Chapter Thirteen #2
“Why don’t you have money?” she interrogated. “Maybe if you stop partying and spending money on dumb ass strippers and drugs, you’d have money."
“That’s not the problem,” he muttered. “I was a cardholder on Ty account.”
“What?” Bobbi’s head turned so fast she almost broke her neck. She had to have heard him wrong. Dexter was a big spender. He cashed out at the club, on clothes, cars, and her. Dexter was a trick, and if she heard him right, then the nigga was trickin’ with someone else's money. Her cousin’s money.
“I don’t have no fucking money. My music ain’t making shit and I owe the fucking label. Tyler was keeping shit afloat. When you drained her accounts, you drained mine too.”
“Oh my god.” She held her stomach. Bobbi could handle a cheating nigga, hell, she could handle a gay one, but a broke nigga.. a broke, leeching ass nigga couldn’t do shit for her.
“Lord.” Carla palmed her forehead, feeling just as sick as her daughter. She was banking on Bobbi having a rich baby daddy. Dexter was supposed to be their backup plan. “I know she was writing for you, but I also thought you were helping.”
“Nah, she did all that. She was the fucking breadwinner.”
“Oh my god, oh my god.” Bobbi started pacing the floor.
“She was just as dumb as her mama. She had to love you because there was no way she was taking care of your cheating ass.” Carla shook her head.
“She was taking care of your stealing ass too,” Dexter reminded her. “What’s the difference?”
Carla shifted on her feet, but kept her mouth closed.
He was right. She had been robbing her niece blind for years.
In her mind, Tyler owed her for all the years she was forced to take care of her.
Carla couldn’t even call it skimming off the top.
No, she was flat out stealing. The second Darryl ordered her to cut Tyler off at the knees, that’s exactly what she did.
Carla changed the passwords to all of Tyler’s banking accounts, and one by one, she emptied the accounts and placed the money in a holding account that was owned by the label.
“My god,” Carla exclaimed, gripping her forehead. “All you had to do was give her the pill and keep an eye on her. How did you even let her get away?”
“I gave her the pill and put like three in her drink. She was sloppy drunk, and had it not been for the lights going out, then she’d be here. You wanna blame someone, blame her dumb ass friends. Shit, blame your daughter.”
“The fuck?” Bobbi snaked her neck. “I did my part. I called you when we got to the club, everything else was on you.”
“Man, I’m about ready to go snatch her ass up.” Dexter exhaled, checking his phone as if she was going to call. “This shit stupid.”
“Snatch her up for what?” Bobbi jumped out of her seat. There was no way she was going back to living in her cousin's shadow. She was done hiding and faking like she wasn’t getting the same dick Tyler was so crazy about.
“Because without her shit don’t move!” Dexter bellowed. “You walking around in her clothes, sleeping in her bed, and wearing her wigs, but you don’t have her talent, B. You wanted her spot so bad, but what the fuck are you doing to keep that shit?”
“Fuck you nigga!” Bobbi snapped. “I didn’t want shit! It’s not my fault your easy ass couldn’t keep your dick in your pants.”
“I wouldn’t have had that problem if you didn’t keep throwing the shit at me.”
“Ok, ok, ok.” Carla stood between them. “Look, Tyler was not all that,” she tried to soften the blow to both of their egos. “Dex, I thought you said she was always writing.”
“She was.”
“Then there’s gotta be a notebook around here. She didn’t take anything. Go find it and we can work together.”
“Oh shit.” Dexter stroked his chin. “You right, I didn’t even think about that shit.”
“That’s why I'm your self-appointed manager,” Carla smiled. “Go find the book, I’ll start cleaning up in here.”
“What do you want me to do?” Bobbi asked.
“I want you to start wearing your own clothes. You’re going to get a yeast infection wearing other people's shit.”
???
Logic felt like a mother letting her child go with his deadbeat father for the weekend as he watched Sage pack his duffel bag.
After weeks of begging, Pepper agreed to let Sage stay with her for the weekend.
She extended the offer to Shugg and Spice, but they laughed before telling her they’d sleep in a zoo before they slept under the same roof as her.
Logic stood in the doorway as Sage bounced around his room, grabbing all of his essentials.
He was only going for three days, but from the size of his bag, you’d think he was staying a week.
