“Miles Cambridge?”
“Yes,” I replied, watching him write.
“And from our conversation over the phone, you explained to me that you do not want to seek shared custody, but full. Am I correct? Both legal and physical.”
“Yes, her father has a temper, and he’s abusive.”
“To you and the child, or just the child?”
“Well, not to her but to me. However, I think that he will eventually direct his anger towards her if I’m not there to take it.”
“So he doesn’t hit the child.”
“No, but you have to understand that he would. I know he would. I lived with this man and slept next to him for years; he is not right in the head,” I complained as my mother rubbed my back.
“Relax, Miss Reid, I’m just making sure I understand. So has he ever hit you in front of Melody? Or does he usually keep it private?”
“Well, when we were together he would do it in private, but the last time he did it in front of her and she was hysterical.”
Nodding, he wrote something down.
“I see here that the child’s name is Melody Cassandra Reid. Why is her last name listed as Reid, and not Cambridge?”
“Her father didn’t come to the delivery and didn’t want to be on the birth certificate because I was underage when she was conceived. He didn’t want anyone to do the math and know I wasn’t of age when he slept with me.”
“Okay, wait a minute, you were under the age of eighteen when Melody was conceived?”
“Yes.”
He grinned widely as he started to write some more.
“Okay, this is great. Did you ever report the beatings you received to any police in Tennessee?”
“No. I’d taken pictures back then, but it was just so I could see my injuries, it wasn’t for any reason. But the last two times he hurt me, I got photos and video of it.”
“Perfect. I need you to have those photos developed, and the video sent over to me.” He set his pen and pad down on the coffee table. “So I’m gonna come right out and say it; you’re definitely gonna get primary custody of Melody because for one you’re her mother and no judge is going to declare you unfit. However, getting sole custody may be hard, just because the guy is pretty clean as far as his record, and he’s a lawyer. I mention his occupation because people hear lawyer and think educated, stable, and responsible. But I’m gonna put in some work and try to see if I can find a way for you to have Melody one hundred percent of the time, and maybe give him visitation, supervised.”
“So he won’t get her from me?”
“No, not unless you develop a heroin problem within the next week or so, and even then, you may still get her. You’re going to have your kid, that I can assure you. The only worry I have is that you may have to split custody with him.”
“I understand.”
“Hopefully not though,” my mom added.
“So you and Ned, are you guys still an item?” Johnathan questioned, flashing his beautiful white smile.
“No, not as of a couple days ago.” My mother chuckled as we both rose to our feet.
“I’ll be giving you a call if that’s alright.”
“I’ll be waiting.”
“Good.” He gazed at her for a minute, and then turned his attention towards me. “So I will be giving you a call in a couple of days. I should be able to get us in court fairly soon.”
“Thank you, Mr. Henri.”
“Johnathan, please. Let me walk you out.” He moved towards his office door and opened it for us. He walked us all the way out to the car, which I didn’t expect, and after I buckled Melody in and slipped into the driver’s seat, he conversed with my mother for another five minutes.
When they were done, I drove to my mother’s house and after being inside for a little bit, I decided to leave so I could go to Kordell’s. I missed him, and since he wasn’t recording tonight, I was going to take full advantage.
I pulled up and parked on the street, and once Melody recognized her surroundings, she started to get excited.
“Mel,” I called her name and she froze mid dance, making me chuckle.
“Yes, mommy?”
“What’s your father’s name?”
“Delly.”
“What about your other father? You don’t like him anymore?”
“Daddies play with you. Delly plays with me. He’s my daddy!”
“Oh you like that he plays with you?” I giggled.
“And reads to me.” She nodded repeatedly with her eyes closed.
“Do you miss your other daddy?”
She shook her head ‘no’. I guess I would never understand children. A part of me felt bad because maybe taking her away from her dad for so long caused this. But then again, while away from him she’d ask about him so it couldn’t have been that. I guess she was smart enough to compare the time she’d spent with Miles versus the time she’d spent with Kordell.
