“Ma’am.” Nurse Hawkins stepped forward. “We asked you to leave.”
“Whatever, I’m leaving, and I won’t be back because I doubt her lil broke ass can afford another month.”
“I bet that makes you happy, huh?” Tyler chuckled.
“It does.” Carla picked at her nails. “She thought she was so much better than me, now look at her sitting here not knowing her left from right.” She peered at her sister.
“And she’s still shittin’ on your wanna be ass. My mama never had to pretend to be something she wasn’t and that’s why you’re so mad. Don’t worry about how I'm going to pay for her to be here. Worry about your nasty ass daughter and grandchild.”
“How nasty is her daughter?” Mr. Rogers asked, looking over his glasses. “I’ve known some nasty girls in my day.”
“Oh, are you mad?” Carla shot, ignoring Mr. Rogers' comment. “Bobbi stole your man right from under your nose. She’s living in your skyrise apartment and she’s having his baby, something your useless ass couldn’t do.”
“You think she won something.” Tyler laughed in her face. Her laughter was so contagious that Mr. Rogers and Maple joined in. Tears sprouted from Tyler’s eyes as she held her stomach. “What do you think she won?”
“Your spot in his life, that’s for sure,” Carla smartly replied. “His firstborn.”
“A baby?” Tyler cocked her head to the side. “Lady, I’ve been pregnant by Dex three times, and I have an unhealthy stock of Plan B under the cabinet in the bathroom. If you’re smart, you’lltell your bird brain daughter to chew a couple of tablets and go play hopscotch on I-94. Second thought, knowing Dexter, he’ll probably beat it out of her.”
“He’d never.” Carla glared at her. “Just because he beat your ass doesn’t mean she’s going to get the same treatment. You were weak, but that’s what happens when you are raised by a weak woman.”
“So, you knew what he was doing to me?”
“I did.” She folded her arms across her chest. “You’ve always had a smart mouth and someone needed to put you in your place. So, yes, I turned my head every time you walked in the house with a busted lip or black eye.”
“I was only nineteen,” Tyler whispered, remembering the first time Dexter hit her because he thought she was flirting with someone at a party.
“And you learned how to hit back. You thought I was about to worry myself with yall bullshit? You whined about leaving him, but Dex was never going to let you go.”
“Wow, you hate me that much? Why not leave me in the group home? You didn’t have to come get me and fuck up my life.”
“The money, duh. Your father was paying me a nice penny for keeping you out of his hair, and then I found out you could sing.” She paused. “Who do you think told Bobbi to introduce you to Dexter? Me. I made you, lil girl.” She clapped her hands. “You need to bow down at my feet when you speak to me.”
“You didn’t make shit,” Tyler gritted.
“But I did. You were only seventeen. I signed the paperwork, I allowed you to be with Dexter, and I dished out your money when I saw fit. I was over all your accounts and I kept you sobusy that you never had time to take my name off anything. Everything might be tied up with the label and lawyers now, but when the smoke clears, all your money is going right to me.”
“Ma’am.” Security approached, interrupting Carla’s rant. “We’re going to need you to leave.”
“I’m leaving,” Carla snapped, turning back to her niece. “But if you get your shit together, I can talk to Darryl and maybe we can work something out.”
“Fuck you, Carla,” Tyler spat. “You speak so highly of the man that likes to get me drunk and eat my pussy.”
“Who do you think spiked the fucking drinks?”
“Bitch!” Tyler lunged forward, snatching Carla by her hair.
Whap!
She punched her in the face.
Whap!
Whap!
Whap!
“You let him rape me?” Tyler screamed as security tried to contain her.
