“Look at my little Mary!!” Kristina gushed over Justina dressed as Mary for her school Easter play.
“Are you nervous baby girl?”
“Nope.”
“My baby, I can see it now Kristina. Justina Timberlake~Oscar award winning actress.”
“Justin, how do you know she wants to be an actress? She might want to be a business woman or a tiger trainer.”
“What do you want to be baby girl?”
“A singer like daddy!”
“Even better! Singer/actress” he spoke before leaving a sloppy wet kiss on her cheek. Justina just giggled from her fathers antics.
“Oh boy.”
“I hope I’m not late!” Veneska came running in, Alesha not far from behind. It was as if she was rushing for J, not Justina.
“No not at all, made it just in time.”
“PLACES EVERYONE!!!”
“Alright honey, can’t wait to see you out there” Kristina smiled.
“Knock ‘em dead Justina!” Veneska added. Knock ‘em dead? What kind of advice was to give to a child? Ha, if anyone Kristina wanted to knock dead it was her. Repeatedly she to tell herself to conduct herself in a proper manor. Through the darkness she maintained her eye sight on Veneska’s moves. One wrong touch and it was over. She watched as she made little comments here and there.
“Stop being jealous Kristina” she chastised herself. There was nothing to be jealous of. A shiny diamond visible in the dim room was more than a reminder of the bond hey shared. One could say her feelings were unjustified; while others could say that they were. If she was close, joking and laughing with another man Justin would be furious. His jealous streak was unlike any other. Paying no more mind to the situation, Kristina turned her attention back to the stage where Justina was reciting her lines she had worked so diligently on. Whatever she was feeling would just have to be ignored. This was her baby’s time to shine. Wasting that on on watching Veneska would be futile. Happily Kristina watched her only daughter. Pride filled both parents, envy filled Veneska. She sat there rolling her eyes impatiently waiting for that stupid play to end. Lucky for her it did within 15 minutes.
“You did so good princess” Justin applauded lifting her small frame in his arms.
“I liked it too!”
“Thank you Alesha” Justina smiled. Despite it all, Alesha and Justina’s bond made Kristina smile reminding her of her sisterly bond with kim.
“So you’re gonna have dinner at Justina’s favorite restaurant. You and Alesha want to come with?” Say what?! This was supposed to be a family thing, not a family and skankilicious thing. How could Justin invite her? Sure he was trying to be a nice guy but this was getting to be too much. Veneska could tell that little invite was unwanted. So what did you think she was gonna say
“Of course Justin, I’d love to come. Is that ok with you Kristina?”
“Yeah sure” she said halfheartedly.
“Great lets go.” All of Kristina’s appetite was gone. Not only did she have to sit there watching Veneska weasel her way into the family but she had to sit there and watch Justin be completely oblivious to it all. That was the last straw. After dinner they were going to have a major talk.
~*~
Justin pulled the covers over his sleeping daughter. Her busy day sent her to sleepy land the minute her head hit the pillows. In the doorway stood Kristina gathering her nerves for what was about to come.
“Hey I didn’t see you there.”
“Yeah” she said flatly.
“What’s up?”
“We need to talk, den?”
“Yeah sure.” The phrase ‘we need to talk’ meant I’m more than angry. What as it about this time? Not putting his clothes in the hamper or not washing the dishes? Justin followed an visibly steamed Kristina to the den where the kids couldn’t hear them. Down each step he dreaded the conversation. The cool air of the den encased him as he stepped in. Kristina remained standing while he sat down on the brown leather couch as if he was a child getting ready for a lecture. “What do you want to talk about?”
“Veneska.” Justin rolled his eyes. Must he have to have another argument about her? Yes I said argument because anything that dealt with her resulted right into that, an argument.
“What now?”
“Pardon my French but that bitch is starting to irritate me.”
“Here we go again.”
“Yes here we go again. She’s always around, she doesn’t let us have a chance to breathe!”
“Uh hello she’s around because Alesha’s around.”
