Chapter two

Just in case you missed it: Chapter 1!

Being the guy that Aubrey is, he was always home. He was taking a break from his acting career to explore different things, such as boxing. When he didn't have anything to do, he would call and check on his mother. But this call, this call was different because he needed advice on his marriage. Nothing felt the same anymore; Kitziah seemed to be different and distant. She was becoming more and more irritating and always accusing him of cheating. She also seemed to be miles away whenever it was just them. Whenever Aubrey tried to ask what was wrong, she shut him down. He figured the only way to understand her is to talk to his mother because she always knew what to say and so that he could obtain a woman's point of view.

It was only 1 pm and Kitziah didn't come home until 6, so Aubrey knew he didn't have to rush the conversation.

"Hello Aubrey" Ms Sandi said. Aubrey, being a good son, made sure he called her every day.

"Hey mom, how are you?"

"I'm good, and yourself?" 

Aubrey sighed. "I'm okay, I guess..."

Sandi could tell by the way her son answered, that something was up.

"Aubrey?" she said concerned.

"Mom, can someone change?" he blurted out.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, Kitz has changed. I love her so much but we are distant."

"Have you tried talking to her?"

"Yes and all she does is shut me down. It's like she doesn't want to be with me anymore, I afraid if we carry on like this we might get a divorce. "

Sandi shock her head, "Don't think like that."

"I'm trying not to, mom. I need to fight for this marriage"

"Yes, Aubrey there is a reason why you put that ring on her finger and made her your wife. Find that reason." Aubrey listened carefully to his mothers’ advice. "Tonight take her out for a romantic night. Tell her how you feel; maybe she will open up to you."

"Yeah, that's a good idea. We haven't been out in a while."

"I think it would do you young people good. As long you still love her and she still loves you, you can get through anything together."

"Thanks mom! I love you"

"Love you too, be safe."

"I will bye."

"Bye" Aubrey hung up. He immediately made reservations for tonight. He was ready to save what he is about to lose. The distances between them is repairable in his eyes, he was determined.

Kitziah got home from a long day at work and a secret session afterwards at the hotel across town. Tired was an understatement, she was worn out and sore. Living in a large one bedroom apartment, Aubrey heard the door shut throughout their home.

"Hey babe" He said greeting her with a kiss.

"Aubrey, I'm so tired. I just need to sleep." He just stared in to her eye, not seeing the unfaithfulness that lied within.

"But, babe I wanted to take you out tonight." Aubrey cooed kissing her neck, trying to get her to change her mind. He was already dressed in a shirt, skinny tie and suit trousers.

"Argh Aubrey!" Kitziah pushed his shoulder causing him to jerk back a little. "I told you I was tired."

"Why can't we just go out?"

"Because I'm tired don't you understand that...? Ugh" Kitziah scoffed. "You're so annoying." She said walking past him to the bedroom they shared.

"You know what" He chuckled and grabbed his keys and phone off the coffee table. "Don't wait up" He left the apartment before she could get a word in. Once he reached his car he made a few calls cancelling all the reservations for that night.

_

Onika sipped the last of her Caribou Coffee tossing it in the small trash can nearby. Her dark chocolate eyes scanned back over the papers she had in front of her. Today was a busy day and it wasn't close to ending either. That's why she was a little frustrated; she missed her family.

Hastily, she flipped through a booklet that sat to the far right of her papers. Timothy, her assistant, was centred behind her. He did any and all of what he was suppose to do. He noticed the light tapping of her foot here and there. Although it would be known to him if she needed anything, he still wondered if everything was okay.

With a sigh, she set the book off to the side and finished her typing. Every so often she'd looked down at her well-painted manicure. It made her smile because it was a couple days ago that her, her husband and daughter went out for a day of fun. The smile resoluted with a frown because it was also a remembrance of what little time they got to spend together.

Tired of an unknown feeling, Timothy arose from his swirly chair and walked passed her desk. Her lazy pair of eyes looked up to see who it was. When the eyes went back on the screen, he turned around to her.

"Hey Onika, is everything okay?"

She looked up straight into his eyes. "Yes, I'm fine. Are you okay?" she smiled.

Chuckling, he said, "Oh yeah! I was just going to grab something to drink, do you want anything?"

"No, thank you. I'm good."

"Okay."

