I scowled. “What do you mean by that?”
“It means that she never really wanted to leave him. She just wanted him to grow up. And now, all she talks about is how he’s everything she always prayed for. The nigga even went to a doctor’s appointment with her. And even though I fucks with Tera, I feel like some boundaries should’ve been set. Face could very well be doing what he’s doing because she’s the kids’ mama. But she’s misinterpreting it.”
My lashes fluttered, while my stomach twisted in knots, because this was my first time hearing that Face had gone to anything with Tera. Now, granted, he was a businessman, so I rarely questioned him when it was time to leave the house. Still, he should’ve mentioned if he was going anywhere with his baby’s mama.
Mattie smirked. “Judging by your body language, I’m guessing that this was something you didn’t know.”
I twisted my lips, and nodded. “I didn’t. But it’s cool, though.
Trust me, it’s cool.”
She giggled, probably enjoying the shit she’d just started. “Get on his ass, girl. Just don’t mention that you got that from me.”
Face
“Alright, I’ll see y’all Sunday,” I told Shi and Aspen, as they stepped into their mama’s new home. I was sitting in my car, in the driveway, watching them go inside.
“Okay.” They said in unison, as they both disappeared into the house.
Tera was standing on the porch, wearing a pair of tiny denim booty shorts, and sports bra, looking like she was waiting on me to address her.
“What’sup,babymama?”Ispoketoher.
Smiling, she immediately switched over to the driveway. “Why you acting funny? You could’ve got out the car and had dinner with us.”
“Dinner, huh?” I stroked my goatee. “What chu cooked?” “Spaghetti.”
I nodded. “That sounds good. Fix a plate and put it up. I’ll get it when you drop the girls o".”
“Why wait?”
“Cause. I just ate, Tera.” I rubbed my hard stomach.
“Umm.”Shepursedherlips.“Andwhereareyouheaded now?”
“Probably back home. At least until Babi gets back.” She rolled her eyes.
“Don’t be rolling your eyes and shit. Cause you aint got no reason to have beef with her.”
“Beef? There’s no beef. She’s just not my cup of tea.” “And why is that?”
“Because. Something about her just screams fake. She keeps stressing that she wants to get along with me, but I’m not buying it. I can tell that she hates when I come over to the house, but she won’t admit it.”
I licked my lips. “I wouldn’t say that she hates when you come over. It just probably aint the most pleasant experience with you being weird, and talking to any everybody but her.”
“Because I don’t like the feeling of her trying hover over me. Micromanage my interactions with my kids. Just like when I tell the girls to do something, then she’ll come behind me, reiterating whatever I said, just to make herself feel important. Like she got a say over my kids.”
Ifrowned.“So,youdon’twanthertellingthegirlsnothing?”
“I don’t wanna share my kids, Christian. Not right now. Not after everything that I’ve been through.”
I sighed. “That aint fair, Tera. She’s been there for them—”
“I get that. But I just wanna…have my kids with me. I need that. That’s all I kept thinking about, while I was going through chemo. And on more than one occasion, the girls have been with me, then called Babi, she mentions going to some kid-friendly place, and suddenly they’re begging to go home early. That shit feels like a competition and very much calculated. Cause if she knows that my main mission is to reconnect with my kids, then why say things to entice them, and make them wanna leave? When she could’ve easily took them wherever once they were at home with y’all.”
I tried my best to listen without passing judgement. I could definitely see Tera’s point. However, I felt like that could’ve been merely a oversight from Babi. Nothing malicious. Just with Tera, she was looking for a problem, so was probably committed to misunderstanding Babi.
“Look,” I exhaled. “I thought about it, and made my peace with the girls coming to live with you. Now, I do wanna have a talk with them first, because I don’t want them feeling like I’m putting them out. I honestly want them to decide. And if they wanna live with you, then I’m all for it.”