“Alesha is more than welcome to come here whenever she wants, but does her mother have to follow suit as well? Gosh Justin, she doesn’t need a leash. Nothings bad going to happen to her if Veneska isn’t around. Plus you’re not making the situation any better by being overly friendly to her.”
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”
“What it means is that she’s getting the wrong idea! You’re feeding into her fantasies Justin.”
“You are going overboard with this. What is with you?”
“Are you listening to yourself? Justin if the shoe was on the other foot you’d be ready to pounce any guy who gave me as much attention as she does you. When I wake up she’s here, when I come in from work she’s here, when the weekend comes she’s here. I don’t even remember the last time we made love because every time I turn around I see her mug waltzing around as if she lives here.”
“Well wanna fix that by going upstairs?” he said huskily.
“No.” Ok…that no said that she meant business.
“Alright then, she’s around a lot. What do you want me to do? Tell her to leave every time she comes by?”
“It wouldn’t kill you!”
“You know Kristina, green isn’t very becoming of you.”
“Justin this has nothing to do with jealousy! This has something to do with the fact that you can’t look at the obvious here. She wants you regardless of the fact that you have a wife and a family.”
“No what’s obvious is that you’re acting like a jealous bitch!” Oh no he didn’t go there. Did he just say what she thought he said? Never in the years that they had been together had he ever called her something so derogatory. She stood frozen in shock that he would let those words ever spew from his mouth. Let alone the fact that he was defending the woman who not only almost destroyed their past but was doing a good job at trying to destroy their future. Krystal’s words were coming back to haunt her. If anyone wanted to destroy what they had were the two of them and so far that was happening. Justin didn’t want to hear anything bad against Veneska not considering that it was coming from the woman he pledged to love for the rest of his life. Instead he was calling her a jealous bitch. Those words would never leave her.
“You know what Justin….you really need to watch who the fuck you talking to.”
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me, not only am I your wife but I’m the mother of your children and you stand there and have the audacity to call me a jealous bitch? ….Are you fucking serious?! A jealous bitch? You know what, fuck you Justin.” Furiously Kristina stormed out of the room. She waited till she went into one of the guest rooms upstairs before letting the tears she so pompously held in flow from her eyes. A jealous bitch? It wasn’t like she had been called anything worse than that before but not from someone that she loved so much. Justin held her heart but at the moment he was stomping all over it for a woman who wanted to tear them apart. She wanted to be strong, she wanted to fight her with all that she had. But it was hard when she felt so weak. Veneska was doing exactly what she had set out to do and she was doing a good job at it.
~*~
Three girls were excited, a little nervous but definitely excited. Especially the two as they walked into Steen Hospital. Today their blood would be taken and tested for pregnancy. Now Krystal and Dez were going to experience the nervousness of finding out if they were a mother or not. Kristina came for moral support and for a way to get her mind off the tumultuous time she and Justin were going through. A little bit of sunshine from their pregnancies were well needed at the moment. Not to say that if either woman was pregnant that'd erase all their worries but it'd definitely help steer her mind in another direction. Break on the Look for less was coming up soon, leaving Kristina to be more at home. To let things that were plaguing her simmer. Because you know how when you have nothing to do and you're at home you tend to think more about all the bad things going on in your life? Precisely. Kristina gave her two best friends the run down of what to expect. Being pregnant two times, she already knew the deal. Since all three girls had the same doctor they all decided to come together. Dez figured for awhile now that she was expecting when she missed her period the last two months. On the first month she simply thought it was because she was trying that diet Gwenyth Paltrow was trying. Hmm nope that wasn't the case when the second month came around. Krystal on the other hand refused to believe that she was pregnant. Not that she didn't want a little Lance running around but she just didn't expect it so soon in their marriage. They had only been married for a 9 months, dating for a year. Maybe it was time to go on and have some little ones. It wasn't like she was getting any younger and neither was Dez who was older than both Kristina and Krystal.
"Still nervous?" Kristina asked Dez. Her foot tapped against the black and white tiled floor.
