Rescue Me From You

Chapter 11: Better Late, Than Never [Part 2]

'Tell me what's the difference between love and other drugs? 'Cause in the end it all come crashing down.' - Omarion



Michele

On my way to New Orleans, my flight had a 2 hour stop in Atlanta. I thought that was the perfect time the girls would get to spend time with their Auntie Darrian and Uncle Dre. I know they missed the girls like crazy, being as though when they came to New York they didn't see them before they left.
"We'll take care of your babies." Darrian said hugging me and kissing my cheek with Cadence in her arm.
"Please do that." I laughed as Cadence reached over to me. She latched on to my neck and gave me a big wet kiss.
"I love you baby." I pulled my lips away from hers. "Luhh youuu." She grinned. I pecked her nose and she got back comfortable in Darrian's arms.
"Autumn!" I called out to her. She was rambling in Dre's arms.
"Yes mommy?" She immediately turned her attention to me.
"Give mommy kisses." I said reaching for her. She jumped into my arms and planted kisses all over my face. "Okay, okay!" I exclaimed. "I'll be back in a few days okay?" I returned every kiss she gave me.
"Okay. Make sure you FaceTime me, mommy." She pouted.
"I will princess." I kissed her one last time.
"Aight, okay. It's only a few days. They gone be straight. Now, go catch your flight before you miss it and we have to drive you all the way to New Orleans." Dre scooted me away.
"Okay." I picked up my luggage and purse and made my departure from my babies. I grabbed an expensive ass sandwich from the airport then made my way to board my plane.

*******

After August and his family picked me up from the airport, we went back to his mom's house. She explained to me on the ride there that she wanted my help with grocery shopping for dinner. I didn't mind. We needed to talk anyway. I wanted her to know me from me, not what August told her. And I also wanted to let her know August and I's situation.

We left everyone in the house and made our way to the grocery store.
"So, I'm so happy to spend time with you." She smiled. "Tell me about yourself."
"Well," I began. "I'm 23. You've met my daughters, Autumn and Cadence."
"Yeah, they're beautiful."
"Thank you," I grinned.
"So, you've been living in New York all your life?" She asked me.
"Oh, not at all. My mother's from Thailand and my father's from NY, but he was in the army when they met. So Danielle and I were born here but we spent a small chunk of our childhood in Thailand."
"Ohhh, you're exotic." She winked at me. I couldn't help but laugh. I considered myself a full fledge Bronx girl. Most people assume Danielle and I are Puerto Rican or Dominican. Far from it.
"I never looked at it that way." I laughed.
"So, how are your parents?" She asked. This was a touchy subject. I tensed up as soon as the words left her mouth.
"Well…" I began. "My dad was killed in combat and my mother went through a very deep depression. He was her first love. She was shut out from her family when they found out she ran off and got married to a black man. So, when she returned to Thailand to get peace within and get over his death, she went to her family for support but they just turned their backs on her. So, her depression worsened. She came back to NY and tried to gone on day by day but she just got worse. About a year and a half later she was committed to a psych ward for suicide and depression. Danielle and I tried to go see her but she just didn't want to face us. She felt like she let us down as a mother. As many times as we tried to tell her that wasn't the case, she still felt that way. Eventually she took our names off of the visitors' list and basically forced us to stop coming to see her." I sighed deeply. I hadn't even told August in full detail about my parents the only one that knew was Kareem. I felt a weight being lifted off of my shoulders by talking to Mama Les.
"Don't worry," Mama Leslie rubbed my hand. "I'm here anytime for you and your girls." I smiled at the thought.
"I'll hold you to that." We both laughed. There was a comfortable silence that took over the air. Me and Mama Leslie clicked. She was the sweetest woman I had ever met. She definitely was someone I could count on and be comfortable with. I loved being in her warm presence already.


