"Call her again," Cindy told Aaliyah as she impatiently tapped her fingers on the table.

"She isn't picking up.. Maybe she couldn't make it," Aaliyah said.

"Maybe Huey's beating her ass!" Cindy said, slamming her fist on the table. "Keep calling her until she picks up" Aaliyah breathed a sigh, but she called once more.

It's been some time since they found out the truth that Jazmine's been getting abused by Huey. She didn't tell them, they saw the signs. Every time they mentioned it, she denied it, only she can't deny the black and blue bruises on her bright skin. Every time they visited her, she had a fresh black eye and a busted lip. Whenever they questioned her about it, she constantly lied and made excuses.

" Oh, I accidentally hit my face in the shower" or " Huey was training me, it was an accident," They knew she was lying especially since everyone knew Huey was a hothead. Cindy recalled a fourth of July event they held at Aunt Cookie's house.

"You need help, Huey!" Riley said, and automatically Huey lost it. He began yelling, punching walls, knocking down chairs, ruining everyone's vibe.

Aunt Cookie tried to calm him, but he just pushed her out the way and when he did, Riley got in his face and shoved him. That's when things went awry. As Riley and Huey were fighting, Jazmine was crying and screaming for them to stop.

Huey was slightly intoxicated, which gave Riley an advantage over him. He had Huey in a frenzy, but it wasn't long before he let go when they separated them.

"I'm out!" Huey said, storming off. Jazmine went up to Cindy and Aaliyah and hugged them.

"Thanks for having me," she said.

Cindy grabbed her arm and when she did Jazmine winced in pain. Cindy lifts her sleeve and bent her arm sideways to see a greenish bruise on her wrist.

Cindy gasped "Jazmine what the fuck happened to your wrist!" She shouted. Before Jazmine could respond, Huey shouted "Jazmine, come on!"

Jazmine pulled down her sleeve. "I, I have to, to go" said nervously.

"No Jazmine, explain this shit!"

"Jazmine now! ' Huey hollered.

"Please, I'll call you later," said Jazmin, looking back and panicking when she sees Huey leaving the door.

Why was she so scared?

"Jazmine, did Huey do this to you?" Cindy demanded. Jazmin's eyes sparkled with tears and her lips shook. "It was an accident," she whispered.

"Oh hell no!" Cindy yelled. " I'mma ask that bitch myself!" She said, cracking her knuckles.

"No no no!" Jazmine said, stopping her. "Please just let it go," Jazmine pleaded.

"No fuck letting it go, I'm saying some-"And that's when Jazmine phone buzzed and she placed the phone to her ear.

"Yes?" she replied.

Cindy snorted, it was Huey. Jazmine always talked as if she was speaking to her Daddy, when it came to him. She would use terms like Yes or May I, and she actually had to ask him permission to use the bathroom. In fact, she asked his permission for everything. It was like he was controlling her every move. She was his puppet and he was the puppet master. She observed and Jazmin's green eyes widened as though he had threatened her.

"I'm coming now okay, " she said in a trembling voice. I was saying my goodbyes... No, of course not, "Jazmine said. "Baby please calm down." Cindy heard Huey screaming and Jazmine's tears streaming down her cheeks. She backed away so Cindy couldn't hear him.

Jazmine sniffled and waved at her. "I'm sorry, but I have to go," she said in haste.

"Jazmine, hold up!" Cindy called, running after her. Jazmine ignored her and ran toward Huey, who was leaning on the car with his arms folded. Jazmine placed a kiss along his lips, trying to calm him down and he gripped her waist and whispered in her ear. What he said to Jazmine scared her because she started crying when she got in the car.

"Huey let her out of the fucking car!" Cindy howled, knocking at the window. Huey glared at her and she could have sworn she saw a demon. She backed away terrified by the look in his eyes. Huey smirked at her and drove off.

After that day, Cindy hadn't seen Jazmine for months and when she finally did Jazmine looked terrible. That glow on her face was gone and she wore heavy sweaters and sweatpants. Her face was always covered with foundation and Jazmine never wore makeup, her skin was flawless.

She was always paranoid and when Huey called her, she answered on the first ring and if Huey told her to come home she would leave immediately. When Huey returned from Syria, he lost himself, and because of it, Jazmine lost her too. She barely had time to hang out with friends. She cancelled the ladies' night, the spa day, even the shopping. Everything was always about Huey and Cindy had enough of it.

"Fuck this! I'm going over there! " Cindy said, getting up.

