Chapter 9
I wanted to be anywhere but here. My father and Brenda argued as if I wasn’t here.
I felt so out of place. Why couldn’t they wait until I left to argue like it was no tomorrow?
Ever since Brenda had walked through the door, she had an attitude with my father.
She had barely spoken to me too, but I paid that no attention.
She was out for my father’s head, and I didn’t know how to feel about that.
My father had been home from the hospital for two days, and we’d been talking to each other.
“If you would leave that bitch alone, we wouldn’t be having this damn problem. Why is she always calling you?” Brenda asked heatedly.
I wondered who she was talking about. I hoped like hell it wasn’t my mother she was talking about. It would be some major problems if my mother was the person she called a bitch.
“You need to chill out. Don’t bring her into this,” my father growled.
Brenda folded her arms across her chest and shot daggers at him. “And why not? You should’ve thought of that before you talked to that bitch. Now she’s calling you like she has no damn sense. She needs to go get a life. She’s your ex-wife a reason.”
I hated to butt into their conversation, but it felt like she was talking about my mother. As far as I knew, my mother was the only person my father talked to that was his ex-wife. I didn’t know if he talked to his other one, but my mother and him were tight.
My father shook his head before he cut his eyes at me. Brenda looked at me too and narrowed her eyes as if I did something to her.
She rolled her neck and pointed her finger at me. “You need to tell your mother to leave my husband alone. He’s off limits to her.”
“Brenda!” my father bellowed.
I stood up from the couch, now ready to slap this bitch where she stood. I had never come out of my mouth to disrespect this woman, but what she just did, she was about to get cursed the fuck out.
“How about you tell her that? Matter of fact, you get on the phone and call her a bitch. I bet you won’t do it.
You talking all that shit when my mother isn’t around, but I dare you to say it to her face.
I bet you won’t.” I fumed with anger as my nose flared.
It took everything in me not to slap the hell out of her.
“Lil girl, you need to watch your damn mouth and how you talk to your elders,” she spat.
I waved her off. “My elders need to learn to keep their mouth shut and not talk to me in any kind of way. You’ve lost your mind.” My chest heaved up and down. If I didn’t leave, I might end up putting my hands on her.
She walked up to me, and that was her first and last mistake. I popped her in her nose, causing her to hit the floor with a thump, crying out. If she knew what I did, she’d stay down there too. I couldn’t wait to tell my mother what happened.
I took one look at my father and got the hell out of that house.
I made it to my car and rested my head on the steering wheel.
That didn't go the way I had hoped. If only Brenda hadn’t talked to me the way she did.
I’d always be ready if anyone ran up on me.
She must’ve thought I’d let her get in my face without saying anything to her.
Since I met Brenda, I was cordial with her and had no problems with her, but what she did today, hell no.
That was wrong of her to be talking about my mother like that.
I’d be telling my mother too. Brenda didn’t have to ever worry about me talking to her again.
My cellphone rang, and I snapped my neck up.
I hoped like hell it wasn't my mother. I wasn't in the mood to talk to her.
She'd be going off on me, and with the way I felt, I might hit her back with words.
I removed the phone from my back pocket and studied the name on the screen.
I smiled when I saw the name. It was Jamari.
We had been talking since he'd left my house two days ago, and I looked forward to talking to him whenever I got the chance.
It surprised me, but I was happy that he hadn't shut me out, which was something I had been afraid of. He called me that same night he left my house, and we stayed on the phone until he had to get his siblings ready for bed.
"Hello," I answered the phone with a smile.
"Wassup? What are you doing?"
I heard kids screaming in the background. It had me wondering where he was.
"About to leave my father's house. Why, what are you up to?" I pushed the start button on my car and fastened my seatbelt.
"I'm at the park with Rylie and Zach. Rylie is reading while Zach is having fun." He chuckled. "Come chill with me."
"Sure. Which park are you at?"
He told me the name of the park.
"Okay, I'll be there shortly."
After we hung up the phone, I backed out of the driveway and headed to my destination.
From my father’s house to the park only took ten minutes.
When I pulled into the park's parking lot, I spotted Jamari's car almost immediately.
