Chione shifted lightly in her sleep and opened her eyes slowly. She stretched out her limbs and looked over at Trace who was still fast asleep. She glanced over at the clock, it read 11:15am. She had never slept so good in her life. She heard soft music coming from downstairs, and soft laugher coming through the walls. She carefully got out of the bed, not wanting to wake Trace and walked into the bathroom to brush her teeth. Once she had accomplished her mission, she walked downstairs and first saw Lynn at the stove, humming softly to Benny and the Jets. A smile came to Chione's face as she continued down the stairs and into the kitchen.
"Good morning momma Lynn."
"Oh good morning baby. How did you sleep last night?"
"Oh pretty good. Where's Dionne?"
"Paul took her out to run errands with him for a while, is that okay?"
"Oh yeah that's fine, it's just really quiet in here. She's usually screaming around this time of morning."
"Am I invisible now?"
The deep male voice startled her but she recognized it immediately. She turned around from Lynn and smiled wide at JC, "Oh my goodness. I didn't even see you there."
"Yeah, I noticed." He chuckled, "Well get over here and give me a hug."
She lumbered over to him and slammed her body into his forcefully, making him stumble back a few steps. She snuggled into his chest and breathed in his cologne and smiled as he laughed lightly. She felt his lips on the side of her face and she leaned to look into his chocolate eyes, "How did your work stuff go?"
"It went pretty good. They’re thinking I might be able to release the album about two months earlier than we originally thought. I heard you had an interesting weekend."
She hit him in the chest playfully but let him keep his hands on her chest, "Yeah, your sweet little innocent Chione has been to jail."
He ran his hands over her face and hair, moving it out of her eyes, "But you're okay right?"
"I'm fine. I would have died if Trace hadn't of been with me though. There were some pretty sketchy people that came in there."
"Oh god, I can only imagine. Lynn called me last night after you two got home and told me everything. I was so pissed that that asshole would throw you two in jail for trying to help his pathetic ass. I was gonna come back and kick his ass but you already did that for me."
Chione laughed, "Well, he got what he deserved. You know, I don't even care about what happened, I really got to see who he is now and I'm not in love with that guy. It really made me see the whole picture so now, I just gotta move on. Plus, everyone gets thrown in jail every now and again."
The two laughed, "Was Trace awake when you got up?" Lynn asked, placing the food she had just prepared on some plates.
"No, he was still knocked out. You want me to go see if he's up now?"
"There's no need, the pimp has awaken."
They all turned to Trace as he made his entrance into the kitchen, and kissed Lynn on the cheek, "You are so full of yourself." Chione said.
"You're just jealous. JC, what up man?"
The two men embraced and then did a complicated hand shake, "I'm doin' alright man, how have you been?"
"Ah you know, trying to keep all the women off of me."
"Oh my god." Chione said to herself, putting her head down and laughing a little more.
"Okay ya'll, let's eat."
Chione, JC and Trace all set at the table as Lynn placed the plates of food in front of them. The four of them talked, and laughed over their breakfast and then just laid around the house for the rest of the afternoon. The sun had set about thirty minutes before and JC and Dionne and were playing together on the floor, Trace was sitting on the couch, talking to one of his random females on the phone. Chione and Lynn were in the kitchen, preparing dinner for everyone together and Paul sat at the kitchen table, typing away at his laptop. The noise from the TV and the radio and the voices filled the house with warmth. They all truly looked like a family but one of the key members was missing and they all knew it.
The doorbell and everybody looked towards the foyer, "Who the fuck is that?" Trace asked.
"Trace Ayala! Watch your mouth around the baby!" Lynn scolded.
"Sorry," he mumbled, "Who the hell is that, I meant."
Chione laughed at his antics and picked up the hand towel off of the island to wipe her hands, "I'll get it."
The doorbell rang again and Chione jogged over to the door, letting the unknown person that she was on her way. She swung open the door and gasped at the person standing on the other side, "Justin?"
He smiled weakly and removed his sun glasses, "Hey."
Chione stood flabbergasted in the doorway, she couldn't come up with one thing to say, "Who is it?" Trace asked, rounding the corner and stopping dead in his tracks when his eyes locked with Justin's blue ones.
"Trace, I-" Justin started.
"Get the fuck out of here."
"Wait a minute, just let me talk to you guys for a second."
"Get. the. fuck. out, before I call the police." Trace said raising his voice.
By this time, Lynn, Paul and JC had heard the raised voice and had all walked into the foyer, and they all gasped when they saw Justin standing in the doorway. Justin looked at all of the helplessly, begging them to let him in but when his eyes met JC's, anger soon filled them, "What are you doing here?"
"What?" JC asked.