She grinned. At least no one was pissing her off in her times of despair. Quickly she was reminded of something she forgot to do. This was just ten minutes ago when she was informed of something she needed to do and it would take longer than her working hours.

No time had been wasted from her picking up her office phone. She waited with three rings before someone answered.

"Hello."

"Hey Baby," the voice said. "Why do you sound so down?"

"I'm just exhausted."

"Well that shouldn't be too much of a problem being that you're about to get off."

"No, that's actually why I called. You don't have to come and pick me up today. I have more things to do and I need more time. My friend Jamie offered to bring me home since she lives in our direction. Damn," she cussed to herself. "I knew I should have driven myself today."

"Oh!" he said.

"Oh what? Why you say it like that?"

"What? I just said oh."

"No you said it in a squiggly voice."

"I didn't."

"Whatever. Where's Heaven?"

"She's taking a nap."

"Oh okay. I'll see you later. I have to go now."

"Alright. Bye."

...

The day was drawing to an end. Heaven had just had her nightly bath and she was now lying in her bed. Nicki was sitting in Heaven's little Princess chair that was leaned up against the wall. She wasn't saying anything and that's how she gained her daughter's attention.

"Mommy? Story?"

"Oh yeah baby, I'm sorry," she said getting up and sitting at the edge of the bed. "So there was this one time when Mama Queen was so happy. She couldn't wait to get home to her three babies. But Daddy King wasn't feeling too well so the Mama Queen went to fix some soup but the daddy refused to eat it. She had gone through all of that preparing with her three children and the daddy didn't even want the soup. So..." Nicki paused. "Mama Queen didn't know what to do with the soup. And... So she was upset because it was going to waste. Do you know what she did?"

"No, mommy."

"Neither do I!" Onika laughed.

"Heaven, it's time for bed. Mommy is just as sleepy as you are, okay?"

"That's not nice. He should have eaten it. That's mean," the little girl pouted.

"I know," Onika said rubbing her daughter's hair. "People aren't grateful," Nicki murmured to herself looking down at the floor. "I love you baby girl."

"I love you too mommy."

"Good night, Heaven. I'll see you in the morning," she said kissing her cheek.

"One more thing," Heaven blurted out. Onika looked funny with a pondering face until she remembered their nightly routine. "Bath... brush hair... brush teeth... oh vitamins! Mommy didn't give you your vitamins did she? No," she said, answering herself. Onika reached in Heaven's top drawer to get the Flinstone gummies. "Alright, here you go. Sorry, mommy has a lot on her mind."

"It's okay, mommy." Onika waited until she finished chewing then kissed her daughter's soft forehead before cutting out the light and shutting the door. On the other side of the door, Kenneth walked passed about to go in his room but when he seen that she wasn't going in the same direction, he wondered. She started down the steps not saying a word or even making eye contact.

"Hey!" he called.

She sifted around to him.

"Yes?"

"Where you going?"

"I'm going on the phone."

"I thought you were tired."

"I am."

"So why are you about to talk the night away?"

"Baby, why the hell are you worried about what I'm doing? Do I question you? Leave me the hell alone."

"Woah, calm down there. I was just asking."

"Well you don't need to ask me anything! I'm going now." She continued down the steps. Her purse was still sitting on the table where she had dropped it when she came home. When she actually did come home, she was in time for Heaven's bath and that's why she rushed up to her daughter.

Now, she grabbed her cell out of her purse and went downstairs into the basement. She had a lot of stuff on her mind and although she was tired, she needed to get some things off her chest.

With a lot of gravity, she threw herself on the basement couch. She'd hope that the person would call her. Enough worrying. She dialled the number and waited for a voice.

"Hey Sexy! What's up?" the voice exclaimed.

"Haha, hello Shana. How are you?"

"Oh, I'm doing good! Good as always girl, how are you? You sound so dry."

"Well, I'm okay. Maybe like half and half."

"Girl, what's up? Do I need to load my shotgun?"

"No, silly!" Onika chimed. "It's Kenneth. He's acting weird and distant as hell."

"What happened with you two?"

Onika paused for a second. Her breathing travelled to the other line. "Ah he's been a little more abrasive than usual. I don't know. He acts like he doesn't want to deal with me anymore."

"When did he start acting like this?"

