Chapter 23
“What is going on with you lately?” Brenda narrowed her eyes on her only child, waiting.
“Nothing is going on with me.”
Nyelle knew exactly what her mother was asking but she was exhausted with the discussion about her life with Vega and Reese.
After the day she had with him, she was already in a cloud of confusion about what her next move needed to be.
It was the main reason she drove straight to her mother’s house to spend some time with her son after Vega dropped her off at home.
“Sweetheart, I’m old but I’m no fool.” Brenda glanced at her grandson who was sitting comfortably in his mother’s lap, eyes glued to his iPad. It had become his favorite thing, but she limited the time when he was with her because she didn’t want it to become a babysitting device.
“I know you’re not a fool, Ma.” Nyelle sucked her teeth and cut her eyes at her mother before she ran her hand across her son’s wild hair. It needed a cut, but she had been so caught up lately that there hadn’t been time.
“Nicolas, go in the kitchen and get yourself a few cookies. Eat them in there because I need to talk to your mother.” Brenda’s words were stern but loving. Nick nodded but didn’t remove his eyes from his iPad as he slipped down off his mother’s lap, only speaking once his feet hit the floor.
“Mommy, you want one too?” This time he hit pause on his video and looked at her.
“No, baby, but thank you.”
Nick grinned and nodded again. “Nana said I can stay tonight too and we’re gonna make a pizza. Can I stay?”
Nyelle rolled her eyes and playfully glared at her son, pretending to be offended. “You’re gonna leave me all alone?”
Nick’s little face went straight while he thought about it. “No, but I wanna make a pizza.” His little voice couldn’t hide the pout and it warmed Nyelle’s heart.
“Fine, I guess you can stay but you have to save me some, okay?”
“I will.” He beamed as his little feet carried him out of the room.
“Now you know you wanted the boy to stay here anyway. Why you trying to make him feel bad?” Brenda fussed.
Nyelle’s smile stretched wide as she considered the truth.
She had plans for a girls’ night, but she never wanted Nick to feel as if he was being pushed away or that she didn’t want him around.
She loved her son, and aside from the time he spent with her mother, he was always with her, without complaint.
“I was just messing with him.”
“Mmmhmm. Don’t have my baby pouting over nonsense.”
“Ma, you aren’t right. You act like Nick is the only thing that matters, what about me?”
“He is the only thing that matters. Once you have a child, then that child is the priority, and when your child has a child that grandbaby is the priority.”
“So I don’t matter?” Now it was Nyelle pouting, which caused her mother to laugh.
“Girl, you’re grown. I love you, but I love that baby more. Now tell me what the hell is going on with you because whatever it is affects him. Got my baby seeing his daddy and some man pulling guns in the middle of the night. I should whoop your narrow ass for that.”
“That’s not my fault and it’s not just some man.”
“Then whose fault is it, Nyelle?”
“Reese! He had no business showing up at my place like that. How you have a whole baby and then try to control what I do? He better go play in traffic.”
Brenda stared at her daughter for a minute before she pushed out an exaggerated sigh.
“Baby, listen. I see both sides. Reese is wrong. Dead wrong because of how he handled things. If he wanted to be with someone else, he should have told you, but it’s not like you would have been all smiles like ‘okay go be with her—'"
Nyelle cut in quickly. “I might have but he didn’t give me the option”
“My point is, he did what he did and he doesn’t want to let go. That man loves you, regardless of him doing wrong—"
“So I’m supposed to be okay with that?” Nyelle’s voice raised and she sat up quickly.
“No, you’re not. You have the right to be hurt and to move on.
What I’m saying is, he does love you and he knows what he’s losing, so he’s acting out.
He’s a man, a very selfish and immature man, but regardless you have to be mature.
That baby in there doesn’t need to be caught up in the middle of what you two have going on.
You be the one to protect him from it since his father won’t. ”
“How fair is that? Reese can go around acting a fool and I have to do the right thing.”
“Life isn’t fair, baby. Protect your son. Let Reese figure it out, and if he doesn’t, I’ll make him, but don’t you ever put yourself in a situation where that baby is in harm’s way behind his father or any other man. That’s your responsibility. You can only control what you do.”
“I know and it’s not like I invited him, he just showed up.”
“I get that, and I’m not blaming you. I’m just saying be mindful. What do you even know about this man?”
Nyelle wanted to smile when her mother questioned her about Vega, but she kept it under wraps. “Enough. He’s a good guy.”