“Mommy!” She stretched out her little arm, pointing. When I followed where her finger was aiming, I saw Miles parked across the street, leaning on his car.
“I’m gonna get you out in a second, Mel, okay?”
She nodded.
I climbed out of the car, and leaned up against the door. Miles smiled, and then slowly came near me. Clutching my pepper spray, I waited to see if he would lunge at me or something, but he didn’t.
“What, Miles?” I hadn’t seen him in forever, and he looked like he’d been doing okay. He appeared to be in good spirits even though he hadn’t seen his child in a while.
“Coming to see your boyfriend?”
“How did you know where he lived?”
“I didn’t. I followed you from your mother’s home.” He looked up and stared at the apartment building that Kordell resided in. I wasn’t even gonna mention that Kordell would be moving in a few weeks. “So this is the life you want huh?”
“With a man who treats me with respect and loves me?”
“You know, I should have known with you being a young girl, you’d chase shit like this. You’ve always wanted to live the fast life, and being some rapper’s girlfriend suits you. But what you won’t do is take my little girl along for the ride.”
“Please, Miles, you haven’t even tried to see her since you put your hands on me in front of her. And she doesn’t miss you.” I smiled.
He started to step towards me so I lifted my spray, prompting him to step back from me.
“I wonder what the judge will think when they find out you’re trying to take my daughter and have her around a man with an assault charge against him.”
“That’s not true,” I tried to lie.
“Oh yeah it is.” He smirked and then turned his attention to Melody who was sitting back in her car seat watching us. “Hey, baby girl. You wanna give Daddy a hug?”
She just stared at him, before turning the other way.
“Move, Miles.”
“It’s fine. Once I have her full-time, she’ll get used to me again.” He started off and I made sure he was inside of his car and pulling from the curb before I got Melody out.
I know Johnathan said I would get Melody for sure, but I couldn’t help but to worry. After all, Miles was a lawyer too, and he knew how to go at me to make me look bad. I just had to have faith in God I guess.
Mischief
Around 3am…
I heard rustling in my room, and when I opened my eyes I saw Laine standing over me. Her wavy hair was partially in a ball on top of her head, with some of it falling out. She had on what appeared to be tights, and a big t-shirt that I was sure she’d stolen from me. Even though it was pretty dark, I could still see her golden complexion lighting up the room.
I missed her since I hadn’t spoken to her since we’d gotten in that fight. I was mad as a muthafucka and didn’t feel like dealing with her. I didn’t want to break up, obviously, but I didn’t want to be in her fucking presence either.
Her going to fight my mom was some
bullshit for one because it wasn’t gonna do anything, and two I specifically told her I didn’t want her around my mother. I wanted Laine to stay away from that part of my life, and only even told her what went down back then because she was my girl. Had I known she was gonna run off and put hands on that bitch, I wouldn’t have ever said shit.
“What you doing here?” I questioned as she stepped out of her tights.
“Came to see you.” She pulled the big t-shirt over her head to expose her apple-sized breasts. She wore some thin panties, and her stomach was still pretty small despite the baby she was carrying.
“Take those off,” I said, referring to her underwear, since she was about to climb into my bed.
She pushed them down her thighs, and then dropped them on my floor. I let my eyes run amuck all over her frame, lingering between her legs, before reaching for her hand. She climbed into the bed, straddling me, and then bent down to lie on my chest. The way her pussy felt against me, even though I had on boxers, had my dick hard as a brick. I hadn’t had any for a minute because we weren’t on good terms, and clearly, my mans downstairs needed his fix.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, hugging my torso, and getting comfortable as she lied on my chest. “I just… you got my uncle and Tarik for me, so I wanted to do the same. And she wouldn’t let me see you, Shai, so I was angry for that too.”
Lifting her head by her chin, I pressed my lips against hers.
