Chapter 4
Chapter Four
Omyia
The realization that life was getting the best of me floated around in my head, because everything seemed to be in disarray.
I might’ve been thinking too much but what else could I do?
I had to think because none of this was okay.
This wasn’t normal, but everyone around me tried to make it seem like it was.
Shit, to be honest nothing about this was fair, but nothing in this world was about being fair or even getting the taller end of the stick.
“Damn. Here comes your fine ass brother, Ommy,” Luna’s voice broke through my intense thoughts. I looked up from the plate that I seemed to be aimlessly staring at toward where she was staring. Knoxx had just walked into her shop and was coming in our direction.
“Let me go find something to do.” Luna walked away from where I was sitting before I could even get a word in.
I chuckled just as my baby boy rushed my legs. “Mommy, I missed you.”
“I missed you too, pumpkin patch. Did you have fun with your uncle?”
He nodded his head wildly, while I looked at my brother. His eyes were in the direction that Luna had gone.
“Don’t be looking at my friend like that. You’re a dog and she’s a sweetheart. Shit, Knoxx she’s my only friend.” I mugged my brother.
He chuckled. “Fuck outta here, I ain’t no dog. I’m a good nigga, who got hurt by an egg head broad.”
“Boy bye. That doesn’t take away from the fact that you currently are not shit.”
“Not true. Not shit would be lying to bitches and not telling them the truth. I’m too honest and I say what it is in the door. I never want anybody to get the wrong impression.”
“So, you say. The point still stands though, my friend will not be one of those women getting any impression from you. I speak for her when I say she’ll pass.”
“Yeah, whatever. How are you, though?” Long gone was his amusement from our conversation. Now he was concerned. I could tell from the way his eyebrows now seemed knitted together and his eyes were now piercing my skull.
“The same way I was this morning when you asked.”
“I’m just checking. I have some things to handle, so I might be out of range for the rest of the day. I’ll be by your place tonight for dinner though.”
I nodded my head already knowing what that meant. Nine times out of ten I wouldn’t see him until tomorrow.
He looked at me for a while before he leaned down and kissed my forehead. Then he left and went about his business. I worried about Knoxx more than anything, so this feeling in my chest was normal.
I watched his back until he disappeared out of sight.
“That man is—”
“Nope. I’m not listening to any of that.”
She laughed. “Ssiah, c’mon baby let’s get you a cake pop.”
As soon as he heard cake pop, he was out of my arms and following Luna behind the counter. My son was the light of my life, no matter what was going on I’d always do the necessary to ensure he had everything he needed to succeed in this life.
The vibrating of my phone against the table interrupted my thoughts. I glanced down and saw that it was an incoming call from Surah. I hadn’t heard from her crazy ass in a few days, which I assumed was because she was either working or having one of her moments.
I loved my cousin to death, but she was that person who would put her phone on DND and not respond or reach out for days. She was the most introverted extrovert that I had ever encountered.
“Yes, beautiful.” I greeted when I finally answered the phone.
“Where are you? I stopped by the shop looking for you.”
“Next door, talking to Luna. What’s wrong?”
“What’s right? Humans are flawed and men are sent here to give us hell.” Her spill let me know all that I needed to know.
“Who did it? Are we slicing tires or busting windows?” I knew Surah wasn’t the type to be caught dead doing some out of character mess like that, but I still had to crack my little joke.”
“Fuck him. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of even thinking I’d do something so fucking amateur. Does Luna have those cheesecake things with the sweet cheese in the middle?” I had given her mine one time and now she was hooked on them.
“Cheese Danish, ho,” I corrected her.
“You know what the fuck I meant?”
I looked up and read the handwritten message, before nodding my head like she could even see me. “Yeah, she’s got them and no I’m not bringing it to you.”
“I didn’t ask you to. I’m on my way over there. Where is my Ssiah?”
“Probably back there conning Luna out of all her pastries.”
She laughed. “I’m on my way in right now.”
When I saw her face, I hung the phone up just in time for another call to come in. Immediately I was confused when I looked at the screen and saw it was Niema calling me. It was eight and she didn’t have a shift.
