AllFreeNovel
Share Us
As I motioned for him to have a seat on the bench in front of the bed, he asked, “What’s the problem?”
I waited until I was seated next to him to respond. “I feel like I was finessed into a situation I wasn’t prepared for.”
“How so?”
“When Brooklyn first came, you said we wouldn’t have to do too much of anything. She would have her own money and help for the baby. Since she’s been here, you’ve been paying for everything, and I’ve been watching the baby. That’s not what I agreed to.”
“I know, but what can I do? She needs help.”
“I know, and it’s noble to help, but I was taught to help but not to make other people’s problems my own.”
“So what you want me to do, Malay? Put her out?”
“No. I want us to actually come up with a plan that will help her and not take on the burden of doing this shit ourselves. I told you I wasn’t going to take care of her baby. It’s not fair to me.”
His head lowered as he released a hard exhale. At twenty-six, I knew I had all the time in the world to have kids. However, I wanted them soon. Peyton was on the same page as me until he started working another job. Now, he wanted to wait even longer.
I was honest enough to admit that made me start to lose interest in this relationship. All he wanted to do was work and do shit around Memphis. If we weren’t going to start our family, I wanted us to enjoy being kid free by traveling and having new experiences. There was so much to see and do in life, and all his ass wanted to do was go to the same bars and work.
“When I hold that baby and I see traces of you, it’s like a slap in my face. It’s a reminder that I want babies, your babies, and you don’t want to give me that.”
I didn’t want to tell him how resentful I was, because that was my issue, not his. But Lord knew I was resentful, and that resentment was turning into indifference. At one point, I was in love with this man, and now, that love was starting to feel like it wasn’t enough.
“What do you want us to do, Malaysia?”
“I think we should be mediators and help her fix whatever the problem was with her godmother so she can go back there. You said her house was down the street from her job and in the same neighborhood as the daycare. That’s the best place for her and Destined to be.”
His head shook, and he rolled his tongue across his cheek. “She don’t want to be there, though.”
“Honestly, Peyton, that doesn’t really matter. She has to do what’s best for her and her baby, especially since her baby daddy ain’t helping. Now if she wants to come here or go to a friend’s house over the weekend, I think that’s better. Right now, she needs to do what’s best for her and the baby, and that’s being back out that way. Plus, having them here is putting even more of a strain on us. You’ve gone from sleeping all day and working all night to us taking turns watching the baby. I was already feeling neglected, but I accepted it because it’s your job. Now I’m getting even less time because you want to spend today with your friends instead of me. And I get that, but I don’t want it to become a habit, you know? I feel like you’re avoiding me because I’m in this house, and this house is a stressor for you.”
Peyton ran his hands up and down his thighs. “I can admit I don’t want to be in the house or around you because I’m tired. More tired than usual. All that crying and shit is fucking with my sleep, and having the baby and driving her all around is draining. I know we were supposed to go out, but I just want to unwind and not have no responsibilities today.”
“And I get that, but that’s what I’m saying. If us helping her is going to stress us out and pull us even further apart, I’m not sure she should be here. Are you absolutely sure there’s nowhere else for her to go? If not, she needs to transfer her job ASAP, and we need to get the baby back in daycare. If I have to take him, I will. That way you can sleep.”
His head shook. “Nah, that’s not fair to you. I told you that you wouldn’t have to do much of anything. I’ll figure it out with Brooklyn, aight? Just give me some grace this weekend, and I promise we’ll spend some quality time together next week.”
That should have given me relief, but it didn’t. It felt like he was hearing me but also not. Maybe I was just tired and less hopeful than I should have been. Either way, I agreed because there wasn’t anything else I could do. I felt bad for not being more hands on with the baby, and I shouldn’t have. This situation was crazy, and I genuinely didn’t know what to do. I’d probably go talk to my mama about it before going out this evening.
I waited until he left our bedroom to grab my phone. When I saw that I had a FaceTime request from Aspen, I grabbed my AirPods and went to the bathroom. I wasn’t expecting him to answer while jacking off the prettiest chocolate dick I’d ever seen. The visual caught me so off guard I gasped and moaned. It had the perfect curve… the perfect length. My mouth watered as I stared at it and his chest.
“You should be handling this since you got my dick hard with that picture.”
I couldn’t even respond. All I could do was lick my lips and swallow the saliva that filled my mouth. The longer I watched, the more aroused I became. As the seconds passed on, I sat on the counter and pulled my shorts and panties down. While he stroked his dick, I massaged my clit and pussy. We came together, and as soon as it was over, I felt horrible. After quickly disconnecting the call, I blocked Aspen and made up in my mind to keep my distance from him.
With things being so rocky with Peyton, the last thing I needed was temptation wrapped in milk chocolate, tattooed skin.
“I’m sorry, baby, but no. Something ain’t right.”
Mama chuckled as she refilled our wine glasses, and just hearing her say that caused me to sigh in relief. I knew I wasn’t crazy, but I felt like I was. I’d stopped by and told her about my conversation with Peyton, and that was her response.
“Where is her baby daddy?” Enjell asked from the side of me. I was glad she was here, too, so I wouldn’t have to rehash the conversation.
“I don’t know, and that’s what’s bothering me,” I confessed. “She’s hiding who it is because he’s someone that goes to her father’s church. Well, his old church. Since he left Memphis, he gave the church to his assistant pastor, but apparently, she doesn’t want to tell who it is because he’s still technically under her father and an older man.”
“That’s all the more reason for him to be held accountable,” Mama said.
“I agree,” I shared. “I said we need to know who it is, but Peyton wants to respect her privacy. My thing was, if the nigga ain’t gon’ be around physically because he’s scared of going to jail, the least he can do is provide for the baby.”
