Who Do I Run To? (22 page)

“I love you
, Janiece,” K.P. said softly in her ear.

“I love you too,” she
responded.

He pulled her closer and squeezed her tighter. She slowly relaxed and stop
ped worrying about Las Vegas. She decided she’d cross that bridge when she got to it. Right now, she was content to nestle in his arms. Before drifting off to sleep, she wondered how she was going to tell Isaiah the truth. She had a few flashes of his body, his kisses, and his laughter. She liked him, no doubt, but she loved K.P., and that was her choice.

Chapter Twenty
-Five

K.P. woke up to find KJ in bed on the other side of Janiece. He smiled and was so delighted to have his kids and the woman he loved under the same roof. He looked at Janiece sleeping so peacefully with his son next to her lying on her arm. He didn’t wake them because it was still early. Quietly, he arose and went to the bathroom, and when he came out, he was surprised to see Kayla up and sitting on the couch. He went over and sat down beside her, but she didn’t look up at him, she was so wrapped up in the program she was watching on the television.

“Hey
, princess,” he said brushing her hair away from her face.

“Hey
, Daddy,” she said not taking her eyes off the tube.

“How’d you sleep?”

“Okay, I like sleeping in my bed much better, though,” she said still focused on the children’s program she was watching.

“I know
, princess. Daddy didn’t intend for us to stay all night.”

“Daddy
, are you going to marry Ms. Janiece now?”

“Well
, Kayla, I dunno. Janiece and I have a lot to work out first.”

“You don’t love my mommy anymore
, do you?”

“Princess
, I do love your mommy, and I will always love your mom. She’s the reason why I have you and your li’l brother. Things are just different for your mommy and me, and it is a different type of love.”

“How so?” she asked
, and K.P. took a moment to think of how to answer that question.

“Well
, Daddy loves your mommy for being a good person and being your mother. Daddy loves Janiece like wanting to kiss her and hold her hand. It’s kinda complicated, princess, and you are too young to really understand.”

“I understand
, Daddy. You like Janiece like Mommy likes Mr. Rodney, right?”

“Mr.
who?” he questioned.

“Mr. Rodney
. He came over to our house the other day when Kami came over to babysit, and he kissed Mommy before they got in the car.”

“Oh
… Tell me, did he kiss Mommy right in front of you?”

“No, I was watching from my room window
, and I saw him kiss her and touch her bottom. I remember you telling me to never let anyone touch my bottom, Daddy,” she told him, not aware she was telling on her mom.

“That’s right
. No one is allowed to touch your bottom, don’t forget that. Now, when you saw Mr. Rodney kiss Mommy, did he kiss her like Uncle Marc kisses her when he greets her, or did he kiss her like I kiss Mommy?”

“It was like the way you kiss
Mommy when your head goes like this,” she said showing him head moments as she kissed her hand to show him what she saw. K.P. decided to leave it alone and not probe Kayla for any more information.

He went down to his SUV to get the kids
’ overnight bag. He saw a guy looking at him coming down the steps. He nodded and went back upstairs. When he saw him get into the silver 300, he remembered that car being in Janiece’s guest parking stall. Naw, that can’t be him. Must be the chick across the hall’s man, he thought to himself.

He put
Kayla in the tub first since she was up, and then he showered. Janiece and KJ were still sleeping, but he had to wake her because his dresser drawer was empty.

“Jai
, where are my things?” he asked, and she sat up, confused, because he woke her up out of her sleep.

“Huh
?” she said, rubbing her eyes.

“My things
… my boxers, my tanks, socks, and shit,” he said standing next to the chest.

“Um
… before you get mad, let me explain,” she said getting out of the bed. She stood and was trying not to talk loud because KJ was still sleeping. “I was upset, okay? And I didn’t know if we were over or if we’d get back together or what,” she said nervously.

