Please excuse ANY grammatical errors.

December 25, 1996

~Taimak's P.O.V~

I'm back in Atlanta. I would've been here a week ago but the restaurant needed me and there are a bunch of families not cooking which means more orders coming from the restaurant. I decided to drive here this time because I have too much luggage this time around. It IS Christmas morning. Another reason I'm driving is because of my attempt at last-minute plane tickets. You KNOW how that goes in New York.

The last reason is that I've been having a full class of martial art students. The parents are doing last-minute Christmas shopping and sticking their children in my class at the last minute. I'm lenient about that, especially since I make more money and I know how hard it is to find a great babysitter.

I apologized to my fiance for the inconvenience but I still don't think it's okay. New York traffic was the worst EVER and is always the worst around Christmas time or any other important holidays. I have a truck full of presents for everyone. My parents took a flight to Atlanta. I wanted them as well as myself to spend Christmas with my fiance. My parents are divorced and have been for numerous amount of years. They are now with other people but can finally get along with one another. My mother is married while my father isn't.

I mentioned this before but for a refresher to some, I grew up in a toxic household. My siblings and I witnessed them getting into it all the time. It was horrible. Then we had a babysitter who would physically abuse us. You know all the horrible things people would say about biracial people especially then. Because we endured those things at home, it didn't bother us much when my siblings and I went outside the house. So that did toughen us up. Good things can come from the worst situations.

Tia invited my parents to stay with her but they kindly declined and I'm glad! I don't want to walk past any of their rooms and hear things that no child should ever hear their parents doing, grown or not. I definitely don't want them to hear or see us even though Tia was smart and got a soundproof room. Elijah caught us in some awkward situations because we thought he wasn't going to come home early or something. Other times, it's just because we got too caught up and forgot to close or lock the bedroom door.

After driving through her gates and whatnot, I parked my car in the driveway along with her family members' cars and one I didn't recognize. I got out of my car and opened the front door. Yes, we have keys to each other's places, we are engaged! The minute I stepped in, I smelt food. I took off all my winter gear off in the vestibule then walked to the back. Her family are engaged in a full-blown conversation.

"Nahhh- see- see- see-"

"You can't even get it out! Yo ass lying!" Darryl laughed at Yasir's stuttering.

"Taimak! What's dude!?" Yasir said to me then stood up.

"Merry Christmas!" The others yelled out.

"Merry Christmas everyone!" I said returning the greetings
"What's up!" I said shaking Yasir up. "I see you trying to get the conversation off yourself." I said laughing. "

"That ain't what I'm doin'. I'm just glad to see you, brotha in law!" Yasir told me which I ain't buying because he has NEVER greeted me this excited. He's always nonchalant.

"Sure, I believe you..." I said sarcastically.

"Shit, I don't!" Daryl yelled out laughing. "Phony ass!" Daryl said to Yasir. "Wassup young man!" He said then shook me up.

"That New York snow isn't anything to play with. I would've been here earlier but the weather AND the traffic are bad." I shook my head.

"Well, I'm happy to ass made it safe. Looking for my daughter now, huh?" He chuckled as I looked around the room. I nodded at him. "She's in the kitchen young man."

I nodded at him then headed to the kitchen. "Aye, you know-" Yasir yelled out to me but I had already walked off and wasn't able to hear the rest of what he was trying to tell me.

I really don't care to either because I want to see my fiance. I REALLY miss her. I opened the swinging door and saw Pigtails standing there. They are both engaged in a conversation. One that I'm interested in.

"-but, why you give his ass a chance but when it came to me you didn't?" DeVanté asked Tia.

I held the swinging door and brought it closer to my face then backed up. I left a big enough crack to where I could see into the kitchen and get a good listen; eavesdropping basically. I want to know how she's going to respond to this.

"I told you that I wasn't ready for a relationship at the time. I wasn't able to deal with myself, yet along with another person in a relationship at the time. Tai just happens to come at the right time when I didn't mind a relationship. He treated me- no, TREATS me like a queen and we fell in love." That's right, I smiled at her words. "Besides, you started wilding out after a while and I don't fit well into that type of lifestyle. So I was ready for love while you were doing some of everything." Tia shrugged at him.

