Preacher's Kid|MJ

Interlude V

She never thought she would be the type of woman to do this. She wanted to know more as she read the words on the screen of the cellular device she held in her hand. It was obvious that it was a woman just by the context of the message that was sent. She couldn't put a name to whoever he responded to ten minutes ago because the number was unsaved. And by the looks of the thread, the conversation started earlier in the day—it was new.

She was aware of women he affiliated himself with being who he was in the industry and had never given her any reason(s) to question him; however, this unknown person in particular slightly bothered her. Maybe she was in over her head. Maybe this person wasn't anyone she needed to worry about because she was thinking too much into something that was nothing. She knew her husband and knew he would tell her anything and everything and the more she stared at the screen of his phone, the guiltier she felt for the pending thoughts that had surfaced for going through it.

What the fuck was she even doing?

He came home late after a long session at the studio and stopped at Walgreens as a last minute request and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. In fact, he didn't mention anything about the unsaved number he replied to or that he ran into someone from his past. He would always ask about her day and vice versa as soon as he walked through the door. Tonight he didn't. Again, she could be thinking too much into something that was nothing. He could just be exhausted from being at the studio all morning and wanted to rest. He did appear that way from the low eyes and less energetic movements she assessed. She decided to leave it be because she knew it was nothing. At least that's what she kept telling herself. She read their messages one last time.

678-435-9980

Today 23:34

Damn, seeing you tonight made me realize how much I've missed you. 😩

23:36

I missed you too. We gotta link up soon before you leave L.A.

When she saw the three dots at the bottom left corner loading, she quickly exited their thread and closed out of the app to not make it obvious that she was looking through it. His read receipts were on. She put his phone back where it once was on the bed in the same position he tossed it earlier. The text tone sounded as the LED light flashed blindingly. The sound of the shower ceased and within minutes, the bathroom door opened with steam trailing him into the bedroom.

She pretended as if she had been watching television the entire time. Her eyes shifted to him with a white towel wrapped around his waist as he searched through the drawer he opened for a pair of pajama bottoms and boxer briefs then moving over to another drawer for a pair of socks. After putting on his pajamas and socks then lathering his armpits with deodorant, he tossed the towel into the hamper and made his way over to their bed to retrieve his phone. She diverted her gaze to the TV but was able to see through her peripheral vision his thumbs typing away before connecting his phone to its charger and setting it atop the mahogany oak end table faced up.

He looked at her and yawned. She could feel his eyes burning her skin like lava. "You said my food wrapped up in the microwave, right?"

She nodded. "Yeah."

"A'ight. Thank you, baby."

"You're welcome."

Just as he turned on his heels to leave out, she called after him. He turned around with a questionable brow raised. "Yeah?"

She thought about what she wanted to ask him pertaining the number he was texting, but somehow her guilty conscience for snooping resurfaced. She shook her head with a changed mind. "Nothing. I forgot already," she said with a forged smile.

Michael knew his wife and after a year of marriage and being together a total of three, she wasn't so good at hiding things from him no matter how hard she tried. He knew her like the back of his hand. "Bae, you know that I know when you got somethin' on yo' mind. So wassup? Talk to me." He inched towards the bed, his eyes never leaving her.

She looked him dead in the face and said in the most convincing tone, "I'm for real. I forgot. Besides, it was nothing anyway." She shrugged.

He stared at her several seconds longer, licked his lips and nodded aware of the lie she just told. Whenever she was ready, she would come to him about whatever was on her mind. "You know you suck at lyin', right?" He chuckled. "But I'ma let it slide for now."

With that said, she watched him finally walk out the room, leaving her to sulk in her thoughts.

What would soon be revealed would put their marriage to the ultimate test.