Page 80 of Fever: Love In Scrubs
She sniffled. “I’m sorry. I just… I’m upset. She doesn’t like me. I can feel it. I’ve heard her tell her friends that she wishedshe didn’t have responsibilities and I know she was talking about me. She doesn’t want me, Daddy.”
“I want you,” I said, cupping her chin. “I love you and I want you. You are the best thing to ever happen to me, Jamari. I might not get it right every single time, but as long as I have breath in my body, I’m always gonna show up for you. You always have a place in this home and in my heart. No matter what happens today, Daddy is always stepping behind his baby.”
“Even when I’m grown with kids of my own?”
“Even then. Your grandparents step behind me and your aunt to this day. You think Grams won’t put hands on somebody about us?”
She giggled. “Grandma is a little spicy.”
“Very spicy. We might be grown, but we’re still her babies and nobody messes with her babies. Nobody is gonna mess with you either. I’ll smile in my mugshot about you, baby girl. Just make sure you put money on my books and come visit me.”
“I got you, Daddy.”
Hopefully, I’d never be put in a position for her to have to do that.
“Once a week,” I confirmed.
“What if I don’t wanna see her?”
“Right now, we need to comply with the court order. Johnathan will be right there to make sure everything goes smoothly.”
My brother-in-law had graciously volunteered to be the neutral party. He didn’t have a relationship with Amandela, so he was the perfect person for the job. I knew he would protect his niece the same as I would.
“I don’t like this, Daddy. Maybe she won’t show up and we can say we tried.”
I ran my hand down my face. It broke my heart that she was even thinking like this. She wasn’t a kid that didn’t know any better anymore. She was a young woman that could pick up on feelings and read the room.
“Let’s just try it this way and see what happens, okay, baby?”
She sighed. “Okay.”
“Jamari… your statement. Why didn’t you come to me, baby girl?”
Her eyes filled with tears. “I was scared. I thought if I told you, she would hate me even more than it feels like she does.”
“Nobody that truly loves you would ever make you feel like you had to keep their secrets to be worthy of that love. You don’t have to accept horrible treatment from anybody, baby. Especially not your mother. I love you, Jamari. My job is to love, provide, and protect you. I can’t do that if I don’t know when you need me. No more secrets. Promise me that.”
“I promise.”
We ate with minimal conversation. I could tell she was in her head and there was nothing I could do about it. I had to follow the court orders. Me asking for supervised visitation was me being lenient. Did I want to take Jamari away? No. But I had to protect my child.
Once we finished eating, we headed for home so Jamari could do her homework. I promised her we’d watch that movie she was talking about last night, so that lifted her spirits a little. We had a whole night planned with ice cream and junk food. When I pulled into the driveway of my home, I noticed something on the porch. We got out and headed to the front door where I realized the package was a floral arrangement. Picking it up, the card read for Jamari.
“For me?” she asked, plucking it from my hand. She opened the card and read it aloud.
Jamari,
I know you had a rough start this morning, but I hope these make you smile as much as you make me smile. Remember, you are special, beautifully and wonderfully made and anybody would be lucky to have you in their life.
Love, Wynter
Jamari lookedup at me with tears in her eyes. “Daddy… this is so sweet.”
“It is.” I pulled out my phone and went to Wynter’s contact. “Call her to say thank you.”
She was giddy as I unlocked the door to let us in. After putting her things down, she bounced into the kitchen as the phone rang, while I headed upstairs to change out of my court clothes and into something comfortable for this movie night. When I came back downstairs, I could hear Wynter and Jamari still on the phone.
“I wish I didn’t have to do this, Ms. Wynter,” she said softly.
