He thrust into me again and again, despite my pleas. I called for my father, I called for my brother, I called to God, I called for someone, anyone. The assault didn't stop. No one came to my rescue.
I physically felt myself being pulled into consciousness. I open my eyes to be met with Nari's intense gaze. His eyebrows pulled tightly together, his expression fearful. This was the second time I'd seen this expression from him. The first being when he got arrested.
"Malinda, I'm here. It's okay," he hugs me tightly when he realizes I'm awake.
"Did I hurt you?" I furrow my own eyebrows, pulling him away to inspect him. My voice low and groggy with sleep.
"No, baby," he shakes his head at me. "You worried about me like I'm the one crying in my sleep," he chuckles softly, holding my hands as they cradle his jaw. I remove my hands from his to wipe my face, not realizing I was crying.
"I'm fine, just nightmares babe. Nothing I haven't gone through before," I turn my head, more tears slowly falling. He grips my body tightly against his, and lays us down. One of his hands smoothing down my hair, while the other rubs my back. I feel extraordinarily calm.
"You want some more tea or you good?" He asks, his voice thick with emotion, one I can't place. I pull away from his chest and look up at him. Tears brim his eyes, but his jaw clenches as he wills them not to fall.
"Shonari, what's wrong?" I sit up enough to look at him, but he wipes his face.
And just like that, any trace of emotion has vanished.
"Nothing, I'm fine mama," he waves me off, before sitting up with me.
"Mentiroso. Don't feel bad for me, I'm okay. I swear," I call him a liar, obviously there was something wrong. He sighs hard, running his hands over his hair, then down his face.
"I just don't like to see you hurting like this Linda. And had I not asked about ya pops, you wouldn't be feeling like this," His voice cracks a few times, and he refuses to look at me.
"It's okay. Don't worry about it," I wrap my arms around his slim waist, and kiss his chin. He shakes his head, exhaling deeply before speaking.
"I can't believe you've been keeping that shit in all this time," a few moments of silence pass. "That's just fucked up man," he shakes his head again.
"Hey," I pull his face to look down at me. "It happened, it's done. I'm okay now. I've told you, and it's off my chest," he squeezes me tightly again.
"I just love you so much," the tears he had been holding, finally fall. "I don't want anything to ever happen to you, I'll protect you with everything I got," he sniffles upon finishing his thought.
"I know baby boy. You got me, right?" I kiss him again and he kisses me back.
"Always,"
"Then I'll be fine," I smile up at him, retaking my position on his chest, and peacefully go back to sleep.
~~~
"Malinda," I hear Nari call from a distance away. I roll over and stretch before looking toward where I heard his voice. "Time to get up baby girl," he walks in with a cup of coffee and some avocado toast.
"I don't want to," I whine, hugging his waist as he leans against the bed. He kisses my forehead a few times, unwrapping my arms from him and handing me my breakfast. I pout, but proceed to eat. He slides in the bed next to me.
"You gotta go to work, beautiful. Imani and Necia been looking for you," that's makes me frown a bit and I look at the clock which read 1:17 pm.
"Why'd you let me sleep this late?" I question him, as I frantically get out of bed and start to head to the bathroom. Shonari grabs my wrist, pulling me back toward the bed.
"Because you needed it Malinda. Now sit down and finish your food," he instructs me like a child and I roll my eyes, but do as he says. "That's what I thought," he teases, biting my shoulder lightly.
"Whatever Michael," I roll my eyes again, making him roll his.
"I love you," he says after a few moments of silence. I finish my food, placing the plate to the side and kiss his cheek.
"Come show me?" I tease, biting my bottom lip. I grab his hand as I walk to the bathroom, but he stays seated. He smirks at me but shakes his head no, making me frown. "What you mean no?" I say with a slight attitude that I try to mask with a light laugh.
"We both gotta go to work. And that's not how you should deal with your feelings baby girl," I roll my eyes extra hard at this. Who is he to tell me how to deal with my emotions.
"Whatever Shonari," I wave him off and go to shower on my own. He laughs at my attitude but makes no move to correct it. Bet😒
After showering and dressing in yoga pants and white tee, I go to the closet to find my vans.
"You still got a attitude, luh ugly?" He teases, when I come out of the closet. I sit on the bed to put on my shoes, and look back at him.
"Boy, the one that's ugly is you,"
"Oh I'm ugly? Oh word," he laughs loudly, mushing my head.
"Stop, rude ass. Thought ya luh ugly ass had to go to work," I question him, grabbing my purse and the new comb sets I brought for Mani and I. Shonari grabs my waist, and kisses me deeply, I try to resist, but obviously I was unsuccessful as his hand grips a palmful of booty. "What you want?" I ask, a little breathless after he releases my lips.
"I can't just wanna kiss my luh baby?" He kisses me all over my face making me laugh and push him away.
"No. Go away ugly," I push him, I turn to finally leave the bedroom.
"Keep lying to yaself because we both know I'm far from ugly," he chuckles, grabbing an apple, and we finally leave my apartment.
"Whatever boy," I respond, getting into the passenger side of my car after handing Shonari my keys.
"Bet. I got something for that ass when you home tonight," He huffs, making me roll my eyes, and we leave for work.
~~~
Necia and Mani were pretty busy, so they had called some other girls in to help.
Alicia went to high school with Necia, and she was a beast with the clippers, she also did a little bit of braiding too. Bre was Mani's half sister, but she was the complete opposite of Mani, stayed to herself. But like Necia, She was quick to pop off. Bre helped Necia with nails and waxing. Last was Kristina, one of the girls who stayed in the area. She was cool peoples, but her hands were something crazy, I'm talking a full head of micros in under 4 hours.
There were 3 more girls waiting to be taken care of, so after speaking and putting my things down, I start washing the next clients hair. She was a regular, Ms. Kay was her name, she was in her late 30's, and she also happened to be Trey's mom.
"How you doing Linda? Look like you need some sleep," she comments, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. Mani and Necia laugh loudly, causing me to laugh a little before responding.
"I've been good, Ms. Kay," I tell her, hoping to get the focus off me, but she continues the conversation.
"Trey tells me that boy Smoke got out of jail. Said he saw you two snuggled up at his job," Necia and Mani look over at me with raised eyebrows. They knew I have talked to Trey, but I never told them about our encounter. Other things were to be discussed at the time.
"Yeah, we saw him a few weeks ago," I say and leave it at that, but again, she continues to press the conversation.
"So you led my boy on just to be with that no good lil thug who hurt you in the first place?"She turns all the way around in the chair, not so silently judging me.
"It wasn't like that Ms. Kay," I say softly, not liking the confrontation, and not wanting to put Trey out to his moms.
"Hmm," She rolls her eyes, but turns around so I can finish her silk wrap. "That boy was stuck on stupid with you, Linda, and you fall for that lil jailbird. That boy been in and out of jail his whole life," she continues to grumble about Shonari, but I tune her out, willing the tears not to fall as I reminiscence that last time I was with Trey.
