Page 58 of Tangled Hearts
Shrugging, Noir plopped down on the couch. “If I decided to still be with him, I don’t want him to see the baby.”
“Like hell you don’t! The hell kind of shit is that? I didn’t raise you like that, Noir.”
“But, mama, I can’t take being around the baby.” Noir tried to reason in hopes of her mother seeing things her way.
“Then you damn sholl ain’t ready to be around its daddy. How you gonna take the man back but make the baby suffer? That shit is to backwards.” Nakorea drew a long breath, taking a seat beside her oldest child. “Let me tell you something. Life ain’t easy, and relationships are hard, especially when you get into one young. By no means am I saying what he did was okay, but that child didn’t ask to be here. You’re either going to pack your shit and leave or put on your big girl panties and deal with the situation like a grown woman would.”
She rubbed her forearms. “I don’t know what I’m gonna do.”
“And that’s fine too, but I advise you to think long and hard about it because that petty shit ain’t in our blood.” She patted her thigh. “But don’t forget about that skincare ad you have to do.”
Noir rolled her eyes. “Can I grieve?”
“Yea, you can, but make sure you’re able to wipe your eyes with franklins.” Her mama winked.
Noir knew talking to her mother would make her feel better. And Nakorea was right, she had to think about what she really wanted and if she was able to be a stepmother to an outside baby. A baby that was made while she was still madly in love with him. Her heart started to ache when she thought of him giving that bitch what was supposed to belong to her.
To get her mind off the situation, she decided to do some work. To the average person, what she did wasn’t considered a job, but for her, it was, and it was a lot of hard work. Don’t get her wrong, posting on Instagram was fun too. Ever since she got on stage with Cash five years ago, her social media had blown up. With 3.5 million followers now, companies were paying top dollar to get some ads on her news feed and story.
Thinking of Cash, a smile danced in her eyes. They’d always kept in touch, and needing a distraction, she reached out to him.
Noir:Aye.
$:Pretty girl, what’s up?
Noir:I’m sad.
$:Still with that nigga, huh?
She giggled but decided to change the subject. Noir was never one to pillow talk.
Noir:What you doing?
$:Could be you. Where you?
Noir:The city. You?
$:L.A.Go to the airstrip and come see me. You know I’m gonna take care of you.
Noir:I don’t want to stop you from working.
$:A car is already coming to get you from your Ma’s house. Go there and wait. Don’t bring shit.
She thought about it for a few seconds before throwing caution to the wind and texting back, okay.
“Pretty girl!” Cash greeted Noir at the airstrip with his arms stretched wide. His dreads were long as hell, and he had more tattoos then she last remembered. One thing that was the same was the way her body blossomed when around him.
Grinning like a kid in the candy shop, she embraced him, melting like chocolate. “You’re still loud as hell.” She giggled.
“Ain’t shit changed.”
“It looks like a lot has changed. You’re flying me out on private planes.” Noir bowed to him softly.
“I don’t own that muthafucka, though,” he said humbly.
She followed behind him to a blacked out Rolls Royce. “But I’m still proud of you. You made it out like you said you would.”
He got in behind her. “And I’m proud of you, too. I see you doing your IG thing. That shit is dope.”
