Sweet Love [Book Two]

Chapter Six

Mariah's POV
"So how have you been?",I asked Taylor as we sat outside on the balcony.
"Good.",she answered with a faint smile.
I cocked my head to the side and said,"You don't sound that way. Come on Tay, tell me what's really going on with you."
She sighed and hesitated before saying,"Okay I don't know for sure, but I think Trey's having an affair."
I gasped,"No. There's no way. Why do you think that?"
She shrugged,"All the signs are there Mariah. Late nights, locking his phone, never home...Shall I continue because there's more?"
"I-I just can't believe it. I mean, even I've noticed his changed behavior. I just can't believe that Trey...."
"I know."she nodded as tears ran down her face "And I'm trying SO hard to be strong right now but.....It's so damn difficult."
I widened my eyes as she broke down in front of me. I stood up from my seat and sat down next to her to comfort her. I wrapped my arms around her and said,"Taylor please stop crying."
"I-I can't! I have loved him with everything in my soul and he turns around to stab me in the back by having an affair with someone."she buried her face in my neck and continued to cry.
I wish I had more things to say to her but what do you tell your best friend when her husband is most likely cheating on her. I remember back when I was pregnant with Tyson, I used to think Trey was just the perfect gentleman then he just goes and pulls some dumb shit like this.
"At this moment, it's about being strong for both you and Camille. You have to be the parent that gives her hope Taylor. You're like the strongest person I know and I just know you'll make it through this. I know you will."
She lifted her head and sniffed,"Just don't tell Chris alright. You know how protective he is, he'll just turn this whole thing into another bad headline on TMZ."
I nodded and wiped away her tears. "You have my word. So what are you gonna do now? Trey still lives with you an-"
"I'm really not sure at the moment. I still need proof that he is stepping out of our relationship."
"Is there any hope for you two? What if he confesses? What if he wants to talk and work things out?"
She shrugged,"I really don't know at the moment." she wiped her eyes and sniffed,"So how are you doing Mariah? That baby is gonna be here pretty soon."
"Psh, men ain't shit. Real talk."I answered.
"Why do you say that?"
"I'm not happy Taylor-"
"What? Oh no-"
"No, I mean I love Chris and I wanna stay married to him but is he completely ready? I feel like we might have moved too fast with all of this. Marriage, the baby, th-"
"Well the baby wasn't planned."she said.
"I know but, we could have been together and still have a child. That's what I had going on with Rodney."
"But that's exactly what you said you didn't want. And obviously Chris was ready to be married because he proposed before he knew you were pregnant."
"So then he should act like it. I'm tired of being the only adult around here."
"Wait a minute now, we all know how goofy Chris can be. You knew that when you first met him so what's changed now?"
I sighed in annoyance. She really wasn't understanding what I'm saying, do I have to spell it out for her? "Taylor, I'm not talking about his personality. I'm saying all the shit he does now like the insane partying, extreme drinking," I counted on my fingers, "the smoking weed, all of that needs to stop."
"You're right." she nodded "Have you talked to him about that?"
"I tried, it didn't go how I planned. We argued and I told him we needed to move out of his house and get a family home and then I ended up with this."I widened arms out to display the big house we were sitting in.
"I like it. It really suits your family."
"Yeah, it's beautiful. Oh my gosh girl, guess what?"
"What?"Taylor asked.
"Did you know Chris and August got into it a couple nights ago at a club?"
"Well I didn't hear about it on TMZ so no."
We both giggled.
"What was it about?"
I shrugged,"I don't know but whatever it is, they're not talking and they're both hella pissed about it."
"I swear, nigga act like females nowadays. Fighting over the dumbest shit."
We shook our heads. That is true.