"Just a couple weeks ago. He said I worked too much, but I explained and he sounded okay with my explanation. Now I see him as a liar and a person who doesn't care about by feelings because it seems like that's what it is. He thinks I'm in the mood for his late night activities, but I'm tired! I don't have time for that mess and plus I have Heaven at night and stuff. Is it wrong of me to be tired because I'm working to at least keep the lights on each month?"

"The nigga needs to chill! Every schoolboy knows that you have to do what you have to do. If he can't accept that, he needs to be straightened out. I'm assuming you've tried to talk to him again about working? No, it's not wrong and if he was working as hard as you, he would understand that you're tired sometimes and could possibly use some dedication too but no, a woman has to do everything. Be a wife, cook, sex machine, doctor, maid, mechanic... it's too much. That's probably why I am the way that I am," Shana explained, referring to the fact that she has boyish ways. "I know you and I know you work hard for the things that you want. Have him work as hard as you do then you switch roles and badger him for stuff. See how he likes that shit."

"Exactly and of course but it's hard because I know he wants to snap but like I said, Heaven is always near and I don't want to frighten her. You have such a good point but I'll be glad when he leaves."

"Where's he going?"

"He has a business trip like two hours away."

"Damn! Well see if you could quietly talk to him. Anything worth having is worth fighting for. Call me back when you do and tell me how it went."

"Okay, thank you!!! You make me feel so much better."

"Good because if I don't, then I'm not doing my job."

They both laughed. "Yeah honey! Thank you. I'll talk you soon."

"Okay boo. Bye."

"Mm bye."

[FLASHBACK.]

Kenneth sighed as he walked around the toy store. He had been with his daughter all day. And although he loved her with every fibre of his being, he was simply tires. He looked down at his 2 year old daughter seeing a clear spitting image of his wife. That's how it always was when he looked into his daughter's, Heaven, eyes. Sometimes it made him happy, sometimes it made him lousy and sometimes it made him think of their on and off relationship. Down deep he knew that having Heaven was worth all that they had went through even if he and he wife argued every other day.

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"Can I have toys?"

"Of course you can! That's why I brought you here. Which one do you like?" He trailed over to a shelf with big, bright toys. One of them was a huge doll that made him stop and picture her playing with it all the time. That sight of joy made him grin. He picked up the box and held it in front of her. "Do you like this one?"

"YAY! A big doll, a big doll! It can be Lessy's new friend daddy! Pretty doll!"

"Haha, okay. We'll get this one."

"Daddy, look!" she exclaimed pointing to a young child who had a musical toy in his hand. "A music toy! I want it!"

"Let's go take a look," he said taking her hand.

Kenneth had just finished humming to "She'll be coming around the mountain." The funny thing is, he looked more into it then she did. A lady nearby leaned against the other shelf snickering. He quickly turned to her feeling a little abashed.

"Oh, I'm sorry," he said with red cheeks.

"No no no," she chuckled. "It was very cute... just like this little girl," she said looking down at Heaven.

"Thank you. I'm sure Heaven enjoyed that too."

"Heaven? That's a beautiful name!"

"Thank you again," he said about to put the toy back on the shelf.

"If you wouldn't mind, can I see that?"

"Oh sure!" he said.

"Thanks...?"

"Kenneth. I'm Kenneth and this is Heaven."

"Oh Kenneth! Well thank you. And nice to meet you Heaven. My name is Kitziah."

"That's a pretty name for a beautiful..." Kenneth looked down at his daughter, making sure she wasn't listening. "Maybe we can grab lunch sometime."

"I would like that." Kitziah said as they exchanged numbers.

"Well it was nice meeting you." Kenneth shook her hand and kissed it, noticing her wedding ring.

Kitziah giggled, "You too, I will call you later."

"Okay, bye" Kenneth took Heaven's hand and walked in the opposite direction. He smiled merrily to himself. 

"Who wants ice cream?"

"Me!"

"Okay let's pay for your toy and go."

"Mommy coming?"

"Mommy is at work, sweetheart. We'll go and pick her up soon."

"Okay."

[END OF FLASHBACK.]

CAN I JUST SAY THE LAST COMMENTS WERE INSANE!!! I DON'T THINK ALEXY AND I COULD GET OVER SOMEONE SAYING HEAVEN IS TOO YOUNG TO KNOW WHO HER DADDY IS LMFAOOOOOOOO CFTU!!!!!

COMMENT PLEASE!!!

