Chapter 22
Tunan “Tune” Payne
The sun burned the back of my neck as I stood on the doorstep of the neatly manicured lawn that the townhome sat on.
Jagoda Bay heat was no fucking joke. The sun was setting, yet it was still blazing like it had just risen.
Pulling my sweats up on my waist, I raised my fist to knock as I approached the front door.
Loud voices could be heard, causing me to sigh as I waited for my presence to be acknowledged.
Beating on the door a second time, I heard the voices quiet down and the flapping of shoes.
It had been a week and a day since she became my wife, a week since everyone found out we were married at the hospital, and six days since I’d seen her.
After the hospital fiasco, I checked in on her on Mother’s Day, meeting for breakfast. I was headed to Memphis to celebrate my mama, handle some business with my brothers, and see my nephew.
I wanted to make sure Glow was aware I’d be in the M and that she had calmed down from the night before.
She’d hardly said shit at breakfast, so I knew she was still fucked up about Glee.
I was hoping today would show progression, but from the raised voices I’d heard when I first knocked, shit was anything but good.
I hadn’t heard from Shio during the week besides him asking if I was in the Bay a couple of days ago. When I told him I wasn’t, he told me to hit him when I touched back down. That was the plan, but I needed to visit my wife first.
The door flew open, and I was met with a mad, pretty, and fiery Glow. I didn’t know what I expected when she opened the door, but a red face, tear-stained cheeks, and a puffed-up chest were the last things I expected.
“Now is NOT a good time!”
I towered over Glow, so I was able to see inside of her townhouse. It was neat, smelled good from the door, but that wasn’t what had my attention. Seeing her little sister on the couch with her face in her hands while her shoulders vibrated had my chest tight.
“Glow, you gonna invite me in or do I gotta stand on this hot-ass porch all day?”
Sucking her teeth, she ran her hand through her hair that had been pulled back into a ponytail. She didn’t have an ounce of makeup on and was in leggings and a tank, but she still looked beautiful as hell, even with her pissed off expression.
“How do you know where I live anyway?” she screamed.
Ignoring her yelling, I backed her into the house, closing the door behind me.
“Tunan!”
“Glow…” I reached into my pocket and pulled out a knot of money. “I brought the mortgage payment.”
I meant to leave this with her before I went to the M, but I forgot to grab the bands, rushing to make sure I didn’t miss my flight. Tulsaire was home, and there was no telling when his popular ass would disappear again.
Her brow rose as she looked at the bands of money I was holding out to her. “That looks like more than two thousand dollars.”
“It’s twelve. Pay it up for six months.”
I hadn’t set up a bank account, nor did I have any credit cards, thanks to Stella fucking up my credit. I was a cash nigga for now, so anytime I had to break Glow off, it wouldn’t be no Zelle or ApplePay.
“He… Hello.” The voice behind us stuttered.
Glow turned on her heels, and when she realized her sister was on the phone, she damn near flew across the room and snatched it out of her hands. Glee jumped back and winced—probably still sore from childbirth.
“You think this shit is a fucking joke, Glee? Why are you answering the phone when I’m talking to you? Since you won’t tell me who the fuck the father is, I should get this shit turned off!”
“I… I’m sorry, Glow! I didn’t mean to get pregnant! If I would have known, I would have gotten rid of it!”
“You damn right, you would have! You don’t need no fuckin’ baby! If you were gonna have sex, you should have at least protected yourself! You are on a full scholarship! Mama is pissed, so she don’t want y’all there! What the fuck are you going to do? Stop walking around like shit is all gravy!”
“I didn’t know!” Glee covered her mouth and cried into her hands. “I’m sorrrryyyyy! Please stop being mad at me!”
“Fuck that! I’m beyond mad! I’m pissed! A motherfucker who can’t tell a nigga to use a condom or at least get on birth control shouldn’t be fuckin’ nobody!” Glow screamed so loud her voice cracked.
Looking around the living room, the only signs of the baby were a pink carrier, a diaper bag, and a blanket. But I knew the baby had to have been here. Yet, they were in this bitch screaming' like they didn’t have no sense.
“Aye, Glow.”
“Nigga, what?” She snapped her head at me.
Licking my lips, I jutted my chin to the hallway. “Come holla at me in the back.”
Glee was crying hysterically on the couch while Glow’s chest was heaving.
“Now, Glow.”
“UUUUGHHHH!”
