CONNECTED

20.

Korea.

"I ain't got shit to say to her, fuck her." Tae held a mean mug on his face as he played his game. "If it ain't about Taejin, Troi, or our unborn sons' that she don't want, then I ain't tryna hear it." He angrily pressed the controller buttons. "And make sure you tell her she not getting my house either. She only want it so she can sell it like she did the last one." He scoffed. "Four years of my life just down the drain, what a fucking joke."

Almost a month had passed and neither Tae or Nicole were budging. It was so obvious that they missed each other in every way possible, and they still deeply wanted to be with one another; they were just letting words affect the bigger picture.

"You're just hurting Tae."

"I've delt with my hurt Korea. Now I'm just plain angry- Fuck!" He cursed as one of his teammates missed an open layup. "Mel getcho fucking head in the game! Gotdamn!" He pressed the talk button on his headset. "If we lose I owe Marcus $500 dollars and you know your cheap ass ain't gone go half."

His friend must've said something funny because he laughed extremely loud. I seen why he wasn't staying in a hotel.

Although Mama Karen was upset with him, she insisted he stay with her until him and Nicole figured things out. It was hard trying to picture Tae without Nicole and vise versa so we all still had pretty high hopes.

I couldn't lie though, some of the things they said about one another to me in private made me question it. It was like our teenage years all over again; just with kids involved. You would've thought they hated each other if you didn't know better.

I had presumed the role of being their middle man. I dropped their kids off to each other for them, communicated between them if I had to, and I was a listening ear. I understood both sides and I made sure to remain neutral.

There were small knocks on the door before it was pushed all the way open. "Daddy!" Taejin ran to Tae, hugging him as he stood in between his legs.

I picked the kids up from Daycare and since today was Friday, they were staying with Tae for the weekend.

He paused his game and took his headset off. "It took you long enough to finally come say something to me." He kissed his head, gripping it and moving it side to side while Taejin laughed.

"Me was in Mia room."

"Of course you were." He picked him up and sat him on his lap. "You had a good day?"

He shook his head no. "Why not?" Tae asked.

"Mommy sad and she makes me sad too."

My heart broke. "I know Son" Tae responded. "Your Mama gone be straight." The asshole side of him was really starting to appear. It was like he held no remorse or empathy for Nicole whatsoever.

"Why her cry? Me not like when Mommy cry." He stared up into his Daddy's face.

"I don't know, you wanna play Spider-Man?" He changed the subject.

"Yeah Daddy! Spidyyyy!" Taejin pretended to unleash a web making me and Tae bust out laughing. "You my best friend man, I swear." His laughing died down as he maneuvered through his PlayStation. "Here and you bet not throw my controller at the tv if you lose."

"Yes sir!" He kicked his shoes off and got in the middle of the bed. "You play with me?" He asked in his cute little innocent voice.

"I will later" He got up, clearing his throat. "Where your sister?"

"With MiMi"

"Ima go get her." Tae slipped his feet into his Adidas slides. "You want a snack?"