“I know you love her. There has been something between you two from the moment you laid eyes on her. Harbor is young, but she’s wise, intelligent, and mature. She has this light, and she can be playful and funny. Then she’s got this fire that burns inside her. You definitely don’t want to piss her off because all that sweet shit goes away. She’s real, and she’s a nurturer. I’m so glad that you have each other. And twins… my goodness. I can’t wait to see these gorgeous ass babies!” she gushed.
“So does that mean you will come back?” I brought myself closer to her.
“There’s no place like home,” she whispered with a simper. “Let me get a few things together. I’ll be there.”
“Thank you.” Opening my arms, I pulled her into them and held her there.
She rested her head against my chest and embraced me back.
“You were always like a mother to me, but you are my mother. I can understand your position now. And I don’t want to hold a grudge against you.”
“Looks like you’ve learned the art of mercy. I am very proud.” She pulled back and cupped the side of my face, lovingly staring back into my eyes.
She was right. And a little went a long way. But some didn’t deserve that reserve. What I learned over the years was when a mothafucka was with the shit and direct, they accomplished things. Being humble was great, but the saying nice guys finished last was the truth. If you give someone the chance to fuck you over, once should be enough. I wasn’t the kind of nigga that let you fool me twice.
“Yeah I meant that shit literally, she with you but she feeling me…”
IvanaSamuels
Months had gone by,and my living situation was frustrating me by the day. Living in my sister Gardenia’s home was not a part of the fucking plan. Then again, neither was coming back and finding out that the man I loved had moved on with his life and was building a new one with some other bitch. I hated Harbor on sight. I knew about her well before I ever set eyes on her. Even her voice was sultry and perfect. I knew because I’d randomly been calling her phone just to fuck with her head. I knew that Quency loved her. It was all in the way he handled her. A glancethat spoke a thousand words or a touch that was meant only for her that stirred a piece of her soul no doubt. I remembered that feeling. Once upon a time, he did all that shit for me too.
My relationship with my own daughter wasn’t even the same. Ivy was almost a teenager, and she had grown and changed so much that I had to get to know her all over again. Seeing her on the weekends was great for me, but she didn’t seem to enjoy them much. She spent most of her time in the room that she had at Gardenia’s place. If she didn’t have her head in her phone, she had her earbuds in and was always in the basement dancing in the mirrors.
“Hey. What you in here thinking about?” My sister’s voice pulled me from my current thoughts as she sailed into the kitchen.
I was high for one, but she nor anyone else needed to know of the bad habits I had picked up. Part of me was happy to be back. She was ecstatic when she laid eyes on me and immediately told me to move in with her. I was reluctant because I needed time with Quency and Ivy, but I also needed not to feel like I had eyes all over me too. Everywhere I went in that house, I felt like I was being watched.
“Um, nothing.” I shook away my thoughts.
“Liar. You got that look on your face.” She observed, pausing at my side.
“What look?” I feigned innocence and went back to chopping strawberries on the wooden cutting board.
“Like you did when we were kids when you were plotting something. I can see those wheels turning.” She squinted through her sharp, milk-chocolate-colored eyes.
“Ivy still upstairs?” I asked.
“Yeah, she’s packing her bag so she can head home. Why?”
“She’s always ready to go. Why did you even take her back to him?” I snapped, watching her rear her neck in surprise.
“Because he’s her father.” She pointed out the obvious. “What is wrong with you?”
“She was fine here with you. Now she’s bonded with this bitch that he’s with?—”
“Whoa. You are not about to turn this on me. You left, faking your own fucking death at that. You made the choice to walk away. Now you want to come back and throw a fucking tantrum because things have changed? Well, guess whose fault that is, baby sister. That would be yours.” Gardenia aimed a finger at me with her thick but perfectly arched brows dipping angrily.
The fact that she was right only angered me more. My plan was never to stay gone that long; things just happened.
“The question is, what are you going to do about it? Hmm?” She pressed me.
“What am I supposed to do about it? He’s got a woman, and they have babies. So any trump I had over her is gone. Plus, Ivy adores her.”
“Then you are going to have to figure out a way to make them unlove her. That is if you want your family back.” Gardenia insinuated.
When I didn’t respond, I could feel her watching me like a hawk.
“Unless something has changed. Do you want them back?”