"So, Mama I gotta question?" I looked over at her.
"What's that baby?" She replied.
"Did August talk to you about the engagement?" I asked her as we walked through the grocery store, throwing any and everything into the cart. We were just supposed to be getting dinner supplies but somehow being wrapped up in all types of conversations, we ended up making it a full blown shopping trip.
"I've been waiting on one of you to mention that to me." She smirked and cut her eye at me. "I couldn't miss that big ass rock on your finger if I tried." She laughed. "But no. My son has been stressed since he's been down here. I can tell. I didn't want to worry him about it with everything going on with Boog. But I knew he wanted to marry you. The way he talked about you. I can tell you are gonna be a long term fixture in his life." She smiled.
"So you approve?" A smile formed on my face.
"Of course! I'm just glad my son found someone who makes him happy." She smiled. She began to slowly tap her chin. Her smile faded and her eyebrows scrunched up.
I imitated her look as I was curious to know why she looked so confused.
"Whatcha' thinking about?" I asked her.
"How you feel about August being in the industry? I know you worry about the groupies, him being gone. What if he…"
"What if he what?" I placed my hand on my hip.
"Nothing, baby." Her N.O. accent sang. "How do you feel about it though?"
I shrugged my shoulders. "It's no different. When I first met him I knew a little of his music but I never knew what he looked like. So I didn't know he was August Alsina." I lightly chuckled. "How we met is another story for another time. But I'm around people in the industry all the time. My sister is a stylist and I'm her assistant. So technically, I've inched my way in the industry and media myself especially since my kids' father is a rapper. And about the groupies? I haven't been confronted about that face-to-face. He's a man, I know he loves me. But I don't doubt for a second that he does things he probably shouldn't. But hopefully I never will have to deal with that but the industry is definitely a dirty game and I'm willing to play it to keep what's mine."
"I know that's right." She ended that conversation.

************

I walked behind Mama Leslie with both of our hands full of groceries to her front porch. She wrestled with her keys and managed to get them out and unlock the door. August told me he moved his mom into a new house and it was gorgeous and very southern to say the least. Judging by the interior, I'm sure whoever decorated our house had a part in decorating Mama Leslie's. It so grand, yet very cozy.
We sat the bags down by the door and Mama Leslie ran up the stairs to use the bathroom.
"August put the groceries up!" She yelled reaching the top stair.
I huffed as I stretched. I was exhausted from the flight and being out all day. "Baby…" I groaned, walking into the living room. I didn't get a response. I just heard August's laugh.

I was shocked and confused by what I saw. What the hell was going on? August was sitting on the floor with this girl in his lap. There was a little boy laying across both of them and he was giggling away from them tickling him.
I cleared my throat and August turned around still smiling at the little boy like this was okay.
"Wassup baby." He said scooting the girl off of him. He got up and proceeded to walk over to me. He reached for my waist and poked out his lips but I immediately shut it down.
"No." I pushed his hands off of me. "What's this? Why she sitting on your lap like she your girl or something?" I questioned him.
"Babe, chill it's definitely not like that," August began. The girl read the irritation on my face and decided to interrupt.
"Um, I'm gonna go give Isaiah a bath. Y'all look like ya' need talk." She got up, pulling the little boy in her arms and letting him rest his weight on her side. She went into the downstairs bathroom and closed the door.
"You do that..." I mumbled as I looked down the now empty hallway.
August dropped his head and shook it. "What?! Are you gonna answer my damn question? Why the hell was she all over you?" I crossed my arms.
"Let's take a walk." He roughly grabbed my arm and dragged me out the door. I don't know why he was so aggressive right now. He didn't walk into my mom's house and catch me sitting on some random nigga's lap.

"You need to learn to chill the fuck out." He talked through his teeth. He sounded tired of me.
"Well you would be mad at me to if you saw what I just saw."
"What did you see? Two old friends playing with a kid? Damn yo." He shook his head as he slipped his hands in his pocket.
"No. The way y'all laughed together, the sparkle in her eyes when she was looking at you. That was more than two old friends."
He sighed. "Her name is Breana. She my ex…" His glare burned through the side of my face while he waited for my response.
"So why you feel it was okay for her to sit on your lap, August?" I asked him, stopping in my tracks. I stood in front of him and our eyes met and trust me, I was searching for a lie to come out of his mouth. But he played it cool.
"I didn't feel like it was okay but it just happened. There was no thought behind it. We we're just playing with the kid. That's all." He shrugged.
"So if she your ex why is she at your mom's house chilling like it's nothing? You ain't been in New Orleans in years. How is it that she's still around?"
"Because, Michele. Look, that's another story and you can ask her if you really wanna know. But I can't really answer that. I been in NY with yo ass. I ain't been here." He tried to make sense of this but it wasn't working.
I gave up with this conversation. I rolled my eyes at him and continued back towards the house.
"Michele stop being such a child about everything. We grown. There's no need to walk up in someone's house snapping over something innocent and come out here treating me like you caught us fucking." He pulled me back by my wrist and lightly rubbed it. He pleaded for me to relax with his eyes.
"I'll apologize. I guess…"
"I don't want you to apologize, I want you to trust me." He started walking with me.
"Okay August." I hissed.

