AUGUST, page 18
Unable to continue, I collapsed in a backyard with several target practice posts erected from the ground.
“Shit,” I mumbled. My body hurt badly, and there was blood staining my thighs. This was the first time tears mixed in with the fear raged inside of me. Something clicked. Jumping, I glanced over my shoulder. A gun like one I’d never seen was pointed directly at my head.
“Please! Don’t kill me!” I begged.
“Faith?”
“Jericho?”
He lowered the gun. Shirtless and wearing only shorts and slides, he assessed my tattered clothing. His eyes zoned in on the blood slipping down my legs. All at once, I remembered feeling faint. Then, I remembered being caught up in his arms.
I woke up to it being daylight, and I was in Jericho’s bed. Too scared to move, I sat up in his bed and winced against the pain. Tears rushed down my face, the nightmare of what happened to me met me outside of my dreams.
For too long, I just sat there crying, not knowing what to do. It also terrified me that I would have to go to the clinic. Cooley was a grown ass nigga out here messing with any and everything. Him violating me without my consent and without protection made me so nauseous that I jumped out of the bed and stumbled to the bathroom to empty whatever was in my stomach.
Out of nowhere, Jericho entered the bathroom. He picked me up, cleaned me up, then carried me back to his bed. This boy was someone I knew in passing. He would speak whenever he saw me and would make sure no one in the neighborhood fucked with me. I knew he was a dope boy and that he cut hair too. The girls at school were crazy about him even though he was a freshman in college. One thing I knew about Jericho that scared the life out of me was the fact that he killed some nigga a couple of years ago. I guessed that was why everybody wanted to be him and didn’t fuck with him.
“I’m gon’ take you to eat, then we’re goin’ to the clinic. Aight?”
Tearfully, I nodded.
“Do you have somewhere else to go?”
I shook my head ‘no’.
“Aight, I got you.”
Jericho held my hand while I went through that whole fucking ordeal. Not once did he look at me like I was less than. Not once did he complain. Neither did he rush the process. After leaving the clinic, Jericho took me to meet his grandma. She took me in without batting an eyelash. By the way she hugged her grandson, she knew exactly what he was made of.
Slowly, I rode Jericho’s dick, angry at myself for waiting so long to experience this. He was so deep in me that I wanted to tap out and never get on top of him again. However, the pleasure I was giving him was written all over his face and flowing from his thick lips. Neither would let me go so that I could have the good sense to get off this nigga’s long, thick dick.
With my hands planted on his chest, the ring he’d placed on my finger dazzled and gave me an extra boost as I sped up.
“Ride me, baby,” he commanded gruffly.
I didn’t even feel his hand land on my ass. Well, I didn’t feel it that much. He’d spanked me so much over the last few hours that my body was literally numb. He was making good on his threat, and I wasn’t smart enough to stop him. Neither did I have the power to refuse to do anything with this man. Never had I known what my own body tasted like. Thanks to Jericho, I now knew the taste of my own pussy. He ate it without warning and without reason.
“I’m addicted to eatin’ this pussy, baby,” he’d said the last time his head was buried between my thighs. He was a nasty eater too. Jericho did things to my clit, pussy, and asshole that should make me feel shameful. However, I wasn’t the least bit ashamed. I was hooked and stupid over this nigga like a fiend.
“Jericho!” I cried out as he rammed me down on his dick. He knew I was right there, just like he was. His fingers dug into the flesh of my hips as he guided us both there.
“Fuck!” he belted, then pulled out.
I found my face planted against the bed and my ass in the air. Jericho was back inside of me, pumping furiously.
“Oohh! You make a nigga cum so fuckin’ good and hard, Faith!”
Speaking of cumming, I let loose on him, unable to hold back after he hit my spot just right. He growled long and rough as he emptied himself inside of me.
Freshly showered and moisturized, I didn’t even dress. I climbed back in bed with Jericho. His eyes were closed, but he smiled as I cuddled right up under him. His arm banded me to him, sealing us together.
