by A'zayler
Kerry didn’t say anything. She didn’t even nod. Just looked.
“Nigga, I ain’t holding her ass hostage. She’s free to fucking go.” Cooper finally found his voice.
“Bruh, like for real. Shut the fuck up before I keep beating your ass.”
Jacko turned his attention back to Kerry just as Kia walked back into the room with a fully dressed Izzy. Her hair was brushed up into a large puffball on the top of her head with a big orange bow in the front of it. The orange and white Nike outfit and white shoes Jacko had laid out looked nice on her.
“Now if it was that easy for Kia to make her look decent Kerry you need your ass whopped. That’s all you had to do. It didn’t even take her long.” Jacko still didn’t understand how Kerry had let Izzy leave out of the house the way she had. “Now look at her fucking eye and tell me how that shit happened.”
Not only was the black eye visible, but it was shiny as well. It made a complete circle around her eye and was a little swollen in certain areas. Izzy looked from her mother back to Jacko then at Cooper before looking at the ground. Jacko noticed the way she refused to look at Cooper and it pissed him off again.
“Isabelle.” The bass in his voice commanded the attention of all the women in the room.
Kia, Kerry, and Izzy all looked at him. Jacko pointed at Cooper. “Look at him.”
She looked quickly before looking back at Jacko. “I did.”
“Look again and look for a long time.”
Izzy shook her head. “I don’t want to.”
Jacko took released a deep frustrated breath. “Izzy, your Uncle Jack will beat his ass. You don’t have to be scared of him.”
“Jackson.” Kia said sternly.
When he looked at her she shook her head no.
“What happened to your eye, Izzy?”
“This morning when I was putting my clothes on I hit the doorknob.”
“How did you do that, Izzy?” Kerry asked.
“Because he told me to hurry up so we can go but I left my book bag. I was trying to hurry and get it and I ran into the door.”
Kerry sighed and shook her head. She looked at Izzy with a sympathetic look in her eyes. Moments later, her sobs could be heard. Jacko and Kia watched as Izzy walked over to her and hugged her leg.
“It’s okay, Mommy. I didn’t mean to.”
“I know, baby. It’s okay.”
Jacko watched the two of them before looking over at Cooper. He gave him a murderous look and walked toward the door. Kia stepped back to give him room to walk through. He walked down the stairs with nothing left to say. When he got to the bottom of the stairs he looked over his shoulder and called for Kia to follow him. When she reached the bottom of the stairs he told her they were leaving.
“Jacko, I’m really sorry about this.” Kerry’s voice brought attention to her and Izzy.
“Get this shit together. I don’t give a fuck what you do, but I’m not about to let my niece get neglected.”
She nodded her head.
“Izzy, you want to go with Uncle Jack?”
She walked over and reached her arms out for him to pick her up. When he did, she hugged his neck. “I’m just going to stay here and take care of Mommy. I’ll come to your house another day. Okay?” Her small lips pressed against the side of his face.
“That’s fine. I’ll see you later. Just call me if you want me to come back and get you.”
“I will.” She smiled and shimmied so that he would put her down.
Jacko nodded his head at Kerry again before he and Kia walked out. As much as he didn’t want to, he left Izzy there with Cooper and Kerry. He wasn’t worried about Kerry as much as he was about Cooper, but there wasn’t much he could do about it. Kerry was a smart girl. All he hoped was that she wasn’t allowing Cooper to drag her into shit she didn’t have any business doing. Drugs and prostituting looked to be on the rise, but once again, there wasn’t much he could do about it.
“You alright, Jack?” Kia stood next to the door of his car.
“I’m good, baby. We’ll talk at home.”
Kia nodded her head before pulling the keys to her car from her pocket and getting in. Like he always did, Jacko made sure she was in her car and ready to pull off before he pulled away from the curb. All kinds of thoughts raced through his mind as he drove home. With the most prominent one being how much he wished his brother was alive. He missed Braxton so much it was crazy. It was like he’d just died yesterday when it had been close to four years.
“Always take care of Izzy and Kerry bruh, no matter what. I love you forever.”
