Who Do I Run To? (28 page)

Chapter Thirty
-Five 

It was New Year’s Eve, and Janiece was at home alone with no plans. She and K.P. had plans to go out, but now they were shot because they had broken up. She had talked to Isaiah several times the past few days, and he was elated that she had finally let K.P. go. She knew why he was happy, but he still didn’t say anything about them being any more than what they were.

It was around seven o’clock and after Janiece attempted to call
K.P. five hundred times, she had finally given up. She called Isaiah, but she only got his voice mail on every attempt, and that pissed her off. She knew he was probably down in Texas having a good ole time, waiting to bring the New Year in with another woman.

She got up and walked into the kitchen to pour herself another drink
when she heard a knock on the door. She looked at the clock and wondered who’d be knocking on her door without calling her. Maybe it was K.P., she thought, and she smiled. At least she wouldn’t be spending New Year’s Eve alone.

She walked over to the door and to her pleasant surprise
, it was Isaiah.

“Oh my God
, Isaiah, when did you get here?” she asked, hugging him, and they kissed.

“About three hours ago. I wanted to surprise you.”

“Oh, baby, I’m so happy to see you,” she said, and he squeezed her tightly.

“I’m happy to see you too,” he said and kissed her passionately.

“Oh my goodness, you should have called me. I would have been more presentable,” she said looking at the faded pajamas she was wearing.

“No
, baby, you look perfect,” he said as she shut the door. He was up on her like she was the last woman on earth. “Oh, baby, I’ve missed you,” he murmured, and they kissed some more.

“I
know me too,” she said, and they quickly moved to her room to take care of their sexual business. After they were done, Janiece felt so relaxed and was so happy he was home.

“So how long are you here for?”

“Till the fifth, not long.”

“Damn
, only five days,” she said whining.

“I know
, baby, but that was the best I could do. I’m lucky to get that. Trust me, it wasn’t easy. I just had to see you, though. I’m going crazy without you,” he said, and she knew exactly how he felt.

“I know
, babe. I can’t wait ’til you come home for good.”

“It’s only a little while.”

“Yes, but it seems like forever.”

“I know
, but don’t worry. It’ll be here before you know it.”

“You promise?”

“Yes, baby, I promise,” he said and kissed her. “Now, get up and get dressed, because we’re going out.”

“This late
…? Where are we gonna go to beat the countdown?” she asked looking at the clock. She needed at least thirty minutes to get dressed.

“Don’t worry
. As long as you hurry up we’ll make it. My sister hooked us up with these tickets to Jay’, and you know Vi, right? He’s performing there tonight.”

“Really
? He is?” she said sitting up. He was one of Chicago’s finest, and she loved him.

“Yep,” he said
, and she quickly hopped up.

“Oh yes, let me get dressed,” she said
. She turned on the light and went to the closet. Isaiah got up and grabbed his things and told her he’d go across to his sister’s to shower and dress to kill some time after she promised him she’d be ready in half an hour.

Janiece
dressed and smiled the entire time. She didn’t think about K.P. at all. They got to the club and were having a good time ’til the unbelievable happened. It was K.P., and he was not alone. Janiece’s stomach dropped when she saw him with his arms wrapped around a woman that wasn’t Kimberly.

“I gotta
go to the ladies’ room,” she told Isaiah, and he helped her down off of her stool.

“Hurry
, baby, the countdown is coming soon,” he said, looking at his watch.

“Okay
, I’ll be right back,” she said, and she moved quickly. She was hurt and confused. She was out with Isaiah, so why did it hurt her to see K.P. with another woman? She flushed the toilet although she didn’t tinkle, but since there was a line, she didn’t want to get cussed out for taking a stall if she didn’t have to go.

Then s
he stood in front of the mirror and prayed that her mind was playing tricks and that it wasn’t him, but she knew what she saw. She washed her hands and hurried back over to the table and just like she thought, it was him. He and his lady friend were obviously having a very good time, because he was holding her close and planting kisses on her neck. The look of disappointment on Janiece’s face showed, and Isaiah could tell that something wasn’t right.

“Baby
, what’s wrong?” he asked concerned.

“Nothing
, I’m cool,” she said and took a drink of her vodka and cranberry. She tried to toughen up and not show any emotions, but it was burning her insides not to cry or walk over to him. She knew that wouldn’t be wise since she was out with Isaiah, but she couldn’t help it.

She tried to focus on Isaiah as they got ready for the countdown, but
then she noticed that the woman with K.P. was a woman she knew. She almost passed out when she realized it was Shawnee, and before she could get her thoughts together, the countdown began. By the time they got to one, she was ready to explode.

