Who Do I Run To? (29 page)

Chapter Thirty
-Seven

“You’ve got to help me,” Kimberly told Rodney, but he still refused her. She wanted him to assist in doing something bad to Janiece, and he wasn’t going for that. He was too classy to even think of something so repugnant. He just looked at her as if she had lost her mind, and she knew she had to get someone from around the way to do the job for her.

She played it off and told Rodney she was only joking and she would never stoop to such
a level for anyone, and she laughed it off. She enjoyed her apple martinis with him and let him devour her body again. She felt like a love goddess when she was with him and wondered why she even had any type of sexual attraction to K.P., because the truth is, he didn’t come close to Rodney.

The way he put it on her made her glad at times that she didn’t have to get up in the middle of the night to creep home. She loved the single life and now that everyone knew that she was separated
and on the threshold of divorce, her whole lifestyle had changed.

Of course
, she lied to everyone about the reason K.P. had left her. She never let a soul besides Rodney know that her husband had fallen in love with a low-class, dick-sucking, evil bitch. No way. She was too embarrassed to let her country club friends know something like that, so she told them that he wanted to relocate and she refused to move.

She dared anyone to challenge her explanation about their breakup. There were rumors
, of course, but no one was brave enough to say it to Kimberly’s face. Even though she was a pint-sized woman, most women were intimated by her, but not Janiece and that pissed her off more.

No one ha
d ever stood up to her before, and after she took a punch in the nose from Janiece, she knew she would have to get somebody to handle the bitch for her.

She
, of course, called Chelsea, and, of course, Chelsea, being the hot thang she was, had had a couple of roughnecks in her life. The kind Kimberly refused to let come within five feet of her. She knew Chelsea could get her to someone that knew someone who wouldn’t mind beating a bitch to the floor for some quick dough.

After a few calls, Kimberly had found her man. A dude that was down on his luck that she told she’d pay five grand to
him if he just roughed Janiece up. All she had to do was come up with the when and where. Now that posed a problem because she knew K.P. was in town and for the most part, she thought K.P. would be with Janiece since she no longer had a car.

So she told the guy she’d be in touch. She walked around numb and coldhearted and didn’t feel one ounce of sympathy for Janiece. If she could hire someone to kill her
, she would have, but she definitely couldn’t afford for a murder to come back on her, so she settled for a beat down.

Chapter Thirty
-Eight

Janiece tried and tried to get a hold of Isaiah, but he wasn’t answering her calls. She finally went across the hall, but he wasn’t there, Iyeshia told her. She asked her if she knew when he’d be back, but Iyeshia said she had no idea. Janiece was frustrated and angry, but she smiled and told Iyeshia to just ask him to call her.

She went back inside and sat on the sofa and turned on the tube
, watching it until she dozed off. When she woke up, it was after ten, and she was disappointed to see that Isaiah hadn’t attempted to call. She went into the kitchen to get something to drink and heard voices outside her door.

Janiece
pulled the curtain back. It was Isaiah and a guy talking. She closed the curtain quickly and ran to wash her face and brush her teeth. She wanted so desperately to talk to him so she was going to ask him if he could step in for a moment. As she opened the door, he looked at her and so did his friend.

“Hi,” she said and both Isaiah and his friend said hello. “Isaiah
, when you’re done, do you have a moment?” she asked nervously.

“Naw, me and my boy
’bout to roll out.”

“Okay
, well, when you get back then?” she asked, sounding pitiful. She wanted to talk to him, and she knew he was leaving soon.

“I
… I … don’t know. It’ll probably be late,” he said, not even looking at her.

“Isaiah
, look at me,” she pleaded. He hesitated before turning in her direction. “Listen, I made a mistake, okay? And I’m so sorry. I need to talk to you,” she said, and his friend looked at him like, Do you need to handle this?

“Quentin
, man, can you give me a sec? I’ll be right down.”

“Sure
, man, I’ll be in the truck,” he replied and went down the steps.

“Janiece
, I have to be honest with you, and please don’t take this the wrong way. I don’t think that we need to talk anymore, so no, I can’t come by tonight or any other night,” he said being honest.

