Even though my mom tried to move on, tried to smile and live her life… I knew the truth. A part of her died the day my father did.
They were soulmates.
After he passed, I never really thought about having a real relationship. Never thought about settling down or calling some woman my girl. Women had always been simple to me. They were an escape.
A simple release that I enjoyed.
I fucked them good, took them out sometimes, spent a little money, then sent them right back to whatever life they had before me. That wasn’t the case with Layloni. I found myself worrying about saying or doing the wrong thing. Then she loved to run from a nigga whenever shit got tough.
A baby changed everything including the dynamics between us. A meant responsibility, it meant stepping the fuck up in ways I never had to before. It also meant I would have to own my shit and do right by her whether I was ready or not. It took two to tangle and I refused to bitch up and make her figure this shit out on her own.
Truth be told… a baby would make me marry her. Not because someone forced me, but because I’d want my child to grow up the same way I did, two parents in the house showing real love to each other.
I loved Layloni. But did I love her enough to do right for the long haul? Questions running through my mind started to eat me alive.
Women liked to talk. Layloni especially, she could get me talking about shit without me even realizing it. I just worried about my darker days… the days when I didn’t want to say a damn word to anybody… would she understand my silence?
Everything was moving way too fast. I had no clue what I was supposed to say when she woke up. Carefully, I eased out from under her sleeping body and slid out the bed.
I took a hot shower, letting the water beat against my shoulders while my mind kept racing. Afterward, I walked into the living room and rolled up a blunt. When my eyes landed on the pile of clothes on the floor, I couldn’t help but chuckle. Her dress, her panties right next to my basketball shorts.
My whole plan tonight had been to talk to her like adults… figure out where the hell we stood but the second I saw her fine ass standing in front of me, all that logical shit went straight out the window.
I pulled my phone out and scrolled through my messages. My mind was too loud to sit with it alone. It was late as hell, but I needed to talk to somebody.
Only one person came to mind. The one woman who swore she knew everything and would probably curse my ass out for calling this late. Rellianah was a woman herself… maybe she could make some sense of this situation.
I hit FaceTime. The phone rang twice before she answered.
“Why the fuck you calling me this late, nigga?” She shot me a nasty look with her nose wrinkled.
Rellianah’s was wide awake and had the nerve to look pissed. She barely slept anyway, probably always up plotting on shit she ain’t have no business plotting on. I always said it was the PTSD from being too deep in the streets.
I leaned back into the couch, smirking.
“Damn… sounds like somebody still in the dog house. Let me guess—Cream kicked you out the room and you stuck in the guest room while he in the master with the kids?” I chuckled lowly.
She snorted loud as hell. I hated that her ass never liked to do regular phone calls. She always had to show her face on the screen as if her angelic face was intimidating somebody.
She gave me a wicked little smile.
“You know something, King…” she said slowly. “I’m starting to think you want me. Because ain’t no reason you should be calling me this much. I’m a happily married woman. Start calling Cream with your problems, fuck boy.”
I laughed.
“Your nosey ass the one who got involved with me and Layloni in the first place. So now you stuck with every call I make.” I grinned. “Matter fact… Layloni in my bed right now. Ass naked too. Snoring like she done ran a marathon.”
Her eyes widened.
“Nigga, you lying!” She frowned.
I stood up and quickly walked toward the bedroom, flipping the camera around.
For a quick second I showed her Layloni curled up on her side in the bed, mouth slightly open, snoring softly. Then I flipped the camera back to myself, grinning.
“Gave her that straight dope dick. Put her ass right to sleep.” I boasted, full of pride.
Relli stared at me for a second before a slow smile spread across her face. That smile made my stomach tighten, shit made a nigga feel proud as fuck.
