17. Khalil
I sat next to the bassinet with my elbows on my knees and head low. I may have appeared calm, but my whole body was on fire. The amount of rage I felt after seeing my baby with her arm bandaged from third-degree burns made me want to find Nia and choke the life from that neglectful bitch.
I tried to give her the benefit of the doubt. I tried working with her because Kiyanne deserved to have both of her parents in her life, but this shit was beyond inexcusable.
I knew I shouldn’t have trusted her.
My nana told me not to let her leave with her, but because I wanted Nia to be a mother for fucking once, I allowed her to take her on the weekends.
Big fucking mistake.
While I was at home getting ready for the Halloween party, Nia’s grandmother called to tell me that Nia had left Kiyanne with her ten-year-old cousin after the party.
From the information she gave me, Brianna was in the kitchen, cooking chicken nuggets on the stove, while Kiy was in her bouncer, and she accidentally knocked the pan over and burned her leg and Kiy’s arm.
Mena immediately rushed them to the hospital and called me, explaining what happened. I barely finished dressing before Nana and I hurried out of the house to get to the hospital. I was so heated that I forgot my phone at home.
I didn’t feel bad about going off on Ms. Mena when I arrived because this was as much her fault as it was Nia’s.
Seeing my baby all bandaged up made me want to kill Nia’s dumb ass and put hands on Ms. Mena too, who left after I cussed her ass out.
Where the fuck was the supervision?
Why the fuck did they have my baby in the kitchen in the first fucking place, and who authorizes a ten-year-old to look after a four-month-old baby?
This shit was too much and had me questioning my own fucking fatherhood. I didn’t ask for this, but the little princess who had to be sedated due to her being in pain, lying in the big bassinet, made tears come to my eyes.
Nana placed her hand on my shoulder as I looked up to see her holding out a sandwich to me.
“I can’t eat right now, Nana.”
“Try, baby. Please.”
I sat back, taking the sandwich from her. “Did you get in touch with Piper yet?”
“Yes, she’s on her way. Your mom is on her way as well.” She rubbed my back as I attempted to take a bite of the sub sandwich she’d bought me. I looked over at my baby girl, and tears welled in my eyes, but I didn’t let them fall.
“You can tell me you told me so. I wouldn’t even be mad about it.”
“I ain’t doing that. In life, we make mistakes. The only thing you have to do now is learn from them.”
“I want to strangle her stupid ass so bad,” I griped.
“But you won’t. You weren’t raised that way. Let God work. He knows what to do about this situation, and He will handle her as He sees fit.”
I leaned my head against the wall and looked up at the ceiling.
“I’m a bad father, ain’t I?”
“Absolutely not. You are an amazing father.”
“If I’m amazing, then why do I keep making stupid-ass decisions when it comes to Nia being a mother to our daughter?
I got a lot of stress on me. The combine is coming up soon; four different teams are already trying to sign me, and being the freaking pillar of True is taking a toll on me.
I try not to let it get to me, but at this point, I don’t know if I want to—”
“Don’t you dare say it, Lilo. I know it’s stressful to have a child with someone who isn’t mentally stable, but that’s why you have me.
I may be older, but I am more than capable of taking care of Kiyanne.
You just insist on trying not to put too much on me by rejecting my help.
I know you want her to be a mother to Kiyanne, but you can’t make nobody do nothing they don’t want to do, Lilo. You hear?”
I sighed. “Yeah.” Just then, the curtain opened, and Piper appeared. As soon as I saw the red marks on her face, her hair disheveled, costume ripped with little specks of blood on it, my solemnity turned to anger again.
I stood abruptly. “What the fuck happened to your face?” I moved over to her, inspecting her face.
“I’m fine. What happened to Kiyanne?” she asked frantically. She tried to walk around me to Kiyanne’s side, but I pulled her back.
“Let me talk to you right quick.” I escorted her out into the hall. “Answer my question, shorty. What happened?”
She looked away and folded her arms across her chest. I could see her friends in the distance talking, then my eyes went back to her.
“Piper!” My voice rose higher than I intended.
Her body jerked a little before she spoke. “Your baby mama is what happened.”
“What? She did this?”
Piper nodded. “She showed up to the party, talking crazy to me when I asked her why she wasn’t with Kiy. The conversation got heated, and she attacked me, along with her friends. Sabrina and I had a moment too.”
