Kiss From A Stranger Read online

  “I’m Jaheem, and this is my wife.”

  “Yeah, I’ve heard a lot about you.”

  “I hope it was all good.”

  “Actually, it wasn’t. But baby, since you wanted to see the kids and not these two, you have nothing to say to them. Nice meeting you all, but we have things to do,” DeShaun said as he put his arm around Egypt’s waist and they walked off.

  Egypt walked with him and looked over her shoulder for the boys.

  “Don’t look back. He’s not going to have them where you can talk to them. He just wants to hurt you,” DeShaun informed her.

  Deep inside she knew that he was right, even though she didn’t want it to be true.

  (I STOPPED EDITING HERE.)

  “Although I know you don’t want to continue with the lunch date, I still would like to, we can just sit in silence or you can talk; we can do whatever you like, I just don’t want you to be alone right now.”

  “You don’t want me to be alone? We can do whatever I want; take me to your apartment, get me away from all this.”

  As we stepped inside his condo, I knew that it was wrong; I could tell from the way he looked at me that it was wrong, but I didn’t care, something was pulling me inside. As expected, his condo was decked out like a normal bachelor’s pad would be. We talked about everything, but mostly about nothing.

  “So tell me, how did you get to this point with your ex?”

  “I don’t think you want to hear about me and my ex; plus I didn’t come over here to talk about him, I just wanted to chill.”

  “I am a really good listener and if you are going to be my woman, I have to know everything about you. I know some of it, know tell me the rest.”

  “I am not your woman, for if I were, all of this would have a woman’s touch, and I said smiling, but thanks for taking my mind off of everything for a while. I need another favor from you, is there any way you can drop me off at home?”

  “I have a favor for you. I will take you home, but I have to meet your family,” he said smiling.

  I thought about it but I had no other choice, refused to walk I however many miles needed to catch the bus to make it home. I knew my mom would jump to conclusions and my dad would be asking a million and one questions, but if that what it took; then whatever, I would let them think whatever they wanted to; I knew the truth, which was I didn’t know what was going on with him and I, but I was fascinated on what could become.

  As we drove through the city streets, I sat quietly looking out the window. “What are you thinking about over there,” he asked me.

  “Nothing, I’m okay; you’re going to make the next turn here on the right.” We pulled up into the yard and he exited the car, walked around to my side of the car and opened my door. The palms of my hands were sweaty, as I placed the key inside the keyhole and unlocked the door.

  “Egypt, is that you,” my mother called out from the kitchen. I don’t know why she did that, I’m the only one it could be.

  “Yeah mom it’s me, come here I have someone I would like for you to meet. Minutes later she walked into the living room wiping her hands on her apron. Mom, dad this is DeShaun; DeShaun, this is my mom and dad, Mr. and Mrs. Doss.”

  “Hello Mr. and Mrs. Doss, he said shaking both of their hands. It’s nice to meet you.”

  “Egypt, you should have told me we were having company for dinner, I would have made more.”

  I knew she was going to do this. I knew she was going to try to get him to stay. I stood there shaking my head, “Mom he is not going to stay, he has to leave out on business and I am pretty sure he wants to get home to get some rest.” My dad sat in silence, like he always did, “Come around here and take a seat DeShaun. How do you know my Egypt?”

  “Well sir, I am a manager at a couple of the stores in which she works. We ran into each other a couple of times and she needed a ride home today and I volunteered.”

  “What are you trying to get out of my daughter? Do you know what she’s been through? Don’t let the age fool you, if my baby gets hurt once more by anyone, I will take care of it”

  “Awl sit down you old coot, what are you going to do; have you looked at that man?”

  “You hush; don’t you have something in the kitchen to do?”

  At that moment, if I had a shell I would hide in it and never come out. I looked at DeShaun, expecting him to burst into laughter, but instead he stood there. “Well, it was nice meeting the both of you Mr. and Mrs. Doss, but I must be going, as Egypt said, I will be leaving out on an early flight tomorrow.”

