“We have to get him a present. A really nice one. When can we go?” Nyelle loved her son too much to kill his joy, so she pushed out a deep breath.
“How about we get him a gift card and he can get whatever he wants.”
Nick frowned a bit, processing the thought. “But that’s not a good gift.”
“That’s a dope gift, chief. Remember for your birthday when you got to go shopping and buy all the shit you wanted with the gift cards you got?”
“Daddy.” Nick ran full speed and jumped into his father's arms. Reese kneeled down enough to catch him and hugged his son tightly against his chest.
Nyelle watched the scene, happy that her son was getting to see his father after months, but she was pissed that he was there unannounced.
“What’s up, chief? I missed you.” Reese brushed his hand across his son's hair before he hugged him tight again.
“But you didn’t come to see me in a long time, Daddy.” Nick’s little face balled up into a pout, causing Reese’s chest to tense alittle. He looked past Nick and caught the glare Nyelle sent his way.
“I know, chief. Daddy’s been really busy. I’ll make it up to you, though.”
“You like that baby more than me now, don’t you?”
Nyelle’s heart broke at her son's insight and anger pushed through her so quickly that she possessed the ability to murder Reese with her bare hands for hurting their son.
“Nah, chief, it’s not like that. She’s your sister, so I love her like I love you. She’s just little and needs me more right now. You’re a G, so I know you can miss a little time with me.”
“But I don’t want to. I want you here with Mommy and me. Mommy needs you too. Don’t you, Mommy?” Nick looked over his shoulder at his mother, oblivious to the dynamic between her and his father.
“Mommy has you, chief. You’re my little man, right?’
Nick was instantly happy again, desperate for his father’s approval. “Yes, I’m a man like you. I paid for my own haircut too like you taught me. Mommy gave me money.”
“Word? That’s what’s up, a man always pays his way.”
“And men don’t cheat, Nick. Remember that too,” Nyelle tossed out, tone clipped and sarcastic.
“I don’t cheat. I play fair with my friends.”
Reese was grateful his son had no idea what his mother was talking about but sent a heated stare her way to which she rolled her eyes.
“Ay, let me holla at your mother real quick, then I’ll take you to get something to eat. You wanna do that?”
Nick nodded wildly and Reese pressed his forehead to his son’s. It was intimate and his way of showing love. “Aight, go to your room for a minute and watch TV. I’ll call you when we’re ready to leave.”
“Okay, I missed you, Daddy.” Nick threw his arms around Reese's neck and hugged him tightly before he wiggled out of his father's embrace, allowing Reese to set him on his feet where he took off toward his room.
“Why you gonna say some dumb shit like that to him, Ny? He’s a kid and doesn’t have any business in the middle of what we have going on.”
“If that’s the case, then stop putting him in the middle. Every time you don’t show up, and I have to convince him that he’s just as important as your daughter,youput him in the middle of what we have going on. So miss me with that shit, Reese. And why are you here.”
“Don’t start with that shit. I’m not trying to argue with you. I want to try to figure out how to fix this.”
It wasn’t until then that Nyelle noticed that his features had softened and there was pleading in his eyes. It did nothing to her, at this point she didn’t care. He had betrayed her in the worst way, broken her trust and crushed her heart. She was not going to allow him the opportunity to do that again.
“There’s nothing to fix. You had a choice to be faithful to me and you made the decision not to.”
“So I fuck up once and you’re done? After everything that we been through, you’re just gonna say fuck this and fuck me.”
Reese was angry. He knew she had every right to do just that. Michelle wasn’t the only one, she was simply the only one he got caught with. There was no hiding the baby after a certain point and he wouldn’t. He loved his daughter, but trust, he would have asked Michelle to get rid of the baby, knowing that having it meant the possibility of losing Nyelle. That shit hurt, it hurt bad, but he didn’t have anyone to blame but himself.
“I’m not doing this with you. I loved you for a long time. I still have love for you, but I can’t put myself out there anymore, not with you.”