“Hey sweetheart, is everything okay?” I asked immediately, worried.
“No, I’m sorry. I didn’t want to call my brothers because they will have a fi—”
“What’s wrong, Niema?” I asked.
“You told me I could call you if I needed anything right? My friend left me stranded at this restaurant and there are no Ubers in the area.”
“What restaurant. Share your location with me. I’m coming to get you right now.”
“Okay. And Petrinos downtown. I just shared it.” She responded quickly.
“Stay on the phone. Surah take Ssiah for me right quick.” She was just approaching my table when I stood up.
My cousin nodded. “You good?”
“Yeah, I’ll be righ—”
“Girl bye go handle that. Ssiah can spend the night with me. I missed my munchkin.”
I hated to be handing my baby off, but I didn’t have time to fight her on it.
I just nodded my head, grabbed my purse, and got out of there.
I’d be sure to call her when I got in, but right now I needed to get to Niema.
She sounded scared. While I drove, I made her talk to me, so I could keep her mind off the fact that she was stranded in an unfamiliar place.
When you were sheltered like she was, moments like this could scar you for life.
It didn’t take me long to get to her, which was good, and we talked the entire drive.
Once I had her secure in the car, I pulled away from the restaurant.
She had already explained to me what happened, and I felt bad for her, but lessons like this were necessary.
Young girls needed to learn early on who their friends were and who weren’t.
“I just can’t believe she did that.” Niema was still in shock because she couldn’t believe that her friend would treat her so horribly over a guy.
Shit, if you ask me, they weren’t her friends, but you couldn’t tell a teenager anything about their friends.
It was especially for this age, but at the same time she needed to know.
“That wasn’t your fault, and I don’t want you blaming yourself over this. She is not your real friend and now you know that, right. It’s better to learn things like this early than too late.”
She somberly nodded her head.
I refused to just drop her off at a bus stop, because I wasn’t built that way, Instead I opted to take her all the way home.
Of course, I didn’t know how far the ride was when I agreed, but I was still okay with it.
He lived out near where my father’s main house was.
That meant tonight I’d be spending a night at the old man’s house because I for sure wasn’t driving back to the city.
By the time I pulled onto the gated property the gates were already open and a figure stood at the bottom of a set of stairs near the house entrance.
“It’s just the housekeeper, I texted North and told him that I was on my way home.”
I nodded my head as I came to a slow stop in the circular driveway. My eyes remained on Niema, as she gathered herself to get out of the car.
“Thank you, Ommy.” She leaned over the console to hug me.
“You’re welcome, baby girl.” I hugged her back.
Once she was out of the car and walking into her house, I pulled out of the driveway and headed toward my father’s place.
I needed to relieve some tension and give myself a moment, but I couldn’t yet.
Everything with Argus was still fresh on my mind which made it hard for me to think about and even focus on anything else.
Within five minutes I was pulling into my father’s driveway and parking off to the side.
My phone rang in the cupholder, snatching my attention.
When I looked down to see who it was, I groaned in frustration.
It was North. I had been avoiding him since I met his girlfriend, not because my feelings were hurt or anything, but because I didn’t see the point of lying.
It was weird because he didn’t give off that vibe.
Also because I didn't have the time for any of that right now because I had other things on my mind.
I watched the phone ring for a few before it finally stopped. Seconds later a message came through.
North: Bet.
I didn’t know what the hell that meant and I didn’t bother responding to find out.
North had a woman which meant that no matter how fine he was I had no business entertaining any of his shenanigans.
That meant I needed to find myself as far away from that unavailable man as possible which was exactly what I planned to keep doing.
I don’t know why I thought my father would be asleep when I got in. I should’ve known that the man who often sat up and watched the old Scarface movies was still awake. Pops was an older movie buff who would rather see the screen than leave the house some days.
“What are you doing this way, baby girl?” he looked up from the bucket of popcorn into my direction.
“I was in the neighborhood and didn’t feel like going all the way home.”
“Why were you in the neighborhood? I’m pretty sure you live in the city, Omyia.” My father was overly protective and had no problem coming off in that way. He was an only parent to two children at a very fucked up time.