“Okay, but what did you do with my things
, Jai?” he asked, hoping for argument’s sake that she hadn’t done anything foolish like throw them out or burn them. That was behavior he’d expect to get from Kimberly, not his precious Janiece.

“They
’re in the bag in the hall near the front door,” she said, and he walked past her to retrieve the bag. He came back into the room in his towel and just started putting his things back into the drawer. He was smiling, and she was wondering why he was smiling. She thought he’d be pissed, but he wasn’t.

“Why are you smiling?” she asked him.

“I just never pictured you putting my stuff out like trash,” he said in disbelief. He wasn’t mad, though, just surprised.

“It wasn’t like that
, K.P..”

“Yeah
, whatever,” he said and stepped into a pair of boxers. He looked so fine standing there, rubbing lotion on his arms. Janiece wished she wasn’t on her menstrual and KJ was not lying in her bed sleeping. She shook away that imagine of him hitting her from behind and went back to the subject.

“Come on
, K.P., you were not speaking to me at the time, and I didn’t know where we stood. I’m sorry, but I wasn’t going to throw your things out. I would have given them to you.”

“I know you would have
, baby. I’m not mad, okay? I’m not sweating the small stuff,” he said and kissed her on the forehead. He continued putting the rest of his stuff back. Janiece went to the bathroom, and he woke his son up. They all dressed and went out for breakfast. Then they went to the mall and shopped and ended up going to Hollywood Park to let the kids eat pizza again and play games.

They had a blast
, and Janiece enjoyed his kids. They were smart, polite, and funny. They had Janiece cracking up, and she got to thinking about having one of her own one day. K.P. was feeling so good to have Janiece and his kids together; he was no longer afraid to be seen in public with her, and he was glad that everything was finally out in the open. They held hands, kissed, and did all the things that were never before possible to do in Chicago.

They got back to Janiece’s condo around six
, and when they were coming up the steps, Isaiah was coming down. Isaiah and Janiece didn’t speak, but their eyes locked as K.P. unlocked the door. Isaiah shook his head, and she turned away from him. He didn’t understand what she and K.P. had, and he didn’t understand how much she loved K.P.. She knew she should not have started messing around with him. She wished she hadn’t gotten involved with him at all.

She was wrong, but she was curious
about where he was going smelling and looking as good as he did. She couldn’t help but wonder if he was going to be with another woman or what he had going on that Sunday night.

They got inside
, and she tried to shake the thoughts of Isaiah because she didn’t want K.P. to detect that anything was wrong.

K.P.
tried calling Kimberly so he could take the kids home, but she wasn’t answering. He tried her cell phone, and she didn’t answer it either. He gave it a few more minutes, and then called again. After what seemed to him like tenth attempt, she finally picked up and gave much attitude.

“Damn
, K.P., why are you blowing up my phone?”

“Kimberly
, ain’t nobody blowing up your phone. I’m trying to bring the kids home. Where are you?”

“Where I am is none of your business
. What time you want to bring the kids?”

“Well
, considering the fact that it’s a school night, Kimberly, I was thinking now, so they don’t go to bed too late.”

“Again
, Kerry, what time do you want me to be home,” she snapped. He hated her ass, and he wanted to ask her if she was with Mr. Rodney, but he didn’t go there.

“In
thirty minutes,” he said and hung up. He knew she would have started another argument, and he wasn’t in the mood to go there with her. He had had a wonderful day with his woman and kids, and he didn’t want to ruin his mood.

“Hey
, baby, come ride with me to take my kids home,” he said, and Janiece’s mouth almost hit the floor.

“Are you crazy or high?”

“Neither,” he answered looking at her like, what’s the problem?

“Then why do you think it’s a good idea to ride with you to your house?”

“Because she has her man picking her up from the house to go on dates, so I can bring my woman to the house with me to take my kids home.”

“How you know she has guys coming over to the house
, K.P.?”

“
Kayla told me.”