“I wanna be selfish as fuck and get married as soon as possible.”
“That’s not selfish.”
“What about all the fancy shit?”
“I don’t need fancy shit. My life has been quite fancy for a long time.”
He took my chin and lifted my face until I was looking at him.
“You deserve the world, baby.”
“You’ve been giving me the world for a long time,” I reminded him.
“Nah… I’ve been givin’ you a piece of the world. Married Jericho is gon’ spoil the fuck outta you and June.”
I begged to differ. Jericho spoiled the fuck out of us now.
“I’m grateful that June will never know a childhood of abandonment.”
My parents were high school sweethearts, and I believed that at one point they did truly love each other. However, by the time I was three years old, all I knew was violence. I was so used to them screaming all the time, that I communicated that way. In elementary school, I picked fights with other kids just for the fun of it. Same went for middle school. I fought so much that I stayed in counseling and was even given a trial of medication to make me “act right”.
High school started out roughly. My first week there, some girls from my previous middle school thought they were going to jump me. So, I took a pair of brass knuckles to school and wore their asses out. That was my first time being arrested. I smiled in my mug shot, breaking one of the officer’s hearts. She looked at me like I was her daughter and watching me go through that hurt her. The way she looked at me ate at me all that first night while I was in the detention center. None of the girls there fucked with me. One told me I looked crazy by the eyes. I thought it was funny and played that role until I was released.
Going back home, I couldn’t shake the officer’s solemn gaze as she peered at me. I tried doing better and even went to school like I was supposed to. For a while, I stayed out of trouble. Then, all hell broke loose. It was another night of my parents arguing. This time over my father fucking some lady who had the audacity to show up to our doorstep pregnant. Even at fourteen, I couldn’t blame Miracle for what she did. My daddy had abandoned her in her time of need. She was a beautiful woman who had been in college, studying biology, and minding her own business. My daddy took it upon himself to interrupt her life with lies and deceit. Miracle was so devastated to find out that my daddy had a whole family, that she went into labor right there. Her baby didn’t survive, and she barely did.
Of course, my parents went on as if nothing happened. For a time, my mother performed her wifely duties to the extent that I thought it was sickening. I guessed she thought that if she overplayed her part, my daddy wouldn’t do anything like that again.
Well, two months later, we were back in the same position. This time with a woman who had a seven-month-old on her hip. My mother lost it. She stabbed my daddy in the stomach, leaving him to die on the kitchen floor. She was so enraged that she turned the knife on me. I ran for my life, screaming, and crying for help.
In the end, my mother ended up going to prison while my father died. I was sent to live with my auntie and uncle, neither of whom were pleased. They had their own mess going on and had never raised a child before. Plus, they considered me a troublemaker.
Time went on, and I learned to live in a new environment. Auntie Alexis, and Uncle Cooley were more well off than my parents had been. They made sure everything I had was nice. By the time my fifteenth birthday arrived, life seemed to be getting better. That was until the police kicked our door in. Auntie Alexis and Uncle Cooley went to jail on drug charges. I was so naïve that I really thought they were just well off for nothing.
It was a surprise to me to find out how deep in the streets my Uncle Cooley was. In hindsight, I recalled how no one would fuck with me. That was because my Uncle Cooley ran the streets. He had every hood on lock. I wondered why he and my auntie never had kids. The proof was in the dangerous ass lifestyle they were living.
For two years, I had to live in a group home. By then, I wasn’t the same girl as before. I hated fighting and even hated people arguing. I was so glad when Uncle Cooley was released from jail. As soon as the court let me go live with him again, I thought life would get better again. I wasn’t prepared for it to take the turn that it did.
“Neither will you, my baby.”
Jericho’s voice broke through memories from not so long ago. A decade ago just seemed like last week sometimes. Especially on days I would find myself diving back into the hole of depressive thoughts.