“Isaiah
…, you can’t mean that. You can’t just cut me off like that.”

“I’m not trying to just cut you off
, and, yes, I do mean that we can’t see each other anymore. Last night, you made me realize that no matter what I do, I’m not the guy. You want him so much, Janiece, so why don’t you just take dude up on his offer and move to Vegas? I mean, that’s what you really want.”

“No
, Isaiah, no, that’s not true,” Janiece said stepping out on the porch with no coat on, and it was cold as hell. “Come on, we got to talk. I need you.”

“No
, you don’t, and I can’t keep holding on hoping you’ll cut this cat loose. I want what’s best for you, Janiece, believe me I do, but I know what’s best for me.”

“Isaiah
, no, you’re what’s best for me. I made a mistake, okay? I was stupid, but that will never happen again. I’m done with K.P.. I’m not going anywhere. I want to be here, with you. I want to wait right here for you to come home,” she said walking closer to him. She wanted him to hold her, but he just walked off.

“Listen
, Janiece, I gotta go. Take care,” he said and walked down the steps.

“Isaiah
… Isaiah … Isaiah, don’t do this!” she yelled after him. He didn’t turn around. He just proceeded to his friend’s truck and got into the passenger side. Janiece stood there in the cold and watched the Denali drive off. She was numb from the cold, but she couldn’t move.

The tears were warm rolling down her che
eks, so she finally went inside. She was hurting, and she didn’t understand how she had let this happen. Why did she have to confront K.P. last night? Why did she have to go and do that? She wished she could take it back because she was in love with Isaiah, and now she had lost him too and didn’t know how she was going to get him back.

He didn’t want to even talk to her, like it was just nothing for him to walk on by
—like he didn’t give a damn. She gave up trying to figure it all out; she crawled into bed and cried herself the sleep.

Chapter Thirty
-Nine

“Jai, baby, come on. I’m sorry,” K.P. said, and she just looked at him. After four days, he finally showed up to her condo to talk.

“
K.P., you can save your apologies and your words. There’s nothing left for you to say to me, and there’s nothing left for me to say to you. It’s over, and I want to be done with you, your wife, and this drama.”

“Jai
, come on, you know I love you and I don’t want to be with Shawnee. She kept calling me, I swear, and I finally gave in to her because she said she had these tickets. Since you and I had a falling out, Jai, I went, and that was that. You know damn well I don’t want that woman.”

“Well
, K.P., the way you were all up on her the other night and the way you looked at me like get the fuck out of my face was enough for me to know that I’m not important to you. So just get your shit and go. I don’t want you, K.P.. I’m over you and this relationship, and you can fuck Shawnee, Kimberly, or whomever else you choose to. I don’t care,” she said and walked away, and he was right behind her.

“Jai
, you don’t mean that, baby. I know you don’t. And come to think of it, you were out with that cat Isaiah anyway, so what was that, huh?”

“It was none of your damn business. I don’t have to explain anything to you about my personal life
, K.P.. I should have let you go a long time ago, and now, I may have messed things up with Isaiah trying to hold on to you,” she said and went into the kitchen.

“Because you still love me,” he said walking up and grabbing her from behind.

“K.P., you know what? Truth is, I don’t. I don’t love you anymore. I stopped loving you the day I met Isaiah. I have been walking around here lying to myself, and the truth is I love Isaiah,” she said, and he backed up.

“You what? You gon’ stand here in my face and tell me that bullshit
!” he yelled.

“It’s not bullshit. It
’s the truth. So I’m telling you again, K.P., get your things and get outta of my life. I don’t ever want to see you again. I held on and held up my life for too long for you, and now it’s my time to be honest with myself and you. I don’t love you anymore, K.P., and I never thought it would be this easy to say it, but I love Isaiah, and he deserves all of me.

“I see now exactly what he meant, because I was doing to him exactly what I let you do to me. And like me
, he deserves better. I wish you well, now see your way out,” she said and walked away. Janiece went into the living room and sat on the sofa and waited to hear the door shut.

