Unthinkable (3.5)

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“Do you know him?” Carol looked at Jimi as they stood in the doorway of Nicki’s bedroom. Jimi shook his head ‘no’. Nicki’s foot was pushed into Drake’s cheek and Drake’s was holding onto her ankle. Only half of Drake’s body was on the bed, his feet on the floor.

“Should we be concerned or take a picture?” Jimi asked slowly pulling his phone from his pocket.

“She’s waking up.” Carol pushed Jimi down the hall as she saw Nicki fidget. Nicki peeled one eye open and then the other as she noticed the pink walls, making her remember where she was and what happened last night. She looked down at the bottom of her bed to see Drake. She smiled and wiggled her toes against his cheek, propping herself up on her elbows so she could see him. He stirred a little but didn't wake up. She did it again, this time Drake pushed her foot away from his face and turned over. She moved her foot to do it again but he turned over and looked up at her with tired eyes.

She tried to suppress her smile. “Hungry?”

“Sleepy.” He mumbled pulling Nicki down the bed by her ankle, making her squeal. He laid his head on her thigh. Instinctively, her hand started to rub circles over his curls. “Just give me 10 minutes of this and I’m cool.”

“2. I didn’t get up to use the bathroom yet.” Nicki bargained. Drake nodded as he drifted back off to sleep. As she rubbed his head and listened to his light snoring her mind couldn’t help but drift back to everything that happened last night. From Elijah’s mysterious call to enjoying her first slice of pizza in 3 years. With Eli she could never guess what was going on in his head and she was beginning to think it was the same with Drake. To be honest, she didn’t really know much about the guy but yet she was falling hard and fast. Her mind was telling her to slow down but it’s hard to listen when your heart is running full speed.

“What’s on your mind?” Drake asked, snapping Nicki out of her trance.

“Nothing, why?”

“For one, you’re rubbing my eye.” Nicki moved her hand back to his head.

“Nothing. I was just- nothing.” It was about 6 months too soon and she didn’t know if she was sure to say those 3 words that could freak any man out. “But my bladder would appreciate it if you would get off of my thigh.”

“Tell your bladder I still got a cool 10 seconds.” Nicki smirked and rolled her eyes.

“Boy move. I smell my momma’s cookin.” Nicki said pushing Drake’s head off of her thigh. “You can use the bathroom in here. Towels in the closet, new toothbrushes in the cabinet if my mother didn’t move them.” She spoke a mile a minute.

“You’re so fat.” Drake laughed as he got up from the bed.

“You have big ears. We’re even. Now do what boys do in the morning so I can eat.”

- - -

“Their coming, act natural!” Carol waved her hand around to Jimi as she struck a pose against the fridge and Jimi pretended to be reading the newspaper.

“Yeah, right cause that’s what y’all do on any other morning.” Nicki spoke sarcastically pulling Drake in the kitchen by his hand. Carol and Jimi dropped their poses.

“Who are you?” Carol asked blatantly as she and Jimi waited for an answer from the unknown man standing in their kitchen.

“Oh, me? I’m the pizza guy.” Drake answered earning a slap across the chest from Nicki.

“Mom, Jimi, this is Drake. He’s my... friend.” Nicki answered. Jimi sucked his teeth.

“I believed the pizza guy line more than I believe that.” Drake nudged Nicki. She rolled her eyes and took a seat at the table waiting to be served. Carol still wasn’t satisfied with answers and wasn’t as easy going as Jimi appeared to be.

“...Well..ok. Drake are you eating breakfast with us?” Nicki looked at him for his answer too.

“No, I can’t, sorry.” He could see the disappointment over Nicki’s face. “I have to go to work. I’ve been neglecting some things long enough.” He wasn’t slick. Nicki knew what he was talking about.

“Oh really, where do you work?” Carol asked, placing Nicki’s plate in front of her.

“I’m an investor.” He answered earning a nod from Carol.

‘It was nice meeting you Drake.” Carol said as she held out her hand. Drake shook it.

“Nice meeting you too.” He then went to shake Jimi’s hand. He looked at Nicki and she got up from the table to walk him to the door. They walked outside and stood on the porch.

‘I know you’re going to see Elijah.” Nicki crossed her arms over her chest, looking up at Drake.

“That is apart of my job isn’t it?”

“Just make sure you keep it about the job.” She said sternly pointing a finger in his face.

“Yes ma’am.” He grabbed her finger and kissed it making her smile.

“Stop doing that.” She whined.

“Doing what?”

“Making me smile when you know damn well I don’t want to smile.”

“Can’t make any promises.” Drake countered. “Pick you up from here when I get from work?”

“Sounds like a plan.” Nicki stood on her tiptoes to meet his awaiting lips.

“Now go eat breakfast.” He kissed her forehead and she went back in the house, smiling like she’d just hit the number.

“Friend huh? Look at her Carol. Look like the gal could break out into song and dance.” Jimi said as he watched his daughter take a seat across from him. Carol peeked over her coffee cup at Nicki.

“How long have you known this guy?” And here comes the interrogation, Nicki thought.

