Chapter 12 #2
So many times, I envisioned how I would beat Valerie with my words if we ever ran into each other.
I promised myself I would treat her like a bitch on the street since she left me hanging.
But I couldn’t think of anything that would hurt her as much as being away from her kids.
The sight of her tears didn’t bring me joy like I assumed they would.
I didn’t want to console her, but one day, I wanted to hear her out.
She lifted her hands in a surrendering motion. “Yes, of course. I understand. We can get together when you have some free time. I pray that’s sooner than later.”
“I need to talk to Easy about this before I—”
“Baby, I’ve been looking for you.” Kannon approached us, ending the conversation before I had the chance.
“My bad, mama. I needed some fresh air.”
“Don’t apologize. I respect it.” She faced Valerie. “Is this . . . your mom?”
Valerie beamed. “How did you know?”
“You two have the same pretty, oval-shaped eyes. Plus, the dimples were a dead giveaway.” Kannon glanced at me. “Do I need to grab security?”
I laughed at my shameless protector. “Nah, she’s good. Valerie, this is my girlfriend, Kannon.”
The ladies exchanged a handshake while looking at each other cynically.
“So you’re the beauty carrying my grandbaby. I hope we can become acquainted,” Valerie suggested with a toothless smile.
Kannon looked at me before saying, “One relationship at a time.”
My baby’s blunt response was exactly how I felt. Valerie may have been relieved that my father was dead and she was free to roam in her hometown, but both facts made me uneasy.
Valerie asked me to walk her out, and Kannon tagged along. The ladies exchanged small talk as we made our way to the front of the house, but Valerie stopped when Uncle Lester stumbled in our direction.
“Look who’s still a sloppy drunk. I see things haven’t changed. How are you, Lester?”
My uncle froze and squinted like he was staring at a ghost. “Oh Lord. I know I must be faded. I know damn well the devil herself ain’t walked into this muthafucka.
My brother ain’t been gone a week, and your ass popped up?
Bitch, bust a move.” He pointed behind us, and I saw his attention on Kannon.
“You can take that bitch with you. She doesn’t have no business here either. ”
“Uncle Lester, you’re faded.” I huffed. “Go sleep that shit off.”
“Fuck you, little nigga! I’ve been looking at you funny ever since you switched up on your cousin over a bitch.”
One hit to the chin, and I dropped the old head to the marble floor. Like he was a nigga off the street, I stood over the hater until someone snatched me off balance.
“Boy, have you lost your damn mind?” Uncle Luke bucked up at me.
“I’ll lose more than that for my lady and my daughter! I’m sick of him testing me over something that doesn’t concern him!”
Echo stepped between his father and me, then straightened my collar while looking at me with worry in his eyes.
“Come on, Nep. I’ll make sure shit is straight here. Get Kannon out of here.”
“Fuck that! I’m not going nowhere until I make something clear.
” I grabbed Kannon’s hand and guided her to my side.
“This woman is the mother of my child. She is going to be my wife. You niggas may have never had a real one, but my story is different. If you disrespect her, I’ll shoot your face off. ”
Everyone in the foyer looked confused or upset except for Kannon and Valerie. My mother stared at me with pride, making her eyes wide, and my lady looked like she had fallen more in love.
“Are you ready to go home, Tune?” Kannon asked, gripping my hand.
“I’m ready, Kitty.”
When we made it to my car, I didn’t drive off.
I sat in the driveway with my anger, my pain, and the woman who made it easier to deal with.
There wasn’t an ounce of regret in my heart for snapping at my uncle, though there would be consequences.
I would accept whatever came my way as long as I got my message across.
“Baby. We can go back in there if you want to,” Kannon offered.
“I’ve had enough of the bullshit for today. I want to lie up under you and feel my baby kick in your belly.”
She kissed the back of my hand like I had done hers plenty of times. “Add in some Italian food, and you’ve got yourself a date.”
Since I refused to drive to the hills, I decided we would end our night at Kannon’s house after picking up our food.
I drove without a sense of urgency and enjoyed the old-school music playing on the radio.
After one or two songs, the oldies became a karaoke track.
I got ready to sing the best part of Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell’s jam, but Kannon’s wide eyes caused me to turn the music down.
“What’s wrong, Kitty?”
“Drive off.”
My eyes turned into slits. “Drive off and go where?”
“Anywhere, but here,” she grumbled and sank into her seat.
