Page 14 of I Don't Want You Back

“You don’t have to go if you don’t want to. You can stay here with me,” Landon replied, abandoning his plans to go out for the night.

“Really? I can stay here instead of going over there?” Lance asked excitedly.

“Yeah, we can find something to do here while Lennox is gone.” Landon smiled.

“Thanks dad.” Lance smiled as he ran to tell his little brother the good news.

Lennox still wanted to go and that was fine with his father. Landon checked to make sure his bag was packed, right before they all went outside and sat on the huge wraparound porch. Aiden was still in Landon’s ear about going out, but he wasn’t changing his mind.

“Lance is staying home, so I can’t go nowhere anyway,” Landon said.

“Man, you know my mama will watch Lance while we go out. Stop making excuses,” Aiden argued.

“I can go by my auntie,” Lance said, referring to Makena.

“Call her and see if you can stay the night over there Lance,” Aiden replied.

“Okay,” Lance said as he ran inside to get his phone.

“Man, it ain’t that damn serious,” Landon chuckled while shaking his head.

“It’s very serious nigga. I’m trying to make sure you get some pussy tonight,” Aiden said, as Lennox giggled at his use of words.

“Nigga, I know you see my son standing right here,” Landon fussed.

“That lil nigga alright. He know what’s up,” Aiden said as he started air boxing with Lennox.

“My auntie said that I can come over there. She said she’s coming to pick me up when she finishes getting her nails done,” Lance said when he came back outside.

“It’s on now nigga. We’re going hit up the clubs tonight,” Aiden said excitedly.

Landon was about to reply until he saw Malia’s all white Benz coming down their street. He’d just purchased the car for her two months before she left, and it was the only thing, besides her clothes, that she left with.

“Didn’t I tell y’all not to give nobody the code to that gate? I’ve already changed it three times and y’all keep giving it out,” Landon fussed as he looked at his sons.

“Lennox gave it to her again,” Lance ratted.

“She needed to get in to pick me up,” Lennox replied.

“The guard could have let her in or I could have buzzed her in with my phone. Nobody is supposed to have the code to the gate unless I give it to them or they live here,” Landon said, stressing the same thing to his sons once again.

“Yeah and that bitch don’t live here,” Aiden replied.

“Chill Aiden bruh, damn,” Landon fussed.

They all watched as Malia drove up the winding stone driveway and stopped her car in front of the house. Landon remembered when she left how his heart would damn near beat out of his chest whenever he saw her again. He always held on to the hope that she would change her mind and want to be a family again. As the months passed on, that feeling of nervousness stopped and seeing her had no effect on him at all. She was just another woman on the streets and any love that he once had for her was gone. He didn’t think that he would ever get to that point, but he was happy that he did. He and Malia were cool and cordial, especially for the sake of their kids. They clashed occasionally, but that was only when she didn’t come through like she was supposed to. Landon hated when she made promises to them that she didn’t keep.

“Hey, my babies.” Malia smiled when she walked up and pulled Lennox into a hug. Lance stood behind his father and didn’t even bother trying to go to her.

“Come here and give me a hug Lance. You see your daddy all the time. Stop acting like you see me every day,” Malia said.

“It ain’t his fault that you left home to go be a dope man’s kept bitch,” Aiden spoke up.

“But anyway,” Malia said rolling her eyes,” Come give your mama a hug.”

Lance didn’t want to, but he slowly walked over to his mother and gave her a hug. As soon as she let him go, he walked back over to his father and stood next to him.

“What’s up Landon?” Malia asked as she locked eyes with her ex-husband.

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