the house in a bad mood! Whenever Janet and I got into a heated argument, Féch’s presence and soft demeanor helped me forget what we were even arguing about.
I met Féch after booking one of the restaurants she owned for a business meeting. The food was amazing, and watching Féch walk out at the end of the meeting to greet everyone sealed the deal when she passed out her business cards letting the group know that she also worked as a personal chef. Intrigued, I immediately jumped at the opportunity, arranging a meeting with her shortly after everyone left. I was eighteen at the time; so with my hectic work schedule, the last thing I wanted to deal with was coming home to cook for myself or being faced with going out to eat every night. I requested Féch personally, not wanting to work with any other chef. She instantly blushed at my direct approach as I held her hand pleading for her to say yes. Everything had been set up between me and Féch before my relationship started with Janet who, needless to say, was extremely defensive the moment she set eyes on her.
In the beginning, everyone from close friends to family members was hell-bent that Féch and I were either a couple or sleeping together because she was so attractive and there was obvious chemistry between us. We’d play jokes on nosey ass people on occasion by holding hands or giving each other intimate hugs and kisses on the cheek whenever I visited her restaurant. The rumor mill had it that Féch had seduced a young, vibrant, top executive and they were in a secret relationship. I wouldn’t lie. I came at Féch several times through telegraphed flirts and date advancements, but despite all my charm and flash, nothing evolved from it. Féch would always warn me by saying, “I’m not into exclusive relationships anymore. Besides, I really don’t think you want to tangle with me, Kahlil. I’m nothing like the women you’re used to dealing with. I know you’re not ready for what I’d do to you.”
When I pursued Janet, she played hard to get. We went on several dates, and after a while I wanted more, but she refused. She would constantly shy away from committing since she had just ended a long relationship. She had a child named Iliana and always asked, “Are you ready for us? Because the relationship includes her as well.” All of her concerns were finally put to rest when I made it known that having Iliana with her when she visited me was a must so I could have the chance to bond with her.
One day, Janet was in a bind and needed to go out of town, but she couldn’t take her daughter with her. She had no family to watch her; so out of desperation, she asked if I would watch Iliana overnight while she was gone, which turned out to be the opening I needed. Of course I agreed, and when Janet returned, she walked in to find Iliana and me having a blast together. We enjoyed ourselves so much Iliana would get upset when she had to leave. Janet blushed while smiling at her and then promised they would come back to visit very soon. Early the next morning, I was surprised to hear my doorbell ring and find Janet waiting on the other side. I could barely get the door open before Janet was covering me with kisses and ripping my tank top off.
Janet was the first woman I ever made love to, and a month after, we were dating. Things moved quickly between us, so much so I asked Janet and Iliana to move in with me.
“Good morning, Dad,” said Iliana, walking into the kitchen.
“Good morning, sunshine,” I replied.
She gave me a tight hug and then sat down once Féch sat her breakfast on the table. After downing a second cup of coffee, I decided to head up to my room to shower and get ready for work.
“Iliana, when you finish your breakfast, would you do me a favor and grab the newspaper?” I asked before leaving the kitchen.
“Sure, I don’t mind at all,” she said with a smile on her face.
My house was in a gated, secluded area so Iliana knew that she got to drive the golf cart to get the newspaper from the front gate which was a little over a mile from the house. Being blessed with a good job that paid me extremely well, I indulged myself at the age of nineteen building a fairly large mansion, deep within a wooded area on the outskirts of Chicago. I had an hour-and-a-half commute to work as a result, but I didn’t give a damn.
“I’ll take you to school once I finish getting ready for work,” I told Iliana as I left the kitchen. Iliana had only been in my life since she was eight years old, but she referred to me as Dad the moment we met. Her biological father, David Mills, was serving twenty years for drug trafficking. He went to prison on the day she was born.
Finally making it to my bedroom, I pushed open the glass French door to find the bed empty. I could hear the shower running from the bathroom, and with a smirk of excitement, I ripped out of my clothes with morning sex on my agenda. I was left with a look of disappointment the moment I saw her wet naked body stepping out of the shower laughing hysterically at me.
“I knew you’d be coming in here trying to get you some, so I rushed to finish my shower the second I heard the bedroom doors open. So no quickie, quickie!” Janet said as she laughed.
“Damn it! Don’t be like that Janet. I can bend you over right here at the sink. I’ll make it quick,” I pleaded.
“I can’t. I have somewhere to be this morning, and you have to get Iliana to school. What suit do you want today, silly man?” she asked while wrapping her towel around her body.
“I have a meeting with a big client, so I need my black suit with the blue tie.”
I was the vice president of Undisputed Marketing and Advertising, one of the top marketing and advertising agencies in the country. They gave me the nickname The Prodigy when I interned with them during my junior year of high school. Because of my grades in marketing, the company recruited me for the executive internship program and promised a paid internship if I came back after graduating. Shortly after finishing the internship program as their top recruit, I was offered a full-time executive management position at the age of eighteen and never looked back. For the last fourteen years, I had climbed the corporate ladder at lightning speed making me the youngest vice president in company history by the time I turned twenty-one.
Chapter 2
Sitting with Janet, who had finally made her way down to join us, the three of us enjoyed our time together before starting our day.
“Hey, love, I need you to pick Iliana up after school today since I have a late meeting this evening that I can’t miss.”
“Damn. Are you serious, Kahlil? I have things to do around that time,” Janet replied in a nonchalant attitude while continuing to eat her pancakes.
“What kind of things do you have to do that are more important than picking up your daughter?” I asked.
Janet did not respond and continued eating her breakfast. I folded the newspaper and sat it on the table. I glared in Janet’s direction with aggravation written all over my face.
“Yes, Kahlil, you heard me correctly. I have things to do. I’m an adult just like you, and I don’t have to explain myself any further to you. She can just ride the bus,” she said.
“I can’t believe we are having a damn debate over something so simple. You don’t work but have something to do that’s so important that you can’t pick up Iliana? If that’s the case, you can call a cab because you sure as hell aren’t taking one of my cars after what you just said to me,” I said.
As the conversation began to escalate, Iliana quickly finished the last of her breakfast and got up from the table.
“Dad, I’m going to get my backpack and wait for you in the car,” she said, leaving the kitchen.
“Why’d you do that? What gives you the right to humiliate me in front of my daughter, Kahlil?!” Janet yelled.
“What makes you think that I can’t after how you popped off at me?! Don’t go playing the victim now. She’s fifteen and old enough to hear a dispute if need be. Iliana is just as much as a part of my life as she is yours, and what I cannot understand is why it’s so damn hard for you to be there for her when I need you to be!” I yelled.
“Kahlil, don’t you even think