She nodded and stood. “If that changes, you can call me. I’m here to help you in any way that I can.”
“Thank you so much.”
“No problem. Thank you for showing up for her.” She smiled warmly, nodding toward my sleeping niece. “She needs you.”
She collected her things after that and left us alone. I got up and walked to Keona’s crib, grabbing her tiny hand as I watched her sleep. I had no clue what our future looked like, but I knew that she would always have me, no matter what.
“Whew shit,who knew that being a parent would be this hard?” Kabria said before she fell down onto the couch next to me.
I chuckled, tucking my feet under me so that she’d have more space. “Thank you for staying with us for a few nights.”
I ended up taking the whole week off work, and she took off Thursday to Sunday so she could help me with Keona when we got home. It had truly been an adjustment having a baby in my house, but she was a sweet baby. We did have some rough times since meeting because though my sister seemed to stop using for the most part while she was carrying her, she still had some drugs in her system and experienced withdrawal.
I’d totally scared myself after researching baby’s that dealt with withdrawal. Some of those poor babies really were going through it in the videos that I’d watched, but we were on the lower end of that spectrum. She cried, a lot sometimes, but all she needed was some extra loving during those times and we were good. I was a little concerned about how that would work out for us when she actually had to go into daycare though. Even though it was my job, and I’d just be on the other side of the building, I didn’t want to worry about anyone getting aggravated with her.
“Girl, you know you don’t have to thank me,” Kabria smiled. “She’s ours now. Little girl has already stolen my heart.”
“Mine too,” I glanced down at my nails, noting it was time for a fill in.
“When are you going to go find Gwen?”
“I don’t even know.” I sighed. “I don’t think I’m ready to face her because I’m afraid of how I’ll react after seeing her, and if she starts her shit, I’d really go off.”
“I get that,” she nodded. “Part of me still can’t believe her. She has done some crazy shit, but this is on another level.”
“Tell me about it.” I shook my head. “I think I’m going to wait until Keona is settled here and in daycare before I confront her. I still need time to cool down.”
“Well, when you’re ready, I’m going with you,” she said, taking my hand. “I know how much she upsets you, so I’ll need to be there to drive you back or to jump in just in case she wants to get froggy,” she joked and smiled. I appreciated her because she’d really been trying to keep my spirits high during this time. “But now that the baby is down, let’s have us a damn drink.” She got up and pulled me with her. “We need it.”
In the kitchen she pulled out my blender and filled it with ice, fresh fruit, and plenty of tequila to make frozen margaritas. I didn’t really want to get drunk while I had the baby, but I took it because I did need one badly.
“So, have you talked to Loco since he showed up and out with all of baby girl’s stuff?”
I shook my head. I hadn’t told her what I said to him the day he and his mom took me shopping.
“I don’t think I’ll be hearing from him anymore?”
“Well, that’s a lie.” Kabria chuckled. “That man didn’t go through whatever lengths he has to get your information just tonottalk to you anymore.”
“Yeah, but I was sort of a bitch.”
“What’s new?” she asked then laughed when I nudged her. “What hoe? You’re mean as a rattle snake sometimes.”
“I am not.” I chuckled while shaking my head. “I just don’t deal with shit that I don’t have to. Hell, I have enough on my plate dealing with Gwen.”
“True, but still,” she shrugged. “Yousayyou’re going to give someone else a chance one day, but you never actually do. I think you’re more hurt by what Tristan did than you actually admit to be.”
“Of course I was hurt, Kabria, I was with him for years,” I replied then sighed. “And maybe that’s the issue. I don’t want tokeepdating andkeeppotentially wasting my time. I wish Godwould just somehow show me the man that I’m meant to be with so I can avoid all of the bullshit.”
“Well, if a man getting your contact information from thin air, going to the hospital with you to find out about your niece, flying his mom out to fully furnish a nursery,andgetting you whatever you needed isn’t God’s way of showing you something, then I don’t know what is.”
“Kabria, shut up,” I laughed. “God did not intend for me to be with a man that I may end up in jail for murdering one day. I know better than that.”
“Why would that happen with you and Loco, Diamond?”
“Because Makhai is ahoe, we both know that.” I rolled my eyes. “Sure, what he did was super sweet, and I really appreciate it, but I also will not act like I haven’t seen the way he carries on. Whenever he’s in the media, it’s because he’s been caught acting a fool somewhere, or because of a new woman crying that he broke their heart. I don’t wantanyparts of that.”
“True, but Loco is young, single and a bad boy superstar. He’s totally on brand with all the things you listed. You can’t really blame the man for enjoying those things.”
