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“I’m trying for Chivon. She’s my sweet lamb, that little angel.”
“And what about her moms?”
“Whatever about her?” That narrow chin lifted again.
“Where does she fit in, in all of this? Have you hollered at her?”
She hesitated. “If by holler you mean reached out, the answer is no.”
Distractingly, I laughed, rubbing my chin as I sat up in the chair. “You’re gonna have to forgive me, but how does that part of the game work?”
“What do you mean?” her tone was pretentious, defensive.
I knew no other way than to be frank. “You know, Celestine, I ‘on’t know much about family dynamics. My moms and I have always been cool, but I don’t speak to my pops much outside of Chivon’s birthdays and Christmases.” Lamont stopped fucking with me when I’d given Nicholas a job here at the firm after he decided college wasn’t for him and hated flipping burgers to earn a living. My pops wanted to punish Nicholas, using that “either school or work full-time at minimum wage” mentality. I hooked him up with an entry-level gig that paid him. Nicholas decided to move out three months later. And there went my pops’ effort to have a real relationship with me. “But I do know Ashira still needs a mother. She’ll always need her moms.”
“Ohhh!” she shooed me again while groaning. “Shi-Shi’s an adult now. She’s smart, independent, and wealthy. She’s fine.”
I wondered if she was. A few days after my birthday party, Ashira hit me up, saying she was going back on tour this fall. A part of me wondered if she was running from something. I’d always, on the low, felt Ashira left for months at a time because she had nothing keeping her here.
Since fucking up Tyreek the way I did, I’d been in a peculiar space, detoxing a lot of my anger and pinpointing what had gotten me on the “Samson” road. If I’d been off emotionally, I’d also been off spiritually. So, I’d been praying a lot more in-depth. I’d also increased my sessions with the therapist. From the stringent regimen, I realized my focus had been off, and so had my faith. I had a lot of work to do on reconstructing the man I’d envisioned myself to be back when I was planning my future, sitting inFPC Montgomery.
“But anyway,” Celestine exhaled. “The reason for my visit you so gracefully agreed to is to ask for your assistance.”
“Anything.”
“My daughter.”
“What about her?”
“Since her overreaction to Noel and me spending time with my little lamb back in April, I don’t have the access to her I’d prefer. I only see her when she’s with you, which is hardly ever now that her mother’s not touring.”
Something about this didn’t smell right. “Okay…”
Her slender shoulders lifted as she suggested, “Okay, so you talk to your child’s mother. Explain to her the need for Chivon to have a relationship with her grandparents. I would like to see her freely, and so would Noel.”
“I can try to talk to Ashira. But to be real, I don’t have much influence with her at all right now.”
Ashira had been a little ghost with me since my birthday party. Chelsea told me how she found out about Tyreek. That fucking Tanya sending her the pictures of him in the E.R. was not a good look. Ashira and her girls weren’t built for that. I was sure Ashira didn’t know I covered his hospital and pharmaceutical bills.
“But you’re vacationing in a few days. You’ll have plenty of time to put in a good word for Noel and me. I’d love to have Chivon for a week before she begins preschool in the fall.” Celestine stood, superficially satisfied with her agenda.
I swear, I like this lady…
Even though she made me question why, I really liked her. Celestine was a bitch, which helped me to realize where Ashira had gotten her inner bitch from. But both women had redeeming qualities, allowing me to overlook the flaws. Celestine had never judged me. She’d been in contact with me regularly since learning her daughter was pregnant with my child. Yes. In a way, she used me to get to Chivon, but Celestine managed not to make it feel that way. She’d even been cool with my moms. She may have been pretentious, but the woman wasn’t standoffish.
I also stood from my seat, watching Chivon’s grandmother take off for the door. Her exit was just as theatrical as her entrance. But then Celestine leaned backward from the doorway, a big smile painting her beautiful face.
“Where’s that darling little Ava? I bet her office is well-endowed, too.”
“Uhhh…” I scratched my chin, not expecting that question. “Ava is no longer withPrism Built. She separated from us a few months ago.”
All the happiness in Celestine’s expression melted instantly. “This place is on the rise! Why ever would she do a thing like that?”
I hesitated but felt the need to be transparent. “Her business here had become an issue with Chivon’s mother. I may have blurred the lines between her work forPrism Builtand my need for a personal assistant.” Celestine’s mouth fell into an “O.” I shrugged and assured her, “It’s all good, though.” Ava landed well with a firm down in Atlanta.
“What an insecure woman that Shi-Shi is. But I can see why. Ava was beautiful, intelligent, charming, and stayed close to you.” Celestine winked.
I shook my head. “Nah. I think Ashira’s insecurities come from a specific source.” I knew this since the first day I met the regal Celestine Witherspoon. “But that’s all good, too. As crazy as shit’s been between us, I got her. I’ll always do what’s best for her.”Unlike you and her pops.