"No, you are insane?" That will make matters worse! "Aaliyah cautions."

"Matters are worse!" Cindy yelled, gaining people's attention..

"Cin, please can we not make a scene in the restaurant" Aaliyah whispered.

"Well, fuck 'em!" People should learn to mind their fucking business! "Cindy hollered." Everyone's eyes returned to their table and Aaliyah pulled Cindy down.

"Can you please sit down!" Aaliyah said. "You are ridiculing yourself!"

"I don't give a shit that's my best friend and if she dies because of him" Cindy said, breaking down. "I swear to God, I'll kill him!" She sobbed.

Aaliyah hugged her friend as she wept. "Come on, let's go," she said, waving to the waitress.

When they got in the car, Cindy folded her arm as she was mumbling cursed words under her breath.

"Look Cin, we can still help her, but not this way." Aaliyah stated. " It's too dangerous, " she stated.

"All I gotta do is stab that nigga in the dick!" Cindy said hatefully. "Matter fact, I'll shoot him and then he could die faster!" She threatened.

"You know, if you killed Huey, Jazmine would hate you forever, right?" Aaliyah told her.

"So the fuck what! She'll live," Cindy said stubbornly.

"Mm-hmm, what about Riley?" asked Aaliyah. "Will he live too?"

Cindy's eyes expanded, and then her eyebrows froze.

"He doesn't give a shit. He hates him too, " she disclosed. Aaliyah shook her head because what Cindy said was truthful.

Riley hated his brother for beating on Jazmine. She was like a sister to him and it angered him that Huey would hurt her Besides, he felt hurt because when Huey went missing he thought he was dead and it almost destroyed him. When Huey returned, he was so happy and he couldn't wait to visit his brother, but when he went to see him, Huey turned his back on him.

Riley didn't give up and as things got worse with Huey, he attempted to help him, but Huey continued to treat him like he was nothing. He even went far in telling Riley he isn't his brother and that his only family was Jazmine. Riley never understood Huey's behavior towards him, only now Riley acts as if he didn't care anymore.

"All we need to do is persuade her to leave Huey," Aaliyah said.

Cindy scoffed "Good luck with that. We tried that and what she do..run back to his ass! "Cindy said hatefully.

"Well, here's a better idea!" Aaliyah mentioned. "Would if we trick her into believing it's a girls weekend trip"Aaliyah suggested.

"What are you getting at?" asked Cindy.

"Since Jazmine won't leave Huey on her own. Would if we lied to her. We can tempt her to go to Napa Valley, for a weekend Spa vacation, but really were going elsewhere" she explained.

"That way, if Huey goes looking for her, he will end up going all the way to California together and it will spare us time to console her" She added.

"And what if she doesn't listen?" Cindy said, feeling uneasy about this plan.

"Then our only alternative is to force her to listen. If she attempts to go back to Huey we aren't going to let her," Aaliyah said.

Cindy thought about it, but she agreed. "Alright, but we still need to check up on her" she said

Aaliyah started the engine, "Okay, but no drama you got it? 'She asked, looking at Cindy.

"Yeah, yeah, I got Chu, but I'm not making any promises if he put his hands on her!" Cindy said. Aaliyah smiled, imagining Huey getting knocked out by Cindy.

"That's fine by me"

Caesar sighed with sympathy as he saw his best friend sitting beside the bar table, drowning his sorrow in alcohol. He knew either he and Jazmine had a fight or Jazmine was being aloof with him. It was the only time Huey ever drank.

He walked over to Huey, who was staring at the glass of beer, looking completely miserable. Caesar couldn't believe how much his friend had changed, but he didn't blame him because he understood the situation. He was there with Huey when all the madness happened in Syria, he saw the same horror, but contrary to Huey, Caesar made it home.

"Aye, Man, what's going on?" Caesar asked, sitting across him.

Huey didn't look up from his glass. " Jazmine's going to leave me, I can feel it, " he said, holding back his tears. Caesar watched as Huey's jaw tightened as he adding more pressure to his grip on the glass.

"How do you know?" Caesar asked.

Huey shut his eyes and squeezed his lips together. "She won't look at me, she won't speak to me.. Every time I touch her, she winces.. She won't even kiss me anymore. The only time I feel connected to her is when we have sex, but when I'm done, she moves away from me. "He explained.

