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CHANIYA

“ S o, you’re gonna spend the weekend with this man after barely knowing him?” Mom asks before stirring the grits she’s preparing for breakfast.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Hm. Don’t come back here talking about you got another bastard baby on the way, Chaniya Katia. Once is an accident, the second time is stupidity, and I didn’t raise you to be giving out pussy with no retribution.”

One thing I have always disliked about Vernise O’Neal is her self-righteous attitude and ability to make me feel lower than scum.

While she has no problem babysitting Caleb or doing whatever is necessary to make his life unproblematic, she has given me nothing but judgment since I announced my pregnancy.

It’s why I prefer Nana over her because while Nana can be blunt and nosy as hell, she’s never judgmental.

It's crazy to me how Mom has no clue who my father is but has been judging me for repeating her risky behavior. Not to mention how supportive Nana has always been toward her when she was the woman without knowledge of her child’s father.

“Do you hear me talking to you, Chaniya? I’m serious. Mom and I keep Caleb regularly so you can live a normal life without feeling overwhelmed. However, the quickest way for me to let you have it is to get pregnant again by another no-count man who leaves you holding the bag.”

A heaviness settles within my body, and dejection spreads through me like a wildfire with endless acres while I try my best to suppress the tears begging for release.

Mom had no problem with me dating Dedrick because she said she didn’t expect him to marry me or fill me with babies for him to abandon.

What’s worse is her happiness knowing that Dedrick and I had broken up.

My own mother seemed happy with my pain and heartache, which baffles me beyond understanding.

“Chaniya!” Mom shouts.

“I heard you, and it's not like that with us, but I like him, and we’re dating. Accompanying him to his sister’s wedding is another way for us to establish our relationship. I?—”

“You don’t have a good track record with men, nor do you know how to read what they aren’t saying to your gullible ass.”

“I’m not a child, so?—”

“You better watch your tone before you are sitting at home with your son instead of chasing behind some strange man you just met. I don’t know where I went wrong with you, but you really need to make better choices.

When are you gonna get tired of being some man’s cum bucket?

You ain’t tired of having sex with no rewards yet? ”

Tears slip from my eyes faster than I’m able to stop them, causing me to quickly turn my head so Mom doesn’t see the effect her words are causing.

Growing up, I have paid the price for the man Mom didn’t know fathered me, and it hurts me to catch her unmerited wrath.

The only good thing about how bad Mom treats me is that Caleb never gets any of her anger, disappointment, judgment, or any other negative thing she constantly gives to me.

“Are you done with the grits, Grandma? My stomach is about to fall out,” Caleb asks, causing me to wipe my face so I don’t alarm him.

“Almost done, sweet face. Do you want sausage or bacon?” Mom says, causing me to roll my eyes at her rapid code-switching now that she’s talking to Caleb.

“Can you actually put everything in containers? We have another stop to make.” I interject before Caleb has a chance to respond.

My need to escape is heavy, and I have to get out of here. I’m going to go by Nana’s to ask her about keeping Caleb for the weekend, because dealing with Mom won’t be the reason my weekend is ruined.

“I know that’s your mom, but you don’t have to take her shit, Chaniya. You fucked like life was golden, or whatever the Philly native sings about, and got pregnant. It’s not the worst thing you could or can do to destroy your life,” Riele rants.

“On top of that, the sin was in your act, not the precious life that came as a result. Tell Vernise’s ass to worry more about her wig selections on Temu than who you choose to bust it wide open for. She gets on my damn nerves,” Isis adds.

“Not too much on my?—”

“I wish you would defend Vernise after spending the last hour sobbing like your new man sent you packing after giving you spine-numbing orgasms.” Riele interjects, and I clamp my mouth shut because she’s got a good point.

While Mom likes to use me as a verbal punching bag, Nana doesn’t play about me. After failing to pry why I entered her house with red eyes, Nana told me to go home and sleep it off. She also told me that Caleb was staying with her to give me an extra day to get myself together.

“I think what’s bothering me the most is that Mom acts like her life has given me a blueprint for changing our family’s narrative.”

“We’ve known since we were kids that Vernise O’Neal is unhappy and thrives on trying to push her energy into your body however she can. At some point, you’ve got to either shit or get off the pot, bestie,” Riele says.

“I just want her to stop holding it against me when I do enough of it myself. I no longer drink heavily and limit myself to one or two drinks if I indulge at all. Being a responsible parent also means I only occasionally partake in edibles. I’m doing what I can so Caleb doesn’t suffer from my decisions, but when will Mom stop nailing me to a cross for them?

It’s exhausting and painful when Mom only focuses on that one mistake.

I’m tired of the constant ridicule,” I say.

A stabbing feeling spreads across my chest, which causes me to rub circles in the area to relieve the ache. My bottom lip trembles when the urge to cry hits me, and I close my eyes to prevent the water glistening from falling.

