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“ C an I get the fried chicken platter with mash potatoes and gravy.” I handed the waitress the menu.

Merci was irking my nerves because she was undecided on what she wanted to eat, and she knew this was our favorite spot.

If she would’ve stayed off the phone, then she would be ready to order.

I was ready to get back home to my baby.

Having him brought the joy back into my life and even though I was currently looking a mess with a baseball cap on my head, he still was one of the best things that happened to me.

“My bad. Just give me the same thing,” Merci ordered, making me roll my eyes.

“Who has your attention on that phone. I thought we were spending time with each other without the kids.”

“We are. I got a nigga trying to shoot his shot and I might let him dunk,” she stuck her tongue out at me.

“He must got money?”

“Plenty of it.”

“Perc is going to kill you when he gets home.”

“By the time he gets here, buddy will be fucked and pockets drained.” Merci sipped on her sweet tea as her long nails tapped away at her phone. “Besides Perc got some growing to do but I want him to bond with his daughter first.”

“Where is she anyway because Lucky at my house?”

“She’s with her grandma and siblings for a few days. That’s where Lucky told me to take her.”

You were comfortable going over there? That woman’s daughter killed your baby. Ain’t no way I’ll be okay with that.”

“I didn’t say shit to her. She came to the door; I let her out the car and I left.”

“Don’t do that no more. I don’t trust her ass either. Bitch gotta be bitter and mad about her daughter's death. How you been feeling?”

“I told you I’m fine and stop talking about it. You know I hate when you do that. The only time I want to think about her is on her birthday. Now can we move on to when the fuck you going to get back with your nigga?”

“Who said I was? I’m actually enjoying being single again. What we have works for us both.”

“What you gon’ do when he finds another bitch.”

“That has nothing to do with me.”

“I’m so glad you said that because we been talking for a month now and I didn’t want to disrespect you,” the waitress stated, sitting our food down.

“Excuse me?” I looked up at her.

“Me and Lucky. We’ve been talking for a month now. He told me that y’all got divorced and all, but I didn’t believe him.”

Merci sat across from me and smiled. I didn’t find shit funny.

My son was only a month, and he couldn’t wait to even see if I wanted his black ass back.

My appetite was gone and I damn sure didn’t want to eat a plate from a bitch that was fucking with my ex-husband.

I gave her a fake smile so she could get away from the table.

“You look a lil’ sick in the face, sis. You aight?”

“Bitch don’t be funny. That nigga told me he wasn’t fucking with nobody.”

“Why would be tell your ass who he fucking? You didn’t want him to remember. Let her enjoy all that chocolate.”

“I don’t care,” I lied.

After letting Merci eat her food, we went back to her place so she could do my hair.

We sipped a few glasses of wine and talked shit but all I could think about was the pretty young girl at the restaurant.

Her name was Savannah and she looked to be in her early twenties which was a shocker for me.

Lucky loved a woman that was established like him, at least that’s what he said. I didn’t know what to believe from him.

“I’ve been asking you did you like your hair but you’ve been staring off into space. If you’re thinking about that bitch from earlier. Ask his ass about her. If he denies it, she’s just a fuck. If he admits, he trying to settle down with her. Just like he found somebody, you can too.”

“Thank you, sis. I need you out of this house and back in the shop before I get there.”

“Not! Until me and Perc can get along, I’ll be right here.”

I hugged her and headed home to see if Lucky would be honest with me.

He didn’t owe me an explanation but I was burning to know if what she said earlier was true.

I ran a few conversations in my head before I pulled up to my house.

We weren’t in the best place to be even having this conversation but I deserved to know who was going to be around my baby when the time came.

I got out of my car and went into to the house to see what damage he had done.

This was my first time leaving him alone for a long time with our son.

I was surprised to see him up when I walked in.

“I hope you enjoyed yourself because this lil’ nigga spoiled rotten. He wants me to walk him ‘round this bitch and sit outside with him all day. What kinda shit you and your mama be on?”

“It’s my mama fault. She likes to take him outside in the sun. Other than that, was everything good?”

“Yeah, he was good.”

“Okay…umm did my mama attempt to bring her ass back or did she just say fuck it?”

“She swung by and then left once she realized I had everything under control.”

“Okay, I appreciate you for helping out today.”

“Your hair looks nice,” he ran his fingers through it.

Slapping his hand away, I felt the need to mention his bitch since he was getting touchy. “Who the fuck is Savannah?”

“Huh?”

“Huh? Who the fuck is Savannah. Tall slim chick with hazel eyes and golden blonde hair. She works at…”

“She’s someone I been fuckin’ with. What she told you?” Lucky flopped down on the arm of the sofa.

“It ain’t about what she told me. Do you want to tell me?”

“I just told yo ass she was a female I was fuckin’ with. Nothing major.”

“Well, you got her thinking otherwise. I was talking to Merci and she butted in our conversation saying that since we are officially done, y’all can go on and come out to the public with y’all shit.”

“Girl, gon’ with that shit. I ain’t settling down with no fucking body. Let that girl fuck yo head up if you wanna. I’m chillin’ but I’m getting pussy. You ain’t fuckin’,” he shrugged.

“Aight you can leave.”

“Nah, fuck that! Did you call yourself checking me ‘bout a bitch?”

“No, I didn’t. All I did was ask you a question.”

“Kani sleep. We can fuck real quick and I can show you how I feel ‘bout you asking me ‘bout another bitch.”

Lucky stood up and pulled me into him until we both fell back into the sofa. He bear hugged me so I wouldn’t be able to get up.

“Bless stop fighting me. Chill the fuck out. I’m not even trying to go there with you. A nigga just wanna hold you. I miss your ass and Savannah will never be able to replace you as a matter of fact no one can. You got my first born and you were my wife. How somebody gon’ top that.”

“Good to see y’all getting along,” my mama interrupted.

“He was just leaving, mama.”

“Don’t stop on my expense. Did y’all at least make sure my grand baby was sleep before y’all started laying up?”

“He’s asleep and the monitor is on,” Lucky told her.

I used my mama’s distraction as a reason to get up.

Lucky slapped me on the ass and ended up leaving shortly after.

It was good to see he still had feelings for me but he needed to tell Savannah how he felt since she thought they were about to be exclusive.

I didn’t need any problems with his female friends.

Not soon after he left my phone started going off. The number wasn’t saved so I didn’t bother to even answer it. The only thing that made me stop in my tracks and hold my breath was the picture that was sent to my phone. Shit was about to get worse for me.

Unknown: You a hard bitch to find. You owe me your life bitch and I’m coming to collect. I would hate for your secret to get out. Especially since the hood loves you so much.

As squeaky clean as I tried to be, there was some shit in my past that I wanted to bury.

Hell, I thought I buried the shit over ten years ago but it was slapping me in my fucking face.

This was a part of me I didn’t want my mama to know about and now I had to hide this shit from Lucky or he was going to take my son from me.