CHAPTER 11
EVERYBODY AIN’T GOTTA KNOW MY FUCKING BUSINESS
By Saturday morning, Zaviyah had exactly three problems.
Her sister wasn’t speaking to her.
Her son woke up asking for his daddy.
And apparently somebody in Fort Lauderdale had nothing better to do than spread her fucking business.
“Mama.”
Zaviyah kept scrolling.
“Mama.”
She ignored him.
“MAMA!”
“What?”
Kyren stood beside her bed in nothing but a Pull Up.
“Daddy.”
She closed her eyes.
Of course.
“Good morning to you too.”
“Daddy come?”
“I don’t know.”
“Call Daddy.”
“Kyren.”
“Call Daddy.”
“Why you bossing me around before I brush my teeth?”
“Daddy.”
Zaviyah stared at him.
He stared back.
Same stubborn ass face Kavon made.
She hated that she could see it now.
“Go put some clothes on.”
“No.”
“Then Daddy definitely ain’t coming.”
Kyren took off running.
Zaviyah laughed.
“Manipulation works every fucking time.”
Her phone rang.
Malissa.
She answered.
“What?”
“Good morning, sunshine.”
“What you want?”
“Why everybody talking about you?”
Zaviyah sat up.
“What?”
“You heard me.”
“Who is everybody?”
“Girl.”
“Malissa.”
“I just left the beauty supply on Sunrise.”
“And?”
“And some bitch in there was talking about Rashaad got a secret baby.”
Zaviyah froze.
“What?”
“Yep.”
“Who?”
“I don’t know her.”
“Then how the fuck she know?”
“Apparently Jalisa and Rashaad had an argument outside Shooters last night.”
Zaviyah threw the blanket off.
“What the fuck were they doing at Shooters?”
“Arguing, apparently.”
“This ain’t funny.”
“It’s a little funny.”
“No, it’s not.”
“The bitch said Jalisa was yelling something
about DNA.”
Zaviyah covered her face.
“Jesus Christ.”
“And Rashaad was telling her to lower her voice.”
“Which obviously worked.”
“Clearly.”
Zaviyah got out of bed.
“Did they say my name?”
Malissa went quiet.
Zaviyah stopped walking.
“Malissa.”
“Maybe.”
“BITCH.”
“Okay, yes.”
“What did they say?”
“That the baby mama was Samaria sister.”
Zaviyah’s stomach dropped.
“Oh my fucking God.”
“And somebody apparently knows Kavon was at the testing center too.”
“How?”
“I don’t know.”
“This city too fucking small.”
“I been telling you.”
Zaviyah paced her bedroom.
“Does Samaria know?”
“I don’t know.”
“Fuck.”
“You calling her?”
“She ain’t answering me.”
“Try anyway.”
Zaviyah hung up and immediately called Samaria.
One ring.
Two.
Voicemail.
Again.
Voicemail.
She sent a text.
Call me. It’s important.
Nothing.
Kyren ran back into the room wearing shorts backward and one shoe.
“Ready!”
Zaviyah looked at him.
“For what?”
“Daddy.”
“Boy.”
“Daddy come.”
“You don’t even have a shirt on.”
Kyren looked down.
Then ran away again.
Zaviyah laughed despite herself.
Her phone rang.
She looked down.
Not Samaria.
Kavon.
She stared at his name.
After last night, she had promised herself she was going to create some distance.
Apparently Kyren had other plans.
She answered.
“Hello?”
“Morning.”
“Morning.”
“You busy?”
“Yes.”
“Oh.”
Zaviyah sighed.
“What?”
“I was gonna ask if I could see Kyren.”
She looked toward the hallway.
Kyren yelled from his bedroom.
“DADDY!”
Kavon laughed through the phone.
“Was that him?”
“No.”
“Zaviyah.”
“Yes.”
“What he say?”
“Nothing.”
“I heard Daddy.”
“You hearing things.”
Kavon laughed.
“You’re ridiculous.”
“And you’re irritating.”
“So can I see him?”
Zaviyah hesitated.