___________________



August

"I'm just going to sleep." Michele had grumbled as we walked back into my ma's house.
"Yeah, aight. I'll catch up. Gimme love." I said poking out my lips. She gently pressed her lips against mine. My mouth opened and I bit down on her bottom lip, not allowing her to pull her lips away from mine. My hand fished up her shirt and I lightly pinched at her nipple.
"Ow, stop playing!" She quickly grabbed my dick, making me jump. "Aight."
I laughed.
She let me go and I slapped her on the ass as she walked away. I didn't want her to think I was mad at her. I was wrong for letting Bre sit on my lap. I mean I don't even know how we got to that point. Before I left the house, she stormed off mad at a nigga cause I asked a simple question.

Michele closed the door to the guest room and I headed towards the kitchen. Moms was in the kitchen starting dinner and doing what she asked me to do. By the look on her face, she was pissed at me too. Can a nigga get a break?
"Sorry, ma." I began to help her put the groceries up. "Michele got mad cause she saw me and Bre." Her phone began to ring and her expression changed.
"We'll talk later." She said before putting the phone to her ear. "Hey!" She answered.
'Get out!' She mouthed to me and I couldn't help but laugh. "You gotta man now, ma?" I asked her.
"Look, boy I'm a grown ass woman, get the hell out my kitchen." She laughed and scooted me out the kitchen.
If my mama got a man and ain't tell me, we got problems.

I made my way to Boog's room. That nigga been in there all day with his girl, either sleep or she was keeping him happy the best ay she could. She took care of my brother like a king and I'm sure my mother was extra appreciative of that.
I knocked a few times.
"Come in."
I opened the door to see Boog flipping through channels with Reece laying in between his legs, knocked out. "Wassup, Aug?" He said adjusting in a comfortable position.
"Shit, chilling. How you feeling?" I asked him.
"A nigga still in pain, but shit I'm just glad I'm breathing." He lightly chuckled.
"Already." I rubbed my hands together.
"Look, bro. I know you lost ya mans. That nigga birthday tomorrow and shit. What's gone happen?"
"His moms supposed to be throwing this party in his memory. She didn't want to do the whole funeral thing. She had a private burial and now she wants to celebrate his life. Man, he was a good dude. He was just on the wrong path and I was right along with him." Boog shook his head. I felt what he was saying. Shit escalates in the matter of seconds. You never know where life can take you.
"Oh cool, cool." I replied. "But I think you need to rethink coming to NY…" I told him. When me and my mom left to move there, Boog stayed behind with my older brother Ashton.
"I think I wanna go…" He replied. I know he was in deep thought.
"Well shit. We'll figure this out. But I'ma go see what my ol' lady doing. We gone talk about this tomorrow. Love you bro." I dapped him up and walked towards his door.
"Love you too." I said before shutting the door behind me.

_____________________



Bre

"Oh August!" I exclaimed with him nearly toppling over me in the dark hallway.
"My bad. My bad!" He let a laugh escape as he caught me. At that moment I was mesmerized by seeing his gorgeous smile even in the dark. It was so captivating.
"I was just looking for you." I shook my head. He scrunched his eyebrows wondering why.
"Wassup?" He asked me.
"Um, we need to talk…" I bit on the inside of my cheek.
"About what? Why you look like that?"
"Come with me." I grabbed his wrist. We made our way to the front door and outside.
We began walking in silence and I know he was curious to know what the hell was going on in my head.
"Bre?" He asked as he walked slowly with his hands in his pockets.
"Um, I don't know how to say it."
"Just say it Bre. What you got a man or some shit?" He laughed making me roll my eyes. Even if I did have a man, I knew he ain't care for real. But for some reason I wanted him to be jealous. I wanted him to feel like nothing has changed even though he had been gone for 4 years.
"August, Isaiah is your son." I blurted out.
"What?"