“
K.P., you got your kids spying on their mom for you and telling their mom’s business?”
“No, I didn’t asked her, nor do I have them reporting to me what happens at the house. She told me on her own about some cat named Rodney kissing her mom and groping her in the driveway. True, that is her business, but you are my business, and she can’t tell me who I can and cannot bring with me. You’ll have to be around Kimberly sooner or later.”

“Well
, I’d prefer later, after your divorce.”

“Oh
, so you’re scared of Kimberly now? She has control on what you do?”

“
K.P., you know damn well I’m not afraid of her. I just think it’s not a good idea for me to go to her house. That causes problems for you, me, and the kids. Come on, K.P., use your head,” she said trying to make sense about the situation, but he was adamant about taking her with him.

“Look
, Jai, I’m not going to put myself, you, or my kids in any bad situations, okay? I know how to handle Kimberly. You have nothing to worry about. I want you to ride with me,” he said, and she finally agreed to go. The idea of her going to that woman’s house was very bad, but she did what he asked her to do.

“Okay
, K.P., come on, let’s go, but I’m telling you that this is a bad idea.”

They got in the Escalade and headed out to Kimberly’s house. Janiece was a little nervous, but
K.P. held her hand to assure her that everything was going to be fine. He pulled into the front of the garage, but he didn’t park inside. He just went through the garage door and Janiece stayed in the truck. He left the truck running with the lights on, and she told him to hurry, because she had a bad feeling about being there.

She was on
Kimberly’s property, and Janiece knew that she had a right to kill any unauthorized persons that came on her property, and she didn’t want any shit to go down. It seemed like K.P. was taking forever to come out. She sat there and peered at the little door over to the left that he went into wishing he’d hurry. She was relieved to see him come out and before she knew it, “‘Crazy’” came rushing out of the house behind him.

She was yelling and screaming as she ran up to the truck. “Oh shit,” Janiece said out loud. I knew this crazy bitch was gon’ act up
; I told K.P., were her thoughts. When she saw Kimberly approaching her side she froze. She wasn’t anything like she expected. Kimberly was a small woman with a big roar.

“Get out
, you bitch!” she yelled coming closer to Janiece’s side. Janiece sat up straight, and she couldn’t react fast enough to stop Kimberly from snatching her door open. She was yelling at the top of her lungs, telling Janiece to get out of the truck. Janiece was too busy trying to position herself for defense and before she could block, she felt a sting on the left side of her face when Kimberly slapped the shit out of her. She hit her so hard Janiece’s eyes watered. Janiece blinked to focus, and K.P. was pulling Kimberly away.

“Aw
, naw, K.P., let her ass go!” Janiece yelled after she undid her seat belt and jumped out of the truck. Kimberly was struggling trying to break free from K.P.’s strong hold. Janiece was two feet away from her, and she told K.P. to let her go.

“No
, Janiece, get back in the truck!” K.P. snapped.

“No
, K.P., that li’l bitch hit me, and if she bad enough to put her hands on me, she bad enough to get her little ass whipped!” Janiece yelled. She was mad as hell.

“Jai
, baby, get back into the truck,” K.P. pleaded.

“No
, K.P., let that bitch loose,” Janiece shouted as Kimberly was trying to break free all the while yelling and talking shit while she struggled.

“Kerry
, let me go,” Kimberly screamed.

“I will not let you go. Jai
, get back in the truck,” he instructed her again.

“Kerry
, let me go,” Kimberly demanded while she squirmed, but she couldn’t break free.

“Jai,” he said looking at her with pleading eyes.

“Let her go, K.P.!” Janiece told him again.

“Yeah
, let me go so I can fuck that bitch up,” Kimberly spat, but K.P. would not release her, and Janiece just stood there waiting for him to do so. Kimberly continued to try to break free, but it was useless. Janiece knew K.P. was not going to let her go, and he was looking at her with pleading eyes so she finally turned to get back in the truck.