“I’ma kill this bitch,” I seethed. “Come here.” I pulled Piper into my arms and held her tight. “I’m sorry this happened to you. I promise I’m going to handle it.”
She pulled away from me and looked down at her feet. I could feel the energy shift in her body. She was withdrawing. I could feel it.
“Piper—”
“I’m sorry about what happened to Kiyanne. I pray she gets better soon. I-I’ve decided that I’m going back home to finish school—”
“What? Nah. That’s not happening.” I shook my head. “You’re not leaving.”
“Khalil.”
“No, Mi Amor. I know what happened is fucked up, and it just pisses me off even more that I let my daughter go with that unstable creature. I promise this will never happen again. I’m going to court, getting full custody, and a restraining order against her.
I’m done trying with her, and the shit she pulled tonight and what she did to you further confirms what I should have done a long time ago. ”
“It’s not just about her, Khalil; it’s Sabrina too. Now that I’ve put my hands on her, I know she’s going to get me expelled. I’d rather just save her the trouble and leave on my own.”
“So that’s it? You just giving up? What about us?” She looked away, wrapping her arms around herself. My heart beat rapidly, waiting for her to respond. I didn’t think she understood how insanely in love I was with her in just the short amount of time I’d known her.
Since the moment I tasted her, I had been thinking about our future together—marriage, kids, the big house, and all. She was the first woman I ever saw a future with, and the fact that she stood here, about to rip my fucking heart out, had me ready to go nuts.
I pulled her to me and placed my finger under her chin so she could look into my eyes.
“I asked you a question, Piper. What does this mean for us? Are you willing to walk away from me after I fell in love with you? After I—”
“I’m not walking away, Khalil. We can still be together.”
“I don’t want you away from me. That shit with Sabrina can be fixed.
Just because her people own the school don’t mean shit.
They would have to hold court before they can make the decision on whether you leave or stay.
” Our foreheads connected as I closed my eyes, and air filtered from my nose.
I was fucking exhausted from trying to keep myself together.
“Baby, I’m begging you not to go. I need you. I’ll make everything right if you say you’ll stay.”
Her body loosened, and her arms came around my neck.
I held her back tightly like she was going to disappear.
No one had ever made me feel the things I felt with Piper.
I wanted this. I wanted her with me before and after the fame.
The feelings I had for her shocked and scared me at the same time, but I pushed that shit aside and was ready to live out my dreams with her.
“I’m under a lot of pressure, Pipe. Don’t walk away from me.
You’re the only good thing in my life besides Kiyanne and my family.
I love you so fucking much, baby. Don’t leave me.
” I could feel her tears on my neck and hated that this shit was happening.
I should have put Nia in her place better.
Even Sabrina shouldn’t have been a threat.
I had connections that could ensure that Piper stayed at True.
Even if she couldn’t stay on campus, she could always stay with me, or I’d get her an apartment—anything for her to remain here with me.
“Khalil.”
I turned to see my mother walking toward me. Worry and sadness adorned her face. She wrapped her arms around me and held me tight before releasing me and placing her palms on my face.
“What happened? The whole story.”
My nostrils flared at the thought of having to recap the story. “Nia left Kiy with her grandmother and her ten-year-old cousin. According to Mena, Brianna had Kiy in the kitchen while she was cooking, and the grease spilled on her arm.”
“What! Khalil . . .” My mother drew in a deep breath and released it, then pointed a stern finger at me.
“First thing Monday morning, I want you in court, filing for full custody. That incompetent bitch doesn’t deserve any rights to my grandbaby.
I allowed you to make decisions because you’re an adult, and that’s your child, but I’m done playing nice.
No more, Jameer!” she yelled, calling me by my middle name. She only did that when she was pissed.
“I know, Ma. I’m on it.”
“How is she?”
“Sleeping. They gave her a mild sedative to relieve her from feeling the pain.”
Ma shook her head and scoffed, eyes going to Piper, who stood behind me in silence. “Hello, Piper. What happened to you?” Ma asked, going to her side. Piper snapped out of her daze, looked at my mom, eyes coming to me, then back to my mom.
“Nia and I had a fight. She attacked me at the Halloween party.”
“What? This wench is off her fucking rocker. While her baby is unsupervised, she’s out fucking partying? I hope you beat the shit out of her.”
“Yeah,” Piper whispered. “I should go.”
“Baby.” I stepped closer to her.
“Just let me think, Khalil. Please. I’ll call you to check on Kiy later.”