“He in the streets?”
Nyelle clamped her mouth shut, causing her mother to respond. “Mmhmm. You’re gonna get enough of that type of situation. When has it ever worked out for you, Nyelle?”
“It’s not like I’m seeking them out, it just happens, but Vega is more than just a guy in the streets. He’s actually trying to do some other stuff. He’s buying properties and—"
“Securing a way to hide his dirty money. Look, baby, you like what you like and I’m the last person to judge you, but just know, it’s not just you.
You have to think about Nick. I trust you and I know you love him.
So I trust you will do what’s best for him.
Don’t bring that man around your son if he doesn’t need to be around your son,” Brenda warned.
“You know I wouldn’t. Vega nor his life is an issue for Nick, Ma.”
They shared a long stare before her mother offered a nod. “Okay then. I don’t have anything to worry about.”
“No, you don’t,” Nyelle stated confidently, praying that what she said was true. In her heart she believed it, but things had a way of falling apart. For now, she had to trust the man Vega was proving to be. “I’m going to spend some time with Nick before I go.”
Nyelle had a lot on her mind and the one thing that stayed on repeat was Vega’s affirmation.
I will put it all on the line for you, for this. If you’re not willing to do the same then we might as well end this shit now.
Was she willing to do that? And at what cost?
As she kissed her son on top of his head and sat down next to him, she considered what that really meant.
It wasn’t an easy answer nor one that she had the answer to right now.
So for now, she was just going to spend time with her baby and not worry about it.
“I have wine and Henny.” Ria held up both bottles wearing a huge smile as Nyelle stood in her doorway facing her. “Damn, can I come in or not?” Ria finally said when Nyelle didn’t move.
Taking possession of the Henny, Nyelle moved out of the way, offering a smile while allowing Ria space to enter. “I guess you can since you brought the good stuff.”
Once inside both women headed straight to the kitchen.
Joi was on the way, so it was just the two of them.
“Are we cool?” Ria asked with raised brows.
She and Nyelle never really had any major issues other than their place in Joi’s life.
It was also understood that Joi and Nyelle had gotten extremely close in her absence, which was on her, not on them, but she wanted to be sure they were cool.
“Girl yeah. I mean you basically said kiss my ass when you got your little sugar daddy, but I get it. You had to live your life,” Nyelle teased, causing Ria to roll her eyes.
“It wasn’t like that. It was more him than me, but I have to admit I was enjoying the lifestyle, so I didn’t put up much of a fight when he asked me to keep my distance. I apologize because I know that looked a certain way.”
“No boo, it was a certain way, but I’m not mad.
I just want to make sure we’re cool. You can’t come around just because you don’t have anyone else.
You and Joi are tight but that’s my girl.
Friends or not, I wanna make sure she is good, and it hurt when you just dropped her.
Me, I get. We weren’t close but you and Joi were. ”
Nyelle spoke from the heart and Ria could only respect it.
“True and I was wrong, which is why I apologized to Joi and now you. Sincerely, and I hope you will accept that. I’m not around because I don’t have anyone else, I’m around because who I have I know is not rocking for me like I know both of you will.
I miss that and I want us to be cool again. ”
“Them old hoes not gonna put them hands up for you when another hoe jump bad?” Nyelle grinned and Ria laughed, shaking her head.
“Hell no, they’ll just pull out their phone and call a lawyer. They’re a different class and it’s cool but it’s not me. I had to learn the hard way.”
“Well, welcome back. We’re cool but if you pull that shit again, no more strikes. Stay your ass wherever you’re at,” Nyelle spoke in a joking manner but she wholeheartedly meant it. She wasn’t about to play that “in and out when it’s convenient” game with Ria or anyone for that matter.
“I hear you.” Ria lifted the bottle of Henny. “Can we drink now?”
Nyelle grabbed two glasses and placed them on the counter. Just as they filled them, Joi was at the door, so they filled a third. Joi entered with her hands filled with two bottles of C?roc which she placed on the counter then lifted her shot.
“Oh, so we’re starting hard I see.” She grinned and tossed back the shot, frowning and grabbing her throat when she was done. “I’m done with this. It’s too strong.”
“Lightweight,” Ria and Nyelle both said together.
“Damn straight. I’m not trying to grow hair on my chest,” Joi defended, unbothered as she went straight to the C?roc and untwisted the top.