#thread with: victoria annalise

[wcrldcfvtlvs]

Michelle Atlas's Famous Tea / Tyler, Victoria & Rosalie's versions

There is a famous within the Atlas household that is a secret to many outside the family, however with the Atlas family the recipe is shared among the three siblings. That tea being; Citrus Chamomile Herbal Tea.

What causes the calming effect is the chamomile with a touch of lavender adding honey and sugar for taste. Each Atlas makes the tea differently

Tyler: Makes the tea with extra honey since he favors the sweet taste

Victoria: Favors the lavender because lavender always keeps Victoria calm

Rosalie: adds sugar, honey, lavender, orange slices and extra chamomile so the tea overall has a underlying citrus flavor but the tea can easily relax and put some one to sleep after having a few cups.

Michelle Atlas personally adds enchanted sea salt so the person who drinks it has pleasant dreams and is shielded from nightmares so the drinker can have a peaceful night of sleep and wake up refreshed in the morning instead of being drowsy.

Over the growth of Atlas's, Michelle has only given the recipe to Tyler since he runs Lion's Den, she figured that customers would enjoy a cup of tea instead liquor, soda, or water. Tyler gave the recipe to the sister but making sure to add: *alter for taste and preference*, as far the three siblings know, they can not replicate the tea the their mother made, but can come close; the only ingredient that is missing is the enchanted sea salt.

[amorisabelle]

Boom!

INVOLVED: Maya Morgan, Levi Morgan, Isabelle Marshall, Alexander Marshall, Naomi King, Calvin King, Victoria Perry, Dominic Perry, Israel West, and Melaine Ashton TIME FRAME: Monday, December 23, 2019 LOCATION: Elk Trail Lodge; Denver, Colorado SUMMARY: The group of friends, plus Israel and Melaine sit down at the table to enjoy dinner. However, things turn sour as Levi gets jealous of Melaine’s interaction with Israel and Naomi calls Levi out on it. Then the bombs drop. 

Maya held her hands up and said, “wait, wait, wait,” easily to the large group of people as they all sat around a large table for dinner. “Israel was telling me that his parents lived in this house for 30 years and were married for 45,” she emphasized.

Alexander looked at Maya and said, “what was he saying?” gently as he forked some food up and into his mouth.

“Israel was telling me that his parents lived in this house for 30 years and were married for 45,” Maya emphasized loudly.

Melaine nodded her head, impressed by what Maya had just said at the table. She dipped her fork into her plate and sheepishly smiled at Israel who was nestled beside her.

Isabelle looked at Maya, nodding along with a small smirk on her face. “Wow,” she breathed out as she ate a bit of her food before she looked across the table at her husband.

“People do not stay married that long no more,” Naomi said shaking her head as she held her fork up ready to take a bite.

“Oh, I think Victoria and Dominic will,” Maya tossed out lovingly.

“I hope so,” Victoria said with a hum and a bit of a shrug.

Isabelle looked at Victoria a bit shocked. “You’re not sure?”

Naomi looked at Victoria and said, “sounds like trouble in paradise?” she asked her, jokingly, but very curious at the same time.

“Ain’t no trouble in paradise,” Dominic said dismissively almost instantly behind Naomi’s comment. People didn’t need to judge the marriage he had based off his wife’s backhanded compliment. He stuck some food into his mouth chewing lightly as he looked over at Victoria.

“You know… you never know what happens, you know.” Victoria began as she cut into her food a bit before she paused, looking up, across at Naomi before she looked to her husband at her side, “um, but you got to be willing to do the work.” She looked back at Naomi, a small smile that didn’t reach her eyes tugging at the corners of her mouth.

Dominic looked at Victoria again and said, “yeah,” trying to hide his disapproval of the way she handled the compliment to them. “We aren’t perfect, you know, and we have our days,” he shrugged lightly. “But, you know, we remember that the bottom line is, we love each other,” he offered, eyes moving from his plate to Victoria again.

Listening to her husband, Victoria sat back nodding slightly. “And it’s the love that gets us through those tough days.” She looked at Naomi and Calvin before she looked back at her husband, “right, sweetie?”

“Mhm,” Dominic says in response to Victoria as he stuck another piece of steak into his mouth.

Maya lifts her wine glass from the table and she raises it saying, “to love,” with a smile on her face. As everyone joins in with her, raising their glasses and saluting love as well.

After they all sipped, Israel noticed the fallen napkin on the floor and he leaned down, picking it up as he said, “oh Melaine, you dropped your napkin.” Lifting up, he handed it to her easily.

“Oh,” Melaine replied looking at him with a smirk. “Thank you,” she said to him kindly as she grabbed the napkin back from him and placed it back on her lap.

Naomi looked over at the only two single people at the table and she smirked, her hand still clutching the glass unlike everyone else as she basked in another glorious sip.

“So, um you’re the big-time sheriff in this town, huh?” Levi asked Israel now as he gestured across the table a bit, interjecting in between him and Melaine.

Israel chuckled a bit dryly. “Eh, I wouldn’t exactly say big time,” he responded easily.  

“Well this place is beautiful,” Melaine said to Israel as she grabbed her glass and took a sip.

“Thank you. I think so, too,” Israel said easily. “I’d love to show you guys around before you leave,” he was speaking to all of them but looking directly at Melaine.

“Mm,” Melaine said to the man quickly, “thanks, but I can’t do that,” she replied to him without thinking.

Naomi picked her glass back up and took the longest sip she ever had as she overheard the conversation playing out next to her.

“We’d be up for that, yeah,” Victoria said looking around the table a bit at her friends.

“I’d love to honey,” Dominic said in response to his wife. “What time is good?” he asked Israel from across the table.

“Anytime…” Israel said looking around the table before he added, “how about tomorrow? Early?”

“Sounds good to me,” Alexander said to the group as she wiped his hands clean with his napkin. He cleared his throat a bit. “I don’t know if my wife will be able to make it though,” he said looking at his wife before he looked down at his plate. “She probably has to check her iPhone to see if she’ll be available,” he said as he cut a piece of his steak against his plate.

Maya licked her lips slowly and looked at Alexander before she looked off. What in the hell was that? Looking directly at her friend for only a moment before she looked at her husband.

Victoria looked at Alexander, her eyes a bit wide with shock at his comment. She had no idea where the comment had come from or why he felt the need to say it.

Dominic looked at Alexander as he spoke and his brows rose before he stuck some mashed potatoes into his mouth looking down at the other guest sitting at the table, avoiding Isabelle’s face.

Isabelle stuck her fork into her mouth, looking at her husband, her head cocked to the side slightly as she adjusted herself in her chair. Her eyes bored holes into him as she cleared her throat slightly, eating her food in silence.

Bouncing right off the back of Alexander’s comment, completely unphased, Levi leaned in slightly asking Israel, “so, tell me, how much does a gig like that pay, huh?”

“Oh my God, Levi,” Maya said in response to his words, she looked at Israel and lifted her napkin to cover her food filled mouth. “Forgive my husband, please,” she said pleadingly.

Melaine looked at Levi and her eyes then bounced on Maya before she discreetly eyed Israel next to her, taking a sip of her wine.

“No. I’m just saying it can’t be too much, that’s all…” Levi said, easily picking up his glass and taking a sip of his wine without a care.

Maya looked at her husband, jerking her neck a bit and leaning her chair disgustedly. He was being so damn rude for no reason at all.

Israel slowly looked up from his plate, gazing at Levi, looking into the man's eyes a bit challengingly as he said casually, “well, Levi, I don’t do it for the money.”

Hearing Israel, Isabelle took the time to look up at her husband and say, “some people do it for the enjoyment…” she made a face at him, letting him know that she was irritated by his comment, “hmph, how about that?” she said before she added, “Alexander,” making sure he heard her.

Melaine looked at Levi and she took another sip from her wine glass looking at him over it.

Alexander looked up at his wife, gazing at her with deadly glares.

Naomi smirked at the open window and she said, “Levi does it for the enjoyment,” cutely, adding her two cents in.

Levi looked over at Naomi, a bit amused by her comment. “Oh, you must need another drink, don’t you?”

Maya looked at Naomi and then at Levi as they bantered back and forth across the table.

“And you need some condoms, don’t you?” Naomi said back to him just as quickly and without thought. Sneering slightly at the man, raising her top lip.

Maya looked at her friend confused by Naomi’s comment, why would her husband need condoms? She looked to her husband before she bit her lip, they must have heard them several nights ago in the act. She was somewhat embarrassed now.

As the words left his wife’s lips, Calvin’s eyes went a bit wide and he looked over at Levi immediately, shaking his head at the man, his face pleading.

Levi snorted. “Heh, believe me…” he smirked at her, ignoring Calvin. “You don’t want to go down that road with me.” He lifted his fork and popped some food into his mouth as he stared at Naomi.

Dominic sat his fork down and he said, “how about we go down the ski slope,” chewing slightly. “Skiing,” he added, trying so very hard to change the subject for both parties right now. There was so much being implied here and none of it was good. “Snowboarding?”

Naomi eyes Levi for a very long time, if he said one more word she was going to reach across the table and slap the piss out of him.

Levi gazed right back at Naomi, watching her closely with a challenging look on his face as he chewed his food.

“Yes,” Victoria said nodding along to her husband’s suggestion. It was perfect timing because things were sure to get out of hand between Levi and Naomi and nobody needed that. “Snowboarding.”

“You two?” Alexander said with a head shake. “Snowboarding?” he asked with a chuckle. “Whatever,” he said easily. “Nah,” he told them playfully, “snowmobiles,” he countered, “I can’t do that race stuff,” he told them.

As everyone else went on and on, Israel was leaned over whispering to Melaine quietly.

Melaine chuckled at Israel brushing him off playfully.

Levi looked over at Israel and Melaine and asked, “what’s so funny?” growing a bit irritated with the antics. “You want two share with the table?” he asked, gesturing between the two of them.

Sighing heavily Naomi said, “Levi. Can you please let these single people have a private moment?” she asked him gesturing the man and woman next to her.

“I agree,” Maya said happily, a smirk on her face as she watched Israel and Melaine. She picked her wine glass up and took a sip from the glass.

“Maybe after dinner, you two could go for a ride or something,” Naomi said to both Israel and Melaine, stirring the pot even more now.

Levi looked at Naomi, gazing the woman up and down with irritation as he took his napkin, wiping his mouth some, licking his lips some. He slowly looked back down at his plate, shaking his head slightly, grumbling to himself.

“Oh, that sounds great,” Maya said leaning in with her glass still in her hand. “So nice,” she whispered to her friend across the table.

Melaine looked at Naomi and then to Maya, she tucked her lips in dimples creasing as she sighed internally over the dinner table antics.

“That sounds nice,” Naomi said mimicking her friend as she gazed at Levi from across the table. “Fun,” she smiled, her pearly white teeth shining for all to see as she got her rocks off over this.

Levi leaned forward, his elbows resting against the table as he picked up his wine glass, swirling the contents around a bit. “Melaine ain’t going nowhere with him,” he said aloud for the entire table to hear before taking a sip from his glass.

Maya looked her husband up and down, she sat the wine glass back down against the table and said “why not?” curiously.

“Why can’t this single woman go out with this single man?” Naomi asked confused, looking around the table with a shrug. “I mean…” she said looking back at Levi.

Melaine shook her head slightly at Naomi, she was barking up the wrong tree she might as well stop, truthfully.

Israel looked down at his plate, pushing his food around a bit, his eyes wide. This was about to get messy; he could feel it. He had already picked up on the fact that Levi and Melaine were sleeping together, that was obvious but clearly Maya had no idea. It was actually quite unfortunate; she was too much of a lovely woman to be treated this way.

Leaning against the table, Isabelle held her head up in her hand as she looked down. “Can we, uh, just drop this,” she said. Things did not need to get ugly. Secrets did not need to be shared. Not like this.

“I so agree with Isabelle right now,” Victoria jumped in, looking around at everyone knowingly before her eyes flickered right over to Naomi, needing the woman to stop taunting Levi.

“L-let him answer,” Naomi said pointing to Levi across from her. He acted as if he were supreme in this situation and she had no problem showing him exactly who ran the show when she was around.

“Calvin, get your wife,” Levi said without even looking up as he brought his fork to his mouth. He was over the games now.

Calvin reached across Naomi, trying to grab her glass. “C’mon baby, give me that drink,” he said trying to help defuse the situation that was arising.

Naomi instantly pushed Calvin’s hand aside. “No,” she said to him easily as she took another sip from her glass. “As a matter of fact, let me get another drink,” she said to them all. “So, Levi’s ass can tell us why Melaine can’t go out with Israel,” she emphasized each word looking over at the man.

Levi looked at Naomi before he palmed his face with agitation. He drug his hand down slowly before he rested his elbow against the table, holding his hand to his mouth as he tried to stop himself from saying anything else to the woman. He shook his head with a deep breath before returning to his food.

“Naomi, look… it’s no big deal,” Israel said softly, leaning over to her a bit, trying to stop the blow up. It was clear to him now, very clear. Everyone at the table knew but Maya.

Maya looked at Naomi and tilted her head mouthing to her to stop. “Calm down,” she breathed easily trying to make peace with her friend from across the table. She could see that Levi was getting increasingly pissed off.

Alexander looked between Levi, Maya, Naomi, and Melaine before he looked at Dominic. He sat back in his chair shaking his head before he said, “yeah, calm down Naomi…” reaching out a cautious hand.