K.P.
was so outdone with Janiece he didn’t argue; he grabbed the black velvet ring box from the counter and got his things and left. He walked down the steps heartbroken because he’d lost. He lost his family and the woman he loved. He hated Shawnee for putting all that bullshit about Janiece in his ear. She had schemed and talked about Janiece so badly, he actually had a dumb moment and believed her. That is how he ended up going out with her.

He didn’t like her because she was a fake
, and after they left the club, he took her ass home and dropped her off and was sure to tell her to never call him again. After that, he chilled out and hung out with his kids. He knew he was leaving, and he knew he had time to work on his relationship with Janiece, but now he knew that he was wrong.

He loaded his rental trunk and pulled out of the parking space
, and as he was pulling out, Isaiah was pulling in. K.P. wanted to get out and knock his ass out, but he decided it wasn’t worth it. Although he was hurt and upset, he sincerely loved Janiece, and he wanted her to be happy, and it was hard for him, but truth is, if it was with Isaiah, then that’s what he wanted.

Chapter Forty

“So what are you gonna do now?” Janelle asked Janiece after putting her plate into the dishwasher. After
K.P. had gone, Janiece called her to come over to help her work on getting Isaiah back.

“I don’t know
, sissy. He doesn’t trust me, and I don’t blame him, you know?”

“Yeah
, you shouldn’t have showed your ass the other night getting all crazy with K.P.,” Janelle said with a sad smile.

“Yea
, I know.”

“It
’ll be all right, kiddo, don’t worry,” Janelle said and got up. “Well, I’m going to be heading home. You know, once I eat, me and the baby want to go to sleep.”

“Al
l right, now I told you to slow it down. You my size now with all those hips,” Janiece said looking at Janelle. Since she was pregnant and put on some weight, they looked more alike.

“I know
, girl, but I kinda like it. I hope I keep some of these hips after this baby. I betcha I’ll look better in my jeans.”

“I know that’s right,” Janiece said and got up. “Let me walk you down.”

“Chile, please, it’s freezing outside. I’ll be okay. I’ll call you when I get to the house.”

“Are you sure?”

“Chile, yes. I parked in your parking stall anyway. It ain’t like you got a car.”

“I know
, but I’ll get one soon. K.P. was generous enough to write me a check for my down payment. He knew his crazy wife destroyed my car.”

“Yes
, we all knew, but that’s good he at least helped you out.”

“Yeah
, he was nice about things like that, but, oh well, right?”

“Yes
, you can say that again,” Janelle said and opened the door.

“I love you
, sis. Call me soon as you get home.”

“I will
, and I love you too. And, Jai, I’m proud of you, and I hope Isaiah comes around,” she said, and they hugged.

“Me too,”
Janiece said, and they exchanged smiles. Janiece watched her sister go down the steps but closed the door quickly because it was bitterly cold and windy. She ran into the bathroom to tinkle.

When Janelle got to her car she dug in her purse for her keys. The wind was blowing so hard
, and she wished she had taken them out upstairs like she normally did.

“Excuse
, ma’am,” a man said walking up to her out of nowhere.

“Yes,” she said trying to see him clearly.

“Would you happen to know how to get to …” he said getting closer, then suddenly, Janelle felt a blow to her face. The punch was so hard it knocked her pregnant body onto the pavement. She tried to focus and reach out, but she was in a daze. He hit her again … and again.

“Please
… please … I’m pregnant …” she tried to say, then she felt another cruel blow and she was unconscious. The guy stood over her and kicked her two times. She didn’t move. He bent over to get her purse, but he suddenly heard a man’s voice from behind him.

“Hey
! What are you doing!” Isaiah yelled. The guy jumped up and took off running. As Isaiah got closer, he saw a woman lying on the ground. He rushed over to her. Her face was bloody and she was not responding. He thought for a second it was Janiece, but he couldn’t tell because her face was so messed up. He reached in his pocket to get his cell phone, and then he saw someone pull off quickly. He looked and realized it was K.P.’s wife’s jag that pulled away just moments after the guy ran off.