I’d totally forgotten that me fucking her uncle up was basically the same as her cracking my mom’s face. I just wasn’t used to someone having my back like that, and wanting to take up for me.
For the longest I’ve always handled my own shit. That’s not to say my brothers and Nate didn’t have my back because they did. But when my brothers lived in Beverly Hills and I was over here in Compton with Nate’s mom, it was kind of just me, until I got put on to my gang. I think that was part of the reason that I even wanted to be a part of that shit, and rode so muthafucking hard for it; still do. Yeah, I had Nate prior, but he had his own shit to deal with.
“I guess I wasn’t thinking, baby. I know you were just trying to look out for me, just like I was doing for you with your uncle, but I’m not used to that. And I don’t want you feeling like you have to go and fuck people up for me. I can do that for you because I’m your man and I’m supposed to protect you and make sure niggas show you the utmost respect. But when it comes to me, let me handle my own shit.”
“I can try.” She laid back down on my chest.
I laughed, rubbing my hand up and down her smooth back.
“Please do. And you’re pregnant so you can’t be doing all that bullshit, especially when it’s not worth it. Fighting my mother won’t change a thing. She’s sick, Laine. She doesn’t feel like what she’s done is wrong, so fighting her does nothing. Yelling and screaming at her does nothing, which is why I do neither. Don’t you think I would have been slapped the shit out of her if I thought it would work?”
“Yeah, probably.” She chuckled. “If it’s any consolation, I felt bad after I beat her up. I really did.” She picked her head up and looked into my eyes.
“I know, because you have a conscience. She doesn’t, and sometimes, neither do I.”
“I get it now.”
“I’m sorry I haven’t talked to you. Are you feeling aight? The baby is good and shit, right?” I felt terrible as fuck. I was just angry as hell and wasn’t thinking clearly. I had to get that shit together now that I was gonna be a father. Wasn’t just gon’ be about me no more.
“It’s fine. I’m fine. And you’re fine,” she grinned.
She started to kiss down my chest, pushing the covers back as she got lower. I helped her get my boxers off, and she immediately took me into her mouth. Pressing my chin into my chest, I watched her deep throat my shit, letting her saliva take over just the way I liked. I pulled her hair tie off to let her hair fall, as she sucked my dick nastily and sloppily, not trying to look pretty like them other hoes. Ironically, she looked so fucking sexy giving me top like this, and had me moaning subtly here and there like a bitch.
“Fuck, Laine.” I gripped her hair and started to move her up and down it, and she didn’t miss a beat, making me bust all in her mouth.
Swallowing it up, she straddled me, and once the tip got in, she whimpered softly. I gripped her hips and pressed her down on it, loving how tight and wet she was. She was soaking just from giving me head which was a turn on like a muthafucka.
“Mmm,” she whined, rocking her hips back and forth, and moving up and down on me.
I ran my hands up her body, and groped her breasts, enjoying how they bounced every time she moved on my dick. Sitting up, I flicked my tongue over her nipple piercings, before latching my mouth around the nipple to suck. I switched back and forth between nipples, and once she came, I flipped her onto her back, keeping my dick inside of her gripping wet walls.
“Damn, baby,” I grumbled, putting one leg on my shoulder and pressing the other outward to give me more access.
I looked down between her legs to enjoy the view of me sliding in and out of her, before leaning down to kiss her lips. She gasped and moaned into my mouth, as I tongued her down hungrily, pounding between her legs.
“Baby,” she cried, gripping my biceps as I beat the pussy up.
She was so wet that you could hear my dick slamming into her, as I pinned her body to the bed so that she couldn’t move. She released on me, and when I slid out, I could see her nectar had covered my pole. Keeping my eyes on her pussy, I thrusted into her harder, making her cream yet again which prompted me to bust all inside of her.
Falling down onto her sweaty body gently, I slipped my tongue into her mouth as she locked her arms around my neck, and her legs around my waist.
“I don’t know how I made it this long without you,” I whispered against her lips.