Chris' POV
"Chris man, you need to hop out ya feelings it ain't that serious.",Michael said to me. We sat in his living room having a deep conversation.
"I ain't even in my feelings. Lil nigga crossed a line he should have never crossed. Like, nigga don't fuckin tell me how I should handle my wife. Go handle yours! Since she out on the streets acting like a damn hoe."I mumbled the last part.
"What?"
"Nothing man."
"Nah, I heard what you said."
I laughed,"Then why'd you ask?"
"I just wanted to clarify but shit is true Chris. Cassandra is a hoe."
"How you know?"
"Nigga she tried some fuck shit with me in my own damn house! Plus August and Chyna were here too and you KNOW I was not tryna be in trouble."
"Oh, Chyna don't play."I shook my head.
"I'm saying though..."he said lowly" Anyways, what'd she do to you?"
"Man, I don't even know exactly. About two weeks ago when me and August were cool, I went over to their house to see what's up, you know. And I was over there by myself since Mariah was too tired to shit that day......."
Flashback
I rang the doorbell and waited until I was greeted by a smiling Cassandra. "Chris!" she pulled me inside and greeted me with a hug "It's sooo good to see you. How's Mariah doing?"
"She's good, she's at home sleeping."I answered. I looked around the house and asked,"Uh, where's August?"
"He's heading home from the studio. He called and said he'd be here any minute, don't worry."
I nodded and with my hands stuffed in my pockets, I walked on over to the living room and sat down on the couch. I had my attention on the college basketball game that was playing on the tv when all of a sudden Cassandra came over and sat down right beside me. She made sure not to leave any gaps in between us.
I was caught off guard and I immediately got uncomfortable. My throat seemed to be dry all of a sudden and I was trying to not look in her direction even though it was hard because she was looking directly at me.
Finally I'd had enough and turned to her and asked,"Aight now, what's up Cass?"
She smiled and placed a hand on my thigh and rubbed it up and down then said,"C'mon Chris, it's all right."
I furrowed my eyebrows and picked up her hand from my thigh and tossed it back to her,"No it ain't. Stop, foreal aight?"
She giggled,"Chris-"
She was interrupted by the doorbell ringing and it was August at the door.
Flashback Ends
"Ole girl acted like nothing happened and she was innocent and his ass believed her.",I said.
"Why you ain't tell him then?"Mike asked.
"There was really nothing to tell. Then since his bitch ass wants to start shit, he just gon have to find out sometime."
"That's foul."
"What about you huh? Why you ain't tell him want she did to you?"
He shrugged,"I guess there was nothing to tell."
"Exactly."I clapped my hands together. "Bruh, I wonder if she tried any fuck shit with Trey?"
We both sat there for a minute and thought about the possibility of Cassandra pushing herself up on Trey then Mike and I said at the same time,"Naaah!"

Mariah's POV
"Chriiiis pleeeease.",I begged.
"No, for the hundredth time, I will NOT rub your feet."he answered.
"Why not?'
"Because, yo fee look nasty as fuck! All swollen and shit. Looking like some damn bricks Mariah!"
I crumpled my face and tears poured out of my eyes,"S-stop being s-so damn mean to me Chris!" I crossed my arms and turned to my side.
He sat up in the bed and turned on the lamp on the nightstand and said,"It's 3:19 in the morning and you woke me up so I can rub your feet? Hell no."
"You hate me don't you? Go on, just say it."
"I don't hate y-"
"Liar! If you loved me then you'd rub my feet for me. They hurt so much and I can barely reach my vagina so how do you expect me to rub my own feet?"
"You know, you look JUST like Tyson when you cry. It's kinda scary actually."he said.
"Rub my feet!",I growled.
"Aight then"he kissed his teeth. "I can;t wait for this baby to be born so you'll finally stop ordering me around and shit."
He climbed out of the comforter and started rubbing my feet. I closed my eyes and slowed down my cries.
"Ugh, can I stop now?",he asked.
"You just started!"
"You try rubbing someone's crusty ass feet! It ain't fun Mariah. All musty looking at shit."he laughed at his own joke.
Our bedroom door creaked open and Tyson's small head full of brown curls emerged and he said,"Mom?"
"Yeah Tyson? What are you doing up right now?"
"I kept hearing you and Chris yelling and now I can't sleep."
"Ah, come and sleep with mommy."I patted in Chris' spot on the bed.
Tyson obeyed and came over and climbed onto the bed. Chris looked over at me and Tyson cuddling with each other and asked,"Aye, what about me?"
"What about you? Continue rubbing my feet."I said.
Tyson giggled.
"Whatchu laughin for Little Man? You supposed to be asleep right now. You got school in the morning."
Tyson placed his hands over his eyes and pretended to sleep even though he was giggling. It's so cute when I see him smiling like this. "Leave my baby alone."
He gave me a serious look and asked,"I thought I was your baby?"
"You're my other baby."
He looked slightly offended which only made Tyson and I laugh even harder. He asked,"Oh it's funny right? Let's see how funny it is when I squeeze into this bed with y'all."
"No!",I squealed.
"Too late, I'm already in. Good night family."
"Wow, Chris.",I smiled.
"Goodnight mom goodnight dad."Tyson said just as Chris turned off the lamp on the nightstand.
Wait, did Tyson just call Chris 'Dad'?