Old Flames Don't Die

A Slow Fall

    Treyshawn lay still watching London sleep in his arms. This is what life was supposed to look like. Treyshawn and London. Lo Li and Jelly forever. He felt like such an asshole for allowing his grief to be felt more than his love for her when he lost his father, but he was so young and hadn't yet conquered the concept of how to think before reacting which got him here, without her. As if having her take the last name of another nigga wasn't painful enough, he had to now watch this man mishandle her too? No, it couldn't go down like this and he was going to do his very best to get his girl back.
    Treyshawn heard his phone vibrate indicating an incoming text, but he ignored it. The naked woman wrapped in his sheets was the only thing he was concerned about. He looked at London's beautiful body and his dick rose. While he and London didn't make love the night prior like they'd both wanted to, the intimacy they'd shared was beyond that. After she'd gotten out of the shower, London fell into bed and began to cry. She showed Treyshawn the text her husband sent stating that he wasn't coming home and he immediately became upset. Here he was wishing he could give this woman the world and this fuck nigga she married won't even give her his time. While Treyshawn didn't attempt to step on Hakeem's toes he did let London know that home was always in his arms and would be ready for her whenever she was ready to return.
    London could feel eyes on her and she stirred in her sleep. She looked into the closet mirror Treyshawn had facing the bed and watched him watch her. She could tell that he loved her, but she was in fact married regardless of uncommitted her husband was to their vows. Unfortunately, facts don't change feelings and London being married didn't s change the fact that she loved Treyshawn too. She knew that she crossed so many lines the night before and looking at herself in that mirror, she was embarrassed.
   "Good morning sleepy head. What you over there stressing about already? You ain't even been awake ten minutes yet." Treyshawn said to London smiling down at her.
    "Good morning Jelly. About last night, I-"
     "Shhhh. It's fine ma, I get it. You're someone's wife and being hurt is not an excuse to-"
    "Be a hoe." London said cutting him off and critiquing herself and her decisions.
   "That's not what I was going to say. You weren't being a hoe. Your heart was hurting and your body was in need. All that you did was go to who you knew could fix it all. There's no fault in that." Treyshawn said leaving a sweet kiss on her forehead. 
    "Now get up and let's have some breakfast before Jamie and Day get here with your car. You know your sister is going to say something about you sleeping over here in my T-shirt with no panties on." He said looking down at the knee length shirt she wore with a smirk on his face.
     "Yeah I know. She'd have even more to say if she knew I actually slept naked and I only put the shirt on because I'm sober now." She winking at him with a smirk of her own.
   London walked to the bathroom to brush her teeth with the toothbrush Treyshawn must've snuck out to grab. Her heart was smiling because here she was in her first love's T-shirt, waiting on her sister to show up and question them both. This felt familiar. It felt safe. It felt like home.
    She was loving this trip down memory lane she was taking. It felt good to be around good energy and nostalgic experiences. She stood in the mirror brushing her teeth happily until she noticed her wedding ring on her finger and reality punched her in the gut. She was married. She had a husband and she shouldn't be here.
    Just as her anxiety began to kick in, she heard an airy voice behind her say,
    "So ummm hey bitch, guess we know what y'all were up to last night huh?" Jamie said with a knowing smirk on her face.
    "First of all, you're wrong bitch. We didn't sleep together," London started to say, but Jamie cut her off.
    "But you wanted to." Jamie said to her sister pointedly.
    "Girl can we talk about this in the car? Damn it's too early for the interrogation room." London said already wishing the day was over.
    "We sure the fuck can, because you gotta take me to pick up my homegirl before we go to moms. She's pregnant and she's gonna help clean out the garage so she can go through noonies baby stuff." Jamie said trailing off at the end of the statement.
     Noonie was Jamie's baby that she miscarried a few years back. She got pregnant by Dayshawn at a very young age and because of the drama and stress she surrounded herself with because of his cheating, she'd lost the baby. Jamie was so excited to be bringing life into this world that any baby items she could find, she bought. London was proud of her for beginning the process of letting go.
     "Well thanks for letting me know that you volunteered my car to one of your little friends. I don't know this girl how you know I want her in my car?" London asked knowing she didn't really mind going to get the girl Jamie invited along.
     "Bitch thanks for getting drunk and making me get out of the bed, off FaceTime with my man to come get your car last night. Face it, you owe me." Jamie said tossing her sister a pair of biker shorts and a work out shirt.
     "Shoes are in the car. After we grab my friend we headed straight to mom's house. You'll get to meet Isaiah for the first time because he said he'll come help the men move all the big shit. Oh and before I forget, your husband has been calling all morning. I'm sure he's already called mom so prepare to hear her mouth." Jamie listed off before she headed into the living room.
     London took a deep breath and picked up her phone. Sure enough there were twelve texts and ten missed calls, all from Hakeem. She figured the best time to call him was out of Treyshawn's presence and since the whole day would be spent at her mom's, now was as good of a time as any.
     "London, baby are you okay?!? I know I bailed last night, but when you didn't come home Or reply to my text, I got worried." Hakeem said sincerely. He had no clue that his wife had spent the evening in the comfortable arms of another man.
      "I'm fine Hakeem." London said shortly. She wanted him to know that she was infuriated and that shit he pulled last night wouldn't be tolerated.
    "Baby I said I was sorry about our date night. I promise to make it up to you. We can go to-", he started to say but was interrupted by London.
     "Hakeem, cut the shit. I don't know exactly where you were last night, but I know it wasn't where you should've been. Look, I gotta go. I have plans with my mom today, so we can do this another time. Goodbye." London swiftly hung up the phone not wanting to hear anymore lies.
