Page 41 of Steel
“No thanks needed, baby. Daddy’s got you. I love you.”
She smiled big like she did every time he told her that. He kissed her cheeks and handed her the bags. She skipped offupstairs, and he turned to leave. I followed him onto the front porch.
“Kerrion, can we talk?”
“If it ain’t about Nayelli, I don’t have shit to say.”
He kept walking down the step. I was right on his heels.
“Kerrion!” I said, touching his arm.
He jerked away as he turned around. “What!” he snapped.
“We have to talk about this. You need to understand?—”
“Neha, ain’t nothing to understand.”
“Yes the fuck there is! I’m trying to tell you what happened.”
“You left and kept my child from me. That’s what happened. That’s all that matters.”
I scoffed. “Have you always been this fucking stubborn? Once upon a time, you listened to everything I had to say.”
“You really wanna take it there? I loved you, so yeah, I listened. That’s the difference between then and now. Right now, you’re looking like an enemy I’m forced to play nice with.”
“I’m not your enemy.”
“Well, you ain’t very familiar, either.”
I sighed. “I don’t wanna do this with you. Can we please talk, and you hear me out?”
“I have to go get my son,” he said coldly. “You’re very much on my shit list, and until I’m no longer livid, I’m not gonna be receptive to shit you have to say if it’s not directly about that little girl. She’s the only reason I’d piss on you if you were on fire right now. In spite of the fucked-up shit you did, I know you’re a good mother. That’s the only reason I’m sparing you.”
My brows furrowed as he walked off.
“What were you gonna do, huh? You wanna beat my ass too?”
“I don’t put my hands on women. I was raised better than that. Take your ass in the house.”
I watched as he climbed into his truck and pulled off from the curb. I stood there, tears streaming down my face. Maybe I wastrying to force a conversation that might never happen. We were all the villains in somebody’s story.
I guessed I was his.
Black hat.
Black fit.
Black boots.
I sat in the back of the van with my brothers as we drove to our destination. A million thoughts ran through my head as I tuned out the conversation buzzing around me.
Life right now still didn’t feel real to me.
I had a daughter.
A fucking daughter, and she was the coolest kid. I was so damn proud of her for finally putting hands on that little girl. I didn’t push senseless violence, but she had every right to defend herself. Once that girl pushed her off the swing, it was open season for her ass. That was why I treated her today.
I’d taken her to lunch, gotten her a pedicure, and taken her shopping. After dropping a bag on clothes, I’d taken her to a furniture store so she could pick out what she wanted for herroom. I was too serious about setting up a place for her. When she was with me, she needed to feel like my home was her home, . . . our home. She had a place there just like KJ.
