by Ancelli
“Say hi to Uncle Brandon.”
“Hi… un… e.. Branny.” Jr. tried to say his name.
“Hey, buddy, how are you?”
“Ni… ce… bye.” he passed the phone back to his mother.
“I guess now you don’t have an excuse not to see us,” Angela laughed. “I’ll see you later, bye.”
“Bye.”
There was a knock on his office door.
“Oh my…” Bianca ran into his office with a box in her hands, and headed straight to his baby. “She’s a cutie,” she touched her hand. “I just want to eat her chubby cheeks.’
“Did you sanitize your hands?” Brandon stared at his assistant, and then at the bottle of sanitizer on his desk. She placed the box down.
Bianca leaned over and pumped some of the liquid on her palms and rubbed them together. “Yes, may I hold her?” Bianca wiggled her fingers.
Brandon gently handed Coral over. “Watch out with her head.”
“Really, Brandon, I have kids,” Bianca rocked her. “Whose baby?”
He kept his life private, especially at work. His employees barely knew anything he didn’t want them to know. “My daughter.”
Bianca’s bottom lip dropped in surprise, looking at the baby and then at him. “Your baby.”
“Yes, that’s all you need to know.” He watched the way she held Coral. She wasn’t holding her neck.
“Boss, you have many secrets,” she stared at him. “If I had known you liked us, I would’ve set you up with my sister.”
Brandon chuckled, shaking his head. Bianca was the only one in the office that gave him mouth. She was a smart ass, but she was the best assistant he’d had in years.
“She’s a cutie, she must look like her mommy,” she touched her chin. “Yes, you are…”
“What did you need?” Brandon stared at her.
“Your ex-wife called and made an appointment to see you.” Bianca paced.
“Appointment!” he raised his voice. “Why would you make an appointment with her?”
“Maggie said she had business to discuss with you. Something about a baby,” she said. “Now I understand.”
Coral began wiggling and whining in her arms. Brandon stood, and gently took her from him. “Next time don’t make any appointments with Maggie without consulting me.”
“Fine,” she pointed at the box she left on his desk. “The cartoon layouts are in the box.”
“Thanks.” He opened Coral’s baby bag, and pulled out one of her pre-made bottles.
“By the way, Maggie’s on her way up.” Bianca watched as he fed Coral.
“Why didn’t you tell me that in the first place?” he glared at her. She was being a smart ass.
“I was going to, but then I saw your beautiful baby,” Bianca casually stated. “I don’t really like your ex-wife.”
“I don’t like you either,” Maggie said standing by the door, looking at Bianca.
“Excuse me,” Bianca moved past Maggie.
Maggie entered his office, “I don’t understand why you haven’t fired her yet.” She placed her purse on the chair in front of his desk. Her lips curled up into a grin, “Oh my…” she stared at Cece. “Victoria…”
“Her name is Coral,” Brandon sat, still feeding his baby.
“I’m sorry about that,” Maggie rubbed her hands together. “Can I hold her?”
Brandon placed Cece over his shoulder, and gently patted her back. “Let me burp her first. She gets really moody.” He kissed the side of her head, realizing that he couldn’t imagine his life without his little girl.
“I can burp her if you want me to,” Maggie walked up to him, extending her arms.
“She gets cranky,” he rubbed Coral’s tiny back, and she burped a few times. “Kanielle and I have a special way to burp her.”
“I didn’t know there was a special way to burp a baby,” Maggie eyed him. “So you two are an item now?”
“We are parents,” Brandon observed his ex. “You didn’t come here to talk about parenthood, what did you want?”
“I wanted to see the baby,” Maggie stared at Cece. “She holds a special place in my heart, regardless of who her mother is. Brandon she’s your daughter, I want to be a part of her life.”
Brandon watched Maggie, he knew she didn’t have bad intentions, but he couldn’t make that call at that moment. He was getting an uneasy vibe from his ex. “Maggie, things would be so different if we were still married, but we aren’t thanks to you.”
“Why are you bringing that up?” She wiped at a fallen tear.
He didn’t feel any sympathy for his ex when it came to her cheating ways. “Because you lost out,” Brandon stood, and gently handed the baby to her. “On this precious baby.”
