Chapter 4 #2
“Trust me, I feel you. When my oldest went off last year for college, girl I thought that I was going to die. It’s really not that bad though.
It’s nothing to just book a flight and go see them whenever you start missing them.
Brooklyn is going to do so well. I hate that her mom is locked up right now, missing out on these special moments, but with her talent, girl this is only the beginning.
Her mom only has a few more years left to go, and she’ll be around to watch the superstar that she has on her hands,” Lynn told me, and her words eased my mind, and it made me smile, giving me something to look forward to once Temperance was released from prison.
Practice eventually wrapped up, and I went down the steps to the bleachers, so that I could greet Brooklyn. She was standing by her gym bag, and she was slipping her sweatpants on.
“Because why you came in here?” she asked it in a joking kind of way, so that I wouldn’t pop her in the mouth for being slick, even though I knew she was for real about what she’d just asked me.
“I’m glad that I came in, so that I could watch you. Look how those duck walks paid off. You did so good in the routine. I can’t wait to see you perform next weekend,” I said, and at the same time, Nari was walking over. I smiled when she came over, and she quickly gave me a hug.
“Girlllllll,” was the first thing that she said to me, and I laughed, already knowing that she was saying that because Brooklyn had her ready to body slam her. Hell, I was raising her, so I knew how Brooklyn could tap dance on every fuckin nerve of mine.
“I already know. She got it together in the end though Nari,” I said, and she nodded.
“I just don’t like that Brooklyn gotta crash out, cry, get yelled at, and everything else for her to perform at her highest potential.
I give her chances because Brooklyn really is my baby, and I want to see her be great, but when she gets out there into the real dance world, they not going to give her the amount of chances that I do.
That’s all I’m ever trying to get through to her,” Nari said it to me, but Brooklyn was standing right here, putting her hoodie over her head, so she was able to hear her coach.
“Thanks coach. I know that I don’t always like it, but I thank you for riding me the way that you do. It brings out the best in me. I apologize for my behavior in practice today. I’ll have a better attitude tomorrow,” Brooklyn responded, showing me how much she’s matured.
The old Brooklyn would have been standing here, with a pissed off look on her face, ready to get away from Nari.
The new Brooklyn that would be eighteen before the end of the year was maturing, and realizing that everyone wasn’t out to get her, and that there were so many people in her corner that genuinely loved her and just wanted to see the best for her.
I loved that after all the hell that she gave her coach this evening, she was able to apologize to her for her actions, without me telling her, and the two of them were able to hug it out.
I talked a little bit with Nari, but it was mainly about my wedding because she was invited, and she just wanted to know how things were coming along, and if I was prepared.
That conversation only lasted a few minutes because there were other parents that she needed to talk to.
Brooklyn said her goodbyes to her teammates, and waved goodbye to the other moms as well, and before I knew it, we were walking through the parking lot and eventually hopping in my car.
I was pushing the Range Rover tonight. Of course, I still had the Rolls Royce that my man had gifted me last year on my birthday, but I only pulled it out when I wanted to stunt.
I didn’t need it tonight, just to pull up, and pick Brooklyn up from dance practice.
“I don’t know why you be coming in the studio. Those moms do not like you,” Brooklyn said to me the second that I was pulling out of the parking lot.
“What makes you think that they don’t like me?” I asked her.
Granted, I knew that there were a few moms in the group that couldn’t stand my ass, but I was curious as to why Brooklyn felt that way.
“Auntie, that junk is so obvious. Whenever you walk in the room, they always looking you up, and down like they literally cannot stand you. I told you the other day that I had to check one of the girls on the team because I overheard her saying something that her mom told her. I swear I should have popped her in the mouth for saying that too,” Brooklyn snapped, never playing when it came to me, or any of the people in her life that she loved.
You know, it’s been big news around Miami about me and Steel’s wedding.
With that, of course, everyone was going to have a think piece about it, whether it was good or bad.
One of the dumbest things that a lot of people were saying on TikTok is how Steel would have never looked my way if his late wife never passed away.