He called 911
, and then he called Janiece. She ran down the steps and lost it when she saw her sister lying there beaten so badly. She started screaming and shaking her to wake her up.

“Please … Nellie, wake up … please … please— just wake up, baby.
Please, everything’s, okay … You just gotta open your eyes for me, sissy … come on now,” she said crying and holding her sister closely. Isaiah tried to comfort her and calm her until the ambulance got there, but she was too hysterical.

“No
, Isaiah! She’s all I got. My parents are gone, and Nellie is all I got,” she cried holding her. “Wake up, sissy, please wake up,” Janiece said. “My sister is pregnant … Isaiah, and who … would do this … she’s having a baby …” she said crying hysterically. By now, the ambulance finally pulled up.

“Janiece
, baby, come on. You gotta move so the medics can take care of her,” Isaiah said, trying to get Janiece to let go, but she was holding on to Janelle too tightly.

“Janiece
, come on, baby, they can’t help her. Come on. You have to let her go so they can help her, baby … come on,” he urged, and Janiece finally let go. The medics checked her vitals. She was alive. The lifted her onto the gurney, put her in the back of the ambulance, and got to work.

They told Janiece what hospital they were taking her to and told her she could follow.

“I don’t have a car, how … sir, I don’t have a car,” she said hysterically.

“Don’t worry
, sir, we’ll be right behind you,” Isaiah said, and the guy jumped into the truck and they left. Janiece was crying and shaking. Isaiah hugged her tightly. “Baby, come on, relax. They’re going to take care of her. Shhh … come on, baby, calm down, okay? She’s gonna be fine. We have to go to the hospital.”

“
Isaiah how did this happen to my sister? I told her I’d walked her down; my sister never goes without me walking her down, Isaiah. It’s my fault. If I hadda walked her down, none of this would have happened,” she said crying.

“Baby
, it’s not your fault now, come on, let’s get her things,” he said picking up her purse and hat off the ground.

“I need my purse
, Isaiah, and my cell phone. I have to call Greg.”

“I’ll get it. Come on
, get in the car, and I’ll go up and get it,” he said and put Janiece into his car. He ran up and got her purse, her keys, and her cell phone. He went into her closet and grabbed her coat too, because she came down without one on. On his way back down, he couldn’t help but think about the Jag. He knew that woman had something to do with it, but he wanted to make sure Janelle was okay before he said anything.

When they got to the emergency room
, they were told to wait. Janiece explained to them that her sister was pregnant, and they told her to just sit tight. As soon as the doctor was done he’d come for her. Shortly after that, Greg walked in and Janiece ran into his arms.

“Somebody attacked her
, Greg; some evil person attacked my sissy,” she cried, and Greg was in tears.

“What did the doctor say? Is she al
l right? Is my wife okay? How’s my baby?” he asked frantically.

“I don’t know
, Greg. The doctor hasn’t told me anything yet. It’s my fault. I shoulda walked her down.”

“Shhh, it’s not your fault. Don’t go blaming yourself.”

“She has to be okay. I can’t lose my sister, Greg.”

“Shhh, don’t think like that
. She’s gonna be fine,” he said reassuringly, and Janiece calmed down a little. Isaiah was right there holding her and comforting her, and she was so glad he was there.

They waited for what seemed like hours
, and finally, the doctor came out.

“Well
, we have good news. She is going to be fine. The babies are okay. She didn’t suffer any injuries to her abdominal area; she’s just bruised up pretty bad. The swelling is going to take a few days to go down, but your wife is one of the lucky ones,” he told Greg.

“When can I see her?”

“In a little while. She’s being admitted, and then you and your family can see her. She’s not going to be alert, though, and she is going to need plenty of rest.”

“Doctor
, I’m sorry, but did you say the babies are fine?”

“Yes, I thought you knew
. It looks like a boy and a girl, and they are fine,” he said and Greg and Janiece were surprised. No wonder she was getting so big in such a little time. That explained it.

They sat
down, and Janiece was relieved to know her sister was going to be okay. She sat with Isaiah, still shaken, but relieved. She let Greg go in first, and she told Isaiah he could go if he wanted to and that she’d get a ride from her brother-in-law.