Fed up, Levi dropped his fork, throwing his hand up as he looked to Naomi. “Okay… let’s do it.” He said back in his chair, a very unamused smirk on his face as he rubbed his hands together. “Let’s do it,” he repeated himself a bit more enthusiastically this time as he got adjusted in his chair, prepared for the verbal battle. “C’mon,” he said to Naomi.

“Levi,” Maya said as she rested her hand on her husband’s thigh. “Calm down,” she told him seriously not wanting things to escalate. She didn’t know why he and Naomi were at each other’s throat so much this trip, but they could resolve it as adults she knew. “Eat your food,” she said sweetly as she looked into his eyes. “Okay,” she breathed softly.

“No, no. Come on, talk to me,” Levi said speaking over Maya as she tried to calm him down.

“No, let him talk,” Naomi snapped back at Maya easily, firing off everything she had to say after her two other dumb friends made her hold her tongue for the jackass. “Let him talk, Maya,” she said, lifting up her hand to the woman.

“She’s just a little drunk,” Calvin said, still trying to reach for Naomi’s glass.

“You know what Calvin; I might be a little drunk,” Naomi measured with her fingers as she turned to him. “But somebody at this table got some damn secrets,” Naomi said as she turned her head towards Levi again, bitterly.

“Really?” Levi asked Naomi with an expression of try me.

“You guys that’s enough,” Isabelle said as she sat up some, looking towards Naomi.

“No, no, no, no….” Levi said quickly. “Isabelle… somebody got some secrets?” he questioned before he turned his head to look at Naomi with a shrug, “what are they?”

“You know I am so sick of this shit,” Naomi said as she raised her hands up at the table, her face scrunching as she did. “I am sick of it,” she said again. “The reason she can’t go with this man or any other man,” she said pointing to Melaine, “is it because she’s sleeping with yours, Maya…” she said looking over at the plus-sized woman now.

Maya had watched the two argue back and forth, though she thought it was a drag and so very unnecessary, she hadn’t said another word to either. However, at Naomi’s words she looked up, across the table at her. “What?” she said with a raised brow as she looked at Melaine shaking her head. A chuckle actually left her lips and she said, “no,” easily before she looked at Levi.

“Yeah, Maya,” Naomi said confirming it for her, the woman should have known as soon as they did, but they decided to hold the secret this long and for what?

Melaine swapped glances with Maya, she dropped her head for a moment before she looked back up averting her gaze elsewhere.

Maya looked at Naomi and she then looked back over at Melaine.

Alexander shifted in his seat, exhaling softly. This had to be the most fucked up situation ever, on top of it embarrassing and as usual it was at the hands of Naomi and her big mouth. Though he did feel like the woman should have been told the truth. This wasn’t the place or time for it. “Damn,” he said under his breath.

Isabelle looked down quickly, shifting very uncomfortably in her seat. It shouldn’t have come out like this.

Dominic looked at his wife and then over to Maya, he looked at Melaine as well. He couldn’t imagine the hurt Maya felt, but he also couldn’t really shake the guilty feeling he had knowing they all knew and she hadn’t.

Victoria tucked her lips in slightly, her expression very unreadable as she swapped glances with her husband before she looked around the table, unsure of what to say.

Maya looked at the many faces at the table, she felt her blood boil a little. Did everyone know except for her? Here she sat among them with egg on her face, a cheating husband, one backstabbing friend, and countless others who clearly cared nothing about her.

Israel looked around the table very slowly. This was some drama but it was not his drama. He very much felt like he was intruding on a private situation. “Well… uh… thanks for dinner…” he pushed his chair back some, “... but uh, I should be going…” he trailed off as he moved to stand.

Alexander looked at Israel and said, “you may need to hang tight, in case… you know… law enforcement should happen to need to enforced…” he stammered out.

“I’m sorry,” Naomi said shaking her head as she looked at Maya, “but you don’t need that sorry motherfucker,” she added, bitterly. It was the last thing she had to say. “I should beat his ass,” she sneered.

Maya looked at Naomi before she asked Levi. “Is it true?” as she turned to him looking into his eyes.

Levi stared at Naomi, his eyes squinted before he slowly turned to look at his wife. “Yeah… it’s true…” he nodded a bit, “that’s my secret… I am the bad guy,” he announced looking around the table very nonchalantly. “But I’m not the only married person with a secret at this damn table,” he sneered back towards Naomi. He squinted at her once more before he looked at his friends.

Maya shook her head slowly at her husband, God why was this happening to her, Lord. She inhaled sharply, her chin quivering slightly as she leaned forwards, her hands were pressed together and her forehead rested against them. She was here to save her marriage and now it was broken. He cheated on her with her friend. What did she do to deserve that shit?

“Alexander…” Levi shifted in his chair a bit, “have you told your wife about how you got a DNA test on Kenya ‘cause you weren’t sure she was yours?” he asked.  

Alexander looked up at his friend upon hearing his name. When he heard the secret that was told he swallowed hard, biting down on his bottom lip. He didn’t bother looking at his wife, he knew what hell this would bring.

Isabelle sat back slowly, looking across the table at her husband with disbelief and shock written across her face.

“Hey now Levi, don’t go telling secrets man,” Calvin interjected nervously, looking over at Levi.

“Oh, no, no, no, c’mon Calvin,” Levi said, shaking his head. “Y’all want to talk about me, hmm?” He pursed his lips slightly. “You threw my secret out there. Let’s lay everyone's secrets across this big ass table. Shall we?” he questioned before he whipped his head over to Isabelle. “Isabelle, have you told your husband about how you got an IUD after you had Kenya and didn’t tell him?” He looked at her expectantly, “hmm? That’s what Maya told me.”

Alexander looked at Levi again as he called his wife, the man needed to shut his damn mouth at the point of time. But no, he insisted on continuing. The news he dropped shocked him; his wife had been lying to him. He looked up at her heat brokenly, he gave her everything and all he wanted in return was a son but she’d already screwed him out of the long before he started his fight for it.

Isabelle looked over at Levi as he spoke her name, her jaw slackening slightly before she looked down, folding her arms over her chest slightly, avoiding her husband's gaze. She looked up at him for half a second before she dropped her eyes once more at his stare.

“I’m so sorry Alexander, so sorry, but your chances of having a boy? A bit slim right about now,” Levi said easily.

Alexander looked at Levi, his words couldn’t cut deeper if he wanted them to. He rested back against the chair defeatedly; Levi had won.

“Levi, now wait a minute. This has gone too far,” Victoria said sitting up in her seat, leaning forward a bit as she began to point with her finger, speaking with her hands. “You are going too far; you’re getting really dangerous now. You need to stop this,” she pressed. She had no idea what other secrets the man knew, but things were getting way too out of control.

Levi took a breath, letting Victoria, the perfectionist of the group say her little piece before he interjected, “Dominic…” he smirked slightly. “Since you guys walk around here like the perfect couple,” he lifted his hands using air-quotes, “will you please inform your wife about how you came literally crying to my house asking, ’how could she be so stupid and not strap your son in his car seat’,” he licked his lips before he hummed.

Dominic looked up as Levi called his name, this situation was not good at all right now. He needed to be stopped like his wife said. He didn’t know what dirt he was about to pull up on him but seeing as he loved his wife and didn’t do much of anything. It could only be one damn thing. He gazed at the man, daring him almost yet he did it anyway. Fuck. He turned his head not wanting to look at his wife, he almost did but he continued to look forward, ashamed. He felt that then, now he was trying to get passed it, and he knew his wife was hurting more than he.

Victoria turned her head very slowly now, looking at her husband with smoldering eyes. How could she be so stupid. She stared at the side of his face. She was so upset and felt so disrespected that she didn’t know what to do.

“You are fucking low down, you got damn bastard,” Naomi said as the man continued to dish out everyone’s dirt like he wasn’t the one to fuck himself over in all of this.

“Shut up!” Levi barked across the table at Naomi.

“No, you, shut the fuck up,” Naomi barked as she slammed her hand down against the table. “Bitch ass,” she said gazing at him. “You airing all of this shit because of some foul fucking move you chose to make,” she said.

“Calvin please!” Levi said pointing between the two.

Looking away, Calvin mumbled to himself. “Oh fuck…”

“Please tell this woman the truth!” Levi grunted out, “and I fucking pray that it sets you free. I pray, man.”  He said pointing his hand at them.

Looking dead at Levi, Calvin shook his head dramatically, pleading with the man through his eyes. “Levi…” he rushed out.

Ignoring it all, Levi went on. “But I’m telling you, tell this woman how Alexander had to give you a shot because you had VD.”

Calvin shook his head up until the very moment Levi dropped the bomb before he looked away quickly, staring at the table.

“Let’s talk about condoms now, shall we, Naomi?” Levi questioned.

Naomi looked between both Levi and Calvin before the secret was told for all to hear. She looked at Alexander before she said, “oh,” with shock and sarcasm laced in her voice. “So, you got VD?” she asked, turning to her husband fully.

“Checkmate,” Levi said as he picked up his glass, sipping some of his wine.

“Who have you,” she emphasized, “been with?” Naomi asked him as she looked him up and down. She just had to hear this one.

Leaning over to Naomi a bit, Calvin whispered, “Naomi… let’s discuss this in private.”

“No. You know what,” Naomi said looking away from her husband, “you motherfuckers have been talking in private e-fucking-nough,” she told him. “How long has your dirty ass had it?” she asked him.

“A week…” Calvin whispered, looking at Naomi out the corner of his eyes.

“Was it Aleeyah?” Naomi asked him next, not giving him much time to answer her as she fired off one thing after the next.

Looking at her out of the corner of his eyes more, Calvin’s eyes darted from her to the table then back and forth again as he nodded slightly.

“Hmph,” left Naomi’s mouth and she turned slightly. “Nah,” she said, shaking her head pettily. “You didn’t get it from her,” she told him smoothly, a lie from the pits of hell. “You got it from Daniel,” she told him smugly as she looked over at him again.

Looking at her crazily now, Calvin said, “what the fuck are you talking about? I ain’t gay.”

“No, you dumb fucking fool. I slept with his ass,” Naomi said pointing to herself. “I got a shot,” she said cutely as she raised her hands up looking around at everyone. “I was just waiting for you to say something,” she said, shrugging her shoulders. “BOOM!” she said, raising two fake guns in the air as she got comfortable sitting back in her chair without a care.

Calvin stared at her as she admitted that she slept with whoever this Daniel person was before he nodded slowly, looking away from her. That made sense. He typically wrapped it up with Aleeyah. He only slipped up and didn’t use a condom every now and again. Sitting there, he let it all sink in before he turned and launched himself at Naomi, wrapping his large hands around her neck, squeezing tightly.

As the man lunged at her, wrapping his hands around her throat she fought against him. Grabbing his hands, Naomi dug her nails into his flesh as she yanked pushing her chair back and fighting against him.

“Don’t!” Victoria screamed out in shock as Calvin physically attacked Naomi.

Alexander hopped up and he moved for Calvin, grabbing the large man from behind; he tried to break up the physical altercation before him, in disbelief. He pulled the man off roughly as he told him, “stop,” angrily. “Come on man,” he said, “man, come on,” he added.

Isabelle, who had been sitting there mute, looked up quickly, her mouth dropping as Calvin choked Naomi.

Levi sat there, watching the entire thing and he took another sip from his glass. “I hope he breaks your fucking throat. TOUCHDOWN!” He spat out bitterly.

“Get off me,” Naomi yelled as she struck Calvin in the face, another individual's body wrapped around her pulling them apart. “Don’t be putting your hands on me motherfucker!” she yelled at him. “Arrest his ass,” she said angrily as she stood up from the chair trying to reach through Israel to get to her husband once more.

Calvin grimaced as he gripped Naomi by her beck, choking her as hard as he could as Alexander and Israel tried to pull him off, even as Naomi hit him in the face. He gripped her until Alexander managed to pull him away and he huffed hard.

“Get his ass. You see he trying to fucking kill me,” Naomi said to the officer. “Arrest him, Troy,” she said to her.

“Let me go!” Calvin growled, shoving Alexander off of him. “That’s why I slept with her! You so fucking evil!”

“You know what, you put your hands on the wrong fucking one Calvin!” Naomi said to the him her veins protruding from her neck.

Staring at Naomi, Calvin’s face scrunched with so much anger. “You know what, I’m out of here.” He grunted, shoving Alexander out of his way as he stormed off.

“Get your stupid ass out of here!” Naomi said in agreement to her husband.

Standing up now, Levi nodded. “Now, that’s the best idea I heard since we got up here. Let’s cut this trip short,” he said, turning to look at Melaine. “Baby, go pack our stuff. We outta here.” He sat down once more, looking at Maya.

Melaine looked up at Levi, a little shaken by what just played out. When he spoke to her directly, she did as she was told, getting up quickly and rushing away from the table as she moved upstairs.

Adjusting himself in his seat, Levi angled his body towards his wife, leaning against the table a bit. “Look, I’m sorry that you had to find out this way.” He sighed softly. “You could thank your friend over there but… it’s over.”

Maya continued to sit there, rocking slightly in the chair as she shook her head at all of this. She wanted a baby, she wanted them to work, she was trying to be what he wanted her to be and this is how he repaid her. For all the abuse both verbal and physical, for all the nights she spent alone and all the times he embarrassed her. He’d managed to finally break her, all of her.

At his remark Naomi rolled her eyes huffing from her now seated position and she pinched the bridge of her nose.

