Page 34 of When It’s All Said And Done

“Damn, you look good,” Desmond complimented when he opened the door.

“Thank you,” I smiled as I stepped inside. There were candles spread throughout the house, and soft music played in the background. My old living room furniture had been rearranged so that the painting canvas could be set up in the middle of the floor. “This is beautiful.”

“I tried. Even cooked because I could tell I’d been slippin’ when it came to us.”

“A lot has been goin’ on so somethin’ was bound to fall to the wayside.”

“I ‘ppreciate you for understandin’ but I can’t be doin’ no shit like that. Especially ‘cause you got yo’ baby daddy buyin’ you houses and shit. Can’t tell if he doin’ it for Nyla or for you to try and get in yo’ panties.”

“Excuse me?! I ain’t that fuckin’ easy and you know that. It took you how long before you even got a kiss?”

“I wasn’t tryna piss you off, I meant it in as a compliment.”

“How the fuck?”

“‘Cause yo’ baby daddy tryin’ so hard to fuck that he buyin’ houses and shit.”

“He’s doin’ that because of his child not for me let’s make that very clear. Just know if I wanted that nigga I could have him, but I’m tryna make it work with yo’ ass. Even though a relationship has been the last thing on yo’ mind even before you even got yo’ new job. So, you worried ‘bout the pressure another nigga applyin’ instead of steppin’ yo shit up way before this!”

“How the fuck this just went left?”

“Because you be too busy worried ‘bout a nigga that’s not stunnin’ you! Instead of waterin’ yo’ own fuckin’ grass you admirin’ another nigga’s lawn. I came here to spend a nice evenin’ with my nigga not to talk ‘bout my baby daddy. I asked you would me havin’ a BD be an issue beforehand and you were adamant that it wouldn’t. Now look how you’re behavin’.”

“You know I lost my job and shit, so I had a lot goin’ on.”

“So, you go MIA on the one person tryin’ to fuckin’ be there for you?! Hell, you’re livin’ in my old apartment that’s still in my name so I’m still tryna be there for you. And instead of us focusin’ on us we gotta bring up another nigga.”

“I can handle it as long as that nigga back up from what’s mine.”

“You still ain’t listenin’! Ya what I can’t do this anymore.”

“What you mean?”

“It’s over, Desmond.”

“Really? You gonna break up with me because of yo’ baby daddy.”

“That just confirms you ain’t really listen to anything I said. Goodbye, Desmond.”

Chapter 12

Nas

“Dad, dad, wake up,” Nyla’s little voice filled my ears. “I’m hungry.”

“Hungry?” I yawned as my eyes fluttered open. “What you wanna eat?”

“Pancakes!”

“Let’s do it!”

She jumped on my back before I stood to my feet. I took her into her bathroom to brush her teeth then pulled out an outfit for her. After I dressed her, I went into my room and got myself together.

“Last call for the kitchen express,” I announced as I entered her room. Squatting next to her bed, she jumped on my back. “Next stop Pancake City.”

Making my way towards the kitchen, I thrived in the moments like these that I’m able to spend with Nyla. Although I haven’t been a father for long, I loved everything about it. Nyla was so smart, inquisitive and well mannered. Like I’d expressed to Nessa I couldn’t have asked for a better mother for Nyla than her. Despite the way she was raised, she gave Nyla the complete opposite. The way she cared and raised our child only spoke volumes about the woman she’d grown into.

As I moved about the kitchen making our pancakes, I wanted to invite Nessa over but decided against it. The way she’d claim that nigga to my face fucked with me a little bit. I heard her all the times she said she had a nigga, but she never came out like that. There was so much conviction in her tone, and it finally got through to me. If someone would’ve told me I wouldn't have Nessa as my wife, I would’ve punched the shit out of them.