AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I looked at her skeptically. I didn’t know her, and she didn’t know me to be getting in my personal business like that.
“Texas,” I lied.
“Really? I have family in Texas. What part?”
“Houston.”
“Hmmm. I swear, I feel like I’ve seen you somewhere before.”
“I wouldn’t know where.”
I moved a little further down from her. She was giving me the creeps.
“Where’s your daughter’s father?”
“Dead,” I said, turning to her. “What is this? Why are you questioning me?”
“Because I never forget a face and you look very familiar.”
I stood from the bench and grabbed our things.
“Kari! Let’s go!”
She stopped playing and pouted. “Awww, but, Mommy!”
“Right now, Makari.”
She waved goodbye to her friend and began making her way over to me.
“Wait!” April called after me. “I know where I’ve seen you.”
“You don’t know me at all.”
I grabbed my baby’s hand and started walking away.
“It’s Slim!” she called after me, causing me to stop in my tracks.
“Excuse me?”
“You’re Nala. You dated Slim. For a hot minute, too.”
“I don’t know who you’re talking about.”
“Yeah, you do. He’s been looking for you, you know?”
I looked down at Kari, who looked at me curiously. I didn’t want to have this conversation in front of her. Sitting her on the bench, I walked April out of earshot.
“What do you want?” I asked.
“What do you mean?”
“You want something from me? Money? What?”
She shook her head. “I don’t want anything from you.” She gave me a sympathetic look. “I get why you did what you did. I know what kind of man Slim is… what he’s capable of. He sells you a dream. You think you’re getting Prince Charming when you’re really getting the devil. I don’t know your story, but mine wasn’t pretty.”
She looked over at her daughter who was now playing with another little girl. Tears pooled in her eyes as she shook her head.
“I almost lost her because of him. When I was released from the hospital, I left and never went back to him.”