“Now, I’ll be more than fair, but I want a divorce,” Levi told her straight up. He grew quiet for a moment before a thought occurred to him. “Hey, you can have the rental property.” He gently placed his hand on her shoulder, as if he was being thoughtful. “I’ll have Ramirez put bars on there for you… don’t thank me or nothing. It’s a rough neighborhood.” He thought some more. “You can have your car and I’ll figure everything else out.” He stared at the side of Maya’s face, looking at her expectantly. “Huh?” he snapped by her ear. “Hello…” he said before he turned away from her moving to stand up, “whatever…”

Maya looked at Levi as he spoke every other word reaching her ear as he did. All she could do was watch his lips as they flapped and she swallowed hard. He snapped at her and then she snapped, he said whatever and it brought her out of her own subconscious. She back handed him across his face as hard as she could muster as she stood up, gazing down at him. She gripped his face in her hand, her nails digging into his flesh and she asked, “how could you?” before she grabbed a steak knife with her other hand. “I gave you everything” she said as she looked into his eyes, sliding the knife across the table.

Naomi looked across the table at her friend as she slapped the man across his face which was less than he deserved. She should kill his ass. However, when the woman picked the knife up, she gasped slightly, “Maya,” she called out.

Dominic sat there next to his wife trying to understand how this all came about. It was the most unnecessary thing they experienced as friends. Looking at Maya he stood up slowly, “Maya,” he said in unison with Naomi.

Alexander stood resting against the back of the chair he once was sitting in and he gazed at Levi. The man truly disgusted him. He had done more than enough yet that was not enough for him at all. As Maya slapped the man, he bit his lips, he deserved it. However, when she grabbed the knife he shifted on his feet prepared to stop her.

Levi fell to the floor as Maya smacked him and he looked up at her shocked as she gripped him by his face. “Maya,” he said as he gazed up at her, his eyes wide as his eyes moved to her other hand holding the knife.

“Oh. My. God.” Isabelle said quickly as she sat there.

Victoria looked back at Levi as he rested against the floor, watching in silence.

Maya watched as he laid there, he had the nerve to call her name. She hated his ass so much right now but she couldn’t bring herself to do anything further. She couldn’t kill him because love wouldn’t let her. So instead she stabbed the table and moved to leave the dining room. She walked towards the door bitterly snatching her coat down and walking out the front door slamming it shut behind her.

“Should've killed his ass,” Naomi said under her breath as she watched Maya leave.

[stylesbynaomi]

Over It

INVOLVED: Naomi King and Calvin King TIME FRAME: Flashback LOCATION: Naomi Styles; Atlanta, Georgia SUMMARY: Calvin’s baby mother shows up at the salon.

Aleeyah walked towards the hair salon, hips switching with every single step that she took as she did. She walked into the salon, chewing and popping her gum dramatically as she walked right past the front desk to the receptionist desk and she leaned against the tall counter, her arms resting there. “I need to see Calvin,” she said without hesitation. 

Naomi stood behind her client, a curling iron in her hand as she styled the woman’s hair with curls. She looked up to see Calvin’s ex and the mother of his child and she growled lowly. Leaning down she told her client “hold on one second” walking with the curler iron in her hand as she strutted towards the woman. “What the hell are you doing here?” she called out loudly to the skank before her as she walked up towards the woman.

Standing there, Aleeyah looked Naomi up and down as the approached her. She popped her gum, chewing loudly as she said, “I need to see Calvin,” with a roll of her neck. She was not in the mood for Naomi’s attitude today.

“No bitch” Naomi emphasized “you better get out of this building” she said pointing towards the exit with her freehand. Though she was far from scared, she’d burn the bitch if need be.

“No bitch, I need to see Marcus,” Aleeyah said back to Naomi, getting in the women’s face a bit.

Hearing his wife yelling at the front of the shop, Calvin turned and saw his baby mama and his wife going back and forth and he quickly rushed over, knowing things could escalate quickly between the two.

“No, I said you better get your ass” Naomi countered as she shoved the woman back “out of this building” she concluded standing there before her.

Looking at Naomi’s hand as the woman pushed her, Aleeyah said, “I know you ain’t fucking touch me,” she said looking Naomi up and down. “You better back up,” she growled.

As quickly as he could, Calvin placed himself between the two women, trying to get them to settle down and stop causing a scene in front of everyone. “Hey!” he said.

“Oh yes I did” Naomi said back to the girl as she challenged her. Never mind Calvin rushing over to deescalate the situation between them both. “You better get your ass out of here, before I drag your ass out” she screamed as she tried to move around Calvin’s large stature.

“Do you know who you messin’ with?!” Aleeyah asked Naomi wildly, leaning against Calvin’s tall frame to look at the woman. “Try me!” she hissed, pointing her finger in Naomi’s face around Cavin. “Try me!” she repeated, angrily, neck and eyes rolling.

Calvin blocked Aleeyah at every movement she made, keeping the woman away from his wife. He glanced back at Naomi for a moment before she looked at Aleeyah, letting out a breath. “What are you doing here?” he asked her, trying to get to the bottom of it all.

Looking at Calvin, Aleeyah gazed up into his eyes, softening a bit. “Look, I need to talk to you,” she said in calmer tone now.

“About what?” Calvin asked, Aleeyah now, looking at her expectantly. Nothing could really be so important that she needed to come up to the shop unannounced.

Letting out a breath, Aleeyah was about to speak before she noticed Naomi still standing just behind Calvin, listening. She narrowed her eyes at the woman asking nastily, “do you mind?”

Stood feet planted behind the tall man as she gazed at the woman from around him “yes I mind bitch” she snapped back at her before she looked at Calvin. “Calvin, you better get her the hell out of here” Naomi said to him angrily as she pointed to the door. “Before I throw her out on her ass” she sneered at the woman.

As Naomi began to go off once more behind him, Calvin turned to her slowly, his hands on her shoulders, prepared to speak to her before Aleeyah began behind him.

“Calvin, you better get that hoe,” Aleeyah snapped, neck rolling as she popped her gum more, chewing obnoxiously.

“You know what, don't be calling me no damn hoe” Naomi barked back at the woman as she raised the curling iron up, prepared to burn the bitch like she knew she’d have to. The nerve of her, in her establishment causing a damn commotion. She had no business being there in the first damn place.

Calvin glanced back at Aleeyah before he held Naomi back by her arms, stepping with her as she did, keeping her back. “Chill, chill!” he told his wife. 

“That’s right! Check her ass Calvin! Check that hoe!” Aleeyah yelled out, rolling her neck more as she pointed her finger all in Naomi’s face over Calvin’s shoulder. “Hoe!”

“Naomi, Naomi, Naomi,” Calvin said, trying to get his wife to focus on him and not Aleeyah wildin’ behind him. “Let me take care of this,” he said to her calmly.

“Cause I know how to handle the bitch” Naomi said as she pushed up against Calvin who was blocking her from getting to the damn woman right now. “Deal with her ass, you better get her” she said to him through gritted teeth as she moved to walk away. “And what the hell are yall looking at” she snapped at her staff as she moved back to her station. “Y’all know who y’all work for ain’t nothing new, get back to work” she told them.

“He got it handled,” Aleeyah said now, licking her lips, “he handles all of this,” she said gesturing to her petite frame, “and well, let me tell you,” she smiled her white teeth at Naomi, flipping her hair over her shoulder. “He handles it well!” she yelled now. “Well, miss press n’ curl!” she snapped, “hoe!”

As Naomi began to walk away, Calvin turned to look at Aleeyah incredulously. Glancing back at Naomi, he watched her shoo everyone away from the scene before he looked back at Aleeyah once more. Breathing heavily from the exertion of trying to break them up, he asked her with a bit of defeat, “what is it?”

“This bitch is right here, in my salon!” Naomi said as she stood on the phone with the girls. Watching Calvin and his ex interact from her station.

Victoria sat out on the steps of the university building, sighing out. “Naomi, just talk to her,” she said calmly.

“I think that’s what you should do,” Isabelle agreed as she walked through the office, taking a file from one of her co-workers as it was held out to her.

“I’m not going to talk to that bitch” Naomi said to them seriously as she shook her head standing behind her client, not doing much to her hair anymore. “If she says one more thing to me, I am going to jail for murder” she said aggressively into the phone. She began to brush the woman’s hair roughly in her seat. 

“Well, I’m a lawyer,” Isabelle reminded her friend, “I’ll get you off,” she said jokingly before her assistant stopped her, letting her know Maya was calling. “Oh!” she said quickly, moving for her desk. “She’s on line two,” she let them know, “I’m going to merge the calls, okay?”

Hearing Isabelle, Victoria let out a breath that she had no idea she had been holding into all these months, worried sick about Maya.

“You know what” Noami said to the woman in her chair “if you got to be that damn tender headed, why don’t you get out of my damn chair” pointing towards the exit with her brush. “Get out of my chair, looking like next ghetto top weave” she said scowling at her. She huffed as she moved to sit down in her own chair now.

As Naomi went on, Isabelle answered the call with Maya and quickly merged the two before she said, “Maya?” softly, “are you okay? We’ve been trying to reach you,” she said with a deep sigh.

“Yeah” Maya said coldly to them on the phone “Levi… turned my phone off” she said in a very slow and exhausted like tone. “So, I am just getting around to... handling that” she said her hand on her full hip.

“Maya” Naomi said with a head shake she couldn’t believe the good for nothing son of a bitch. “Do you need some money?” she asked her very seriously.

“I’m fine” Maya replied back to the woman, lying through her teeth as she used the phone from the store to contact them after all this time. “Working.. at a general store now” she said in a low tone.

“General store?” Naomi replied back to the woman in disbelief.

“A general store?” Victoria asked, shocked by the revelation.

Isabelle’s neck jerked back slightly as she questioned along with Naomi and Victoria. “A general store?!”

“Yeah, don’t ask,” Maya said, sighing heavily as she turned her back to the front a bit. “I’ll be alright…” she told them, having no faith in that at all.

Listening to Maya, Victoria cut in and said, “do you need a place to stay? You can live with us.” 

“No Victoria” Maya said without any thought at all “I’ve spent too much time letting other people take care of me. I have to find my own way now…” she said as she gripped the phone. 

Hearing Maya, Isabelle asked with a small hum, “where are you?” she asked.

“Just know I am fine…” Maya said, not wanting to disclose anything with them fully. They didn’t disclose her cheating husband to her.

Victoria nodded along to their friends' words and she said, “I’m really proud of you Maya.”

“I’ll talk to you guys soon” Maya said to them, “I love you guys” she said, moreso forcing the words out now though she never had to do so before.

Sighing, Victoria said, “we’re really sorry this happened.”

“I’ll be alright” Maya said to them again as she shook her head, even if she wasn’t, what did they care?

“Honey I love you okay” Naomi said to the girl easily.

“We love you,” Isabelle and Victoria said simultaneously. 

“I love y’all too” Maya added back to the women again sadly. “Um” she said as the thought hit her “Isabelle tell Alexander, Happy Birthday, for me. Okay?” she gently.

At Maya’s words, Isabelle’s eyes grew wide and she said, “oh my god!” before turning to look at the calendar on her desk, “is that today?!”

Hearing Isabelle, Victoria said, “Belle, you didn’t forget, did you?”

“Oh no,” Isabelle sighed deeply, “I have to go,” she said as she picked up her phone as well, double checking the date and seeing the event in her calendar. 

“Okay, I’ll talk to you,” Maya said to them again. “Later” she added before she hung the phone up.

[admirablealex]

Arrival

INVOLVED: Israel West, Alexander Marshall, Isabelle Marshall, Victoria Perry, and Dominic Perry LOCATION: Elk Trail Lodge; Denver, Colorado TIME FRAME: Saturday, December 21st, 2019 NOTES: Alexander and his wife arrive to the cabin, as well as Victoria and Dominic. 

Isabelle hopped out the rental as it came to a stop and she looked around at all the lush snow and the beautiful cabin before them. “Wow…” she breathed. “This is beautiful,” she said to herself before she looked to the sheriff that was overseeing their stay at the cabin. “Hello,” she said sending him a curt wave.

Alexander climbed out of the car and he shut the door behind himself taking a moment to take it all in. “It is” he agreed with his wife, he locked the doors and moved towards the sheriff extending his hand “beautiful cabin man, my name is Alexander, and this is my wife Isabelle” he told the man.

Israel got out of his sheriff vehicle and moved for the couple with a smile as he held out his hand to Alexander, shaking the man’s hand. “Nice to meet you, I’m Sheriff Israel,” he told the couple before he reached into his pocket for the keys to the cabin. “Thank you,” he said as an afterthought to their compliments. “She’s all stocked up. Plenty of firewood out back but you might want to chop some more, heard a storm might blow through,” he told them both.

“Oh, you don’t say” Alexander told the man accepting the keys “thank you, I’ll get right on that” he replied to him.

Isabelle smiled at the man, nodding as he explained everything to them. “Sounds wonderful,” she said looking to the cabin once more, leaning into her husband slightly. “A storm?” she questioned. “Will it be safe?” she asked Israel curiously.

Israel smiled at the two once more. “Should be,” he said. “Storms blow through often around this time of year, but she can handle anything,” he said referring to the cabin with pride. “Might want to light some candles though sometimes the power kicks out if trees come down,” he told the couple as he looked around the area before saying. “I thought more of you were coming...”

Alexander hugged his wife close to him instinctively as she spoke, and he looked to the man awaiting his response. He nodded his head at him and chuckled slightly “there is, they should show up very soon,” he told him truthfully.

Isabelle nodded along with her husband, her hand on his chest as he held her close.

Israel looked around once more before he said, “good, they should beat the storm.” Backing away towards his vehicle he said, “gotta get back down the hill, only sheriff on duty,” he said with a chuckle. “Y’all have fun now.”

Isabelle sat on the bed with her iPad and phone, going over more notes. However, the bed was just so comfortable that she couldn’t resist as sleep lured her.

