Page 42 of Pieces of Us

“After I leave here, I’m headed to see my lawyer. I’m filing for a divorce.”

“That easy, huh?”

“It is.”

“Has it always been?” I asked her.

“Been what?”

“That easy for you to move on? That easy to never tell my daughter about me and allow that lame ass nigga to put my crown on his head.”

She frowned. I could tell she was slightly offended by my questions, but I had to know if she thought any of this was okay.

“It has never been easy for me, Nehemiah. You don’t know the shit I’ve been through to make my heart beat again!”

“You let your fuck nigga of a father keep my daughter away from me for thirteen years! You went and settled down with a nigga because that wimp told you to. For thirteen years, baby? Come on with that shit. He stole time I could have had with my child, the love I could have experienced from her, and the love I could have given you both!”

“I regret that so much. You don’t understand how hard it was for me to accept that I wouldn’t see you again. I couldn’t stay in that depressed state, or Megan wouldn’t have been here. That’show messed up I was.” I could see her willing her tears away. “I just want to make things right. I just want you to understand me and allow yourself to love me like you used to.”

“I never stopped.”

“Then let’s get back to us. I feel like this is fate.”

“How is it fate when you’re still tied to that lame?”

“I just told you I’m filing for a divorce. And don’t think I didn’t peep that tan line on your finger.”

Her brow raised as she stared at me.

“I got rid of my headache. The question is…Are you really going to get rid of yours?”

“Look at us…Both of us got married. Were you even going to tell me?”

“No.”

Now, it was her turn to scoff.

“Wow.”

“I wasn’t going to tell you because you have a ring on your finger that I didn’t put there, Mo. Why would I tell you that I was married because I was forced as well? Only I didn’t fall in love with my wife, nor did we have children together. It was a business deal gone wrong, and every day, I regret ever allowing my father to rope me into that bullshit.”

“Our stories are so similar…”

“Yet so different. I didn’t give a fuck about being married. If you had come to me during that shit show, I would have divorced her ass so quick. A blink of her eye wouldn’t have had shit on how fast she would have been out of my life. But you fell in love with him and gave him both of my children.”

It was quiet for a moment as she stood in her white maxi dress. Her hair fell in layers around her shoulders, and her face glowed, yet she was sad.

“You’re right…I don’t want to bring up the negative in our situation. I just want to make things right. This Friday, she can meet with you. You can choose the time and place.”

“My house, 7:00 p.m. Does she have any food allergies? What’s her favorite thing that she likes?”

That pretty ass smile appeared on her face.

“No allergies, and she loves anything that has to do with Chris Brown.”

She rolled her eyes and smiled.

“Noted. Birthday?”

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