"So you just gon' keep-"

"I'm not throwing it in your face. We're talking about the past and I'm not sugarcoating anything. What happened, happened. You're a changed man, and we're friends now. We both moved on and are in happy relationships." Tia said cutting him off.

"So we friends again?" Pigtails asked laughing.

"You're cool folk so yeah we friends now. We both evolved from our past and I don't see a reason why we aren't. What, you don't want me to call you that?"

"I mean, I'm in no way complaining about that. That was my goal because you cool as shit. You blunt as hell now, but you still cool as fuck. I guess I rubbed off on you." Pigtails chuckled.

"The industry taught me that I can't be so nice. People were running over me and I got tired and decided to put my foot down. You go around with a smile on your face all the time as I did, people shit on you." Tia responded. I was about to open the door until Pigtails spoke again.

"I have another question for you though," DeVanté said pushing the veggies into the boiling pot. Afterward, he put it down and looked at her.

"Shoot!" Tia gestured for him to continue.

"Why you act like what we DID have didn't happen?" He asked her. "We did couple shit without the title. I had real feelings for you. I don't know about you but my feelings were real. That's a little fucked up." He asked her.

"We did best friend things. We had fun and were very close, yes! Did I have feelings for you? Of course, I did, but as I've previously stated, we're happy now with other people."

"Look at me, being a cutfessional!" Pigtails yelled at Tia laughing.

"You did good and thanks for helping me since Tai isn't here yet." Tia thanked him, looking down at the chopping board.

"You got a good dude and as ugly as he is, he actually cares and loves your complicated ass." Pigtails said laughing. "But for real, we didn't end up together as I thought, but you still lucked up on a good nigga. I know you live his ass's too, right?"

Tia cheesed. "I do." The words we'll both say in months to come.

"I'm happy for you and Kung-Fu."

"Aww, thanks, Donald..." Tia said with her bottom lip poking out. Who the fuckf!? They hugged then I stepped into the room. "But you didn't have to call my man Kung-Fu. You gon' stop doin' that though." She laughed.

"That nigga talk shit about my pigtails every chance he gets."

"An eye for an eye Pigtails," I spoke up clearing my throat. They pulled away from their hug. That hug is just a little too long for me.

"Hi, babe." Tia cheesed. "You made it. Merry Christmas!" She said running up to me excitedly. She wrapped her arms around me neck. They are a bit sticky from sweat and the hot kitchen she's been in.

"Merry Christmas." My voice was very lackluster. She tried to kiss me but I hugged her instead. Some of the things they spoke about just don't sit right with me. I don't want to start anything right now and ruin Christmas but we'll get to the bottom of this later.

Tia pulled away from me. "What's wrong?" She frowned.

"Nothing, I'm just tired from that thirteen-hour drive." I shook my head with my hands in my pocket.

"Wassup, Muscle Neck!" Pigtails greeted. I nodded at him in return as Tia's head snapped his way. "What? You said to not call him Kung-Fu and I didn't." He shrugged.

"That isn't any better though," Tia told him.

"My bad, what's yo name again? I been calling you everything but your name for the longest and forgot that shit." He said laughing.

"Taimak, and you know that," I told him.

"I honestly forgot it. My bad TAIMAK." He emphasized my name.

"I never learned yours, Donald," I said with a chuckle.

"How you know my real name? Who told you?" He frowned then looked at Tia.

"Don't worry about that." I shook my head. "That is your name, right?"

"My government name and don't many people call me by it. To you, I'm DeVanté or whatever the hell else you call me nigga." He laughed then shook me up.

"Chill, Donald. What you doin' here though? Shouldn't you be with your family or Mickey, Daphne, and the rest of your crew?" I asked him.

"Just like you should be still tryna find your fake ass master or still tryna find your GLOW?" He raised his eyebrows.

I just laughed in his face. "Wow." I mouthed. "What all did you cook?" I asked my fiance.

