by Kelly, Marie
Unfortunately, my mother was one of those people who believed money made someone a good fit. Chemistry and if you even got along with that person, wasn’t important to her. His job was and that’s the only reason why she liked James for me.
“Mama, I love you and I’m grateful but I’m not a child anymore. I can make my own decisions.”
She scoffed, “Well clearly you can’t if you going to leave a perfectly good man for a thug!”
This time my mouth dropped.
“He’s not a thug! And what perfect man you talking about? James?”
“Yes, James! He’s a very good man and he loves you.”
I had to laugh at that one.
“Love me? Mama, James doesn’t love anyone but himself! He knows nothing about me and didn’t plan to. If it had nothing to do with him, he didn’t care!”
“Now you’re making up excuses, Dior.”
“Mama, I’m not. You ask him what my favorite color is and I bet he doesn’t know. And are you forgetting that he told me he’s gay!”
My mama scoffed and waved me off.
“He told us that a crazy man broke into his apartment and made him say those things.”
I had to laugh at my mama.
“Wow ma, and you believe him?”
“Yes, I do!”
She sighed and then grabbed my hand.
“Baby, I don’t want to fight with you. James explained what happened and I believe him. He’s been calling every day wanting to talk to you, now you tell me that’s not love.”
“It’s not mama and I don’t want to be with James anymore.”
“Because of the thug you left him for! You think I didn’t hear about that?!”
I rolled my eyes knowing that James was on the phone gossiping with my mother like a little bitch.
“Sha-”
“Do not speak that thug’s name here! I will not respect a man who knowingly goes after an engaged woman.” My mama snapped and I closed my mouth.
“I agree.” My dad said like he always did.
All he did was agree with my mama even when he knew she was wrong.
“First of all, mother, I was never engaged to James.”
“And you would have been if you didn’t allow that man to pull you away from your happiness.”
“I WASN’T HAPPY WITH JAMES!!!”
Both of my parents looked at me and gasped at my outburst. I would have liked to say that I was sorry for yelling at my mom but I wasn’t. Her lack of listening to me and talking for me pushed me to this point.
“You’re so worried about wanting to tell your friends that your son in law is going to be a doctor, that you didn’t even see I wasn’t happy mama. Did you ever see me smile?”
She opened her mouth to speak but stopped knowing she couldn’t answer that because she knew like I did, that she never saw me smile.
“I’ve felt free since leaving James and you want me to go back to him despite how happy J-”
“I said do not speak his name!”
“Fine, mama.” I picked up my purse and stepped away from the couch.
“Where are you going?” My daddy asked me and I huffed slumping my shoulders.
“Home and I won’t be coming back here again. If you can’t accept my relationship with a man who knows me and makes me so happy, then you can’t be a part of my life.”
It may have been drastic but I believed in what I had with Jashawn. He was the best thing that happened to my life and I wasn’t willing to let that all go—even for my parents.
He told me how he had to go against his brothers—who didn’t trust me in the beginning—and I wasn’t going to allow my parents to deter me away from someone who fought for me.
I turned and headed for the door but stopped when my daddy ran over to me.
“Okay, okay just wait.” He said to me and then looked back at my mother. “Why don’t you invite the young man over so we can meet him.”
My mama scoffed, rolled her eyes and folded her arms across her chest.
“I won’t!”
I angrily chuckled and pulled away from my dad.
“Mavis!” He yelled at my mother—something I have never seen him do before—and my mama jumped.
“You may be willing to lose a relationship with our daughter over your pride but I’m not! Now, we are going to meet her new boyfriend and when you do, you will show him respect, Mavis.”
My mama’s whole face dropped before she rolled her eyes and relented.
“Fine, he can come for Christmas.”
She hit us with a fake smile but at least she agreed.
“Thank you, daddy!” I hugged him and kissed his cheek.
“No problem, baby. Besides, I didn’t like that Charlton Banks wanna be fool.” He whispered to me talking about James and I spat out laughing.
My dad pinched my cheeks and I went back to sit down with them. My mama had an attitude for a few more minutes but it quickly vanished when my daddy gave her a stern look. It was the first time my dad had ever stood up to my mom over me and I was so happy.
By the time I left their house, I couldn’t stop the smile on my face and wanting to let Jashawn know what happened, I called him as soon as I climbed into my car.
“Hey baby.” He answered with his brothers’ voices talking in the background.
“Guess what?” I asked smiling.
“Um, you coming over to give me my favorite thing?”
I giggled and shook my head at him.
“No, silly!”
That was Jashawn—he had a high sex drive—not that I was complaining!
“Okay what… Guns shut the fuck up, son!” He pulled the phone from his mouth to yell the last part and I laughed.
He and his brothers were always cussing each other.
“My fault baby.”
“That’s okay. Anyway, I just came from my parents’ house and they told me to invite you over for Christmas, so they can meet you.”
I thought about telling him how it led up to that part but decided against it.
Jashawn and I shared everything, so he knew my parents weren’t too fond of him, but he didn’t need to know what was said about him and my mama wanting me back with James.
