Chapter 41: Who blocked this number?

At this point, I was already tired of Jamaica, and I really missed our family. It was strange that I didn't receive a message yet from my mother-in-law. Normally, she would reply within 24 hours at most, so this was completely strange. I checked my phone again. No reply. That's odd, but, I was worried because that doesn't sound like her. I just had to make sure maybe she wasn’t mad at me, so I tried to send her another message. "Unblock contact" popped on my display. This cannot be. I never blocked her. What? Am I tripping? I unblocked her. I thought maybe it happened by accident. But, that isn't possible. There are so many buttons you have to press before you block someone. I mean, at least two, right? I tried to reach out to my sister-in-law. I also wanted to send her a message, and I also saw that I blocked her. That was odd. I would never block them. Who was behind this? Who did I give my phone to? Could it be Aaron? Of course, nobody else had my password to unlock my phone. He was still in the shower. I got so angry. I couldn't control my anger anymore. Why the hell would he do this? He's really acting like a spoiled, stupid brat, and I cannot take it. I sat there angry when he came out of the shower. "What is this, my love? Why do you look so angry?" he asked. "Oh, you better know why I look so angry," I shouted. "What's wrong? Talk to me." "Really?" I said, "so now you're going to act like you don't know. Why did you block your mother and my sister on my phone? Are you mad?" "Oh, dad. I'm sorry, Valencia. I was willing to unblock them again. I just wanted us to enjoy this vacation." "Just with? How would you not enjoy it without them being unblocked?" "Yeah, I didn't want them to call or interrupt our sessions. I told you this was our me time." "Well, if you had just sent them a message, told them that you needed space and nobody had to contact you, then it would be more than perfect and I'm sure they all would understand instead of blocking them like a little boy." "What is your problem, really?" "Nothing. If my dad won't see the wife he's with, the one he is married to, I'm not able to see that for him. But I gotta show it. I gotta stand up for myself somehow. I know you don't trust me, but I really have to do this right now." "Aaron, are you hearing yourself? You sound so stupid. Why don't you just talk with your mom, confront her, have a healthy conversation like a big boy, the big boy that you claim you are? How do you want to make a difference for our family if you can't even communicate? This really doesn't make sense. I'm so done with this," I said. I took my vape and went downstairs.

As I stood on the balcony, the breeze offering a fleeting sense of solace, I found myself grappling with familiar frustrations. Why, I pondered, must men consistently exert control, disrupting the tranquility of moments? The weight of this realization settled heavily upon me, compounded by a longing for the comfort of Tianna's presence—before her memory loss fractured our connection. The unfairness of life's twists and turns weighed heavily on my mind.

With resolve hardening within me, I reached for my vape, seeking a brief respite from the tumult of emotions. Yet, even in this moment of solitude, the desire for escape grew stronger. Tomorrow, I resolved, I would depart, reclaiming control over my own path. With determination, I reached for my phone, dialing the airline company to arrange my departure. Enough, I thought, it is time to leave this chaos behind.

As I returned to our hotel room, a sense of resolve permeated my actions as I began to pack my bags. Aaron's voice broke the silence, his apology tinged with urgency. "Where are you going?" he inquired.

"I'm going back home," I replied tersely, my frustration palpable.

"Please, let's talk about this," he implored, his tone pleading.

"What is there to talk about?" I retorted, my anger simmering beneath the surface. "You want to discuss things now, after I pleaded with you to reach out to your mom and have a mature conversation? You ignored my advice, and now you expect to be treated like an adult?"

He kissed me on my lips, but I pushed him away. "Go away, Aaron! I'm not in the mood for your nonsense and stupid games. What are you up to? Are you really happy with yourself?"

"I'm sorry, Val. I'll go home with you and do anything you want me to," he pleaded. "I'll talk to my mom. Anything I'll do for you."

"Well, then it's too late now. You've already ruined my vacation," I snapped, my frustration boiling over.

"I understand. I'll give you some time. In the meantime, I'll call the airline to rebook my flight as well," he replied solemnly.

I called my mother-in-law and explained everything that was going on. I apologized profusely for Aaron's behavior and the misunderstanding. I informed her that we would be taking the next flight home tomorrow. She seemed relieved and understanding. Despite this, I couldn't shake off my anger towards Aaron. While I acknowledged that we needed this vacation without distractions, I couldn't help but wish that he had talked to me first before taking such drastic actions.

"Can I have a last dance with you tonight?" Aaron asked.

"Absolutely not," I replied, rolling my eyes.

"Are you sure?" he asked again.

"100% sure," I affirmed. "Leave me alone."

"Okay, fine. I hope you don't mind if some pretty Jamaican lady is whining on me," he retorted.

"You better have some dignity," I shot back, though inwardly I didn't care. "She can have you and your ghetto self. Make sure you tell her what kind of brat you are."