"A bunch of stuff. Check the fridge. Right now, I'm just making the rest of what I didn't feel like finishing the other day." She told me. I went to the fridge and saw tin platters and containers filled. I couldn't see the food due to the foil on top. "Can you get all of that out the fridge and sit it on the counter?" She asked me. I nodded and began doing that. That's the least I could do since she was slaving over the stove all day and night. "Donald, can you get the cooking fuel out of the pantry?"

"I could do that." He responded then walked to the pantry.

"Thanks and Donald it's in a bag on the floor," Tia added.

"A'ight."

We both sat thing on the island. "Need anything else?" We asked at the same time. Wait a minute...

"I need someone to help me set this food up and someone to watch this food while I go upstairs and shower in a little bit. Since this is was the last things are what's cooking." She told us.

"Alright." We all started setting up the food. I grabbed her hand and turned her around to face me.
"I got this, babe. I got everything and you don't need to do anything else. You go upstairs and get ready and relax for a while. I got it." I said with now both of her hands in mines.

"I want everything-"

"No, that's not me asking, I'm telling you. I got everything else. You just relax for a bit."

I pulled her into a kiss for the first time since I've been here. When we pulled away, she had a small close-mouthed smile on her face. "Thank you. I like when you take control."

"Not to butt in but you over here soundin' freaky as fuck. Please- PLEASE don't get freaky in front of me. If that's the case, tell me and I'll gladly walk out of the kitchen." DeVanté butted in.

"People always say, 'Not to do such and such...' but do that exact thing." Tia turned her head his way.

"I'm just sayin'." His eyebrows furrowed.

"Thank you. I appreciate you. I just want everything to be perfect since your people are coming over since this is the first time I hosted for them." Tia told me after turning away from DeVanté.

"I get it but everything will be fine. Relax for a while and I'll entertain your family. You need time to yourself. Go ahead." I responded empathetically.

She pecked my lips, let go of my hands, then walked out of the kitchen. I watched her leave the kitchen then turned back to the island and continued to set things up.

"Here comes the questions..." DeVanté miles under his breath.

"What?" I asked him.

"Every time she leaves, you start a game of 21 questions with me. What kind of questions you got for me today?" He exhaled, placing the tin pans in holders.

I continued what I was doing then looked up at him. "I do and I'm going to be straight up." I nodded.

"Mmhm..." He nodded at me. "Go ahead."

"What exactly did y'all have going on?" I asked him.

"Why are you asking me instead of your fiance?" He frowned at me.

"Don't worry because I'll ask her too. I just want to know because she told me otherwise."

"If y'all are engaged and love each other, that shit shouldn't matter to you. What happened in the past, is EXACTLY what I just said, THE PAST." He told me.

"When there are lies being thrown around, the past comes back to bite people in the ass," I told him.

"No truer words, BUT are you calling me a liar?" He frowned deeply at me.

"Look, I'm not saying you whether you are or not. I don't really know or TRUST you. I just want answers and I want them to match up with hers when I ask her. I should've done it when she was down here but she needs rest at the moment." I told him.

"Damn... Okay, but again I'll stay in my place and you ask her these questions you've been asking me."

"Didn't I just said that I will?" I asked him.

"Didn't I just say it's between the two of you?" He matched my tone.

"You didn't have a problem before. Why can't you just answer my question?" I asked him.

"Damn, I hate when a mothafucka don't comprehend me. Read my lip-" He pointed to his lips. "THIS ISN'T MY BUSINESS, ASK TIA WHAT YOU WANT TO KNOW. I WAS JUST BEING PETTY IN THE PAST. DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE WORDS COMIN' OUT OF MY MOUTH?" He chuckled and put his hand to his side.

"Why are you here every time I come here? Do you want Tia? Does she want you? Is there something going on now? Why aren't you EVER with your GIRLFRIEND? If she's real, does she care that you're ALWAYS here?"

"Damn! So, you don't trust her? That's fucked up being that y'all are engaged and all! Don't you think these are things you should've been asked before asking her to marry you? That's fucked up on a whole 'nother level that you standing here asking me these things. It's clear that you don't trust her like you should at this stage in y'all relationship." He shook his head at me disappointingly.

"You weren't in the picture then. You just got back in the picture not too long ago. You started this shit, but now want to say that you were playing and being petty. No, I'm coming to you man to man and asking you just like I'll do to her later."

