldn’t have anything bad to say about me now.”
“Humph, you’d be surprise, but we could go find out.” Justin stretched into a standing position.
“What, you mean eavesdrop?” His eyebrows rose to the center of his forehead, and then he looked nervous. As always, he hid his shaky hands in the pockets of his pants.
“C-can’t we just get Mikey to do it?”
“No! Whatever they’re saying about you isn’t for my baby’s ears.”
“Yeah I guess you’re right.” His shoulders drooped, “Come on. Help me up.” He extended his hand. Justin grasped onto a sweaty palm and pulled him up.
“Damn man, you’re nervous.”
“Yeah.” As soon as Justin released his hand, it returned to the comfort of his pocket. “Well, lead the way.” He pointed at the stairs and Justin walked ahead of him.
They lightly treaded up the staircase as to not alert the women. Then they heard an, “Oh my God Darrien” and thought about reconsidering, well at least Andrew did. He grasped onto the banister and spun around on his heels.
Justin, on the other hand, continued towards the bedroom until he stood before the closed door. He hoped that they were saying something about him as well. Yet, when he pressed his ear up against the solid wooden surface, what he heard shocked the hell out him. He whirled around, looking for Andrew before finding him still waiting by the stairs.
“What? What did she say?” Drew eagerly and quickly appeared next to Justin.
“You son of a bitch, I was supposed to be the only one honeymooning.”
“Huh?”
“You had sex with her on my wedding night.”
“What! In my dreams maybe.” He tried to think hard about that night, but again he was drawing blanks. Well, not blanks exactly, just every scenario that he dreamt of the two of them together over the past couple of years. “Nope. That did not happen.” He shook his head and seemed pretty certain that he was right.
“Yes it did Drew.” They never even heard the door opened, but regardless, Darrien stood in the open doorway with a pained expression on her face, directed solely at Andrew. And at that moment, Andrew swallowed his tongue.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Spring 1996
“Do you know the answer to this question?” Justin slid the book across the table for Darnell to examine. When she hadn’t bothered to acknowledge the object, he gave the book another push and nudged her shoulder.
“Damnit Justin. You made me mess up my drawing.” Darnell huffed, quickly erased the mark that flawed her work and adjusted the black line on the paper. She smiled inwardly, satisfied with the contours of her subject’s face.
“You’re supposed to be helping me study, Dee.” Justin whined. He folded his arms over his chest, pretending to be upset.
“I am.” Darnell said, holding the picture away from her to study the latest addition to her masterpiece; a finely drawn eye.
“You were.” And then, he gave her a narrow sideways glance, “What boy are you obsessing over this year?” Justin inched forward trying to take a peek at her sketch, but she yanked it back before he could see.
“Obsessed? I’ve never been obsessed with any boy.” Darnell said candidly and puffed out her chest.
Justin fidgeted a little under her perfect lethal stare, but nonetheless he continued, “You have too! What about Jason in 9th grade and then…oh there was Jeremy in 10th grade.”
The first thought that had crossed Darnell’s mind after Justin’s assessment was that maybe she was just very fond of the letter “J”. She shook her head.
Darnell glanced down at the detailed illustration. Picking up the soft eraser again, she removed rough construction lines and softened the subject’s chiseled features for visual effect. She scratched away a few more blemishes until it met her satisfaction. She smiled, impressed.
Her work was beautifully crafted, perfectly colored and smartly composed. The depiction was almost an ideal representation of the subject. She had drawn the subject’s demeanor precisely; even down to the way his now chinlength curls cascaded over the right side of his face, almost giving him a mysterious quality. The realistic portrait of Justin nearly leaped off the page at her.
“Are you sure there’s no boy that you’re obsessing over this year?”
“What?” Darnell ignored him for a second and looked down at the picture again. She tapped her freshly-manicured nails against the paper. “Oh…yes, I’m sure.” She finally uttered the offhanded reply.
“Darnell, I think I like you.” His statement was abrupt, almost as if he had to force it out.
She stared at him blankly; a question ready on her lips, but it never came out. The realization of what he said dawned on her.
“Yeah right Justin. So now that Darrien is gone, you decide that you’ll settle for her younger, fatter, less attractive sister?” As she scoffed, Darnell couldn’t help but feel like she was Justin’s second choice. He couldn’t have Darrien so now he wanted her.
“I’m f-for real, Dee.” Justin stuffed his hands into his faded black jeans to help prevent the fidgeting he knew he would be doing soon.
“Well, what happened to your crush on Darrien?”
“Darrien’s gone now.” He mumbled, absently.
Justin hadn’t seen much of Darrien ever since she had enrolled into a cosmetology program in Pittsburgh less than two years ago. He missed her, but only a little. His dreams might’ve missed her more if they weren’t occupied by another.
His eyes raked over ample breasts that rested comfortably on her forearm. “And I guess you’re starting to look good to me plus I’ve still been having those dreams, you know.”
