Unexpected (Lerrie)

1

Three and a Half Years Later

The couple's relationship was slowly, but surely deteriorating. They often got into fights, but tried to keep it away from their sons.

The fights were, at first, about Richard not showing Leigh-Anne that he loved her enough or something along those lines. The man would get defensive and completely shut down from the conversation.

He hated when she'd question his love for her.

They'd soon make up and Leigh would admit that it's just the fact that they hardly spend time together due to his work and the triplets.

Fast forward a year, a few months after the boys turned one, and Richard's job let him go.

It was mainly his boss, a racist pig who often tried to make his job harder due to his race, but Richard never let that deter him. That was until a new guy, with the same name as him, but with a much lighter complexion, waltz in and took Richard's place.

His boss's words were, "We don't have room for two Richards."

It was complete bull.

That man just wanted a reason to fire him. It didn't matter that he had kids to look after, that was "his fault for not using protection".

When Leigh-Anne heard this, it broke her heart. It stung that they had sons in a world where there are still people like that running businesses. They were mixed race; Jamaican, Dominican, and English.

For months, Richard applied for jobs in order to help Leigh take care of the kids. Most of them declined him; some for the same reason he was fired, others for dumb reasons like a slight spelling error on his application.

Five months before the boys turned two, he landed a job at this company ran by a guy named José Alexander.

After working there for three months, he meets his boss's daughter, Yocelyn.

The two became good friends and would hang out during lunch often.

Sadly, Richard caught feelings for the girl and he ended up cheating.

He felt absolutely terrible that he did. What was worse was that after that one night, Yocelyn became pregnant with a baby girl. Not only did he cheat on Leigh, but his sons as well.

Not knowing what to do, he talked to his best friends about his situation. Receiving colorful words from the youngest of the bunch.

"Why the fuck would you do that?! She's been nothing short of good to you!" Erick practically screamed, his face turning a bright red. "Calm down, bro," Chris chastises, shooting a glare at his unfaithful best friend.

"But he's right. The hell were you thinking, Rich?" He asked in a soft, but stern tone. Richard sighs and drags a hand through his dark hair. "I dunno," he mumbled.

"Pinche pendejo."

"Erick, babe, breathe," Joel says in a low voice, close to the green eyed boy's ear. Erick huffs out a growl, crossing his arms over his chest and remaining silent.

"You and Leigh have been together since, what, tenth grade? You have three beautiful sons together. She's always been there for you and you for her. Why did you decide to break her heart?" Joel asked, shaking his head at the question.

"The truth is fucked up," Richard admits, earning disapproving looks from his friends. "Lemme guess? It was 'in the moment' or 'you haven't done it in a while'? Am I getting warmer?" Zabdiel said with a bot of venom.

"Making him feel worse about it isn't gonna help him. He's a friend after all," Joel says to the two angry ones. "It's definitely not right, but we need to be here for him."

Erick sucks his teeth and stands up, leaving the living room of Chris's apartment to go to the kitchen.

Joel gives Richard an apologetic look before following his boyfriend.

"You have to tell her, bro," Chris says, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, copying Richard's current position.

"I know," he sighed. "I can already hear her yelling at me."

"Knowing Leigh? She probably wouldn't say anything," Chris said. "That's worse," Zab chimed in.

Richard sits up straight before standing up. "I don't wanna break her heart."

"You already did, you dick!" Erick storms in, eyes dark with anger. Joel tugs back on his shirt, trying desperately to calm the 19 year old down.

He yanks away and steps up to Richard, glaring daggers into his skin.

Skin that he let someone who wasn't Leigh touch.

"You hurt her the moment you followed that woman home," his eyes then started to water up with angry tears. "She loves you. She wants to spend her life with you. A-And you-," his voice cracks.

Erick's really close to Leigh-Anne. He often offered to babysit his "nephews" while she hung out with her friends or just needed a break. He calls her the sister he never had and would sometimes just show up to hang out with the older woman.

When he and Joel had problems, he always called Leigh-Anne. There were times when he'd just check in on them all and see how they're doing.

He looked up to her and Richard's relationship being that they've been together for over six years. When Richard called for them to all gather at Chris's, he thought that the man was finally gonna put a ring on it.

Damn, was he wrong.

Seeing the teenager with tears rolling down his cheeks saddened Richard.

The boy hardly ever cried and he knew that Leigh would feel a lot worse. He wished he could go back and tell Yocelyn no, but the damage is done.

Joel put an arm around Erick and let him cry into his neck. "You should go now," he says. Richard nods and waves the others off before leaving to go home.

———

*This chapter was rushed and trash 🙄

Do y'all think Erick overreacted?

Any questions, comments or concerns?