Page 80 of Spending Forever With You

“No…yes. But I haven’t been able to do it. I got the assignment before I met you and⁠—"

“Bitch please, do you think I’m dumb? Hollis, my circle is small for a reason. Even if we were never acquainted, you know who I was. You’ve been with Deacon for years.”

I shook my head. “Yes and no. It’s complicated. Angie, I think of you as a friend, hell a close one.”

“You talk shit about all your friends and write about their private lives for money, huh? If so, I don’t want or need those types of friends around me. Those who know understand that Shep and I were separated when I was dealing with Keith. I didn’t even know I was pregnant with his baby until after I got back with my husband to make it work. I let Keith know I was pregnant and he said fuck me and my baby since I wouldn’t leave my husband. So, Shep stepped up. Once Keith figured out who I was married to, that’s when he started making noise about being a father and bullshit, and Shep knew, so he shut it down.”

“Angie, I don’t care to know the details. That’s your business.”

“Obviously you do, you just sat and recorded it! It was hot shit too. Had he not been someone you could sell a bigger story on, would you have said something or run with the original idea of me and my mystery baby daddy?”

I opened my mouth to speak but no words came out. I wasn’t a liar and I wouldn’t start now.

“Right.” She got up, packing up her things to leave, but I stopped her.

“Angie, it’s not that simple. I promise I wasn’t going to slander your image.”

“I’m making it simpler. Please don’t call me anymore.”

After she was gone, I was left with Johnni who had been too quiet next to me.

“What, Johnni? Say something. I know I fucked up.” She tossed her hands up, letting me know it was bad.

“How mad do you think Luke is going to be?” I asked as I scrunched my face.

Johnni laughed. “Oh girl, let’s just hope he takes it easy on you once you tell him about the baby.”

I closed my eyes, rubbing my temples as I blew out a heavy ass breath.

Once I left Johnni, I ended up at my condo, not ready to go back to the house just yet. I figured I would check my mail and grab more clothes. Then I ended up at Lacy’s house. I hadn’t been over there since the day she said she wouldn’t do the statement letter for Luke and me. I wasn’t mad at her, but I knew she was upset with me for the decision to continue pursuing the situation with Luke under false pretenses.

But things were different now. Luke and I were no longer pretending and I missed my granny. I pulled in right next to my uncle’s car who looked to be leaving as he was getting baby Ali into his car seat, but lowkey struggling and had me laughing as I walked up on him.

“Hey Unc, you need some help?” I said, jumping in immediately to assist.

“Hey niece, yeah ’cause we gon be late to see his momma in a minute fucking around with me and these damn straps. I hate these fucking things.” I snorted as I buckled Ali into his seat.

“Wait, Elyon is out at a halfway house or something?”

“Naw, I finally got approved to take Ali to visit though. That friend of yours, Nasira, helped get me on the list. Yeah, ’cause I told Elyon enough is enough with this tough shit, and if her ass is hiding, she can do that part free. She got a baby out here that needs her, so Hef’s got her reviewing Elyon’s case for me. Twenty years is a long time away, ya know.” I nodded, knowing his history inside. He spent so much time behind those same bars that he wasn’t even out when the triplets were born. Till this day, I didn’t even understand how he’d made them when he was in there, but his genes were so strong that there was no denying he was the father.

“Oh yeah, she’s a beast. I’m glad you talked some sense into her ass. Nas will bring her home for sure. Again, Unc, let me know if you need me for anything. My schedule is about to be wide open, especially once my husband finds out what I did,” I said, whispering the end of my sentence as I thought about the fact that I was either going to be fired or have to quit my job in a minute.

Especially once Omar finds out I have…had the story and can’t write it.

No, heffa, once Luke gets back home.

“You gon’ have to fight Lacy for some of her days. The way she has him, I barely see Ali.” We shared a hug as I snorted. Lacy was good for keeping the babies. I bet she was having fun with Ali now that Cami stayed booked and busy with her friends and baseball.

“Aight, well send my love to Elyon. Tell her I’ma send some more money this week.”

“You’re too good to her hardhead ass, niece. But love you.”

“Love you too.”

He got into his car while I made way inside to find Lacy at the table scrolling through her phone in her Marketplace app, so I knew she was clipping her weekly grocery coupon’ with the radio playing a podcast she enjoyed. I leaned over her shoulder, kissing her cheek.

“Hey Gran, any good deals?” I asked as I took my seat.