Her eyes widened and full lips parted in surprise. To her knowledge, Justin hadn’t had a wet dream about her since he tripped over an extension cord on the way to class and fell face first into her breasts last year. And even then, he’d still been fond of Darrien and they were stuck in an awkward phase every since they had kissed in the basement. Yet, he had been so riled up and unable to sleep, the following day, he vividly described the dream to Dee in the cafeteria. She only condemned him for always being so horny.
“And this has nothing to do with that incident from last year, right?” Darnell cocked her head to the side with a smirk.
“No! Of course not.” Heat swarmed to his cheeks, and then he lowered his voice to a whisper when the librarian tossed him a glare.
“Okay then,” She closed her drawing pad and shoved it into her backpack, “Since you think you like me, and I don’t have a date for junior prom, you have to go with me.”
“Cool.” Justin shrugged. His answer was smooth and effortless. “You have to go with me to my senior prom then.”
“Okay.” An easy smile appeared on her face, although she was a bundle of nerves on the inside.
“Hey, can I have a hug?” Justin tousled his dusty blonde mane as he waited anxiously for her reply.
Darnell glanced around at the many faces in the library. There was no way she’d allow herself the opportunity to be included in school gossip, especially since Justin was still considered awkward because he carried that damn camera everywhere, he only wore dark-colored clothing, and his hair, curly and usually disheveled, had grown out to his chin.
And she, while making upgrades to her appearance, including monthly manicures and hair appointments, was still an outcast in her own right. That of course was such the life of a highschooler.
“Um…no.” Darnell eventually decided.
Justin sighed, explicitly, “I guess I’ll have to wait for prom night. Maybe I’ll get lucky.” His gaze twinkled as he flaunted a suggestive wink. Darnell gulped, but shielded her nervousness by rewarding him with a punch.
“Don’t expect the same thing you got from that college hoochie Drew set you up with last year.” She said pointedly with disgust.
Justin shrugged, “Hey Drew thought she was my type because she was into the whole grunge thing too. She was wild dude!” Darnell rolled her eyes dramatically while securing the strap of her book bag to one shoulder.
“I’m not going to sit here and listen to this again.” The first time, he woke her up as soon as he got home to tell her about his wild prom night, and she cringed through the entire phone conversation. Best friend or not, she had forbade him to ever discuss his sex life with her again.
“I wasn’t going to say anything about it.”
“Good!” She retorted and Justin snickered at her. “Well, I have art class…so I’m out. See you at 3:05.”
“Alright-I mean a’ight.” He called after her and Darnell tossed a laugh over her shoulder just as she pushed through the library doors.
“Hey Justin. Was that your girl or somethin’?” Justin watched as Landon Stone, just Stone to everyone, claimed Darnell’s vacant see across from him.
Justin was tempted to reply with “or somethin’” to his inquiry, but he settled for just a plain, “No my best friend.”
“Oh the one that hates me?” Landon asked and Justin chose not to respond.
“It’s cool dude. I’m down for the swirl too. We all should live as one, in peace and harmony.” He gave a toothy grin, and Justin’s gaze zeroed in on his yellow-stained teeth.
Landon Stone, the product of Woodstock hippies, was more of an outcast than Darnell and Justin combined. His hair was also of the curly variety, much like Justin’s, yet at least Justin combed his. He appeared raggedy and awfully pale most of the time and his outfits always looked too similar, as if he wore the same one everyday.
He smoked pot like it was going out of style, which is why he was referred to as Stone and never Landon, unless by the school staff.
He smoked pot everyday, morning, noon, night and more than likely in his sleep. He skipped school on a regular basis and on one occasion even handed in a blank exam, but don’t be fooled Landon Stone was smart as a whip.
Justin and Stone had met late last year while in Home Economics class. Stone was supposed to be his partner in the cooking demonstration, but he preferred to observe rather than participate. He claimed he had other things to do.
“Dude! This teacher is total buzz kill. I should’ve skipped today.” He said to no in particular and then noticed Justin, “Hey dude, is that your camera?” He spied the electronic device on his desk.
“Yeah, my mom gave it too me as an early Christmas gift.”
“Ohhh that’s dope.” He replied slowly, while balancing his weight on the two legs of the titled chair.
“Yeah it is.” Justin said while trying to grasp the teacher’s verbal instructions. He had stopped writing notes a while ago, but he attempted to still listen.
“Hey, could you take my picture? Maybe it’ll make it into the senior yearbook next year.” He quickly settled his chair on all four legs and reached for his netted book bag, which was required of all students.
“Just hold on…let-me-get-my-hat…” He searched around the bag and snatched out his hat, yet he seemed to be hunting for something else.
“Oh fuck.” He whispered, to which Justin whispered a, “What?” in response.
“Somebody jacked me for my stuff.”
“What stuff?”
“My stuff.” Stone stressed and then he lowered his voice when Justin still remained clueless, “My pot dude. The rents just gave it to me for my birthday.”
“Oh man.” Justin failed to contain his surprise.