“Then do something about it. You don’t have to entertain or engage with her simply because she’s your mother. Roaches give birth, but that doesn’t make them mothers.” Riele interjects.

Laughter escapes my mouth at Riele’s last statement because she doesn’t care what she says.

“You’re stupid, Riele. You didn’t tell a single lie, but you're still stupid.” Isis co-signs, laughing.

Buzzing in my ear has me pulling my phone away to see Germayne’s name and an incoming text that increases my pulse. Placing the call on speaker, I open my message app to read the text from my man.

Germayne: I just wanted you to know that you’ve been on my mind all day.

“I gotta go,” I say, cutting off whatever Riele was saying because I need to call my man.

“Later,” Isis says.

“Well damn. Bye,” Riele snaps.

Without another word, I disconnect the call, dialing Germayne’s number, desperate to hear his voice.

“I expected a text, but this is much better. Hello, Chaniya.”

“I’m gonna text you my address. Come over. I need to see you,” I say breathlessly.

A low chuckle reverberates through the line, sending an electric jolt straight to my lower region before Germayne replies.

“Nah. We ain’t confusing little man. We’ll be together all weekend. You can?—”

“He’s not here. Please, come over.” The whine in my voice can’t be helped because of my warring emotions and the need to be in my man’s arms.

“Send the address.”

A giddy feeling surges through my body when Germayne disconnects the call without another word, and I quickly send him my address.

“What is your mom like?” I ask, lying against Germayne’s chest.

Germayne and I are in my bed on top of the blankets, fully clothed, talking while I enjoy the calming effects of being in his arms.

“If I had to give an example, I’d say she’s like Dwayne Wayne’s mom in A Different World .” Germayne chuckles, and the heavenly sound vibrates my head, bringing a smile to my lips.

“Oh, is she more nurturing, overbearing, or compassionate?” Dealing with Vernise O’Neal makes me nervous about meeting and mingling with Germayne’s mother for the weekend. “How about your dad? Is he militant, an undercover perv, or someone you admire?”

“Are you scared to meet my people, Chaniya?”

Got damn, Germayne!

The low octave in which Germayne asks his question has me shifting to see his face because I need to stare into his eyes.

“I’m not scared, per se. I just want to prepare myself for what I’m about to encounter. If the roles were reversed, I would have you avoid my mother like the plague.”

If things between Germayne and me develop into something long-term, I must figure out how to integrate him with Mom.

The way she treats me is a level of toxicity I don’t want to bleed over onto anyone else.

Granted, Mom is strategic and syrupy sweet to everyone but the child she birthed.

Yet, I don’t feel the need to chance her interaction with Germayne, especially if it could potentially ruin whatever happiness I’m experiencing.

“Whenever you’re with me, you’ll never have a reason to fear anyone, regardless of who they are.”

My body moves without permission when my mind demands that I seal in his declaration.

Thankfully, Germayne gets the silent request, and a smirk upturns his lips before his head lowers, meeting me halfway.

The awkward position of my body might be painful later, but it’s a pain that I’ll gladly welcome for this moment.

The smile in Germayne’s eyes contains a sensuous flame that increases my body temperature.

An irresistibly devastating grin slides in place the closer Germayne’s head becomes.

My pulse is racing, and my breaths are coming out in low and slow pants from my desire to connect with this handsome man.

With the speed of light, Germayne gathers me into his arms before holding me snugly seconds before connecting our lips.

When his tongue enters my mouth, shivers of desire race through me, and my pearl thumps with wild abandon.

The guttural sound from Germayne has me desperate for more as my arms claw his shirt like a kitten.

Germayne breaks the kiss only to trail light kisses from my lips to my neck, causing a heady sensation to surge through me.

“Please.” I pant, ready to throw caution and risk to the wind.

“I—”

“No, don’t reject me. I know it hasn’t been very long for us, but I’m sure we’ve both fucked people for less.”

Okay, blame my overheated libido or my lack of toe-curling sex, but I want Germayne in the worst way after feeling his lips on mine. If the truth be told, I can ultimately blame this on Germayne’s persuasive lips that spoke to every part of my body.

This man got me ready to beg him for the dick with his young ass.

Tuh, you calling this grown-ass man young while thrusting your hips against him is nasty work.

The statement registers in my mind, and sure as shit, my pelvis is moving slowly without instruction from me.

“Come on, Chaniya. We’ve been doing so—mm.”

No longer in the mood for rebuttal, I suck Germayne’s bottom lip into my mouth while slowly caressing his dick through the joggers he didn’t have sense enough not to wear over here.

Feeling the hardening of his hammer encourages me to keep going, and my tongue begins a voyage of pleasure I don’t want to cut off.

“Mm.” A moan escapes my mouth, and my grip on Germayne’s weighty dick tightens.

Wordlessly, Germayne sweeps me weightlessly into his arms, allowing my pelvis to rest in his lap, and heat settles within my lower region when his dick thumps against me.