Page 55 of A Toxic Redemption

"Well, isn't this a pleasant surprise?" we heard from behind us. "I wasn't expecting to see you guys here today."

There stood Dana, looking as if she had just stepped out of a magazine. Just like when she popped up at my bakery, she was dressed in designer from head to toe. She looked good. I'd give her that.

"Lady, didn't I tell you the last time I saw you to stay away from my girl?" Khalil gritted as he placed me behind him. I appreciated him wanting to protect me, which made me hate him a little less. "What the fuck are you doing here?"

"Your mouth, Khalil." Sasha chastised him.

"I'm sorry, ma." He smiled and winked at her over his shoulder. Her slight blush caused my father to frown slightly. "It's just that I told her once about trying to play with Luck, and I guess she took me for a joke."

"For your information," Dana shifted and pushed her strap up on her shoulder, "I live in the area now, and I was stoppingby for lunch." She looked around until she locked eyes with my father. "Hello, David. It's been a long time."

"Not long enough," he answered without hesitation. "Listen, I want to make it clear that whatever games you're here to play, I'm not with them. It's funny to me that as soon as I'm happy, as soon as my daughter is happy, you pop your ass back up in the picture."

At this moment, I knew Dana had messed up. My father was very patient and hardly ever got angry or cursed. However, the look on his face right now screamed murder, and I believe if we weren't out in the open, he would reach out and touch Dana, but not in the way she wanted him to, I'm sure.

"Excuse me?" She scrunched her face and stepped closer to him. "Devyn's my daughter, and if I want to see her, I will. You act as if I'm not part of her life or part of your life."

"When it comes to him," Sasha stepped in between them and pointed over her shoulder at my father, "you're not. If you want a relationship with Devyn, that's between the two of you. As far as David Walker? That ship has sailed, boo. You lost him a long time ago."

"And who are you?" Dana eyed her up and down. "Look at you and then look at me." She ran her hand up and down her body. "I'm slim and trim. Fine as ever, and you're—"

"His wife." Sasha smirked and held up her ring finger.

My eyes bulged at her confession.When did this happen? Why didn't they tell me?

"You two have a grown ass child and have nothing to discuss. You left because you didn't want to be a parent, and you thought you were going to waltz back into my man's life and pick back up where you left off? Think again."

"Talk your shit, ma!" Khalil’s ignorant ass cheered Sasha on.

"I did what I thought was best for my family!" Dana shouted, causing people nearby to stop and stare. "Do you know whatit's like to be nineteen and pregnant? I had yet to experience life, and I was going to be responsible for her wellbeing. My life wasn't about me anymore. Hell, you didn't even want me anymore! David, you told me to leave and never come back."

"Want you?" my father stepped around Sasha. "I loved you, but you're damn right. I was going to choose my child every time. You wanted to abandon Devyn and give her away, so you’re damn right I told you to leave and never come back. What did you think was going to happen?"

They engaged in a brief stare-off. Each one was waiting for the next person to respond. I felt sad thinking that my mother didn't want to raise me, but at the same time, I could believe how selfish she was based on how she acted now. Well, I wasn't going for it.

"You don't want to be in my life." I looked at her with sad eyes. "If that were the case, you would have popped up before now. You're only here because I'm an adult and require less from my dad. I want nothing to do with you." I shook my head because I was pissed at the tears threatening to fall. "Leave me and my family alone, Dana, because I know people that will have it so that your body is never found."

"It's me, I'm people." Khalil raised one hand and wrapped the other around my waist. "Last warning."

Dana looked between us all once more before dropping her head and walking off. We all stood there by our cars for a moment before deciding to go up the street and do a little outlet shopping. Retail therapy always made me feel better, which was even better when it was not my money.

"So, do you want to tell me what's going on with you and Khalil?" Sasha asked as we walked through the Polo store. Khalil just had to come in here, and since he was funding this sporadic shopping spree, who was I to deny him of going into a store hewanted to go in? "That young man seems to be really crazy about you."

"Like my daddy must be about you since y'all got married and didn't say anything to me about it?" I raised my brow as we took a seat on a nearby bench. "Why didn't y'all tell me?"

I won't lie. My feelings were hurt a little. That was a big moment for my father, and he didn't include me in it. They didn't have to hide it from me.

"It wasn't anything like that." She looked at me with sympathetic eyes. "We wanted it to be a sacred moment with just the two of us when we went out of town for new year's. He asked. I said yes, and the next thing you know, we were headed to a chapel."

"I can tell you make him happy, Sasha." I looked from her to my father, who was engaged in a conversation with Khalil's delusional ass. I really need to question him about this air tag situation. "I know he would have never done anything like that if he didn’t see forever with you. You love him, and he loves you."

"Same for you and Khalil."

"Huh?" I snapped my head back in her direction. "We are not like that."

Love? Khalil? I have feelings for him, but was it love? Did he feel that way about me? Surely not.We haven't been on the same page since we semi-made things official, and it bothered me a bit. The one time I decided to give someone a chance, it blew up in my face.

"It's all over your pretty face, Devyn." She giggled and patted my shoulder. "When I look at how he handles you, I can tell he feels the same. That boy is in love, and there is nothing you can do about it but embrace it."

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