Samaria’s voice came back into her head.
Figure it the fuck out before you destroy whatever is left between us.
“I don’t know.”
Kavon went quiet.
“What happened?”
“Nothing.”
“You sound weird.”
“I’m not weird.”
“I didn’t say you were weird. I said you sound weird.”
“Same shit.”
“Did Samaria say something?”
Zaviyah immediately got irritated.
“Why would you ask that?”
“Because you went to see her last night.”
“How you know?”
“You told me.”
“Oh.”
Kavon laughed.
“Damn, you ready to fight.”
“I got a lot going on.”
“What happened?”
“People are talking.”
His voice changed.
“About what?”
“The DNA test.”
“What?”
“Apparently Rashaad and Jalisa were arguing in public last night.”
“Of course.”
“And now people know.”
“Know what exactly?”
“That Rashaad took a DNA test for my son.”
Kavon paused.
“And me?”
“Yes.”
Silence.
Zaviyah walked toward the kitchen.
“I don’t want Kyren in gossip.”
“He won’t be.”
“You can’t control people.”
“No, but I can control how I handle them.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means if somebody asks me, I tell the truth.”
Zaviyah stopped.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because everybody ain’t entitled to my child’s business.”
“He’s my child too.”
“I know.”
“Then why you acting like I need permission to acknowledge him?”
Her face tightened.
“That’s not what I said.”
“It sounds like it.”
“Well, listen better.”
Kavon went quiet.
Zaviyah immediately regretted snapping.
“Kavon.”
“I’m listening.”
“I’m not ashamed of you being his father.”
“Okay.”
“I just don’t want people turning Kyren into some messy ass story.”
“I agree.”
“He’s two.”
“I know.”
“He doesn’t need grown people discussing who his mama slept with.”
Kavon sighed.
“Okay.”
“Okay what?”
“I understand.”
Zaviyah relaxed.
“Thank you.”
“But I’m not hiding him.”
“I didn’t ask you to.”
“If somebody sees me with my son and asks who he is, I’m saying my son.”
Her chest tightened.
Not because she disagreed.
Because of the pride in his voice.
“My son.”
Like he had been waiting his whole life to say it.
“Fine.”
“Fine?”
“Yes.”
“You sound mad.”
“I’m not.”
“Okay.”
Kyren ran into the kitchen.
This time he had on a shirt.
Backward.
Both shoes.
Wrong feet.
Zaviyah stared at him.
“What the hell?”
“Daddy ready.”
Kavon heard him.
“Put me on speaker.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because.”
“Zaviyah.”
She sighed and pressed speaker.
“Go ahead.”
“Hey, little man.”
Kyren’s whole face lit up.
“DADDY!”
Kavon laughed.
“What you doing?”
“Come house.”
Zaviyah covered her face.
Kavon said, “You want me to come over?”
“Yes.”
“Ask Mama.”
Kyren looked at Zaviyah.
“Daddy come?”
“No.”
His face dropped.
Kavon went quiet.
Kyren’s lip poked out.
Zaviyah stared at him.
“Don’t do that.”
Kyren’s eyes filled.
“Oh my God.”
“Daddy come?”
Zaviyah sighed.
“Fine.”
Kyren screamed.
“DADDY COME!”
Kavon laughed.
Zaviyah picked up the phone.
“You got two hours.”
“Why two?”
“Because I said so.”
“Okay.”
“And we need to talk about a schedule.”
“Agreed.”
“No popping up.”
“I learned that.”
“Good.”
“I’ll see y’all soon.”
“See Kyren soon.”
Kavon paused.
“Right.”
Zaviyah heard the difference.
She hated that she did.
The call ended.
Kyren started dancing in the kitchen.
“Daddy coming! Daddy coming!”
Zaviyah watched him.
How the fuck was she supposed to tell him no?
Her baby had gone from having no father to waking up excited because Daddy was coming over.
She couldn’t punish him because the adults were fucked up.
Her phone vibrated.
Samaria.
Finally.
Zaviyah answered immediately.
“Mari.”
“What’s important?”
Her voice was cold.