Chapter one

Going straight to bed was out of the question. Aubrey was having a fit about his back. It was just two days after he had a play boxing fight with his buddies. Now someone, clearly, had too many jabs and punches towards his back which caused it to hurt in agony. Kitziah, his wife of 2 years, decided that his next offer would be put down because she couldn't stand to see him hurt and complain and have less time to enhance their relationship. Yes, he was a grown man and could take it but she couldn't stand to see him hurting physically.

She looked over to him who was lying on his stomach with his chin at the edge of the mattress. That made her think of a quick solution to help him feel better before going to sleep.

"Baby?" she said, tone full of sense.

"Huh?"

"Move over here. Let me rub your back," she said nicely, putting down her magazine.

"No, you're busy. I'm fine."

"You being sarcastic, baby? You know I'm not doing anything important!"

"Oh, okay," he said scooting over.

She lifted up his shirt slowly to tease him. After his shirt was off, he folded his arms on a pillow she gave him. She leaned over to the dresser to grab a bottle of lotion and then put her legs back in between his back.

Squirting some lotion on her hand, she made sure to rub her hands together really well to get that warmth and then gently placed them on his back.

Aubrey hadn't felt this relaxed in days. The stress of work and play left him in a state to turn to his wife for help. But being the person she is, she only liked to tease him and not give him the full effect. In order to calm his nerves and calm his pain, he needed a massage deep of adoration and tenderness.
He shot his head up when she stopped for too long of a time.

"What are you doing?"

"Sorry, I was thinking about something."

The truth that lied within was it was someone and not something.

"Well can you like, come on, you know? The little nice thing I get from you once in a while and you are just stopping? What's going on?"

"Baby, my bad! I'm getting back to it."

An ounce of lotion was poured onto his back. The only thing was, this time was she forgot to rub it in her hands to make it warm. Aubrey said nothing instead emitted a heavy, frustrating sigh.

"Kitz, what are you doing?! What kind of massage is this? You're not making this any better," he said, not telling a pinch of a fib.

His semi-yelling caught her attention and made her massage him how he liked. And although he wasn't quite sure what she was thinking about, he hoped that she snapped out of it soon because he was becoming annoyed.
The massage ended soon and he had felt a little bad. He could have felt better, but he wasn't going to complain anymore. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her feelings as much as she was hurting his.

"Babe," he said turning on his back, "I'm sorry."

"I know you are and it's okay. I'm just in a quandary about something," she lied sitting on top of him.

"What's on your mind? Do I need to get it off?"

She giggled. "No. I just don't know if a want the black lace up heels with the bow, the silver and black wedged or the brown ones. It's so hard!"

"In all seriousness, are you kidding? Your mind has been on shoes while your baby is hurting?"

"I know love. I'm sorry," she pouted kissing his mouth.

"Are you really?"

"Yes" she whispered in a child-like voice.

"Prove it," he firmly said, crossing his arms.  She slowly moved closer to kiss placing one hand on his shoulder and the other on his lap. Her lips flew to his neck where she bit, sucked and kissed.

"Oh, I thought so," he smirked. "I love you."

"Oh I love you more."

"Impossible babe!"

"Why is that?"

"Because I love you more."

"Whatever you say," she smiled laying flat on him with a wide smile.

On the other side of town, Onika had just come home from a stressed day at the office. Being an editor for Mode Magazine, she never got the break she wanted and needed. The only time she felt at peace was with her husband of 3years, Kenneth and her 2 year old daughter, Heaven.
She opened the front door to her 3 bedroom home, exhausted.
"Baby, I'm home," she yelled, kicking off her sexy black pumps, giving her feet room to breathe.

"Oh, how was your day?" Kenneth said as he walked out the kitchen.

"Stressful and eventful." Onika smirked at the sight of her very handsome, very buff husband in a feminine apron. He walked towards her and kissed her forehead. Onika was a little pissed off, for the past couple of weeks since Kenneth doesn't touch her with affection anymore but because she was always tired from work, she didn't have the energy to bring to up, so she brushed it off... for now. "You cooked dinner?"

"Yep?" Kenneth answered whilst grabbing her hand and leading her into the kitchen.

"Where's Heaven?"

"In the dining room playing with her new toys. Go and take a seat. I will be there shortly," he said quickly as if he needed to rush back into the kitchen.

"Are you sure you don't need help?"

"No, I'm good."

"You sure?"

