Page 16 of A Minute Past Midnight

“Excuse me?”

“I don't mean that in a bad way. You're a great mom, the best any girl could have, but you take Daddy's side a lot when it comes to me. Parents are supposed to support their children in whatever they choose to do, and I just feel like you guys only want me to follow in y’all’s footsteps and not my own.”

I could hear my mom sigh through the phone. “It’s not that, Juju. Your dad and I were just afraid. You're our only child. Having you here with us for so long felt natural. I guess because we were never brave enough to leave this place, we were nervous about our country baby girl moving to the city.

“It wasn't and still isn't right to project our fears onto you, and for that, I am sorry, baby.”

I teared up a little.

I never heard my mama admit that to me before, even though I knew that was why they didn’t want me to leave. I understood a parent’s fear of letting their only child go, but I was an adult now. I could take care of myself.

“I love you, Mama. Tell Dad I love him too.”

“We love you more, baby. Now, tell me what's been going on.”

I smiled as I proceeded to tell her about the last two months of us not speaking. It felt good to talk to my mom and release the feelings I’d felt since leaving home and her apologizing.

While we chatted, my thoughts roamed to Samir. I wondered what he was up to at this very moment.

“Where have you been?” Forever asked me as soon as I walked through the door of my home.

I knew I shouldn't have come back to this bitch.

It'd been two days since I got back from Atlanta, and I hadn't spoken to her since the night I met Juliana.

Juliana.

It was fucking crazy how much I’d missed her, and I knew nothing about her pretty ass besides her first name, that she loved to draw, and that she had some fantastic pussy.

Damn. I should have gotten her number.

“Hellooo? You don't hear me talking to you?” Forever asked, bringing my thoughts back to the present.

“Hello to you too.” I moved around her and headed up the stairs to pack. Unfortunately, I had to head back to Atlanta to finish up a project since six of my employees caught COVID. That left only three of them to finish a 12,000-square-foot home they had just started.

I had to pull men from each division of my firm to head back there to help them finish it before the two-month deadline.

“Samir.”

“What is it, Ever? I really don't have time to talk right now,” I said, getting irritated as she followed me to our room.

“Why are you treating me like this? You're acting like what we had meant nothing to you! You've been gone for weeks, and then you send me a text telling me you filed for a divorce without giving me an explanation!”

“What’s understood don’t need to be explained.” I went inside my closet, pulled out my luggage, and proceeded to pack my clothes.

“Are you serious right now?”

“Listen, go do whatever it is that you do best. This shit between us is a wrap, and I don't think I need to explain that shit.”

She burst into tears, and I just stood there staring at her ass. There was something seriously wrong with this woman, and I hadn't noticed it until six months ago.

I wasn't trying to be an asshole, but this woman knew all the lies she’d told were the reason this marriage was done for.

“Forever, cut it the fuck out.”

“No! No! You can't do this to me!” She swung, hitting me over and over in my chest. I let her get her shit off before I grabbed her arms and pushed her up against the wall.

“Stop!”