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Behind her back, I shook my head. She kept trying to get in good with my kids. I knew that I shouldn’t have had them around her, but I also knew that it would piss Solae off, so I did it anyway.

Elijah looked back from his seat on the floor in front of the TV and said, “Yeah.”

Felicia was grinning and shit. “Okay, good. I’ll cook some cheeseburgers. You want something, Essence?”

“No,” she quickly spat, without even looking up from her phone as she sat next to me on the couch.

“Are you sure? You haven’t eaten since you got here,” Felicia pressed her.

I laughed to myself. Felicia was trying so hard. I couldn’t wait until I turned her world upside down.

When Essence smacked her lips and said, “I said I’m good,” I snapped.

“Watch that fucking attitude, sounding like your damn mama. I hate that shit!”

Seeing that I was angry, Felicia walked away and back into the kitchen. She had finally learned to run away when I was pissed.

“I told you I’mma get rid of that attitude,” I kept fussing at Essence. “Acting like your bitch of a mother.”

Then this lil’ heifer had the nerve to pop back, “Don’t call my mama that!”

Before I knew it, I had drawn back my hand and smacked the shit out of her. The sound of my hand connecting with her face bounced off the wall. She gasped and held her face as her eyes fell out of their sockets. Then tears started to pull in her eyes. Elijah’s head snapped back and his attention was off the TV and on Essence as she started to cry.

“Watch your fucking mouth when you’re talking to me, girl!” I barked.

Essence tried to get up from the couch but I pushed her back down and she started to sob.

“Where you think you goin’?” I asked, knowing that she wouldn’t answer. “And you bet not tell a damn soul that I put my hands on you or I will make sure that your mother never sees you again. Try me.”

Remaining silent, she was holding her face and sobbing. Behind her tears, I still saw that stubborn ass attitude. But I knew that she knew better than to open her fucking mouth ever again.

SOLAE

Priest was rubbing my feet as we sat on his couch watching Netflix documentaries. He had this weird obsession with my feet and documentaries of any kind. We had watched documentaries on drug dealers, to murderers, and now Nina Simone.

As he stared intently into the TV while allowing his hands to make love to my big toe, I just looked at him and admired him. He was such a diverse dude. Besides being handsome and a successful hustler, he would blow my mind by wanting to sit in on a Friday night and watch documentaries. He was probably doing it because he knew I wasn’t in the mood to go out, but either way, I appreciated his ability to not be the stereotypical hood nigga.

Priest had also been so attentive to me while I went through the worst moments of my life. He was fine and paid. I knew that he had women at his beck and call, feening for that dick and his attention. I just knew it. But I never had to fight for his attention. He was always there, alwayscalling. I never expected a man like him to come into my life, especially at a time like this.

I checked my phone to see if Essence or Elijah had called. I noticed that it was almost after ten o’clock in the evening. Even though it was the weekend, Elijah always fell asleep before nine. He also always made sure to call me from Essence’s phone before going to bed.

“Give me a second, Priest. Let me call the kids before it gets too late.”

He nodded, while still staring into the TV. I took my feet from his lap, stood, and left the living room in order not to disrupt his precious documentary.

Once inside the kitchen, I leaned against the counter and dialed Essence’s number. As I waited for her to answer, I adored Priest’s kitchen. It was so modern, like the rest of his condo. I really admired the fact that he had been so successful at such a young age that he was able to live like this.

“Hello?”

My eyebrows curled as I heard how down Essence sounded. “Hey, Essence. You okay?”

“Yeah.”

“You sure?” I pressed as I leaned on the island.

“Yes.”

“You’re lying to me.”