Page 50 of Love At Close Range

“So what happened after Lennox told you?” Mona asked.

“That’s when y’all came back,” I said. “After y’all left, we told Boosie that Lennox was his father.”

“Y’all told him tonight?” Taryn asked.

“Yeah,” I replied. “There wasn’t really a reason to drag it out after everything came out.”

Mona was quiet for a second before she asked, “How did he take it?”

“My baby was a mess at first,” I admitted. “He asked questions, and we answered them the best we could. I felt like shit hearing my baby say he had to watch everybody have a daddy but him.”

“Aww, that poor baby. He’s definitely getting some money for his game now. Auntie Tay don’t like when he’s sad,” Tay pouted.

“I know right. I wanna go beat Kree’s ass myself,” Mona chimed in.

“Y’all gone have to get what’s left after I get that ass,” I interrupted. “But that’s how the night ended… Dorian popped up.” I revealed and waited for them to respond.

“I already know where this is going,” Mona laughed.

“Girl,” I started. “Dorian popped up and started questioning who Lennox was and Lennox sent Rhyse to his room. Dorian heard Lennox call Rhyse son and all hell broke loose… literally,” I disclosed. Just thinking about it made my head hurt.

“Oh, this is about to be good,” Taryn laughed.

“It wasn’t good at all,” I said. “Dorian kept asking who Lennox was… called him a deadbeat, and Lennox beat his ass… twice,” I breathed out all at once.

The line went quiet again, then Taryn screamed so loudly I had to move the phone away from my ear.

“I know that shit right, baby daddy?” Taryn cheered.

“Could you not?” I groaned through my own laughter.

“I mean… you act like you don’t remember shit about Lennox,” Mona input.

I did remember everything about Lennox, that’s why I was trying to diffuse the situation but Dorian wouldn’t keep his mouth shut.

“Yeah, I tried to keep them calm, but Dorian must’ve charged his battery before he got over here because he wouldn’t shut the fuck up,” I countered.

“That’s exactly what Lennox thinks,” I replied. “His answer when I asked why he hit him was basically that Dorian talked too much.”

“So where is Lennox now?” Tay’s nosy ass asked.

“With Rhyse,” I answered. “He wanted to spend time with him before he left.”

“How do you feel about that?” Mona asked.

I stared at the wall for a moment before answering because I wasn’t entirely sure. “I’on know yet. Seeing them together feels weird, but not bad weird. More like...relieved,” I expressed.

“That makes sense,” Mona said. “You ain’t gotta figure out what all of it means tonight.”

By the time we finally got off the phone, I hadn’t realized how much time had passed. Lennox had been in Rhyse’s room for hours, and I hadn’t heard anything from either of them in a while. I figured no news was good news, so I grabbed my things and went into the bathroom to shower.

The hot water helped wash some of the tension out of my body, but it did nothing for my mind. Every time I closed my eyes, another part of the night replayed itself. Lennox being here… Kree’s betrayal… Rhyse finally learning the truth, and Dorian popping his ass up. I couldn’t let that consume me though. The biggest thing is that my son finally got to meet his father. That’s more important than any of that other bullshit.

Once I got out of the shower, I wrapped a towel around me and went back into my room to dress. When I walked out the bathroom, Lennox was walking through my bedroom door. When I saw him I frowned as I tightened the towel around me.

“What do you want?” I asked as I looked at him.

“Rhyse went to sleep so I’m about to head out,” he announced as his eyes traveled over my body before making it back to my face.