Page 11

Chapter Nine

Kilo

sometime later…

I wasn’t expecting Mel to pop up at D.E.

, but seeing her walk through the door with my son on full display made me snap back to reality for a minute.

She looked good…damn good. Her hair was pulled up in a puff, big curls bouncing with each step.

My receptionist barely got her name out before she was in my office.

“Hey,” she said softly, walking up to me.

“Damn, baby. I didn’t expect to see you. You look good.” I grinned, sliding my chair back.

She leaned in and kissed me, her hands settling on my shoulders. “Just came to check on you.”

I held her waist, lips still on hers. “You know I ain’t never complain about you showing up.”

Her eyes searched mine like she was trying to figure out where I was mentally. I knew she was getting tired of my shit, and for once, I was trying to be present, to let her feel me instead of just see me.

“You good?” she asked.

“Better now.” I smirked.

I kissed her again and right before I was about to get up and lock the door; we were interrupted.

“Aww shit,” Buck walked in, arms wide like he was announcing his damn presence. “Ain’t this cute. Thugga got her claws in my brother again.”

Mel rolled her eyes. “Don’t get fucked up this early, Lincoln.”

“I’m just saying, you over there letting my brother feel on you and shit like you tryna get pregnant again.” He smirked.

I pulled her closer into my chest and kissed her neck.

“Chill, baby,” I laughed. “Let him live.”

Mel kissed me one more time before she got up. “I’ll see you at home?”

“Yeah. You will?”

She nodded but gave me a look that said she still felt like I was keeping something from her. I hated lying by omission, but I wasn’t ready.

When she left, Buck closed the door behind her and dropped into the chair across from me.

“You told her yet?” he asked, turning serious.

I shook my head. “Not yet.”

He didn’t like that, but he didn’t press it.

“You better figure it out, ’cause I ain’t tryna dodge Goldie’s damn interrogation no more. She know some shit off.”

Rachel buzzed in. “Franklin… she’s here.”

Buck’s head snapped toward me. “Shit. Ain’t Thugga still outside?”

My chest tightened. “I hope not.”

I stood, adjusted my shirt, and nodded toward the door. “Let her in.”

Shayna stepped in slowly, looking around like it was her first time being here. She looked good, but she ain’t hold a candle to Mel.

“You look good,” she said.

I didn’t respond.

She looked toward Buck, then back at me. “I thought we could talk… alone.”

Buck laughed. “Nah. I’m chilling right here. You lucky I ain’t dragged yo’ ass the moment you walked in.”

“Lincoln…” I warned.

“What? You taking up for this bitch?”

“Bitch?” Shayna snapped. “I came back to do the right thing.”

“The right thing, huh?” Buck stood. “So now you care about doing the right thing? Where was that energy nine fuckin’ years ago?”

She looked down. “I was scared. My parents hated you. You were already locked up. I didn’t know what to do.”

I held my hand up to stop the back and forth. “So you here to do the test?”

Shayna straightened. “I will… if we can talk. Just you and me. See where things could go.”

I stared at her.

“You serious?”

“I never stopped loving you, Franklin,” she said. “I know you’re with somebody now, but that could change.”

Before I could respond, Buck stepped up. “You lost yo’ fuckin’ mind. Thugga will peel yo’ shit back and I’m gone help her.”

“Buck—”

“Nah, fuck that. You come in here, hold this man’s daughter hostage, and now you tryna bargain pussy for a paternity test?”

“I ain’t—”

He cut her off. “Listen, I don’t give a fuck if Liberty got wings and came from heaven. You gone take that test or Liberty’s favorite song gone be the one ’bout a motherless child.”

I looked at Shayna, dead in her face. “Ain’t no chance at a me and you. That shit been closed. You wanna prove she mine? Do the test. If not, don’t come back here. I can’t promise the next time I see you will be as pleasant as the former.”

She looked between us, jaw tight, then finally nodded. “Fine.”

She walked out and Buck watched her until the door closed.

“I should’ve drowned her ass in the toilet,” he muttered.

I didn’t say anything. I couldn’t because my mind was already heavy.

Before I could get my thoughts together, my phone buzzed.

Mama: Come see me…today

I sighed.

“Now what?” Buck asked.

“Mama,” I said. “She wanna talk.”

“Nigga, you in trouble,” he laughed.

“I’m grown as fuck. How the fuck I’ma get in trouble?”

“You gone see…grown ass.”

My brother left, and I got a few things done before I wrapped up and headed to my parents’ house.

***

I pulled into my parents’ driveway, trying to mentally prepare. I already knew Mama wasn’t gone let me slide on shit. Pops was home, but he was probably on the opposite end of the house. She opened the door before I could knock.

“Took you long enough,” she said.

I followed her inside and sat at the kitchen table. It smelled like lemon cleaner and something baked earlier.

She poured herself tea, then sat across from me.

“Lincoln said I should check on you,” she started. “Said you ain’t been yourself.”

I exhaled through my nose. “I’m fine.”

“Bullshit.”

She sipped her tea like she was waiting for me to stop lying.

“I ran into somebody,” I finally said. “From back in the day.”

“Oh?”

“Shayna.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Shayna-Shayna? The one you dated in high school?”

I nodded.

“She say why she left?”

“She said her folks made her move… because she was pregnant.”

Mama sat still, face unreadable.

“She kept the baby. A little girl. Her name is Liberty, and she’s nine years old. She said she’s mine.”

“Jesus,” she whispered. “Have you seen her?”

“Yes, but I told Shayna I wanted a DNA test.”

“And Mel?”

“I haven’t told her yet.”

My mama stood up, paced a little, then turned back to me.

“When do you plan on telling Mel?”

“When I know for sure.”

Mama’s voice turned sharp. “You wait too long, and you gone lose her, anyway. Whether that little girl is yours or not.”

I stayed quiet.

“She loves you. Carries your child. Holds you down. Don’t disrespect that by hiding.”

“I’m trying to protect her.”

“Lies don’t protect. They burn. You know that.”

She sat back down and grabbed my hand.

“Whatever happens, we’ll figure it out. But fix this before it breaks you… before it breaks y’all.”

I nodded.

Because deep down, I knew she was right.