Chapter 157: Something about everyone and everything!

****

I walked into the house only to find mother and Gia discussing deeply while Khaleed was wrapped in mothers' arms but Timmy wasn't there. Their eyes to meet mine, Gia rolled her eyes turning away. I walked over to them then gage Mom a swift hug but when I attempted to hug Gianna, she slid away. I was hurt.

  "How are you Mama? Did you see my text? Sorry to intrude, I just wanted to talk some things out!" I began sitting adjacent

  "Oh yeah. I saw your text and hour ago, I was at a meeting with clients, Omar and Kabir had everything connected from our branch over there! Just work!" She explained, the names she mentioned were familiar, they were like my uncles while growing up.

  "Oh ok, did you get it sorted out already?" I asked

  "Trust me, I don't leave my pending undone. Time is money!"

I turned to Gianna who was looking away, then I took a step.

  "Babe, I wanted us to talk about..." 

  "...Just let me be already, you disgusting me every single time Jordan. Don't act like a saint before Mom, tell her the truth. Tell her about the new chick on board!" Gianna blurted, even mother was shocked at her rude response.

  "Nah Gia, I can't let you do anything but not talk to your husband that way...his my son!" Mother caught defensively

  "Mother don't defend already, he should confess to you. I won't say all of that if he wasn't wrong. I'm really sorry."

Mother turned to me in disbelief

  "What is she talking about Kareem, is@@ she telling the truth?" She asked but I remained silent.

  "Did you see that mother, he knows I'm telling you truth..." Gia added as her eyes watered. "He keeps running back to her always. He loves someone else, get seems to forget that we have children together. I will forgive you for this..." She screamed

  "Can you stop all of that?" I almost yelled, I was pissed at her.

  "No I won't, why can't you let her go for once? What's so special about her..."

  "Oh ate you now interested to know, she gives,me the attention you don't ever give to me. How's that?" I yelled

  "Don't let me hate you for this Jordan, you'd hate me. I swear it!" She yelled as tears rolled down her cheek. "I've been nothing but a faithful wife but you don't see that, you only see what you wanna see..."

  "Do you also need to world to apologize again? You wrote me off, we've had several unbearable weeks and you still don't wanna fix it, what's my crime?"

  "Everybody calm down!" Mother yelled, we respected that fact as we kept our silence staring at each other in disgust. "Y'all are grown ass adults, what is wrong with you? If y'all can't respect me then what about the sleeping child?" Mother scoffed then turned away.  "Gia? Go to the room with Khaleed, I'll have to speak this boy again!" Mother instructed as Gia received Khaleed 

  "I hope he doesn't lie to you one more time." She said to mother coldly then turned to me "Have sine respect for your mother." She scurried upstairs. Mother walked out of the house making her way into the garden, she stopped folding her arms then I stopped behind her, as soon as she turned to me, she threw a heavy slap on my cheek.

  "I don't think that was for her, was it?" I questioned angrily in defense then she landed another one the other side if my cheek "Mom, what the hell?" I yelled at my Mom for the first time in ages, she attempted the third slap, I held her hand then she resisted defiantly.

  "If i birthed you despite every hardship then you'd regret the day you were born, I raised a good boy not a fool..." She said sternly, I attempted to talk as she Interrupted "I can't believe you had the guts to yell at me and also hold my hand. I came for you not Gia, I did believe anything she had mentioned but after what you did, I think I do!" She began to walk away

  "Mom? Mama? You could at least listen to me first..." I was still defiant bye she ignored.

I kicked the table beside me to ground as I walked it roll over, as I groaned in anger. I can't believe mother actually hit me for Gianna's sake, she tried to paint me black and mother fell for it yet she wouldn't tell mother her side of the story. I hate the way I feel.

****

I entered our bedroom after I had cooled for over thirty minutes, she was wiping the tears in her eyes with some tissue.

