Miami turned around with sweat dripping down his body, and just seeing him in work mode had me falling in love with him all over again. The sweat on his abs literally looked like someone had rubbed his body down with baby oil. He had a hand towel wrapped around his neck, and his gym shorts were down, making his dick print so obvious. I just wanted to bite him.
When he saw me, he smirked and then leaned on the railing of the ring. He puckered his lips, basically telling me to come and give him a kiss. I went ahead and did just that. I kissed him like we were the only two in the room. I didn’t care who was looking. When we broke away from the kiss, he looked down at me for a few seconds. I bet he was trying to figure out why I’d popped up on him.
“Who’s watching Maya while your fine ass is parlaying in the streets?” he asked right before he used the hand towel to wipe the sweat off his face.
“My grandma popped up at the house a few minutes after you left this morning, so she’s watching her. Come down. I want to tell you something in your office,” I let him know.
He gave me a puzzled look right before he jumped out of the ring and stood in front of me, towering over my body.
“Your grandma saw Maya? What did she say?” he questioned.
“In the beginning, she thought I was crazy, but after I explained my peace, I pretty much won her over. We’re fine. I think we’re going to have to make a quick trip to Atlanta, though. I think Maya just wants to know that her mama is alright. I kind of feel like we’re allowing her to suffer by not allowing her to see Krystal, you know?” I said.
“I was checking Instagram this morning, and one of the niggas that I used to box with was in Magic City last night. This the type of nigga who posts his every move. Krystal was in there dancing. She goes by Temptation. I’m on the same shit you on, shorty. If we gotta pop up on her ass there, we can do that. They didn’t spare you when they dropped lil mama off at your job, so why spare her ass? It probably ain’t the right thing to do to let Maya see her mama under those circumstances, but we don’t have to get out. We can wait for her in the parking lot,” Miami suggested.
“What if she’s not dancing tonight?” I quizzed.
“Oh, she dancing tonight, shorty. It’s the weekend. All the ballers go out to the booty clubs on the weekend,” he said, and I rolled my eyes at him.
“Well, just as long as your ass ain’t going to no booty club,” I told him.
Miami walked closer and wrapped his arms around me. He loved on me, kissing me all over my face and making me laugh.
“I got the whole booty club living at home with me. I don’t need to go out and pay for bitches to dance for me when I get that shit at home on a daily basis for free,” he said, still kissing me. “What did you have to tell me in my office? Let me find out you came all the way down here to fuck me,” he said, and I pushed him off.
Instead of being dramatic and prolonging it any more than I needed to, I just reached in the purse that I had wrapped around my body and passed two pregnancy sticks to him. Both indicated a positive result. I never in a million fuckin’ years thought that I would have children again. For so long, I just always felt like Vonte was enough. I loved Vonte so much that I didn’t believe I could have enough love in my heart to give to another child. That theory was so wrong because this morning, after Miami left, I took the test that I’d had hidden in the back of the closet for the past couple of weeks.
Just like Miami, I had suspicions that I’d been pregnant all along, but he was right about me wanting to be in denial about it. The weird combinations of food that I’d been eating lately, the constant fatigue and nausea, mixed with my mood swings were all signs that I did so well at ignoring. I had none of those signs when I was pregnant with Vonte. At thirteen years old, I just knew something was wrong with my body. Because I felt like the timing was right—I was in love, I was happy, and I was much older to actually be able to financially and physically care for a baby—I was ready.
I talked all around having a baby a few months ago, really because of all the shit that was going down with Miami, Trip, and Dino. I feared having a baby by Miami, especially when there was beef. Things had calmed down, and I felt like I shouldn’t allow another man to put fear in my heart, so I was ready for this.
Miami saw the test, and I couldn’t even express the look that was on his face. I could just feel his love, joy, and happiness.
“I’m about to be a daddy again, y’all,” he yelled to everyone in the damn gym as he pulled me into him.