“Oh shit, for real?”
“Yep.”
“That’s what’s up. Okay, I can do that.”
I smiled widely.
“Thank you baby, I can’t wait for you to meet my parents. Especially my dad, he’s nice compared to my mama.”
We laughed together but it was the truth. I was worried about Jashawn meeting my mama and not my dad. He was quiet laid back.
“Okay baby, I’m looking forward to it. Now, about the other thing.”
I frowned unsure of what he was talking about.
“What other thing?”
“Why you not coming to give me my favorite thing?!”
I roared with laughter and he laughed along too.
Jashawn was crazy as hell but he was good to me and for that, I wasn’t leaving him.
Ever!
Part VII
Alvaro ‘Wrath’ Ramsey
Christmas Eve
“Why the fuck can’t I come too, Wrath?” Brittany fussed with a finger in my face, and I slapped it down. “Tomorrow is fucking Christmas.”
“Don’t put your finger in my face, Brittany. And I told your ass already. I’m not in the mood to argue with you. I just want to spend some time with KeKe tonight, and I will come back for you tomorrow for dinner, damn!”
Brittany was doing too much because just like I had been doing for the last few weeks, I came only to pick KeKe up despite it being Christmas tomorrow. Usually, I spent time at Brittany’s house with them the night before or took them both to my house, but I never really took one without the other. Except, lately, for some reason, spending time with Brittany wasn’t on my agenda again. And it still wasn’t.
In my mind, she was invited to the dinner part, so she didn’t need to come before that.<
br />
“So, you not in the mood for pussy either then, nigga? When was the last time we fucked?!”
Oh, and that was another thing I had stopped too. Couldn’t tell you why, but it had been weeks since I fucked Brittany or let her suck my dick.
“Man, you’re doing too much, Britt. Dead ass, ma.”
Her eyes widened at my words.
I turned my back to her when I heard KeKe’s little feet coming toward us.
“Daddy!” she shouted, and I quickly picked her up.
I tickled her stomach and side with my nose.
She was laughing so hard that she snorted like a pig, and I laughed.
“Daddy, stop it. I can’t breathe.”
“You all ready to spend a few days with Daddy?”
“Yes!” she nodded. “And TJ,” she added, and I laughed.
“I know that bitch and her son isn’t still in your house, Wrath? I told you I didn’t want KeKe playing with that damn boy!”
I put KeKe down and stroked her face.
“Go and get your dolls, and let’s go.”
She took off running, and as soon as she was out of sight, I addressed Brittany.
“Watch your fucking mouth, Brittany!”
Since TJ had called me Daddy, it was like something inside of me changed, and I found myself more protective of him than I was in the beginning.
I could see in Kanada’s face that she was worried when he called me that, but it was nothing for me. TJ was a brilliant little boy, and I felt privileged that he looked to me as a dad. He and KeKe had already formed a strong brother and sister type relationship, so it fit.
“His name is TJ, and that’s how you will fucking address him. Do you understand me?”
Just like I wouldn’t allow anyone to call KeKe a bitch, I damn sure wasn’t allowing anyone to call TJ out of his name. His name was TJ not boy!
Brittany kept eye contact with me, and I only turned away when I heard KeKe coming back into the room.
“You ready to go?” I asked her.
“Yes, Daddy.”
“Okay, say bye to your mama.”
“You really not going to take me, Wrath?” Brittany gritted, and since I knew she could hear me, I didn’t bother to repeat myself.
“I will see you tomorrow at five. Be ready.”
She stood there looking shocked while KeKe kissed her quickly and followed me out of the house.
I wasn’t worried about Brittany turning up at my house because the guards would never let her come through the gates anyway, and she knew that too.
By the time I strapped KeKe into the car, my phone buzzed, and I smirked, knowing it was Brittany.
Britt: Whatever bitch that’s fucking you now, why you don’t want my pussy anymore, don’t come crawling back to me when she stops!
I chuckled at her message because for one, I knew it was bullshit. If I wanted to fuck Brittany, she would do it no matter how mad she claimed to be. And two, there was no other chick. The last time I did fuck was weeks ago. With all the shit that was going on in the streets, getting my dick wet was the least of my concerns.
Ignoring Brittany—who was now standing at the window glaring down at me with her cell tightly clasped in her right hand—I jumped in my car and sped away from her house.
As usual, KeKe took off running into the house once I unlocked the door. But instead of looking for Ma, she ran in calling out for TJ.
I went into the kitchen to put away some groceries that I had bought earlier, and after that, I went to find everyone. Walking into the living room, I saw Ma talking to the kids, and Kanada was curled up reading a book.
“What’s good?”
Both Ma and Kanada looked up at me and smiled.
Damn, she looks so fucking beautiful!
Seeing Kanada had my mind running on overtime.
Since that night we watched movies together, we had made it a usual Friday night thing, and shorty was definitely growing on me. A nigga would be praying for Fridays to come, and it would be fucking Saturday! I wasn’t sure what type of shit was going on, but I would be lying if I said I wasn’t liking it.