"You fucking heard me, I told you stay away from her."
"You've lost it man."
"I haven't lost shit," He closed his eyes and shook his head to try and calm himself. He turned back to Chione and Trace, "I didn't come here to cause any trouble, I just want to talk to you and Trace, just for a few minutes, please?"
"Fuck that. I'm calling the cops." Trace said, removing his cell from his pocket.
"I just want to see my daughter! Please Chione." He reached out to her but she backed away from him.
"You want to see your daughter now? After all of this time and after you threw me in jail a few days ago?"
"Momma came and showed me pictures of her and it opened my eyes Chione, it really did. I just want to hold her."
She stared at him for a few seconds and then shook her head, "No."
Justin's mouth gaped open, "Please Chione."
"I said no."
Her new found boldness had surprised him, she had never denied him anything before, "Chio-"
"No! That's all I wanted you to do when I came over to your house a few days ago, just to acknowledge him. But you are a few days to late Justin, no, I will not let you see my daughter. Now get out of here before the police show up."
Justin shifted his weight and tried to reason with her, "You'll let JC play daddy but you won't let me hold my own daughter? I don't even know her name!"
"That's your fault!" She screamed back, "That's your fault you don't know her name, not JC's."
"You don't know him Chione. He's done this before, he'll pretend to be your friend and he'll pretend to love you and then he'll break your heart, I've seen him do it." Justin said, pointing at JC.
"Shut up Justin! You don't know anything about me!" JC stated angrily, stepping toward him.
"Don't think I haven't forgotten about what you did to her, JC." Justin said.
"Shut up!" JC screamed, still coming towards him.
"Don't put your hands on my daughter again, you piece of shit." Justin said, side stepping Chione and meeting JC face to face.
Trace stepped in between the two men and pushed Justin back, "Just get the fuck out of here man, okay? Just leave."
Jusitn stared at JC for a few seconds more and then turned back and walked out of the house, "Just think about it Chione, okay? Please, I won't let you down again, I promise. Trace-"
"Don't, just leave." Trace said, holding up his hand.
Chione and Justin continued to stare at each other, "I'm sorry." He whispered before turning back around and walking to his car.
Chione watched him descend down the steps and get into his car and then drive away. She closed the door slowly and leaned against it. Trace walked up to her and put his hand on her shoulder, "Are you okay?"
She shook her head yes and then looked over at Lynn and Paul, who still looked like they were in shock. Everyone stood in an awkward silence in the foyer, thinking over what had just happened. They then heard Dionne begin to scream from his playpen in the living room and Chione ran into the room to comfort her daughter. She hummed to her softly, rocking her in her arms, calming her almost instantly. JC came and sat next to her and sighed loudly, "What was he talking about JC?"
"I don't know baby."
She continued to watch him as he ran his hands through his newly cut hair, "Are you sure?" She asked.
He looked at her, "I'm positive. He's lost his fucking mind."
She nodded softly and then looked down at her son, "I think I'm gonna go to bed."
"Don't do that, let's talk about what just happened." JC said.
"I don't really want to."
"Chione, don't shut off from us. You and Trace must have crazy thoughts going through your heads right now." JC reasoned.
She shook her head no, "I don't really, I just need to think about what's best for Dionne."
"You are not considering letting him see Dionne, are you?" JC asked.
Chione looked over and glared at him, "That's really none of your business JC. I'm her parent, not you."
JC sighed loudly again and ran his hand over his face, "You're right, do what you want. I'm gonna hit the road. I'll uh, I'll see you guys later."
And with that, JC walked out of the living room and out of the house. Trace laughed sarcastically from his place in the kitchen, "Goddamn, we've got some fucked up friends."
"Should we see him Trace? Should we let him apologize to us?" Chione asked.
"I don't want to fuckin' see him."
"Trace! I know you're upset but watch your mouth!" She swatted at him.
"I don't want to see him Chione. It's going to be nothing but trouble, I can feel it."
"Lynn? Paul?"
Paul shrugged his shoulders, "That's the first time I've seen my son in what feels like a year." Lynn hugged him and ran her hand over his back, "I don't know what to do about him anymore. Chione, this is totally up to you. He's hurt us all more than he could ever know."
And they all stood there, not knowing what to do. Chione kept her eyes on Dionne while thinking over her possible options. Then her mind fell on the police, "We better call the police and tell them not to come anymore."
"I didn't call them." Trace said.
"Who were you talking to then?"
"Nobody."
"Why?"
He was silent for a second and then looked up at her, "I could never call the police on my best friend."
Author's Chapter Notes:
Sorry it took me so long to update, but never fear, the next chapter is here! Let me know what you think.
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