Page 31 of Beacon Grove Chronicles 1: Hassan & Sylvia

I blew out a breath because the tears were trying to fall again. “Clearly not.”

“Yeah, I’m seeing. But that don’t change shit we got going on.”

“It doesn’t?”

“Nah, gotta make some changes but nothing so major that I’m not going to see you. It’ll just be the four of us instead. If it’s okay with you that I meet them.”

I could practically hear the nerves in his voice as he asked and the moisture in my eyes turned into a full blown tears. Only this time they were from joy and not sadness. I smiled softly because he was really wanting to make a good impression on my babies.

“Yeah, that’s fine.”

“Cool. I gotta brush up on my fuck quietly skills. Ain’t had to use them since I was a chap but I can’t have them babies knowing how I take they mama down.”

“Hassan Beacon!”

We laughed together and it was crazy how he knew exactly what I needed to lift my sprits. “I hear that spark is back in your voice. Go ahead and break the news to them that plans changed. You don’t even have to tell me he was too much of a coward to do that shit himself. Dave still allergic to being a real nigga after all this time.” He made a tisking sound and I was laughing again. Maybe Dave wasn’t the only one who’d held a grudge all this time.

“You really don’t like him.”

“And I’m sure the feeling is more than mutual. Had you been with anyone else that wasn’t me or one of my cousins he probably would’ve let this shit slide. But now? Pfft that bitch gone try you every way he can. Just know I got you not matter what he does, Sisi.”

I knew he was right because Dave’s finances hadn’t recovered after we got divorced. It got so bad he went crawling to my grandfather to help find a job because he was hollering about needing to support the kids.

“I hear you, ‘San.”

“You play your cards right and you’ll feel me later. But get off my line. I gotta switch shit up and I’m not trying to be late.”

“Thank you.” I was smiling and trying to keep the emotion out of my voice but I failed as my voice wavered.

I could hear his smile match mine through the phone. “It ain’t nothing beautiful. Now let me go and handle business so that we can have a good night, aight?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Oh, you definitely trying to get fucked tonight.”

“Hey, can y’all come over here for a minute?”

I’d left my bathroom and gone looking for my babies. I found them downstairs in the den playing their video game. I’d watched them momentarily before I interrupted.

“He’s not coming is he?” My son Dorian didn’t even bother to look up from the game and I was positive him and Selene had discussed this while I was upstairs. We’d started arguing and there was no telling if they’d heard me raise my voice.

I hated that they didn’t even sound disappointed. Of course after so many hours being left waiting it was the natural conclusion but I still hated it.

“No, he’s not. How do you feel bout that?”

Dorian shrugged but he turned around after he paused the game. “Ma, we know that daddy only does stuff to get under your skin. You have to remember that we not little kids. We can see that he’s being petty because he’s not happy.”

My hurt lurched at hearing him say they weren’t little kids but he was right, they weren’t. At least not as little that they could ignore the obvious. “I didn’t realize that.”

“Yeah him and Ms. Bianca always fighting because of you. Not anything you did but just the fact that you exist I guess. It’s weird and they’re weird. We don’t even have a room when we go to their house because Brioncé has the second bedroom.”

I was angry hearing that he still hadn’t made a place for the kids to be comfortable in his home. We were supposed to have designated spaces for them in each of our residents but it’s clear Dave didn’t care about defying the court. My grandfather had put in a word for him at the lumber mill nearby because the pay would’ve been enough for him to do what he needed to with the kids. But I guess that still wasn’t his focus. He’d moved into Bianca’s apartment and never left. Three people in a two bedroom was fine but having five in there had to be tough.

Should’ve made his life so much worse than I did.

“Are you sad?” Because I would take their pain away in a heartbeat if I needed to.

“Not sad. Disappointed but you were carrying a lot of the weight even before you all split up. I hate that he’s acting this way but we know there’s nothing we can do.” Dorian shrugged with an indifference I hated that he felt. It just proved that he wasn’t missing his father because he didn’t have much to miss.