His Queen

The Anniversary Party Pt. 3

Cleo and Tyrone were dancing when Tabatha came over holding a girl’s hand. “Hey,” Tabatha nervously chirped out. Tyrone stopped dancing, “Hey, who’s your friend?” The girl holding on to Tabatha’s hand was looking around uncomfortable. Until her eyes snapped to meet theirs.  

And the daughter of Naomi Campbell and Lenny Kravitz gave them faces of calm, cool, collected. Even as her eyes showed fear and how uncomfortable she was.  Smiling, Cleo greeted, “Hi, I’m Cleo.” Waving shyly, the girl’s husky voice told them, “I’m Genesis.” Genesis, was all perfect nose, high cheekbones, and dark chocolate skin.  

She was like a fresh Hershey bar straight from the freezer.  

Body right and tight in a form-fitted black dress, she was a short girl in high heels. “It’s nice to meet you.” Cleo looked at Tabatha not meeting her eyes. But Cleo knew those brown eyes were all shy and smitten as Tyrone greeted Genesis just as kindly.  

The conversation was effortless and easy, Genesis relaxing and Tabatha heart-eyeing.  

“Mind if I still this lovely lady for a dance?” A man asked coming over to Tyrone, holding out his hand for Cleo. Tyrone looked at him like he was a spider he wanted to kill, giving the handsome man the answer he needed.  

Scurrying away frightened, Tyrone watched as he tucked Cleo protectively into his side making her roll her eyes. But she relented as he kissed her head, “My baby too gorgeous. Next time wear a box.” Cleo laughed, “Fine, as long as your wear a potato sack.”  

Tyrone nodded totally fine with that, “Sounds like a deal.”  

Tabatha giggled getting it as Genesis saw nothing but the mirror of her girlfriend. Just in older, handsome dude form.  

“Yeah we got our hands full with these two.” Cleo told Genesis as if reading her mind. Genesis giggled as Tabatha sent her a playful mug. Winking, Cleo eased the tension and soon they were all cracking up. Having a beautiful conversation as Genesis made Tabatha keep falling, both Tyrone and Cleo melded into each other.  

It was a moment they’d all remember.  

Mostly because it was interrupted by the most unpleasant of sights. Coming over unexpectedly, Elijah kindly interrupted his son saying, “There’s a young man here, his father isn’t one I favored working with. But I thought you might want to talk business with him in the future.”  

Tyrone shrugged and as Elijah waved a young man over, Cleo wasn’t looking until they all joined. Looking up as she was introduced, Cleo couldn’t believe it as Theo stood with his family. All Brady Bunch and smiles, it was weird to see rich people with their ass-kissing smiles on.  

Scoffing as she shot him a mocking look of surprise, Cleo hissed, “Oh wow, well isn’t this an awkward affair.” Theo looked ready to s**t bricks as he looked at Cleo shocked. “What are you doing here?” he barked out rudely.  

Tyrone’s eyes narrowed into dangerous slits, and Elijah stiffened, “You two know each other?” He asked concerned as Tyrone got ready to fight. But it was his mother’s day, so he was happy his woman grabbed his tie gently, “Baby, look at him a little closer and think about who he looks like.”  

Snagging a glass of champagne off a tray, Cleo sipped it as Tyrone looked Theodore over confused. And then he saw the eyes, and it clicked, “I should kick your ass.” Theodore’s chin jerked up at the harshness in Tyrone’s tone. But Tyrone saw his mama, laughing so happily and dancing with his grandfather.  

“But it’s my mother’s day and I will not ruin it for her.” Everyone was confused as Theodore tried to find something to say, but it wasn’t until his mother asked, “Sweetie?” Cleo looked at the blonde woman.  

She was like a clean version of Peyton. All blonde and curvy, she had the 2.5 kids, hot, rich, soccer mom look to her. With a handsome business tycoon on her left, and her little mini me tucked under her arm, she regarded Cleo with fear.  

Like Cleo was one of his girls ready to cause a scene because he’d left her in bed without a goodbye. Something that had happened before.  

But oh no, it was much worse.  

“Do you know this woman?” she asked, hoping like hell the answer was no. Cleo scoffed disgusted even more, “Wow, so you didn’t tell them? That makes sense,” Theo met her eyes as she taunted, “Coward.”  

Eyes flashing with anger, Cleo wasn’t even remotely afraid as he gritted out, “I don’t know who you think you are-.” Cleo nodded as she reminded him harshly, “Yeah because when I showed up to your house with your SISTER, you didn’t have the manners to hear my name. You judged, you yelled, you called her a w***e and you made her cry. So, that was pretty much the end of our interaction.”  

Head snapping to their son, the man standing beside him in a pristine suit hissed, “You did what!? To your WHO!” He hissed trying not to yell. Theo was only looking at Cleo though, “You don’t understand.” He tried it, he really did.  

But Cleo had grown up a lot, unlike him.

 And seeing through his bullshit was easy. “Oh you think I didn’t see it?” Theo jerked back at the rawness of her voice. Scoffing, Cleo looked at him like he was nothing, and he felt like he was.  

Especially when she hissed, “I saw the pain, and the anger, and that feeling of helplessness. But it wasn’t towards her, it was towards Peyton. Someone who abandoned you, and I totally get that.” Theo’s nose flared with emotion as Cleo empathized, “And I can’t imagine that. I can’t imagine your fear, or your anger, or your pain. My mother didn’t choose to leave me, yours did.”  

Looking at the beautiful family beside him, looking so heart-stricken at her words, Cleo whispered, “You got lucky though. You were given to people who loved you and took care of you.” Meeting Theo’s eyes, Cleo hissed, “So excuse me if I say, grow the f**k up.” Wincing at the harsh words, Theo wanted to protest, but his lashing out at his sister was childish.  

A wounded animal’s response to being cornered unexpectedly.  

“She wasn’t looking to hurt you,” Cleo told him angry as if reading his mind, “She was trying to fix what was broken. Something that was NOT her fault, which you know.” Theo was nice and shamed as he tried to tell himself she was wrong.  

But the punches to the heart told him otherwise as Cleo read him to filth, “You can flaunt and pretend you’re okay with everything, but the way you reacted to Hailey? Shows you’re not. And take it from someone who WAS raised by Peyton. Who SAW what she did to her own daughter out of spite and vengeance? You were the lucky one. You got a mom who loved you back, and kept you safe. WE didn’t.”  

Theo realized that now, and it hurt him to his soul. But no more than Cleo reminding him, “You had opportunities and chances other’s don’t get to fix their issues. Money, a supportive family, and entitlement we all don’t get in life.”  

Theo opened his mouth, but Cleo cut him off at the knees, “So, either grow some balls, or stay away.”  

Cleo turned and stalked away only for her phone to ring. Answering it as Tyrone said something to Theo she couldn’t catch, Cleo’s breath hitched as Sean told her to come home and the gist of what was happening.  

Or what he knew so far.  

Heart racing painfully, Cleo hung up as she looked at Tyrone, “Ty!” Tyrone looked at her concerned and came over, “It’s Hailey, I have to go. Now.” Tyrone immediately took off to his mama and daddy, saying something to them, they both took one look at a rocked Cleo.  

“Go.” Elijah ordered, “And be careful.”  

Cleo and Tyrone left the party with others watching them go. Concerned seeing the frightened/upset looks on their faces, Theo was one of the guests. Seeming to know it was about Hailey, his stomach formed a cold knot as his father tried to get his attention.