Page 30 of Truce Of The Matter

About a minute later, I hear movement on the other side of the door followed by a few beeps; she’s disarming her alarm. The door opens and she walks into the living room, giving me her back instead of her pretty face. Quickly, I close the door and take strides to catch her. I hook my arm around her waist, stopping her.

“I look a mess and need to wash my face,” she sighs.

“That’s a damn lie cause you can never look a mess,” I say then step in front of her. She drops her head but I grip her chin gently and lift her face. Her eyes aren’t bloodshot like yesterday but they are puffy and her cheeks look flushed. Her hair is wild and grief is written all over her face but it isn’t diminishing her beauty. “Still pretty; just sad, but that’s understandable. You’ve got a right to be.”

“It hurts and I can’t…I don’t know how to stop it.”

“You need time, but hopefully, I can help,” I offer.

“Just being here helps already.” She raises on the balls of her feet then pecks my lips. “I need to freshen up for real. I feel like a mess. Get comfortable; I won’t take long.”

She pats my chest lightly then starts for the hall. When she enters her room, I walk back to the sectional. Before I sit, I pull my cell out of my pocket to turn it down but not silence it. Because of Aryel, my phone will never be on silent; she or anyone she’s with will always have contact with me. When I look at the screen, I see I have a missed call from Aria. I unlock my phone and see she texted me too.

Aria: When is Aryel’s spring break?

Me: Why? I text back, confused. She never inquires about Aryel’s schedule.

Aria: I want her to come spend the week with me.

Her response causes me to sit all the fuck up. She hasn’t seen my baby girl in-person in over two and a half years. Plus, I don’t know shit about Aria’s life and Aryel ain’t going nowhere with anyone who’s a mystery to me.

Me: That’s not happening.

Instead of texting back, she calls. I answer once I stand and walk out of the condo. “Yeah,” I grit.

“What do you mean that’s…not…happening?”

“I mean what I said. She’s not going anywhere. You can come here and visit.”

“She’s my daughter too and I want her to come see where I live,” she snaps and I

laugh. “What’s funny?”

“This whole damn conversation is funny. First of all, she doesn’t fucking know you.”

“She knows that I’m her mother!” she yells.

“She definitely don’t know that shit. And I don’t even know where the hell you are or how you are living. I won’t send Aryel anywhere I don’t know and I damn sho ain’t gon’ have her uncomfortable with a woman who’s barely in her life.”

“I’m back in Atlanta and I’m getting married,” she says, all giddy and shit like I give a damn.

“Another reason why it’s a hell no. I don’t trust no nigga around my daughter.”

“So I can never see my daughter?”

“I’m not saying that. Aria, you haven’t seen her since she was four and you barely call. That’s not fair to her and I will never put Aryel in any situation that isn’t good or fair to her. That’s what a real parent does. If you truly want to be in her life and be fucking consistent, you can come here for spring break. It’s the second week in March. We can meet then you can come to the house to see her.”

“And what about Brown?”

“Who the fuck is Brown?”

“My fiancé.”

“I can meet him but he’s definitely not meeting Aryel. You have to earn your place back in her life before I even consider some nigga you fucking with,” I admit because this is her third damn fiancé. I’m not subjecting Aryel to him or any other nigga. Aria is already on thin ice.

“He’s nice,” she says and I ignore that shit. It’s irrelevant.

“Let me know when you’re coming.”

---