Chapter 40: Something To Say
"That man is going to be the death of me!" Ashley exclaimed barging into her cousin's room. Domonique looked up from the book she was reading.
"Gimme a heart attack why don't ya" the younger woman replied.
"What's John doing now?" Domonique asked putting her bookmark into her book before closing it.
Ashley plopped down onto the bed and stared up at the ceiling. "He's being so damn hot and cold, one minutes he tells me he loves me and will wait for me forever and the next he wants nothing to do with me" she threw up her hands in frustration "and he's being so damn secretive"
"I don't know what to tell you girl because I'm not a mind reader so I have no idea what goes on in his head and I thank God for that because I could only imagine what goes on in that head of his"
"You and me both cousin … you and me both"
"So what's he doing now?"
"He's putting Faith to sleep" she rolled her eyes "you know he didn't even want Faith in the beginning"
"Well he certainly changed his mind real quickly because sometimes you have to pry Faith away from him"
"All I wanted to do was go for a nice walk with John is that too much to ask?"
"No it isn't"
"I didn't think so" Ashley huffed "that man makes me so mad sometimes"
"So divorce his ass … oh yeah you guys aren't married" Domonique laughed at what she thought to be her own cleverness.
"You'd better sleep with one eye open tonight cousin" Ashley threatened.
The Next Day …
The doorbell rang distracting Ashley from the breakfast dishes. She wiped her hands on a nearby dish towel before going to answer the door. She stopped to look at herself in foyer mirror before reaching the door. Much to her surprise John's cousin Marc was standing on the other side of the door.
"Hey baby gurl" he pulled her into a fierce hug.
"Marc … can't breathe" a near asphyxiated Ashley painfully wheezed.
"Sorry" he grinned sheepishly.
"So what brings you out here?" she asked.
"Do I need a reason to visit family?" he casually retorted.
"Well no of course not" she said letting him inside "it's just a surprise to see you that's all"
"So where is my cousin?" he asked.
"He's locked himself in his office you can try to see if he'll let you in but I doubt it because I haven't seen that man for more than an hour the whole time he's been home"
"What's he doing in there?" Marc asked giving her a questioning look.
"Be damned if I know"
"You look a little stressed" he observed.
"Nah … I'm ok" she lied. She really share with someone her frustrations with John but she really felt that his cousin wasn't the right person to tell.
"Come on Ash we are friends right and if you can't confide in your friends then who can you confide in"
She thought about what he said for a few moments before nodding in agreement. Maybe it would be good to tell Marc, he was close to John and maybe he could shed some insight on what he was thinking and why. They moved into the living room and both had a seat on the couch. Ashley didn't speak right away trying very hard to phrase her words so that the substitute teacher turned rapper would not get offended.
"Well John has been acting very strange lately and it's driving me crazy" she said "sometimes he's all affectionate and then other times he doesn't even want to be in the same room or even talk to me"
"Did you guys have a fight or anything?" Marc asked.
"No, ever since I moved back in to help take care of Fabo everything has been fine"
"And the kids do you think they have been stressing him out?"
"Nope when he's home he tries to spend as much time being with them as possible, he plays with them and reads to them, rocks them to sleep, and he's always hugging and kissing them"
"Have you asked Randy about his behavior?"
"Yeah and he is no help either"
"Well where is Randy right now maybe he'll tell me something"
"He and Dommy took all 3 kids out for the day and I think Fabo went fishing with some of the neighbors"
"So it's just me and you"
"Pretty much yeah"
"I think you need a day of fun" he said. "come on" he grabbed her hand as he stood up.
"Marc … I can't I have dishes to finish and then I have to throw some laundry in"
"You need to stop being June Clever and start having some fun and you are coming with me and I'm not taking no for an answer.
She took a moment to really take Marc in. His eyes were blue like John's but they were a darker blue. His face was rounder where John's was more chiseled and defined. He sported a thinly trimmed lineup where John preferred to keep is face free of any facial hair. But they had the same goofy lopsided way of smiling. When either man smiled she felt herself smiling as well.
"Fine" she relented "but just for a little while"
Marc took her for a quick burger and they caught an early afternoon movie. The theater was having a special showing of Mama Mia which against Marc's better judgment he let Ashley convince him to see. It was a lot of fun and they both found themselves singing along with the songs they knew. Laughing heartily they stumbled through the front door.
"I haven't had that much fun in a long time" she wiped her eyes, she had been laughing so hard she had begun to cry.
"I'm glad I could help" he gave her a smile.
It was then that she realized that all that she was really bothered by was she felt that no one was listening to her and that her biggest problem with John was she felt like he was neglecting her.
"Penny for your thoughts?" Marc asked moving a piece of fallen hair behind her ear.
It was instantly noticeable how close they were. She wanted him to kiss her, and as if he was reading her thoughts he brought his lips down to meet hers. Ashley was amazed how good of a kisser Marc was, not that it really surprised her because look who his cousin was. He broke the kiss first.