“For a while.” She lied as she picked apart her bacon.

“What’s a while?” Carol questioned.

“Long enough.” Nicki mumbled.

“Where’d you meet him?”

“At one of Eli’s meetings.” Nicki slowly looked at her mother’s disapproving face. She done messed up now. Why couldn’t her mother be like one of those ‘it’s your life you have to make your own mistakes’ parents?

“So this guy knows you’re married?” Carol rose her eyebrow. A habit that Nicki received also.

“Yes he knows.”

“He just doesn’t care.” Carol concluded. She wasn’t a fan of Eli either but marriage is marriage. Nicki sighed. Any way she puts it her mother would judge her. There was no use in trying to explain anything to her. “Are you and Elijah getting a divorce?” Nicki sighed. It’s not that simple. No one will understand until they’re in the situation.

“Did that work out for you?” Nicki questioned pushing her plate from in front of her. Carol’s mouth dropped open.

“Alright. That’s enough.” Jimi tried to defuse the situation.

“No. Let her talk. She think she knows my situation and everything that happened.”

“You left daddy!”

“Me and your father weren’t meant to be married.”

“No. You didn’t want to be married to daddy. He was nothing but good to you!”

“You’re father was... your father had problems Onika that you know nothing about!”

“So you started fucking Jimi!? I guess it’s true, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” Nicki didn’t see it coming, but she felt her mother’s hand fly across her cheek. She was shocked and angry at the same time. She sat in her seat holding her cheek and looking up at her mother who was hovering over her.

“Don’t you ever in your life talk to me like you lost your damn mind. I'm your mother.”

“That doesn’t always make you right.” Nicki countered lowly as tears threatened to fall from her eyes. Jimi looked at the two in shock, he’d never seen this side of either one of them. Carol took k  a shaky breath and leaned on the table, letting her tears flow freely.

“You’re father was abusive Onika. And before you say he wasn’t, I’m telling you he was. You’re father tried to kill me. That’s why I’m so scared for you in this whole situation. I know the mistakes I made and I don’t want you to make those same mistakes. Handle one situation before you jump into the next.” Nicki half believed everything her mother was saying. Her father had a temper but he wasn’t crazy. Eli had a temper, but he wasn’t crazy. “I’m sure Drake is a nice man but you need to deal with the situation with Elijah first. If Drake is as good as you think he is, he’ll still be around.” Nicki’s heart rate accelerated at the thought of Drake leaving her.

“Mommy, I’m not you.”

“I guess you’re right. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. You’re just as stubborn.” Carol shook her head. “I just pray you tell a different story to your kids. I’m going to start the laundry.” Carol said moving around Nicki and walking out of the kitchen. Jimi looked at a crying Nicki who was still holding her cheek.

“Listen to your mother Nicki. She’s full of experience.” He got up from the table to go and find his wife, leaving Nicki alone. It wasn’t until now that Nicki realized the reason she was so hell bent about not getting a divorce. It was because she told herself long ago that she wouldn’t be like her mother and give up. The question now is, is it really giving up or saving a life?

- - - -

“Mr. Graham, nice to see you.” Elijah greeted Drake as he opened the door to his office.Drake mumbled something as he walked in. On the car ride over to the office Drake had time to think. It wasn’t like him to get so involved with women, especially not a married one. But Nicki, Nicki deserved so much better than what she was getting. Drake’s eyes fell to the flowers sitting on Elijah’s desk.

“For Tanya.” Elijah quickly explained.

“That’s good. Very few men think about the little things when they get married. I commend you.” Drake nodded his head at Elijah.

“Yeah, my wife’s a good woman. She deserves nice things.” Elijah looked around his desk for a folder. There was no need for Elijah to have to tell Drake Nicki was a good woman. The more that Drake looked at Eli, it made his skin crawl and his hands itch. His mind went back to the defeated look on Nicki’s face when she told him about the shoe incident, the way she scrubbed that closet floor and how she ate that pizza like she’d been deprived all of her life. “Are you married Mr Graham?”

“No. Not married. I think I’ve found someone with potential.”

“Take it from me, marriage is not all that it’s cracked up to be. It’s a lot of work. I can’t even begin to tell you how many times Tanya and I have fought. And it’s definitly true what they say, once you get married your sex life dies.” Drake couldn’t believe that this man had the audacity to put Nicki’s business out there like that. “I mean before we got married-”

“I have to get going in a few so can we just start?” Drake asked.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Elijah apologized before opening up his folder. Throughout the whole meeting, Drake didn’t listen to a word Elijah was saying. He had told Nicki he wouldn’t do anything to Eli and it as becoming harder and harder to keep his word. Elijah handed the folder over to Drake as he finished talking.

“Thank you Mr. Prescott.”

“Please call me Elijah.” Both men stood and shook hands. Drake glanced at the flowers on the desk before heading to the door. He opened it and before he walked out he turned around.

“You might want to reconsider your gift for Nicki. She’s allergic to flowers.” The door closed behind him as he walked out.


*Rest of the chapter later when I come