“No
, I’ll stay. I wanna make sure you’re okay and you get home safe tonight.”

“Thank you, but I’ll be fine. Greg will
take me home.”

“No
, Janiece, I wanna stay. The horrifying thing is, when I came up the steps from the laundry room and saw that guy over your sister, I didn’t know what to think. And when he ran and I came around the car and saw Janelle lying on the ground, I thought it was you, and I thought I had lost you. It scared me so bad, Janiece, but when I looked closer, really looked, I realized it wasn’t you. I was so relieved, but then I remembered meeting Janelle that night we went on our first date, so that’s when I called 911.”

“I thank God that you came when you did, because whoever it was could have hurt her wors
e.”

“You know something
, Janiece? I didn’t want to say anything earlier, but I think I know who’s behind this.”

“What? What are you talking about? You know who did this and you didn’t say anything?”

“Listen, I know you were in no state of mind to be talking about that. I just wanted to make sure Janelle was okay first, baby. Believe me, I was more concerned about that and you than anything.”

“Okay
, then, who, who would want to hurt Janelle?”

“It wasn’t Janelle they were trying to get; I believe they were trying to go after you.”

“What? Who—?” she asked confused.

“Do you remember back when you and
K.P. went on your trip?”

“Yea
…”

“Well
, his wife Kimberly came by looking for him, and I saw her and that same silver Jag was parked in front. Now I know cars, and that Jag is not a Jag one could forget seeing. That was the same Jag that pulled away after I ran that guy off.”

“What? You can’t be serious,” she said
in disbelief.

“Dead serious. Now
, I don’t know what’s going on, but I think she got somebody to attack you and wanted to watch, and in that coat and hat, you and Janelle look almost identical,” he said. Those words frightened and chilled Janiece.

“Isaiah
, we got to go to the police.”

“With what
? We gon’ need some proof. It’s not like she gon’ confess.”

“Then I need to go over to that bitch’s house and beat her ass,” Janiece said. She was angry and wanted to get a hold of Kimberly and fuck her up the same way they did her sister.

“Baby, come on, think. What is that gon’ solve? We have to have proof.”

“How are we gon’ get proof?”

“I’m not sure, but we’ll figure out something.”

“Isaiah
, I’m so grateful that you’re here. I didn’t want something like this to be the way we got a chance to talk, but since I have you here at this moment, I have to take a chance and tell you something.”

“What is it?”

“I love you,” she said. “I know I may have messed up any chance of us being together, and I can’t say I blame you, but I love you, and I’m sorry for all the bullshit, lies, and drama that I’ve put you through. If I could redo it all over again, I’d change everything except for falling in love with you,” she said, and he sat there in silence. She didn’t know what he would say, but she was happy that she had gotten the chance to tell him her heart.

He turned away and took a deep breath. Janiece knew that it didn’t matter, because Isaiah was a straight
-up, no-nonsense guy, and if he decided to end their relationship, that was what he meant. She let out a breath and sat back in the seat and fought the threatening tears. She didn’t expect much, but she didn’t expect for him not to say a word.

“Janiece,” he said turning back to her. Her eyes had
watered, but she didn’t let a tear drop. “Things have been good for us and things have been bad for us. You must understand that I want to be with a woman that I can trust. I still have almost six months to be in Texas, and if you are I are together, I want to be able to trust you, and I can’t lie and say that I do.”

Now
she let the tears roll down.

“However
, I love you too, and I’m willing to try because you deserve a chance, and I deserve you. I want us to have a long life of happiness together, and I want to be with you. I want to come back home to you when I’m done, and if you still love me and you feel like putting up with me, I’m yours,” he said.

Now
she smiled.

She was so happy to hear him say that he loved her. She finally got it right. She had found her someone
just for her. No fighting, no scratching, no threats, just a man of her own that wanted her too.

They kissed and held hands
until Greg came out to get Janiece to go in to see Janelle. She looked so bad lying in that bed, and Janiece knew she had to find a way for Kimberly to pay for what she had done. She sat there with Janelle until the nurse said she had to leave.