Alexander walked up stairs two glasses of wine in his hand as he did, he had made up in his mind a little apology wouldn’t hurt if it meant starting the trip off with a hit. He moved into their room to see his wife, resting peacefully and he all but cursed the air. He sat the glasses down with a sad sigh and looked her over. He couldn’t deny that he was disappointed, but she looked so beautiful as she rested, as her phone began to buzz, he looked to it narrowing his eyes. He picked it up quickly so as not to wake his wife before he made a bold move answering her assistant and telling her discreetly not to call again as they were on their trip. After doing so he sat the phone back down on the bed and sat in a chair watching her as he took a sip from a glass sighing again.

Victoria came through the door with a bright smile on her face. “We’re here!” she said happily as she moved into the cabin looking for signs of life as she slowly pulled her coat off and hung it on the rack beside the door before glancing back at her husband.

Dominic trotted behind his wife, their bag in his hands as he lugged them in. looking around, he sat them by the door for a moment before he smiled and said, “maybe we beat everyone else?” he suggested to her. “The place looks great,” he told her, he was looking forward to the excitement that awaited them on this trip.

[dominicperry-blog]

No Peace

INVOLVED: Dominic Perry and Victoria Perry (with Naomi King, Alexander Marshall, and Isabelle Marshall) TIME FRAME: Tuesday, December 24, 2019 LOCATION: Elk Trail Lodge; Denver, Colorado SUMMARY: After Levi outs the entire group, the couple departs the trip early like their other friends. Dominic tries to explain himself and Victoria doesn’t let him. 

Naomi walked along with her two friends and she said “guys” sadly “I’m really sorry about everything” she told them. “Okay?” she added needing to make sure they knew that to be fact. “I love you” she said reaching forward to hug Isabelle and then Victoria to her. “I’ll call you guys later” she told them both knowingly. “Bye babies” she said lovingly, offering her male friends a small gesture as well. She moved to walk away nodding her head at Isabelle’s comment as she moved in her fur coat to get in a cab alone. 

 Isabelle walked out in the snow, her arms wrapped around both Naomi and Victoria as she sighed deeply. Looking at Naomi beside her, she nodded slowly, “I love you too,” she said gently, hugging Naomi close before she pulled away. She tucked some hair behind her ear as she said, “if anyone hears from Maya, we’ll let each other know, right?” 

 Victoria trekked along with her friends, her mind still on the events of the previous night. Things had just gotten so out of hand and revelations had been learned. Some of which, one just couldn’t turn away from. “I love you,” she said as well, hugging Naomi close before she looked at Isabelle nodding at the question. “Yes, of course.”

 Alexander watched Naomi get in her cab and depart, he waved at her one last time. Last night was a shit show and it read on the faces of everybody that had been involved. Calvin had left like a thief in the night, no words shared, and he couldn’t reach the man if he tried. And then there was Maya, poor Maya, no one even knew where she was right now. He turned to Dominic and said “all right, bro” easily, slapping hands with the man. He moved to hug Victoria to his broad chest and he pecked her cheek sweetly before he moved to open the car door. 

 Dominic slapped hands with his friend, offering him a smile despite everything that had gone down. He waited his turn and then leaned in to hug Isabelle tightly “give that man what he wants” he said slyly to her. He couldn’t fix everybody's shit but out of the shit that was thrown across the table, theirs happened to be simple. He moved with his wife to their ride, resting his hand on her lower back and he helped her in. 

 Isabelle stood there, watching Naomi and she waved bye to her friend before she looked back at Dominic, giving him a hug. She let out a small sigh against his chest before she pulled away, not knowing what to say at this point. She turned to Victoria, hugging her close, kissing her cheek as she ignored Dominic’s comment to her. Pulling back from her friend, she gave her a soft smile before she turned, moving to get into the car.

 Victoria hugged Alexander, rubbing his back gently before she pulled away. She nodded slightly, no words needing to be spoken as she hugged Isabelle, kissing her friend’s cheek right back. She gave Isabelle a squeeze before she pulled away whispering, “have a safe drive,” before she turned to the car, moving to climb inside.   

 Dominic asked Victoria very gently “are we going to talk about this?” needing not to carry the negativity back to his own home honestly. They were bigger than this he thought, they could talk it out and hash some things on their way back. 

 Victoria heard her husband’s words and her face drained. She dropped her head, holding her hand to his chest. “Dominic please,” she said, trying not to cry as she moved for the car. “Not right now…” she shook her head. 

 At the woman’s words he looked at her, sighing to himself a bit before he tucked his lips in and moved to place the bag they had in the trunk of the vehicle. Once he had done so he climbed into the back of the car with her and closed the door. “Can’t just... not talk about this…” Dominic said quietly to her. 

 Climbing into the car, Victoria slid over, making room for him as he placed their bags and when he climbed in beside her, she shook her head. “You’ve been talking to other people... “ she whispered sadly. “We can continue that route…” 

 Dominic looked at her, her words another blow to him. He had only called Levi because he was drunk, depressed, distraught and couldn’t reach Calvin or Alexander. Those two would have never told that secret, he didn’t know why he opened up to that jackass. Though he knew he couldn’t have said that to her. “Can I at least, apologize?” he asked her “you know I didn’t really mean that” he said softly as the car began to move. 

 Victoria looked straight ahead as she pulled her sunglasses from her purse, placing them over her eyes to hide the tears that were forming. “Why apologize?” she asked him. “I’m the stupid one,” she said turning away from him, looking out the window. She preached about not hitting below the belt, but her husband had cut her so deeply. 

 Dominic looked at her watching as she placed her sunglasses over her eyes, and he shook his head. Hypocrite, always had been. “This isn’t healthy, the method that you are choosing to use right now” he told her. “We can’t preach to them one thing and practice another ourselves... “ 

 “Oh, that’s real high and mighty coming from the man who went to his friend to vent about what happened instead of coming to me, your wife!” Victoria huffed out as she turned her back to him. 

 Dominic nodded his head at her, and he looked out the window for a moment before he looked back at her. Her back was towards him now and he thought about speaking again before he rested back against the seat. “Okay” he said, nodding his head as he fell silent again. 

Victoria stared out the window, reaching under her glasses to wipe a few tears before she leaned against the door, away from him with a deep sigh.

[genoviahq]

TASK: EVENT 01 PAIR UP

to kick off the event, we’re pairing up muses to do a thread together! please reach out to the muse you’re partnered up to plot something and make a connection.

this task is worth 20 points

kiersten - luka

marcia - olivia

anastasia - grace

marguerite - violet

adriana - snezhana

yusuf - evangeline

celeste - antoine

piper - clemence 

adelaide - maikel

victoria - silas

rhys - eve

elia - alexander

maikel - katharina 

annalise - delfina

elisabeth - gabriel

madeline - dante

matthias - thea

mai - arthur

mads - fraser

elijah - avelina

[shaloved30]

Ok so I’ve decided that I would love to bring my Eve back and hopefully this week I can do some blog theme updating and all, but I wanted to make a post if anyone following/mutuals with me would be interested in talking about writing and doing some plots together. Thoughts under the cut

I had a semi established Eve with a past Annalise but the threads are now dead. I do however have some self para’s I would love to be able to keep in tact that I believe in no way could really hinder a fresh plot

If you play Annalise the only thing I would like to be kept as I’ve established is the use of Rutina Wesley as the young Annalise FC because I have edit work (x and x) that I have made and have up that talks about their past, and can always tag your Annalise to since my former one who used her never got them. (I believe her Annalise account is no longer active(?) so there’s no known conflicts)

I also have two self created friends for my Eve I would be open to playing with someone if you wanted to take them from me to write but if not I do plan to keep them.

Donald “D” Winston III (Nelsan Ellis FC,best friend, fashion designer, married to Miguel, Kevin Alejandro FC, who has a brief bio and some tagged paras/edits

Victoria* (Nia Long FC, mid forties magazine editor/writer/hookup turned love interest *name subject to change if desired for canon)

My Eve is located with her friends in NY still since it’s been inactive prior to canon changes, and while I’m open to a move it’s not really something I think would have to happen to make a canon divergence/au work. I’d love to be able to do some plotting and am open to most direction, all I ask is no non con dub con and that whoever I write with be over the age of 18 (21+ would be ideal tbh since I am over the age of 30)

I am open to chatting via IM or ask or send me a reply on this and if another format works better do say. Let me know if anyone is interested.

[amorisabelle]

Breakfast Debacle

INVOLVED: Levi Morgan, Maya Morgan, Naomi King, Calvin King, Victoria Perry, Dominic Perry, Isabelle Marshall, Alexander Marshall, Israel West, and Melaine Ashton TIME FRAME: Saturday, December 21, 2019 and Sunday, December 22, 2019 LOCATION: Elk Trail Lodge; Denver, Colorado SUMMARY: After Naomi saw Levi speak into Melaine’s room the night before, she and the girls make breakfast for the house resulting in conflict, of course; Maya finally arrives and greets her friends and husband, with Israel in tow.

Levi tip-toed out of his room, gently closing his room door behind him, and into the hallway carefully, looking around vigilantly. He was trying to be as quiet as possible, as to not wake any of his friends or their wives. Licking his lips, he continued his watch as he moved down the hallway, trying to step lightly as he did.

Having been denied sex by her husband, Naomi laid in bed reading a book quietly to herself as she festered over Calvin. Hearing a creak in the night, she raised up a little noticing the shadow as it passed by their assigned room door. Squinting she got up, sitting the book aside and she opened her door very slow and still, as she peered out to see Levi creeping down the hall and into their friends room.

Feeling that the coast was clear, Levi hurried the rest of the way to Melaine’s room. He reached for her handle, smirking to himself as he gently and carefully opened her door and made his way inside, closing it behind him swiftly.

Naomi watched Levi closely before she turned closing her door with her mouth gaped wide open, she couldn’t believe the no-good son of a bitch. “That motherfucker,” she sneered to herself, Maya was the sweetest and most humble friend they had. She didn’t deserve this shit one bit, not from him, not from anybody.

“I saw that low-down dirty dog,” Naomi exclaimed to her friends as she scrambled some eggs in a pan. “He was in there up until about two hours ago,” she said looking at them both as she ratted out Levi for the piece of shit he was.

Victoria’s whole face contorted as she pushed the lever on the toaster down and looked to Naomi. “What?!” She grunted out disgusted.

Isabelle poured orange juice into the glasses before she looked at Naomi, shaking her head, a scowl on her face. “I knew it,” she grunted bitterly.

“Yeah,” Naomi said as she looked to Victoria. “I am telling Maya as soon as she gets here,” she promised as she continued to whip up the eggs in the skillet.

“Uh-uh, Naomi, wait a minute,” Victoria said waving her hand in front of Naomi.

“Wait for what?” Naomi asked the woman her neck jerking back, ever so slightly as she looked to her crazily.

“You don’t know what kind of state-of-mind she’s going to be in,” Victoria said, turning to look at Naomi, expectantly.

“Oh, come on Vicky,” Naomi said to the woman beside her as she sat the spatula down for a moment. “Let’s forget it with all that psych mess right now,” she waved off. “I am telling her,” she said sternly.

“No, Vic’s right,” Isabelle chimed in. “You know she’s been really depressed lately. Let’s just wait,” she said thoughtfully as she began to pour some of the orange juice into more glasses.

“Why?” Naomi asked the two of them whipping her head back and forth. “If it was one of us, we would want to know right?” she asked them seriously her hand on her hip.

Victoria scoffed, shaking her head, adding more fruit to the plate that she was holding.

“Uh,” Isabelle shook her head at Naomi. “You don’t know that. Sometimes people get angry at you for telling them,” she said matter-of-factly.

“Exactly,” Victoria added, “and she’s been so unhappy, the least we could do as her friends is take make sure that she’s gonna be okay.”

“Still, the fact that we are her friends–” Naomi said coming back with a counter argument before some of the gang walked into the kitchen with them. She fell quiet, moving back to her original duty.

Levi moved through the door first saying, “good morning,” as he moved for the fridge.

“Good morning gang,” Alexander said cheerfully as he walked into the kitchen to reconnect with his wife and their two friends. He sat down in a stool in front of the women that were preparing breakfast.

“So, just where the hell have y’all been?” Naomi asked as the troop came trotting in.

“We hiked a trail,” Alexander said to her easily, innocence laced in his voice as he sat down looking at her oddly. It was far too early in the morning for Naomi to be cranky, or was it?

Dominic looked to their friends and said, “there were a lot of animals; foxes and things,” he told them having picked up a biscuit.

Melaine stood before the bar area and she smirked at everyone, toying with her Louis Vuitton scarf around her neck before she said, “it smells so good Naomi.” She popped a piece of biscuit into her mouth as well and said, “you belong in a kitchen” to her slyly as she leaned against the counter.

“Bitch,” Naomi said looking to Melaine, “don’t get me to where you belong, hoe ass. Ass belong on a corner… you already have your pimp,” she said slyly as she rolled her eyes at her.

Melaine looked to Naomi disgustedly as she called her not only out of her name but a prostitute all in one. The bitch didn’t really know her.

Levi sat the apple juice from the fridge onto the counter and sat down beside Melaine at the breakfast bar, his eyes going wide slightly at Naomi’s words, but he said nothing.

“Hey, good morning everybody,” Calvin said feeling bright and refreshed after a wonderful night's sleep. He sat down at the bar beside Alexander with a bright smile.

“Morning Calvin,” Alexander said to his friend looking at him and then looking down.

“Morning brother,” Dominic replied as he still chomped on a biscuit standing next to his wife.