She and Isaiah kissed as
Happy New Year rang through the club. A few seconds later, Vi was on and the crowd gravitated toward the stage. Janiece took a seat and tried to get herself together, and Isaiah went to get them another round of drinks. She couldn’t help but stare at Shawnee and K.P. and she wanted to fight.

She looked over her shoulder
. Isaiah was still in line, so she hopped off of her stool and marched right over to them.

“What the fuck is this
, K.P.? We break up and you go straight to this ho!” she yelled, catching K.P. off guard.

“Jai,” he said surprised.

“Yes, Jai,” she said with attitude.

“Listen
, Jai, don’t—” he tried to say.

“Don’t what? Act a fool
? How long have you been fucking this bitch?” she spat.

“Hold the fuck up
, Janiece,” Shawnee said, but Janiece didn’t back down. She was tough and strong, and she was ready to take the opportunity to kick Shawnee’s ass.

“What
, you tramp bitch?” Janiece said getting in Shawnee’s face, and Shawnee backed down like the coward Janiece knew she was. “You’ve wanted him from day one!” she yelled at Shawnee. “And as soon as we break up, K.P., you run after this?” she asked with attitude pointing at Shawnee. Shawnee was scared, so she eased behind K.P. so he could be between the two of them.

“Listen
, Janiece, you made it painfully obvious that we were done when you told me you was not coming to Nevada,” he said as Isaiah walked up. He had seen Janiece up in K.P.’s face when he came back to the table. He knew it was K.P. from the last time they met in the hallway of Janiece’s condo.

“Because I asked you to wait and give
me some time,” she said, and Isaiah heard her.

“Time for what
, Janiece?” Isaiah asked from behind her, and Janiece wished he had not overheard her say that.

“Isaiah
, listen, I need to talk to K.P. right now, all right?” she said nervously.

“No, that is not al
l right,” he said mad as hell.

“Listen
, Janiece, go back over there with your date and pretend we didn’t see each other,” K.P. said, and it hurt Janiece so bad. Tears were burning her eyes.

“
K.P., you can’t talk to me?” she asked and Shawnee was standing there shaking and Isaiah was ready to leave her right there if that’s what she wanted.

“Janiece
, let’s go,” Isaiah said.

“
K.P.—” she began again, standing there looking at him with tears in her eyes, but he didn’t even look at her.

“Janiece,” Isaiah said
, his voice firmer, and she stood there waiting for K.P. to say something.

“
K.P., please … you can’t talk to me after what we had?” she said standing there with a face full of tears. K.P. simply didn’t respond, and she stood still waiting for him to turn to her and say something, but he didn’t. He acted as if she weren’t there, and that tore her heart into a million pieces. “Okay, fine, then,” she said and stomped away.

Isaiah gave him a look that
K.P. didn’t bother to challenge. K.P. knew then, at that moment, when Isaiah walked up, that he was the reason why Janiece didn’t want to come to Nevada, so he turned his back on Isaiah and began to talk to Shawnee.

Isaiah looked through the crowd
searching for Janiece, but she was nowhere to be found. He went over to their table. Her jacket was still there. He grabbed it and headed for the door. When he got outside, she was standing in the cold, crying. He didn’t say anything. He just put her coat on her shoulders and walked her to the car.

They drove back to 95
th Street in silence. When they got upstairs, he came in and didn’t ask her any questions. She showered while he sat on the sofa waiting for her to come out. She was surprised when she saw him still sitting there, because she thought for sure he would be gone when she came out. She went into the kitchen and got a glass of water.

Then s
he went back into the living room and sat on the sofa. They sat there in silence for a while, and finally, he stood to leave.

“Listen
, I’ll catch you later,” he said. He didn’t want to leave, but things were just not right.

“I know you think I’m pathetic,” she said not looking at him.

“No, I just think you got a lot to work out.”

“Why does it have to be so complicated
, Isaiah? I don’t love him anymore, so why does it hurt?”

“Well
, Janiece, I can’t say that I believe that you don’t love him anymore, and I know you thought you wanted me too, but maybe you’re not ready for me. You need time, and I don’t want to be in the middle like this anymore. I don’t want to watch you go through the motions. I thought I could handle this, but after tonight …” he said and walked away.

“Isaiah
, don’t leave, please. I don’t want you to go,” she said getting up.

“Jai
, you need some time. I really think it’s best for us if you and I just chill out.”