_____________________



August

"Breana, he's not my kid. Well, I just don't wanna believe he is." I shook my head. All this time I been wanting to have my first kid with Michele and Bre telling me this.
"Are you serious?" She stopped in her tracks.
"I'm deadass. We ain't even fuck before I left. And you been with my mama all this time and ain't tell ha' shit? You had my number. Shit ain't change! How dare ya' dumbass fucking wait til I come back under these circumstances to tell me I gotta four year old kid! Fuck outta here, girl!" I yelled at her. I was so loud to the point dogs began barking in the distance.
"I know I was wrong," she calmly spoke. "But he's yours." Her eyes began to swell with tears.
"Nah man. I need a DNA test and that's real ass shit. We'll figure this out after that. But i'on want shit to do with you until then. Don't holla' at me, come round me, or even come to my ma's place while I'm fucking here. The only time I need to see you is in that damn doctors' office. I'm out yo." I walked away from her without giving her a chance to respond. The fuck wrong with this bitch?

I walked into the guest room and slammed the door, making Michele jump out of her light slumber. Seeing her facial expression made me calm my mood a little. The confusion and worry on her face made me let out a light chuckle.
"I'm sorry, babe." I sat in the recliner and laid my head back, closing my eyes.
"You okay?" I looked up to see she had walked over to me. I patted my lap and she got the hint. She straddled me and laid her on my shoulder. She began placing light kisses on my tattoo.
"Man, I just got some crazy news. You probably gone be mad…" I said as I let my fingertips run up and down her back.
"August I have something to tell you too…but I think I know what you're gonna tell me." Her voice cracked. As soon as she said that I felt tear drops on my collarbone. I immediately sat her up.
"Why you crying?" I questioned her.
"I'm pregnant." Her crying worsened. I don't know if she was sad or if these were happy tears, but I could only assume the worse.
"I don't want this right now." She said through tears. Deep down I didn't either, especially if Bre's kid turns out to be mine.
She exhaled deeply and wiped her tears. "I'm sorry. It's just hard. I have two kids already, August."
"I understand." I said wiping away the tears that fell each time she blinked.
"We gone get through this." I picked her up and carried her back over to the bed. I laid her down and removed my clothing. I climbed under the covers behind her and held her tightly until her crying suppressed to light whimpering. Soon she had drifted off to sleep and her light snores filled the silence in the room.
I couldn't sleep. I had a baby on the way and I'm about to find out if I have a four year old kid. I hadn't been to work in almost a month and this little break I took was running up. Next week I had to be back traveling. This shit was hectic and stressful. I just wish I would have did things differently…

****************

"Dinner's ready!" My mama called through the hallway. I could here her going in each room telling everyone.
"August? Ya'll sleep? What the hell I cook for?" She opened my door and asked with irritation.
"We'll eat it for lunch tomorrow and we'll make it up to you by cooking breakfast." I groaned.
"Don't bother. Look, the foods down there if you get hungry. I'll be back tomorrow. Love You." She began to shut the door.
"Wait, mama where the hell you going?" I sat up.
"What I tell you in the kitchen?" She asked me.
"I'ma grown ass woman. Yadda yadda yadda." I mocked her.
"Know the girl." She laughed before shutting the door. I shook my head and laid back down, getting back comfortable in the position I was in.