“How did you sleep Calvin?” Melaine asked, still leaning against the counter.

“I slept great!” Calvin said, turning in his seat a little to look at Melaine. “I was out like--”

“Did you?” Melaine said with a grin on her face before it fell watching Naomi.

Naomi didn’t bother to look at her husband as she took the plate, she made for him and plopped it down before him. She didn’t care what happened to the content on the plate as she did so. She turned her back to everyone.

Looking down at the plate as Naomi dropped it in front of him, Calvin’s toast flying into the air before falling back down onto the counter, he frowned muttering, “I slept okay.”

Isabelle wasn’t even phased as Naomi dropped the plate before Calvin and she took a sip of her orange juice, looking at her husband.

Eyes growing wide as Naomi slammed Calvin’s plate down, Victoria picked up another plate and prepared it for someone without another word.

Alexander looked to the side of his friends face with eyes large as saucers as the woman literally threw his breakfast over to him. He looked from his face, to his disheveled plate, to his own wife with the same wide eyes he started with.

Calvin looked at Alexander out the corner of his eye slightly, then down at his plate, making a face at his friend. Didn’t he know his wife was crazy. This is why he couldn’t tell her about his VD.

“Uhm,” Victoria began, trying to ignore what Naomi had just done. “Levi, have you called Maya to see if she was okay?”

“No,” Levi replied quickly, shaking his head as he ate his biscuit. “Can I get some coffee?” he asked.

Naomi looked to Levi, her face hardening as she shook her head and turned her back to the group again moving for the sink to wash the dishes.

“I am sure she’s fine,” Melaine said as she licked her lips looking at everyone.

“Was anyone talking to you trick?” Naomi asked Melaine upfront, turning back around from the sink. Of course, she’d have two cents to add to this after, all she didn’t care as long as she had the opportunity to keep fucking Maya’s man.

“Trick?” Melaine repeated, at the point by now she’d had enough of Naomi and all of her disrespectful comments.  

“Yes trick,” Naomi said to her very quickly, “as in slut, whore, tramp,” she listed gesturing with her hand. “Are you unaware of your name?” she asked resting her hand on her hip as she gazed at her.

“Look Naomi,” Melaine said in a harsh accent, before she went on, “you don’t know me, I have tolerated you long enough,” she said pointing her finger at her as she did.

“I will beat your ass bitch,” Naomi said to Melaine in response, each word that left her lips came out forcefully and drew her closer and closer to the woman.

“Then do it bitch!” Melaine said as she hopped up from her position leaned over on the counter. Never mind Levi trying to get in between her and Naomi.

Levi stood quickly with Melaine, “Whoa, wait a minute,” he said wrapping his arm around her petite frame before he reached over holding his hand out to Naomi.

Calvin sat quietly, eating his food hungrily as if nothing was happening around him.

Victoria squealed as Naomi pulled her out of the way and she spun around, moving closer to Isabelle out of shock.

Dominic watched as the woman threw things at each other and he said, “hey, hey, hey, hey,” loudly, voice booming around the space as he tried to hold Naomi back. His head moved back and forth as more food continued to be thrown.

Alexander lifted his hands up, a fork in one of them as he too added that the woman needed to stop and calm down. “Wait a minute,” he called out as he watched on.

Maya climbed out of Israel’s truck as they arrived at the cabin, she took it in all of its glory as she stuck one hand in her fur coat and the other held her purse moving towards the entrance.

Israel climbed out of the truck, moving to the backseat to grab Maya’s bags for her. As well as the package that came for Alexander.

“Hey,” Alexander said as he looked towards Levi, “handle that,” he said to him as he sat his fork back down in his plate. “Hey, she cooked grits and I am just going to move the hell out of the way,” he said dipping his fork in his food and then into his mouth.

Levi looked to Alexander and said, “she ghetto,” throwing his hands into the air.

“Someone better get here before I do,” Naomi said in response as she backed up slowly.

Maya moved throughout the house and she headed for the kitchen, having smelt some food cooking in the house. They must have been eating breakfast. She began to pull her fur coat off when she reached the opening and said “hey!” happily “Divas!” she called out to her best friends. She leaned in for a hug from Dominic happily accepting the kiss to her temple from him as she chuckled infectiously. She moved toward her husband her hand now gripping her heavy coat and purse, she moved to give him a kiss despite his disposition. “Hey, what’s going on everybody?” she asked.

Levi leaned towards his wife out of courtesy as she reached for him. He allowed her to kiss his cheek, but he didn’t show her much affection back.

Israel moved into the cabin behind Maya, sitting her things down as he stepped in fully, assessing everyone quickly.

Maya moved towards Victoria and she smiled at her friend leaning in for a hug.

“Thank God you’re okay,” Victoria said, hugging Maya tight, rubbing her back lovingly before she pulled away.

“Yes, I made it finally,” Maya replied to Victoria before she moved over to Isabelle and hugged the woman to her as well.

Isabelle stepped forward; arms open to her friend. “We were worried sick about you, you know.” She said hugging her friend tight.

“I know, I am fine,” Maya said to Isabelle, “this man took really good care of me,” she said gesturing Israel off to the side.

Dominic looked to Israel and he smiled thoughtfully, he was glad the man had managed to assist their friend some way. He knew how much she was on his mind and the mind of their other friends.

Levi turned to the sheriff, shaking the man’s hand firmly as he looked him up and down.

“At least some man did,” Naomi she smartly back to her friend, a sneer on her lips as she looked to her friends shitty husband. Never mind that, she hugged the woman tightly wrapping her arms around her thick frame.

Pulling away from her friend, Maya moved over to Israel and said, “everybody, this is Israel,” she emphasized placing her hand on his arm as she looked to them. “I invited him for breakfast, is that alright?” she asked them.

Levi squinted at Naomi, holding his hand out to her with a huff before he moved to sit back down.

As Maya introduced him to the group, Israel smiled. “Good morning everybody,” he said with a slight wave before he gazed at Maya intently as she spoke, giving her his full undivided attention before he looked at the group to see their reactions and hear their thoughts on the idea of him staying to eat with them.

“Fine with me,” Calvin called out from his spot at the end of the breakfast bar.

“Good to see you man,” Alexander said to the guy kindly.

Dominic held up the plate offering the man a warm biscuit if he’d like it politely. Though honestly, he’d thrown back two and, in his mind, he owned the plate of biscuits now.

“Same here,” Israel said back to Alexander before he remembered the package tucked under his arm and added, “oh, here you are Dr. Marshall,” as he walked over. “A package came for you. When the postal service can’t make it up the hill, they leave it with me,” he informed the man.

Alexander looked to Israel as he approached, and he nodded his head grabbing the package that contained the shot he needed to give his best friend. “Thank you,” he told the guy, glad it had made to them in a quick and fast paced manner.

Isabelle looked directly at her husband, asking, “what is that?” He had some nerve telling her to put the work away for the week and he was getting doctor packages?

Alexander swallowed down some food and avoided his wife’s eye contact as he said, “something I needed.” Picking his glass of orange juice up and taking a long sip as she looked over at Calvin.

Calvin ate his food, slowly looking over at Alexander out the corner of his eye before he dropped his head quickly.

Maya looked around hand on her hips and she smiled again. “It’s so good to see you guys,” she said looking at her friend lovingly. God, did she miss them, her friends were always a good pick-me-up and she was sure she would get some peace of mind out of this trip. It would ease her and hopefully help her, and her husband rekindle their flame.

“It’s good to see you too,” Victoria said sweetly from her spot off to the side.

“Melaine,” Maya said smiling at the girl as she licked her lips slowly, the wheels had been turning in her head since she learned of Israel having been divorced.

Melaine looked to her friend and said, “hm,” sweetly back having gone back to her biscuit.

“That is Israel,” Maya said sweetly, “I talked about you all last night,” she told her thoughtfully. “Girl,” she started, “he is single,” she told her with a knowing look.

Melaine looked to her friend and then Israel, taking him in. “Is that so?” she asked her. “Mm,” she hummed out. “That’s great,” she told her as she shifted on her stool now before she cleared her throat.

Naomi looked to the three in an unknown love triangle and she pursed her lips slyly.

Levi looked at Melaine, a scowl on his face as he placed his hand on her thigh under the counter discreetly, squeezing tightly.

Isabelle pursed her lips, looking between Levi and Melaine and she brought her glass of orange juice to her mouth as she looked off mumbling. “I saw that,” to Naomi and Victoria.

“I did too,” Victoria added quickly, her face scrunching slightly as she shifted on her feet.

“Mm-hm,” Naomi said with her glass up to her mouth as she nodded her head discreetly.

“So Melaine,” Maya said pressing forward, “why don’t you move over,” she smiled cutely, “and let the man sit down,” she asked her with a smirk.

Levi rolled his eyes, sitting his coffee cup down as his head rolled to the side slightly, irritated as he bit his lip to hold his tongue.

“Oh, alright,” Melaine said playing along as she shift stools, moving one over to Alexander and giving the man space to sit in between her and Levi now.

“Yeah,” Alexander said as he gestured with his hand, “You’re single, he’s single,” he said to the woman as she moved next to him. “So,” he stuttered getting a look from his friend, “sit, there,” he said hiding his somewhat amusement as he looked down now.

Maya grabbed a strawberry and placed it into her mouth, chewing lightly as she asked her friend. “Victoria what are you doing?” curiously. The woman couldn’t cook, they all knew that. If you asked her, she was the best cook out of all four of them.

Victoria scooped eggs onto a plate, and she looked over at Maya saying, “what? I’m helping out.”

“You don’t know anything about cooking,” Maya said to her as she licked her fingertips gently. “Move over,” she told her with a grin.

Naomi looked to Maya and Victoria and she actually giggled to herself. It was indeed a known fact that the woman was not a good cook.

Isabelle looked over at Victoria and Maya and she smiled, a laugh escaping her as she looked to Naomi, chuckling with her friend.

“I got it,” Maya told the woman as she moved to wash her hands and dry them to assist with breakfast.

“Ain’t no secret… you know all about cooking and eating don’t you, baby…” Levi said to his wife harshly as he forked some eggs into his mouth.

“This motherfucker,” Naomi said lifting her finger up to Levi, he had some damn nerve. How dare he speak to Maya in that way and in front of all of them like that. His desire to embarrass her at every turn was starting to get under her skin considering they all knew at this point he was a cheater. “You got one more fucking time,” she warned the man seriously as she glared at him.

Levi looked at Naomi disgusted. “What is wrong with you?” he asked her. “Alex, please prescribe her some valium.”

“You’re just such a-” Naomi said trying to contain herself, but she really couldn’t at this point. “Asshole,” she told him. “Let me go and just-” she breathed, “get my ass out of here,” she told them all as she walked out of the kitchen.

Maya looked between her husband and her friend as she asked everyone. “What’s wrong with her?” very curious to know what she missed and why everyone was so hostile with each other right now.

“PMS,” Levi responded to Maya quickly with a shrug of his shoulders and as Naomi walked out, he turned in his chair his eyes following her as he said, “take a valium.”

“What is wrong with your wife?” Alexander asked Calvin as he turned to look at him. He picked his fork backup and began to eat some more.

Calvin looked at Alexander, his mouth full of food and he took a minute to swallow before he said, “what do you mean?” He looked around at all of his friends. “It’s Sunday.”

Alexander’s head snapped back up at his friend's words and he turned to look at everyone wide-eyed. It’s Sunday? Was his friend that bad, was she that much of a fighter and aggressor that her own husband didn’t notice how violent she could be.

Melaine watched the woman walk out and then looked between Alexander and Calvin. As the man spoke of his wife, she looked to him crazily before she looked over to Levi who had begun chuckling from the ridiculousness that was Naomi.

Levi looked at Calvin with a chuckle, unable to believe that his friend just sat there unbothered through all of that.

Israel sat in between Melaine and Levi shaking his head at the group of friends as a smirk tugged on his lips, his eyes watching Maya before him as she prepped plates.

Maya scooped a helping of grits onto her husband’s plate as she prepared him one, if she didn’t do it who would? She was his wife and it was her job to cater to his every need and she always would.

“You are so immune to her behavior, that you don’t even realize,” Alexander said turning to his friend still a bit shocked and amused right now. “What the hell?” he said chuckling at that.

Dominic looked to Alexander and he chuckled out shaking his head as he leaned against the counter. His friends were truly something else, none of them had the slightest idea of that.

Melaine chuckled herself, what a sad life to live, she thought to herself a she looked to Levi. She pulled her sleeves up to her turtleneck. “God!” she breathed.

Levi laughed out at Alexander’s words as he held his cup of coffee.

Isabelle stood there, not finding it amusing in the slightest as she shifted on her feet and as the phone rang, she turned and moved for it since she was the closest.

“Excuse me,” Maya breathed to her friend as she reached across her. “Here baby,” she said sweetly to her husband as she handed him over a plate she made, with everything she knew he liked with the proportions that she knew he’d appreciate.

“Thank you,” Levi said easily as he grabbed the plate from his wife and dug in.

“Hello?” Isabelle said answering the phone quickly as she leaned against the counter facing everyone. “Oh, hey Monica,” she said before she grew quiet, listening to Monica on the line. “No, it’s okay,” she said shocked, her eyes moving to her husband. “He said what now?” she asked, staring him down before she began to shake her head, pulling her gaze away from him. “No, it’s fine. Thank you,” she said. “Just tell him I’ll get back to him a little later,” she said as she turned back towards the base of the phone. “Alright, bye,” she said before placing it back on the dock. She stared at the phone for a moment before she turned and looked to her husband once more, moving towards him. “Alexander… Alexander…”

Alexander ignored his wife at first, having heard only part of his wife’s conversation. Once he heard Monica’s name, he knew. He asked the woman in kindness to let them enjoy their trip and she failed him. “Yeah,” he finally said looking to Isabelle as she approached the counter again.