Maggie took her in her arms, and kissed her hand. “Hi… angel…” Her voice rattled. “Look at those eyes…”
Brandon’s cell phone rang, and he picked it up off his desk. It was Kanielle, and he knew he had some explaining to do. He swiped his phone, answering.
“Brandon, where is she?”
“Calm down,” he turned facing away from Maggie.
“Calm down,” Kanielle spat. “I called the daycare asking how my baby is doing, and they say you never dropped her off. Where is she?”
“She’s with me.”
“At work!”
“Yes,” Brandon sighed. “She’s okay, sweets.” Kanielle’s voice was so sweet, even when she was angry. “Angela agreed to babysit.”
“I can babysit,” Maggie chimed in, interrupting his conversation. He turned looking at her.
“Who was that?”
Brandon ignored his ex, and continued talking. “Maggie, she stopped by-”
She didn’t let him continue. “You don’t have to explain why she’s there. So, you went behind my back and asked Angela to babysit?”
“Kanielle, I trust her with our child,” Brandon didn’t want to argue with Kanielle, but Angela and Shawn were the closest thing he had to family here, and since his granny and her mother couldn’t babysit, Angela was the next best thing. “Are you mad?”
“Yes,” she sighed. “No… I like Angela, she seems like a good mom,” Kanielle answered.
“She’s a great mother.”
“I’ll call the daycare and let them know she won’t be attending. Since she didn’t attend today, I don’t won’t lose my money. Give Cece a big kiss from Mama, and tell her I love her.”
“I will, bye, sweets,” he placed his phone on his desk.
“Brandon, I can babysit,” she mentioned, rocking Coral.
“No,” Brandon rubbed his temple. The women in his past and present were driving him crazy. “Angela is going babysit.”
“She has a toddler.”
“And you have four kids now,” he observed her. Maggie’s ears were turning red, and her lips thinned. “Am I right?”
She didn’t answer. “You’re such a good baby…” Maggie played with her fingers. “You were supposed to be mine…”
“Maggie,” Brandon muttered.
“It’s the truth,” she stared at him.
“After what we’ve learned, Coral’s mother has always been Kanielle.” He inspected Maggie. Greg might have been right, maybe she did need to see a therapist. Coral started crying, and Maggie tried to calm her down, but her cries got louder. Brandon ambled forward and gently took her out of Maggie’s arms. “Shhh… Daddy has you now,” he gave her a peck on her head.
“Brandon…” she touched his bicep. “Do you think we could try again?”
“Hell no,” Brandon moved out of her reach. “I’ve moved on, and I will never look back. I wish you happiness with what’s his name…Mike.” He couldn’t believe that almost a year after their divorce, she had the nerve to ask him that shit. “I have a lot of work to do, please see your way out.”
“Are you fucking her?” Maggie glared at him, her face turning a bright hue of red.
“That’s none of your business.” Brando
n moved behind his desk, rocking Cece to sleep. “You lost the right to ask me anything.”
Maggie grabbed her purse off the chair, and marched out of his office.
“Good luck with Mike,” he yelled at her retreating form. He placed Cece back in the baby sling, and went about his day. Kanielle called every hour checking up on him and Cece. He loved being a father, and he also loved being around Kanielle. He needed to get what was his… and that was Kanielle.
***
Kanielle hung up her office phone. She was still a little upset at Brandon. What the hell was Maggie doing in his office? Kanielle knew she had no right to question him.
“Is everything okay?” Ava asked sitting across from Kanielle’s desk, in the office space they shared. Ava was a shy young lady who she kept to herself like her, that’s why Kanielle liked her.
“Yes everything is okay. I have to call and cancel my baby’s daycare because her dad decided he didn’t trust anyone he didn’t know with our child.” Kanielle tapped her fingernails on her mouse. “I need to snap out of mommy mode and get back into work.” She had over five thousand emails, even after leaving an out of office email response.
“Give yourself a break,” Ava typed on her keyboard. “It’s your first day back.”
“Did you order the furniture for that new company downtown?” She stared at her colleague. “If you didn’t I will.”
