Page 23 of So Special: Fanatic Love

Ah hell!I ran to the front door and swung it open. My father stood there with a Glock in one hand and a shotgun in the other. Joe Roland was a nut on the low. You never saw it coming until you were in the thick of it. “Daddy, get in here!”

The people around continued to take pictures of the scene. “Oh, y’all think I’m playing!” With one hand my father jacked his shotgun and let off a shot in the air. The people scattered. Only then did he come toward my door.

I was about to close the door until I saw a Jeep pull in the parking lot at full speed.I guess convincing Daisy to stay at work didn’t work.When she hopped out of her car with her gun in hand, I threw my head back. “What the hell, Daisy!”

“What? I’m making sure my best friend and my god-nephew are alright.” Her attitude was so nonchalant. “You know I don’t play about y’all two,” she said after she came into my apartment and kissed my cheek.

Once the door was closed, I stood there not knowing what to do or say. My father was the first to speak. “So, young man, what we doing with this?” This was the first time that my father had officially met Asher Kane in the context of being Ashtan’s father. “I don’t want to have to come out here like this and kill someone over my daughter and grandson.”

Asher kept his eyes on me while he held our son who still had a cookie in his hand. “Mr. Roland, you ain’t gotta worry bout none of dat shit. I done called my buildin and dey got an available three-bedroom unit a few floors down from me.” He put Ashtan down who was wiggling in his arms to get down. “My realtor already getting da paperwork together.”

My head bucked back. “Your realtor is getting the paperwork together for what?” I felt like we were talking about two different things.

“Fa you, Katniss. You and my boy. You can’t stay outcha with no security,” he said with annoyance. “My buildin secure, and we’ll be close for our boy.”

When my daddy told him that it was a good look, my eyes doubled in size. “Good look! Hello, I can’t afford to live there. What the hell are y’all talking about?” With my eyes on Asher, I said, “Your building has damn valet parking and a full Starbucks in it. I can barely afford the damn Starbucks.”

Daisy and Ashtan were in their world together not giving any of us their attention. Asher rubbed his finger under his nose. I guessed that was his physical action to show he was getting upset. He faced my father. “Mr. Roland, do you mind if I speak freely to your daughter?”

I didn’t like the amused expression that rose on my father’s face. Even Daisy had tuned in. “Go ahead, young man. Just remember, I still got this gun on me. Keep it respectful.”

Asher smirked and lifted his shirt to reveal a gun I didn’t realize he had. “I keep mine, too, sir.”So everyone in my house is just carrying?He stepped closer to me. “Katniss, please don’t play wit me. Talkin bout you can’t afford to live der or some Starbucks coffee. How much money in dat account I created for you, Katniss?”

I didn’t want to answer the question because I hadn’t told my parents or Daisy about the account that Asher put in me and Ashtan’s name a week after the paternity results came back. The corner of one of my father’s eyes tightened. Now Daisy was on her feet. “Yeah, best friend, how much in that account, miss struggle bus.”

“Eighty-seven thousand dollars,” I mumbled lowly. Daisy and my father asked me to repeat myself at the same time. With my head thrown back, I repeated. “Eighty-seven thousand dollars, damn! I don’t use that account though!”

Asher crossed his arms over his chest. “Dat on you to not use dat account. You outcha trying to make it seem like you not taken care of. My boy day care fees paid up fa da damn year and I paid ya fuckin truck off.”He’s just telling all my business.“Why da hell would I put you in a spot dat I wasn’t ga pay for?”

“Wait, so this man has paid all Ashtan’s day care fees, paid off your vehicle, and put almost a hundred thousand dollars in your account, Katniss Raven?” my father asked. “That definitely sounds like a man who is willing to take care of not only his child, but you.” He crossed his arms over himself as if I had done something wrong.

“Daddy, I am not his responsibility. He is only responsible to take care of Ashtan,” I whined. “I’ll look for somewhere to move once my lease is up. I can’t afford the breaking lease fee.”

Daisy guffawed. “Girl, shut up! You just said that man paid your car off and dropped eighty thousand in a bank account. That’s more than your entire salary.” She chuckled for a little bit more. “Now, best friend, I say this with love. Get over yourself. “This man doesn’t necessarily have to take care of you, but he is willing to,” she pointed out. “No one is asking you to quit your job or anything. Stop blocking your blessings.”

I was at a loss for words. I just looked at them all. “So, because you can’t keep your bitches under control, I have to uproot my whole life and depend on you with a bill as important as my rent?”

“Fat-fat, I swear if you don’t stop playin wit me,” Asher said now with his head thrown back. When his head popped back forward, his eyes bore into me. “Do I look like a nigga dat pay somebody rent? First, da condos in my building are fa purchase only. I own my penthouse, not rent. Second, when da sale for ya condo go through, it ga be paid off wit ya name on da deed,” he let me know. He took a step closer to me, then in what sounded like a groan, he said, “Stop fuckin playin wit me, baby mama.”

You could hear a pin drop.

“Dada!” Leave it to Ashtan to cut the tension in the room. Asher picked him up without taking his eyes off me. Once Ashtan was in his arms, he kissed him all over his face to receive the reward of his kisses.

“Katniss, get your stuff together and determine what you need to pack,” my father said. “Now, I know you’re grown and the last time I let you make your grown ass decisions, but this right here, no. We are talking about your safety and the safety of Ashtan. You are not the only one responsible for that. Asher has ensured a safe residence for you and that is where you will move. Until then you can stay with us.” My daddy holstered his Glock on his waist, extended his hand to Asher for a shake, which Asher accepted, then he walked out of my apartment with the shotgun leaned on his shoulder.

I jumped when I heard the shotgun go off, then ran to the door. “I told y’all fuckas to get on! Now you need a new engine, radiator, or some shit.” From what it looked like, my father shot someone’s car in the front where most radiators were.

The person whose car I assumed it was stood there shocked. She clearly didn’t know what to do as she watched my dad get into his truck and leave.That is my daddy.A hand gripped my shoulder. From the tightness of the grip, I knew it was Asher.

“Aye, my realtor said da condo ga close at da end of next week. He’ll email you what you need ta do for da paperwork and shit. Use da money in da account to hire movers and pay your lease breaking fee. If you wanna take dis furniture you can or redecorate altogether.”

I listened to him tell me that he would take Ashtan with him to his mama house and that I could get him from there. He had some meetings today and claimed I needed to tighten up my loose ends to move. Just like that he was out the door, and I was left with Daisy.

“I guess your daddy and baby daddy told you,” she said before she bent over with laughter. I didn’t find shit funny, but Daisy would always find the humor in just about everything. When she peeked at me, she laughed harder. “How in the hell are you mad because that man wants to make sure you’re taken care of?”

After I plopped down on the couch next to her, I leaned back with my hands over my face. “I don’t want to be beholden to that man.” I tilted my head in her direction. “Daisy, I was handling business before he knew, and I still can.”

All humor left her expression. “Best friend, I need you to grow up. You were handling business alone because of a decision you made. Since Asher has reentered your life as Ashtan’s father, he continuously shows you that he’s not some pussy ass nigga, but here you are with all this stupid ass pride.” She stood up. “I took the rest of the day off. Let’s go to lunch and that shit is on your ass.”

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