“I know. Wait-did you take it dude cause that would be so fucked up?”
“No, I don’t mess with that stuff.”
“You tried it before?” Stone asked and Justin immediately shook his head. “Dude! You’re missing out but hey more for me.” His wide grin barely reached his eyes, which were half-closed anyway.
“Look dude, class ends in fifteen, but I’ma roll out early. I’ll see you around. Peace.”
Justin had actually seen more of Stone than he ever intended to in these last couple of months. It just so happened that they had a lot of senior classes together and Stone attended a few to chill with Justin in the back of the classroom.
They learned that they shared common likes, except Justin was a little more motivated, and a lot less pale, and he didn’t get high. However, they were both into the grunge rock music scene. Justin was more so only into the music, but imitated the fashion aspect of it as well. Stone, the extreme of the two, was deep, deep into the scene, willing to acquire as much knowledge about “punks” and rockers as he could. He tried everything and anything as long as he had seen a hardcore rocker do it first.
Stone was almost everything Justin was not, but seemed to idolize.
Justin stole a glance at the car keys nestled in Landon’s grasp. “Where are you going?”
“I don’t know. Not to class.” He replied with an all-to-knowing smile. That could only mean one thing; he was going to his day job, Pots R Us.
“So, whatcha doing this weekend?”
“I got a prom to go too.”
“Man that’s wack who am I supposed to get blazed with?”
“Ask somebody else.” Besides Justin had only tried it once after much insistence from Stone.
“You’re killing my buzz right now, I’m out.” Stone dragged himself out of the chair. “Oh tell your girl to holla at me. She’s a hottie now.”
“Stone you’re so fucking high.”
“I know. I think I’ma go work it off in the gym. Later.” And he trudged off, in his well-worn tall brown boots, with the untied shoe strings dragging along the carpet. His tattered jeans that were shredded at that bottom sagged low on his waist and the sleeves of his loose-fitting grey t-shirt almost covered the entire length of his arms. Justin swore he had that outfit on yesterday.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Justin retrieved his textbooks from his backpack and started cramming them into the locker. He hated how small they were, and they were even smaller when Darnell’s things occupied most of the space. As he struggled to get his last book in, Darnell suddenly appeared beside him.
He jumped, caught off guard. “Hey Dee.”
Darnell ignored his simple greeting, attempting to reach for a book in the back of the locker, smashing Justin’s hand in the process.
“Ow! Ouch, wait Dee!”
She tugged insistently until the book fell out of the locker and onto the floor with a loud thud. It wasn’t until she picked up the book, that she had finally acknowledged him.
“What’s up Justin?” Darnell tucked the Chemistry textbook away and slung the backpack over her shoulder.
“What the hell was that Darnell?” Justin wiggled his fingertips in front of her face.
Darnell sighed and fitted her hand to her hip. “Nothin’. You ready to go?” She cocked her head to the side, daring him to say anything else.
“Cool, let’s dip then.” Justin followed as she stomped away, his Chuck Taylor shoe laces dragging behind him.
“Want me to carry your backpack?”
“No.” Darnell retorted quickly, maybe a little too quickly.
She glanced over her shoulder to see a few faces staring at them as they exited the school. Justin turned too.
“What?”
Again she replied with a nonchalant, “nothin’” and continued on their familiar path home. As they reached the corner, Darnell spotted her mother’s black Camry.
What is she doing here?
“Come on sweetie, I have to drop off these groceries because we have some much-needed prom shopping to do.” If there was ever a brighter smile in the world, it was on her mother’s face. Her enthusiasm was very apparent. Darnell wouldn’t be surprised if her mother waited outside for her, fifteen minutes prior to dismissal.
“Oh hello Justin, dear.”
“Hi, Ms. Sim-Victoria.” He corrected himself easily.
“Darnell, honey is that what you wore to school today?” Victoria took in her younger daughter’s appearance with a hint of distaste for the loose-fitting denim jeans and white buttoned-down. The attire did nothing to complement her figure.
“Darrien, you let her wear that?”
Darrien shrugged in response, not saying much of anything to her mother since she had returned home a few hours earlier.
“I’m sixteen. I can dress myself.” Darnell frowned at her mother and then the frown quickly transformed into a smile when she walked around the car to hug her sister.
“Justin get in the car. I’ll give you a drive down to Andrew’s.” Justin happily obliged her request since he wasn’t up to walking today. He slipped into the backseat beside Darnell, nudging her a bit as he moved to close the door. She tossed him a look.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
~*~*~*~
As soon as her feet crossed the threshold of the front door, Darnell ran to the basement. She turned on the game console fully intending to enjoy a few hours of her latest video game, but after about ten minutes she tossed the controller aside and shut off the system.
Darnell reached for the strap of her backpack and slid it across the floor to rest beside her on the floor. She eyed her sketchpad tucked neatly under her notebook and contemplated whether she should work on her drawing of Justin. Sighing, she retrieved her drawing tools and settled the sketchpad atop her crossed legs.
