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Chapter 12 (Lou-Lou)
Maybe it's all the hormones ru
Not only is 'Momma' enamored by her, for reasons I'll never understand...considering we met under similar circumstances and she hated me right away—but it seems like everyone else is enamored with her too.
Including Ricardo.
My jaw clenches as I recall that DeLuca specifically told me to play the video in front of him.
He wouldn't say that, not unless Ricardo had some kind of history with her.
Clearly, he's been lying to me.
I'm so mad I can barely even see straight.
Hands down this has been one of the worst days of my life.
I pat my belly under the table. At least I still have you, Thumper.
Despite my foul mood, I smile when I hear that Shelby ended up walking out of her wedding rehearsal because of Tyrone.
Tyrone's a great guy, he deserves happiness. Apparently, he doesn't think so, though—because he shakes his head and says, "No. There's too much water under the bridge. Too much devastation in our wake."
I'm about to open my mouth and tell him to go after her, but of course, the bitch opens her mouth and gives her two cents before I can.
"Don't be stupid. You better go after her," she says, while I fight the urge to pour my orange juice over her head.
Everyone looks at her in a combination of surprise and awe.
I grind my molars as she continues, "I'm just saying that when you love someone. You don't give up on them. You fight for them. It doesn't matter what obstacles are standing in the way."
She takes a breath and I silently hope she's finished ru
"When you love someone," she continues, much to my dismay. "You hold their hand when they're too scared to move forward because all they've ever known is a past that's full of despair and emptiness. When you love someone, you realize that every bit of pain you ever endured is worth it because you found the person who's the very best part of your life." She shrugs. "Or at least, that's how I imagine love is supposed to be. Despite whatever bullshit might have happened between you two."
I'm so mad, I swear there's smoke coming out of my ears.
A past that's full of despair and emptiness?
Pain?
This bitch wouldn't know the definition of true pain if it smacked her upside her blonde head and crawled up her ass.
Pain is being forced to choose between your baby and the man you love.
Pain is being forced to endure disgusting things night after night, by the one person who's supposed to love and protect you.
No...she doesn't know shit about actual pain.
She was too busy smiling for cameras, attending college, and living her 'little miss perfect' life.
I snort and make a face at her. She might have everyone else at the table fooled with her 'i She's not as perfect as she pretends to be. I can see her cracks and I want to expose each and every one of them. I rest my elbows on the table and rub my temples. I can feel my jealousy building to an inferno and I swear, if she says one more fucking thing...my cork's going to blow. I tune into the rest of the conversation and take a deep breath. Momma points the spatula in Alyssa's direction. "I knew I had a good feeling about her. She's right, baby. You cain't never could. Which is why I bought you a plane ticket. We leave in a few hours." She pauses and looks at Ricardo. "Don't worry. He'll be back by Monday." She grimaces. "And if he's a little late you tell that no good, son-of-a-bitch De—" "That's great," Jackson says, cutting Momma off. "I think you should go," he tells Tyrone. Tyrone looks at Jackson. "Yeah, alright. But you know what will happen if it doesn't work out, right?" "Don't worry. I'll have a bottle of Jack Daniel's ready to go and a copy of Nelly's greatest hits in the CD player. Along with a few Hulk dvd's," Jackson says. Tyrone smiles and reaches over to give Jackson a pound. "My man." Beside me, Ricardo laughs, and I ignore how my heart jumps at the sound. "You better lock that up quick, Alyssa. Looks like you might have some competition on your hands." I glare at him but he ignores me. Alyssa leans forward and crinkles her nose. "I'm not afraid of a little competition." She hikes a thumb in Tyrone's direction. "However, I don't think I can possibly compare to this alpha male with his pretty piercing over here." The entire room erupts in laughter and I lean back and suck my teeth. I can't take another second of this. It's time people see her for what and who she really is. The old Lou-Lou's officially come out to play. "So," I say while narrowing my eyes at Alyssa. "I take it you spent the night in Jackson's bed? Really giving it the old college try with him, huh? Tell me, how was it at NYU?" Everyone goes silent and Alyssa blinks and looks down, shame all across her face. Good. Ricardo's jaw flexes and he gives me a murderous look. And that look? Confirms all my suspicions. There's no way he would give me that look unless he cared about Alyssa. He fucking lied to me. Alyssa glances in the direction of the door and I'm beyond elated that she's about to leave, but then Jackson halts her and glares at me. "At least she was actually invited to spend the night in my bed. Not just sniffing around me like some dog wanting to get their paws on some scraps." His pupils constrict as he stares down at me. "And despite what you may think, staying up all night and having a meaningful conversation with someone you care about is so much better than being used for sex. But we all know you wouldn't know about that, Lou-Lou. Now would you?" My chest constricts with his words and my face falls when I look at Ricardo. He won't even look at me. Jackson defended and stood up for Alyssa and he barely even knows her...yet the man who claims to love me...stayed silent and let his friend say those things about me. Momma claps her hands. "Okay. Who wants seconds?" Alyssa looks up at Jackson in wonder. "Me. I want more. I would love more." He brings her hand to his lips and kisses it. "Me too." I think I'm going to be sick. Until he lets go of her hand and says, "But, I shouldn't. Sometimes too much, too fast can leave you in a lot of pain." Amen to that. Alyssa holds out her plate to Momma. "Or sometimes you have to say to hell with it and indulge a little. You might miss out on a good thing and by the time you decide you want it, it's all gone." Momma fills up her plate with more food. "A girl after my own heart." Her eyes land on me and I feel myself shrink down. I know she's about to make a dig about my barely eaten plate of food. I have to bite my tongue to stop from screaming that I'm nauseous because I'm pregnant and the thought of eating anything at the moment is enough to make me yak.