Jacko sniffed hard as he thought of his brother’s last words to him. He wanted to keep whatever tears that threatened to fall away. His brother had loved Kerry and Izzy more than anything in the world, and Jacko had promised to always look out for them. A lot of people didn’t understand why Jacko felt obligated to make sure Kerry was good when all he had to do was take care of Izzy, but that wasn’t for them to understand. The love his brother had for Kerry was much like the feelings he had for Kia.
The bond he shared with him was something that could never be replaced, so when he told Braxton he would always look out for his girls, that’s what he meant. Whatever was going on with Kerry right now, he would help her get through it. If not for her and Izzy, for Braxton.
Chapter Nine
The grocery store was jammed packed as Kia and Jacko made their way down the aisle. Jacko was leaning over the grocery cart playing on his phone as Kia scanned the aisle for things they were going to need. It was Sunday, and Kia wanted to get her shopping out of the way before the work week started back.
“Jack, I’m serious, bae. I don’t want to anymore.”
“I don’t know why you keep wanting to have this conversation. I told your ass a long time ago that you ain’t have to work anyway, but you wanted to, so shut up.”
Kia put a pack of soft batch Chips Ahoy cookies in her cart. “You make it sound like it’s so easy.”
“It is. Go in there and tell the people that you quit.”
“For no reason at all? Just quit?” Kia pulled the bottom of the cart.
“You got a reason. You don’t like working there and your man said quit. If they have a problem with that then give them my number.”
Kia smiled and loaded the cart down with strawberry applesauce. It was Jacko’s favorite. “What you gon’ tell them?”
“That I’m the man of our house and I’m making your ass quit.”
“Boy, please.”
“Okay, well take your ass to work tomorrow and don’t complain.”
Kia rolled her eyes and continued grocery shopping. Jacko made her not working seem like it was such an open and closed topic when it really wasn’t. Well, not on her end anyway. True enough her father and Jacko could both take care of her, but she still wanted to have something to do. Sitting at the house all day was boring. That was the reason she’d gotten a job to begin with. Kia picked up various things as they strolled through the store.
The more she thought about it, being at home wouldn’t be too bad. Especially since they would have a baby at the house in another few months. The thought actually made even more sense than it had when she’d first told Jacko about quitting. Initially, it had only been to see what he would say, but now it sounded like the best option.
They were headed to their car to put their groceries in her trunk when she spotted a familiar face. She looked at him again just to be sure it was him before rolling her eyes.
“There go your lil friend.” She pointed at Jeremiah so that Jacko could see him.
“That sholl is my nigga, ain’t it?”
Jacko turned around so that Jeremiah could see him. “Miah!”
Jeremiah’s head turned around quickly in their direction. Kia had to turn her head to keep from rolling her eyes again. Jeremiah had been cool at first when they were in school but after that shit he’d pulled with Taryn, she wasn’t feeling him like that anymore. He cou
ld jump off of a bridge for all she cared. Kia put the bread on the front seat and was rounding the car when Jeremiah walked up.
“What’s going on, y’all? I ain’t seen y’all in forever.” He and Jacko embraced in a friendly hug.
“I can’t call it, my nigga. Just out here trying to get it.”
“Hell, we all is.” Jeremiah smiled and stood back with his hands in his pocket. “What’s going on, Kia?”
“Nothing.” Kia hadn’t meant to sound as dry as she had, but she now that it was out she couldn’t take it back.
Jeremiah and Jacko both laughed. Jacko pinched her stomach softly. “Kia?”
“What?” She looked at him, waiting for whatever he was about to say, but he didn’t do anything but smile.
“It’s cool, bruh. I knew Kia wasn’t fucking with me when I came over here.” He and Jacko started laughing again.
“Well, I’m glad you know because clearly your friend here must have forgotten.” Kia nodded her head toward Jacko.
“It’s like that, Kia?” Jeremiah was smiling.
“Just like that. You know me and you know I don’t bullshit. I don’t fuck with you at all.”