"Just a little." The two were waiting for Krystal to finish up outside in the waiting room. "I mean we've been married for two almost three years now. Honestly I hope I am. I'm ready to be a mother, JC is ready to be a father. Plus I know I'll have all the help in the world from you and Jus--sorry." Dez didn't mean to mention his name with all the things going on with them. From what Kristina told her, they were barely on speaking terms, sleeping in separate rooms. She hated to see that happen to two people who were more in love with each other than anyone she had ever known.
"Its ok, but you're right you will." There she was again trying to mask her pain which you could just tell by looking at her. Neither one really knew what to say just sitting there in silence. Mention Justin again? No....talk about the pregnant? Ok that would get a little too much. So Dez just sat there with her hands in her lap waiting for her turn. The sound of the door cracking open got both of their attention. Slowly Krystal walked out holding her arm as if she had been violated.
"Ok Kristina you didn't mention that much blood."
"That much blood?" Dez asked in worry.
"Its not that much, this trick is just scared of the sight of blood."
"So am I."
"Well then you are going to have some fun in there. Later gator."
"But--but--" Dez wouldn't get more to say, Kristina peeled out of the chair and pushed her into the office. She might have not wanted to go home right away but she didn't want to spend her entire day at the hospital babying Dez either.
"So did they tell you when you'll know?"
"A few days."
"have you even taken the at home test?"
"yeah, positive but you know those things never are right."
"Yeah but they get half of the job done right?"
"Yup...so...."
"No we're still not really talking to each other." Krystal hated seeing this. She could still remember the morning Justin and Kristina first met, the first time they kissed (how she couldn't get her to shut up about it) their wedding day, just the happiness they shared and now here they were not even talking to each other. That skinny bitch! It was all her first. If she ever saw her again she'd beat her little ass for messing up her friends relationship. Everything was great for them before she waltzed her ass back through. But that wasn't to say Kristina and Justin were all in the clear. They let her get them that way. Justin for acting ignorant to her advances, for Kristina for letting the shit get as far as it had. Remember how she said if it was her and Lance? I'll let you draw your own conclusion to how that would've turned out but lets just say there'd be a little bit of blood, some cuss words, a paternity test done way ahead of time and a sore fist. Kristina had her cutting, she had her punches. She'd knock a bitch out of need be.
"So what are you two going to do? Are you going to do some counseling or something?"
"He won't even talk to me."
"Are you talking to him?"
"No...."
"Exactly!! You need need to suck up that pride and talk to him. I know he called you a bitch and that hurts. But hello your own mother has called you worse. Ya'll love each other too much to let this shit just fly off like that." Damn it! Ugh Krystal was right once again! Kristina just held her head and laughed. What Krystal needed to do was get a talk show. Hmmm maybe she should get that situated for her. A few meeting with some execs...."Kristina!" she sneered.
"Hmm?" Krystal broke Kristina out from her thoughts.
"Look" Krystal nodded in the opposite direction. "I saw that bitch one day at Starbucks with trick mama."
"Are you serious?! I saw her too with her after we got the paternity test done. They were all hugged up on each other."
"Hugged up?! When I saw them they were talking like something important was going on." Kristina turned back around as sly as she could to get a better look at her.
"Oh my gosh!" she gasped.
"What is it?"
"That's the other bitch that was in the bed that night!!"
"What? Maybe that's the only friend she has or something. You know how hos do. They stick together."
"Yeah yeah but there's something about her that I just can't put my finger on." Kristina looked back at her again. Though she was far from them there was a familiarity in her face she just couldn’t shake. "If I go over to her she's not going to talk to me but I need a better look."
"Are you for certain? I mean what is it?"
"Trust me Krystal if I get a better look at her I'll know."
"Fine....we need a plan." Uh oh, plan and Krystal in one sentence wasn't a good idea. But so far all of them had worked so far, an adventure of some sorts.
"Fine we'll come up with a plan."
"No no deary, you leave that all up to me. You wanna better look at her, we'll get one."