Darnell flipped a couple more pages and found the one she had started last night when she had been unable to sleep. She’d felt compelled to draw Justin with flushed cheeks and a quirky smile that made his eyes crinkle at the edges.
Darnell picked up her charcoal pencil and sketched Justin with fervor. She added finishing touches here and there to his hair and eyes. In fact, she had paid particularly close attention to the detail of his eyes and even more attention to his lips. His lips.
Every since that day two years ago when he had kissed her in the basement; she had produced illustration after illustration of Justin’s lips. It wasn’t until recently, that she had worked up the nerve to actually include his face on her sketchpad.
Darnell, who was singularly focused on her drawing, didn’t think twice to hide her sketchpad when Darrien came down the stairs.
Darrien hovered over her, waiting for her younger sister to acknowledge her. Her eyes skimmed over the picture in awe. “What’s that?” She peered closer, “Wait, is that-is that Justin?”
Heat raced up her neck, and Darnell swore softly. “Uh no,” she said, quickly covering the picture with a her hands.
Darrien slapped her hands away and snatched up the pad. She slowly flipped through the pages. “Oh my God, Dee.” She said, finally landed on the one that Darnell had been working on.
“This looks just like Justin’s dorky ass.” She couldn’t conceal her goofy grin as she glanced at Darnell.
Darnell wiped her nervous palms on her jeans and stood, examining the animated expressions on her sister’s face.
“Look at his hair! And the dazed look in his eyes- he always has that look, you got skills Dee.”
“Thanks. I guess.” Darnell said, chewing her lower lip.
“Girl, you are sprung.” Darrien said after observing the many more pictures of Justin.
Darnell’s eyes widened.
“Are y’all having sex?” The question or accusation “depending on how you looked at it, came out quickly and this time Darnell’s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
“No! Give it back.” She yanked the drawing from her hands. “I’m not sprung,” she lied, weakly.
Darrien grinned. “Yeah right girl. You have stars in your eyes but whatever…mommy’s ready to go shopping.”
“I don’t want to go,” she said, flatly.
“You have to. It’s for your prom, which let me remind you is this Saturday, and you have nothing to wear. Besides, she is already waiting in the car and with a full tank of let’s-take-Dee-shopping gas.” Suddenly, the horn blared to confirm that her mother was indeed waiting outside.
Darnell mumbled her disdain under her breath and followed her sister upstairs.
“Is Justin your date?”
“Yeah, he is.” Darnell smiled a little, blush unbelievably tinted her brown cheeks.
Darrien glanced at her, sideways. “And you’re not sprung?”
Clapping both hands over her face, Darnell cried her embarrassment. “And I’m not sprung Darrien.”
“Hmph. Okay, Dee.”
~*~*~*~
Darnell browsed through the dress racks at a languid pace as her fingers brushed across an array of different fabrics- velvet, silk, lace. She flipped through the plastic hangers, hoping the perfect dress would jump out at her. Her eyes thoroughly scanned each dress from top to bottom and she frowned. None of these dresses appealed to her. Prom didn’t appeal to her either, but she wouldn’t dare admit it to her mother’s face.
“Honey, you like this one?” Victoria thrust a beaded gown in her line of vision. It was hideous, an overtly extravagant monster creation that no one in their right mind would wear.
“I hate it.”
“Yeah.” Darrien agreed, and then felt the need to add, “Justin won’t like that dress.”
Darnell glared at her, but Darrien didn’t appear fazed.
“Oh! Justin’s your date?” Victoria asked, clearly relieved. “And, I was worried you would be dateless.” She smiled, walking off to the accessories department.
Darnell rolled her eyes, grabbing two dresses off the rack that were her size. Her choices appeared beautiful hanging on the rack, but the way it would look on her, was a different story entirely. Hopefully, this dress would accommodate her figure and not bring too much emphasis to her round backside or too wide hips.
Frowning, Darnell made her way to the dressing room. She somehow managed to add three more dresses to her possession. One chose by her mother and the other two by her sister.
“Wait, Dee. This one is better.” Darrien snatched the dress from her arms and substituted it with a satin fuchsia gown.
“No more dresses, Darrien.” She moaned pitifully while the heavy material slacked in her arms.
In a cross between a walk and a run, she entered the dressing room and closed the door.
Darnell quickly dragged her jeans down her hips and removed her shirt, opting to leave on her bra and colorful knee-high socks. She reached for the first dress that her fingers grasped and stepped into it. Tweaking the dress to her liking, she pulled the zipper up and frowned at her appearance in the full length mirror. This dress was all wrong, bulky, ill-fitting and just wrong!
“I hate this one! It makes me look fat.” Darnell whined from behind the door.
“Well, let’s see it.” The eagerness in Victoria’s tone was clearly evident.
“There’s no way I’m coming out in this thing.”
“Sweetie, it can’t be that bad. Maybe it’s just the fabric.”
Before Darnell could protest, the door was ripped open. Her mother and sister took in the view and frowns marred their faces.
