Page 13 of Until Forever

“Oh, he’s fine. I’m Scar.” The one with the long slash on the side of his face offers me his hand to shake, but I ignore it. He chuckles. “We were just leaving.”

“Good idea,” I reiterate.

Scar gives me the once-over, his gaze lingering on my wrist.

“Nice watch you got there. What is it, Cartier?”

My nostrils flare, and I make fists at my sides, standing my ground. I don’t fold easily, and from the look in his eyes, I can tell he’s not used to that. It pisses him off, but instead of causing a scene, he steps around me, tapping my shoulder on the way out.

“See you around,” he adds.

I watch until they’re gone, then turn my frustration on my dad. After all these years, he hasn’t changed. He’s in the hospital, probably on the verge of death, yet he’s still involved in the same shit, with the same type of people. I stopped being disappointed in him ages ago, and now all I feel is pity.

“What the fuck was that about?” I seethe.

“Mind your own damn business,” he snaps.

I shake my head. “You’re ridiculous.” I frown.

“Get out.” His words come out weak and shadowed by a cough. “Go back to wherever you came from. I don’t want you here.”

“Yeah, well, that makes two of us,” I counter and storm out of the room.

CHAPTER FOUR

LATOYA

“Bye, Mommy,”JJ says with his hand on the door.

I touch his arm. “Wait. Where’s my kiss?”

JJ’s shoulders slump, and he tips his head in my direction. “Come on, Mom. I’m not a baby. You don’t have to kiss me all the time.”

I gasp and clutch my chest, pretending to be offended. My boy is growing up, and every day he’s becoming more independent. They say this is the stage parents look forward to when their kids develop their own personalities. Well, I’m here to tell you it sucks.

I should be happy. Just the other night, we were up until the morning with him in tears. And now, it’s like it never happened. Maybe it’s the fact he’s going to get to play with his friends. Whatever it is, I’m glad he’s not sad, though I know our talk was only a Band-Aid.

It bought us time, but it’s inevitable. Every boy needs a father figure, and while JJ has my dad, that’s not enough. All of his friends live in two-parent households, and in the past, that didn’t bother him. But with the tee ball game only a few months away, he’s torn up about it. He doesn’t want to be the only kid practicing with his grandfather while his peers have dads.

Who can blame him for that?

I wish things were different. I wish I didn’t have to explain to my kid why he doesn’t have a father. And right now, even if it’s only for a night, that’s the furthest thing from my baby’s mind.

Maybe Harmony was right. Getting out tonight isn’t only going to be good for me, but JJ needs this as well.

“For your information, young man.” I reach over and tickle him. “You will forever be my baby. Now give me a kiss.”

He laughs and squirms in his seat. “Okay, okay! I’ll kiss you. But, Mom, don’t leave lipstick on me like you do when you drop me off at school.”

I grin. “Cheek to cheek then.”

JJ crawls up on his knees and brings his face to mine.

“Muah,” I sound out but am surprised when he grabs my face, keeping me from moving.

He holds me tight and places the wettest peck on my cheek. “Now, my Chapstick print is on you and your friends will know you’re my baby.”

My heart drops to the pit of my stomach, and I blink away the sting at the backs of my eyes. I force a smile because I know he doesn’t like it when I cry. He hasn’t learned yet that tears don’t always mean you’re sad.

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