Glee jumped as Glow stormed down the hallway. We walked past two doors; one was a bathroom, the other was closed, and the third had a pink blanket spread across the middle of the bed where a baby slept peacefully. I was surprised she hadn’t woken up with all the damn ruckus they were making.
Entering Glow’s bedroom, it looked exactly like I imagined it would. Creams, golds, and neutrals flowed throughout the space. The only thing out of place was the comforter on her queen-sized bed. It looked like she had gotten straight out of bed and got on good bullshit.
Closing the door behind us, I stood there with my arms folded as I watched this crazy-ass girl pace and talk shit. I let her get her shit off until she started raising her voice.
“You gonna wake up the baby, Glow.”
Her head shot up at me with hate. “Fuck that baby! That baby shouldn’t even be here right now.”
This damn girl need a blunt or three.
“Aye…” Walking up in Glow’s personal space, she stood frozen, chest heaving. “That’s your niece at the end of the day, Glow. I know you mad and shit, but the baby here now. I’m sure she feels bad enough. Be dere for your sister, Glow.”
I wish I’d been there for my sister when she was pregnant by that old dude, but I was too young and too happy to think logically.
That old nigga was giving her money to buy us food, shoes, and other stuff, so I was cooling, unaware as fuck.
My sister was the most important girl in the world to me.
Just by seeing the regret on Glee’s face, I could tell that she felt about her big sister the same way I felt about mine.
I had enough money to get my own place, but I was still in the spare room at Tuscany’s house.
I loved my sister to death. I loved all of my siblings, but Tuscany, being the only girl, and knowing the sacrifices she made, had me holding her to a different standard.
“I… I…She’s just a kid, Tunan! A fucking kid! What the fuck will she do with a baby?”
“The baby here, Glow. You can either keep dwelling on the fact that she fucked up, or you can help her figure this shit out.”
“Nah!” Glow shook her head ferociously. “Nah, fuck that! I don’t even have a baby of my own! What the fuck am I gonna do? I can’t be rocking no baby! I got my own life to live!”
“It’s her baby, Glow. Not yours. Help her… You ain’t gotta step in as the mother. But you can be a big sister and auntie.”
“She probably pregnant by a broke-ass college boy that doesn’t want shit to do with the baby!
She didn’t answer my call for months! Monthsss!
Still, I was putting money in her account and sending groceries.
She was probably laying up with the nigga and letting him eat the groceries I paid for!
Nobody showed up at the hospital for her.
Nobody, Tunan! The only visitors she had were Pia’s little sister, Pearla, and me!
Her best friend isn’t even here anymore, and I’m sure her ass was the fucking ringleader.
My sister had her future mapped out! She was supposed to be a doctor!
A fucking doctor! A future doctor let a broke-ass boy knock her up! ”
“He ain’t broke,” I mumbled.
“What?”
“Nun, Glow. Just calm down. Everything gone be aite. I get why you mad and shit… But you can’t be mad forever.”
Glow wasn’t trying to hear shit I was saying, so I wasn’t going to keep trying to reason with her.
But Leader, if he was the father, wasn’t broke by a long shot.
The nigga was paid. He was behind bars, but his brother was still holding it down.
It wasn’t my place to tell Glow who her sister’s baby father was or what he had.
Shit, I didn’t even know if he was the father.
What I did know was that the girl Leader had mentioned was Glow’s little sister for damn sure.
There was only one Glow who did food vlogging.
Who Glee made a baby with was her business to tell, and until I saw the baby, I wasn’t saying shit to Leader either.
I wasn’t no gossiping-ass nigga, especially about some shit I wasn’t sure about.
“You know what? She got me fucked up! The problem is, she has never had her ass beat before!” Glow nodded as she headed toward the door, but I grabbed her arm.
I pulled her back, but she swung on a nigga. I dodged her punch right in time, but she followed that shit up with another. Having no choice, I grabbed her in a bear hug, digging my chin in her shoulder.
“Tunan, get off me! Get the fuck off me!”
“I’m not ’bout to let you go fight that girl. She just had a baby, Glow. You just mad right now, and your heart is broken, but it’s gone heal. The disappointment gone let up, and when it do, you gonna be mad as hell at yourself for how you been acting, bruh. Pipe the fuck down.”
“I ain’t fucking piping down! A loser-ass nigga knocked my sister up and made her a single mother! He probably don’t even like her for real! Just wanted some ass! Glee so damn green and gullible!”