I heard the back door open.
“Ey Aaron!” I heard a man’s voice I didn’t recognize.
“You don’t have to walk me to the door.” Aaron retorted.
“I know but I forgot, I need to talk to your mother.”
“I think she’s asleep.”
“Whose pearl white Mercedes truck is that in the driveway?”
“Ma got a new car for her birthday. She’s giving me her old car.”
“Where’d she get money for a new truck?”
“I don’t know. I’m not her accountant.” Aaron smarted. He was really a clever lad.
“I need to use the bathroom.”
I sat up in my chair. I heard the door close and feet approaching the kitchen. I spied Aaron first. His exasperated mug was clear as day. Then I saw him, Erik, the ex-husband.
“Who are you?” Erik asked me but I didn’t respond. His tone was quite rude.
Aaron spoke up for me. “Oh, Dad this is Ma’s boyfriend, Jay.” He thought to not call me Jagger. I really liked this kid. He was a smart lad.
Erik let out a chuckle while I sized up my girlfriend’s ex-husband. I had to give him a once over to see what I was up against. He was an American Black man. Some people might call him handsome, some people, not me of course. He was a middle-aged bloke, tall but not taller than me. He had some puny muscles and some misplaced body fat. He didn’t have my youth. I could take him in a bloody scuffle. This I knew for sure. There was no way I was going to shake this wanker’s hand. I hoped he wouldn’t try to shake mine.
“No, seriously?”
I stood with my tea in hand. I needed him to see my height. I started moving and he moved too. I walked out of the kitchen down the hall and to the bottom of the staircase.
“Kat! Your ex-husband is here!” I yelled it up into the air. Maybe she would hear me.
I went right back to the kitchen to give the tosser a proper glare. I took my chair at the island and took another sip.
Aaron was standing idle. “I’m going to the basement.” He said and I gave him a head nod.
As soon as he left the room his mother appeared in mere seconds. The look of shock on her face was rather lovely. All of her looks had beauty and grace. She was really just that stunning.
“Erik, you never come inside.” She walked into the middle of the room and was literally in between him and me. “Where’s Aaron?”
“He went to the basement. I think he felt rather uncomfortable, love.” I answered.
Kat flashed a quick smile at me. “Why are you here Erik?”
“I need to talk to you,” Erik looked over at me. “In private.”
Kat gave me a subtle look and it was just enough for me to discern. We learned to read each other’s eyes back at the candy shop.
I left the room with my tea. I rounded the corner but I only moved out of eyeshot not out of earshot. I wanted to hear what a wanker like Erik said to the woman he’d been disloyal too during their marriage. I wasn’t worried. It’s not like he ever came up in conversations. He was a non-factor. He didn’t keep up with a study visitation schedule and the random kid with a woman he had an affair with made him a real scumbag.
“Katrina.” Erik’s voiced was strained.
“What? What do you want?”
“How long have you been fucking this kid?”
“What kid?”
“Don’t get cute, the White boy?”
“None of your business.”
“It’s my business if you have him here at my house with my son. Aaron said this is your boyfriend.”
“He is correct. Yes that man is my boyfriend. But this isn’t your house. I got the house in the divorce. This is my house.”
“You pay the mortgage with my child support.” He spewed.
That issue could easily be fixed. I could just buy Kat a new house.
KATRINA
“Erik please, stop being a drama queen.”
“Is he legal?”
“Don’t ask me stupid questions.”
“He looks like one of Aaron’s friends from high school.”
“Good grief, get a grip. He's a grown-ass man.”
“Is he British or something?”
“Duh.”
“Where the hell did you find a young British muthafucker?”
“That’s just something else in the pile of shit that’s not your business.”
“Have you lost your mind? Is Kennedy older than this boy? Does she know about this?”
“Yes, of course, she does and she’s fine with it.”
“She always picks your side.”
“There are no sides to pick. We are divorced. This is my personal life. I don’t care what hookers you have in and out of your house. You need to worry about your business and let me worry about mine.”
“Katrina, are you really fucking this boy with back tattoos?”
All night long was the response that came to mine but I said, “Yes sir.” Instead with a head nod.
“Where did you find a British White boy? Man ain’t this some bullshit.”
“He’s a grown man.”
“Where?” Erik looked around the room and I didn’t think his actions were funny or called for. “Where, tell me where is he a grown man?”
“Where it counts.”
“Okay. I can see this kid has got you acting real immature.”
“Please leave my house.”
“What kind of job does he have? McDonald’s?”
“He’s an international jewel thief.”
“Oh, you think this is funny?”
“Yeah, sort of. I don’t owe you any explanations. Go home to Tasha, LaTasha or Stephanie, whoever. Tell her I said hi. Ask her how she feels about being a step-mother to your little three-year-old daughter, Imani.”
His face showed his shock. “See, that’s why we’re not together now. You petty.”
Petty fuckin’ Betty. “Erik, we’re not together because you’re a cheater and a liar. I