“I did,” Ava looked up at her. “I made a small mistake, and Leslie almost fired me.”
“Did you fight back?” Kanielle didn’t like the way Leslie talked to the employees, especially Ava. She was really shy and quiet. Kanielle was tired of people running over Ava.
She lowered her head.
“Ava, you’re one of the best employees in this damn building.” Kanielle huffed. She wouldn’t always be here to defend her, and she wondered what happened during the couple of months she was gone. “What else has happened?”
“Nothing much. Don’t trust Leslie though, she’s a back stabber.”
Kanielle raised her eyebrow. “Why?”
There was a knock on the door. “Come in,” Ava put on her glasses.
Someone opened the door, “Welcome back, Kanielle. How does it feel to be back?” Leslie walked into the room like she owned the place. Kanielle looked her over. She was of a medium build, but had a habit of wearing her clothes two sizes too small.
Kanielle watched Ava’s reaction as she rolled her eyes at their supervisor, stood and marched out of the office.
“What’s up with her?” Leslie asked with her arms crossed over her chest.
“You tell me,” Kanielle glared at her supervisor.
“Me?” she pointed at herself in surprise. “Ava needs to pay attention to detail, before she gets fired.”
“I’m back, she’ll be okay now,” Kanielle shook her head. What the hell did she want? One thing Kanielle wasn’t was a push over. The past eight months were her weakest, but she was back in full effect without any baggage.
“How does it feel being away from your bundle of joy?” Leslie eyed her.
“She’s in great hands,” she clicked on another email. “I’m going through these emails.” Kanielle thought she would get the hint and leave.
Leslie just stared at her. “I heard Robert isn’t your baby’s father,” she smirked. “A white man is though. I didn’t know you liked the swirl.”
Kanielle stopped what she was doing, and gave her a dirty stare. “Excuse me!”
“You don’t have to hide your secrets from me,” Leslie cracked her knuckles. “Everyone’s talking about it.”
Kanielle stood, placing her hands on her desk. “My personal life has nothing to do with you or my job. Who is or isn’t my baby’s father isn’t any of your business.”
“Calm down, Mrs. Richardson, or is it Mrs. Jackson now?”
What was up with Leslie? She was taking jabs at her on her first day back.
“What’s your freaking problem?” Kanielle growled.
“I don’t have a problem. I’m just warning you of what’s being said about you.” Leslie casually stated. “Your dirty lies are being exposed.”
“I don’t care what people say or think of me. I don’t need to hear gossip,” Kanielle continued to glare at her.
“I personally think what you did to your husband was very disrespectful.”
Kanielle chuckled. “This coming from a woman who fucked her married boss at the company’s Christmas party,” she responded. “That was one bit of gossip on you, but out of respect I never mentioned it to you.”
“That was a lie!” her brown skin was turning red. “I was trying to be a friend.”
“I don’t need any friends,” Kanielle meant that. Brandon had become her only friend. She didn’t know what was going on with this heffa, but Kanielle never really liked her. Her cell phone beeped, signaling she had a text. She ignored Leslie, and grabbed her purse, searching for her cell. Kanielle found her phone and checked it. Her lips curled up, looking at a picture of Brandon and Cece.
“You’re just going to ignore me?” Leslie huffed. “You better get your attitude in check.”
Kanielle didn’t answer, Leslie was her supervisor not her manager. She heard her door slam shut. Ava was right, it seemed like she was against their team. Well, let the battle begin Kanielle thought. Kanielle and Ava would come out on top, because she knew too many of Leslie’s dirty little secrets. Welcome back!
Chapter Twenty-One
“They’re both knocked out,” Angela watched Jr. and Coral, fixing their blankets. They were headed to Robert’s grandmother’s home. She made a promise, and she was going keep it. “Are we almost there?” Angela laughed. “I know I asked ten minutes ago.” She twisted back around.
“We have half an hour to go,” Kanielle replied as she drove down the highway as cars zoomed past her. “Thanks, for coming along.”
“Anything to get out of the house,” she smiled. “So… you and Brandon?”
