Chapter 2 #2
“That ain’t directed at you, Lu. She already had an attitude when she was on that phone talking to Lord knows who,” Granny rolled her eyes.
She made it no secret that she wasn’t feeling the fact that we were pregnant with no men in the picture.
I’d explained my situation to her and she urged me to put my feelings to the side and do what was best for my baby.
Nalyssa’s situation was still a big mystery though.
I could only assume that she didn’t know who her baby daddy was and my grandma probably thought the same.
“Y’all gon let my niece be. She’s seven months pregnant. She can be mean if she wants to.”
“My grandson is the only reason I’ve been sparring her, but she better check herself before she wreck herself,” Auntie Luna rolled her eyes.
“See, this is why I was being quiet. All everybody wants to do is jump on me all the time. Meanwhile, Lourdes is getting spoiled 24/7 even though we’re in the same boat.”
My head bounced back at her throwing me in the mix with her.
All she knew for a fact was that I was pregnant.
She didn’t know my situation in depth because I’d never talked to her about it.
We didn’t talk about a damn thing lately because we weren’t close anymore.
Really, we hadn’t been super tight since our teen years but we did make time for each other here and there.
The main thing we did as adults was communicate over the phone whenever we had tea to spill.
But that had stopped when she found out she was pregnant.
I figured she was going through a lot, so the distance didn’t bother me.
If I was being honest, I didn’t want to be bothered with her annoying ass anyway.
Lately, the only time we saw each other was around family.
She hadn’t attempted to ask me anything about my pregnancy, and that was unlike her to not pry for information.
However, that’s how I preferred it. I didn’t need her or anybody else in my damn business.
That’s why I was surprised that she was speaking on me now.
“Hold up, girl, when I was popping up at your house to help you out in the beginning you told me to stop coming by without calling first. I respected your mind and started calling only to be ignored, so I figured you didn’t want to be bothered.
Lourdes ain’t never complained about me and her mama going over to her house to cook and clean.
If you having a change of heart then just say that, Lyss,” Granny said empathetically.
Personally, I would’ve told her to go to hell.
It was obvious that the only reason she was having a change of heart was because she was jealous.
It wasn’t my fault that my mom made time to make me feel loved and supported.
Auntie Luna was a RN who worked night shifts, so she spent her days sleeping and resting up for work.
Granny never played favorites, so it didn’t surprise me to hear that she’d tried to carry Lyss the same way she’d been carrying me.
If she wasn’t receptive to it then that was her problem and no one else’s.
But of course she tried to guilt trip us all.
That had been her MO since she announced her pregnancy.
“No, it’s fine. I don’t need no fake love,” she rolled her eyes. “It’s obvious I’m on my own.”
“Oh, girl please,” Auntie Luna huffed. “Don’t project how somebody else is making you feel onto us.
I’m paying for your entire baby shower by myself and I’ve bought all the big, major things that my grandson will need.
I’m even planning on using my PTO to help you for those first few weeks after the baby is born.
You know damn well you’re not on your own. ”
Lyss didn’t have a response to that because she knew her mama was right. She only rolled her eyes and glanced back down at her phone.
“What is she projecting onto us?” Granny asked. Of course her messy self wouldn’t drop the conversation.
“Whatever her baby daddy is making her feel.”
Nalyssa’s head popped up in shock.
“Yea, I noticed that you were texting paragraphs to somebody who’s name is saved under baby daddy. If you can give that nigga that much energy then you might as well let us all meet him,” Auntie Luna grumbled.
“Chile, I’m just happy to hear that there is a baby daddy,” Granny huffed.
“See, this is why I didn’t want to come here today.” Lyss hit the power button on her phone and sat it face down on the table. “Cause why wouldn’t I have a baby daddy? Did y’all think I got myself pregnant?”
“No baby, because that would be impossible. But I just assumed you didn’t know who your baby daddy was.”
“Mama, that’s not nice,” my mama tittered.
“Anybody would assume that because she never wants to talk about the man. She hasn’t even told us his name or shown us a picture.
This whole time she’s been saying her son don’t have no father and that she’s going to do it on her own,” Auntie Luna mocked Nalyssa’s voice so perfectly that I had to laugh.
I think that pissed Lyss off because she focused her attention back on me.
