Page 58 of Beyond The Stars

“But—” Siasia searched her mother’s eyes, hating the blackness around the left one.

Stacy was left-handed. The saying couldn’t have been true because he wasn’t smart at all.

“No buts. I want you to live the life I never dreamed of living. All I wanted to do was find a boy, fall in love, and have you. You are the best thing that ever happened to me, and I know that don’t mean shit right now but I need you to know that.”

“Mama, why you talking like you going somewhere?” Siasia scraped the back of her hand across her face. “We’re going to live together. You just gotta get the courage to leave.”

Cynthia looked past Siasia. Her head swung as she took in the dingy trailer. It lacked love and smelled of pain. It wasn’t a home she should’ve been raising her girl in.

“That boy been paying these bills so Stacy been having the time of his life. Do you love him? If you don’t you should. I saw the way he looked at you. It reminded me of my first love.”

“My daddy?” Siasia sat up, hoping to get some information on the man who’s DNA she carried.

Cynthia waved her off. “Girl, hell no. It was a man named Pete. Well they call him Big Pete now. He was fine as wine. We called him the heartbreak kid because he’d make you fall in love—love you back too then he’d be gone in the wind. Oh, how I wish I never left Alabama.” Cynthia’s eyes glazed over, lost in a wistful daydream. Memories of hot summer nights and sweet, carefree days danced in her mind, each moment a cherished relic when life was simple.

Twisting her body towards her mama, she smiled. “We can go back to Alabama. I don’t even remember it anymore.”

“Hunny, ain’t nothing in Alabama for you. You need a big city and a big city man. Like that boy. What’s his name?”

“Qamar.”

“Mhm.” Cynthia chewed on her lip. “He looks like a Qamar.”

Siasia snickered. “Ma,” she groaned.

“Girl, I’m serious. I am leaving soon, and we’ll be happy again. Until then, enjoy the life you have because in the blink of an eye, you won’t even recognize what used to be.”

Cynthia turned her ear to the window. “I think your friend just pulled up. You know she blasts that music like she going deaf.”

Siasia sat at a sun-drenched table in the corner of the bustling restaurant, the light filtering through the large windows casting a warm glow on her skin. The air was filled with the tantalizing aroma of spices and grilled meats, a feast for the senses that momentarily distracted her from the tension simmering beneath the surface. Her friend, Ally, animatedly recounted a story, her laughter ringing like music, but Siasia’s attention drifted, her gaze flickering toward Champ, who sat across from them with a sneaky smile plastered on her face.

Siasia was trying her hardest to swallow the look of disgust on her face. She was surprised to see Champ when she went outside to get in the car with Ally. Had she known, she would’ve rather sat at home allowing the TV to watch her and her mama. Champ was beautifully annoying. Her brown skin illuminated under the sunlight that cast a false glow of happiness on their table. Every now and then Champ would pull the conversation back to gossip blogs that had been having a field day with Qamar and his pick of baby mamas.

As she stirred her salad, the crisp greens and vibrant tomatoes seemed to mirror her mixed emotions—fresh yet tangled. She forced a smile, nodding along as Ally gushed about some recent sexcapade, but inside, Siasia felt a knot of frustration tighten.

“Right? Like bitch please.” Ally playfully rolled her eyes, turning to Siasia, her eyes sparkling with excitement. Siasia plastered on a smile, but her thoughts were elsewhere, wrestling with the annoyance that Champ’s presence brought. Yet, as the sunlight streamed in, illuminating the laughter and camaraderie around her, she couldn’t help but feel a flicker of warmth. Maybe, just maybe, this lunch could be more than just a test of her patience.

“But look at this.” Champ pushed her phone in their faces. Of course it was an image of Qamar, Janay, and his new baby. “The fans be on Ken Barbie’s neck about how she seem to only post good shit about that family. I heard she’s Javen’s side bitch or something like that.”

Siasia swallowed hard because Janay was a beautiful girl. She’d seen pictures of her more time than she’d like and each time she couldn’t hate on her. Not only was her face card good, but her body also didn’t look like one that had pushed a baby out almost two months ago.

“That man know he fine.” Ally smacked her lips as if she could taste him.

And Qamar tasted like a delicacy. Siasia almost confessed to still being able to feel his heavy dick on her tongue.

Champ slapped hands with Ally, who Siasia side eyed. “Shit, I’m trying to be in the baby mama club.”

To keep herself from cussing the both of them out or dragging them by their hair, Siasia stuffed her mouth with perfectly seasoned pieces of chicken. Times like this she wished she’d drove herself to the restaurant because lord knows she’d be bucking it out the parking lot on two wheels to get away from the two of them.

Leaning in, Champ cupped her mouth to ask, “How big is it?”

“Bitch!” Siasia rose, having had enough. “Why the fuck did you invite me out just for the two of y’all to keep throwing in my face that Qamar is with his baby mama?” She looked down at Ally, whom she thought was her friend but based on the events of the day, there was no way she was anything but an opp.

“Wait,” Ally stood, knowing that if Champ said the wrong thing, Siasia was going to mop the floor with him. “I’m not trying to pick with you. I thought we were just having some girl talk.”

Her face marred with annoyance. “What about this seems like some fuckin’ girl talk? Huh, Ally? Like you know she don’t like me and I ain’t never been pressed to change that so it’s beyond me that you would think us in the same place would go like anything but what it’s about to be.”

Champ snickered, feeling good from the one shot she took.

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