Chapter 160: Its the way I feel that matters to me!

****

07:09pm,

  "A'ight buds! I'll see y'all sooner..." I said as we shook and hugged with swagger, each of them entered their respective cars, I was the last one standing.

Immediately when my friends had driven away, Nessa approached the moment I reached for the door handle.

  "Nessa?" I was shocked, was she following me or not. "Are you following me?" I asked with a stern face

  "Oh ah! Of course not, I was here with a friend, he lives around! What are you...doing here?"

  "I should really ask you 'coz I feel you're stalking me. You appear everywhere and that's really beginning to worry me. It's getting me uncomfortable!" I blurted out truthfully

  "Don't be so cheeky Jordan, I...I was with someone then I saw you, I thought of saying hi but it seems that you're thinking differently. Did I do something wrong?"

  "Anyways, its not like I own Miami. I guess its good night!" I shrugged entering the car.

  "So soon?" She snapped

  "Did you not come around with your man or friend or something? I also had a time out with friends so you should catch more fun!" I started the car

  "Jordan..." She stopped me "I..I'm....alright. Goodnight!" She said

  "Well ok!" I pressed the button to wind up the window then drove away.

I entered our bedroom and I met Gia sitting on the edge of the bed in a black robe while her hair was tired into pigtails. I wanted to speak but then I bashed that thought, it was worthless, I reminded myself. I stood by the dresser then pull out the second drawer where my watch box was kept. I unstrapped the one on my wrist then placed gently into it's space amongst 5 others, as well as the cuban links on my neck yet staring at my reflection in the mirror got me thinking if I was really the one going through all this mess with the love of my life sitting behind silent, it felt like her gadgets had a better place in her life than I did.

  "Jordan?" She called out softly, I thought that I was dreaming. Could a miracle be happening at this time. I ignored, the air must be carrying about wrong waves I guess. "Jordan?" She called again, this time she rose to her feet and approached.

  "Did you..."

  "...Yes I did! I wanna apologize for the wrong earlier, I shouldn't have smacked your phone. I crossed the line, I admit it." Gia said. This can not be the Gia from weeks ago, was she sober or not? didn't see signs of alcohol neither the smell of any.

  "I'm also sorry for..." I began as she she out her fingers in the air, halting. 

  "Don't apologize, I wanna do this without someone compelling me. I hope you forgive me, after now I'm about to do something we'd both acknowledge. Trust me, its going to be the right thing to do!" She added them I nodded slowly

  "Its all ok! Take the whole time in the world, I just want you to know that I love you so much, everything I do wrongly is never my intention...its you I want. Believe me or not!" I said

  "Jordan I know, I have a surprise for you but you'll find out tomorrow!" She said with a faint smile, she barely smiles at me.

  "Oh ok! I don't know how to react to it but I hope its a good sign!" I added then she walked to bed then slid under the purple duvet. For some awkward reasons, I felt really uncomfortable with all the things she said. I should be happy but I wasn't. 

  "Goodnight ba..babe!" I said almost whispering

  "Goodnight baby!" She said softly.

I took off my shirt, my shoes then I headed downstairs to the living room with my phone. I face timed my friends couldn't believe my ears. It connected.

  "Buds! You won't believe what just happened, Gia apologized to me before going to bed! And she's got this weird surprise for me tomorrow!"

  "Is that suppose to Surprise you?" Jeff asked "I knew she'd come around!" He added

  "Yeah but I still feel some type of way about, it feels like evil to me." I blurted looking around, making sure no one was listening.

  "I'm elated, we'll just find out tomorrow A'ight." Lamar added

  "Yeah yeah! Thanks y'all, I'll talk to you tomorrow!" I hung up

I rested my elbows on my knees while my jaw plopped on the back of my hands. I stared at the family large portrait that was adjacent. I was staring at it for seconds then I saw Gianna, Timmy and Khaleed fade away while I remained. I closed my eyes tightly then opened them again, the portrait was normal, nothing actually changed. I should be excited but i wasn't, something felt off. My phone vibrated because if a text.

