“Yeah, a’ight,” Demi said.
Demi kicked back on the couch. He didn’t realize how much the absence of this threesome had affected him. It felt completely normal to be here with Lauren and DJ. He had come home to them for many years. His woe was welcome within these walls. It was safe here. Neither Lauren nor DJ judged himfor his emotions. They didn’t use his weaknesses against him, and Lauren had cause. It only showed the measurement of her character.
Lauren walked into the room and grabbed the remote control, pausing the TV. “Bud, it’s time to shower and get ready for bed.”
“Dang, Ma, but Dad’s here. It’s the weekend! Can I just stay up and hang out?”
“Don’t dang Ma my wi…” Demi stopped himself. He would always come to Lauren’s defense when they were together, making sure DJ kept it respectful with his mother. “Do what your mama said, boi.”
“Yess, sirrr,” DJ said, sulking as he stomped past Demi. Demi pulled his hand as he passed and he tackled DJ to the couch, play wrestling with his son, delivering light taps as he hopped up on his feet. “Let’s go, put them dukes up.”
Lauren laughed as she pulled out her phone. “I couldn’t make this up,” she said as DJ went beast on Demi, yelling like a banshee and laughing as he delivered a blow to Demi’s midsection. He wasn’t strong enough to hurt Demi yet, but Demi was good at faking it to make DJ feel strong.
“Aghhh,” Demi groaned, putting a little sauce on it as he bent over and held his “injury.”
“You cap, Dad, I ain’t even hit you that hard,” DJ said.
Demi stood suddenly and flipped DJ over his shoulder before body slamming him into the couch.
“You cheated!” DJ said.
“Play weak, be strong. You know the rules,” Demi schooled. “Now, head to bed.”
Lauren put her phone away and shook her head. Demi had been detached from a lot over the years, but never their son. DJ was the one connection he truly allowed. When Lauren heard DJ’s footsteps go all the way upstairs, she spoke.
“You’ve been here for a few days, Demi. I don’t mind having you. He’ll, you bought me the house, so who am I to put you out, but we both know this isn’t where you want to be, boy. Just go home.”
“I ain’t sure where that is,” he admitted. “What if I made a mistake, Lo?”
“Boy, goodbye,” Lauren said, snatching up her couch pillows to fluff them after the way DJ and Demi had smushed them all day. “You’re in your feelings a little bit because you realize I’m moving on, and you’re used to having ownership of me, Demi. You just don’t want someone else to have something that you feel like belongs to you. You’re like a dog with a bone.”
“Nah, Lo, it ain’t about that,” Demi said. “I’m just saying. What if I put my money on the wrong horse.”
“Oh, negro, if we talking winners, I’ma always leave with the trophy. You absolutely bet on the wrong horse, if that’s what we’re talking about, but look at you. You’ve literally been miserable for two days. You trying to play tough, but I know you. Whatever drove you to this house has nothing to do with regret and everything to do with you not having the upper hand with that girl.”
“It’s deeper than the upper hand, Lo. Charlie’s pregnant, and instead of planning a future with a nigga, she decided something different.”
“Different?” Lauren thought she knew what he meant, but she didn’t want to assume.
“She told the doctors to schedule an abortion. Didn’t blink. Didn’t stop to think about the shit. I don’t even think the shit hurt. It was like she was talking about throwing away a piece of trash.”
“Oh,” Lauren responded. It was the only word she could find.
“So, again. Did I make a mistake? I risked it all for what? Casual sex and some love songs?”
“I might not be the right person to discuss this with, Demi. I don’t even like yo’ bitch, so my advice regarding this might not be the most impartial.”
“So it’s as fucked up as it sounds?” Demi asked.
“I don’t know, Demi. I know you love this girl. I know you do because of what you gave up to be with her, but maybe you’re only considering love. A baby changes things in a relationship.”
“DJ made us better,” Demi stated. He was so forlorn, just agonizing and torn up at the thought of Charlie’s procedure. He had wanted to hold her hand through it but he couldn’t be there for the annihilation of another child. Same woman, same song. Pregant-ALT-DELETE.
“Because I wanted kids, Demi. I wanted kids with you. Maybe she doesn’t. Maybe she’s scared. She’s damn near a teenager, maybe her ass don’t want the responsibility. I don’t know, but if you love her, you got to respect her choice. You don’ already gave up your life for her, and there ain’t no backtracking, so you might as well make it right. Otherwise, all this pain you’ve caused me will be for nothing. When is the procedure scheduled?”
“It was yesterday,” Demi said. “That’s what I’m saying. She pulled the motherfucking trigger so quick, Lo. In a split second, I found out I was having another kid and then losing one.”
“Demi, please tell me you didn’t make that girl go through that alone,” Lauren said.