*****************

I yawned and stretched. I reached out for Michele but she wasn't in bed. I threw on some sweats and a white tee and went searching around the house for her.
"Babe? What you doing?" I asked her. I finally found her in my mom's bathroom sitting indian style on the floor and had her head down. This was weird ass hell. The whole time she been down here she been acting different.
"Just tryna get some peace. Trying to clear my mind." She exhaled.
"In the bathroom?" I asked her.
"Well…does it matter where? I just needed to clear my mind August!" She slammed her hands down on the tile.
"Whoa, baby. Chill. What the hell is going on inside that pretty little head of yours?" I sat down behind her and held her, resting my head on her shoulder.
"I'm just so stressed. I fucking know August. I know that little boy is yours. Why didn't you tell me?" She turned around to face me.
"How could I tell you something if I didn't know. Matter of fact, I still don't know. I'm tryna get a DNA test." I sighed.
"Man, August that's your fucking twin. He sure don't look like his mama!" She slapped my chest. I had to take a second to reevaluate before I slapped her ass right back.
"You know what, you starting that hitting shit and you gone make me go off on you. So, I'ma leave. You do what you wanna do today. I'm gone take care of my business down her in New Orleans and I'm leaving this bitch tomorrow. Since I been here it's been stressful. Shit, a bad situation brought me here and new shit popping up everyday. But I'm not with this shit. So you can take your ass back to NY and pretend like I don't exist for all I care. But I'ma focus on me. I'm tired of caring about everybody else and how they feel and getting shit in return. I been tryna comfort and cater to you since you got here, but what I get? Cussed out? Hit? Hell nah man. I'ma let you do what you need to do. And in the midst of that, I want you to think about that motherfucking ring on your finger too, since I'm such a bother." I pushed away from her and got up. I headed back towards the guest room and found something to wear for the day. I hopped the shower and decided to go wherever the day took me. Even if that meant to Bre's house…

_______________



Bre

I opened the door uninterested to see him. "What you need?" I asked August as he invited himself in.
"I'm sorry about going off. I was just really mad. Let's get this DNA thing over with. I gotta head out tomorrow." He was very bland. He seemed uninterested just the same.
"Let me get Isaiah." I rolled my eyes and walked away.
"Zay, come on. We got somewhere to be. Grab your shoes." I told my son. He was on his bed playing the PS3. I shook my head. Him and that game, I tell you.
"Alright." He huffed. He turned off his game and walked out of his room with his shoes in his hand.
"Where we going mommy?" He asked me.
"To handle some business. Is that okay with you?" I asked him.
"I guess." He giggled.

We walked into the living to see August impatiently waiting.
"Wassup lil man?" He greeted Isaiah. Zay ran over to him and gave him a hug.
"Whatchu doing here?" He asked August.
"We going out today. You, me, and your mommy." August smiled at him.
"Can we go to Toys R'Us?" Isaiah questioned him.
"We'll see." August laughed. We all got into him truck and went to the paternity facility.

*********

After handling business there, August decided to be Mr. Nice Guy and take Isaiah where he wanted to go. Buying him everything he could possibly want. It brought me joy to see my son so happy but I know August was only doing it because of what he thinks is 'the possibility' of Isaiah being his. But I know he is. Why he tryna play me like that?
"Y'all hungry?" August asked as we left the toy store.
"Yeah!" Isaiah answered with excitement.
"Uh nah. We good." I simply replied.
"That sound like a lie. And your son said he hungry, stop thinking about yourself Bre." He looked over and gave me that 'chill out' look.
"Whatever. Keep your eyes on the road." I rolled my eyes and laid my head on the window.
"Yeah, it's always been whatever." He mumbled his sly comment like I couldn't hear him. I exhaled with frustration.
"You know my mama cooked last night and nobody ate, so we gone head over there." He said like I was supposed to be just ecstatic to go. I didn't wanna be around anyone right now. How embarrassing could it be for someone to demand a DNA test like that. It was so wrong on his part. And he made me feel like a bad person. The audacity.

"You tell your girlfriend any of this?" I blurted out.
"First of all that's my fiancé. Second, she knows and she pissed. So stay out her way. That's what I'm doing." He shrugged his shoulders. I groaned at the thought. I ain't want no beef with the girl. She seemed nice. But who am I kidding? That girl would probably tear my ass to pieces with there was any conflict.

