The Ex Factor

Chapter 17

Raven's Pov

I must've been in and out of sleep all night tossing and turning. Cameron finally got tired of me and kicked me, his own mother out of his bed. It's okay when he sleeps in my bed and I end up with a foot in back throughout the night, but when I roll around one too many times he tells me to go sleep in my own bed. Anyway, it was now 7:00am and I still couldn't get any rest; that's probably because my mind was everywhere at once. I found myself sitting at the island in my kitchen eating yet another brownie. All of this stress is going to add an extra 10 pounds to me. The bottle of Moscato sitting on my wine rack was looking very tempting, but after the weekend I had, I wasn't about to touch any alcohol.

What I really needed was something to boost my courage for this phone call I was about to make. I must've scrolled past Aubrey's number a thousand times trying to figure out if I was mentally prepared for another cuss out. After a moment or so of contemplating my decision, I took a deep breath and pressed call. The phone just rang in my ear, over and over again until it finally went to voice mail. At least I can honestly say to myself that I tried. He's probably sleeping anyway, something I should be doing.
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Hearing the clanking of pans and cabinets being opened and shut, my eyes began to crack open, squinting at the bright fluorescent light I was greeted by. I tucked my head back down shielding my eyes in the folds of my arms while staring down at the mocha and caramel swirls of the marble countertop.
Why the hell am I still in this kitchen? I asked myself. Because you've become what you despise, a liar and cheat, and for that you don't deserve a good night's sleep. I tried to reason with myself that my situation with Aubrey is different. He's not just some guy that I picked up in the club and had a one-night stand with; he's the father of my child, the man I love; it's nothing like what Drew did to me with Dollicia, but the more I reasoned, the more I realized how stupid I sound. Cheating is cheating no matter how you rationalize it. Yeah Michael did his dirt, but I wasn't innocent either. I had broken his trust and his heart and for that I don't know how if he'll even look at me the same ever again.

While I sat there, head still stuck in this uncomfortable hunched over position, I heard what sounded like a cup being sat down in front of me. The unmistakable smell of strong Colombian coffee wafted to my nose. I slowly lifted my head, feeling my neck and back contract in pain; the muscles were cursing my name for allowing myself to fall asleep at this counter. Blinking a few times, my eyes set on the "I don't like morning people" mug in front of me with hot steam rising from the top, and then my mom who had her back to me as she lit the gas pilot under a stock pot on the stove.

"Morning mom, thanks for the coffee." I said as I lifted the mug to my lips, the taste of pure caffeine sent an instant jolt through my body.

"Morning? Baby, it's almost one in the afternoon." She spoke, walking over to the fridge which she opened and pulled out a tupperware bowl. She sat it on the counter across from me, taking the lid off to reveal raw marinated chicken breast. "Rough night?"

"You have no idea." I replied taking another sip as I watched her lay the chicken out in a glass baking dish. "Is doodle taking a nap?" It was extremely too quiet in this house for it to be the afternoon and not hear my son bouncing off the walls.

Still placing the chicken neatly in the pan, my mom glanced up from her task with a grin on her face. "Umm, his father picked him up around 8:00 this morning."

I froze with the cup to my lips as my brain processed what she just said. "Aubrey was here?" she nodded her head yes. "While I was looking like this?" I gestured down to my two sizes too big Michael Jackson t-shirt, pajama shorts with one pink and one green mismatch slipper socks and not to mention my hair was in a mess of a bun before I went to sleep, so I know it's even worse now.