  “I’ll walk you out,” I said hoping that mom wouldn’t say what I knew she was going to say.

  “Are you sure you don’t want to stay for dinner? We’re having pot roast, potatoes, and carrots and my homemade cornbread, and for dessert, we’re having apple pie ale mode; I’m sure you are tired of takeout; it will be plenty left over. I’m not taking no for an answer, Egypt come help me get things ready for your guest.”

  As I followed mom into the kitchen, I could hear dad asking, “You like football; what team do you like?”

  “No sir, I travel too much right now to have one permanent team; plus I don’t know that much about the sport. Now if we were talking basketball, I’d have to say that I am a Cavs fan all the way.”

  “Oh so you’re one of those,” my dad said. I knew right then and there it was going to be a long night. DeShaun made all the right moves that night impressing my parents’. “Thanks again for dinner, but I must be leaving, I do have a flight for tomorrow and I do need my rest. It was a pleasure meeting the both of you,” he said shaking the both of their hands.

  “Come back anytime you get ready, just let me know and I’ll have dinner ready for you when you touch down, and make sure you have a football team when you come back,” my dad replied.

  “Yes sir, I sure will and I most definitely will,” he said to my mother as I walked him out the door.

  “I’m sorry about this, I said as we stepped outside.”

  “Sorry about what? I had fun and I got to spend time with you.”

  He leaned in to kiss me and I pulled away, “I’m sorry, right now I just can’t; I hope you understand.”

  “Don’t do that, you know I understand, just know that you have my number and while I’m away, you can call me whenever. Since I’ve met your parents is it okay for me to have your number now,” he said handing me his phone.

  I stood and watched as he drove away, knowing that I would not see him again for two months, sixty days; wondering why I didn’t let him kiss me.

  CHAPTER 8

  I walked into the house met with more questions and no answers. Tired but headed to my room to finally put an ending on my past.

  While I was taking care of home, an active baby with another on the way, Jaheem was taking care of the nurse he had working with him; or so I thought, I was pregnant and in my feelings, which meant I took everything out on him. I know he loved me, I know he loved his son, just like I knew he loved the thought of another child, but I had gained more weight with this child than I had with JaCori and the thought of him not finding me sexy left me feeling insecure.

  I had to say that he was trying to do his best, but there were “those times,” when a different side of him began to show and I couldn’t quit put my hand on it until later. On the month I went into later, I called Jaheem from the hospital. As usual he rushed to be by my side, holding my hand, telling me that I could push through the pain; and our second son, JaCobi was born into the world. The looked in his eyes was the same look I had seen in JaCori’s, and it made me fall deeper than ever in love with him.

  Skipping five months later, I still hadn’t returned to work, everything we owned was still in his name, the boys’ JaCobi was getting to that age where he was getting into everything and JaCori was almost in his terrible two’s. I needed the help of my husband, but I understood what he had to do. We had our good times like the mornings he would come down and I’d be in the kitch
en cooking breakfast with Ja’Cobi in his high chair and Ja’Cori playing over his food. He would come down and kiss the boys’ on the head, and jokingly say,”Ummmm… yes girl, bend it over just a lil’ bit more. “Then I would say to him,

  “You might wanna change your mind; remember that’s how we got these two.”

  “Yeah, but you have to admit that we had to have some good night making them,” he said as he slapped me on the butt. I see they are having sticky fingers, faces, and hair for breakfast.”

  “Yeah, they’re not eating their French toast; their French toast is eating them. He walked up behind me and kissed me on my neck. “Mr. Banks, don’t start anything you can’t finish.” After all of those years together, all of our ups and downs; being in his arms, the kiss of his lips, his caressing touch, still felt like it did when we first met.”

  “Jaheem laughed saying that he could pull off something if he worked hard enough.”

