Page 16 of Rhyot & Nyelle
“How in the hell did you get my number?” was Ny’s only response as she contemplated hanging up. As badly as she wanted to, she was curious about what he had to say.
“You wanna be around this bitch playing house with my fucking seed? If you want to be with that nigga then go ahead, but give me custody of my kid. I don’t give a fuck about taking your ass to court.” Heat rushed through Nyelle’s face. Her blood was boiling. She stepped to the side, away from the table with her back to it. By now she was holding her phone so tightly she thought she might break it.
“Court? Boy shut the fuck up. You’re a damn joke. Are you referring to the same court system your ass ducked for threemonths because you didn’t want to do a DNA test, ’cause you knew she was yours? Please miss me with all this dumb ass bullshit you spewing. You wanna bring me to court, then go ahead, but over my dead body will you get custody of her. Trash ass nigga.”
She heard him screaming, going off, but she didn’t give one fuck. She had been a parent to Rhyelle all this time by herself. So it was honestly audacious of Chop to say anything out the side of his face. She was getting ready to respond until she felt her phone being slid out of her hand. Once she turned around she noticed the scowl on Rhyot’s face.
He put the phone to his ear, voice calm but cold as steel. “You interrupting family day. If we wanted entertainment from a clown ass nigga like you, we would’ve hit up the circus. Make sure you don’t blow her phone up with this goofy shit again or I’ll make that run-in we had a few weeks ago look like child’s play.”
Without another word Rhyot hung up the phone. He continued his stride toward the arcade, Lil Rhy in his arms. Nyelle stood there with her heart damn near beating out of her chest. She finally pulled herself together enough to watch as Rhyot and Rhyelle played games together. Nothing made her happier.
She knew that she and Rhyot would have a conversation about Chop later. Was she prepared to do it? No. However, she knew it had to be done.
The ride home was quiet aside from the music playing lowly on the stereo. Rhyelle was knocked out in her car seat, clutching the giant Bluey toy that she and Rhyot had picked out from the ticket redemption center.
Rhyot kept one hand on the wheel, the other resting casually on Nyelle’s thigh, but he peeped her silence. “Say what’s on your mind, Boogs,” he whispered, his eyes still focused on the road.
She exhaled hard, trying to shake the thought of Chop’s words. “I don’t know. What if he really goes through with this court shit? And I mean, Chop is petty enough to do it, even if it’s just to spite me. He don’t want Rhyelle, not really, but he might just try to take her because he doesn’t want you around her.” Her voice cracked, “I can’t lose my baby, Rhy. She’s all I got. She’s the reason I changed my life around.”
Rhyot’s jaw flexed, his fingers drumming slowly on the steering wheel. Finally, he looked at her and his eyes softened. She looked like she was going through it. Her eyes looked glossy, like she’d break down and cry at any moment.
“No judge in their right mind, or left for that matter, would give that dumb ass nigga a fucking kid. He just talking out his ass right now. Block that bitch ass nigga. I’ll go see about him.”
She mumbled, “But?—”
“Nah, fuck a but,” he cut her off, voice firm. “I ain’t letting that nigga take her away from you. You hear me? If Chop wanna dig a hole for himself, let him. I’ve been meaning to get at that nigga again anyway.”
The way Rhyot sounded so confident in his answer calmed her nerves a little. She couldn’t bear the thought of losing her daughter to Chop’s bitter ass. Nyelle just hoped he didn’t do anything stupid ’cause she knew how serious Rhyot was about going to see Chop if he tried any bullshit.
She grabbed his hand and gently stroked the outside. “Thank you,” she stated, not sure of what else she could say.
“Ain’t no need in thanking me, Boogs. I been told you ain’t no nigga gon’ fuck with what’s mine. And as far as I’m concerned, you and Lil Rhy are mine, baby,” he stated matter of factly as he paused at a stop sign and turned to her. “I’ll shut shit down over y’all. I ain’t playing no games.”
The last time she could really say anyone looked out for her like this was when she was in front of a judge not knowing if shewas gonna go to jail. Just like now, it was Rhy who had pulled through with that lawyer.
Chapter
Ten
Rhy was at his wits’end with the nigga Chop. He had made it a point to hit up Ny’s phone when he felt like it. Even after blocking him several times, he still managed to stalk her, calling private and leaving voicemails. Rhy wanted him gone like yesterday but apparently time was on Chop’s side. Chop had yet to pop out, for his own good though, ’cause Rhyot wasn’t letting up.
Days quickly turned into weeks and it seemed like Chop really wised the fuck up and bailed out of town. His apartment on Barlow sat unoccupied; the chicks he had been fucking with claimed to not have heard from him either, which Rhy was cool with as long as Chop stayed away from his family. He had no choice but to let Chop come to him.
Rhyot stepped out of his car and jogged across the street. Tonight he, Nyelle, and Rhyelle decided on Wings & Things for dinner. Rhy could damn near taste the Carolina Reaper and mango habanero wings he ordered for himself along with the Cajun fries. For Ny and Lil Rhy, he ordered dry rub lemon pepper wings and waffle fries. They liked their food simple and he appreciated that. It was easy to remember.
Rhy went into the restaurant and told them his name before paying for his order. He patiently waited as he looked around at some of the patrons occupying the restaurant, Rhy couldn’t quite put his finger on it but he started to get a gnawing feeling in the pit of his stomach. Just as he continued surveying the restaurant, his phone began to vibrate. The notification indicated that he had a picture attachment from Nyelle. When he opened it, his heart damn near skipped a beat.
The photo was of both of his favorite girls sitting on the couch. Lil Rhy had her legs across Nyelle’s lap as she lay curled up with her Bluey blanket. Rhyelle looked to be on her way to sleep. Rhyot thought it was the cutest shit ever. He never would’ve thought he’d have so much love in his heart for a child that wasn’t biologically his, but that’s just how funny life was. He would give up anything to make sure Rhyelle was safe, happy, and healthy.
Ny: I guess she couldn’t hang, lol. Maybe she’ll wake up when you come back with the food. She was a little upset you left without her.
Rhy: That’s my baby girl right there. She mad now but watch when I pull up with the food, she gonna forget all about being upset.
Rhyot tucked his phone back into his sweats pocket, his face still holding a goofy ass smile as the food arrived. He grabbed the bag before exiting. He looked both ways as he made his way to his vehicle.
Once inside he inwardly chuckled at nothing in particular. Movement coming from the backseat caused him to whip his head around. When he did he came face to face with the bitch of a man who had been ducking smoke, Chop, in the flesh, smiling with his pistol cocked and aimed at Rhy’s temple.
“I should shoot your goofy ass right now.” Chop laughed, but Rhyot on the other hand didn’t see a damn thing funny.
