Page 47 of Until the Ink Dries

“I’m here enjoying the block party just like anybody else. And Benny and I are friends.”

“Well, you look very fucking cozy to me. If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were using my daughter to get closer to him.”

“Well, I’m glad you know better. Excuse me.”

I went to walk off, but she grabbed my arm.

“I’m not finished talking to you,” she spat.

“Tierra, get your hands off me,” I warned.

“Or what? What are you gonna do?”

“I would hate to have to do anything. Your child is here. You want her to see you like this or do you enjoy breaking her heart?”

“You don’t know the first thing about me and my daughter.”

“I know enough. I know you’re so worried about what Benny and I have going on that you didn’t bother to ask about your child. I guess that should be expected, though, considering that you don’t even want her.”

She stood toe to toe with me, shoving her finger in my face.

“Say another fucking word and I’ll beat your ass right here.”

“No you won’t because I’m not above dragging your ass in self-defense. Please don’t ever think you can punk me, Tierra.”

She laughed as she pulled a phone from her pocket and tapped on the screen.

“I like a good fight. Just tell me, why are you running behind my baby daddy when you have a man?”

She turned the phone around to produce an Instagram post of me and Ellis that he tagged me in.

“Does Benjamin know about this?” she asked, thrusting the phone in my face.

I smacked her hand away. “Girl, please. I don’t have anything to hide. You could show him that picture and he wouldn’t bat an eye. There is nothing you can pull up to expose me to that man, Tierra.”

She frowned. “I don’t know what Benjamin would see in you. You always thought you were better than everybody?—”

“I’ve literally never thought that. That was the narrative you made up in your head to justify not liking me. I’ve never had any beef with you, Tierra. Never have, never will. You don’t bother me, and youcan’tbother me. Have a good day.”

I left her standing there, yelling obscenities at my back. All I could do was shake my head. I wasn’t even going to bring this shit up to Benjamin. He’d already had one run in with her today. I didn’t want to piss him off with her bullshit again.

Instead, I put a smile on my face as I found Benjamin and Charlie at the face painting station. She was already seated in a chair, gleefully kicking her feet.

“You made it just in time,” he said, handing me my drink.

“I’m getting a dragon!” Charlie said happily. “What are you getting, Daddy?”

“I’m leaving the face paint to you, baby. Maybe Ms. Willow?—”

“Aht, aht!” I said, shaking my head. “You don’t get to sit out of this. If I have to do it, you have to do it. Right, Charlie?”

She nodded her head vigorously. “Right. You can get a motorcycle, Daddy. How about a sunflower for you, Ms. Willow?”

“I think that’s perfect.”

I grabbed Benjamin’s hand and pulled him over to a chair to sit down.

“You two are out of control,” he fussed. “First, you make me dance, now I’m getting my face painted. What’s next?”

---