Chapter 27

By the time we got to the park, I noticed Naomi was already there and she was on the phone. Probably to pass the time... She could have been on the phone with me. Just saying...

"We're here." I smiled as I parked the car and hurried to meet Naomi.

"Kay? I'll talk to you later, girl. This dude just showed up." Naomi said as I walked towards her. "Okay...bye." She finally hung up and got out of her car.

"Well, you look beautiful." I pulled her in for a hug.

"Thanks." She replied nonchalantly. "Where are your kids?"

"They're coming out now." I turned around to see Michael and Prince getting out of the car. "Prince, Michael, come on over here." How'd she know I was bringing my children...? They hurried over and stood beside me, looking at Naomi.

"Hi, I'm your dad's friend, Naomi." She forced a smile and bent down to greet them.

"I'm Michael." Michael shook her hand.

"And I'm Prince." Prince shook her hand too. They didn't smile at all... I bet they weren't like this with Joshua. "Daddy? Are we still going to see Superman?"

"Yeah. Go ahead and get back in the car." They hurried back to the car. They don't like Naomi...

"They seem just delightful," Naomi said sarcastically. "Children aren't stupid. You do know that, right? They know you're using them as bait for me."

"I'm not using them."

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah, really."

"Prove it." Naomi folded her arms.

"Victoria brought Joshua over to her Mom's house to see my children." I bit my lip out of nervousness for some reason.

"So you're getting back at her with the children?"

"When you say it like that, you make me seem like a bad person." I stepped back.

"Don't worry, you aren't. You just make bad choices." She smirked and got in the passenger side of my car. Why does she have to be so difficult?"

I got in the car, "ready?" I turned around to face the boys.

"Can we go home?" Michael asked.

"Why? This is our time to have fun."

"Not with the lady around. It's not fun."

"It's stupid." Prince finished. I'm going to have to enforce their use of manners.

"Why don't you like her?" I asked. At that, Naomi turned around to see what they were going to say as well.

"You're bad! Just like Mommy and Uncle Josh. It's bad. You said that, daddy. Before we got here."

"You said that you, Mommy, Joshua and Naomi were all bad." Michael pointed at me.

"I'm bad now? Since when?" Naomi faced me.

I shook my head, "I was just explaining to them that what my wife and Joshua are doing is wrong."

"Then how did I get into it?" she pressed.

"They realized that me hanging out with you is wrong as well."

Naomi faced the boys, "look guys, I'm really sorry. If you guys want me to leave, I'll go." I looked at her as though she was crazy.

"...my Mommy is the only girl Daddy is supposed to be friends with." Prince said quietly, yet loud enough for everyone to hear.

"Do you think this was the cheating in the game Grandma was talking about?" Michael whispered to Prince. I sighed, facing forward. I didn't know kids, my kids, would be such a cock block.

Naomi faced me, "Michael, I'm leaving. Take your children to the movies like you promised them." She said and got out. I never promised them anything, but I'll take them. I hurried out the car to catch up to Naomi. "I told you children weren't stupid."

"I never said they were and my boys could never be stupid." I leaned against her car.

"Why would you do that? Why would you use your children as bait? That is just beyond low."

"Well, I'm sorry. I was trying to get back at Victoria-"

"For what?! She hasn't done anything to you except bring Joshua around your children."

"Well, she kissed him."

"And? Is that it? A kiss? A fucking kiss, Michael? How many women have you kissed? Hell, how many women have you fucked? How many?" I didn't answer for two reasons. One, that's none of her business. Two, this isn't about me. "It's been that many?" she inquired.

"Guess so." I shrugged.

"You're so selfish. You know that? I don't even know you that well, but just by your actions, you are so-"

"I like you. Okay? I really do." I blurted out.

"And? I bet you've said that to Kendra and that other woman plenty of times." She folded her arms.

"Never. Out of all the women I've cheated with, you're the first one to resist me and tell me you don't want me."

She made a face, "is that supposed to make me feel special?"

"Well...yeah"

"I don't. I liked you in the beginning, but now, I don't. I'm only still here, because apparently you need good advice. I know I should drop you like a bad habit considering all the drama I'm being pulled into, but something is telling me to stay along with you to help you get yourself out of these stupid decisions you're choosing to make. Because you know you make stupid choices, right? Someone has to help you make good choices." I looked away. I really don't make stupid decisions. "Your boys are smart and they love you. They know the difference between right and wrong, Michael. They see that Victoria and Joshua are genuinely just friends, but when they see you and me together they see something wrong. You probably don't even take them to see Kendra and the other girls, do you?"

"Nope." I sighed.

"Well, there you go. If they realize that you don't take them to see your other friends and you baited them in to bait me in...that's a problem."

I sighed, "Naomi, I am not a bad person..."

"They why must you make such bad decisions? You have a wife at home."

"I like to explore my options."

"Why? You're married."

"There's more fish in the sea."

"Let's not refer to women as fish."

"Okay, well there's more women out there."

She made a face, "then why did you get married?"

"I was in love."

"Are you still in love?"

"Of course!"

"Obviously you're not, if you like to 'explore your options.'" I looked away. I'm really tired of being lectured. I'm being real nice to Naomi, but she continuously shuts me down.

"Naomi, what do I have to do to get you to want me?" I sighed.

"I don't want you, Michael."

"Then what do I have to do to get you to be friends with me and stop lecturing me all the time?"

"Stop cheating on your wife."