“Shawty mean as a rattle snake, Jacko.” Jeremiah laughed again. “The perfect match for your ass.”
“Ain’t she though. I be taming her lil ass. She don’t spit all that ruthless shit to me.”
Jeremiah and Jacko dapped each other up, still laughing. Kia watched but didn’t see anything funny.
“Man who would have ever thought y’all two niggas would end up together? All married and shit. Y’all ain’t have to invite me to the wedding.”
“We sure didn’t.” Kia looked at him and closed her trunk door. “Besides, my best friend and her man was there. So you probably wouldn’t have felt comfortable anyway.”
Jeremiah leaned his head to the side and looked at Kia with a sly smirk. “Foot to neck, huh?”
Kia chuckled a little. “Yep, nigga. Foot to muthafucking neck. I ain’t letting your ass breathe around me.”
“I see that. Tell Taryn I said what’s up, though… she still with Moto?”
Kia grabbed the keys from Jacko. “She sure is. With lil’ Ayo looking just like him.”
Jeremiah nodded. “I know. I saw him.”
“Demoto’s lil twin.” Kia smiled and walked to the passenger side of her car. “It was nice seeing you, though.” Kia opened the door to her car but thought about something and turned back around. “Oh, and can you please tell your bitch to stop speaking to me when we’re at work. She knows I don’t like her bald headed ass. I started to slap her, but we was at work.”
That really caused a fit of laughter from Jacko and Jeremiah. Kia even had to join in on the laughter because it really was funny.
“That ain’t my girl, but I’ll be sure to relay your message.”
“Please and thank you. Come on, Jack.” Kia walked to the car not waiting for Jacko or Jeremiah to say their goodbyes.
A few seconds later, Jacko was getting in the car with her. As soon as he got in he looked over at her and burst out laughing again. “Why your mouth so damn slick?”
“Because I’m Buck’s daughter.”
“Man, I dun told your ass, Buck ain’t got no clout.”
Kia tooted her mouth up. “Okay, nih. Try my daddy if you want to.”
The two made jokes about Kia and Buck all the way to their house. Kia’s heart began to flutter as they entered the door. She’d asked Taryn to do her a favor while they were gone so she headed to the back of the house to make sure it was done. When she saw that she had done it she hurried back to the bathroom to do her part.
Jacko was busy getting the groceries out so she had just enough time to do it. She’d just finished when she heard the door slam. She walked into the living room casually and went into the kitchen. Her heart was racing as they put the groceries away.
“I’ve been thinking about what you said, Jack, and I think I am going to quit.”
Jacko closed the pantry and looked at her. “What made you change your mind?”
“I was texting Taryn about it and I just think it’s a good idea.” Kia snapped her finger. “You know what? I forgot to text her back. Can you run and get my phone off the dresser real quick?”
“My dresser or yours?”
“Yours.” Kia smiled to herself nervously as she watched him walk down the hall.
She tiptoed behind him so she could see his reaction in the large mirror on the wall behind their bed. The string of lights hanging from the headboard lit the room up. While the two balloons, one pink and one blue was sitting on the bed along with the Winnie the Pooh slippers, a yellow onesie, and a pacifier that sat in the middle of the bed. Kia hurried to raise her shirt up, revealing her stomach. The black baby footprints were stamped on one side of it while the painted words Hi Daddy! Were on the other side.
Kia situated the white ribbon she had tied around her belly so that the bow was directly in the center of her stomach.
“Bae, where yo—” Jacko’s voice trailed off when he flipped the light to their room on.
Kia stood at the door with her heart beating like crazy. She watched Jacko as he walked closer to the bed and picked the items up one by one. He held the onesie up and looked at it. Kia smiled at the expression on his face.
“Surprise, baby,” Kia’s voice had him turning around.
He looked at her face first but when he noticed her shirt was up his eyes traveled down to her stomach. He reached to both sides of her and pulled her further into the room so he could see her stomach fully.
“Ah, damn, Kia.” He looked away before turning back around. The smile on his face was bigger than she’d ever seen before. “Your lil bad ass… mannnn Kia. You having a baby?” He pushed his dreads out of his face, all the while still smiling.