“Mom!”
“Oh no. Take that dress off. It’s just…”
“Wrong.” Darrien finished for her.
The second and third dress fit a little better, but the colors failed to complement Darnell’s skin complexion. By the time, she had tried on the fourth dress, she was tired and irritated. Sadly, that dress was even worst than the two previous dresses. She had to get out of this boutique as soon as possible.
“Can we go now?”
“No!” Both Victoria and Darrien protested at the same time.
“You haven’t tried on the dress I picked out.” Darrien reminded.
Darnell peeked at the fuchsia dress still on the hanger behind her and sighed. “This is the last dress if it’s ugly I’m just not going to prom.”
She slipped on the dress quickly and was surprised to find that she actually loved the dress. It could be a little less tight around her hips and rear, but it was beautiful nonetheless.
The strapless taffeta gown, accented with beading and ruching along the bodice, gathered at her waist perfectly. The front slit on the left side gave the dress the dramatic effect she needed. She had never been one for girly colors, but even she had to admit that fuchsia looked good against her brown skin.
“ Dee you’re not saying anything in there. So how does it look? Come out and let us see.” Darnell contemplated locking the door, suddenly feeling self-conscious about the dress. Was it too tight? Did it show too much? Would her mother and sister approve? Would Justin?
“Hey isn’t that Justin?”
Justin! Darnell hoped against hope that it wasn’t Justin and that her sister was just seeing things.
“Where?”
“Out there by the newsstand.”
“Yes, that is him. What is he doing here? And who is that girl with him?” If she didn’t know any better, she would have thought her mother was upset to see Justin with another girl. And it turned out she was.
Hearing the quick footsteps, Darnell pushed the door open and peeked outside of the dressing room to see Justin and Whitney Dickerson at the newsstand. Whitney Dickerson! The tramp/ex-friend, who tried to push up on Justin back at the 8th grade winter formal.
Darnell narrowed her eyes, but caught herself when she noticed the grin on Darrien’s face.
“Who’s that girl, Dee?”
“I don’t know her,” she lied.
“Well, I’m going to go find out who she is. How dare she try to still my baby’s date…” Victoria made a quick move towards the exit but Darrien jumped in front of her.
“Mom, no. Please just leave it alone. You could be wrong. Tell her she’s wrong Dee. Tell her!”
“You’re wrong mom.” Darnell replied flatly and with little excitement as she peered curiously at Justin and Whitney outside in front of the boutique.
“I am never wrong and that little, little…skank has an agenda. She has that look in her eyes.”
Darnell and Darrien gasped, instantly surprised at their mother’s demeanor, so unlike her usual proper behavior, yet this was her opportunity to put on a performance so she would run with it. And since this performance coincided so perfectly with the outcome of Darnell’s first prom, which Victoria cared about greatly, she’d perform to the extreme if necessary.
“Mom, let it go. See she’s leaving. She’s walking away.”
“Look at him Darrien. He’s blushing, nervous and can’t even look the girl in the eye. I’m going over there.” Victoria’s defiant attitude made Darrien throw up her hands.
“Mom. He doesn’t want her.” Darnell’s reply of certainty attracted curious’ gazes. Darrien hid her smile.
“Fine.” Victoria relented with a pout as if she had been itching for the opportunity to teach Whitney a thing or two. Perhaps, if this same scene had happened three years ago, Darnell might have let her.
“So let’s see this dress.”
Darnell stepped out with a hesitant smile.
“Oh you look good girl. Poor Justin.”
Her smile widened at her sister’s approval, but then faltered when her mother just stared at her.
“Oh my.” Was that good or bad?
“She looks tight, right mom?”
“Oh my.” Victoria repeated and Darnell wanted to disappear beneath the ceramic floor tiles.
“What?” Darrien finally spoke up, sending her mother a questioning glare.
“You’re right. It is a little tight.” Victoria said, completely misinterpreting the slang term.
“Not that tight. I love the fit and the color. You look fab.” Darrien smiled, reassuring her sister.
“Well your father will hate it, but your boobs look great so he will get over it.”
“Oh I can’t wait to see you all made up!” Victoria finally cooed with excitement as she leaned over to give Darnell and unexpected hug. While Darnell remained still, in awe, Victoria shared her enthusiasm with Darrien.
“It will be perfect.”
~*~*~*~
Prom Night
Justin tweaked his tie and fussed with his hair as he stared at his reflection in the mirror. He attempted to dress with care and thanks to Andrew he might have actually pulled it off this time.
Justin wore a white two-button notch tux, complete with a white diamond-patterned vest and fuchsia tie. The fuchsia tie, yet formal, still had the edge he desired. It featured an argyle style print with gray skulls. He contemplated wearing his brand new all white Chuck Taylor’s but switched them for the white rounded-toe dressier shoes at the last minute.
There was a knock on the door and then Andrew poked his head inside, “Hey, you good to go?”
“Yup. Are you giving me a ride to Dee’s or do I have to ask mom?” Justin frowned.
