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I was still waiting for Trent to call me back, so I didn’t respond either way. I’d call him again on my way to work, though I said I wouldn’t reach out to him again. In the meantime, I was just grateful Lis seemed to be in better spirits and that she was okay with Amaru and me taking things to the next level.
* * *
Not to my surprise, Violet was okay with me taking the rest of the year off. My guys were more than willing to take the rest of my open cases for the year so I could devote more time to my daughter. While she was still going to school until Christmas break, I’d use that time to spend time with myself, Mama, and Ru. And during that month-long break, Lis would be my highest priority. My prayer was that when she started back up with school and I returned to work, after the time we spent together, she’d be in a better space mentally, regardless of what happened with her father.
As if my consistent thoughts had conjured him, Trent called me. I dropped the files I was holding to take to Mecca and Parker and answered the call.
“Hello?”
“Hey, you called?”
Hearing his voice after all this time didn’t affect me the way I thought it would. More than anything, I was upset over how casually he spoke… like we hadn’t last talked to each other in twelve damn years.
“Yeah.” Clearing my throat, I leaned against my desk. “Like I said in my voicemail, Alisia has been asking about you a lot. Is it possible for you to come and spend some time getting to know her?”
“I was going to say no but my wife heard the voicemail, and you disrupted the peace in my home. She’s upset with me because I didn’t tell her about our child.”
I was so caught off guard by his statement I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Wait, I don’t think I heard you correctly. You’re saying you didn’t tell your wife you had a daughter, and the only reason you’re coming to see her is because she’s making you?”
“Yeah. She basically said if I don’t be in Alisia’s life, she’s going to divorce me because she didn’t marry a deadbeat.” He released a frustrated breath. “I never wanted to have kids. I told you that… And I told her that. But she swears I’m going to change my mind. I’ma do what I can to keep her, even if that means coming back to Memphis to see my child.”
It took everything inside of me not to say fuck himandhis wife. I couldn’t believe he had the audacity to speak so callously about the beauty of having a child. There were people out here who prayed and wished they were able to have kids and he didn’t even want or appreciate the one he had.
“The only reason I’m not hanging this phone up in your face is because my daughter really wants to meet you, though I’m sure if she knew how you truly felt about her, she wouldn’t give two fucks about you. You’re going to come to Memphis and spend time with her because it’s the right fucking thing to do, not because of your damn wife. If she had any sense, she’dstillleave your trifling ass. Text me and let me know when you’re coming home.”
Without giving him time to respond, I disconnected the call. Hearing from him had ruined my entire mood. Lord knows I didn’t regret my daughter, but I for damn sure regret who I accidentally made her father.
Twenty-Five
Amaru
That Weekend
“I shouldn’t have told her he said he was going to come,” Amelia muttered.
Trent had sent her his flight confirmation for the weekend, and she told Lis he was going to come and see her. He ended up sending Milli a long text this morning talking about how he wanted nothing to do with them. To avoid Alisia idealizing the thought of her father, Amelia decided to tell her the truth about him—he didn’t want to be in her life and that would never change. It did sadden Alisia, but she had a strong enough self-worth thanks to her mom and grandmom to where she immediately said with fierceness it was his loss and she’d never ask to see him again.
I was proud of her, but I was also going to try and be more present. I was hurting for Milli because she was hurting. As always, AJ was with Lis while I took care of Amelia.
“You’re raising a strong young lady, Milli. She’s going to be good. At least she knows the truth now.”
“I just hate that it had to come to this. She deserves better.”
“I don’t deny that, but she has better. She has you.” I lifted her chin. “And me. And AJ. And our moms. And my crazy ass brothers. We might not be the healthiest family right now, but you know they will always show up for the two of you.”
As tears slid down her cheeks, she nodded with a smile. “That’s the crazy part. Your brothers do more for me than my own. Hell, Mecca and Parker do too.” Sucking her teeth, she shot up from her seat. “Fuck Jeremy and his father. It’s time I told them how I felt once and for all.”
“Uh… sweetheart?” I called, following her out of the bedroom. “Where are you going?”
“To confront those selfish, cold-hearted bastards. I’ve spent my entire life craving things from them that should have been given to me unconditionally. I’ve had e-fucking-nough. If I’m going to raise my daughter to be a better version of myself, maybe it’s time I took a page out of her book and detached from the men that have made it clear they don’t give a fuck if they have anything to do with me on a personal level.”
When she was determined like this, there was no point in trying to talk her down. I stopped by the game room and told the kids we’d be stepping out for a while and hoped this confrontation didn’t end with me laying her father or brother out because they said the wrong thing to my woman.
* * *
Amelia was as wild and free as the wind, charging through Victor and Mina’s home. They were seated in the dining room, laughing and looking like the perfect family with their son. Seeing Jeremy with his father always confused me. There were times the duo had a toxic relationship like Victor and Amelia, but the main difference was, they still had a powerful father-son alliance, and I think that’s what hurt Milli the most. After all this time, they still treated her like an outsider.