“I’m never leaving you or June. Not unless God Himself comes to take me.”
Jericho stared directly into my eyes. There was never an issue with trust between us. Therefore, I took his statement as a fact.
Tonight, Jericho and I were officially going to announce our engagement. It had been hard holding it back from my girls, but with August and Asia out of town I wanted to wait.
June was the first person to find out. I missed my baby while he was away in Miami, but the quality time I was able to spend with Jericho was much needed. As expected, June was overjoyed.
“Yay, Bonus!” he’d cheered so joyfully that it brought tears to my eyes.
Then, he went and asked, “Is Daddy going to marry Asia?”
I had a strong urge to reply, “Yes.” However, I wanted August to write his own story, no matter how much I knew that he and Asia were meant for each other.
Speaking of them, they waved and welcomed me and Jericho inside VIP. Club Halo was outrageously packed tonight. I almost chose another place to go to, but once Asia and August agreed to meet us here, neither Jericho nor I could back out. It was like pulling teeth to get August inside of a club, and Asia didn’t do crowds like this. However, they looked relaxed and happy tonight.
“You look so pretty!” Asia gushed as she made me spin around. I had on the highest ass heels and so did she. Unknowingly, we’d almost dressed alike in jeans and cut-off shirts.
“So do you, boo!”
Jericho and August dapped each other, then I hugged August. The smile coupled with the peace on his face was something I hadn’t seen on his face since June was born. He was really free, and it showed.
That made me take a deep breath and release any apprehension boiling on the inside of me.
“You good?” he whispered.
“Yes, I am.”
“We good?” he questioned.
“Absolutely.”
His grin set it in stone that our pact was solid. We were doing this for each other and for ourselves. I went and sat by Asia while the Jericho and August stood at the entrance waiting for the arrival of Grey, Gianna, Kingston, and Tiffany.
“Does it not surprise you that they are close like that?” Asia asked, peering at Jericho and August laughing at something. It did take some getting used to. Now, I was so used to seeing them together that I forgot that August and I had ever been together. If it weren’t for June, there would be no remnant of the relationship I had with him.
I nodded emphatically. “Girl, they had a whole shoot out with each other.”
Asia’s eyes nearly popped out of her head. A bottle girl entered the section and placed the liquor on the table along with some chasers. I poured us both a drink, then took my man a drink while Asia poured August a plain cola. When she came to sit back down, I brought her in for another hug.
“I love how you pay attention to him,” I praised. For a long time, I’d noticed that August didn’t drink or smoke. Knowing how fucked up he used to get, I was proud that he took a step back from it all.
“So, a shootout, huh?”
I busted out laughing at the look on her face, then gave her a short rundown.
“August keeps saying he’s not the same person he used to be,” she commented once I was done.
“As someone who witnessed all of his fuckboy shit, he is not the same man, baby girl.”
Again, we laughed.
“I love you and Jericho’s relationship. To go from being best friends to being together is beautiful.”
I’d never told Asia about how Jericho and I came to be friends. As I relayed the parts to her that led up to me meeting him, she blinked back tears.
“I’m so sorry you went through that shit,” she stated.
Then, she took me through her childhood. It was sad that as little girls we weren’t able to have the full spectrum of what love from a family should feel like. The difference between our situations was that mine ceased with the death of my father, Cooley, and the imprisonment of my mother. As for Asia, her father and mother were still causing problems in her life. Glancing at August, I found him with his eyes on her. Just like Jericho came through and laid any of my problems to rest, I could sense the same about August.
“Everything’s gon’ be alright with you, Asia. August won’t have it any other way.” We hugged on it just as everyone else arrived. Ten minutes later, as the club erupted from the new track the DJ played, Jericho slipped my ring back on my finger, wordlessly making our announcement.
When he picked me up in his arms, I clung to him and kissed him, once again being thankful for this man waiting for me.