    Her phone began to ring again in her hand and she silenced it and placed it on do not disturb. She'd talk to him eventually and when she did, she'd verbally rip him a new asshole and probably tell him to get the fuck out. She wouldn't do it now though. London decided that after last night, she'd focus on having a good, positive day without worrying about Hakeem and where he was slinging his penis. The time would come for that and today it would have to wait.
    "Y'all ready?" London said walking out in the neon green shorts and cutoff shirt her sister had brought for her.
    London and Treyshawn locked eyes for a moment from across the room and it was like there was no one else there but them. In those brief seconds their eyes and hearts communicated without words. The exchange of energy spoke to how badly they wanted this to be their normal even though it couldn't be.
    "Umm yeah, let's go get this stranger you got me picking up. Y'all are still coming to mama's right?" London asked Treyshawn playfully trying to hide the blush she felt from just holding eye contact with him.
    "Yeah Lo Li love, we'll be there. Drive safe." Treyshawn said blowing her a small kiss that nobody else noticed.
    London simply smiled and tucked a stray hair behind her ear and headed out the door, but in her heart she couldn't wait to see Treyshawn later.
    "So how do you know this girl Jay? Don't be bringing no damn stripper strays around here, there's already about to be enough drama popping off when I find out where Hakeem been sticking his dick." London said rolling her eyes at her sister.
    Jaime was the exact opposite of her sister. Once they graduated high school, London went off to college and Jamie went the socialite route. She mixed and mingled with several different crowds as a result. She was known to bring rowdy promiscuous women around that usually ended up stirring up trouble.
    "Oh so NOW you're convinced he's cheating? Girl I been telling you that forever." Jamie said ignoring her sisters question.
    "Girl my hoe of a husband can wait. Tell me about this hood rat stripper bitch you 'bout to bring into my car." London said swatting her sisters arm playfully.
   "Knock it off Lo! She's a cool ass chick. She don't be with all the bullshit these hoes be on, she just wants to tend to her pregnancy and be around supportive people." Jamie said defending her friend and shooting down her sister's preconceived notions about her.
   "Here she comes London, be nice please dang!" Jamie said hitting the locks for her friend.
   "Okay bitch, but can I get the girls name before she hop her pregnant ass in here expecting me to be nice?" London snapped at her sister just in time for the young lady to open the door.
   "Hey Maia!" Jamie exclaimed making sure to put stress on her name so that her mean ass sister could catch it.
   "This is my sister London, but all her friends call her Lo." She introduced.
    "You can call me London, pleasure to meet you Maia." London said with a sweet smile; being sure to stay pleasant but also letting the young woman know that she wasn't interested in being friends.
   London pulled off and headed towards her mother's house listening to the girls talk about Maia's pregnancy. She gushed about the Journey her body would be going through and talked about how excited her baby's father was. London wondered why if he was so great, why couldn't he give her a ride to come pick up this baby shit. She couldn't put her finger on it but something seemed really off about the woman.
    "Where did you and your man meet Maia?" London inquired deciding to dig into this woman who'd been spending so much time with her baby sister.
     "Oh we met at my job, Aura Club. He came in one night for a party with his friends and we just hit it off." Maia said lovingly.
    "The Aura.. that's the really nice gentleman's club everybody talks about isn't it?" London continued feigning ignorance to get her answers.
     "Yes it is and before you ask, yes I'm a dancer. Well, was anyway." She said with a tone that indicated this wasn't the first time she's had to explain her profession.
    "He's not a drug dealer or anything like that, he's a business owner and he's amazing. Just to ease anymore assumptions." She concluded indifferently.
   "Oh girl I wasn't judging or anything like that, I was just getting to know you, sorry if I offended," London began to say to her.
    "No it's fine, I just know how people tend to think. I dig your story though and I wanted to clear your mind of any of the stripper stereotypes. I'd love to get some free legal game if you've got room for a secretary and are down to educate." Maia said convincingly.
    She'd planned to get close to London and hopefully burst her little happy ass marriage bubble by being about to tell her herself, that not only was she pregnant, but it just might be her future step child. She'd never accomplish that if she punched the bitch in the throat for being cute, so she decided to let her ass be and stroke her ego a little bit.
    "Y'all can talk about all of that later. Let's talk about you waking up with no panties on at Treyshawn's house." Jamie said bringing a feeling of uneasiness over London.
   She didn't mind talking about this with her sister, but a stranger was off limits.
    "Umm how about we not sis. I'm sure Maia would like to know what things she'll be getting from moms." London said bringing the conversation to an abrupt halt.
     Maia didn't show it, but her heart was jumping in her chest. So little miss perfect wasn't so perfect after all, she was having an affair on her fine ass husband. That made her a slut. A stupid slut at that. As fine Hakeem was she couldn't understand why she'd be cheating. All she knew was, this Treyshawn nigga had to be fine and rich for it to make any sense. When the time came, she'd be able to use this information to her advantage and she couldn't wait.
   Her thought process came to a stop when London pulled up to what Maia assumed was their mother's home. The home was a beautiful two story in the hills with a perfectly manicured lawn, lined with roses. She noticed their mom standing on her porch waiting for them to get out of the car.
   Maia's phone vibrated and she smiled wickedly when she noticed it was Hakeem.

   "Hey, I'm headed over to my wife's mom's house. Apparently that's where I can find her. After that I'm going to head to you so you can show me the sonograms."

    She put het phone in her bag and climbed out of the car with a huge smile on her face.
   "What's got you cheesing like a little school girl?" Jamie asked her curiously.
   "Oh that was my baby daddy, I'm going to see him a little later, so I'm excited that's all." Maia said keeping her calm and maintaining her cover.
     She also knew full well that "a little later" would be a lot sooner than she'd expected and more than anyone would be ready for.