  “No sir, I will not be your quickie today; I turned around and kissed him, straightening his tie, “you’re looking all sexy today. Are you going to be home in time for dinner tonight?” Oh, I guess I failed to mention that he had gotten his own office and guess who had followed him…yeah, Miss. Candice. I wasn’t worried about her because things at home were so perfect between us; although I guess I should have been.

  My man was giving me and our boys’ everything we could ever ask for, the house, the cars, the furs, I had it all. He fucked me like anything I could ever imagine. Even when he had to work over, he called me, let me know and made sure he would awaken me when he did get home. That was his routine, coming home, taking his shower, and having me for dinner.

  “Mrs. Banks, I’m hungry,” he would say as he began kissing the nap of my neck, running his tongue down my spine.

  I would try to turn over but he kept his hand in my back gently biting me on each of my ass cheeks. I would inhale, because he know it did something to me. He would then go under the cover and separate my legs, slowly kissing me on the inside of both of my legs. He would then spread my legs open wider, and lick my pussy, tasting the juices that had begun streaming, darting his tongue in and out, sucking on me; as I tried to find anything to hold on to. When that man dicked me down, there were plenty of nights that I had to bite into the pillows, just so we wouldn’t wake up the kids.

  After our love making, we would lay in each other’s arms, with shaky legs, I would retreat to the bathroom to clean up, and start round two if possible; after which falling asleep in each other’s arms.

  So we had this perfect relationship; you’re what the problem was huh? Remember when I said he was over everything? The mail came and I took a look at our bank statements and as sat there looking, I realized that what I was looking at was not the same as what was coming into our home. I couldn’t understand what was going on, and I made the mistake of asking him about it when he got home that night.

  “Why in the hell are you checking on what’s going on this house? You have your car, you have your house; the furs? I’m keeping you happy right? So sit your stupid ass down somewhere.”

  Okay, that shit wasn’t going to happen. He wasn’t going to talk to me any type of way; not a black woman anyway, you know what I did, I went into the other room, and listened as the front door opened and closed behind him. I sat up and waited on this man, and he didn’t come home that night, the night before or any night that week. He wasn’t returning any of my calls, and it wasn’t like before when I could just pack up and go to his office like she did when it was just me and Ja’Cobi. So I sat and waited and took care of the kids until he came home.

  Two weeks later he came into the house, Ja’Cobi excitedly ran to him, Ja’Cori in tow crawling. He gave me a dozen roses; kissed me on the side of the face, and asked me what was for dinner as if nothing was wrong. Shit was getting worse in the Bank’s house; but I had no idea how worse it was going to get. I went through his phone, yeah I knew his password, I mean you would think that he would have changed his password, and found what I already knew I would; texts between him and that bitch, that slut, Candace; the one that was supposed to be married, the one who I didn’t have to worry about; but she was fucking my husband. I saw texts asking “When was he going to be home, when he was going to tell me, she was tired of him playing her, he has a family to take care of.” When I saw that, I snapped; I mean it was something in my mind that just snapped.

  I grabbed a knife out of the kitchen drawer, climbed those stairs and flung open the door. He stood there in shock watching me come through. I went towards him, I was going to kill him. I grabbed his straight razor off of the sink, and before he had a chance to say anything; “Bitch, you are fucking this chic? Out of everything we’ve been through, you are fucking this chic? You have an entire life over there Jaheem? A baby Jaheem, what in the fuck were you thinking?”

  What I felt next was something that I had never in my life felt before. That muthafucka hit me so hard, stunned the shit outta me, which scraped his neck; which caused only a little blood, but then the only heightened the rage I had against him. I took that knife and stabbed him, all I could hear was “this bitch just cut me,” and him running bloody had prints going down the wall. Some kind of way, he gets the phone, calls the police, but I haven’t gotten over the fact that he had just called me a bitch and I’m still cutting. This bitch, calls the police and because they see the blood running down his neck when they get there; yeah you get it, I am arrested. I couldn’t believe it, when the police got to the house I was still there screaming, holding the blade.