Everyone started clapping, hollering, and hooting for him. My emotional ass started crying because his happiness made me happy. That, and the fact that for the first time in a long time, I was happy. For the first time since Vonte had been gone, I was able to be so happy to the point that all I could do was cry. I kept thinking about the fact that if I had been stupid enough to keep whatever it was going that me and Trip had going on, I would have deprived myself of all this. I wouldn’t be in love like this. I wouldn’t have a man holding onto me now that showed me every day that he loved me more than he loved himself.
Just a year ago, I was ready to ride this whole bid out with Trip. I was ready to say fuck my happiness and mentally lock myself up with Trip. I was ready to be that “down girl” and stay by his side because I thought that’s what love was. Ladies, we have to put our happiness first and tell ourselves that it’s okay to be selfish sometimes when it comes to us. On top of that, we have to question whether or not these niggas would do the same thing as us if the shoe was on the other foot. If we were forced to serve a life sentence, would they hold us down the same way they expected us to hold them down?
“God, give me a boy. Please give me a boy. I’m living with too much fuckin’ estrogen in the damn house. We need more testosterone,” Miami voiced, as he held onto me.
“What? Baby, I want a daughter. We got to have a daughter,” I said, looking at him like he was crazy.
I mean, yes, I knew that Miami wanted a son, but I think I wanted a daughter more than anything.
“And we not about to wait no twenty weeks to find out either. We going to find out at like ten weeks. I’ll pay whatever for them to tell me as soon as they can that you’re pregnant with my son. Toddrick Junior. Don’t that shit already got a kick to it? Mannn, I gotta tell my ole boy this shit. I was just on the phone with him yesterday, telling him that I think I had a baby on the way. Thank you, shorty. This is the best gift that you could have ever given me,” he said and kissed me one last time on the lips.
3:30 A.M
“What the hell is taking her so long? The club closed thirty minutes ago. I’m tired as hell, Miami,” I whined.
This sounded like a good idea in the beginning, but the only thing that I wanted to do right now was curl up in a bed and take my ass to sleep. As promised, Miami, Maya, and I had all gotten on a jet around midnight to come to Atlanta. After landing, Miami rented a car, and here we were, sitting outside the strip club where Krystal supposedly worked. It was a struggle to stay up. I was uncomfortable as hell in this car, and the whole waiting process was annoying the hell out of me.
Krystal hadn’t posted anything on her social media that would lead us to believe that she was there, but then again, she hadn’t even posted on her social media that she was dancing. If we’d flown out there for nothing, I was going to be mad as hell. We hadn’t told Maya why we’d gotten on a jet and came all the way to Atlanta yet because we didn’t want to get her hopes up, only for her not to be able to see her mom. Of course, I tried to call Krystal before we came, but like always, all of my calls were ignored.
“If she doesn’t come out in thirty minutes, we can go,” Miami let me know.
Five minutes later, two girls who looked to be in their twenties came out and were about to get in the car that was parked next to us. Miami rolled down the window, and like they’d won the lottery, they both damn near tripped over themselves to get to him. Funny how I said I was tired, but the moment I saw a bitch looking at hi
m, I sat up in the seat.
“Was Temptation dancing tonight?” he asked the two girls, calling Krystal by her stage name.
They looked at Miami the same way I looked at him every day, which was with love and lust.
“Yeah. She still in there. Damn, I would love to be your temptation. You are too fuckin’ fine in person. Miami, right?” one of the bitches asked.
Her words slurred when she spoke, which only screamed how drunk her silly ass was. I leaned over the seat, so she could get a good view of my face.
“Please don’t tempt me to get my ass out of this car and beat your ass. You don’t see me sitting right here?” I asked.
“I actually didn’t. Share him with us, sis. This man is too fuckin’ fine,” she said.
I pushed myself off Miami, prepared to open the door and lunge at her ass, but he pulled me back. He let out a sarcastic laugh as he looked down at the two women.
“Y’all better walk away while you can. If I let her go, it’s over for both of you bitches. You’ve been warned,” Miami let them know.