I retrieved my cellphone and keys before exiting the vehicle.
To get to the playground side of the park, I realized I had some walking to do.
I needed the exercise, but it wasn't required.
My cellphone vibrated in my hand, so I lifted it and eyed the notification. Jamari had sent me a text.
Jamari:
Look up.
I did as instructed and saw him coming toward me. He had a swagger in his walk that turned me on. With a smile on my face, I met him halfway.
"You came to meet me?"
We embraced, and he pecked my lips twice. I'd never tire of feeling his lips against mine. I wish I could feel them more often.
"Hell yeah. I'm not about to let anybody snatch you up."
I dropped my head, hiding a blush.
Jamari observed me with a frown on his face. "Where are your glasses?"
I touched my face. "I didn't feel like wearing them today."
He always noticed when I didn't have my glasses on. It made me feel good that he paid attention to me.
"Oh, word. I like it when you have them on." Jamari draped his arm around me and dropped a kiss on my temple. He had a way of making me feel loved without even trying.
"I'll remember to wear them next time." I smiled.
We began walking back toward where he had come from and made small talk. The weather was nice for November. It was a lovely day to visit the park.
"Did you enjoy your time at your father's house?"
I scoffed. "No. I punched his wife."
He whistled. "Oh damn. Why did you do that?"
I gave Jamari a rundown of what happened at my father's house. He shook his head as I talked.
"Damn. I can't say what you did was wrong since she walked up on you. You handled your business like you should’ve. Why would she talk about your mother when she’s not around?”
I shrugged, wishing I knew. “That was wrong of her to do. She should’ve just stuck to going off on my father since it was his fault in the first place. My father and mother still talk, but my mother owes Brenda nothing. It’s all on my father.”
Jamari hummed but didn’t say anything else. That had me wondering what he was thinking.
“I already know my father is going to tell my mother I punched his wife.”
He chuckled. “I hope he tells her his wife called her a bitch too.”
I laughed. “Yeah, he better not leave that detail out.”
“Maybe all of this can get sorted out. You did say you and your father’s wife used to be cool. Y’all might end up talk—”
I cut him off. "That's dead. Brenda won't have to worry about me ever talking to her."
Jamari chuckled. "I get it."
When we arrived at the spot he had occupied before, we took our seats on the bench next to his sister, who rested against the tree. She had a paperback book in her hands and didn't pay us any attention. When I had the time to read, I was like that. Truthfully, I kinda missed it.
"Rylie, can you stop reading for a minute?" Jamari asked his sister.
Rylie lifted her head and smiled when she saw me. She was a pretty girl. They all resembled each other.
"Hi, Chyanne," she greeted.
I frowned but waved at her.
She laughed a little. "The reason I know your name is that Mari mentioned you to us."
I nodded, fully understanding now. It had me wondering what he had said about me.
Jamari scoffed. "I guess I didn't have to say anything then."
I chuckled, moving closer to him. "Nope."
Rylie went back to reading her book while Jamari and I spoke in low voices.
"I want to see you later, so you'll have to come to my house."
I nodded. "Okay. I don't have to work tonight, so I'll be there. You know you'll have to send me the address."
Before he could say anything, his little brother, Zach, ran up to him. Jamari reached down and retrieved a water bottle. Zach gulped it down fast, looking toward the sky. Once he was done, he gave Jamari back the bottle and took off running to the playground.
"How's his asthma doing?" I inquired, watching him.
Jamari glanced over at me. "It's doing okay. Today he wants to run around, but he has to be careful. Thanks for asking."
I waved that off. "You don't have to thank me for that. Tell me about them?"
"Man, they are a handful at times, but I wouldn't trade taking care of them for anything in the world.
They're my life. Rylie can be more than a handful now that she's a teenager.
Her lil' ass thinks she's grown. Every now and then, I gotta let her know she's not there yet.
As for Zach, I've got to stop letting him call me Dad.
Whenever he does, I tell him, I'm not his father, but his big brother.
He'll slip up sometimes, but it's all good.
They love coming to the park. When they're not at the park, they'll sit in front of the TV all day. " He chuckled.