Page 32 of Give Me All Of You

“Handle it? No. I don’t want you worrying yourself with my problems. I can handle Keith,” I countered.

“But as your man, you don’t have to handle any nigga as long as I’m around. That’s what I’m here for,” he uttered.

That was the second time that he referred to himself as my man.

“That’s the second time you’ve called yourself my man.”

“And it won’t be the last.”

I blushed.

“You said you went shopping. You cooking for your man tonight?” he asked.

“Maybe if he asked nicely, I will.” I smirked.

“Baby, you going to cook for daddy then let me slurp that pretty little pussy up for dessert?” he asked, showing all of his teeth. It was something about that bottom grill that drove me insane.

“I guess, since you asked so nicely.”

He laughed.

“Bet. I see you later.”

“Okay.”

We ended the call, and I finished putting my groceries up. I already took some chicken out before I left the house this morning. I would make some oven baked smothered chicken with some cabbage, rice and honey cornbread. I usually fixed enough for four people since I didn’t cook every day and most days Journei was here with us when she wasn’t home or with Rakeem.

As I prepared dinner, I smiled at the thought of seeing my man later.My man.That sounded weird as hell, but I would take it as long as he gave it. While I was cutting up the cabbage, there was a knock on my door. Quickly drying my hands, I went to the door and opened it. On the other side was a man dressed in a suit. He probably was a Jehovah’s Witness.

“Can I help you?” I asked.

“Are you JaRue Malone?” he responded.

“I am.”

Handing me an envelope, he said, “you’ve been served,” and walked off.

Snatching the envelope open, I saw Keith was suing me for full custody on the grounds that I had no actual income to take care of her properly. It also states that I work for a known cartel, and he fears for his daughter’s life.

I was hyperventilating at this point because I couldn’t believe this muthafucka was trying to take my baby from me. A baby that he gave zero fucks about. I was seeing red. Slamming the door, I went back into the house and searched for my phone. I found it on the counter where I left it and dialed Keith’snumber so fast. I don’t even think the phone rang, since he answered so fast.

“What is it, JaRue?” he answered snidely.

“How dare you take me to court for custody when you don’t even take care of your daughter? Have you lost your fucking mind!” I yelled.

“It doesn’t matter if I take care of her. The moment you called yourself fucking the next nigga after I broke that pussy in for me was the day that you sealed your fate. All you had to do was follow the rules, Rue, and we wouldn’t be going through these problems.”

Rearing my head back to stare at the phone because I couldn’t believe the audacity of this nigga had. I didn’t even respond. I hung up in his face. Looking over at my baby playing, my heart shattered at the thought of her being snatched away from me. Without hesitation, I grabbed my baby, my phone, purse, and keys and headed out of my house. After strapping Infiniti in her seat, I got in and headed straight to my parent’s house. When I got there, my father was just getting in. He worked at as a bank manager while my mom was a high school English teacher, so she’s been home for a little while.

“Hey baby,” my mother greeted when I walked in. She immediately noticed the tears in my eyes and called my father back downstairs.

“Rueben!” she called for my father as she ushered me and Infiniti to the couch to sit down.

“What’s wrong?” my father asked as soon as he made it back downstairs.

I ran the whole story down to them. This was the first time that I really let them know everything about Keith. I never told them his actual age. They only saw him a few times inpassing. I lied and told them he did the bare minimum when he, in fact, did nothing.

“That nigga got me fucked up if he thinks he’s going to take my grandbaby. I owe his perverted ass a beat down anyway for preying on my baby girl. Where does this nigga live?”

---