The twins were sitting on the edge of the bed, both staring at Sage with tears in their eyes.
They didn’t want him to go, but there was nothing they could say to stop him.
Sage had been talking about spending the weekend with his mother all week.
“You still got money?” Logic asked.
“Yea, I have like twenty bucks left. I gave Joey thirty dollars,” Sage admitted.
“Ew. Why you giving money to his lil germy self?” Spice tooted her lips.
“Stop giving that nigga money,” Logic barked.
“He needed to-
“Really don’t give a fuck what he needed it for.”
“That’s my boy. You and Al give each other money all the time,” Sage reasoned.
“Exactly,” Logic agreed. “We give each other money; it’s not one-sided. Don’t be paying them niggas to be your friend.”
“I’m not.”
Knock knock
“Ugh, I'm about to go study.” Shugg rolled her eyes.
“Summer school is over,” Spice reminded her.
“I’m getting a head start for this upcoming year.”
“You need to,” Logic taunted.
“Oop, not too much.” Shugg pointed her long press on at him.
Knock knock
“Can somebody get the door for mama? I’m almost ready. I just gotta grab a few things out of the bathroom.”
“Aht aht, leave the lotion here,” Spice told him. “You can go without twisting the knob for a couple of days.”
“Shut up.” Logic pushed her, hating that she knew what twisting the knob was. “I’ll get the door.”
Exiting Sage’s bedroom, Logic headed to the front door with a mean mug etched across his face.
He didn’t care too much for the situation at hand, but he had to let Sage learn for himself.
Their parents were selfish, and it was only a matter of time before their true colors were exposed, but he hated that Sage's feelings would pay the price.
Pulling the door open, Logic stepped to the side, allowing his mother to step inside.
“Hey LJ, John is in the car.” Pepper smiled. “You should go say hi.”
“I’m straight, where do you live?” he asked, getting right to the point.
“We have an apartment downtown. It’s only one bedroom, but I’m going to stop and get Sage an airbed until we find something bigger.”
“You got food?”
“Uh, yea, we have a few things. John is feeling lucky, so who knows, we might be eating steak tonight,” Pepper lightly chuckled.
“Hm,” Logic snorted. He knew all about those lucky feelings.
John’s lucky feelings were the cause of them sitting in the dark and going hungry plenty of nights.
Pepper tried her best to be supportive and still smile in front of her children like nothing was wrong.
She’d make a chicken broth soup to get them through the night.
When he was of age, Logic hustled to make sure his siblings never ate chicken broth for dinner again.
“LJ, I never really got a chance to explain.” Pepper touched his arm.
“And you don’t have to do it now.”
“But I want to. I really miss you, and I’d really like to work on our relationship. We’re back for good, and I can even start getting the kids on the regular, maybe they can even m-m-move back with me,” she started stuttering, watching Logic’s nose flare.
“Nah.”
“Nah?”
“Nah, they aren’t about to live with you, and nah, we can’t work on a relationship.”
“LJ, they are my kids. You can’t-”
“They were your kids six years ago when you left them with me, but that didn’t mean shit. These are my kids, Pepper, and you better be lucky I’m allowing Sage to come spend the weekend with you.”
“You know I can take you to court, right? I have rights.”
“Be my guest. I’m not the same broke nigga yall left to raise three kids. I can afford a lawyer, but I promise you this isn’t the route you wanna take.”
“Are you threatening me?” Pepper arched her eyebrow.
“Nah, I’m warning you,” Logic promised. “You don’t give a fuck about them. I’ve been listening to Sage beg you for weeks to come over, but you been dodging him.”
“I was busy.”
“Nah, you weren’t, but it’s your story to tell.”
“Hey Ma,” Sage greeted. “Yall aight?” he asked, sensing the tension between his mother and brother.
“We’re good. Keep your location on and call me if you need me.” Logic pulled Sage into his arms.
“You know I'm not a baby, right?” He chuckled, glancing up at his big brother.
“Whatever, lil nigga. See you Sunday.”
“See you Sunday.” Sage half smiled, ignoring the empty feeling in his stomach as Logic released him.
“I know you not about to leave without saying bye!” Spice marched into the living room with Shugg right behind her.
“Yall acting like yall gone miss me,” Sage replied, stretching out both of his arms for his sisters to walk in.