"Why do you need to see me, Crew? What do we even have to talk about? Don’t you have my number? Couldn’t we have talked over the phone?”
"Pretty P, you know what we need to discuss. Don’t play dumb. You not good at it.”
“I’m not playing dumb. I genuinely don’t have a clue.” I played tough while rolling my eyes.
“I am sure that your ass can look down right now and see what our discussion is about. I don’t have your phone number because I got rid of the phone a long time ago. Stop giving me push back and listen with your lil smart mouth ass. I'll be there in five minutes." he said, his tone low and final before the line went dead.
"If this nigga kills me, I'm haunting Princeton's ass for decades. Every time he turns a corner, I'm going to be standing right there looking like a hologram." I balled up my fist.
I walked over and peeked out of the window, and after a few minutes of watching the courtyard, I spotted Crew walking up to my building. Tall. Diamonds flashing on his wrist and neck, catching every light like he was a moving galaxy floating through the projects. Every head that turned was stuck on him, watching the way he carried himself like he owned the block.
His ass was still fine, but all I could think about was whether my baby daddy was coming up here to check me or to take me out. Fuck I just wanted my Crunch Bars and my bed tonight. Not this kind of shit.
Crew disappeared inside the building and knocks soon started at the door. I reached up to my ponytail, tugging it in two parts to make it look tighter. Before I could even walk to the door, Princeton was already pushing the door open, Crew right behind him like a shadow.
His smell hit first, that rich nigga scent that was cologne and bath soap smelling like warm summer woods. Crew tugged that half smile on the left side of his mouth when we met eyes, and it knocked more of my attitude away than his cologne already had. This right here was why I knew my daughter would come out beautiful, look at her damn daddy. Jesus.
For a second, neither of us said a word, until Princeton’s voice snapped our focus.
“A’yo, I’m going home to Mama’s now. Crew has your candy and soda, chicken head. I’ll fuck with you later.” Princeton slapped hands with Crew.
“Safety nigga,” Crew said, nodding his head back.
Once Princeton was gone, it was just me and Crew and a whole lot of silence sitting between us. I had a mug on my face, because I wasn’t trying to give Crew any reason to believe shit is sweet over here.
“Crew, what are you doing here? I haven’t heard from you in months.”
He stared right at my stomach before he answered.
“You know why I’m here. The reason is protruding from your abdomen right now. Is that my baby, Pernelle? If it’s not, don’t lie to me. A lie like that brings the worst kind of nigga out of me, I swear.”
“Oh, trust me, I know it doesn’t take much for you to bring that man out, so I would never sign my own death certificate,” I shot back.
He laughed, a low, deep sound that rolled off his chest. Crew wasn’t embarrassed by his reputation of being a murderer, and he wore that title like it was designer. Sometimes I wondered if this nigga was even capable of love. Has someone like Crew ever been tender about a female? I highly doubt that shit has happened.
“Well, can we get a blood test just to be sure?”
“Crew, we don’t need a blood test. She’s yours. I didn’t sleep with anybody but you and Ebony these past two years. So, of course she is yours.”
“And how am I supposed to know that?” He still squinted his eyes with a curious expression.
“Because I wouldn’t lie. She’s your baby, Crew. Look, I know your ass is fine, paid, and whatever, but I’m not that desperate to get with anyone to lie about a baby. Shit, I didn’teven plan on telling you because I’m not begging for anyone to be in her life.”
He sucked in his bottom lip and rubbed his knuckle over his eyebrow.
“It’s a she, huh? You really having my lil girl?”
“I’m having my little girl,” I corrected. “Unless you really want to be in her life. Not in and out when you want to be, like my father was.”
“Of course I wouldn't. I mean; I may have not wanted a kid but if she is mine then I’m willing to take care of her. I’m not about to be a deadbeat ass nigga like my father either. If she is mine, I got her for life.” His response shocked me so much that I was stuck with no words for a few seconds.
“You, you, do?”
“Of course, but please don’t give a nigga any trouble or hold shit over my head because we have a kid together. I don’t know how to coparent. Never seen healthy coparenting in my fuckin life, but me and you are going to have that. I’m not going for none of that toxic ass arguing and fighting over her bullshit, you hear me, P?”
His nose was flared, and he was speaking so passionately with a pointed finger that I couldn’t help but listen closely. It was like he was my daddy and not just my baby daddy.
“Okay, I agree, and to be honest, drama is why I didn’t want to tell you. I just want a peaceful life.”
