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Yaya flinched as if someone had hit her. No one needed to tell me Malea’s statement stung; I could feel the residual effects.

“I can see you’re starting to smell yourself, so I’m gonna let you get one pass, but don’t think for one second I’m a weak bitch who you can disrespect. Say what you want to say about my marriage, but I don’t have to worry about an itchy pussy or being a nigga’s full-time play toy. This man sat here while you went back and forth with his wife and said absolutely nothing. You’ve got your chest out as if you’ve won some type of prize when it’s clear he has no respect for either of you.” Yaya shot back.

“Oh, please. You must be as delusional as me if you believe for one second Messiah is faithful to you. Get real. He’s a pro-ball player and a millionaire. I’d bet any amount of money that he has hoes in multiple states, and he’s probably tricking and taking care of them. You’re not better than me, and that’s why you’re really mad.” Malea rolled her neck, and I couldn’t even believe what I was witnessing.

“Aye, you’re going a little too far. We’re only here because we care about you. I understand you’re an adult, but you don’t have a clue what it’s like to take care of yourself. We’re here because we’re worried about you, and we don’t want you to get taken advantage of.”

Her so-called man walked off after his wife left, leaving the four of us alone in the living room. From the direction of the conversation, I could tell convincing her to come home would probably be impossible.

“Oh, please. You and Yaya are always hollering about how we’re a family, and we’re supposed to look out for one another, but the two of you only care about yourselves. I don’t need you mothafuckas to protect me from a fucking thing. You failed that mission a long time ago.”

My heart dropped because I knew exactly what she was referring to. Years ago, we found out one of my mother’s boyfriends had molested her. We never talked much about it afterward, but it was obvious she held some resentment towards us about it.

“I’m grown, and I know what I’m doing. You need to focus on your own lives instead of worrying about what I have going on. My man is taking good care of me, and he can’t take advantage of the willing.”

Right as she finished her statement, the Cello dude walked up and pulled her into him. My fist clenched as he tongue-kissed her right in front of me. I stepped forward, but someone grabbed the back of my shirt.

“My lady has made it clear that this is where she wants to be, so I would suggest you get with the program because she isn’t going anywhere and neither am I. You don’t have to approve of shit we have going on. None of it matters because she’s legal and doesn’t need your permission.”

“Mothafucka, nobody asked you shit. My sister is young and dumb, but we ain’t falling for the bullshit. Only a sick-ass individual chooses to lay up with a child. Malea doesn’t have shit to her name and nothing to offer other than pussy, but you want us to believe you love her. Please get the fuck out of here. You’re a fucking predator and a pathetic one at that.” I voiced, trying to calm myself down so I didn’t end up doing some shit I would regret.

“You’re entitled to your opinion, young man. As I said, I don’t need your approval to be with Malea. She can make her own choices, and right now she wants to be with me. Either deal with it or don’t. It makes no difference to me.” he shrugged, and I wanted to beat him unconscious. The only reason I was trying to show an ounce of restraint was that I couldn’t afford to go to jail right now, and it was obvious Malea wasn’t going anywhere.

“Come on, Malea. You can’t possibly believe this. This man is almost twenty-five years older than you. How could you possibly think this is okay?” Yaya pressed.

“Look, I’m not going to continue going back and forth with you. You can feel how you want to feel because, at the end of the day, I’m grown, and I’m gonna do what I want. Now, it’s time for y’all to get the fuck out. I’m ready to relax and lay up with my man. I’m sure you’ll be spending the night alone while your man is somewhere having a threesome with two groupie bitches. Tuh. It couldn’t be,” Malea taunted.

“Bitch!” Yaya lunged in Malea’s direction, but I held her in a bear hug. Yaya was a known fighter, but I knew she would regret it if things got too far out of hand. Malea was trying to get a rise out of her, but she was still family at the end of the day.

“You’re pathetic, Malea. You’re walking around with a chip on your shoulder for everyone except that raggedy bitch who birthed you and this weirdo ass nigga. The nerve of you to want Solomon and me to carry the weight of your trauma, but not the rotten pussy you came out of. Girl, fuck you! I sacrificed a lot to try and give you a better life, but if this is what you want, I’m gonna sit back and watch you fall on your hard-ass head. Don’t call me when this nigga fucks you over, because I won’t be there.”

Yaya stormed out of the living room, and I heard the sound of the door slam moments later.

“Look, I don’t want to get in the middle of family business, but will you at least give me your new number, so we can keep in touch? Honesty held out her phone, and the two of them exchanged words briefly. Honesty gave her a hug and whispered something in her ear before they separated.

I walked out of the house with Honesty trailing behind me. I had no reason to be upset with her, but I couldn’t shake my feelings. Malea had fucked me up with her actions, and for the first time in a long time I had no idea what to do. My first instinct was to put my hands and feet on this nigga, but I couldn’t afford to get in any trouble right now unless he physically hurt her; then all cards would be off the table.

We got into the car, and it was silent the whole way.

“What are we gonna do, Solomon? You and I both know she has no business being with that man. He’s almost twenty-five years older than her, and he’s fucking married.” Yaya huffed.

I sat there unable to find the right words to express how I truly felt. Malea was the baby of the family, so it was hard for me to accept the fact that she was becoming an adult.

“I don’t know, Yaya. All I want to do right now is beat that mothafuckas face in until he passes out. I don’t understand what she even sees in him, and the way she was talking to you was reckless as hell. Baby girl is definitely smelling herself, and it’s only gonna lead to her own heartbreak.”

“Yeah, I really wanted to beat her ass. You know I’m not even the type to throw what I’ve done for my family back in y’all face, but I worked my ass off to make sure she had everything she needed. She has this undying loyalty to a man she barely even knows, and now it’s fuck us.” Yaya scoffed.

She was in her feelings, and she had every right to be. Yaya always made sure we were straight, and when we came to live with her, she went even harder for us.

“Lea was out of line for the way she handled you. I don’t know what to do foreal. A part of me wants to round up the fellas, bust in that mothafucka and kidnap her ass, but I could tell by the way she was going toe to toe with that man’s wife lil’ sis is way in over her head.” I stated, stressed just thinking about how this was all going to play out.

“I know leaving wasn’t easy, but it was for the best. Malea’s head is in the clouds, and she won’t leave him alone until she’s ready. Legally, she’s an adult, so the police wouldn’t even be on your side.” Honesty added.

She placed her hand on my shoulder, but I shrugged it off. Once we got back to Yaya’s house, I said goodbye to her, then hopped into my car without opening the passenger-side door like I normally do.

The ride was quiet until she realized we were headed on to her house instead of mine.

“Why are you getting on the highway?”