“People are talking.”
“About?”
“Me. Kyren. The DNA test.”
Silence.
Then Samaria laughed.
“Of course they are.”
“You heard already?”
“Jalisa called me.”
“When?”
“Last night.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I’m not your fucking publicist.”
Zaviyah flinched.
“Damn.”
Samaria sighed.
“I’m sorry.”
“No, it’s fine.”
“It’s not.”
Zaviyah leaned against the counter.
“I don’t want us talking like this.”
“Like what?”
“Like we hate each other.”
“I don’t hate you.”
“Could’ve fooled me.”
Samaria went quiet.
Then asked, “Is Kavon there?”
Zaviyah’s stomach tightened.
“No.”
“Is he coming?”
Fuck.
“Yes.”
Samaria laughed.
“Of course.”
“For Kyren.”
“I know.”
“Mari.”
“I said I know.”
“He woke up asking for him.”
Silence.
Zaviyah continued.
“I tried to say no.”
“Why?”
“Because of you.”
Samaria’s voice hardened.
“Don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“Don’t make me the reason you keep Kyren from his father.”
“I’m not.”
“You just said you tried to tell him no because of me.”
“I’m trying to respect your feelings.”
“And I appreciate that.”
Samaria paused.
“But Kyren shouldn’t lose anything because I’m hurt.”
Zaviyah’s eyes filled.
“You mean that?”
“Yes.”
“Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me.”
“Why?”
“Because that doesn’t mean I’m okay with you and Kavon playing fucking family.”
Zaviyah’s jaw tightened.
“We’re not.”
“Good.”
“We’re talking about a schedule today.”
“Good.”
“So he doesn’t have to keep coming to my house.”
Samaria went quiet.
“Where is he gonna take Kyren?”
“I don’t know.”
“You comfortable with him taking him?”
“Not yet.”
“Then he’ll still be at your house.”
“Probably for a little while.”
“Exactly.”
Zaviyah sighed.
“What do you want me to do?”
“Nothing.”
“It sounds like you want me to do something.”
“I want you not to fuck him.”
Zaviyah closed her eyes.
“Mari.”
“What?”
“I’m not.”
“Okay.”
“Stop saying it.”
“When I believe you, I will.”
The call ended.
Zaviyah stared at the phone.
That shit pissed her off.
Not because Samaria was completely wrong.
Because Zaviyah didn’t know if she was completely right.
An hour later, Kavon arrived.
No gift.
No pancakes.
Thank God.
Kyren ran toward the door.
“Daddy!”
Kavon scooped him up.
“What’s up, man?”
Kyren wrapped both arms around his neck.
Zaviyah watched from the couch.
Kavon kissed Kyren’s cheek.
“You miss me?”
“Yes.”
“I missed you too.”
Kyren pointed toward the floor.
“Truck.”
“You wanna play trucks?”
“Yes.”
Kavon put him down.
Then looked at Zaviyah.
“Hey.”
“Hey.”
“You good?”
“Yes.”
He stared.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“Then stop looking.”
Kavon smiled.
“Here we go.”
“Don’t start.”
He sat across from her.
“Schedule.”
Zaviyah grabbed a notebook.
Kavon laughed.
“You made notes?”
“Yes.”
“Damn.”
“You wanted to be a father.”
“I do.”
“Well, fatherhood got paperwork.”
He smiled.
“I’m ready.”
Zaviyah looked down.
“Right now, I’m not comfortable with overnights.”
“Okay.”
That surprised her.
“No argument?”
“No.”
“You sure?”
“He just met me.”
Zaviyah nodded.
“Exactly.”
“I want him comfortable.”
“Good.”
“What about afternoons?”
“We can start with a few hours.”
“At your house?”
“Probably.”
Kavon hesitated.
“What?”
“I’d like him to see where I live eventually.”
“Eventually.”
“Okay.”
“And I want to meet anybody who’s gonna be around him.”
“My mama?”
“Yes.”
“My sister?”
“Yes.”
“My friends?”
“Depends.”
“On what?”
“If your friends are hoes.”