40. Love
LOVE
Knock! Knock! I hit my knuckles against Lauren’s door gently.
“Love, what took you so long?” Lauren claimed after she opened it for me to come in. I moved from where I leaned against the doorframe, walking past her without so much as a hey. She was already acting like we married with four kids; I ain’t tryna give her nothing extra to run with.
“No hug?” she questioned with a pout.
“Sit.” My head moved towards her desk chair. She opened her mouth to speak. But once I gave her a look, she snapped it shut and sat down. I was mad I even had to come here for this bullshit because she wouldn’t take no for an answer.
“You mad at me, ain’t you? Your felon told you about our conversation?”
We starting off on the wrong foot already. I relaxed on the edge of her desk.
“Call her that one more time,” I egged her on.
She didn’t open her mouth. Her ass knew I was done with the games. I wanted to say what I had to say and be done with it. I had more shit to focus on than her delusional ass.
“Now, I done tried to be nice and let you know I wasn’t feeling you.” As I spoke, I maintained eye contact. “You couldn’t just let shit go.” She tried to touch my leg, but I moved it out of her way. Her chin quivered.
“You wouldn’t even be saying none of this if that girl didn’t come into our lives.” Her hand came up to wipe her cheeks.
I could see the tears in her eyes, and I wish it didn’t have to go down like this. Lauren was not a bad person at all, she was just psycho.
“I knew Baby before she walked up in here.” I let her know. She stared at me, dumbfounded.
“What? When I asked you if there was any conflict of interest—”
“I lied,” I confessed, standing up.
“You almost ruined your career for a quick fuck with from the past?” She jolted from her chair, following me around the room.
I disregarded that fuck comment.
“She worth it,” I admitted honestly.
I never would’ve let Baby go back to jail but, if I had to quit to be with her, I’d do it with no hesitation. When I told Baby it’s always a job but only one her, I meant it.
Before she started that wining shit, I had to get up out of here.
“You sent them pictures to her house?” I cut to the chase, turning to face her. Realizing how close she was to me, she took a step back.
“She told you that too, huh? The bitch can’t keep shit to herself.” With her arms folded, she poked her lips out.
“Nah, I was there,” I smirked.
As soon as I said that, she took wide steps to get to me.
“Come on, Love. I can be good for you, just give us a chance,” she begged, hooking her fingers in my belt loop. By that point, I was stuck between her and the door.
“Lauren, you need help. How many times I gotta tell you I don’t want you?
This shit getting out of hand, where the fuck is yo’ self-respect?
You beautiful, I’m sure you can find somebody else.
” I removed her hands, pushing her a little bit so I could move around.
She curled her hands into fists and, for a second, I thought she was gone hit me.
Instead, she blew out a breath, her ears turning red in rage. “Well, your lil’ girlfriend gone get sent right back to jail after I’m done with her.”
See, I was tryna be cordial and calm, but her threat towards my baby pushed me over the edge. I chuckled humorlessly, flicking my nose with my thumb.
“Oh! It’s like that?” Taking my phone from my pocket, I strolled through my recent text messages. “Cool.”
I took large strides until we stood face to face near her desk. Holding my phone out, I pressed play.
“Y’all was fucking around when he was working your case?” Her eyes widened when she realized what this was.
“First of all, we ain’t having sex. Second, wasn’t y’all doing the same thing you accusing me of?”
“He’s not on my case.”
It was clearly showing she didn’t deny it.
Baby came up with this plan at the hospital last night. I wasn’t really feeling it at first because that ain’t how I got down.
“You are his supervisor though, Lauren. The difference is, y’all been having sex for months, me and Love are just friends.”
It was all Baby’s idea to clarify that on video. After seeing this from her point of view, I decided to go through with it. It was her freedom on the line, and I’d do whatever I could to keep her by my side and out of them cell bars.
“She recorded me!?” she shrieked out, her eyes damn near bulging out of her head.
“Yeah, the shit was all her idea too.” I gave my baby her props. She was caught red handed on video talking about her involvement with me, wasn’t no easy way for her to get out of this. She averted her eyes uncomfortably.
“So, what you gone do with it?”
“Depends on you,” I told her, licking my lips.
Her head snapped up, a frown on her face. “What you mean?”
“Are we gone have this conversation again?” She shook her head back and forth. “Then we all good.”
I gave the nurse at the hospital my number. Told her to text or call me if there were any changes with mama. So, when my phone vibrated in my hand, I took off the recorded video to see a text saying my mama woke up. I let out a breath of relief. Thank you, Jesus.
“Get Baby a new parole officer by her next meeting,” I spoke on my way to the door. She needed somebody that had her best interest at heart and who was really gonna help her through this. I didn’t trust Lauren with my baby’s life.
She took a step, her hands held out to stop me.
“Wait, what am I supposed to say to Mr. Simmonds?”
I scratched my chin in deep thought.
With a smirk, I turned to her. “Tell him it’s a conflict of interest.”