Total pages in book: 65
Estimated words: 64617 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 323(@200wpm)___ 258(@250wpm)___ 215(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64617 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 323(@200wpm)___ 258(@250wpm)___ 215(@300wpm)
“Where is she?” I whispered to myself, placing the bottle back down.
I couldn’t help but wander toward her walk-in closet. Which was just as immaculate as everything else. All her clothes were lined up perfectly in order, all color coordinated by style and design.
Hundreds of dresses...
Multiple racks of skirts, shirts, and shoes…
The tips of my fingers ran along the soft fabrics, wanting to see what they felt like. The expensive pieces were as inviting as anything else in the room.
I don’t know what got into me, but I had to see his closet next. Except, when I slid open the door, I thought I’d find the same setup as hers.
I didn’t.
His closet had very little clothing. It was empty compared to hers. I tried to ignore the masculine scent that still lingered on his casual garments hanging on suede hangers.
A few t-shirts…
Some jeans…
A pair of sneakers here and there.
All his professional attire was missing.
No collared shirts.
No suit jackets.
No dress pants.
Nothing was left of the man everyone called Dr. Pierce, as if she stayed in this sanctuary and he was…
Gone.
“When was the last time someone was in here?” Danté questioned, asking the same thing that was running wild in my mind.
“What?”
“You feel that too, right?”
“Feel what?”
“The void. The loneliness. Camila, honey, ain’t no one been in this room in a long time. This ain’t a bedroom, it’s a mausoleum.”
My eyes shifted every which way, wanting to argue, to put up a fight, to yell at him and rationalize he didn’t know what he was talking about. But I couldn’t get my mouth to say one word. Because in my heart, in my soul, in the core of my body, I knew he was right.
“Oh, God,” I gasped, my heart breaking with their baby girl firmly placed in my arms. I panted, “We have to get out of here. We can’t be in here.”
“Camila—”
“Danté, now!” I yelled, causing Journey to jolt.
There was this eerie aura surrounding me. Making it hard to breathe. Hard to focus on more than one thing other than the sensation of being watched.
I felt like a fool. How hadn’t I seen this coming?
The kids…
No one talking about her…
“Hold her. Please hold her.”
He grabbed the baby out of my arms, and she willingly went. Reading my emotions like a book.
I retraced my steps, trying to see if I moved something out of place, or if Danté did. This felt wrong, it felt so unbelievably wrong to be in here.
Their safe haven.
Their privacy.
Their love.
It all hit me like a ton of bricks as my reflection caught the floor length mirror across from the bed. Dr. Pierce didn’t come home for one reason and one reason only.
He didn’t have one anymore.
His wife took it all with her.
Leaving him and their kids behind…
And all alone.
Chapter 14
<>Camila<>
Now
__________
“Mamita, you need to relax,” Danté stressed, hovering over me while I sat on the couch in the living room. Breathing in and out.
“Danté, the house still reeks of weed. I just realized my employer may be dea… I can’t even bring myself to say it.”
“You gotta worry about one thing at a time. You ain’t here for them, you’re here for these kids.”
“I know.” I nodded, reaching for Little Miss who seemed to be having a great time with whatever Danté and her were up to.
“While you were havin’ your pity party for one, Paris and I found the solution to your Maryjane debauchery.” He showed me the Lysol All-Purpose Cleaner in one hand with a towel drenched in the liquid in his other. “Run this in the dryer, twice. The smell will go away before Mama Dukes gets home.”
“You sure?”
“Positive. Gurl, next time you decide to be lazy and not iron these minions’ clothes, you best make sure to check dem pockets before throwin’ shit in the dryer. You’re lucky that boy was only carryin’ a dime bag, cuz an ounce would have really fuc…” he stopped himself, making Journey giggle. “Messed things up.”
I scoffed out a chuckle.
“Besides, you got bigger problems than just some herb smellin’ up in here. How old is the pothead again?”
“He just turned thirteen two weeks ago.”
“Well, now you gonna havta deal with Cheech and him rollin’ up doobies.”
I inhaled a deep, steady breath. This was just another thing I had to face today.
What was I supposed to do with that? Tell Skyler? Have him hate me even more?
There was no right or wrong answers, either way you looked at it, I was screwed.
“I’m gonna get up outta here, my work is done for today. You’re welcome. No need to walk me out, I might take a picture of Daddy Pierce to show my momma what her future grandkids might look like.”
“Danté.”
“Don’t worry.” He kept walking toward the door. “I’ll take one for you too.”
“Gah!” Journey chimed in.
“You want me to have a picture of your daddy?”