She giggled. “Daddy, you’re messy like me.”
“Not true,” I argued. “I’m busy taking care of you, so I don’t have time to clean as I used to.”
“It’s okay that we’re both messy.” Jussica insisted.
“I’m not messy.” I pointed at her. “You don’t clean up after yourself.”
“You don’t make your bed either.” She pouted.
“Stop going back and forth with me.” I reminded her.
“I’m not. You didn’t ask me to do anything.” Jussica’s pretty face frowned. “I’m telling the truth about how we’re both in the messy club.”
“I’m – “
“I can’t today with you two,” Mama interrupted my protest with an amused smile. She opened her arms. “Give me a hug, Juss. I’m headed home.”
“Love you, Nana.” Jussica immediately brightened, hopped off the chair, and hugged my mother warmly while Mama kissed her cheek with a loud smack. Mara’s mother died before Jussica was born, and her father remarried and moved to Vegas.Although her grandfather called Jussica and checked on her, my mother was Jussica’s only grandparent, involved in her life as she was her only grandchild, and their bond had become unshakeable.
“Give me a sec, little one. Need to talk to your Nana.”
Jussica picked up my empty glass and frowned. “Stinks. How do you drink this?”
“Yep. It’s alcohol and for grown folks. I hope you always think it stinks.” I said as I ushered my mother into the hall away from listening ears. Most of the staff were gone for the day.
Mama pulled her leather cross bag over her head. “I already know what you’re going to ask. I need this trip with my friends.”
“Mama, can you please postpone your trip to next week? It’s just a road trip to Austin. I know it’s a lot to ask, but I need you to keep Juss. Soraya is about done with me because I can’t take her to her club’s event. I swear I won’t ask you for anymore favors.” I quickly amended at her warning gaze. “For at least a couple of months.”
“We both know that’s a lie.” Mama planted her hands on her hips. “You need to get a babysitter, Shaun.”
“I don’t trust people with my child. You never got a babysitter.” I reminded her.
“Maybe I should have. Some of my ways weren’t always the best. I made my life harder than it had to be. You have friends with children around Jussie’s age who can babysit. Elijah’s daughter is only a little older than Jussie who’s already more mature than most children her age. They might get along. I’m also sure Soraya has friends or family who wouldn’t mind keeping Juss since she’s willing to break up with you over nothing.” Mama’s lips curled.
I shook my head. “Mama, don’t do that. Soraya deserves to have what she wants. She has been patient with me, and I’vepushed her too far. A date every so often isn’t cutting it, and tomorrow night is important to her.”
“Then be normal and get someone to keep Jussica. You can’t keep relying on me. I deserve to have a life too.” Mama’s neck slightly rolled.
Although I doubted Jussica could hear me, I still lowered my voice, “I don’t want Juss to feel like I’m throwing her away. She’s still clingy and only wants to be around you or me. I don’t know if I would enjoy myself if she doesn’t want to go to some stranger’s house or have a stranger watch her at my place.”
Mama sighed, “Was it really that bad growing up with only me? I allowed my pride to interfere with telling family or my friends that I was drowning most of the time, and I swear you have all these hang-ups about everything because of the decisions I made. It takes a village, son.”
“A village that you trust.” I kissed her cheek. “You did the best you could, which was pretty damn good with no help from anyone. Let’s not reinvent the truth. The family refused to help since you didn’t want to move back to Charlotte.” Mama was from North Carolina and moved to Houston with my father. When he abandoned us, her pride and her holier-than-thou parents’ disdain for single mothers prevented her from returning home.
She squeezed my face. “Glad you feel that way, because I’m not changing my plans,andyou should go out with your girlfriend. You can’t be held hostage to Jussica forever. You are still a man and not just a father.”
“If Mara hadn’t left with still no word if she’s coming back home, maybe I could forget I have a child as she did and live it up,” I retorted.
Mama tilted her head. “You know I don’t mean it like that.”
“How did you mean it?”
She narrowed her eyes and then waved her hand. “Nothing. You do whatever you feel is best for your daughter. Let me go because when you get this way, I know you won’t listen. All I can say is that if you believe your focus needs to be only on Jussica, then it’s best you let Soraya go. Don’t keep her in limbo. Even if she says she’s done, she’s not. I can see how crazy she is about you. She wants you to fight for her.”
I sank against the wall beside my closed door. “I want to fight for her too.”
She tugged on my ear not so gently. “Then stop being stubborn and let the village expand to more than you and me.”
