“You got my nigga up here laughing at us. I can’t believe you even called me with this bullshit. You’re walking around here acting like your baby daddy ain’t one of the best producers out there. My money longer than my dick, and you know that shit is big as fuck. Dry them tears because you’re pissin’ me off.”
“You get on my nerves, I swear. I really do appreciate you, Jaiven.”
“I know. I’ll see you later. I love you, Tink.”
“Love you, too.”
We finished the song and fixed the chorus until it was perfect. I laid down a few more verses before we wrapped things up for the night. After hearing the conversation between Spinz andhis baby momma, I had a lingering question I couldn’t seem to shake. When we headed to the parking lot, I finally decided to ask him about it.
“Aye, do you mind if I ask you a personal question?”
“Naw, what’s up?” he replied, loading his bags into his trunk.
“Why aren’t you and your baby momma together? I ain’t mean to be all in your conversation, but it seemed like the two of you have a good relationship.”
Spinz paused what he was doing before turning to face me. He ran his hand through his beard before saying anything.
“We met when we were young. I was from the hood, and she was a good girl. We fell in love fast, but I was young and immature as fuck. Once I started hustling and the money started rolling in, I forgot all about the person who held me down when I ain’t have shit. She put up with a lot of shit from me over the years, then she got fed up. She called herself moving on and ended up with a sorry ass nigga who got her pregnant and bounced.
“We bumped heads for a while, so don’t let our current relationship fool you. We were toxic for years, and I hated that shit. When I started taking the producing shit seriously, things got better for us. Our friendship grew stronger because she was one of the few people who knew how big a dream it was for me. She supported my dream when I was nothing more than a young nigga with an idea, so I make sure she’s taken care of. I’ll never love a woman the way I love her, but I put her through too much over the years. I don’t think she will ever fully trust me with her heart again, so I try to be the best father and friend I can be.”
His revelation was insightful but scary at the same time. Naiari and I didn’t have a toxic past, but we encountered some obstacles that had set us back. A part of me wanted to try to move on from it and see if we could build something special, butI wasn’t sure how she would feel about it. From the talks we had, I knew she was still holding on to some shit from the past.
“I can tell from the look in your eyes that you must relate to my story. Look, I’m going to tell you the same thing I would tell anyone in my shoes. If you find a woman who loves you for you, don’t let her go. When you’re in a position like ours, it’s hard to sift out the real from the fake, so if you have someone solid in your corner, do whatever you can to hold on to her. Fucking bad bitches is cool, but I would give anything to be able to lie up with my baby momma and share my life with her. If it can be fixed, then fix that shit,” Spinz advised. I stood there taking in his words of wisdom. I loved Cocoa, and I wanted to make things right between us. We both made some mistakes along the way, but I believed we could get past them.
“Thank you, bro. I needed to hear that. Stay safe.”
“Always. You know it’s never a problem. Hell, if I can stop somebody from making some of the mistakes I made, then it’s a win for me. Stay up, G.” We shook hands, then got into our respective cars.
I sent Cocoa a text to let her know I needed to talk to her. She opened it but hadn’t responded yet. She could play all she wanted to, but I had no shame in popping up on her ass. For now, I would enjoy my time with the kids, but eventually, she would have to see me.
“I’m surprised you returned my message, but I’m glad you did. I enjoyed our time together, and I’m tryna see what you’re about,” Zoe declared.
When Nova called me and told me Zoe was trying to get in touch with me, I was surprised. She and Shada were still in contact and he had been pressing them for my number. I was flattered that he still wanted to get to know me, so I decided to get to know him.
Those club lights did him no justice because he was even finer in the daylight. I couldn’t contain my laughter, smiling so hard my cheeks were sore.
“I didn’t want you to think I was off-limits because of who my children’s father is. We’re both grown and single, and I don’t want to miss out on the opportunity to get to know you better.”
Zoe and I had been talking for two weeks, but it seemed longer. Since day one, he applied pressure, making sure to reach out to me daily, letting me know I was on his mind. He sent food to my job as well as flowers, which I appreciated. It was nicebeing courted by someone who made sure to let you know they were interested in you.
“I didn’t make any plans after dinner, but if you want to have a nightcap, there are a couple of places we could go,” Zoe suggested. To be honest, the only place I wanted to take him to was my bedroom. My hookup with Keynauri seemed to have activated my sex drive, and I needed a release. It wasn’t common for me to sleep with multiple men, but I guess I was trying to see if Zoe could distract me from my pain.
“I have the house to myself for one more night, so maybe we could have our nightcap there,” I suggested. I tried not to come off too thirsty, and I could tell by the grin on his face that it was well received.
“As long as you’re comfortable, I’m good with it.” Zoe paid for the bill, and I couldn’t help but admire his physique. His muscles were thick and prominent even as he sat there wearing a dress shirt and slacks. When he stood up to use the bathroom, my eyes zeroed in on the noticeable bulge in front of his pants. I tried not to stare, but it was impossible to miss.
Once we made it to his car, I slid down into his warm leather seats. The weather shifted so often, I could barely keep up. It was on the cool side, so I made sure to bring a jacket.
My phone rang for the third time, and I declined the call and responded via text.
Me:Is there something wrong with the kids?
Twin’s Pappy:Where tf you at? Why you keep playin’ with me?
Me:If you have anything to discuss regarding Kiaya and Keyaire, you can text me. I’m busy at the moment and unavailable to talk on the phone.
Twin’s Pappy:I see you want to play. I always loved a good game, shorty. See you soon.