"Okay, imma just be quiet because I definitely hate THREEpeating myself and you really pissing me off right now." He said then continued setting up then he stopped again. "You know, I thought you was a cool nigga for a split second but nahh... You just full of the shit you talk." He shook his head then continued.

"Full of the shit I talk? Nigga-" I lunged at him and the door swung open just as my hand connected to his jaw. We LITERALLY starting fighting.

"Fuck is y'all doin'!"

Someone yelled but we ignored it as we fell on the floor still fighting. He threw punches at me and I threw them back at him. I finally got into a position to where had him in a chokehold.

"Somebody help me with this big ass nigga!" I looked up and saw Yasir trying to grab me. I stood up in the same position, with DeVanté in my chokehold.

"Say some more slick shit!" I put a little pressure on his neck.

He coughed. "FUCK YOU, NIGGA!" He said trying to pry my arm from around his neck.

I tightened my grip. "I'm tired of yo ass."

My foot was stomped on by DeVanté, making me let go. I almost fell to the floor because he got me good, but I held on to the kitchen island. He coughed out of breath from my chokehold. He caught his breath then punched me in my jaw. I shook off my pain as my adrenaline rushed like no other time. I punched him then drop-kicked his ass. He fell but jumped back up, wiping his bloody mouth.

"You ain't shit nigga!" He said punching me in the stomach. I lunged at him but was grabbed by two pairs of arms.

"Look, you don't wanna get in trouble, do you? Your hands are registered. Don't do this man!" I heard Daryl say from behind me. I tried to get away from him but Daryl put me in a headlock. This nigga may be older but his hands are registered from the army and he still strong as a twenty-year-old. "Nigga, you and this other one gon' calm the fuck down in this bitch. Y'all not gon' mess up my daughter's house or this good ass food she spent all day cooking on. You got that?" Yasir held DeVanté in place from across the room. "Fuck is y'all grown asses fighting for anyway!?" He yelled at us.

"Me? It's THIS nigga that lunged at me first. Fuck is HIS problem!? I ain't do shit to this nigga! I mean, I fuck around with his ass sometimes but he wanna fight! Something is definitely wrong with this big nigga! You know karate but I know KICK YO ASS!" DeVanté yelled my way.

"What the fuck is goin' on? Fuck is y'all fightin' for?" Daryl asked us again. "And Yasir, you curse in front of me again, I will beat yo ass."

Ashari came in holding Masir on her hip as well as LaZardia. I exhaled, trying to calm myself down. "Look, this guy has been down my back since the day we met. Especially after he found out that I was going to propose when he found that ring. Ever since then, he's been coming at me and I'll admit that I played right into his ugly ass hands." I was let go, then I took a seat.

"Fuck you say!?" Pigtails lunged at me but Yasir grabbed him.

"Nahh, y'all not finna do this in my sister's house. If y'all wanna fight, take this shit outside."

"Yasir!" LaZardia yelled at him. He had never cursed in front of his mother.

"Yasir, I'm finna beat yo ass!" Daryl yelled walking up to him. He got all in his face.

"My bad! I'm just sayin'!" Yasir let go of DeVanté and backed up.

Daryl turned around and looked between Pigtails and me. "Grown men don't fight! We talk that shit out! Y'all TOO damn old for this high school shit! I understand y'all fightin' over my daughter but y'all better than this shit!"

"I hit this light-eyed nigga because this nigga socked me in my jaw!" DeVanté yelled, pointing to me. "He phony as hell for what was said before all this!"

"You just tried to hit me!" Yasir said to Daryl.

"I going to make some mop water and mop all this stuff up. Can you hold him while I do that?" Ashari asked Tia's mother.

"Yeah, I'm going back to the other room." LaZardia gave us a disappointed head shake before Ashari handed the baby to LaZardia. LaZardia left and Ashari went to

"At least y'all could've waited until after the holidays. It's supposed to be jolly this time around and y'all niggas fighting!? If you started this shit, this nigga can press charges on your registered hands. Think!" Daryl put his index finger to his temple.

"I didn't use karate though. I have this dude an old-fashioned can of whoop-ass." I told Daryl.

