“Don’t touch me!” She glanced with a look of disgust, moving her purse tighter against her chest. “You just gone pawn your own mama off to somebody else? Valentine would never do this to me.”
“Yeah? Well, where his ass been at this whole time?” I screamed, hopping up from the chair. “I’ve been taking care of you by myself my whole life mama, but I can’t do it no more.”
Delia was standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame. She gave a tight smile, mouthing for me to go. Mama ain’t even bothered to look up when I glanced at her. I was so goddamn mad, my hand gripped the steering wheel hard on the way home. I called Baby because I figured she could calm my nerves, but she didn’t answer.
By the time I parked in my driveway, all I wanted to do was smoke a blunt and chill. I was supposed to call Lauren to get on her about what she did, but I was too pressed right now and liable to make the shit worse than it is. I needed to clear my head before I addressed her.
I got out my car and walked to the front door. When I left the house, I remembered keeping the living room light on. Seeing them off now was unusual. I frowned while opening the door, feeling around for the light switch. After I flickered it on, I scanned the room for anything suspicious. My eyes landed on a figure sitting in the corner.
Squinting, I cursed. “Valentine?”
“Heard you were looking for me,” he coughed out, holding his stomach.
25
BABY
My leg bouncedwhile I stared out the window. My auntie was dropping me off at Jayda’s house because she was taking me to work in the morning.
“You got everything you need, right?” she asked as she pulled in Jayda’s driveway.
“Yup. Thanks for the ride.” I smiled, pulling on the door handle.
“I know,” she replied cockily.
I went up to the front, and the door was already open. Jayda was on the couch, and looked up when she heard me come in.
“Damn Baby. It’s about time you got here,” Jayda exclaimed. Her mouth barely moved with the face mask she had on.
“You look like the grinch, bitch,” I joked, poking at the green goo on her cheeks.
She sucked her teeth, swatting my hand away. “Hoe, quit hating.”
I laughed out loud, scanning the room. I ain’t hear a sound, and that was unusual.
“Where Auntie Mona?” She followed me to her room where I sat my bag on her bed.
“With her man on a date. Mama gets more action than me and that ain’t fair,” she complained, examining her face in the mirror.
“Trouble in paradise with you and your boo?” I called him boo because I forgot his name for real.
She cut her eyes at me through the reflection, before replying, “Well, if you must know, we had a small argument. He wanted to come get my car and I told him no.”
I jumped on the bed, lying my head in my hands. “Oh, because of me? I could’ve asked auntie for a ride to work. I ain’t tryna get in the middle of y'all relationship.”
She scoffed, waving her hand in dismissal. “Girl, no. He’ll be fine, don’t worry about it.”
Turning to me, she pointed towards the empty chair. “While you here, sit and let me fix up your hair.”
I reached up and touched my edges. “Bitch, why you always coming for me? Ain’t nothing wrong with my hair.”
“I’m just looking out for you, Baby,” she told me, amusement in her tone.
“Look out my ass,” I remarked with narrowed eyes, grabbing a pillow to throw at her. She leaped to the side to dodge it, then bent down to pick it up.
“You hungry? Let’s go get something from the kitchen,” she grinned, and I nodded, feeling her hit me with the pillow one more time on the way out. We were laughing all the way to the kitchen.
The smile was wiped off my face seeing Tranae at the table.