  I could see the lights, the door was kicked open, and I was told to drop the weapon, and I looked at them like “bitch what fucking weapon” but they were referring to the blade that I had in my hand. I was told to get down on my knees, hands behind my head, all the while my kids were looking. Jaheem stood looking at me with this kind of smirk on his face like he had me and in a way he did. I found myself sitting in that damn cell thinking that he would come and bail me out. I called with and got no response, I thought that maybe, just maybe he was on his way to come and get me, but he didn’t. I spent the night there, balled up on one of the cots until the next morning. In the end, I found out that I had stabbed him three centimeters from his heart, and if he hadn’t been gotten to in time, he actually would have died.

  I got a bails bondsman and got myself out. I walked into the house to see my bags in front of the door, my husband shielding my boys’ from me, and Candace walking down the stairwell in my damn house. I watched as he handed the boys’; to my crying boys’ and she lead them up the stairs, stopping to look at me smiling. I asked him what the fuck was going on and why that bitch was in my house and he had the nerve to tell me that since I had attacked him, I could not live there; that he did not trust me around the kids because I was dangerous and there was no telling what I would do. I was also told that I had a check in my back that would be suitable enough in buying me an apartment and paying for my rent for a couple of months until I got me a job, but from that day forward, I no longer lived there.

  That day was the hardest day of my life; I felt as if I were going to die. I couldn’t fight for my kids, I was broke; dead broke, so I called Constance; told her what was going on and she took me in. She tried to get me in the office where she worked but too many memories flooded my mind and I just couldn’t. I laid around the house in a daze with the thoughts of killing myself on my mind, and it became worse when I got the certified mail at the door one day. Jaheem was filing for divorce and full custody of the kids; until then I had one day of supervised visitation. Each day I saw them hurt me more when I had to leave, knowing that I had done some shit that put me in the predicament where I would never see my babies again.

  Of course when we went to court, things went exactly how Constance said it would, and she was there with me, and that’s how I got introduced to the rest of the girl’s. They were my support system, and I will be forever grateful. Okay, you think the story is over right; far from o
ver.

  CHAPTER 9

  There would be times when I had my supervised visitation. He would meet at his other house and it started with me playing with the kids until they would fall asleep. Then it was just us; the both of us up talking and laughing like we used to. I should have walked away and left it at that, but he would tell me that he and Candace wasn’t working out like he thought they would. I mean I couldn’t help but listen; it was something about him that kept me hanging on his every word. So I was all like “I’m getting my family back, everything is going to work out between us. I know I shouldn’t have but it was just something about him that kept me holding on to every word he told me.

  One thing led to another and everything was back to normal. He was holding me, he was kissing me, and I was loving it; he was loving me. I let him take me, I let him make love to me; to fuck me, I wanted things to me like they used to be; with him drumming his dick deep inside of me. The way I arched my back when he ran his fingers over my body. The way I moaned, and ran my fingers through his hair when he tasted me. The way he pounded his dick in me when I rode his dick; the way he grabbed my hair and pinched my breasts when he began to cum. We would lay in each other’s arms, quickly dress and wait for the kids to awaken, and he left; waiting for the next time I saw them. This went on like this for months. We would even meet without the kids when she was asleep and he would leave me in the mornings before she would realize he was gone. The entire time, in my mind I’m thinking that we were getting back together, until our court date came. Constance and the girls’ went with me, and it was over. I left up out of there with nothing my sons, my husband, was now my ex-husband and I had lost everything. I was already going through some shit and it made it no better that his superficial bitch kept throwing shade; when I tell you I went across that muthafuckin bench, I could have killed her and I didn’t give a fuck that saw it; but I should have. The only thing I had forward to looking forward to was hoping to get my kids back; which was coming up in the next three months.