Chapter 4 #2
“I don’t want to hear any of it. All of y’all can go to hell for all I care.
I took that charge because he asked me to, and this is the thanks I get.
I protected your son so he wouldn’t have to serve ten years in jail, and all of you stood around while he played in my face.
I’m taking my daughter and getting the hell out of here.
You don’t have to worry about us.” I heard lil’ mama's voice outside.
“My son is a grown ass man, and I can’t control his actions.
Besides, you were a fool to take that gun charge for him.
A man is gonna be a man, and you shouldn’t have expected anything different.
At the end of the day, he took care of you and made sure your baby was taken care of while you were gone.
He might have some flaws, but you’re not gonna paint him as the bad guy.
It’s obvious that you had some skeletons in your closet as well.
Maybe if you kept your coochie to yourself, you wouldn’t be in this predicament.
” Aunt Rita sounded like a damn fool, but it was typical for her.
“I’m out of here.” Lil’ mama shot back.
“Well, we would still like to be in Promise’s life. We’ve grown attached to her, and I want the option to be there as she grows.”
“You can kiss my ass. You will never be around my baby, you muscle-necked, lop-sided, wig-having ass bitch.”
I shook my head as I watched little mama storm towards a car with her daughter on her hip. The whole scene had me wishing I had brought more than one blunt because there was too much going on.
The car sped off as I finished my blunt. When I turned the corner, Aunt Rita and my cousins Manny and Gianna stood next to her.
“I can’t believe she acted like that. It wasn’t my fault. I brought Promise to visit her so she could see her daughter, and this is the thanks I get.” Aunt Rita whined.
“Yeah, I understand. I can also see things from her perspective. You brought Promise up there, but you never told her about what was going on behind her back. We’re all here at the baby shower as if we weren’t smiling in her face at her baby shower and her birthday party.
If it were me, I would be ready to fight the whole family,” Gianna told her.
“Whatever. She needs to take her anger out on that son of mine. She’s the one who chose him, so she can’t be upset with anyone except herself.”
“Aye, I’m about to head out of here. The next time you want to invite me to another event, don’t. I took off work to come to this ghetto circus show.” I grumbled. They never had to worry about me again because I wasn’t coming back.
“Oh, please. You’re acting like you’re perfect or something. I’m sure you have plenty of delusional bitches chasing after you, but you want to act high and mighty,” Aunt Rita spat.
“Naw, I’m too grown for that shit. Plus, I run a tight ship, unlike your son. I would never have my business exposed to all of these people.”
“Yeah, yeah. Your mother was supposed to come, but she hasn’t been feeling well. It’s a shame that I check on her more than the people who came out of her pussy. Young folks these days don’t have any manners or respect anymore.”
“You’re right. I’ll never have respect for anyone who abandons their children.
Her health and well-being are no concern of mine.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to grab my sisters.
Take care of yourself, and let me know if you decide to get a new wig.
I’ll slide you a couple of dollars.” I winked at her as I headed back into the building.
Aunt Rita thought I was going to argue with her, but I wasn’t.
She wasn’t worth my energy, and neither was her silly ass son.
The only family that mattered to me was the one I was taking care of.
No one would ever make me feel bad about putting them first. My mother made her choices, and now she had to live with them.
As soon as I found my sisters, I told them it was time to leave. A few family members tried to stop and talk to me, but I kept our interactions short. This wasn’t the time or place to catch up with anyone.
“I’m so glad I got that on camera. My friends are not gonna believe this.” Dominique squealed as she texted on her phone.
“You thought that was funny?” As much as I didn’t want to judge, my tone gave it away.
“I mean, I feel bad for the girl, but the situation was crazy. If I were her, I would have beaten the cousin up, too.” Dominique declared without a second thought.
“She’s pregnant, Nique.” Dana chimed in.
“Her face isn’t pregnant. She would have had to see me, and I would gladly go to jail behind my respect.” I shook my head, knowing Dominique meant every word. Out of the three of them, she was the one who got into the most fights in school.
“Don’t post that video on social media. It might be entertaining to you, but I’m not cool with you playing a part in someone else’s humiliation.
” I ordered. There were no doubts in my mind that the video would find its way online, but I wasn’t gonna allow anyone in my household to be the reason behind it.
“What’s up, cousin. I appreciate you coming out for my special day.” Chop stood on the side of me with his hand out to shake. I glared down at it as if it were infected.
“You must be smoking that good shit. I always knew you were a lame ass nigga, but today confirmed that shit.” I scoffed as he stood there, perplexed, as if he had no idea what I was referring to.
“Damn. You ain’t have to come at me like that. Yeah, I probably shouldn’t have handled things that way, but she—”
“Ain’t no buts. I don’t know your situation outside of what I saw today, and I don’t want to.
You’re grown, and you can do whatever you want, but I’ll never respect you as a man.
Not only did you embarrass a woman publicly, but you did that in front of her child.
I would never want someone like you around me. ”
“Whoa. I think you’re taking this way too far.
Besides, you used to run through bitches left and right when we were growing up.
You still fuck on multiple bitches, but it’s a problem when I do it?
Make that make sense.” The fact that Chop thought the two of us were on the same page pissed me off. We were two different calibers of men.
“The difference is I’m single, and I move how I want to.
I would never let my bitch a take charge for me.
You allowed a woman to be taken away from her child while you were fucking off with her cousin.
A real man would never move the way you did.
If you can’t understand that, you’re slower than I thought you were.
Come on, ya’ll. I’m hungry, and I don’t feel like shooting anyone today.
” My sisters knew how my temper could get, so they quickly moved in front of me.
I allowed Dana to drive my car since she had been begging for the last couple of weeks. I thought buying her a car of her own would keep her out of mind, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. My sisters talked the whole ride, while I couldn’t get the chocolate beauty out of my mind.
I wasn’t sure what her story was, but it seemed there was more to it than we saw.
People were too comfortable playing with people’s hearts, and that was a dangerous game.
It was one of the main reasons I never bothered to be in a relationship.
I was too passionate to let a mothafucka play with my feelings and keep living their life.