"Krystal are these disguises even necessary?"
"Chuh! I mean you don’t even look like Kristina. That carrot top won’t know what hit her."
"Might I remind you that I have red in my hair too?"
"Yeah but um its not flaming red. Its balanced out with brown so shuttuppayapiehola."
"Ah! Fine." Kristina slid the mod like black sunglasses further up her eyes. "Let’s do this thang." Kristina and Krystal waltzed into the hospital up to the 4th floor when she saw red. Looking all around for her she was nowhere to be found. "Krystal! Maybe this was a bad idea! I can’t see past these dark glasses."
"Will you quit with the whining? Jeez. I think I see her over there" Krystal pointed over in the direction of where Ruby was writing on a chart. "Now what were you saying about doing thangs?"
"Wait what if this doesn’t work? If it doesn’t, your ass is on a platter indubitably." Both headed over to the woman ready to put on their show.
"Sacre bleu! quelle beauté {what beauty!}" Ruby looked on in confusion. What the hell was this chick talking about.
"Muh? If you’re looking for the bathroom…."
"No no, do you know who this woman is?!"
"No, should I?" Ruby asked.
"This is CoCo Arc, famous designer? She’s all the rave in Paris and madam you have captivated her with your beauty."
"Are you kidding?"
"No not at all. Your pale skin is a wonder, you stupid bitch." Krystal had no clue what she said so she had to improvise.
"She uh said that your look is haute couture. You look is all the rage in Milan, Paris and New York."
"Really?" Ruby was shocked. No one ever called her a beauty or thought she was model material.
"s'il vous plaît vous ressemblez à cheval shit" {Please you look like horse shit} Ok Krystal got that last part, did she just call her shit? Krystal rolled her eyes and looked back at Ruby who was still in awe of someone thinking she was beautiful enough to be a model. At least she had the height standing at 5’9. Maybe this could happen. Then she could have the riches of modeling along well along with Justin had to offer.
"What she said was is there anyway would could take your information to IMG?"
"Like the modeling company?"
"Yes, so you have heard of them?"
"Yeah I used to see it on top model all the time."
"Yes…..Top model, Tyra, Heidi, Giselle, Roshuma." Kristina looked over at Krystal with her eyebrow raised.
"Sure! What all do you need?"
"Your name, number and we’re going to take a picture to show the execs."
"Alright" man can you say idiot. Would you give all your vital information to two strangers? One with a horrible fake French accent and another dressed in all black? In 90 degree heat? Didn’t think so. Ruby wrote down everything and handed it over to Krystal before taking two Polaroid pictures.
"Merci madame."
"Yes thank you, we will contact you soon."
"Alright." Krystal and Kristina rushed out of the hospital with glee. How could she be so stupid was beyond them but hey as long as the plan worked then whatever.
"Shake it like a Polaroid picture" Krystal sung.
"We’re gonna get that bitch." As soon as the hot sun beamed down on the two they stripped out of their head gear, scarves and glasses. At least they looked the part right?
"Oh cheah." The cool air from Krystal’s air condition in her car relieved them from the heat that had built up from their attire. Still Kristina couldn’t believe that this had worked.
"Wait till I call Dez and tell her this!" Kristina reached down in her purse to grab her phone when she came across Alesha’s picture. It was the only one she had of her. Together with her sister and little brother she was all smiles. That’s when it hit her. The familiarity of Ruby….Kristina looked back and forth from Ruby’s picture to Alesha’s. "I can’t believe this shit!"
"What what is it?"
"Alesha isn’t Veneska’s daughter! Alesha is Ruby’s daughter."
"Huh? Let me see that." Krystal snatched the pictures from her hand. Examining them along with Kristina the evidence proved true. There before their very own eyes was proof that they two women were right. "And let me guess, that bitch screwed around with those test results."
"Yup" disbelief, utter disbelief that someone would come up with something so conniving and deceitful. The problem? How was she going to get this information to Justin when they weren’t even on speaking terms?
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