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“That tells me nothing, Meek.”
“It answers everything. She had twenty fuckin’ rules like Ryleigh ain’t been ‘round us since she was born. Told my mama what time she eats, what time she sleeps, and what kind of juice she likes.”
“She is Ryleigh’s mama.”
“If that’s what you wanna call it. That muthafucka couldn’t care less if Ryleigh was just another nigga baby. She’s connected to royalty, so she tries to put on like she cares for her child.”
“The fact still remains that it’s her child, Meek.”
“Why the fuck does everybody keep givin’ her passes because she’s Ryleigh’s mama? Bein’ somebody’s mama don’t give you the right to use the baby every time you mad at folks.”
“I can agree with that.”
“Then stop defendin’ that bitch.”
“Meek, I’m not defending her. I’m saying I don’t want Ryleigh ever feeling tension because of me.”
“And she won’t.”
“You don’t know that. Ryleigh is growing up, and she may start believing the lies her mama filled her head with.”
Shameek swallowed down his water and pushed off the island.
“Listen to me. Raya signed them papers. My family got their weekend, and you got yours. Ain’t nobody doin’ shit behind Raya back. She knew exactly what the fuck she signed when that money was danglin’ in front of her face. If she regrets it now, that’s her problem.”
I wanted him to understand that children get older and their view of people change. I didn’t want Raya to come between Ryleigh and me as she aged.
“Stop backin’ down just because you don’t wanna look like the bad guy,” Shameek added.
“I do not back down,” I said, crossing my arms.
“When it comes to Raya, you do.”
“That’s a damn lie.”
“You’ll cuss a grown man out in Royal Flush over an invoice, but Raya says she don’t want you around her daughter, and you suddenly ready to step aside.”
“Don’t stand here and act like I’m scared of Raya or some shit. She can get cussed out too.”
“I’m not sayin’ you scared, Kyenna.”
“Nigga, you implied it.”
“All I said was you give the hoe too much grace.”
“I give her grace because I was once the woman standing on the other side of this shit.”
He looked at me, confused. “What you talkin’ ‘bout? You’ve never been the other woman.”
“I was the wife. Averie was the ex, and Raya was the side bitch. We all had a position. We all had feelings involved. I know what it feels like to think another woman is trying to take something from you.”
“What she got that you want?”
“I don’t want her thinking I’m trying to replace her as a mama.”
“My niece ran through the door calling you Mama Kyenna. You didn’t teach her that today. She learned it over the years. Rah had no fuckin’ problem wit’ it. Neither should you.”
I hated when he used Rah against me because it worked every time. That was always my cue to let shit go. Ryleigh came running through the kitchen with her bag of dolls. She barely had the bag zipped. I took the bag from her and placed it on the island so I could get it zipped up.
