“Okay. He’s good to leave.” I point to Xai’s belongings in the chair by the window. “That’s his stuff and he can head out without stopping at the desk. Nice to meet you and take care of him.”
“Thanks. I got him,” Rick says.
“Nah. You take care of me, pretty girl,” Xai says.
“This fool,” Rick utters as I walk out of the room, grinning to myself.
When I make it back to my desk, it’s almost three so I spend my last twenty minutes checking and answering emails. After I finish, I grab my lunch kit and say goodbye to my coworkers as I walk out. It’s a little after three-thirty when I pull into the long ass car rider line at Little Einsteins.
“We still getting pizza, Mommie?” Averi asks as soon as I buckle Romi in.
“Of course, I’ve been thinking about my calzone all day,” I tell her.
“Not the mini pizza?” Romi asks.
“I’ll get a piece of yours. Are you gonna share with me?”
“If you’re hungry,” she says and I just smile.
When I’m back in my driver seat, I glance in my rearview at Averi. “Are you ready for tomorrow?”
“Yes, ma’am. We practiced today too.”
“Let me hear it.”
“A long, long time ago, there was a brave lady named Rosa Parks. She was riding on a bus and the rule was that Black people had to sit in the back. A bus driver told Rosa to give up her seat, but Rosa said no,” she begins and I beam with pride.
“Thanksagain for keeping them for me,” I whisper as we walk back to Kandi’s kitchen.
“Girl, don’t thank me. They’re my godbabies, plus I support this visit ten thousand percent,” she says.
It’s been a few days and I’m still livid at Rush for cursing and yelling at the start of that video visit. When I said I was over him, I meant it. He’s so fucking narcissistic and he can’t even consider our daughters for even five minutes. It’s all about him and what he wants; to hell with them in his mind and his family is no better. They are still calling and I’m still blocking, even his mother. Her last voicemail cursing me out was the final straw. Me nor my babies need their toxicity in our lives.
“It’s overdue,” I tell her as I grab my cup from her espresso machine. I need caffeine for my almost two-hour drive to get this shit over with. That night after his video visit, I scheduled myself for his first available visit, this Saturday morning at eight.
“Loooonngggg overdue,” she says, then shakes her head. “You know I’ve never liked him, and after you told me about that visit, my dislike turned to hatred. Please read his ass for filth and tell him to go to hell.”
“To the pits of hell,” I say and she busts out laughing then quickly, her hand flies to her mouth. “Shit. I’m going to wake up the whole house.”
“And have Chad mad at me for coming over here this damn early,” I add
“Girl, he sleeps through anything. I’m talking about the girls, ’cause once they are up, all three will be awake.”
“For sure. All Averi talked about last night was holding her baby,” I admit.
“Jazzmyn is excited too.”
“Girl, she’s barely five months.”
“She still knows they were coming,” she scoffs playfully.
“Well, don’t let them eat junk food all day,” I tell her.
“After that recording of Averi killing her Rosa Parks monologue, they will get whatever they ask for. You don’t rule shit over here.”
“She did so good,” I say, beaming. My baby was the best one on that stage yesterday. She was perfect, no nerves and no missed words. I shed a tear; I was so proud.
Kandi walks over to her pantry and grabs a lid for my disposable cup. She hands it to me. “You better go. You cannot miss this visit,” she says.