As he answered her, Isabelle arched an eyebrow. “Did you tell Monica not to call me?” She asked him, her voice laced with a slight attitude.

“It’s our vacation,” Alexander said to the woman with a bit of an attitude himself as he forked some more grits into his mouth.

Nodding slowly, Isabelle dropped her eyes before she looked back up at him. “Can I talk to you for a minute?” she asked him, nodding towards the doorway that led into the living room.

“No” Alexander told his wife sternly as he moved away from the topic at hand. “So, Israel,” he said changing the subject, “we saw like snow mobiles, where do we get those?” he asked him.

Isabelle looked at her husband incredulously, her neck jerking back slightly, her eyes rolling as he told her no. She let out a harsh breath as she pursed her lips and turned her back to him.

Looking over at Alexander, Israel chuckling saying, “Ah that’s easy--”

“I’m not worried about snowboarding,” Melaine said to Israel, “I want to shop,” she emphasized. It was her favorite past time and she loved spending Levi’s money.

Levi began choking on his food at Melaine’s words and he looked at her wildly before dropping his head as he coughed into his fist.

“You okay?” Melaine asked Levi as everyone looked over at the man as he coughed roughly.

“Sorry,” Levi muttered holding his finger out to everyone to excuse himself as he choked.

i

[amorisabelle]

Laughter of Friends

INVOLVED: Levi Morgan, Melaine Ashton, Isabelle Marshall, Alexander Marshall, Calvin King, Naomi King, Victoria Perry, and Dominic Perry TIME FRAME: Saturday, December 21, 2019 LOCATION: Elk Trail Lodge; Denver, Colorado SUMMARY: The couples sit around talking, as they usually do, when Naomi and Calvin get into it and their friends try to give them some advice. After the women go into the house, the men have a very manly conversation.

Isabelle walked back outside, holding a bottle of wine and she adjusted her long mink coat as she approached her husband. “Did you want some more?” she asked him softly before she moved to sit down.

Alexander looked to his wife and raised his glass with a smirk. “No baby, I’m good,” he said happily as he looked her over. He was the luckiest man here, he didn’t care what anyone else had to say, he thought as she sat down near him.

Dominic held Victoria in his arms as she sat on his lap and he looked up at her with so much admiration. “So, did you tell them?” he asked her as she held his mug in his hand.

Victoria rested in her husband’s lap one hand gently rubbing over his hair while the other held her coffee mug and she smiled at his words, a bashful chuckle escaping her. “No,” she said as she shifted slightly in his lap.

Isabelle over heard and butted in. “Oh, we know about the nomination,” she said sweetly as she leaned forward teasing with a bright smile on her face as she nursed her glass of wine in her hands.

“The nomination is just a front; she won the award!” Dominic cheered happily for his wife; he couldn’t be prouder. She deserved every bit of it, she was a phenomenal woman, he said in his own mind as he tapped glasses with his wife and friends.

Victoria beamed in her husband’s lap as he hyped her up and she tapped her mug against his bashfully as their friends joined in and she tapped her mug against their as well before saying, “It’s a really big deal in DC, so I would love for all of you to be there,” she said looking around at everyone.

Alexander nodded. “Of course, you know we will be there,” he said speaking for him and his wife.

“All right, you’ve got 8 months to prepare,” Victoria told them all. “So that’s plenty of time.”

“Oh girl, I’ll be there” Naomi said to her dearest friend lifting her glass, “and I’ll drink to that,” she said happily.

Calvin looked up at his wife slightly, his head cocked a little as he muttered. “You drink to nouns…” before he took a sip from his coffee mug.

Naomi stopped short looking to her husband and she even glared over at Levi who found his comment funny enough to laugh at. “Well, maybe one day I’ll drink to you getting a damn job,” she sneered, “hey, everyone, Calvin got a damn job. I’ll drink to that” she joked. “Calvin, paid the mortgage this month? We all should drink to that shit,” she chuckled.

Calvin frowned his face slightly, looking around at all their friends with a tinge of embarrassment. “C’mon Naomi, I have a job,” he said defensively.

“Calvin, you work for me,” Naomi said with a tinge of confusion in her voice, what the hell did he mean he had a job? What he did for her didn’t count. “If I didn’t have that salon you wouldn’t have anything?” she stressed to him.

“You wasn’t saying that when I was playing pro ball before I got hurt,” Calvin said quickly, looking up at his wife expectantly.

“Okay,” Naomi said clutching her wine glass. “2 years of pro ball, 8 years of broke,” she said looking to him with raised brows. “Slam dunk!” she added sarcastically.

Calvin’s eyes rolled and he shifted in his seat to face his wife fully, irritation laced in his voice as it rose, and he sat his mug down. “Naomi, now, why you gotta--”

“No! Why you got to be,” Naomi repeated back to her husband angrily.

Victoria leaned forward, placing her hand on Calvin’s shoulder, getting in between Calvin and Naomi as she tried to defuse the situation before things got too crazy. “Wait, wait, wait, now hold on you guys.”

Isabelle decided to speak up too. “You know what, Naomi? That’s below the belt. C’mon.”

“Well it’s true Isabelle,” Naomi stressed to her friend, and you know you know it, she mouthed to Isabelle.

Isabelle smirked at Naomi before her face grew serious and she mouthed back, stop it.

Victoria sighed out. “Naomi, Calvin, there’s such a thing as fighting fair. You two know this. We learned this on the last vacation.”

“See look Victoria, when I get mad. All that shit goes out the got damn window,” Naomi said as she looked to her. “I don’t want to hear this,” she told her.

“You may not want to hear it, but you should listen. It works for me and Isabelle,” Alexander said gesturing between him and his wife.

Dominic took a sip from his mug and said, “all it means is, you speak in a calm tone. You don’t press each other’s buttons and you don’t hit below the belt,” he carried on, his freehand resting on his wife’s hip.

“Exactly,” Isabelle chimed in taking a sip from her mug.

“As long as we’ve all been married, we all know what our buttons are,” Victoria said pointing to Naomi and Calvin as she took a long sip of her coffee.

Taking another sip, Dominic said, “and when someone says something to hurt the other person. You don’t say something worse, to hurt them,” he egged as he leaned over towards Naomi gripping his wife close.

“Well she do that, ALL the time,” Calvin said pointing back at his wife with his thumb, his eyes growing wide with flashbacks.

Naomi looked to Dominic and then to her husband, at his words she smacked him in the back of the head.

Calvin looked back at his wife, grunting softly, his face contorting to one of irritation once more.

“Well then, Calvin why don’t you two find out what you’re really arguing about?” Victoria said looking at the couple, pleadingly.

“Look I don’t want to play any damn games,” Naomi spoke up as she gazed over at Levi and Melaine giggling among themselves.

Isabelle shifted in her seat. “Well clearly, she’s not ready so…” she pointed her thumb towards the cabin. “Let’s get dinner started.”

“And what the hell are those two over there whispering and giggling about?” Naomi asked her hand gesturing to Levi and Melaine.

“Y’all don’t want to be apart of this conversation?” Dominic asked the pair.

Melaine giggled softly, now sporting a snow like jacket, pants, and boots as she sipped her wine looking to the group slyly.

Levi turned slowly to his friends as they called him out on his seclusion with Melaine and he said sarcastically, “sure we do… what’s up?”

Victoria gazed at Levi and Melaine and pursed her lips before offering, “Melaine, we were about to get dinner started. Why don’t you join us?”

“Ow,” Melaine said with a chuckle and a head shake, “I am so not a woman for the kitchen dear,” she offered. She looked to Levi and said, “I am going to stay here and hang out with the boys.”

“Oh no dear,” Naomi said glass still in hand, “you gone come and bring your ass in the kitchen. Where I can see you,” she said looking at her with wide eyes as she shifted to turn and walk away.

Melaine looked to Naomi and she held her glass up to her mouth not taking a sip before he eyes moved back to Levi again. She woman was surely going to test her patience.

“Yeah, c’mon,” Isabelle said as she stood up with her glass in hand. “It’ll be fun,” she said looking at nothing in particular as she rolled her eyes.

Melaine looked between the two women, pursing her lips before she looked to Levi. As the man gestured for her to follow suit like asked, she sighed heavily and lowered her hand and glass. Moving to leave with the other woman as asked, one hand on her hip.

“She think we were going to leave her with our men and do all the work in the kitchen?” Naomi said aloud for all to hear as she walked into the house.

“I saw you laughing,” Calvin said to Alexander, the women in the back of his mind now.

Sitting down, Levi un-velcro’d his jacket, sitting his mug down on the table before him as he said, “Calvin, I don’t know how you do it.” Clearing his throat, he got comfortable in his chair.

Alexander shook his head at the man. “Man, thank you,” he said looking to Levi, with such disappointment.

Levi looked at Alexander as he picked his mug back up, puffing out his chest pridefully as he said, “you’re welcome.”

Alexander looked to Levi. “You have ruined this week for all of us,” he said gesturing the crew with his wine glass, clucking lightly. “Every one of us,” he added as he took a sip of wine.

“Shh. Stop it,” Levi said, holding his hand up to them. “Don’t blame me ‘cause y’all can’t handle your women.”

“You know you wrong right,” Dominic said confidently. “You know you wrong,” he repeated to him, his finger pointing in his direction. “For making Maya drive up here by herself.”

“You’re right. You’re right,” Levi said pointing his finger back at Dominic. “I should have made her fat ass walk. She needs the damn exercise,” he told them with a straight face before shifting in the chair, laughing with amusement at his own comment about his wife.

“Man, if I said something like that to Naomi…” Calvin trailed off shaking his head before he pointed over, “I’d be hanging up there with them deer horns.”

Dominic took another sip from his mug, disregarding the man’s disrespectful comment about his own wife and instead he asked curiously, “who is this girl?”

At the question, Levi looked at Alexander then towards the door to make sure none of the women were in earshot before he leaned forward, elbows on his knees, bringing the guys in as he said, “she sexy, ain’t she?” A bright grin on his face before he sat back.

Alexander looked to Calvin and then to Dominic at the man’s words, he was stunned his friend truly was an ass if he thought any of what he was doing was okay.

“Levi?” Calvin said leaning in, looking around himself. “Are you… are you hitting that?” he asked shocked.

Chuckling, Levi shook his head and said, “uh-uh, I plead the fifth. I’m not saying shit.”

Alexander spoke up. “And you bring her up here?” he asked him flurriedly. “Whoa,” he said “whoa,” he repeated leaning up, “and you brought her up here?” he asked again. “Let me tell you something, I am serious man. I am so serious right now,” he stressed, “if I don’t get none, I am whooping your ass,” he told him sitting back in his chair.

Calvin’s expression was priceless, his mouth forming a wide ‘O’ and his eyes wide as he looked at Levi then at Dominic.

Levi chuckled at Alexanders words, sitting back in his seat comfortably.

“You can laugh all you want,” Alexander challenged, “ha, ha, hell,” he told the man sipping from his glass agitatedly.

Calvin sat back, chuckling. “Awh, Levi been the man since college, boy.” Leaning in, he held his fist out to dap with Levi’s.

Levi quickly leaned forward, shifting his mug to his other hand as he hit his fist against Calvin’s.

“Hold up, hold the hell up,” Alexander said, “how are you going to admire this fool, when you have your situation?” he asked Calvin, raising an eyebrow at him.

Calvin looked to Alexander and made a face of embarrassment and worry.

Levi looked between Calvin and Alexander pointing. “Whoa, whoa. Situation? Situation? Come on man?”

Alexander tried to hide the evil grin on his lips as he took another sip of his wine and looked to Calvin, shifting in his seat.

Calvin gave Alexander a pleading look to no avail before he shifted in his seat and admitted the truth to his friends. “I got burned…”

“By Naomi?” Dominic asked confused as he sat up in his chair leaning in with his friends.

“No man!” Calvin said with a tsk of his lips.

Levi quickly jumped in and said, “you’ve got to be more careful man.”

“It doesn’t have anything to do with being careful man, he shouldn’t have done it,” Alexander told Levi.

Levi smacked his lips. “Look, what your wife don’t know won’t hurt her.”

“See, it’s that kind of comment” Alexander said to his friend, pointing towards Levi, “that kind of thinking!” he stressed. “That’s why African-American women have the leading new cases of HIV in this country,” he said statistically, he couldn’t always turn his career off sometimes. “Cause of that.”

“Oh, here come the doctor with the stats.” Levi said rolling his eyes, his head lolling back on the chair as well. “Here we go. Here we go,” he said throwing his hands up.

Dominic interjected. “looked I am with Alexander, he’s right.”

Alexander looked to the Dominic lifting his glass. “Great! Two out of four has some sense,” he said looking to Levi.

Levi looked over at Alexander. “Y’all been married 10 years,” he said looking at him pointedly. “10 years,” he said once more looking over at Dominic and Calvin before he held up his finger. “Not once?” he asked looking to Alexander once more.

“10 years, no,” Alexander said sipping the wine from his glass.

Dominic shrugged his shoulders offering his friend a head shake in response.

Levi looked at Alexander, then at Dominic his lips forming a slight smirk but not one of amusement as he tilted his head back before saying, “you’re gay.” He shrugged his shoulders and leaned forward grabbing his mug. “You’re gay,” he repeated with a chuckle. “You’re gay,” he said once more, bringing the mug to his lips.