"She doesn't love me the same, the only reason she stays is because I won't allow her leave" Huey admitted. Caesar sighs deeply and licks his lips, carefully reflecting upon what must be said without antagonizing him, but he nevertheless wants to keep it real with him.

"No offense, but what did you expect? You made a vow to protect her and now you're the one harming her," Caesar said, gulping deeply. "Of course, she's going to act that way, she's afraid of you" He said.

Huey slammed his fist down on the table. "Can't you realize I know that already! You think I relish the fact that I hurt her, I love her! " He hollered. There's something wrong with me. Sometimes I can't control it. I become so angry and then blank, nothing. I blacked out or something because I don't remember when I beat her, I just see the aftermath. " Huey explained. Though on the inside, he couldn't explain because he didn't remember.

Huey open his eyes as if he woke up from a sleep, but he did not sleep. Instead, he was standing on his feet and in front of him was Jazmine lays on the floor, crying hysterically.

"Jazmine!" He said as rushed to her side, but she screamed and crawled away from him. She panted as she made it into a corner where pressed her knees against her chest and whimpered.

"Please leave me alone, " she wept. Huey looked up at her face and puffed as he realized her nose was bleeding and she had a forming bruise on her cheek.

" Who did this to this to you!" He yelled, clenching his fist together. He was ready to kill whoever had put their hands on his wife. "Jazmine, tell me!" He demanded, shaking her shoulders, but she cried louder and begged him to stop hitting her.

Huey eyes widened "What?" He stated" Jazmine I would never" but he halted as he noticed the blood on his knuckles. He backed away, his heart was thumping like elephants running.

"Jazmine.. I'm.." he couldn't finish his sentence because he felt his tears clogged in his throat. Jazmine stood up and ran in the bathroom and locked herself inside. He heard her wail and it caused his tears pour. He was sobbing as he appeared in his hands in horror. He realized right away it was him, he did this to her.

""Seek some help man," Caesar Exclaimed. " If not for yourself. Do it for Jazmine, do it to save your marriage," he persuaded.

Huey raised his eyes to Caesar and looked upon him with great compassion.

"Huey, this isn't you, you're better than this, " he told him.

Caesar's words stuck in his mind and he deliberated with himself. Then Huey stood up and said, "This is me, the new me and it's too late to fix me, the damage done," then he walked away.

Caesar sighs and runs his hands on his dreaded head. "Damn, so close"

Jazmine shook her head rapidly, " I don't know about this Huey needs me here to-"..

"Come the fuck on Jazmine!" Cindy exclaimed. "You mean to tell me you can't spend two days, two fucking days without Huey!" she yelled, banging her fist on the table.

Jazmine rubbed the sides of her head and sigh "Cin, you don't understand

"You're right, I don't understand, I don't understand how the fuck can you stay with a nigga that whoops yo ass!" she yelled, standing up.

"Cindy!" Aaliyah gasped.

"No fuck this shit. I'm tired sugarcoating this mess, you need to leave that low life nigga alone! "Cindy screamed, pointing at Jazmine."

Jazmine stood up furiously "You need to mind your fucking business and pay attention to your husband before he cheats again!" Jazmine shouted, poking her chest.

Cindy gasped and slapped Jazmine. "You bitch!" How dare she bring that up. Everyone knew that was a soft spot. Cindy to know Riley cheated. Although he claimed it was a drunken mistake, she couldn't trust him anymore.

Jazmin slapped Cindy in the face. "You're the bitch!"

Cindy cursed and started to grab Jazmine's hair, but Aaliyah pushed her back.

"Woah, woah, stop you two!" Aaliyah said, getting between the two.

"Tell her to stop disrespecting my husband!" Jazmine shouted.

"I will when your HUSBAND stops using you as his punching bag, that's all you'll ever be with him, his punching bag!"

"Cindy!"

Jazmine clenched her teeth, preparing herself to say another insult, but she couldn't, Cindy's words cut her deeply and tears streamed down her face. She turned to Cindy, who also had tears in her eyes. She recognized she had hurt her.

" I'm sorry" Jazmine said, before running upstairs.

"Jazmine, wait!" Aaliyah yelled, but she heard the sound of Jazmine's bedroom door closing.

Aaliyah glared at Cindy "You just had to have the last word, " she shook her head in disappointment. "I hope you know, you ruined our chances in getting her away from Huey, thanks" she said, walking away.

Cindy bit her lowered lip, taking in what she did, now Jazmine definitely isn't going to the trip. If she doesn't go, the plan is off.

"Fuck"