They eventually took the warning and walked away from our car and jumped into theirs. At the same time, Miami started rolling the window back up, all the while, he was laughing like the shit was funny.
“Don’t roll down another window and ask a bitch shit. I’ll do all the talking the next time. At times, I secretly wish your ass was ugly,” I voiced in all seriousness.
“I wouldn’t have been able to bag you if I was ugly. On top of that, we would have some ugly ass kids. Chill out with all that, though. I think that’s her right there” Miami said, making me drop the conversation and look up.
About three dancers were walking out. They each carried some type of duffle bag in their hands which more than likely had their money in it or their clothes. I had to squint because I couldn’t tell if it was Krystal or not. After a few seconds of looking, I realized that it was her. The lime green wig that she wore didn’t have her looking like her usual self. She was laughing and smiling, like she didn’t have a care in the fuckin’ world, and that shit pissed me off like none other because on the opposing side, her daughter has been worried sick about her and crying herself to sleep every night. She was in the back seat sleeping right now, but I was sure that if she was up, she would be questioning where her mother was.
Krystal didn’t look like a bitch who was struggling to me. She was in a new Fendi jogging suit with the matching sneakers. Her hair was nice and neat, like she’d just gotten it done today. The way that wig looked like it was coming out of her damn scalp proved to me that whoever she went to wasn’t cheap. Seeing all of that and then knowing what Maya had been through over the past couple of weeks sent me in a rage. I jumped out of the car, not even giving Miami enough time to try and stop me.
“Krystal!” I barked her name like she owed me some money.
She along with the two girls that she was walking with all stopped and looked in my direction. By this time, it was like we were the only ones in the parking lot. The club had closed already, so everyone had pretty much left. Miami had stepped out of the car as well, but he was hanging by the door. I liked how he was taking the back seat and allowing me to handle this on my own. I saw Krystal squint, and when she saw that it was me, she started walking fast as hell in my direction.
“Jashae, what are you doing here? Where’s Maya?” she had the fuckin’ nerve to ask.
“Bitch, how dare you! How fuckin’ dare you ask about the whereabouts of your child, when it’s been two weeks that she’s been in my care! You don’t give a fuck about that little girl, so let’s not try to pretend! Your phone doesn’t work? If you ever see a phone call from me, know that it’s your daughter calling and not me, so you can have the decency to answer it. Me, personally, I couldn’t care less if you walk your ass out into incoming traffic, but for whatever reason, your daughter actually gives a fuck about your dumb ass.
“You don’t look like you’re struggling to me, though. This Fendi outfit set you back about two stacks, right? I know it because I bought the same one for myself last week. Your hair and nails all done up. Explain to me again why you’re not in a situation to take care of your child? You look like the epitome of a dead-beat mama right now,” I let her know.
She sighed like she was embarrassed. Her eyes were on everything except for me. That right there was how I knew that she was full of shit!
“Jashae, I ain’t asking for you to judge me right now. For the past five fuckin’ years, I been raising Maya on my own. No help from no fuckin’ body, not even my own fuckin’ mama. When I was working, I couldn’t get a babysitter, so most times, I would have to bring Maya in to work with me. I was tired of fuckin’ struggling. One of the girls back there waiting for me is my cousin. She was the one who put me on to this dancing shit. Right now, I’m living in a two-bedroom apartment with her, her two kids, and her baby daddy. Where am I supposed to let my daughter sleep? On the couch with me?” she asked.
“Krystal, that’s life. I hate to sound so fuckin’ heartless and blunt but deal with it! I had my son at thirteen! Thirteen years old Krystal. I barely knew math at the time, but here I was about to bring a damn baby in this world. Although my grandma loved me and my son to pieces, she showed me tough love. She would watch Vonte for me during the day, but the moment my ass came home from school, Vonte was my responsibility. I was back and forth between a baby, doing homework, studying, everything. I remember walking to the library, pushing Vonte in a stroller. Need I remind you that by the time Vonte turned seven, Trip was hauled off to prison?