Calvin looked at Dominic before he asked, “have you thought about it?”

“Of course, you think about it,” Dominic shrugged as she held his mug up. “We are men!” he said with somewhat of a ‘duh’ laced in his reply. “Then I think about what it would do to her, to my family, and it isn’t worth it,” he told his friend with a headshake.

Calvin squinted at Dominic before he looked at Alexander expectantly.

Levi turned his eyes to Alexander. “Alright, you got something to say?”

“Alright,” Alexander said waving his friend off, “it isn’t much,” he shrugged “there this woman, you know… who was at me, but nothing happened…” he told Levi.

Leaning forward, elbows on his knees, Calvin asked, “why not?”

Alexander looked to Calvin as if he were a fool and then said, “look at your situation” very honestly.

Calvin was quick with his response as he leaned forward saying, “you told me Isabelle wasn’t giving it up. You ain’t had none in three months. Now!” It was a very in your face, matter-of-fact statement and he was very proud of it. He needed the shoe and the attention to be on someone else's foot.

Alexander abruptly lifted himself up in the chair, spitting part of his wine back into his glass as his friend blasted his business to all his other friends.

“You told my business, now I just told yours,” Calvin said looking at Alexander smugly.

“What?!” Levi said as he shifted in his seat, leaning on the armrest towards Alexander. “When you get back, you call her up.” He shifted once more, sitting straight again. “Alright, you hook that up.” Leaning forward to all the guys, he said, “look, if your wife ain’t giving you none, you got the legal right to get some. It’s a law! You hear me, it’s a law!”

Alexander looked at Levi again as if he were an actual idiot, as he heard the man he said, “what? I am trying to figure out what country is that a damn law in?” chuckling as the words left his mouth.

“I don’t matter man, it don’t matter.” Levi began. “I’m telling you…”

“Tell me the law again,” Alexander said playfully to the man as he patted the armrest of his chair, a chuckle building up on the inside as he did. “Listen to this fellas,” he said ushering his other friends to pay attention.

“No, no.” Levi said leaning in towards Alexander once more as he lowered his voice, bringing his friends in once more. “If your wife ain’t giving you any…” he paused pointing towards Dominic and Calvin, “you know I’m telling the truth, look, that’s why everybody quiet.” He smirked before he said it again. “If your wife ain’t giving you gone, you got the legal right to get some.” He sat back in his chair comfortably. “Alright? Now, I read it in some book. Some law book. I don’t know what it is.” He began to chuckle. “What? Why y’all looking at me?” He asked before he joked, “It’s probably in the constitution.”

Alexander chuckled before the man could even get his statement out fully, this clown was a joke. Did he really believe the words that were coming out of his own mouth? “The constitution? Are you sure it wasn’t the bible?” he asked him.

“The Declaration of Independence!” Levi expressed with a laugh as he pointed to Calvin. “That’s what is it, The Declaration of Independence,” he got out before he burst out laughing.

Alexander snorted loudly before he fell into a fit of laughter with his other friends, this bastard was an idiot.

Dominic clutched his mug as he rested his hand over his stomach laughing out loud.

Calvin placed his hand on his forehead, laughing out loudly as he shook his head at his friend. He was a pure dee fool.

[amorisabelle]

Friend or Foe

INVOLVED: Levi Morgan, Melaine Ashton, Isabelle Marshall, Alexander Marshall, Calvin King, Naomi King, Victoria Perry, and Dominic Perry TIME FRAME: Saturday, December 21, 2019 LOCATION: Elk Trail Lodge; Denver, Colorado SUMMARY: When Levi arrives with Melaine, and not his wife, Maya, everyone is highly pressed and confused. 

As the cab rolled up to the cabin, Levi looked around with a smirk on his face. “Oh, this is going to be great,” he told Melaine before he opened the door as the vehicle rolled to a stop. He stepped out of the cab and turned, offering his hand to Melaine to help her out.

Melaine looked to Levi, a tinge of guilt on her conscious as she nodded her head at him. Grabbing his hand, she moved out of the cab and slid her purse in the crook of her arm, her long limbs shifting as she peered at all the snow around her through her sunglasses.

Dominic picked up another piece of wood and he looked to his friend as he exited the cab with a woman that looked nothing like Maya. “Is that Levi?” he said looking to them oddly.

Alexander held an arm full of chopped wood and he responded. “Yea, but that isn’t Maya,” he said matter-of-factly.

Levi got his bags from the cabbie, pulling a hundred from his pocket and giving it to the man before the cabbie handed Melaine her bag. He looked to Melaine before he turned with his bag and began to walk towards the cabin and his friends. “Whoo!” he said loudly as he drug the large bag along. “Fellas!” he said as he spotted his boys, lifting his bag with ease now as he went into a light jog towards his friends.

As Levi came walking up Dominic began to meet him halfway, his other friends tagging along. “Brother,” he repeated back him, confusion lingering in his voice now.

Alexander tossed his arm full of wood back down on the ground before he moved over with the other guys, meeting Levi and this random mystery woman.

Meeting with his friends near the door, Levi sat his bag down. “I see y’all getting the place ready for me. Hmm?” he said only half joking with his narcissistic tendencies.

Melaine looked to the men as they all approached taking each one in, noting the one in the middle was kind of cute. Tall dark and handsome, her type. She looked to Levi at his words and smirked.

“It’s always about you, uh,” Alexander said pausing. “Levi,” he released as he looked on confused.

Calvin looked between his friend and the mystery woman standing beside him and said, “uh, hey Levi… what’s up?” his eyebrows knitting together as his eyes continued to jot between Levi and this woman.

Levi looked at his friends with a smile breaking out on his face. “I’m good!” he said joyfully.

Naomi bundled up in her floor-length mink coat and she looked to their husbands before she spotted some random woman standing next to Levi.

Stepping outside with her friends, Isabelle was excited to greet Maya, it had been quite a while since she had last seen her friend. So, when she hit the patio to see Levi standing there with another woman her face frowned up.

Victoria moved out the door with her friends, her smile quickly turning into an expression of shock as she looked over the other woman, her mouth hanging slightly.

Levi looked over with a bright smile. “Ladies!” he said as a greeting before he went on. “Hey, Isabelle. Hey, Victoria,” he paused his entire tone changing now as he said, “Naomi…” looking over to Melaine for a moment.

“Who is this?” Victoria asked, her face contorting slightly.

“I’m Melaine,” Melaine said as she spoke up for herself. “I am a friend of Levi and Maya’s,” she said as she  bumped Levi slightly with her elbow.

“My fault, my fault,” Levi began. “Maya invited Melaine when she found out there was an extra bedroom,” he explained. “Y’all cool with that?”

Isabelle looked over at her husband for a moment before she looked at Levi. “Uh, yeah…” she trailed off very unsure of the entire situation. “You know, any friend of Maya’s is a friend of ours…” she said before she looked over at Victoria, “... right?” her face still flushed with confusion and disbelief.

“Uh ... Yeah…. Sure…” Victoria said still staring at Levi, her jaw still lax with shock.

“Hell no,” Naomi said looking to Levi and then his so-called friend. “She’s going to have to come with something on this trip,” she said with an attitude.

Melaine looked to Naomi and said, “of course,” with a raised brow pulling her sunglasses off her face to looked them into their eyes.

“Mhm,” Naomi said as she looked the woman up and done, taking in her golden sun-kissed skin and her hazel eyes. “She’s pretty,” she commented to her friends quietly, “and single,”

“Yeah,” Isabelle said folding her arms over her chest, co-signing her friend. “Yeah, looks that way…” she said looking to her husband once more before down at Naomi on the step in front of her.

“Yeah, get her little ass out of here,” Naomi said to the two women near her.

Looking off into the distance, Victoria tried to make it make sense. “Y’all, where is Maya?”

Looking over at Victoria, Isabelle cocked her neck to the side asking. “Levi… where is Maya?”

Levi looked up at Isabelle expectantly before he said, “Oh! I made her drive. We flew,” he said gesturing between himself and Melaine.

“You did what?” Victoria said shocked.

“Look, I wasn’t paying for another seat for her fat ass. Flight was booked up anyway,” Levi said shrugging. “Y'all know she fat as hell. Been telling her to lose weight for months…”

Alexander looked to his friend at his commented and he covered his face with his gloved hand for a moment before he slapped his forehead, shaking his head at his friend, what an ass.

“Levi are you hearing what you’re saying right now?” Victoria asked as her eyebrows knitted together and her head shook with shock and confusion. Had he lost his mind?

Isabelle dropped her head into her hand briefly. “I can’t believe…” she trailed off just shocked. She was at a loss. “Did he just say she was driving?”

“I am still on the fat as hell part,” Naomi said neck jerked as she looked to Levi with rage behind her eyes. “Have you looked at your-fucking-self lately?” she asked him, “you and your fucked-up tape up? Fake ass Gerald Levert,” she snapped looking him and the woman up and down.

Levi gave Naomi a stank eye, “you’re one to talk with your hairline pushed behind your ears. Those hair products real good, huh?” he asked her before he looked to Melaine. “Beware. Naomi, also known as the bitter one…”

Naomi smirked nodding her head, “also known as the beat-a-bitch ass one, too,” she corrected him with a knowing look sliding her hands in her pockets.

“Naomi,” Victoria said placing a hand on her friend’s shoulder before she turned her eyes to Levi once more. “Levi, are you serious? You let Maya drive up here alone?”

Cutting in, Isabelle said, “do you have any idea how long that drive is?”

Alexander decided to step in and say his peace. “Levi, come on,” he said sighing. “The weather is supposed to be bad tonight. Maybe you should call her and tell her to get a flight tomorrow,” he said reasonably.

“Look, she is fine!” Levi said starting to get slightly agitated. “Okay, now drop it.”

Isabelle immediately turned on her heels and began to walk into the cabin. “Okay, I’m going to call her. This is ridiculous.” She glanced back at Victoria as she woman walked into the cabin behind her and she muttered to her about the situation as they left.

Levi turned to Isabelle as she began to walk away and threw his hands up. “Maya is a big girl… literally,” he said before chuckling at himself. He leaned down slightly to pick up his bag and said to the guys. “She’s fine, okay?” He held his bag in his hand and turned to Melaine. “C’mon,” he said his freehand brushing across her lower back as he nodded towards the cabin and he moved to pass Naomi. “What smells good, girl? You cooking?” he asked as he moved into the cabin.

Melaine looked to Levi and didn’t say a word, staying silent before she moved to walk into the cabin with him. She grabbed her bag only for another gentlemen, Mr. tall, dark, and handsome, to grab it for her.

Naomi looked Levi up and down, he had her so sick, she thought to herself as she looked to her husband. Eyeing him wildly she shoved the girls bag out of his hand and let it fall to the ground before she said, “she can carry her own shit,” to him bitterly, turning with her husband to walk inside.

Alexander looked between Naomi and Calvin with large eyes before he picked the bag up politely. He looked to the woman to walk in front of him as they all entered the house together.

Standing at the breakfast bar, Victoria left a message on Maya’s phone. “Maya, give us a call when you get this message. We just want to know that you’re okay,” she said before pulling the phone away from her ear and hanging up. “Straight to voicemail,” she said to Naomi and Isabelle.

“A friend of hers?” Naomi said looking to the woman from afar. “How come we are just meeting her?” she asked her friends.

“Right,” Isabelle said agreeing with Naomi as she stared off into the other room as this Melaine interacted with the men.

“And if she’s such a good friend, why is she here with Levi and why didn’t she drive up here with Maya?” Victoria questioned, neck rolling slightly with an attitude. The more she thought about it the more irritated she became.

Isabelle sighed and said, “good point. That’s what we would have done…”

Victoria stared off at the woman as she flirted with their husbands and she said, “well, before we get too crazy with this, let’s find out what’s going on and make sure we don’t pass too much judgement on her,” she said rolling her neck to the side slightly. “Agreed?” she asked, still staring at the woman.

Isabelle’s face scrunched and her eyes rolled as she watched the woman giggle and kiki but yet and still she said, “agreed…” and shrugged slightly.

“No,” Naomi said shaking her head slowly, eyeing the flirtatious woman before them. She could smell a whore a mile away.

“No?” Isabelle said looking over at Naomi.

“I don’t like that trick,” Naomi said to her friends, a scowl surfacing on her face. “Good thing I’m not afraid to whoop a tricks ass,” she under her breath.

[amorisabelle]

Dirt Rich, Hoes Mad

INVOLVED: Naomi King, Maya Morgan, Isabelle Marshall, Victoria Perry, and Melaine Ashton TIME FRAME: Sunday, December 22, 2019 LOCATION: Shopping Plaza; Denver, Colorado SUMMARY: The women take a trip to the shopping strip, after Trina’s suggestion to go shopping. 

Naomi walked behind Maya and the trick, which she’d now named her, as they moved down a strip of clothing stores to shop in.

Maya walked in front of the group, her hands were covered with nice thick leather gloves and she had on a matching fur coat. She stared off at the nothing at all as she thought to herself silently.

Melaine reached out for a glove covered hand, getting Maya’s attention as the woman looked off dazed. “Oh” she said exaggeratedly as she looked at the negligee in the window as they walked past it. “That is gorgeous Maya” she pointed out as she looked over at her friend with a wide grin. “I love that” she emphasized.

“I don’t like that” Naomi said scrunching up her face in response to the woman as she looked at her.

“Well I think you should get it” Melaine said rolling her eyes in response to Naomi as she looked back to her friend.

Naomi swapped glances with Melaine and she raised a brow before she shifted on her heels. She couldn’t stand this bitch, she thought as she adjusted her fur coat.