Black trucks and a Cadillac were parked in Kannon’s driveway. The scene looked like somebody with power and money had arrived.
“That’s my daddy and my brother and probably my uncles.”
“So fucking what? We’re not running from a soul. I just laid my folks out for talking slick to you. What the hell do you think I’ll do to yours?”
She palmed her forehead and forced out a harsh exhale. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”
I cruised up the block, then parked in the middle of the street. Before busting a move, I reached under my seat and grabbed the gun I kept stashed.
“Do not get out of the car,” I warned the rebel as I opened my door.
Though Kannon mentioned her uncles were nearby, only her brother and her father stood on the curb. Junior was a few inches taller than me, but his father and I were eye to eye.
“Can I help you?” I asked as I walked up.
“Actually, you can help me with two things.” Junior used his gun to point to my car. “Unlock the door and let my sister out of your car, then run me the bread your cousin owes me.”
“I can only help you with one of those issues.”
The gray-haired man next to him stared at me with an intrusive look. I was sure he was thinking about how much I looked like my dad.
“I heard your father died,” the old man stated. “I would hate for Valerie to host a second funeral so soon. I don’t know what you and my daughter got going on, but the shit stops now.”
“That’s not going to happen. Kannon is mine.”
Junior’s brows went crazy, and he tightened the grip on his pistol. “Nigga, I’m not going to tell you—”
“Junior, cut the shit!” Kannon yelled as she walked up beside me.
I grimaced at the rebel. “Didn’t I tell you to stay in the car?”
“You know I’m hardheaded.” She shrugged. “What are y’all doing here? What is all this, Daddy?”
“I came home for a meeting, but I wanted to surprise you. I guess I’m the only one surprised. You’re pregnant, Kannon?”
Her brother moved like he wanted to touch her, so I pulled a second gun from my waistband.
“Oh, what? Are you going to shoot me?” He smirked.
“If she tells me to,” I replied, matching his nonchalant attitude.
Though I kept my eyes on Junior, he broke our eye contact and glanced at his sister.
“What the fuck, Kannon? Is this why you’ve been avoiding me?”
“I haven’t been avoiding you, but my baby is why I haven’t asked to see you since we had lunch. I knew what you would say, and I wanted to have a stress-free pregnancy.”
An icy laugh caused her father’s chest to bounce. “You are one to fucking talk! Since the day I fucked your mama, you’ve caused nothing but stress. I told you to make shit right with the man, and you fucked him?”
“Hey!” I blurted out. “You need to calm down or cut the conversation.”
“Boy, I don’t need no middleman to speak to my daughter.”
“You ain’t talking to her sideways while she’s carrying mine. Hell, even without the baby, you won’t talk to her crazy. You think she’s a burden, then get on! I got her in this lifetime and in the next.”
“Kannon!” Her father snatched off his sunglasses. “Why are you even entertaining this fool?”
“Because he’s my man,” Kannon answered. “You’re mad at me for not telling you about my pregnancy when you should be mad at yourself for going months without seeing me. You only show up to reprimand me, and I’m over it. You don’t treat Kasey and Junior that way.”
“You aren’t Kasey or Junior! Those are my wife’s kids. They were made out of love.”
“So it’s okay to treat us differently?”
He stepped from side to side as if trying to figure out which direction to take the conversation. “Kannon, you’re almost thirty years old. You need to let go of the past. I took care of you, which is more than what most men would’ve done after their mistress lied about getting a fucking abortion!”
“You didn’t take care of me, but that’s okay. I learned how to take care of myself.” She glanced at me. “Then I met a man who finds joy in doing it.”
The confidence in Kannon’s delivery let me know I had done a good job. I had proven I would always pick Kannon, so she chose me. Despite the costs or backlash, the lady with the cat-like eyes picked a side.
“Kannon, are you really going to throw us to the side for a nigga you don’t even know?”
“No, I’m asking you to love me and respect my relationship,” she declared. “My man just lost his father. He deserves my attention. We can talk about this later.”
Junior grimaced. “What did I tell you a few months back? He is going to play you.”
“This is my wife. Playing her would be playing myself,” I corrected him.
Mr. Blackstone pushed his shoulders back and put his frames back on. “Yeah, all right. As usual, you want to be hardheaded. I would bet my legacy he won’t marry you. When he leaves you and your baby to fend for yourself, don’t call me.”
She shrugged. “I won’t. It’s not like you’ll answer.”