“You don’t think life got hard on me? You don’t think that I had times when I just wanted to give the fuck up. The fact that I pushed through that shit is what made me strong. You pushing your daughter off on somebody else makes you look weak! You don’t know shit about me other than the fact that we went to school together and that we share the same baby daddy. How can you trust a complete stranger around somebody that’s supposed to mean the world to you? I don’t get it,” I said, trying to get through to her, but it didn’t look like it was working.
“I don’t know what you want me to do. She’s better off without me,” she said.
At the same time, I heard the back door open. We both turned around to see who it was, and it was Maya. We’d forgotten to put the child lock on the rental. My eyes stayed on Maya’s, and when she saw Krystal, she smiled big for the first time. I helped her get out of the car, and before her feet could even hit the ground good, she raced out of my arms and over to her mother. Krystal was crying herself. The whole time that Maya was hugging her, Krystal wouldn’t hug her back.
“You ccc… came… ttt… too gg… get… mm… mee Mommy?” Maya asked her mom with her little arms wrapped around Krystal’s leg.
The whole thing just made me want to break down and cry. Krystal was damn near pushing Maya off her.
“No. Go get back in the car!” Krystal ordered.
It was as if seeing her daughter damn near beg for her didn’t mean a damn thing. This bitch was so fuckin’ selfish. I didn’t know what exactly happened between her and Trip, but he had to have said something hurtful to her or even called the relationship off for her to just not want to be a mother anymore. It had to be something because women don’t just stop giving a fuck about their child overnight. That’s how I knew that she had Trip’s baby out of spite. I wasn’t sure what she thought was going to happen once Maya was born, but it was obvious that things didn’t go exactly as planned.
“No! I’m ssss… staying ww… with you!” Maya screamed and cried.
“Didn’t I tell you to get back in the car? Go get in the fuckin’ car before I beat the fuck out of our ass out here!” she demanded.
In seconds, Maya scurried off, all the while crying. If this was the way that Krystal talked to her on a daily basis, then it explained why Maya was always so shy and timid. I couldn’t even say that I was shocked. I mean, what did I expect? This was the same lady who allowed someone to
drop their child off at my place of employment.
“Krystal, I’m telling you now, if you leave her with me, I’m not giving her back. On everything I love, this will be the last time that you see this little girl. I will have my lawyers get in contact with you so you can waive your rights. I don’t say shit and take it back. What’s it going to be?” I asked, ready to get the fuck out of there because this shit was pointless as hell.
“I don’t want her. Never did. I had her, thinking that when I eventually told Trip, it would get him to love me. I always liked Trip. Always! I always admired what you and him had. I wanted someone to love me the same way that he loved you, even if it meant receiving that type of love while he was incarcerated. Women like me don’t know the first thing to do when it comes to being a mama. That little girl in that backseat done seen and heard so much shit that I’m surprised she’s even sane. She’s been living in the projects her whole fuckin’ life. She done seen people get murdered, attended funerals for some of her classmates who were hit by stray bullets, seen her mama down on her knees sucking and fuckin’ for money. You think I’m getting rid of her to be selfish. Nah, I’m getting rid of her because that’s what needs to be done. It’s your call, Jashae. Put her in foster care, do whatever you got to do. I’m leaving,” she said.
“I’ll make sure to let her know that you died in a car accident on the way home. You may as well be dead to her anyway. Women like you fuckin’ kill me! You thought that by having Trip’s baby it would upgrade your title in his life? Sis, if my ass didn’t walk the fuck away from it, your status would have never been upgraded. I moved on and been riding the next nigga’s dick for almost half a year, and you’re still in the same position as you were in when I was dealing with Trip! A baby is not going to change shit. Men are going to do what the fuck they want to do regardless. I would have much rather Trip stuck his dick in a bitch with a brain, but you… I don’t even have the words. Be on the lookout for a phone call from my lawyer.”
Down With the King of the South 3 Page 9