      *Divorce is knocking, don't expect too much!*

It was an unknown sender, this looked terrible to me. What divorce? Was the only question I asked myself.

I sprang up to my feet as I sighted Gia walking down from the stairs.

  "Gianna?" I was startled a little.

  "I didn't see you in bed so I decided to find you, did I interrupt?" She asked

  "Not at all! I was talking to Jeff and Lamar!" I explained even if she didn't ask for it, I turned to portrait again. He stood abreast folding her arms, staring at the portrait too.

  "White Versace looks good on you!" I began "This reminds me of so many things we been through to get here, from the two to four!" I said coldly

  "That's right! Which may or may not fade!" She stated, then I turned to her slowly "So many things have gone wrong in this marriage, it feels like a mistake sometimes. Like, where's all of this coming from?" She turned to me suddenly "We were once happy, so what changed? Who changed it? Who let someone change it?" She stopped

  "We can always start all over, I don't see us fading!" I said turning to the portrait again "We don't have to change because someone or something is changing..."

  "We don't have to worry about that right now, its late Jordan, we should go to bed before the portrait falls off the wall." She teased seriously, it got me more confused. She held my arm as we walked to our bedroom. She gave me a glass of juice, i took it. 

09:38am,

I felt sore waking up from sleep, I shoved the duvet downwards then dropped down from the bed but Gia was not there. She must have gone to work then I saw different sticky notes on pasted around.

The first was 'Your Wife Misses You', the second was 'Timmy Loves You' and the third was 'Khaleed Thinks You're The Best Father' and a whole lot pasted everywhere. I took a closer look on the mirror 'Don't Come Looking, You Don't Deserve Any Of Us!!!'.

My heart was fidgeting, beating faster than It should. I ran out of the room searching Timmy and Khaleed's room but no one was there, I searched the private living room and others yet they weren't there either. I headed downstairs searching every nook and cranny but neither my wife or kids were around.

  "Jane!!!!" I screamed out as she ran towards me, she seemed worried. "Where's my wife? Where are my sons? Don't look, answer me!!!" I yelled out

  "She didn't tell me, she just left with the children. We all tried to stop her but she pointed a gun at us not to come close!"

  "What?" I was shocked. I ran out then I confronted the securities..

  "How could y'all bastards let my wife and sons go, how could you? Why do I spend 5 thousand dollars per month?" I cautioned yelling.

  "Sir! Sir! We are sorry but she distracted us all, she said that there was someone behind the building...demanding we all check it out. We only followed her orders." One of them explained

  "Is that it?" I threw a slap to his face "is that excusable?" I asked "y'all claim to be trained then how could a woman outsmart 10 of you, is that smart?"

  "Forgive us, sir!" Another said apologetically

  "Don't just stare at me, go find them. Now!!!" I ordered yelling, I could hear the echoes in my head.

I dialed the inspector (police) and explained briefly. I shouldn't contain the anger and frustration that engulfed me, I should've followed my instincts. Could that have been a sign from the portrait last night, how did I not expect Gia to do such a thing? Was I too stupid to keep my family or what exactly? I realized that she had fooled me last night. She made me feel a little bit comfortable, giving me an impression that we'd work on our marriage once more but I was wrong. 

I should've have known that this was all part of her trick. That explains why I overslept, that juice was perhaps drugged. I couldn't suspect her to do something dubious anyways. All she longed for was tearing my family apart. All these thoughts queued while I was driving, in search of my wife and children. I couldn't think of no one she was related to, she had no family. I dialed my father immediately, he answered.

  "Dad! Da...Dad! Dad!" I called 

  "Could you at least calm down while speaking, what's the problem?"

  "Gia and the boys are gone. Like, gone! I woke up to an empty house....could you just help me this once, help me find them. Please..."