She looked into my eyes and then brought my face closer to hers to resume our mouth lovemaking. Laine had me by the fucking balls.
***
That night…
Talone, my homie Esau, and I were finally able to get word on where Daley and his homie Roshawn were. They’d been MIA and for good reason because they had the whole hood looking for their asses. If Daley was a Compton Crip, shit would have been easier as far as locating him, because that’s the city my hood and I reside in. But the nigga was a Long Bitch aka Long Beach banger, so he was a little harder to get ahold to. But I’d found his ass nonetheless, and he was about to get smoked. God forgive me for the murder of anybody sitting next to his ass, because most likely, they were about to be laid the fuck out as well.
It was a little after 11:30 p.m., and Daley and his homie, Roshawn, were chilling at somebody’s crib on East 51st Street. Talone and I were about to roll right by, and blaze them muthafuckas since we got word that they were porch sitting. That was thirty minutes ago, but knowing them they were still outside because that’s just what niggas did.
As Talone moved closer towards the target house, I recognized that old ass 1978 New Yorker that sped off just before I blacked out. I smiled knowing they were here fasho.
“Aye, slow up, because I want to make sure their asses are outside. We only got one chance to do this shit,” I told Talone.
If we were doing a drive-by on regular niggas, we could do the drive-by-slowly-to-make-sure-they-were-there shit, and then come back around to blaze. But these niggas were bangers just like Talone, Esau, and I, and once they saw us passing, they’d be ready when we came back through. By saying that, we could only come by here once, and get the job done right then.
We got closer, and I squinted my eyes making sure nobody was holding a baby or anything, and it didn’t look like it. Roshawn was standing up in front of Daley and some other nigga, talking, with a beer in his hand. I let the window down as Talone slowed up some more, and as soon as I let a couple shots off into Roshawn’s back, Daley and the other nigga started to scramble to reach for their heat and run.
Esau blasted the unknown nigga, and when I saw Daley dip around the side of the house, I hopped out the car. There was no way that nigga was getting away.
“Aye, blood! What the fuck you doing!” Talone yelled after me. I just waved for him to go ahead and pull off, before I took off after Daley’s bitch ass.
I hopped the gate of the backyard that he’d ran into, and then we both went over the brick wall as well. Even though he was ahead of me, he’d landed on his back after jumping the wall, and I landed on my feet, so I caught up to him when he tried to crawl. He flipped onto his back, pointed his gun at me, and we let off shots at the same time. Only difference was mine went into his forehead, and his hit my shoulder.
“Fuck.” I gripped my shit, running forward, and when I hit the next street, I saw Talone pulling up in the car. I rushed to it and climbed in, wincing in pain.
“You wanna go to the hospital?” Talone quizzed, speeding off.
Police, if called, wouldn’t be around for a cool minute, but we still wanted out of there.
“Hell nah, he’s good,” Esau replied. Like Talone and Nate, Esau was one of my close homies and also a banger. Nigga was even crazier than me, if that was possible.
“Yeah, he’s right, I’m good.” I nodded, mad I got shot for a third time in my life. I was happy I got Daley though. I should have been killed his ass.
Talone dropped Esau and I off at home, and when I walked into my apartment, Laine came from the back in some barely-there lingerie that woke my dick up immediately. Her smile faded when she spotted the gun in my waist, as I pulled my hoodie off.
“You’re bleeding, Shai.”
“Yeah, I got shot.” I sat down on the couch, in just my white t-shirt, jeans, and red Chucks. Dropping my head into my hands, I listened to her rustling in my bathroom before she returned.
“Let me fix it. You still have some gauze and stuff that they sent you home from the hospital with. Why didn’t you go back to the hospital?”
“Because I didn’t feel like answering a bunch of fucking questions about who shot me. I would never tell, so it’s pointless. Shit is annoying as fuck—ah,” I groaned as Laine helped me out of my shirt.
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