Page 6 of I Don't Want You Back

“It’s not a shrink, it’s a behavior specialist,” Landon replied.

“Same difference to me,” Ella said right as her front door opened and her daughter, Ava, walked in with her husband, Kane.

“Hey everybody,” Ava spoke when she walked into the room and kissed her mother on the cheek.

Ava and her twin brother, Aiden, were what Ella always referred to as her surprise babies. They were a year older than Landon and a year younger than Makena. Landon, Makena, and their other cousin, Raheem, grew up in the house with them, but Ava made them all sick at times. Raheem and Landon were the same age and his father was Ella’s oldest son. He wasn’t the best father and the streets were his first love.

When Raheem’s mother died when he was ten, his father dropped him off to Ella and never looked back. She loved her grandson, so she never gave it a second thought when she had to raise him. Thankfully, Aiden hadn’t corrupted Landon or Raheem and they both walked a straight path. Raheem didn’t graduate from college like Landon did, but he still had a great job and a place of his own. He lived in the clubs, just like his father, but he never got into any trouble.

Ava, on the other hand, was spoiled rotten and she thought the universe revolved around her. She was Ella’s youngest daughter and she was mostly to blame for that. Her husband, Kane, was no better. He catered to his wife and she wouldn’t have it any other way. Aiden couldn’t stand his brother-in-law, but he let him make it on the strength of his mother. Ava was never that bad until she got with Kane. His money turned her into someone that she never was before.

Aiden had been in and out of jail since he was twelve years old, and Ella was happy that he’d managed to stay out of trouble for the past year. Her son was a hot head with a bad temper that he had a hard time controlling. He, Landon, and Raheem were tight, but he hated when Landon invited Kane to come along. Landon went to college with Kane and they worked together at NASA. Hanging with Landon was how Kane had met and married Ava. They had a four-year-old daughter and had been married for five years.

“The hell you doing home from work so early?” Kane asked as he gave Landon dap.

“Nigga, I should be asking you the same thing. I thought you were working a double,” Landon replied.

“I’m working it right now,” Kane said as he and Landon laughed. Kane didn’t really have to work, but what he did was easy and it paid well.

“I had to leave early to go get Lance from school. His ass got into another fight,” Landon informed him.

“Damn, Tyson be knocking niggas out,” Kane laughed.

“You need to whip his ass Landon. He can’t keep using Malia leaving as an excuse to act up all the time. He knows you won’t do him anything and that’s why he does it. He gon’ be just like Aiden, in and out of jail all his life,” Ava butted in.

“He better not lay a finger on that child. You need to stop being so insensitive Ava. You don’t know how it feels to be abandoned by your mother. You had me here with you your entire life until you got married and moved out on your own,” Ella argued.

“I know that it had to hurt, but that was over a year ago. He should be over that by now.” Ava shrugged uncaringly.

“Man, let me get out of here grandma. With the way I’m feeling, I’ll have to slap a bitch for playing with mine,” Makena said as she stood to her feet.

“Let me get my son and I’m right behind you, sis,” Landon replied.

“You can leave Lance here for a little while since you have to come back to pick up Lennox,” Ella said.

Landon’s youngest son’s bus dropped him off right in front of his grandmother’s house. He never rushed to get him because he knew that he was in good hands. Landon followed Makena out the front door, with Kane walking out with them.

“That bitch gon’ make me knock her stupid ass the fuck out,” Makena fumed as they stood on the porch.

“Fuck that bitch. That’s exactly why I don’t fuck with her stupid ass now,” Landon replied.

“Excuse me, but that is my wife that y’all are talking about,” Kane said as he lit up a cigarette and took a puff.

“I don’t give a fuck! Behind my brother and nephews, that hoe can catch these hands,” Makena warned.

“Calm down sis. Her stupid ass ain’t even worth it,” Landon said, waving her off.

“Let me go home and cook before my husband and child gets there. I’ll bring some food to y’all as soon as I’m done,” Makena said as she kissed Landon’s cheek and walked away.

If their grandma didn’t do it, Makena made sure that her brother and nephews always had a hot meal. Landon could barely boil water, but he never worried about going hungry. He’d just learned how to do their laundry properly because Malia used to do everything.

“Aye bruh, I know that Ava is a piece of work, but that’s still y’all auntie,” Kane said, defending his wife just like he always did.

“I’m sure you already know this, but I really don’t give a fuck. I’ve been keeping Makena off her ass for years, but it is what it is now. She needs to watch that slick ass mouth of hers before she gets slapped in it,” Landon replied.

“Man, I know that y’all are family, but I’m not letting nobody put their hands on my wife,” Kane said, sounding like the weak pussy ass nigga that he was.

“That’s cool with me too. You can get the business just like your wife. You already know what’s up with me.” Landon shrugged.

Landon was always the smartest one of the crew, but he also had the worst temper, aside from Aiden. There were plenty times when they’d hang out and Kane had to help their other friends pull Landon off someone. He had major anger issues and he was like wild animal whenever he attacked. He was known to knock niggas out with one punch and he had witnessed it more than once. Kane was nothing more than a college frat boy who threw his money around to get noticed. He and his sister came from money and that’s what drew Ava to his lame ass. He didn’t want no problems with Landon and he knew it.

“We’re family bruh. It don’t even have to be all that,” Kane said, trying to diffuse a potentially bad situation.

“I don’t give a fuck about that either. Sometimes, your family will treat you worse than a stranger would. She’s living proof of that,” Landon said as he pointed across thestreet at Robin.

He and Kane observed his mother walking out of the house and up to Leroy’s brand-new Cadillac. She smiled at them and waved, but Landon didn’t bother waving back. Robin was dressed in designer labels from head toe, with a fresh weave flowing down her back. She didn’t feel the least bit of guilt for how she treated her children and that was obvious. Not only was she a horrible mother, but she was a horrible grandmother as well. Robin had three grandsons, but they barely knew her. They had never set foot in her house and she didn’t see anything wrong with it. Just like Landon was cool not having her in his life, he was cool with her not being in his sons’ lives as well.

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