Page 189 of Meraux Mafia: No Ordinary Love

We know what this is and what it isn’t.

That was the key to thriving instead of surviving. Remove the expectations from our situation because we were married and had a child. When I got home, Bryson was asleep as Kyerra moved around our bedroom, putting away laundry.

We went through the usual routine of speaking and acknowledging each other’s day. I went into the bathroom and took a shower. I had spent too much of my life angry and existing, so I gave in to Kyerra’s earlier request when I got out.

“I was angry at first,” I admitted entering our bedroom, and Kyerra’s stride halted. Her eyebrows furrowed, trying to connect the dots. Finally, it clicked, and I continued. “I felt like you kept him out of spite to fuck with Gi, and I got stuck in the middle.”

“Wow. It’s nice to know you think the worst of me.”

“You wanted the truth, and that shit isn’t always pretty.”

“For the record, I didn’t think about Gianni once when considering my options. I didn’t have the heart to kill my baby. I love Bryson, but the way you look at me some days, I wish I did,” she admitted, and her comment sucked all the air out of the room.

“I don’t want you to feel that way Ky.”

“I don’t want you to look at me like you hate me, but here we are,” She quickly tucked her hair behind her ear and reached for the laundry basket.

Grabbing her hands, I wrapped them around me and held Kyerra in my arms. We both made mistakes to land us here. The only way to move forward was to let all that shit go. I couldn’t speak for her, but I was tired. I deserved to be happy.

“I’m sorry. I really am sorry, Tyson. I never meant for any of this to happen,” Kyerra sobbed while I held her in my arms, stroking her back the same way I did Bryson when he cried. That usually only happened when you took forever with his food.

“It’s not one person’s fault more than the other. We fucked up, and now we have to find our way out of the mess.”

“How do we do that?” she asked, wiping her face.

“Let go of what was and accept what is. Take it one day at a time. Together.”

“I’d like that,” she leaned back just enough to let me see her face. A flood of emotions presented itself, but the most prominent one was hope.

“Good.”

I didn’t know what the future held for Kyerra and me, but for now, we were starting fresh, and that would have to be enough.

Skylar was still torn about Christmas, so I told her I would talk to Cam about it. Truthfully, I didn’t want her to go either. Marcus was only trying because Sky had moved on. He was threatened and knew I would be everything he wasn’t to Cam, and he couldn’t let that happen.

Camdyn deserved better. He wasn’t exactly the nigga I wanted her to learn from, but he was her father, and sucker or not, I respected that.

“Mack attack!” She beamed as I walked into her room.

“Can I kick it with you?” I asked, and she nodded. I made myself comfortable on the oversized bean bag in her newly redecorated bedroom. Sky fussed at me about doing too much, but it was no such thing as far as Camdyn was concerned.

I never thought I could love a kid so much that I didn’t create. It was nothing I wouldn’t do for her. Camdyn wasn’t biologically mine, but she was in all the ways that mattered.

“Your dad wants you to hang out with him on Christmas.”

“I know.”

“What do you want to do for Christmas?”

She paused, considering my question. I hated that she was even torn on the subject. “I don’t want my dad to be sad, but I want to go to MiMi’s house. She said we’ll do so many fun things, and I don’t want to miss it.”

“You don’t have to. It’s up to you.”

“Will my daddy be sad?” Cam asked, and I bit back the urge to say fuck him.

“Probably. I’d be sad if I didn’t get to hang out with you. You’re dope.”

Camdyn giggled at my compliment, looking just like her mother. She pressed her index finger against her lips several times before deciding. “Can I go to MiMi’s first, then my dad’s house later?”

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