  "I don't wanna talk to you..." She began

  "I don't either but you have to explain what that shit meant!" I demanded

  "What shit? Do you think don't know about the woman you've hanging around with lately? That same press girl?" She scoffed "What about all.the promises you made to me, did you ever keep one? I'm asking, did you ever?" She asked then turned away

  "You could ask questions before concluding anything. Millions of times I'd ask genuinely for a talk but you wouldn't give room for that. Weeks upon weeks, you still don't give a damn about me. I explained to you in hundreds yet you wouldn't talk or hear me speak, and what was I supposed to do? I already spoke with the people I could reach out to, including Mom..."

  "Is she also a part of the people you've discussed with?" She asked and I remained silent for a few seconds, she proceeded "That's a fine YES I guess, you keep returning to her. Every day every time. I'm fed up with you and all these nonsense. And I'm going to be needing a lengthy break and trust me, this time won't be a easy. I don't know its fate!" She stated sternly, what on earth is messing her up this way. Gia wants to leave me again, can I ever let that happen. This is tougher than I had thought. I calmed a little, I knew she meant everything word she blurted. 

  "That's exactly what you keep thinking, why can we not just end this once and for all Gianna, what's in the way? Tell me what i got to do and I'll do it Respectfully!" I stated

  "With the things I've see and heard about you, I don't think I can go back on my word, not for a minute." She added turning away.

Two days on,

Father texted me that was should meet at the penthouse because his friends were coming around as well. I drove to the penthouse after thirty minutes of the text i received.

Father was standing next to two wealthy and influential men talking, they were quite elegant, you could see their faces.

  'Dad?" I called out as they all turned to me, they all turned to me.

  "Is this Jordan?" One of the men asked,  father nodded confidently admitting it. "I see, just like his father." He gave me a hand shake as well as the other.

  "What a lion you are, the trophy cub since way back!" The other added

  'Thanks a lot, I'm really pleased to see you." I said smiling

  "Jamal, we shall return once you have concluded your discussion." The first man informed, they both exited the area. Father's stern eyes met mine, he walked further to a chair and sat crossing his legs then took a sip from the wine he's been holding. I turned to his direction instead, maintaining my position.

  "Dad..." I began

  "I thought that you'd let me speak first!" He snapped angrily then kept the glass on the table then rise to his feet starting  in my way, he stood before staring at me. His eyes passed a message, but I was still trying to decode it when he threw a slap to my face. I closed my eyes tightly then opened them turning to him, his gaze was fixed on me the whole time. It was hurting yet there was a reason for that slap. I swallowed my pride up, getting agitated or rebelling against him would only get my situation worst.

  "I'm certain you know what that meant, don't you?" He asked, I knew it.

  "Dad, you don't have to hit me like im some sort of child. You do that all the time, I ain't a kid no more..." I found myself revolting against him, he smirked

  "You don't get it, do you? I didn't want to hurt you Kareem, but anyone who lays a finger on my wife would definitely not see the light..."

  "I didn't hit her..."

  "You attempted! You can't hold your mothers' arm as though you she was just a girl...that's my wife bro, my wife. You're just lucky enough to my son, if not you'd have been thrown into the plain lands!" He stated sternly then sat back taking a sip. "Leave already!"

My face tilted a little, why was everyone leaving me suddenly.

  "I don't understand, you called me here to it me? I thought we had..." I started as he interrupted

  "Leave Kareem. I'm done trying to help you live your life, I once went through all this crap and I survived so what's making your case a little different?" He stated

  "I can't believe y'all think I got a hand in this. Y'all believe Gia not even me." I stated too "Do you realize that you were the cause of all these, the staff you sent was a major problem..." I reminded

  "I sent a journalist not a girl, mind you! Whatever you got going should remain your damn problem!" Get added nonchalantly, I was pained by these words of his. I watched him dial his friends as they appeared like they've been waiting behind curtains.

  "Hey cub, sorry to tale daddy from you!" One of them said then I gave him a daunting stare and walked away. "Jamal, is your cub ok? What did you do?"