August pulled up in front of his mom's house and we got out the truck. We headed into Mama Leslie's house and August was greeted by someone he probably never think he'd run into at this particular moment…

___________________



Michele

I was sitting at the dining room table chatting it up with Nala, Ashton's girlfriend. They had decided to pop up at Mama Leslie's house and I was more than happy to meet Nala. She was the funniest girl I had been around in awhile and it definitely lifted my spirits.
Nala rolled a blunt as Ashton walked into the kitchen. "What's going on." He said as he placed a kiss on Nala's lips, without taking her concentration away from the blunt.
"Chilling. You talked to your brother?" She asked him referring to Boog.
"Yeah. That nigga on them pain pills so I just let him go to sleep." Their conversation continued.
"Oh okay. So, where's your man?" Nala asked. I looked up from my phone to see her and Ashton staring at me.
"I'onno." I shrugged my shoulders.
"Dumbass nigga." Ashton smacked his lips. He shook his head. There was a serious problem with those two and I wanted to know so bad.
As Nala finished rolling the blunt the front door opened and all you could her was this little boy running his mouth about some game. I rolled my eyes.
Breana and her son walked into the kitchen and spoke to everyone except me. I didn't care. She pissed me off with the shit her and August pulled.
August walked in with a bunch a bags and froze when he saw me, Nala, and Ashton.
"Hey, August." Nala spoke, breaking the silence. Ashton and August gave each other death stares.
"We needa talk." Nala said as she ran the lighter under the blunt and stood up out of her seat. I heard her but I didn't care about that at this point. Me seeing August and his little family walk in with a bunch of fucking Toys R'Us bags did it for me. I stormed past him, knocking my shoulder into his arm as hard as I could and rushed into the guest room.
"Michele!" He called after me.
I ignored him and locked the door.

________________



August

"Guess that fame ain't doing much for you. It can't keep you at peace with your bitch." Ashton burst into laughter. Nala rolled her eyes and went outside to smoke while Bre looked down and bit the inside of her cheek like it was her fault. I shook my head and ran up the stairs.
Ashton was the biggest asshole but if I woulda stopped worrying about Michele at that moment and handled him, my relationship was over. Michele is the type of girl that wants you to chase after her when she's hurt and I had always been willing to do that for her. Irregardless to what I said to her this morning. I shouldn't have walked into that house like I did. I know that gave her the imagination to think that so much more happened when it didn't.

"Babe…" I knocked on the door.
"Go away. Matter of fact leave. Go back to New York or whatever city you have to be in next. You can have your ring back, you can have your big beautiful house. I'll get an abortion. Whatever. Just go away." At this point she was overreacting.
"Word Michele?" I asked her, resting my forehead on the door.
"I hate you. I wish I'd never met you."
"Michele, you don't hate me. Just relax and let me explain." I pleaded through the door.
I heard her stomp towards the door and she unlocked it, snatching it open. "I fucking hate you. I don't want to see you ever again." She slammed the door as hard as she possibly could. Those particular words cut through me like daggers. I won't even mad. That shit hurt like hell though. I felt a lump in my throat and I walked away. Shit, I ain't going through this heartbreak shit again. She can have it.

___________________



Michele

"Aight then Michele." He mumbled. I heard his foots steps drift in the distance. The front door opened and closed and from that moment on, I was devastated. But what was I supposed to do? What was I supposed to say. August waltzed back in the house after being gone all day with his baby mama and kid? How else did he expect me to feel. I hope he ain't think it was okay…

I packed my bags with hot tears streaming down my face. I was crying so hard that I couldn't catch my breath. I sat down on the floor and let my head lay back on the bed and I closed my eyes tightly. This had to be a bad dream. I knew I was wrong to be doing all of this to August. Honestly, he didn't do shit wrong and I felt like a selfish bitch for it. I couldn't blame him for not knowing about the child. I had so many thoughts running through my head at this moment. But there was nothing else to say or do.