“All of this stuff could be said about Lourdes too, but y’all too busy making her feel like a princess,” she hissed.
“Ever since I sat at this table it’s been ‘oh Lo-Lo, you’re so pretty, your little baby bump is so cute, you’re carrying so beautifully.
’ Why don’t y’all discuss all the mystery around her pregnancy, too? ”
“Probably because there is no mystery around my pregnancy. I’m also not making my problems everybody else's problem,” I replied with a small smile.
I was actually tickled that she was directing her anger at me and being blatantly envious in the process.
If I was mean spirited like her I would’ve pointed out how nobody was complimenting her because her edges were gone, acne was all over her face, her neck was five shades darker than the rest of her body, her nose had tripled in size, and her entire body grew bigger with her belly.
She couldn’t help any of that, but her nasty attitude made her exude ugliness that matched her outer appearance.
“Oh, there’s definitely a mystery around your pregnancy. You don’t have a baby daddy in the picture just like me, but I haven’t seen anyone press you about it like they’ve done me.”
“Girl, I know exactly who my baby daddy is and so do the people I want to know. Like I said, I’m not taking my situation out on anyone else.”
“Well shit, I want to know who your baby daddy is, too, niece,” Auntie Luna laughed. I could tell she was trying to lighten the mood but it was too late for all that. Her daughter had done the absolute most.
“Hmmp, let me find out it’s Kenny. Because if it was Ali I’m sure it wouldn’t be a big secret,” Lyss grumbled while glaring at me. I really didn’t understand where all the anger and animosity was coming from surrounding who my baby daddy was. Why did she even care?
“Whoever it is doesn’t concern you, Lyss. Focus on your baby daddy and get out my business,” I snapped.
“If it’s Kenny that’s crazy,” she shook her head while laughing dryly. “ Because Ali was treating you like a queen.”
“Nalyssa, hush,” my mom asserted.
“No, seriously,” Auntie Luna sighed. “Cause you’re really the last one to talk, Lyss. And Lo-Lo is right, the reason why her situation isn’t up for discussion is because she’s not complaining and talking shit to everybody on a daily basis like you. You could learn a thing or two from her.”
“See, blatant favoritism,” Lyss crossed her arms and pouted like a child. “I gotta shut up about Lourdes but everybody can talk about me.”
“Baby, I’m telling you to be quiet because you’re loud and wrong,” my mom said.
“Well until somebody tells me real details to prove me wrong then I’ma assume I’m not.”
“Girl, you can think whatever you want,” I laughed. “Just leave my name out of whatever you got going on. I should be the least of your problems right now.”
“Baby, if anything I’m pointing out the hypocrisy and double standards in this family, but okay. You got it, little miss perfect.”
“Don’t project your feelings on to me, Lyss, because I’ve never claimed to be perfect. Little do you know my life has been in shambles, but I don’t have to shout that from the rooftop to make you feel better.”
“Hmmp, your life is in shambles yet everybody swears that me and you ain’t in the same boat.”
“We’re not,” my eyes bulged. “I don’t know the specifics of your situation and you don’t know the specifics of mine. I can tell you one thing though, I ain’t texting my baby daddy paragraphs or chasing behind him. I love my baby too much to bring her misery and distress while she’s in my womb.”
“Girllll, you can say anything but who knows what you’re really doing when you’re at home alone.”
“Bitc-,” I was about to go in like our mothers and grandma weren't in the room. Thankfully, my grandma stood up and cut me off.
“Alright, that’s enough. We not about to do all that and definitely not in my house.”
“Chileee,” my mama stressed while staring down at her vibrating phone. She looked directly at me in a way that made my heart skip a beat. “Y’all then talked this man up.”
Before I could respond she answered the phone and put it on speaker.
“Hello?”
“Wassup, Ms. Lucia? How you doing today?”
The sound of Armias’ voice made my heart drop.
The last time I heard it was when he was telling me that my pregnancy had nothing to do with him.
He was so mean that day but he wanted to be all polite on the phone with my mom.
I didn’t understand why he was calling her in the first place.
She needed to do like me and block his ass.
“I’m doing good, baby,” she responded nicely, making me turn my face up in disgust. She was too friendly for me. “How are you?”
“I’m finna flash out.”
“Flash out?”
“Yes, because your daughter is on some other stuff. Excuse my French, but she got me fucked up.”