Page 39 of Truce Of The Matter

Aria laughs then gets back to Aryel. “How was your day?”

“It was fine.”

“Just fine?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Well, I have a surprise for you,” she says and I zone in. If she even mentions that shit about her getting married and introducing the nigga to my baby girl, I’m ending the call. “I’m coming to get you for spring break,” she says and Aryel whips her head toward me so fast.

“I’m going with her?” she asks me.

“For a few days. I’m going to get us a room at the mountain there. I looked it up and saw it has a waterpark,” Aria says. Blue Mountain Resort is definitely out of Aria’s price range, I’m guessing she came into some money because just a few days ago she was asking me to buy her plane tickets. This is the flip flop shit she does all the damn time and I hate it. “Doesn’t that sound fun?”

“Daddy?”

“Aria, we didn’t discuss that. I’ll call you once we get to the house,” I say.

“What is there to discuss? If I come there, I want her to stay with me and spend some time getting to know?—”

“Ay. I said we will talk later,” I say more sternly. “Tell yo’ momma good night,” I tell Aryel and she does exactly as I say then ends the call.

As soon as she does, she turns to me. “I have to stay with her if she comes?” she asks with concern.

“No, baby. She can come see you at the house and then we can go from there, but no, you will not be staying with her,” I say and she sighs, sounding relieved.

“Good because I don’t want to.”

“But do you want to see her?” I ask and Aryel’s body shifts like she’s uncomfortable. Then she shrugs. “Baby, tell me. Do you want to see your momma?”

“If I say no, you gon’ be mad?” she mumbles but I can hear her loud and clear.

“Am I ever mad at you?”

“No.”

“Then that’s your answer. You can always tell me how you feel. Talk to me, baby girl.”

“She not gon’ come,” she finally says.

“But what if she does? Would you want to see her?”

“I don’t know,” she says and my chest constricts.

Her and Aria’s relationship has always been hard for me. When Aria left and said she didn’t want me or my daughter, I was done with her. She made her decision and I did what I had to do. So when she first reached out a few years later, I ignored her. Then I listened to my mom and let her see Aryel. She was a little consistent in the beginning but that changed and she’s been more out than in. Real shit, I really have been thinking about keeping her out permanently. Hearing my baby girl talk just confirms my thoughts.

“If you don’t want to see her, you don’t have to. I’ll talk to her, okay?” I ask as I reach my arm out to her. I place my hand on her knee and squeeze lightly. “Your daddy loves you and I’ll take care of this.”

“Okay,” she says while nodding.

Her iPad rings again and I see it’s Aria. I grab it, decline the call, then quickly block Aria. She’ll have to deal with me from now on. The minute I place Aryel’s iPad back in her lap, Aria hits me. Her number appears on the dashboard. I press the button on my steering to decline it and just head to the crib. I’ll put her ass on do not disturb until I’m ready to have this conversation with her.

I’m pulling into my garage fifteen minutes later and we immediately start our night ritual. When she’s tucked in her bed and half asleep, I kiss Aryel’s cheek, turn on her TV, then leave her to fall completely asleep. Instead of going straight to bed, I head downstairs to work out. I need to burn off this Aria frustration. I’m jogging on my treadmill when I get a FaceTime from Truce.

Her beautiful face and fine ass body fill my screen when I answer. She’s curled up on her sectional in the very spot where she let me slide home. I shake my head at the memory of her warm, wet, sweet ass pussy and my damn mouth waters.

“Damn, so you had to be right there when you called me,” I say.

“It’s my favorite spot,” she says, then smirks.

---