Kanielle could see the smirk on Angela’s face from the corner of her eye. “What about Brandon and me?”
“Haven’t you noticed?” Angela stared at her.
“Noticed what?” Kanielle smiled to herself.
“The way he looks at you,” Angela dug in her purse, taking out a bag of nuts.
“How does he look at me?” Kanielle wanted to know. She melted every time he looked at her with those ocean eyes.
“Kanielle, stop playing,” she raised her eyebrow. “You’re answering all of my questions with a question.”
Kanielle chuckled. “Brandon is my daughter’s father.”
“If you say so,” Angela ate some peanuts. “I’ve known Brandon since way before he married Maggie, and he’s always been a gentleman. He didn’t deserve what she did to him.” She grabbed a water bottle from the cup holder, and took a gulp. “I knew something was off with her.”
“What do you mean?”
“I told Brandon not to marry her, but he was in love with the illusion of a family. He wanted what he’d lost as a child.”
“Angela, did you and Brandon ever…”
“Hell nah… I don’t like white boys, I prefer fine dark chocolate men.” Angela stated between giggles. “I didn’t know he was into…” She rubbed her light skin, and then her chocolate skin, “Us, until I saw the way he gawks at you.”
“It’s because of Cece.”
“Girl, please. I know that man, he could love his daughter without loving you.” Angela watched her. “Brandon has feelings for you.”
“I think I’m having feelings for him too.”
Angela shouted, “You finally admitted it!” She glanced back making sure she didn’t wake the kids. “If you ever hurt him I’ll kick your ass.”
Kanielle chuckled. “You could try,” and then she looked over at Angela again. “I’m afraid it might be too soon.”
“For who, you or him?”
“Both…”
“Life is too short to miss out on the gr
eat sex. If it doesn’t work out, then at least you won’t look back with regret and wonder what if.”
Angela was right.
“Brandon’s a great catch. If you don’t make your move someone else will,” Angela smirked. “I tried hooking him up with my friends, but he always ignored me.”
“Are you sure you and Brandon never hooked up?” Her insecurities were getting to her.
“No.” she took another gulp of water. “Okay I’m going to be honest with you.” Kanielle slowed down, and her heart sunk. Angela and Brandon had a fling. “Years ago, Shawn cheated on me.”
“Oh…”
Angela smiled. “Yes, do you want to know how I found out?”
“If you want to share,” Kanielle tapped her pink fingernails on the steering while.
“Shawn told me.”
“He told you?”
“Yes. He said he got drunk one night over a friend’s house and one thing led to another and he ended up in her bed. Shawn said he didn’t remember anything that happened.”
“Maybe he was drugged.”
“No, he wasn’t. Shawn was beyond drunk, and he blacked out. He only told me because he didn’t have a choice. If he didn’t tell me, she was going to tell me that she was pregnant.” Angela didn’t seem to show any emotion as she told her story.
“A baby.”
“Yes. Brandon didn’t know what was going on, Shawn hadn’t told him either.” Angela took a handful of the peanuts. “I lost it, and threw him out of the house, but he wouldn’t leave. I threatened to go to his commanding officer, and he begged me not to. Brandon got him to leave. But as he was leaving I took a chair, and hit him in the back. The chair broke, and that man lost it. He came at me.”
“Angela, did he hit you?” Kanielle was concerned; Shawn didn’t look like he would hurt Angela. He looked at her with so much love in his eyes.
“He didn’t get to, Brandon and Shawn got into a scuffle.” Angela placed her purse on the floor. “I had to call the police, they destroyed my house. They wouldn’t stop.”
“What happened?”
“They were both thrown in jail overnight,” Angela looked away. “If you ever ask yourself why Brandon doesn’t come over much, it’s because of everything Shawn and I went through. Brandon would check up on me from time to time. One day he came over, I wanted to get back at Shawn, so I tried to kiss him. That boy jumped like I had the virus, and I was so insulted,” she chuckled. “Brandon said, what the hell are you doing? Shawn is like a brother to me. He would never cross the line with me. After that ordeal Brandon doesn’t feel as comfortable around us, it’s awkward for him. But do you blame him? I don’t.”
