~~~Chapter 12~~~ #2
“Right. There’s nothing wrong with that, right?”
“I mean…it’s cool. Not really my thing…but…you don’t be doing this all the time, do you?”
I arched a brow. “Before I had Khari, yes, I did club often. But I’m just bouncing back, after having her. So, I’ve only been out a handful of times.”
“Oh, alright.” He nodded, seeming satisfied with my answer.
I studied him. “Why did it feel like you were checking me?”
“I was,” he stated without a hint of laughter. “I gotta see where your head is at.”
I tilted my head, while trying to read him. Last I checked, he wanted to establish paternity first, but he was now talking like he was my baby’s daddy, which was a bit confusing.
“Anyways…what’s up, Malice? What’s on your mind?”
“You. The baby,” he answered bluntly.
“Really?”
“Hell, yeah. Ever since I left the mall that’s all I been thinking about.”
I twisted my lips, before nodding. “Me too.” I thought about it. “Why aren’t you somewhere enjoying your night with…Paisley?”
“Pssh. That was the plan, at first. We were supposed to go out to eat. But after seeing you…I knew that I was too mentally fucked up to go anywhere with her. So, I told her that I had to handle something.”
My brows creased. “And now, you’re just somewhere sitting in your car?”
He licked his lips. “Something like that.”
I rolled my eyes. “Whatever.”
“Yeah, I know. So, you gone be ready in the morning, right?”
“About that…I forgot that my cousin is having a birthday brunch.”
“Birthday brunch? Man, come on,” he grumbled. “I aint trying to hear that shit. This is way more important than brunch. But if we get up early enough, then maybe you can do both.”
My lashes fluttered. “So, I guess that I’m not supposed to get no type of sleep?”
He shrugged. “That’s on you, and how you choose to prioritize.”
“Boy, bye,” I scoffed. “You are real pushy—”
“As I should be. This is a serious matter. I literally don’t have kids, Jaylah. Outside of what I did with you, I’m not a reckless man. And that’s been by design. So, hell nawl, I aint letting up. I’m not finna walk around with this looming over my head.”
“Okay, good. I’m glad that you’re taking it seriously. That tells me that we’ll get along just fine. As long as you stay consistent, then I won’t have any problems letting you be involved.”
He frowned. “I don’t like how you just framed that.”
“Framed what?”
“Your statement. Talking about what you’ll let me do.
I’m telling you now, that’ll never work with a nigga like me.
And that’s really why I’m pushing the issue with this DNA test. This is more so to establish this legally.
Because…I feel like she’s more than likely mine.
We just need that in black and white, so that you won’t have this sense of entitlement.
Any child of mine, I intend to help raise, and that’s regardless of how you might feel about me from time to time. So, I don’t like the word let .”
I had to laugh at his audacity, as I thought about what my mama had said earlier. I’d altered my whole life the minute I decided to open my mouth and tell him about Khari. Now, this nigga was talking like he was about to start throwing around his weight or some shit.
“Yeah, okay, sir. I hear you. Although you’re skipping right over the elephant in the room. You’re talking big shit, when you don’t even know how Paisley will react. Or if she’ll even accept my baby.”
“That really aint got nothing to do with you or the baby,” he claimed.
I squinted. “How you figure?”
“Because if she’s mine, then I’m gonna be there, regardless.”
“What if she asks you to choose?”
He licked his lips. “Then I’ll have to deal with that. Either way, it aint nothing for you to worry about.”
I shook my head. “She’s gonna be hurt like a muthafucka.”
He sighed. “Trust me, I know.” He seemed to think for a second. “Let me ask you this. If y’all are cool or whatever…why didn’t you just tell her about the baby?”
“Because I like her. She’s cool, and I don’t like the idea of my baby being something that can hurt her.”
“So, you was willing to not have a active baby’s daddy, just to spare her feelings?”
I sighed. “I wouldn’t quite say that. It’s probably more about me than anything.
I side eye girls who have babies for men they’re not with.
I laugh at the ones who have babies for men who are already in relationships.
So, I didn’t want to be one of those girls.
Plus…this might be controversial, but I honestly believe that most men love their kids according to how he feels about the mama.
So, I’d hate for Khari to be the oops baby.
In cases like that, even when the man accepts the child, he usually has a tighter bond with the kids that he goes on to have intentionally with the woman he loves. ”
“I hear you,” he claimed. “You making a lot of sense, but this aint that.”
“How so?”
“Cause. You talking like I wasn’t feeling you. The last time I saw you…you was clearly already pregnant. And we both know that shit probably would be completely different right now, had you said something then.”
“Right. I didn’t know at the time, though.”
He squinted. “You sure about that?”
I bit the corner of my lip. “I was late by then…but was in denial. Still…I probably would’ve mentioned it…had your phone not rung, before you admitted that you was back with your girl.”
“But you was with that nigga,” he pointed out.
I smirked. “Yeah, somewhat.”
His eyes narrowed. “What that mean?”
I tucked my lips into my mouth. “It means…that I was half-ass invested, because…I was still stuck on that weekend with you.”
“No, bullshit?”
“Yep.” I nodded, feeling more vulnerable than I was comfortable with.
Sighing, he dragged a palm over his face. “This is finna be crazy. That’s all I know.”
“Crazy, huh?”
“Jaylah!” Tootie shouted, as she banged on the door. “Day is waiting to finish your hair. Everybody else is pretty much ready. The hell are you doing in there, girl?”
“Here I come!” I shouted, before focusing on him. “I need to get back out there.”
“Okay. So, go back out there.”
“Alright…so, that means that I’ll have to talk to you later.”
“For what?”
“Huh?” I frowned in confusion.
“I’m saying…why you gotta hang up? Just go back and let whoever finish your hair.”
My brows creased. “And you’re gonna stay on the phone for all that?”
“Yeah.”
“O-kay,” I giggled, not knowing what to say to that.
Not wanting to hold everybody up, I hopped off the toilet, and left the bathroom, with my phone in hand. Malice was probably seeing all types of shit as my hand freely swung, while I walked.
Once I was back in the chair in front of Day, I held the phone upright again. With all the ruckus and music in the background, there wasn’t much conversation we could have, yet he remained on the phone.