“No. You can take my car, here.” He tossed him the keys.
“Wait, you’re not going to see Darrien?” Andrew shook his head. “B-but you haven’t seen her in months.”
“Yeah…” He shrugged, “Talked to her on the phone last week though.”
“Last week?” Justin’s eyes bulged, “So she doesn’t even know you’re in town? Man, that’s mad shady.”
“Me! She’s the shady one-don’t ask me what she did. I don’t want to talk about it.” He finalized the end of their discussion by turning towards the door. He quickly paused as if there was something he forgot to mention and faced Justin once again.
“Oh Ms. Victoria is going to freak out when she sees your hair.” He gave the impression that he was amused as he adjusted Justin’s tie.
Justin shrugged nonchalantly and ruffled his damp hair some more. Glancing at the clock on his dresser, he noticed that he was running a little behind schedule. He hurriedly buttoned his jacket, dug his fingers into his hair one last time and exited the room. Andrew followed.
“Hey, did you tell Dee that you like her yet?” Justin responded with a goofy ass smile.
“I’m guessing that is yes. What did she say?” Justin’s grin distorted into a pout.
“Nothing, but she’s been buggin’ since I told her.”
“Buggin’ huh?” Andrew smirked.
“Yup. She goes all crazy every time I go near her.
“And you’re going to her prom why?”
“Because…” Justin shrugged again “She said I had to.”
“ Dee has you whipped.”
“I am not whipped!” Justin turned beet red at the insult, “You suck Drew.” He sulked and exited the bedroom while Andrew laughed in his face.
Suddenly Lynn glided into the hallway sporting a 60 watt smile. She frowned when she noticed him by the door, “Justin! Were you going to leave without telling me?”
Not waiting for a response, her eyes widened as she took his appearance, “Look at my handsome son!” She fussed with his tie and then the lapels of his jacket. Lastly, she flicked a damp curl out of his eye.
“Thanks mommy.” Justin groaned.
“Mommy?” Andrew cracked up from his corner of the hallway.
“Shut up Drew.” They snapped in unison. No sooner than a second after, Lynn was beaming again.
“This is definitely better than last year. I don’t know what you were thinking, but anyway…smile.” The camera clicked before he was ready.
“Okay mom, you know how Mr. Simmons gets when I’m late so…”
“Okay, okay one more picture.” Anxiously, she snapped away at the several expressions enhancing his features until she ran out of film. “Alright, you can go.” His mother finally conceded with a pout.
“Make sure you take lots of pictures of you and Darnell, okay”do you have enough batteries for your camera? Wait right here I’ll get you some.” She pointed a firm finger in his direction and spun on her heels towards the kitchen. Justin moaned aloud and rolled his eyes heavenward.
“Mom I have to go! Bye! Peace out Drew.”
“Okay…well be careful honey!” The hard slam of the front door was the only response.
~*~*~*~
Twisting and turning in front of the tall bathroom mirror that was conveniently attached to the back of the door, Darnell studied her facade, stunned and unconvinced that the reflection was actually hers. Her lengthy tresses were flat-ironed and pinned in an array of loose curls atop her head with a few strands surrounding her face.
Her eyes, usually its standard brown hue, were now defined by a smoky outline and framed with thicker, glossier lashes. A dark pink almost natural-looking tint highlighted her eyelids and her lips were emphasized simply by a clear gloss.
Pivoting her head to the right and then the left, Darnell pursed her lips unsure of whether or not she liked the hint of rosy blush that Darrien insistently dusted upon her cheeks. She decided at the last minute that she didn’t. It was too over-the-top for her taste. And she looked exactly like her mother. That thought alone caused Darnell to frown.
Suddenly, Victoria breezed into the bathroom as if knowing that she was the subject of her daughter’s thoughts. Darnell jumped back before the door slammed into her. She stopped short after taking in Darnell’s appearance.
“Oh honey.” Victoria’s hand instantly flew to her mouth. Her eyes glossed over with emotion, “You look so beautiful!” She choked out.
“Mom, I’m still wearing my bath robe.” Darnell rolled her eyes.
“But your face is gorgeous and your hair….it’s stunning!” Her now trembling hand slipped down to where her heart was beating excitedly in her chest. Twirling towards the door opening, she poked her head out and called loudly for her eldest daughter.
“Darrien come into the bathroom!”
“Mom, stop being a drama queen. Darrien did my hair and my makeup. She knows what it looks like.” She smirked and yet her mother waved her off. Darrien came bouncing in the room with her newly purchased cell phone attached to one ear.
“Calvin, let me call you back.” She snapped the phone shut and slid it into her small silver clutch. “What’s up Mom?”
“Look at your sister. Isn’t she just beautiful? Looks just like me when I was younger except a little curvier, but that’s a good thing sweetheart.” She added and put a comforting hand on Darnell’s shoulder when she frowned. “I just-it’s such a rarity to see you look this pretty. This night will be so special! I’ll be right back.” She rushed out of the bathroom but not before tossing a beaming smile over her shoulder.