  "What are you even talking about?" He asked in confusion

  "Just do something!" I yelled a little then hung up. I robbed around town, alleys and highways and grooves yet there wasn't a clue, her number was not connecting so I couldn't get a signal of her through the GPS either. I dialed her colleagues and friends but everyone seemed surprised and shocked at it.

The inspector could only assure me of finding her but I had little or no assurance, she had been planning this escape for a long time. She had no right to take my sons but she did. I dialed my friends finally and explained, as always, everyone assured me of her return.

An hour had gone by and there was no success behind it, I felt numb.

I drove back home, the securities approached to give their reports that proved abortive.

  "Y'all know what, you, follow me!" I said to the head of securities as we headed to my room, I took out some bundles from a small and handed it to him. "This is three thousand dollars, get lost!" I blurted without looking

  "But sir, we can't accept it....we haven't..." He began then I interrupted

  "Just get out before I change my mind!"

  "With all due respect, we'd rather you change your mind..." He persisted

  "I'll just holler at you when its time, is that ok?! Just leave already!" I added angrily

  "In as much as I hate to accept this but that's better! Please, accept out apology Sir!" He took the money and exited.

About five minutes later while I was sitting on the bed thinking, Jane walked in with a cup of coffee, I could tell from the aroma.

  "Sorry sir, can I come in?" She asked then I affirmed with my hand. She walked in then closed the door behind her. "This must be hard but I suggest you drink some coffee, I made it the way you like it!" She sat next to me, I gave that leverage to her only.

  "I'm not interested, it doesn't change anything!"

  "I know, you could drink whenever you like but it shouldn't get cold before you make a choice, sir." She said

  "Just keep it there!" I said without looking.

  "I'm so sorry that we couldn't stop her..."

  "Well you should have at least said something...like waking me up..."

  "She said you knew, and besides the gun she was holding was a threat, sir." She explained "I'm so sorry you have to go thru this again, its painful. You don't deserve it..."

  "I don't need sympathy right now, i need a way out."

  "I know but its the truth, you put a lot into securing your family. There's just..." She stopped turning away, like she has intentions to talk any further. My attention focused on her 

  "There's? What's the problem, is there something you're thinking?" I asked

  "Oh no...I...I am not sure myself..."

  "Just say it!" I yelled a bit and she got startled

  "She's been talking to someone lately..."

  "So?" I cringed

  "Its not about that, it was like a threat or something. That person would always tell her things she didn't find comfortable with, she'd yell or argue and..."

  "And what?"

  "I think its about yo...you sir!"

  "Me? Did you hear anything at all?" I asked because I got concerned

  "Nothing but she mentions your name sometimes. Its mostly about you...bad stuff about you." She said

  "Why are you just saying it, Jane? You should have said something. Do you realize its not important right now?"

  "It might! I want you to know that something is going on and her runaway was a result from something detrimental. Maybe!" She stated

  "Jane, this is literally not helping. I need to be alone..like right now!"

  "Of course, I hope you get better. I'll be here just in case you need anything! I called your mother, she'll be here soon!" She added as she walked out if the room

My phone was repeatedly ringing and I didn't bother to check on it, it was irrelevant to me as well.

I heard a knock on the door then someone walked in instantly. Mother.

  "Kareem..." She began then i cut her short

  "Just save it. Don't act like you care when you actually don't...." I blurted out angrily, everything got on my nerves.

  "Kareem why are you talking to me that way," she sat on the edge of the bed "I was heartbroken to have heard about this misfortune..."

  "Heartbroken?" I scoffed "I thought you believed her more than you believed me. Gia was the saint not me, now she's left with my sons. I'll never forgive her for this...and you too!" I yelled

  "Kareem?" Her eyes widened in shock

  "You had the chance to stop her, you should've listened to me speak first...but you listened to her shit not me..."

  "Stop looking for someone to blame, we had no idea..."

  "Someone to blame?" I asked coldly then I turned away

  "Baby? I understand your pain.."

  "Have you ever lost both your children and husband?" I asked staring at her intently "No! You haven't so don't fake that shit either!"