"Ash … I'm sorry I shouldn't have done that … I got caught up in the moment"
"There is no need to apologize Marc we are two grown adults and I don't know about you but I have no one to answer to"
"My cousin loves you" he said.
"If your cousin really loved me then don't you think it would have been him I was spending the afternoon with" she had a point.
"I just don't want to do anything you are going to regret"
"I'm a big girl Marc and I wouldn't have let you kiss me if I didn't want it"
This time it was her who kissed him and once again he pulled away from her. She let out a frustrated sigh and gave him a perplexed look.
"Do women usually have to work this hard to get anywhere with you?" she asked.
"No … but most girls I get involved with I haven't know since they were 19 and none of them share two children with my cousin" he pointed out.
"Where's your sense of adventure?" she asked him taking a moment to lick her lips.
"Oh I can do adventure" he said "I can do adventure very well"
She raised an eyebrow at him "Then show me Predka show me that you can be Tarzan"
"I have to ask you one more time are you sure … John is in the house"
"Watch this" she walked over to John's office door. Marc followed and watched as she knocked and stuck her head in.
"Hey John" she greeted him.
"Not now Ashley I'm busy" Marc could hear him say.
"But I wanted to ask you a question" she said.
"Whatever it is go for it"
"Ok if you insist" she shut the door behind her.
"See what I'm putting up with" she sighed.
"Well I mean John did give us permission … sort of"
"Why yes he did didn't he" she said pulling him into her bedroom.
1 Hour Later …
"Ash … Ash where are you I have something I want to show you" John raced around excitedly looking for the woman he loved. He had finally finished his song he even gave it a title Why (Are We Still Friends). He was proud of what he had accomplished and he was totally gonna rub Randy's face in it.
"Ashley" he yelled once again nearing her bedroom.
The door was open a crack. Thinking that she was reading a book or taking a nap he didn't even bother to knock.
"OH MY GOD" John's retinas burned within his skull.
He stumbled out of the room and managed to get himself onto the couch. The woman he loved was sleeping with another man in his home … in the same room where his baby daughter slept. To make matters even worse the man she was sleeping with was his own family … someone who he considered to be a brother.
"John man this isn't what you think it is" Marc was the first one to retreat from the room.
"It looks like you were sleeping with Ashley to me" but the crazy thing he wasn't mad at his cousin. He was just really really disappointed with him.
Ashley left the room about a minute later. She stood a few inches next to Marc. John couldn't meet her eyes. He knew if he did he wouldn't be able to keep his cool.
"What I don't understand is you don't want to be in a relationship with me but you'll fuck my cousin"
"John this wasn't some attempt to hurt you" she started but was soon cut off.
"You knew how I felt about you, I told you I was willing to wait and then you go and do this"
"I also know you have been ignoring me these past 3 weeks" she shot back at him "even today remember when I went into your office earlier do you remember what you said. Whatever it is go for it. Those were your exact words"
"Ignoring you … I have not been ignoring you" he defended himself.
"Yes you have you come home and play with the kids and then you head straight for your office, I'm lucky if I can get you to come out and eat with the rest of us"
"Do you want to know what I was doing in the office all that time?" he asked furiously. His own good intentions were being thrown into his face.
"No I don't if you wanted for me to know you would have told me" she replied.
"You are so stupid did it ever occur to you I was doing something for you but I wanted it to be a surprise" he yelled.
"Well how the hell am I supposed to know what goes on in your head" she yelled back.
"GET OUT" he finally yelled.
"John you don't mean that" Marc said.
"Marc stay out of it" John shot him a glare.
"You are bluffing" she said.
"I'm completely serious leave now or I will call the police" he threatened.
"Where the hell am I supposed to go?" she asked.
"I don't care but you need to get the hell away from me or so help me I won't be held responsible for my actions"
"Fine I'll go" she turned and went back into her room.
She returned 20 minutes later with her bags packed. She didn't even bother looking at him as she exited through the front door.
Randy and Domonique were heading up the walkway with the kids. They were smiling and holding hands until they saw Ashley's face. There were tears in her eyes and seeing her with her bags packed they knew something bad must have happened. She bent down in front of Phinnigan who had ran ahead to greet her.
"Baby you be a good boy for daddy ok mommy has to go away for a little while" he tussled his hair and gave him a kiss on the cheek. She did the same thing with Faith and got into her car and drove off without another word.
"Mama gone" was all Phinnigan would say before he burst into tears.
A/N: Wow that was amazingly hard chapter to get out. I have this whole story planned out in my head and sometimes it's hard to write between the main events that I want to happen. Like this chapter I had no idea what I wanted to happen but I knew I wanted to involve Marc and have John kick her out. Now before you guys find out where I live and come to my house with pitchforks and torches in hand I swear a reconciliation is in the works. She just needs a little "fatherly advice" before she can admit to the obvious that she wants him as much as he wants her. I would also like to point out that the major inspiration for the chapter and the name of the title came from Marc's song Something to Say, off of his Inferiority Complex album, which I have concluded is about his relationship with John. Also the song rocks if you haven't heard it I suggest you do cause the whole album kicks ass.