“ Dee, where’s your dress? Justin will be here soon.”
Darnell shrugged nonchalantly, “The dress is on my bed.” In reply, Darrien hurried out of the room. She returned seconds later with a handful of fuchsia material.
“Here put this on.”
“Now?” Darnell asked, although Darrien had already shoved the dress into her open arms.
“Yeah. And hurry up. It’s…” She glanced at her watch. “6:45pm now and you have to be out of the house by 7:30. Is Justin driving Andrew’s car tonight?”
“I think so. I didn’t ask though.” Darnell said as she began to untie her robe. It slipped from her shoulders into a puddle around her feet. Afterwards, she stood insecurely before her older sister with the perkier breasts and not-as-wide-as-hers hips, wearing only her brand-new fuchsia strapless, extra support satin bra with a fancy lace trim and a pair of matching lace panties.
Suddenly, Darnell was studying Darrien’s appearance in an attempt to convince herself that once she was finally all made up she would look as good as Darrien currently did in an as slim-fit, knee-length and teal floral print dress that was narrow at the waist but expanded fully the hips. The scoop neckline only revealed minimal cleavage and yet still, she looked effortlessly amazing. Darnell tried her hardest not to express her jealousy.
“So why are you all dressed up?”
“Going to see Drew and maybe we’ll go out. We had a fight over the phone so I’m not too sure about that but hey.” She shrugged and a hint of sadness flickered in her gaze, “I’ll surprise him and see what happens.”
“So who’s Calvin?” Darnell looked up at her suspiciously while sliding a barefoot through the opening of her dress.
“Don’t look at me like that Dee. He’s just a friend I met while up in Pittsburgh. But anyway, it’s 7:00 so you need to hurry up. Oh that was the doorbell, Justin’s here. Come on Dee!”
“Okay, okay.” Amongst her sister’s frantic screams, Darnell shimmied the rest of her body into the dress. She turned around as Darrien zipped up the back. She felt the zipper stall and instinctively sucked in her stomach.
“Sorry the zipper got caught.” Darrien announced and Darnell immediately smirked, doubting how truthful that assessment was.
“All of this work better be worth it…” Darnell finally exhaled once the zipper was fully secure. “…Damnit, mommy was right. This is a little tight.” She inspected her backside in the mirror. “God, my ass looks freakin’ huge and my hips-!” She smoothed her hands over the cup of her rear as if that would minimize its voluptuousness.
“Chill out Dee. You look fine and Justin will drool and stutter over it so that’s all that matters.”
“Yeah I guess so.” She said, not at all convinced.
Meanwhile, waiting outside the front door, Justin was facing a similar dilemma of uncertainty. He remembered how nervous he was the last time he took Darnell to a school dance and how demanding and intimidating her father had been.
To this day, he was still embarrassed about how he stuttered like a fool and his voice squeaked whenever Mr. Simmons asked him question.
When the door suddenly opened and the silhouette of a large man filled the doorway, Justin hoped this wasn’t the beginning of the same night all over again.
Justin deliberately cleared his throat, “Hey, Mr. Simmons.”
“Justin.” He simply nodded and then his eyes narrowed, “That’s how you’re going to wear your hair huh? Straight and in your face like that? Tell me son…did you comb it at least?”
“Yes sir.” Justin replied hoarsely.
“Hmm, well, come on in.” Mr. Simmons stepped aside and Justin squeezed between him and the small opening. Justin stiffened when he bumped his arm. He glanced at Mr. Simmons with alarm.
Mr. Simmons chuckled. It was the first time Justin had ever seen him smile in all of four years. He cupped Justin’s shoulder and slammed the door with a loud thud. Justin tensed again but at least he wasn’t stuttering.
“Relax son. I want you to meet Dee’s uncles and her Aunt.”
“Okay.” Justin choked as Mr. Simmons led him into the living room. Meeting more relatives of the male species was a little more than he could handle tonight.
“That’s my baby sister, her Auntie Darryl. And over there are my twin brothers, Darrien and the muscle head one is her namesake, Uncle D.” As Mr. Simmons made the introductions no one else said a word. Auntie Darryl attempted a smile as she observed him. The other identical faces were identically puzzled. Justin was petrified.
“Hey Justin.” They all finally mumbled at once, “Nice to meet you.”
“That’s a dope tie man.” Uncle Darrien or Uncle D muttered. He didn’t know which one.
“Thanks.” Justin looked down at said tie just to make sure that he didn’t look as weird as everyone made it appear.
“Sweetheart have a seat. Dee’s going to be a while longer.” Auntie Darryl beckoned him over and then patted the empty cushion beside her. Justin rushed over and the moment he lowered into the seat, all eyes were again on him. His gaze darted back and forth between the four of them.
“Justin we’re sorry for staring but…we’re all wondering about your hair.” Auntie Darryl inquired with a tight smile.