"For God's sake Onika, I said go and sit down!" Kenneth shouted loudly in her face, causing her to jump. Her heart was beating double its normal pace. She just walked in to the dining room in silence. Kenneth knew he shouldn't have raised his voice at his wife and the mother of his child. He sighed heavily, mad that his frustration landed on her.

"Mommy, you're home!" Heaven exclaimed, happily as her mother walked into the room.

"Hey baby I missed you," Onika smiled kissing her daughter's forehead.

"Missed you.” Heaven cooed. Her mother smiled.

Heaven talked to her mom about her day. For a two year old, she had the mind and words of a five year old. After about five minutes, Kenneth came out with the plates of food. He then sat opposite Onika not knowing that she would get up from the table, leaving her lovely food there.

"Onika!" he called after her. She grabbed her shoes from the front door. He called her name again. She didn't respond until he grabbed her forearm.

"Yes?" She said in a hushed tone.

"Where you going?"

"To bed," she said with frustration.

"Why?"

Onika changed the subject to what was on her mind. "Why did you yell at me? You've never yelled at me before." Onika said with blurry vision; her tears were surfacing.

Kenneth hugged her saying, "I'm sorry, I just have a lot on my mind." Onika pulled away and looked up at him concerned.

Kenneth wasn't lying he did have a lot on his mind, it wasn't so much as to what it was more, who was on his mind. "Don't worry it's nothing for you to worry about" He kissed her forehead. "You still my Barbie?"

"What is Barbie without Ken?"

"I love you," he admitted, hugging her tightly.

"Love you too," she said throwing it off and not acknowledging his embrace.

When dinner was finished, Kenneth cleaned up the table and dishes while Onika went to put her daughter in the tub. Even though she forgave him, she wondered what could possibly be on his mind. Heaven shook her out her thought process when she began heavily swinging both of their arms up the steps. Onika looked down and grinned before approaching the bathroom door.

She opened the door and immediately trailed over to the tub, turning on the water. Heaven stood behind her as she usually did every night when she took a bath. The refreshing, transparent water rose swirling as Onika's hand circulated checking for temperature. By then, she grabbed Heaven's favourite scent of bubble bath and poured it into the water. After pouring the soap, she helped her daughter undress. Heaven splashed into the water after receiving a plane ride from her mother.

A little water sat on the floor after but it wasn't a big deal because there was a towel that laid there.

"So Heaven... what did you and daddy do today?"

"We had lots of fun! I went on the swings and went high up in the air. We went to this..."

"What's wrong?"

"I don't know what it's called," she pouted.

"The zoo?"

"No."

"Carnival?"

"No."

"Uh... pet store?"

"Museum!"

"Oh, the museum. Did you have fun, baby?"

"Yes mommy. Daddy says I'm a princess."

"That you are," Onika said lightly squeezing her nose. "Let's wash your hair.

Back with Aubrey and Kitziah, sleep ensued. Aubrey became vexed being woken from his slumber. He was hoping that he could just sleep for the rest of the night. After his wife apologizing for her massage issue, another little argument occurred which sent them both to sleep. In the ominous setting, he opened his eyes to a bland wall.
"Aubrey," she whispered with her hand upon his rib cage.

"What?"

"There's too much space between us and I can't sleep."

"I'm sorry," he said shutting his eyes. She gazed at the back of his head, scrunching up her face as to question who he thought he was.

"Can you move over here a little, please?"

"Fine!" he huffed, scooting back to the front of her body. "Better?!" He was still annoyed from earlier.

"Yes. By the way, I wanted to say sorry again. Do you forgiv-"

He cut her off retorting, "Sure, but I'm tired, okay?"

"I'll stop bothering under one condition."

"What?"

"Say you're sorry like you mean it and tell me you love me."

A faded smile appeared as he turned to look her in the eyes. "Kitz, maybe if you'd stop bothering me, I wouldn't have anything to be sorry for. You understand what I'm talking about?"

"Okay I get it. I'm the one who should be apologizing," eyes rolling to the back of her head.

"You think?"

She stared at him a while longer. "Sorry," she told him nonchalantly.

"Okay goodnight."

While turning to face the other way and bringing the covers up to her, she replied, "Good night" and continued to think deeply into someone.


PLEASE COMMENT!

Introducing the Chapters

Onika and Kenneth

 

Heaven

Aubrey and Kitziah