“Shit.” Haze hung his head.
His mother squeezed his hand. “Think about it, Haze. Your father never exposed y’all to any of the shit he was into. It wasn’t until you were older that you and Gideon were brought into the fold, but us women remained oblivious, and still do to this day. Devyn is a woman. If she sensed danger, she probably didn’t want that nonsense in her life. When she found out she was pregnant, those feelings most likely tripled. She’s wrong for the decision she made, but you’d do good to understand her side of it too.”
Haze let his mother’s words sink in. He knew what she said was true, but he still felt so angry.
“I don’t know, Ma.” He rubbed his temples.
What hurt the most was the fact that he had such a deep connection to Devyn. He couldn’t help but feel like that had been tampered with now. She’d lied to him. She deceived him. She took precious time away from him and his daughter. How could they come back from that?
“Take some time to process, but don’t waste much more time getting to know your daughter. I want to meet her. I can’t believe I’m a grandma.”
Haze looked at his mom and saw tears trickling down her cheeks. He looked at Kyomi, who was also crying. When his eyes connected with Deja, he grinned. She wasn’t crying and most likely had the same thought as him. He was surrounded by crybabies.
They burst into laughter. Kyomi and his mom looked at them with confused expressions, which only made them laugh harder.
This right here was what he needed.
He would take a few days, like his mother suggested, but he would definitely revisit that conversation with Devyn and establish a relationship with his daughter.
Haze:
Meet me at Chuck E. Cheese in uptown at 3. I want to meet my daughter.
Devyn read the text for what felt like the hundredth time. Nerves bounced around her body as she paced her living room floor. She kept glancing at Hazel, who sat on the black leather sectional with her favorite blanket and some fruit snacks while she watchedBluey.
Shame had stopped Devyn from talking to her parents, Koren, and Emilia about what was going on today. Words had failed her because she knew she was wrong. She felt like she didn’t deserve support through this momentous occasion.
It had been two days since Haze had walked into her office and found out about their daughter, and she’d spent every second since torturing herself with negative thoughts. The one that was loudest had surprised her. Her biggest fear was that Haze would no longer want anything to do with her. She didn’t know where in their timeline that had started to matter to her, but it had to be within the past several days. She cared so much it hurt.
She glanced at Hazel again and sighed. Devyn grabbed the remote and paused the TV. Hazel frowned before her big brown eyes found Devyn’s.
“Play, Mommy,” Hazel demanded as she pointed at the TV.
“Later, baby. Mommy has to talk to you about something. We’re going to meet your daddy today,” Devyn said with tears brimming her eyes. Though Hazel was only two, Devyn spoke to her normally and tried to make sure she understood everything that was going on. Devyn wanted to teach Hazel young that she had a voice and a say in any situation she was in.
Hazel gazed at her for a moment and then nodded once. “Okay. Daddy.”
Devyn smiled sadly. She loved her daughter’s simplistic and pure view of the world. Nothing was complicated, and everything was always okay. She wanted Hazel to keep that innocence about her forever.
“You want to meet your daddy?” Hazel nodded earnestly. Devyn giggled softly before she kissed Hazel’s head. “Okay, sweetie. Let’s get our shoes on so we can go. He wants to take you somewhere fun.”
After she said that, Hazel babbled nonstop about this fun place they were going. Devyn listened with a heavy heart as she got them ready to go.
In the car, Hazel still chatted excitedly, most of it completely incoherent, while Devyn tried to keep it together. She didn’tknow what it would be like to face Haze again after such a big revelation. The fact that she knew it would be hard to look into his eyes caused her anxiety. Tears threatened to spill onto her cheeks, but she held them in. The last thing she wanted was to victimize her tears. Today wasn’t about her. She owed it to both Hazel and Haze to hold it together and make the day as seamless as possible. She could cry over her poor life decisions later, in the confines of her room.
When they finally pulled up to Chuck E. Cheese, Devyn had no recollection of driving there. Her mind had been so occupied, and all she could do was thank God that she’d gotten her and her daughter there safely.
“Ready, baby?” Devyn asked after she parked the car and got out to get Hazel out of her car seat.
Hazel nodded as she peered up at the building in front of them while Devyn gathered her diaper bag and purse.
“That, Mommy?” Hazel asked as she pointed a small finger toward the building.
Devyn smiled. She had yet to take Hazel to Chuck E. Cheese. She felt her daughter was still too small to fully enjoy the place, but she wouldn’t buck back on Haze’s plan. He had every right to plan this day however he saw fit. She wouldn’t put up a fight, unless it had to do with her daughter’s well-being.
“Can you say Chuck E. Cheese?” Devyn asked as she walked toward the front entrance.
“Chuheeechee?” Hazel asked as she looked at her mom with bright eyes.
