Page 91 of I Don't Want You Back

“I’m your daughter, but you always take Landon’s side like you gave birth to him,” Malia sobbed.

“It’s not about taking sides Malia. This is about my grandkids and what’s best for them,” Cora replied.

“And what makes you think being with him is best? He got my kids living up in the house with an ex stripping prostitute. I don’t even know her ass and she’s raising my kids.”

“I don’t give a damn if she sucked dick on the highway for passing motorists to see. Her past is her past and you have no room to judge. Your kids love her, and she must love them too. They didn’t utter one bad word about her and they called her the entire time they were here. You know Landon wouldn’t just move anyone in his house around his boys. You’re jealous and that’s where this custody mess is coming from. Another woman came along and appreciates everything that you gave up and walked away from. Being the mother to his only kids doesn’t hold as much weight as it did before because he has two more on the way. Trying to make Landon miserable won’t make you happy Malia. Stop playing victim to the circumstances that you created,” Cora said as she walked off and left Malia in a pool of tears.

Malia didn’t have a rebuttal because everything that her mother said was true. She let Kane, of all people, get into her head and convince her to do something that she would have never done on her own. She would never admit it out loud, but she was jealous. Faryn had come along and became to Landon what she was supposed to be. All the years they were together, and she threw it all away for nothing. Roman wasn’t worth it and it didn’t take her long to figure that out.

“Hello,” Malia said, answering her phone without looking to see who it was.

“What’s up with these bullshit ass papers that you sent me Malia?” Landon asked her, getting right to the reason for his call.

“Just forget it Landon. I’m going to the lawyer tomorrow and have them withdrawn,” Malia replied in her hoarse voice. She had been crying for a while and she didn’t even sound like herself.

“Why did you even send them? I’ve always communicated with you about our kids and I’ve never stopped you from seeing them.”

“I know that,” Malia admitted.

“If you know that, then what’s the problem?” Landon asked.

“One of my problems is the woman that you chose to have my kids around.”

“What about Faryn?” Landon asked.

“She was a prostituting stripper Landon!” Malia yelled.

“Yo, are you serious right now? That nigga Kane is foul as fuck for that shit,” Landon laughed.

“So, it is true,” Malia said.

“Kane knows as much about Faryn as you do. This shit is childish as fuck man. You need to meet her for yourself and form your own opinion. She’s here to stay no matter how you feel, but you should meet the woman who’s going to be around your kids every day. We’re about to be a blended family and I don’t need the added drama.”

“We’ve already met, remember?” Malia asked sarcastically.

“I’m talking about a formal introduction Malia,” Landon corrected.

“Just let me think about it Landon,” Malia replied.

“That’s cool. Just get back to me with your decision,” he replied before he hung up.

He didn’t understand how Malia didn’t feel the need to meet Faryn. When she was living with Roman, that was the first thing that he wanted to do. He had to know who his kids were going to be around and the kind of environment they would be in. Their safety was his only concern. Maybe Malia didn’t feel the same way. Like he’d just told her, Faryn was there to stay, no matter how she felt about her.

***

“Okay ma,” Ava said as she rolled her eyes and hung up the phone.

“What happened?” Kane asked her.

“She wants a family meeting to discuss all this bullshit between you and Landon,” Ava replied.

“Ain’t shit to discuss. I don’t fuck with that nigga and that’s that.”

“Did you have anything to do with Malia trying to take Landon to court for custody of their kids?” Ava asked him.

“What? Hell no,” he lied.

“I guess you wouldn’t know anything about somebody calling his girlfriend’s job either,” Ava said while looking at him.

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