Kanada had an aura around her that was compelling, irresistible, and inviting. When I was around her, I felt like a moth to a flame or something. Like a magnet was pulling me toward her at a force that even I—with all my strength—couldn’t fight.
Hearing Ma giggling pulled my eyes away from Kanada’s face to hers. First of all, Ma was giggling, so that already had my attention. Ma was a gangsta; she didn’t giggle, not like a little ass girl like she was doing. And another reason was that I knew she had caught me looking at Kanada.
I narrowed my eyes at Ma, and all she did was laugh at me. She continued to laugh while I took a seat on the couch.
“What you reading?” I called out to Kanada.
If I’m honest, I didn’t really want to know, I just wanted an excuse to look at her. Which was something I had been doing lately too. Still, it was something I couldn’t help doing.
“Still in love with a Hitta by Antoinette Sherell.”
“Sounds good.”
And you look better.
She wasn’t in anything special—an oversized sweater, leggings, and fuzzy socks—but she still looked good in it. To me!
Nigga, calm yourself down! You’re doing too much right now. This Kanada.
“Um, so y’all ready for tomorrow?” I asked, trying to break the weird atmosphere that I could feel swimming around my head.
“I am!” Kanada grinned widely.
Oh my god! I just had to make her smile. That shit wasn’t helping my cause.
Clearing my throat, I turned my attention to Ma. “What about you?”
“Yes. I’m looking forward to spending it with my family, especially my granddaughter.”
“Who?”
“Nothing.” Ma laughed, and I shook my head at that crazy woman.
I leaned back in the sofa, and when I did, my cell buzzed in my pocket.
I pulled it out, and it was Brittany again.
Britt: Alvaro, what’s going on? Why are you doing this? You haven’t touched me in weeks, and I want to know why????
I sighed and read her message over and over again. The lie in my head tried to convince me that I had no idea what she was talking about and that there was no real reason why I was avoiding her and not fucking her like I used to. But then my eyes betrayed me and looked up at Kanada because she was the reason why.
Kanada Alton
Christmas Day
Even in my sleep, I had this overwhelming feeling that someone was watching me, so I slowly pried my eyes open. When I did, I saw TJ lying on his stomach, elbows up, and his head propped up on his hands as he stared at me.
“Morning Mommy, it’s Christmas! Can I open my presents now?” He excitedly bounced my bed, making me laugh.
I could only imagine how long he was up staring at me before I opened my eyes. After ruffling his curls, I rolled on my back to look over at the time.
No surprise there; it was after seven in the morning. But, I must admit, I was just as excited as he was. God came through for me in a major way, and I was able to get so many presents for TJ that I lost count.
Through it all, he had been a good boy dealing with us sleeping in my car, so he deserved everything I bought for him and more. It felt good to know that I could go to a store and buy my son anything he wanted. So, I was excited to see him open his presents too.
We both hopped off the bed and rushed to handle our hygiene, so we could go downstairs.
“I see we’re not the only ones who woke up early today.” I giggled when I walked into the living room to see Ma and Alvaro already up and sitting on the couch with KeKe.
“We were waiting for you. Ma was about to go upstairs and wake you up,” Alvaro said and then nodded in Ma’s direction.
My mouth dropped when I saw that she had a pot of water in her hands.
“Ma! You were not going to throw water on me, were y
ou?” I asked, even though from the smile on her face, I knew my answer.
“I damn sure was. Oh Lord, forgive me.” She covered her mouth, and I laughed.
All Ma did was cuss and then ask the Lord to forgive her, or she would cuss you out more for making her cuss.
“I already warned you last night not to keep me waiting,” she said and walked out of the room with the pot of water.
I looked at Alvaro, and we both fell out laughing.
“I’m sorry. Good morning,” I said to him and KeKe once we finished laughing at Ma’s expense.
“Good morning, Kanada.” Keke waved and smiled at me. “Good morning, TJ.”
Over the past few weeks, they had become very close to the point that they were telling everyone with ears that they were brother and sister. It warmed my heart to see him bonding with someone his age.
Ma finally came back into the room, and after she said a morning prayer for us, we all started grabbing presents from under the tree.
By the time we finished handing out, the two kids were surrounded by a mountain of presents each—from all three of us.
“Thank you for the presents for KeKe,” Alvaro came to stand next to me and said.
“Oh, it was my pleasure. She’s such a sweet little girl. And thank you for TJ’s gifts too.”
I had come to really love KeKe as much as I loved TJ. She was the sweetest little girl that I had ever met, and we had gotten to know each other very well, so it was only right that I bought her some gifts I knew she wanted.
I couldn’t help smiling at the huge smiles they had on their faces as they opened their presents. It had been a long time since I saw TJ looking this happy.
“Uh, little miss thing, didn’t I tell you no presents from you?” Ma sassed as she walked over to me with the presents I had bought for her.
“You did? I must not have heard you.” I played stupid, and her eyes turned to slits as she watched me.
“Hmmm.”
She continued to stare at me until her frown turned into a smile, and she hugged me.
“Thank you, baby. I love them.”