I gained my composure and finished packing my bags. I booked the first flight to New York. I'll get Dre to bring my kids home. I wasn't ready to immediately face them and break them the bad news…

***********

I pulled into the driveway at August's home in New Jersey. Yes, this is his home. We aren't together anymore so it isn't like I share it with him. I was just gonna pack my things for now and get a hotel room until I get into apartment searching. I didn't want to pack the girls' things yet because I didn't want to put them in the middle of it and where was I gonna put all their shit anyway?
Thank God his car wasn't sitting outside. That just meant I didn't have to confront the situation now. I used my key to get into the house. I slipped off my shoes and headed up the stairs. I began pulling all of my things out of the closet and the drawers. Doing all of this just brought me back to tears. I couldn't deal. I just needed to apologize but how many times am I gonna fuck something up with August until he says no more.
I dragged my luggage down the stairs and walked out of the went for the door, but as soon as I touched the knob it was already turning. Fuck.
August opened the door and walked right past me like I wasn't there. He ran upstairs and I walked out the door. I threw my bags in my truck and sat in my car, crying. This couldn't be life. He soon came back outside with a book bag, his laptop, and another duffle bag. He was on the phone with someone. I wiped my tears and got out of the car.
I stood by him. I opened my mouth to talk but nothing came off. Once again, tears started streaming down. I wanted to apologize so bad but I knew it wouldn't matter.
He put his bags in his car and looked over at me.
"Aight, I'll hit you back." He ended his phone call. "Yo?" He asked.
I ran my tongue over my lips, tasting my salty tears. I shook my head and backed up out of his way.
"I'm leaving. I gotta work." He shrugged his shoulders.
He got into car and backed out of the driveway.
I got into my car and closed the door. I would stay in that position for the next hour, trying to figure out why I fuck up with August so damn much.

*************

2 weeks later

"Dannie's having a babyyyy!" Emery sang as she walked into Danielle's hospital room. She's a girl Danielle and I both came to love. She was hired as Danielle's make up and hairstylist. Even though she had only been working for Danielle for about a year, she had became family and we loved her like she was our sister.
I was sitting in a chair beside her bed, holding her hand. We had been in the hospital over 7 hours and I decided to give Dawson a break, being as though he'd been up with Danielle since the day before. He was knocked out sleep on the couch with Amir.
"Calm your ass." I giggled. I had been down since me and August broke up. But, my sissy was finally having her little girl and this had to be the highlight of my gloomy days. The girls were at Kareem's mom's house and honestly, I was more than happy to send them over there. They were becoming a handful. Especially Autumn. All she did was ask about August and when she was going home to her room again. I couldn't find the courage to tell her about what happened so I lied and told her August had been gone away on tour for a few months. But how long was that lie supposed to keep up?
"So, how far along are you, dilated wise?" Em asked as she pulled up a chair beside me.
"7 centimeters." Danielle groaned.
"That's good. You moving along girl!" Em giggled, getting a smile out of Danielle.

We all looked up when there was a light knock on the door. A bunch of balloons, followed by someone that made my heart skip a beat, walked in. He was Dawson's closest friend and Danielle would use him from time to time when she needed a male model for a photoshoot. Lord, he was perfect in my eyes.
"Hey Noah." I found myself saying before anyone could get a word out. I had always had a little crush on him but he had an off again on again crazy girlfriend and ain't nobody have time for that!
"What's popping, beautiful." He licked his lips and smiled. I cheesed as he made his way over to Danielle. He hug her and they had their little side conversation.
"Girlfriend!" Emery loudly whispered. She pulled out her phone and went to her front camera. I was embarrassed when I saw how bad I was blushing. I jumped up out of my seat and ran out of the room to go to the bathroom and recollect myself. But instead, I found myself running into her.
"Nala?"
"Girl, don't ask questions now. Just know I just found out what happened between you and August. I didn't even know you why you left! But I told you we needed to talk." She talked so fast I was still stuck on why she was here.
"How you know I was here?" I asked her.
"Didn't I just say don't ask questions? Look, I wanted to tell you. That's not August's kid. Bre a snake. She tryna get him for his paper. You needa talk to that man girl." She said.
"But we not together no more. I haven't heard from him. His number not even the same." I exhaled deeply. "Look, this is too much right now. My sister's having her baby. We'll talk about this later."
"Alright. Hit me up, mama." She kissed my cheek and made her departure. I was still stuck on the fact that her ass was from New Orleans but she up in New York and know where I'm at? Where they do that?