“Oh Dee said Justin thinks he’s a rockstar.” Mr. Simmons teased.
“Oh I get it, like Kurt Cobain huh?” Again, he didn’t know which one had asked, but he smiled from ear to ear anyway. He was happy that someone had finally realized what look he was going for.
“Yup.” Justin relaxed against the cushions.
“I think it’s cool but Vicki, she’s going to kill you.”
“Oh man.” He had shrugged it off when Andrew had made a similar assumption but now he was actually scared. Ms. Victoria could be as intimidating as her husband.
Telling everyone that he was going to the bathroom, Justin abruptly stood. Everyone shared a laughed at his expense while he made his way to the staircase. He hurried down the hall until he heard voices coming from the bathroom. Darrien and Darnell were discussing Andrew and then he heard his name. He moved closer and began to listen. The door was slightly ajar so he clearly heard everything that they were saying. However, he hadn’t expected to catch a glimpse of Darnell through the opening. Justin’s gaze immediately expanded in size.
By now, he should’vebeen used to how different Darnell looked every time she was made up, however, it was such a rarity, that each time he’d witness the transformation he was shocked, speechless. Thankfully, he had now learned to control his body reactions to seeing such a sight. Well, that was before his brain registered the fact that Darnell wasn’t exactly fully dressed.
She was wearing her gown, but supporting the front bodice with her crossed forearms as she waited for Darrien to zip her up. Cleavage and then some spilled out of the top of her dress.
Justin gulped and wiped his sweaty palms against his pants. He forced himself to walk away, however, not before Darnell spied him through the opening. Her mouth dropped open and she gasped.
“Justin what are you doing?” He whirled around to Ms. Victoria who had come up behind him. She choked and took a step back when she saw his appearance, particularly his hair.
“Justin!” She shrieked and no sooner than a second later, he heard the rumblings of feet bounding up the stairs. His eyes darted to Darnell before he heard Mr. Simmons’ booming voice.
“Justin, what the hell are you doing? Are you trying to peak at Dee-!” Mr. Simmons stalked towards him and Justin automatically backed into the wall.
“No sir I wa-was just g-going to the baatth-room. I didn’t know that D-Dee was in th-there” So much for not stuttering.
“ Davis forget about that! Do you see his hair! That is unacceptable. And oh my God, it’s not even fully dried!” She noted when she tentatively fingered it and then quickly snatched her hand back.
“Calm down Vicki. He’s experimenting. That’s what teenager’s do.”
“Don’t you call me Vicki!” She stomped over to one of Darnell’s uncles and put a firm finger to his chest. “And I know he likes to experiment with his style but this is not the night for that. This was supposed to be Darnell’s special night damnit.” Everyone stood still at hearing Victoria curse.
Darnell stood on the other side of the door, catching a few glances of Justin’s deer caught in the headlights expression before her father reached over and pulled the door shut with a thunderous bang. He pinned Justin with a murderous glare and then focused on his wife. He wrapped one arm around her waist and led her down the hall.
“Calm down honey. Let’s get you something strong to drink okay?” She slowly nodded in response, yet seemed ready to faint at any moment. While Victoria continued to mumble incoherent phrases about his hair, they disappeared downstairs.
Again, Uncle Darrien, Uncle D, and Auntie Darryl erupted in laughter. Auntie Darryl knocked on the bathroom door.
“ Dee girl hurry up in there before your momma kills your date!” She said in between laughs.
“You know Justin…you made Ms. Uppity and Perfect curse so you’re alright with me.” Seeing that Justin was still in a daze, he had to lift his limp fist to pound against his.
“Yeah,” The other twin jumped in, “How ‘bout I let you hold my car tonight?”
“Really?” Justin finally blinked out of his stupor.
“Sure, anything for baby girl to have her special night.” He emphasized with a quick glance to the staircase. Justin followed his gaze before refocusing. “However, if you wreck my baby, expect to have my foot broke off in your ass. Are you clear on that?”
Justin swallowed the lumped in his throat, “ Crystal.”
“Good.” His serious and firm expression was quickly replaced with a smile as he clapped onto Justin’s shoulder. “Let’s go wait for Dee in the living room.” As they all began to file out of the hallway, Justin heard the scrape of the door as it opened and looked over his shoulder to see Darnell poking her head out. They shared a nervous glance before Darnell gave him a once over.
The corner of her lip lifted as she held back the urge to laugh. Justin frowned unsure if whether it was his appearance that she found amusing or the situation itself. Later, he just shrugged and uttered a short laugh. Afterwards, he thoroughly observed Darnell, well what he could see of her. He quickly gave her a thumbs-up of approval.
She smirked and then smiled shyly before ducking her head back inside the bathroom. The door slammed behind her. When Justin turned back around, both of Darnell’s uncles were glaring at him.
“Don’t even think about it.”
Justin gave them a wide-eye stare and stumble ahead of them towards the stairs.
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More of Dee and Justin in the old days to continue in the next chapter...
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters and settings are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.