  "I sent him out of my territory, how's that. It ain't his!" Father said to my hearing, nothing was unheard to me.

****

A notification popped in my screen, then i remembered that I was suppose to meet up with Yeesha at her house. Its been a while since I saw her last. I dialed her number instantly and it connected.

  "Yeesha, are you home right now? Remember we got to talk!"

  "Oh yeah, I was about to go shopping though. I'll be waiting , but would you like me to prepare something?"

  "I don't mind, I'll see you soon. Love you." I hung up.

Right after we discuss, maybe we could talk about it, because everyone seems to be acting a little different and hoarse towards me.

I pulled over at the parking space at Yeesha's  then I walked to the entrance, I pressed the doorbell and the housekeeper opened with a polite courtesy, I gave a faint as she ushered me in. 

  "She's asked me to direct you to her porch in her bedroom..." The housekeeper stated

  "Do I have a choice, anything for her." I answered teasingly.

We emerged the stairs leading to her room, I was no stranger to this mansion but I preferred to on my best behavior. Yeesha was sorting some documents at the porch just as she had informed. She turned to me with a witty smile, we hugged tightly. I missed my baby sister.

  "What's up Kareem, what's up with the visit? You could always call me and I'd be right there you know?"

  "I wanted some air that's why I came and besides I haven't seen my boy in a while. Where's he at?" I asked after her son MK (Max Khaleel). 

  "He's out with a friend from school. Come on..let's sit." She said as we headed to the porch. "Sorry I had..."

  "C'mon honey, I'm not a stranger around here. Where's Clinton?"

  "Ugh! I have no idea but he said its  some urgency!" She snapped rising to her feet "Should I get you something? I've got dessert, you'd love it. I made it myself...and Italian pudding..." she explained

  "Anything you dish is my favorite, bring it on honey! I'm starving."

I turned away ad she hurried to the door swinging like a child, whenever she was around me, she acts like the little sister she is.

  "Hey darling, you're back!" I heard her say.

I turned to her, Clinton was there as they exchanged kisses and hugs. She exited the room. Clinton approached with a faint smile the we shook hands, meanwhile I maintained my sitting position. He sat adjacent.

  "I didn't know you were coming over, I would have gotten us some specialty...' He began ad u interrupted

  "You don't have to besides I didn't tell you I'd be coming over." He said calmly

  "Good to see you anyways! So...why are you here, is there something serious?"

  "Of course not! I actually came for my sister and nephew and maybe you." I smirked, he turned away embarrassed. He rose up to leave.

  "I just want you to know that what ever you say to my wife is not gonna change the fact that I'm here husband and we share and agree to one opinion." He blurted then I chuckled

  "Why are you agitated for no reason, did you do something wrong?" I asked

  "I just...I just thought that I should let you know!" He walked away to the door

  "You can join in the conversation if you want!" I blurted out sarcastically. Yeesha was walking into the room as the bumped into each other.

  "What's he doing here honey, I thought..." He said almost whispering

  "Don't be ridiculous, that's my brother Kareem. He's got the right to badge into this house just like I do.  Is there a problem?!" She walked away while he exited.

She handed me the little bowl of pudding, then I took a spoonful into my mouth. She dropped into her chair.

  "I guess he hates to see me around, right?" I stirred up

  "He's only being a jerk, he's literally jealous that we love each other so much. You don't have to worry about Clinton, he is a goof man, he cares for so much..."

  "Just like he cared got the industry?" I asked, she looked surprised and confused at once.

  "What do you mean the industry? After father made you CEO of the KHALEEFA Industry, he backed out. In face he feels good about it, He's not losing everything. I'm here!" She blurted defensively, then I nodded lightly.

  "That's right. He doesn't have to feel bad about anything 'coz he's gotbyou.and that's where the problem lies." I stated

  "You are really getting me confused, are you saying Clinton wants the Industry?"