"Journee, will you lighten up, please? You'll be fine! We're gonna have a great time, girl! Come on!"

Yeah, it's easy for you to say because you're husband's here. You have that support system right behind you.

You've guessed it; Davin's not here.

As soon as Cass and I got back from canoeing and dinner, I walked into the condo, expecting for Davin to be there with a romantic setup. Roses in the doorway, a bottle of champagne for the both of us, the nine yards. He promised all this to me and something told me to doubt him but I believed him.

Instead, I come into an empty condo with nothing set up for a romantic evening. I looked all over the condo and he was nowhere in sight. I was so pissed off that I didn't even get in my night clothes.

I sat there, on the living room couch, waiting for his dumb ass to come home. He walked into the condo at 3 in the morning. He paused at the door and was shocked to see me sitting there with my arms folded, as he should've been.

Though he saw me, he held up his finger to me and walked into the room to finish his little conversation with some woman he met while he was out.

I ended up sleeping on the couch because their conversation ran so long that I could stay up no longer.

As bad as I wanted to bust up in the room and kick his ass, I laid on the couch and let the tears run down my face as they comfort me and put me to sleep.

When I woke up the next morning, I went into the room and found no Davin. I called him, texted him, commented on a few social media posts of his just to get his attention. Instead, I got deleted comments, ignored phone calls, and unanswered text messages.

If he didn't want to be with me this bad, he should just tell me. I'm tired of putting so much into this distanced relationship. It's like I'm here but he's on a whole different planet. If he wants to give his time to everybody else, why can't I do it?

Because it's just not in my nature.

Now, Cam, Cass, and I are off to this party that Darian invited Cass to.

Cass, literally, had to push me out of the condo and drag me out here. I wouldn't go just because I was too depressed to go anywhere. Cass dressed me up, did my makeup and hair, and pushed me out of the condo.

What fun was this going to be? I don't have my husband here with me.

Cam and Cass get out of the car, like the lovely couple they are, and I just stay in the cab like I ain't supposed to be dropped off here. I definitely don't feel like I belong here.

What do I look like going into a party with a bunch of couples? Especially if my husband abandoned me? Going in there by myself would make me look stupid and I've already been humiliated on this trip.

I'm going home.

The limo almost pulls off until the driver realizes that I'm still sitting in the back. He's so confused and I try to inform him on what's going on.

"I'd like to go back to the hotel please. I can't go in there," the request spills from my lips right before Cass pulls me out of the limo and I'm standing in front of this big ass mansion.

There's going to be so many people in here. There's no reason for me to go in that place. Rich couples, dressed to the nines and showing off for everybody else.

What exactly do I have to show off?

"Look at me, J. Just because Davin's not here, doesn't mean that we won't have a great time. You can hang out with us. We'll be a threesome," Cass says as she wraps her arms around me and I give a scrunched face.

Absolutely not!

It's cool if her and Cam get down like that but I'm not that type of woman. I'm a straight woman in a monogamous marriage. I'm a one-man woman. Just because my man wasn't here doesn't mean I'll play it up for these people in that way.

"Don't worry about Davin, J. Just know he's alright," Cam tells me as we stand by the entrance.

How does he know that Davin's alright? He tells me not to worry right after I begin to worry about my husband. Kind of late there, aren't we?

There's no telling what Davin could be doing right now. After that conversation he had on the phone last night, he could probably be with that woman he was talking to.

After that, I'm ready to take the next flight home and get a divorce. How do you sit there and flirt with a bitch right in front of your wife?

My soul is just tired of doing all the work in these relationships. I'm overworked and tired of giving my all to people who don't care to give anything for me. I'm ready for a change.

We enter this mansion-like place and I feel out of place instantly. Almost everybody's linked to their partners and I feel empty inside.

Cam and Cass tell me that they're going to find Darian and I try to follow them but get lost within the crowd of people.

Once again, I'm embarrassed and lonely, floating in a sea of couples dancing to a slow love song.

Suddenly, a huge open bar appears and it looks like there's barely anybody there. A drink or two sounds really good right about now.

I rush over towards the open bar and make myself comfortable there. A fine-looking bartender smirks at me and asks me what I want to drink.

Honestly, something that burns sounds wonderful. Maybe it'll take me out of my depressed feeling or, at least, suppress it until I get out of this place.

Once I ask for that, he gives me two shots and I take them to the head. They keep coming and he even takes one with me.

"To desertion!" I holler as I lose count of the many shots I've taken already. The bartender chuckles and we clink glasses before downing it.

Crying is the next phase in this process and out come the tears of sadness, defeat, and desperation.

My heart can only take so much.

How can you easily entertain a bunch of white women while married to the only black person you've ever been attracted to?

Yeah, I'm pulling the race card because there's a pattern with him. Make it make sense.

How do you disrespect your wife, that you claim to love, just for a few minutes of attention from all of these white bitches? How do you give all of them the glory and put me on the backburner?  What is it about them that makes you forget all about me?

Is it the fact that they bend to your every word? Is it because many of them secretly obsess over black dick and you find that attractive? Is there a thrill in all of that or some shit? Is that a kink for you?

I really wish he'd just be honest with me just so I can move on with my life. It's okay if he wants a white woman or any other woman...

But he doesn't have to drag this black one through the mud while he chases after them.

"Alright, lady. No more drinks for the evening. You need-"

"Wait! I'm fine. I just...well...can I get a water, at least?" I beg, stopping him from calling for somebody to take me home. I didn't want to go home with a random stranger.

Speaking of random 'strangers'...

"Journee?"

I stop in my tracks. That familiar voice scares the shit out of me. Fuck, I'm drunk as shit. That can't be who I think it is.

Who the hell is that and why do I keep hearing him around me?

"Because I'm right here. Journee, are you drunk?"

There it goes again!

I turn around and see a handsome Tripp, dressed up in a very nice suit with a fresh cut. Same bushy eyebrows, perfect white teeth, and gleam in his eye.

Am I dreaming right now? Wake up, Journee! Wake the fuck up!

"Aye, do we need to call security?"

"Oh, hell nah! She's just drunk off her ass. Look, I'll take it from here. Just put her drinks on my tab, please."

Tripp does not have to pay for my drinks. I've got some change in my pockets. I can pay for my own drinks.

Why can't I wake up from this nightmare? Have I died and began living my worst nightmares? Where my husband doesn't love me anymore and Tripp tries to play the superhero? Is this punishment for me or something?

Why can't my fucking brain work? Where are my friends? I just need to go home.

Suddenly, my vision is gone and I'm just hearing things around me. The only thing I feel is fear. I hope and pray that I don't get taken advantage of.

"I'm fine. I'm good. Just..." is all I can get out before my speech fails on me.

"Journee, you're drunk as shit. Where's your man? You need to be careful drinking all those drinks."

I hear a car pull up and I'm placed into the backseat. Shit, there's no telling what's going to happen.

Well, fuck. I have no control over what happens after this.

"Can you take her to the Hotel Wailea, room 727? There's a key in her purse. Take care of her, please. Journee, please be careful getting home."

****

What a change of events!

Please tell me what you think of this chapter!

Do you think that Tripp shouldn't have done anything or was it nice of him?

Did he do it because he still has feelings?

Do you think Journee has a slight problem with drinking?

What's up with her friends just leaving out of nowhere?