Page 91 of Fever: Love In Scrubs
“Bitch, that’s my child. She came outta my pussy.”
“And that doesn’t make you a mother! That child cries all the time about the way you treat her. I’ve held her and wiped her tears because you’ve continued to break her heart. You have a beautiful little girl and all you do is make her feel like she’s inadequate and doesn’t belong in your life. Do you know how that makes her feel? What that does to her self-esteem?”
“Where isyourchild? Until you can have a baby, you don’t get to tell me how to handle mine.”
“The problem is you aren’t handling shit. Youarethe problem!”
Dela tried to jump at her, but I snatched her back. Tikayla sprang from her seat and Asia was behind her.
“I wish you would touch my cousin,” Tikayla said in a threatening tone.
“What are you gonna do, ghetto Barbie?” Dela asked, trying to get away from me.
“You gotta go,” I said, walking her backward.
“I’m not going any fucking where!” she screamed. “Why are you playing house with this fat bitch? Got her thinking she has some say in what goes on with my child? You fucking her that good, Jaxson?”
“Just leave!” Jamari screamed, rushing over with the gift bag Dela brought. “You’re ruining my birthday for what? Because daddy moved on to someone better than you? Because sheactually cares about me and wants to be around me? You act like you don’t want to be my mother, so you know what? You don’t have to be. I don’t want you here! I hate you and I never want to see you again.”
She threw the gift bag at her mother before rushing into Wynter’s arms. I couldn’t stand to see her cry, so I lifted her mother over my shoulder and carried her out of the skating rink, screaming obscenities behind me. I couldn’t believe she’d acted this much of a fucking fool today. Outside, she was fighting to get away from me, so I let her go and she fell to her ass.
“You fucking bastard!” she yelled, jumping to her feet and charging at me.
I grabbed her up in a bear hug to avoid putting my hands on her. She tried hard to fight against me, but it was to no avail.
“I am so sick of your shit,” I said through gritted teeth. “I hate you so muthafucking much, Amandela. I don’t regret my child, but I wish like hell that I’d busted in your mouth instead of your pussy. You disgust me. Every fucking part of you makes me sick to my stomach. You don’t deserve to breathe the same air as my child. Today was the last time you ever get to fuck with her or her feelings. She doesn’t need you and you’ve made it abundantly clear that you really don’t give a fuck about her.”
I fumbled in her pocket and grabbed the car keys. Unlocking the car, I opened the door and shoved her inside. She glared at me, chest heaving, eyes as black as her soul.
“Stay the fuck away from me and my child. As far as I’m concerned, you don’t exist to her. It wasn’t my intent before, but now?” I chuckled. “Now I really am going to replace you and give her the mother she deserves. Wynter loves her and I love Wynter. We’re gonna make a nice little family, Dela, while you will continue to be the pathetic bitch you’ve always been.”
I threw the keys at her and stepped back, hearing police sirens in the distance.
“Leave.”
I slammed the door in her face and went back inside. It took everything in me not to wring her fucking neck. I’d tried over and over again to give her a chance to do right, and her chances just ran the fuck out.
Ilaid in bed with Jamari wrapped up in my arms.
Since we got back to my house last night, she’d been in my skin. She was so upset after her mother showed her ass that she just wanted to leave. I ended up taking her back to my place while her father and the rest of the family helped get the skating rink cleaned up after the party. The poor girl cried all the way here. I got her in the shower and the minute she was out and in her pajamas, she was in my arms again.
When Aunt Kira, Tinka, and Jaxson made it back, we were curled up on the couch with her asleep and me watching TV. He tried to get her up to take her home, but she didn’t want to go. I told him she could spend the night and he could pick her up today. While he didn’t want to leave her, he allowed her to stay with me. All night long, she’d slept in my arms.
It broke my heart to hear her whimpering in her sleep. Yesterday was too much. Yelling at Amandela about her childtriggered me with thoughts of my father once again. I felt Jamari’s anger. I felt her words because I’ve felt the exact same way at her age. Our stories weren’t the same, but I understood not feeling like you were ever put first by a parent.
I kissed her temple and eased out of bed to go shower and get dressed for the day. When I came out of the bathroom, she was still asleep, so I carefully closed the door and headed downstairs. I could smell a mixture of coffee and bacon and knew my aunt was cooking breakfast. When I walked into the kitchen, she stood at the stove, while Tinka was at the kitchen table on her laptop. When they saw me, they both smiled.
“Good morning, baby,” Aunt Kira said.
“Good morning, auntie. Hey, Tink.”
“Hey, boo. She still asleep?”
I nodded. “Yeah. I’m gonna let her get her rest.”
I grabbed a mug from the cabinet and went to make myself some coffee.
“I can’t believe that woman showed her ass like that yesterday,” Aunt Kira said, shaking her head.
