“No, that’s not what I meant.” I sighed and gently pushed Ivy’s head to a pillow, doing my best not to disturb her so that I could stand up. “This isn’t some average situation, Free. Naturally, I am left with some residual feelings?—”
“Feelings for who? For a nigga that fucked another bitch and got her pregnant while he thought you were missing?” He was offensive as he watched me.
His words stung. My heart lurched in my chest and suddenly, my eyes glossed over. Flaring my nostrils, I tried my best to calm down, but he had definitely pressed a button. I would be lying if I said that shit didn’t bruise my ego in some kind of way. For all they knew I was in some ditch ready to be found or serving ass in some brothel. Either way, they weren’t driving themselves crazy with worry about my absence. Yeah, that shit left me feeling some kind of way. The fixed glare I nailed on him caused him to straighten up where he was seated.
“That’s not fucking fair, and you know it!” I hissed.
“What you want from me, Harbor? Hmm? You want me to be understanding? Fuck that. You want to trip off a nigga that obviously didn’t give a fuck about you, do that. Just don’t look to me for any kind of empathy. I’m tapped out on that.”
“This is your fault to begin with, and you just want me to get over it!” I argued.
Shaking his head, he stood and moved closer to the door to leave.
“You process this shit how you need to. That fuck nigga don’t deserve that energy.” He articulated.
“You don’t even know him.” I folded my arms over my chest.
“So go take a trip down memory fucking lane! You need to get that shit out of your system, cool.” He waved his hand andmoved to the door. “Maybe I need to take the time and evaluate some shit too.”
“Free!” I shouted after him, but he gave me his back.
Tears stung my eyes while my stomach did flips. Sniveling, I used my hand to wipe the tears that had fallen and moved my head back and forth.What the fuck had just happened?This damn sure wasn’t what I wanted. Was this our first real fight?
Chevy
All my life I told myself that I would never end up like my mama. She let men control her every move in life. From her hairstyle to her fashion, it was all based on how a man would perceive her. I grew up thinking my looks were the only way for me to get by. When I met Ledge, I thought I had found that roughneck that would treat me like a princess. At first it was all good. He showered me with gifts, we took trips, I even let him meet the part of my family that I actually fucked with. I thought he was just some thug ass nigga off the street. I had no idea the kind of man he really was. Once I found out, I was pregnant with our son and head over heels in love. These days, that shit seemed like almost an eternity ago.
“Mama, when is daddy coming back?” My adorable son questioned from the sofa with his sister.
We were having movie night. I was alerted hours ago that I had company in the form of two large guards waiting outside my house. I knew that only meant one thing, something was going on with Ledge and business and he was taking precautions. I had been living this life so long that I was used to it by now. I set the bowl of chocolate covered pretzels on the table and sat between them while the movieSoulopened on the large TV screen ahead.
“I don’t know, baby,” I answered honestly.
“Can we call him and talk to him?” Laiyah asked, her innocent eyes bright.
Before I could respond, the doorbell rang. I jumped up with a deep breath to go answer. When I flung the door open, a delivery person stood on the other side from a florist. A large display was in his arms, an assortment of tulips, which I loved.
“Delivery for Chevelle.” He announced.
“That’s me. These are gorgeous.” I inhaled with my face in the flowers and observed a card tucked.
“And this is also for you. “He handed me a rectangular box.
“Thank you.”
“Have a good day.” He bobbed his head and I watched him walk over to his vehicle and climb inside before I closed the door.
I set the vase on the center table in the foyer and fingered a few of the flowers while admiring them. Taking the card out, I read over it.
I’m sorry. It’s always only you. -K
“Fucking Knowledge,” I grumbled, chest fluttering happily at the gesture.
I tore into the box on the table to see what else he had done. Inside were two brand new toys. One for Laiyah and the other for Landyn. The fact that he had even thought of them left me with butterflies. Ledge was not the sweet, sentimental kind of nigga, so this was a reach for him. I found myself smiling. He was trying something new.
“What’s that?” Landyn perked up as I strolled back inside toward him and his sister.
“I guess your daddy was thinking of you too.” I grinned and handed them their gifts.