“Me?” Maya asked a bit of a chuckle on her lips, was she kissing? Had she seen the size of her lately? “It would take two of those to even fit me” she said gripping her Louis Vuitton bag in her other hand as she pointed at the lingerie with the other. “You are trippin’” she said as a chuckle left her lips again.

“Come on” Melaine said, grabbing her hand again and leading her towards the store's entrance. “Come on, we are going in,” she told her.

Naomi followed behind the two women shaking her head disappointedly, this bitch had some nerve. To taunt Maya in her face blatantly sickened her. Why had she listened to Victoria and Isabelle? She should have told her friend the instant she said she was.

“Something’s going on with you and I can feel it,” Victoria said to Isabelle as they staggered behind Naomi, Maya, and Melaine.

Looking over at Victoria as they walked, Isabelle sighed. “He told my secretary not to call me this week,” she explained, shifting her shopping bags in her hands as she adjusted her purse under her arm and her long mink coat a bit.

“Girl, the man is just looking out for you,” Victoria said as she grabbed the door behind Naomi, walking into the shop. “You’re on vacation, Belle.”

Moving into the shop swiftly, Isabelle looked back at Victoria. “I hope that’s what it is,” she began with a shake of her head, “you know, since I made partner, he’s been so different,” she told Victoria as she began to look at a few different items.

Moving alongside Isabelle, step for step, Victoria said, “you’re busy. You are so busy. We can’t even reach you.” She gestured to herself and their friends.

Scoffing, Isabelle replied, “well…” she began with a sigh, “you know how long I’ve wanted this. Now, it’s finally happening, and I have a lot of demands on me,” she told Victoria as they looked through various racks of clothes, “and I don’t want another child. I have a career.”

Listening to her friend, Victoria nodded and pointed at her. “Ah, okay. Now we get to the bottom of this. That’s what this is about,” she said as she moved to look over at something else. “Have you talked to him?”

Isabelle turned to Victoria, leaning in. “Of course, I have but all he talks about is having a son,” she groaned softly, “and ugh, I don’t want to.”

“Belle, compromise!” Victoria said, almost pleading her friend. “Marriage is about give and take. You know that.”

“I know…” Isabelle muttered before she added, “Well, look, I compromised with Kenya.” She sighed softly before she continued, needing to explain herself. “Okay? I mean, don’t get me wrong. I love her,” she said very maternally and protectively., “of course I do but I am not having another baby.” Turning she moved to walk away from Victoria muttering, “there’s no compromise in that.” She turned to look back at her friend once more as something dawned on her and she frowned her face saying, “oh, Vic, I’m so sorry, honey. Is this difficult for you?”

As Isabelle turned to her apologetically, Victoria looked at her, her eyebrows furrowing in sadness and confusion before she said, “what? Oh girl, please. No, I’m fine,” she rushed out, waving her friend off before she changed the subject. “Oh, look at this. This would be cute on you.”

Melaine stood in the background, shuffling through the clothing racks as she searched the clothing over idly.

“We are talking about you and Calvin” Maya stressed to her friend as she sat down before her, hands resting in her pockets. “I am going to have to pray for you all” she said to her looking her over.

“Oh no” Naomi said as she looked to Maya “we need to talk about you and Levi!” she stressed back to her with a neck roll as she stood before the woman. “That’s who needs prayer” she said knowingly.

Maya chuckled at that; her husband was a saint what did the woman mean. “Levi is not so bad” she said shaking her head at her words. “I just need to lose some weight and it will get better for us” she told her personally as she adjusted her coat confidently.

Naomi rolled her eyes at that, was her friend crazy? She was beautiful no matter what size she was; she always had been beautiful. From college to now, how could she be little herself?

“It’s me” Maya said back to Naomi “I know it’s me” she added for good measure trying to convince the women that everything was all her fault because she felt deep down inside it was. Yes, though they knew nothing of the abuse and the fact that she hadn’t been able to get pregnant from her husband as of yet. She was depressed as hell and that contributed to it, but she just needed to find common ground, how to be a better wife? How to get him to love her, accordingly. “It is me,” she said looking at Victoria.

“Maya,” Victoria said as she walked over, having heard this part of their conversation. “Maya, don’t blame yourself like that.”

Naomi looked over at Isabelle, she was irritated, upset in fact to think her friend had all of this pint up inside of her about a damn man that was no good.

“I am trying to lose weight” she said to them all, desperation in her voice. “Sometimes he looks at me like I disgust him” Maya said brokenly as she dropped her head in shame. “It’ll get better” she said again trying to convince them and herself “it’ll get better, I know it” she repeated as she looked to Naomi.

“Oh, Maya,” Victoria said sadly, rubbing Maya’s arm gently.

Naomi looked to Maya and sighed, that was it. She knew the shit wouldn’t get better. “Look, Maya, honey” she breathed out with a heavy heart “I got to tell you something” she said holding her hands up as she clasped them together.

“Naomi,” Isabelle interjected quickly from her spot standing behind Maya and she shook her head at Naomi, before looking down at Victoria pointedly.

Maya looked to Naomi curiously, then to Isabelle as she stopped the woman in her tracks. What was going on between them that she didn’t know about she wondered as she sat there before them.

Melaine grabbed the piece of lingerie she thought would complement Maya’s thick frame and she walked over to the group with it. It was a set, a baby pink bra and panty set with a matching robe attached to it.

“What is it?” Maya asked them really wanting to know as she looked around at the three.

“Listen” Naomi said to the girl before she was cut off by none other than, Miss trick-a.

“Wait Maya look at what I found in your size, girl” Melaine said to her with a smile on her face as she held it up to them. “Girl, Levi is going to love you in this” she said confidently. “It’s this hot.”

Maya looked to the set and then she looked down, not sure if any of that was true at all.

“Did she just-” Naomi said looking to friends and then to Melaine. She pushed the woman aside and said “can you all get her out of here please” a disgusted look on her face.

“Naomi!” Victoria said as she stood up, pushing her friend back and away from Melaine quickly.

Maya got up from her sitting position and said “Naomi” pleadingly. “Noami!” she said again.

“What?” Naomi snapped at the woman.

“Why do you have to be so mean to her?” Maya asked her as an angry Melaine stormed off.

Melaine marched off angrily, she was so tired of this same woman. She put the set back on the rack as she moved for the exit excusing her.

“Maya, I don’t like her” Naomi stressed as he pointed at an angry Melaine as she continued to parade out.

“You don’t even know her?” Maya said disappointedly to her friend.

“No!” Naomi barked “you!” Naomi stressed looking at her with wide eyes “don't know her” she told her in response.

“Trippin’” Maya replied to her as she walked away moving to follow behind her friend.

“Okay Dr. Perry, what do you have to say about that?” Naomi asked the woman who thought she knew it all.

“She’s not ready,” Victoria said as she stood in between Naomi and Isabelle, shaking her head.

“Oh yeah” Naomi said in response sarcastically, that was very clear already among them as she turned her head, running her hands through her bob.

Sighing out with a cut of her eyes, Isabelle co-signed Victoria. “You can say that again.” As the store clerk walked up to them, Isabelle eyed the woman up and down.

“We don’t keep cash in the store,” the store clerk said to the group of loud-mouthed and clearly rambunctious women she had been keeping a close eye on since they first walked into the store.

Isabelle’s neck jerked back at the woman’s racist words and she rolled her neck slightly as she lolled her head over to look at Naomi.

Victoria was taken back by the woman and she couldn’t help the expression of disgust that appeared on her face.

Naomi looked to the white woman before and she furrowed her brows “wait” she paused “did she just say that because we are black?” she asked her friends before she moved to follow behind the white bitch. “Uh, uh. I’ma have to-”

“Naomi!” Victoria fussed, chasing after Naomi in the store.

Maya looked back to see Naomi chasing the store clerk and she looked around confused.

Melaine stood over near Maya, discussing something privately with each other before she looked at Naomi. Shaking her head as usual the woman had to show her ass every second of the day.

[amorisabelle]

Never Told

INVOLVED: Isabelle Marshall and Alexander Marshall (with Naomi King, Victoria Perry, and Dominic Perry) TIME FRAME: Tuesday, December 24, 2019 LOCATION: Elk Trail Lodge; Denver, Colorado SUMMARY: After the previous days events, the couples set to leave the cabin saying their goodbyes. Once in the car, Alexander tries to have a conversation with Isabelle, but she’s still highly upset and blows him off. 

Naomi walked along with her two friends and she said, “guys,” sadly “I’m really sorry about everything,” she told them. “Okay?” she added needing to make sure they knew that to be fact. “I love you,” she said reaching forward to hug Isabelle and then Victoria to her. “I’ll call you guys later,” she told them both knowingly. “Bye babies,” she said lovingly, offering her male friends a small gesture as well. She moved to walk away nodding her head at Isabelle’s comment as she moved in her fur coat to get in a cab alone.

Isabelle walked out in the snow, her arms wrapped around both Naomi and Victoria as she sighed deeply. Looking at Naomi beside her, she nodded slowly, “I love you too,” she said gently, hugging Naomi close before she pulled away. She tucked some hair behind her ear as she said, “if anyone hears from Maya, we’ll let each other know, right?”

Victoria trekked along with her friends, her mind still on the events of the previous night. Things had just gotten so out of hands and revelations had been learned. Some of which, one just couldn’t turn away from. “I love you,” she said as well, hugging Naomi close before she looked at Isabelle nodding at the question. “Yes, of course.”

Alexander watched Naomi get in her cab to depart and he waved at her one last time. Last night was shit show and it read on the faces of everybody that had been involved. Calvin had left like a thief in the night, no words shared, and he couldn’t reach the man if he tried. Then there was Maya, poor Maya, no one even knew where she was right now. He turned to Dominic and said, “all right, bro,” easily, slapping hands with the man. He moved to hug Victoria to his broad chest and he pecked her cheek sweetly before he moved to open the car door.

Dominic slapped hands with his friend, offering him a smile despite everything that had gone down. He waited his turn and then leaned in to hug Isabelle tightly. “Give that man what he wants,” he said slyly to her. He couldn’t fix everybody's shit but out of the shit that was thrown across the table, theirs happened to be simple. He moved with his wife to their ride, resting his hand on her lower back and he helped her in.

Isabelle stood there, watching Naomi and she waved bye to her friend before she looked back at Dominic, giving him a hug. She let out a small sigh against his chest before she pulled away, not knowing what to say at this point. She turned to Victoria, hugging her close, kissing her cheek as she ignored Dominic’s comment to her. Pulling back from her friend, she gave her a soft smile before she turned, moving to get into the car.

Victoria hugged Alexander, rubbing his back gently before she pulled away. She nodded slightly, no words needing to be spoken as she hugged Isabelle, kissing her friend’s cheek right back. She gave Isabelle a squeeze before she pulled away whispering, “have a safe drive,” before she turned to the car, moving to climb inside.  

Alexander held the door open, waiting for his wife to get inside and for their friends to get in their own ride. When she did climb in, he moved to the back seat and he opened it, placing his things in there and slamming it shut before he walked over to the driver side door.

Climbing into the car, Isabelle sat her purse aside and got comfortable before she heard her husband slam the back door. She looked back at him before she looked to her open door. “Oh, so you’re not gonna…” she trailed off shaking her head as she noticed him opening his driver side door. She smacked her lips slightly as she leaned out of the car, grabbing the inside handle. “I’ll do it,” she said as she shut the door, slamming it a little herself before she pulled her seatbelt over her chest, snapping it into place.

Alexander shifted in his seat pulling the key out and placing it in the ignition, he started the car up quickly and got some heat going for them both. He moved to place his seat belt on and instead he let it go, looking over at Isabelle judgingly.

Isabelle sat in the seat, looking straight ahead as she waited for her husband to drive off and after a few moments when he didn’t, she looked over at him expectantly. “What?” she questioned him.

Alexander placed his hand on the wheel turning to her more, “you weren’t even going to tell me, were you?” he asked her seriously. He still couldn’t wrap his brain around it, it was her body of course. She could do as she pleased. But damn, he didn’t have the right to know?

Isabelle sighed, looking away from him for a moment before she turned back with a question of her own. “Why did you test our daughter?” Her head was tilted to the side as she stared at him, really needing to know if he really thought that lowly of her.

It was Alexander’s turn to sigh and he turned his head as he gripped the wheel now. “Because you are so damn busy,” he said bitterly, “that when you got pregnant, we had sex what… Once?” he asked her, shrugging and lifting a single finger.

At his response, Isabelle’s face scrunched. Was he stupid? “That’s all it takes…” she said to him with an expression of duh before she shook her head asking him. “Well... what were the results?” She pursed her lips, looking at him with a small unamused smirk.

Alexander’s neck jerked a little and he looked at her confused by her question. “What do you mean?” he asked her, confused. “She’s mine,” he told her, was that not obvious.

Isabelle leaned into him, scoffing sarcastically. “Oh really?” she questioned. “Well would you look at that, huh?” she said as she sat back in her seat. She began to dig through her purse for her headphones.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Alexander asked her, his gaze unchanging as he watched her. “Huh?” he egged on. “What the hell are you saying right now Isabelle?”

Ignoring him, Isabelle pulled out her headphones and she cracked open the case before popping both sides into her ears. She got them in properly before she sat back, picking up her phone and turning on a podcast. With that done, she closed her eyes and exhaled slowly.

Alexander watched as she proceeded to ignore him and his question, not answering only annoyed him even more. He shook his head and said, “yeah, okay,” shifting the gears and backing the car out. “Okay,” he said, nodding his head again, as he gripped the wheel tighter.