“Yeah. We are. I haven’t gone to the doctor yet, but I’ve taken three tests and I haven’t gotten my cycle in two months.”
“Man, I thought I needed you every day before.” Jacko leaned down and kissed her stomach. “I really need your ass now. This is what I needed baby. Like for real.” He shook his head with the most beautiful smile on his face. “Man, don’t ever wonder if how I feel about you a’ight?”
Kia nodded.
“It’s crazy because it’s like you have a way of making my damn heart do funny shit.” Jacko kissed her nose. “I used to feel like I was that nigga when I was fucking all these bitches and getting money and shit. But standing here with you right now like this, man, Kia, you just don’t know.” Jacko pulled her to him for a hug. “I’m on top of the fucking world with you.”
“I love you too, Jack.”
“I know you do.” Jacko pulled away and looked down at her stomach again. “I knew you riding this dick like it was going out of style was gone pay off.”
Kia fell out laughing at him. “You so stupid, Jack.”
“I told you I’m a real nigga. Not only did I fuck the shit out of the OG’s daughter and made her marry me, but I knocked her ass up too. I’m the muthafucking man, Kia. Say I ain’t?” He teased her.
“We’re going to see how much of the man you are when Buck finds out I’m pregnant.”
Jacko looked at her. “We sure is. Because I’m telling his ass myself.”
Jacko walked back to the bed and picked up the stuff. He sat down holding it and looking at her. Kia was so happy that he was happy that she couldn’t stop smiling. She had been worried about his reaction all week. Especially after what happened with Izzy and Kerry the other day. He had been a little down, but he seemed to be in better spirits now and she was happy.
“Now I see why your ass talking about quitting that job and staying at home.”
Kia smiled. “You caught me.”
It took a little while for Jacko to calm down enough from the news for Kia to have some alone time. He had been in her face or rubbing her still very flat stomach all day. From the moment she told him the news he had been excited. The
only reason she had a minute to herself now was because he had left to meet Demoto at the gym. The moment he left out the door Kia jumped up and locked it.
She didn’t need him accidentally forgetting anything and turning right back around. She stood in the window watching until he pulled away. When she was sure the car was gone she sat back on the sofa and called Taryn.
“Girl, what Jacko say?” Taryn asked as soon as she answered the phone.
“Taryn, girl, I don’t know how I’m about to get through this whole pregnancy.”
Taryn’s laughter filled the phone. “He was that bad, Kia?”
“You have no idea. That nigga been touching or kissing me since I told him. I’m so glad he gone.” Kia laid down on her sofa. “Demoto came through for me big time.”
“Don’t do Jacky boy like that. He was just happy.”
“I understand that, I really do, but damn.”
“You wouldn’t be saying all of that if that nigga acted mad about that lil’ baby.”
Kia held her hand up in the air so she could see her nails. “You ain’t never lied, but girl, guess who I saw today.”
“Who?” Taryn’s interest was clearly piqued.
“Jeremiah.”
Taryn sucked her teeth. “Gul please. Where you saw that nigga at?”
“When we was at the grocery store. Then he gone have the nerve to ask me about you. You know I went off. I started telling him about Ayo and everything.” Taryn and Kia both started laughing. “You know I’m messy.”
“That you are, best friend. I wish it was me and Demoto he seen instead of you and Jacky.”
“Trust me, I did enough. So when you plan on telling Demoto about baby number dos?”
“I don’t know. I been trying to think of the right time, but I just don’t feel like it right now. You know he just like Jacko. Hell, I think Demoto may be worse. I already can’t catch a break between just him and Ayo. He finds out it's another little minion coming I’ll never leave the house.”
Kia rolled her eyes because seeing how Jacko’s excitement was getting on her nerves, she understood where her friend was coming from. They talked a little more about any and everything for the next thirty minutes. Kia filled her in on the whole situation with Izzy and Kerry while Taryn filled her in on finally meeting her real family. She and Demoto had been talking about it for the past few days and he was finally prepared to make it happen for her.