"You drop-kicked the little guy!" Yasir said to me which made me chuckle.

"I don't mind beating your giggling ass again!" DeVanté pointed at me from across the room.

"Look in the mirror and tell me who got they ass beat!" I stood up.

"Nigga, sit the fuck down! Damn, I never saw you like this. Cursin' and shit!" Daryl frowned at me.

"When one person is constantly pressing all of your nerves, that's what happened. It's been building up since we met back in September." I told them.

"Look at my face? Nigga I suggest you do the same!" DeVanté nodded chuckling. "This nigga don't trust his own fiance and got anger problems CLEARLY! PHONY ASS NIGGA."

"Any man would fight over his woman," I responded to him. "But you're right Daryl, men don't fight and I always promised my mother I wouldn't hit a woman but here I am."

"Fuck you say!" Daryl yelled at me and grabbed me by my collar.

"He's called De a woman! Chill!" Yasir pulled him back. "I thought grown men didn't fight?"

"Oh!" He dusted off my shirt. "My bad young man! I was just playin'!" He chuckled then looked off to the side.

"Playin'?" Yasir raised his eyebrows at Daryl. "Y'all both leaking and need to clean yourselves up." He told us as DeVanté massaged his own jaw.

"Right, and can we have a jolly good time for Christmas instead of fighting? Of not one of y'all niggas gotta go." Daryl looked at DeVanté when he said that. "I don't need my daughter finding out about this and ruin this day she tried so hard preparing for." DeVanté then left the room.

"This shit crazy..." Daryl shook his head. "Go clean yourself up, young man."

"Watch the food," I told him pointing to the stove.

Then I left and head upstairs to the bathroom connected to a bedroom. I got peroxide and spit out the blood in my mouth. Luckily he didn't knock my teeth out, but my teeth did go into my cheek. I can feel the outline of my teeth inside my jaw with my tongue. I'll admit that I lost control but he's been asking for it since day one. Daryl was right, I could get in trouble with the law and I'm too old for fighting. My jaw is a little swollen and my nose is bleeding. I'm positive he got everything I got plus a black eye.

"This really doesn't make any sense." I said to myself, looking in the mirror.

After cleaning myself up, which took a while, I washed my hands, went back down the stairs, and checked on the food. Daryl wasn't even watching this! I stirred the pot then turned it off. It was sticking to the bottom, so I exchanged the food and emptied it into another pot and let the old one soak in water. I then grabbed some frozen peas and put it against my face. Don't tell his daughter? She will definitely find out on her own when she sees me. I don't have a top lip and now I do. It's something I joke about all the time. Besides, she's not a fucking idiot!

The phone rang so I answered it and it was the gatekeepers. "Let them through," I told them. My mother is here but my dad isn't yet which is definitely backwards.

I turned off the stove then checked inside the oven to see if the food was done. Nope, this ham need a good thirty more minutes. I opened the kitchen window to let in some air because this heat doesn't make any sense. I went to the front to open the door for my mother and stepfather who's name is Authur. He's a cool guy too, he's a white guy from the U.K. My horrible excuse of a chef, sister is here as well with her little family.

"Taimak! I haven't spent actual time with you since Thanksgiving!" My sister hugged me.

That's because she always wants to feed people even though her food doesn't taste like food. On a real note, as much as they babysit these kids and teach them, you'd be surprised how less you see a person. We're all busy adults with careers and that's the real reason.

"I kno-"

"Zio!" My nieces and nephews yelled at me while running up to me.

"Hi, guys!" I stooped down to their level to hug them. It was a little group hug. I stood back up.

"Hi, mom." I hugged her tight then pulled away. "Hey, Authur." I shook him up.

What I witnessed in my childhood was made me have some problems. However, my parents were just trying to live in a world that told them they weren't right for each other. THAT in itself caused big problems. They were equally wrong and I still love them and I forgave them years ago.

"You all can take your shoes off in here," I told everyone.

I back out of the vestibule and into the actual house to give them space to do so. I stood in the doorway until they finished. After they finished, I lead them to the back room where Tia's family sat. Also, it's where that barret-wearing guy is sitting with shades on his face. What the hell is he still doing here!? I gave him a look, and he gave me this evil looking grin. I thought he left THE HOUSE!