Chapter Thirty
JERICHO
Atlanta, GA
My grandma was eighty-six years old and easily still the most beautiful woman I’d ever had the pleasure of knowing. Pulling up to her house, I felt like a kid again. Regardless of the fact that my sisters’ cars were parked in the yard, I didn’t let that deter me from turning off my engine.
“We’re only gon’ be here a minute,” I told Faith. She sat in the passenger seat, unfazed. Getting out of the car, I went around and opened her door. By then, my oldest sister, Latoya, emerged from the house. She took one look at Faith and plastered a fake smile on her face.
“You couldn’t call first?” she asked.
“Nah. We’re just slidin’ through for a minute,” I stated. Latoya was just that woman who no one could argue with. It was a waste of time. She took after our mama the most. While I loved my mama, she was a narcissist. Her behavior grew uglier the older we became. My pops got so sick of it that he finally divorced her when I was ten. I went to live with him while my sisters stayed with our mama.
“Is that a fuckin’ ring I see on your finger?” Latoya’s eyebrows shot up at the stunning rock on Faith’s ring finger. She didn’t wait for an answer. “I’m finna go call Ma.” She briskly walked toward the house with me and Faith laughing.
“Just a minute, my baby,” I confirmed that we would only make our announcement and get the fuck up out of here. I wanted to leave Atlanta without being arrested.
We walked into the house, and of course, it smelled like my grandma had just finished cooking. Although she was old as shit, being in the kitchen was her love. Feeding people was her love language.
Faith and I waved at everyone. This was how it was at my grandmother’s house. For no reason, the whole family would congregate over here every day. If I wanted to see my cousins, uncles, or aunts, I just had to pull up here. My younger sisters, Jamie and Letitia came to hug us. While they were sometimes on the same stupid shit as Latoya, they weren’t as bad as she was.
Jamie gasped after seeing the ring. “Oh, my God! Finally!” she exclaimed, which made everyone else take notice. It was only my grandma’s reaction that we cared about. She slowly came out of the kitchen and approached us. Tears were already dotting her eyes.
“Oh, Lord,” she cried. “It’s beautiful, Jericho.” She took Faith in for a big hug, then pulled back and kissed her on the forehead. “I’ve always known you would fully trust him,” she whispered.
Faith sniffled. “I love you,” she whispered back.
Grandma nodded. “I know, and I love you too, baby girl.” She brought Faith in for another hug.
“We just came for a minute—”
“No the heck you didn’t!” Grandma interrupted. “Y’all ain’t leavin’ ‘til you have a plate.”
Faith and I looked at each other and chuckled. Within minutes, we were at the dinner table with everyone else. Jamie and Letitia were excited that they were about to have a wedding to attend. Since Faith and I hadn’t really settled on if we wanted a wedding or not, I wasn’t going to burst their bubbles.
There was a feast around the table, and I wouldn’t lie. I stacked my plate until it damn near tipped over. Amused, Faith shook her head. I leaned over and kissed her lips. My lady was so damn fine that I could sit here and stare at her forever. It was nothing to it for me to admit that she took my breath away any time I looked at her. That was how it had always been since the first time I laid eyes on her.
Faith was that girl every nigga knew was in a class all her own. Even as teenagers, I could never bring myself to talk to her. Speaking was one thing. Getting to know her was another. I was a young nigga fucking on any and everything that I could. Faith was that one I knew I had to keep my distance from. So, from afar, I watched Faith. Just enough to know that she was good and that no one was fucking with her. Lowkey, I made sure niggas knew to tread lightly when it came to her.
Now, here I was about to be her husband. The power of waiting and trusting God really brought me every blessing I could’ve ever imagined. What I thought I wanted for my life had been far surpassed all because I chose to wait.
Latoya’s laughter reminded me that I’d been staring into Faith’s eyes. The blush that stole my future wife’s cheeks was cute as fuck.
“Can you please not do that at the table?” Latoya requested. Several people grumbled.