“No
, Isaiah, come on. I’m sorry I acted that way. I am sorry for causing a scene. It just pissed me off to see him with that bitch Shawnee. I can’t stand her, Isaiah, and when I saw them together …, she said sobbing. “Please, baby, stay. You don’t have long to be here, and I don’t want you to go.”

“Look
, I’ll see you tomorrow. You get some rest, and I will see you tomorrow,” he said and pulled away. He didn’t want to leave her, but he knew he had to. Janiece was not ready for his love. He wanted her to be ready, but he knew she wasn’t.

Once she heard the door shut
, she fell back onto the sofa. She cried and sobbed so hard she thought she would hyperventilate. She finally calmed herself and got up to lock the door. Then despondently, she went into her bedroom and climbed into bed. She looked at the clock. It was a little after two.

She cringed at the thought of
K.P. holding Shawnee in his arms. She was jealous and mad at him for getting with her. Of all the women in Chicago, he chose her. She would have felt better if it had been Kimberly, not Shawnee. How was she going to show her face at work after that?

She sobbed a little more
until she finally fell asleep. She woke up the next morning telling herself that it was time to let go and move on. She got up and brushed her teeth and wondered how she was going to get Isaiah back and how she was going to convince him that he was the one.

She prayed that he would talk to her again, and she also hoped that
K.P. wouldn’t ever come around her again. After seeing him with Shawnee, she had no respect for him, and the way he treated her, she knew that if she saw him again, she’d be tempted to slap the shit out of him.

Chapter Thirty
-Six

After Janiece put all of K.P.’s things in trash bags, she cleaned her condo from top to bottom. Then she shampooed and blow dried her hair while thinking what she was going to say to Isaiah. How was she going to get him to see that she wanted him and she was done with K.P.?

She dressed and when her phone rang she just knew Isaiah missed her and wanted to talk to her, but when she saw
private
, an unlisted number, she got nervous.

“Hello,” she said.

“Put him on the phone,” Kimberly demanded.

“Listen
, ‘‘Crazy’,’ I told you not to call my house again for your husband. He doesn’t live here. Now please, with all due respect, Mrs. Paxton, leave me the fuck alone,” Janiece said and hung up. ‘‘Crazy’’ called her right back.

“Listen
, you slut, as I told you before, I don’t enjoy calling your funky-ass apartment looking for him, but when I can’t get in touch with my husband, you are my last resort, so please, with all due respect, you trifling bitch, put him on the phone,” Kimberly spat.

“Look
, K.P. is not here. We are not together, and he doesn’t live here, now, if you can’t reach him, that’s your problem, but please leave me alone. I ain’t done shit to you for you to keep calling my house.”

“You really think you’re innocent
, Janiece? You’ve been fucking my husband for years, and you haven’t done anything? I can’t sleep at night because of you. My husband is gone … moved to an entirely different state because of you, and you don’t think you’re responsible?”

“Kimberly
, K.P. is a man. He goes and comes as he pleases; he fucks whomever he wants as he pleases; so for crying out loud, stop acting like you are the victim.”

“You stank bitch, how dare you
!”

“How dare
I what? Point out the obvious? It’s women like you that allow men to do what K.P. did to you and instead of saying no, I’m better than this, and leave. You put up with it, and now you’re blaming me. You said it yourself, I’ve fucked your husband for five years, and you know what? You’re right, but you allowed him to continue fucking me for five years, so, you, my dear, are not a victim, so don’t call my house no more.

“
Whether you believe it or not, I’m over him, and we are not together, and wherever he is and whomever he is doing, I hope that’s what he wants, because Janiece wants more for herself, and if you would wise up and stop running behind his two-timing ass, you’d stop fucking with me,” Janiece said, and Kimberly was stomped and angrier than she was when she first called.

“Well, well, well, I see you are just like me. You love him
, and you know it. You’re right, I was never the victim, Janiece. I stayed with Kerry because I wanted to, and, yes, I allowed him to carry on a relationship with you for over five years, and you know what? I stayed. I could have walked, but I didn’t.

“You can say what you want and try to throw me off with this
‘we’re not together and I don’t want him’ bullshit, but I know how much K.P. loves you, and for that, my dear, you will pay for what you did. Now, when you see my husband, you lying bitch, tell him he needs to come and get his children,” she said and slammed the phone down.

Janiece was in total disbelief that Kimberly still had it in for her even though she and
K.P. weren’t together anymore. She hung up and sat down for a moment or two before calling Isaiah. She didn’t let Kimberly’s threats interfere with her day. She had other things she had to handle, and Kimberly didn’t have that kind of power over Janiece. Janiece was not the type to be bullied by anyone. She called Isaiah and crossed her fingers, hoping he’d pick up.