"Merry Christmas!" My adult family members told everyone who was already in the room.

"Merry Christmas!" They said returning the gesture and exchanged hugs and handshakes.

"Nice to see you all again." My mother told everyone then looked at me. "What's wrong with your lip baby?" She asked me and I heard DeVanté chuckle. "Your face looks bruised." She frowned grabbing my face.

I moved my head. "I'm okay," I told her. "I'm going to finish helping her in the kitchen," I said then walked away.

Christmas is definitely not going according to plan I'm just hoping that it doesn't get any worse. I sat at the kitchen island because I just don't want to be around that guy. Welp, he looks worst than I do. His eye is fucked up! I could've done martial arts on him because that little drop lick ain't shit compared to what I CAN do.

"Hi again!" I heard Tia say from behind me.

I turned around. "Hi."

She gasped at me, "What happened to your face!?"

"Damn, it's THAT bad?" I asked her.

"I mean, not yet but it's getting there. Did you fight anyone?" She frowned then went to the freezer.

"My parents are here and my 'I think I can cook' sister is here with her husband and children."

"Really?" She turned around with a frozen jelly pack then came back up to me. She held it against my jaw. "What happened to your face?" She asked me again.

I exhaled. "Look, we need to talk."

"Speak." She held the pack in place.

"Upstairs where we can't be interrupted," I told her then grabbed the pack and held it myself.

She looked from the corner of her eyes. "Okay..." She trailed off awkwardly. "Then let's go upstairs." We went upstairs and into her room with the door shut. "What's up?"

"Please be honest with me, did you ever have anything going on with DeVanté?" I asked her.

"We did have a little something but it was n-"

"Why weren't you honest with me from the jump? I asked you the day I saw y'all in the parking lot when he apologized and you said no. I asked you like three times, and SOMETHING was telling me that you were lying. You told me no each time!" I stood from the bed.

"I'm sorry, I was-"

"No! You lied to my face three times about the same question. Why is he always here when I come? Huh?" I frowned at her. I'm pissed!

"Because he just is. What are you implying?" She tilted her head to the side.

"Y'all still got shit going on? I mean, that hug was a little too long for my liking! Are you both still fucking around?"

"Hug? What hug?"

"When I finally walked into the kitchen after listening to you both! That hug!" I told her with my back against the wall. "I knew there was something and that's why I kept asking! You wouldn't want me to hang out with someone I had a past with! How would you like it if I hung out with one of my ex's? Y'all still doing couple shit?"

"Ex? Donald and I never even dated. You're getting heated over a fucking hug when I hug people all the time. It's how I do things then you accuse me of doing things with him?" She put her hand on her chest. "He and I are friends now and have no intentions of dating. We're both in happy relationships with people we love. I would NEVER do that to you or anyone I'm in a relationship with. Yes, I lied and I'm sorry. But accusing me of cheating on you is BELOW THE BELT."

"You ever met this woman he keeps telling you he's with? Huh? He's a single man and I don't see how you can't see that shit. No man in a relationship spends as much time at his friend of the opposite gender house, who he claims as a friend as much as he does with you. NOBODY! He wasn't with her on Thanksgiving or Christmas! What kinda man doesn't spend Christmas with his girlfriend!? Answer me that! Y'all still doin' COUPLE shit!?"

"Imma need you to lower your voice when you're speaking to me. I didn't raised mine so don't raise yours. I'm not the fucking one. Trust me. You know me." She smiled. "Now, it's clear that you don't trust me because you're accusing me of things that I'm not doing and would never do. I don't see how what happened between me and DeVanté, whom I was NEVER in a relationship with before you even came into the picture has anything to do with anything. I'm sorry for not telling you the truth but I didn't think it mattered."

I turned around to the wall and shook my head. I leaned on the wall with my right hand. "You're right, I just don't trust you anymore. What do you mean? I have every right to not trust you after this."

"Then why are we still doing this?" Tia's tone saddened. "Trust is a very important part of a relationship and especially a MARRIAGE."

Word Count: 5,400
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