That was the most foolish thing in the world to say because it was one of those things that was obvious and clearly didn’t need to be said.
Like, of course I wouldn’t be with the nigga if Sapphire was still alive, and well.
That comment is the comment that Brooklyn overheard her dance mate say, and Brooklyn had to check her about it.
So many women around the world literally hated my guts, and they would express that hatred online.
I just summed it up to being a sickness because these women didn’t know me in real life.
They hated me because they wanted to fuck my man, but they knew that I never planned on letting up on that dick.
“But I’m cool with some of the moms though.
Tanya and Lynn are cool. That petty shit don’t bother me though, Brooklyn.
I’ve been pretty and hated on since I was a little girl.
I don’t pay attention to that. I went in there to watch my niece dance, and cry while doing duck walks,” I just had to throw that in, and when I said that, I knew that she wasn’t going to find it funny.
“And that’s why I don’t like you coming in there. Where we about to go?” she asked, changing the subject.
“Girl, home. Where you thought we were going?” I asked, cutting my eyes over at her to look at her like she was crazy.
“Let’s go get seafood boils. I been wanting one for a few weeks now. You know you want one too. When is the last time you had a seafood boil?” her ass was trying to bribe me.
I liked seafood boils, but it wasn’t a crazy obsession like how a lot of people have it these days.
I’ll have one probably once every couple of months.
Brooklyn liked to eat them though. Although she was very much a picky eater, she loved seafood, and that’s something that I could always expect her to finish.
“Let me call Steel and tell him that we’re going to sit down and eat,” I said, giving in, going to have a little date night with my niece because she deserved it.
She’s been working so hard with school, and dance, and with me preparing for a wedding, we haven’t been able to do our once-a-week dates like we used to.
It made me smile to see her beaming in the passenger seat, happy to be spending time with me because these damn teenagers could act so crazy and carry on like hanging with their family was the worst thing in the world.
I called Steel from the car, allowing the phone to ring out through the cars speakers.
“What’s up baby?” his deep voice boomed through the cars speakers.
“Hey. I got Brooklyn. We’re going to sit down and eat. Have a little girls night,” I let him know. I cooked dinner last night, and it was plenty left over, so it wouldn’t be like I was leaving him, and Zayne stranded, with no dinner tonight.
“That’s cool. Where ya’ll going?” he wanted to know.
“To get seafood boils. Probably to Mr. & Mrs. crab,” I said, knowing that that was one of our favorite seafood spots.
I liked the drinks there, and there were times when they would have live performances, with people singing, so you get to have dinner, and a show.
“You don’t even like that shit like that,” he said, knowing me so well.
“Yeah, but that’s what Brooklyn wanted. Warm up the food that I cooked last night for you, and Zayne. Where is he?” I wanted to know.
“He right here, watching TV with me. Lani right here too. All in a nigga face, looking at me like she’s ready for me to hang up the phone on you,” he said, and I laughed at that, knowing that it was true.
I swear, I would be fighting with an eight-month-old baby over my man.
She was so possessive when it came to her daddy.
She wanted to be the only one to lay on him, get carried around by him, and just have him in her presence.
I was so happy when I found out that I was having a little girl, but that same little girl will have me ready to throw down with her when it came to my man.
“I gotta spin the block again, and have another one, and this time, hope that it’ll be a boy because this is crazy,” I voiced, and as I was saying that, I could literally hear Zaylani in the background gurling, making noises, and it really sounded as if she was telling her dad to hang up the phone, so that he could focus his attention on her.
“Shit, I’m ready to spin that motha fucka with you whenever you’re ready,” he replied, and Brooklyn groaned in the passenger seat.
I laughed at her reaction, knowing that she hated anything that involved me, and Steel being romantic towards each other. Her ass was so dramatic to the point that she said it made her gag.
“I’ll see you when I get home, daddy. We have ears,” I let him know.
“Brook, what’s good?” he asked, knowing that Brooklyn was the ears that I was referring to.
“Oh nothing. Getting ready to put my airpods in. You two literally make me sick,” she said it in a dramatic kind of way that had Steel cracking up on the other end of the phone.