Page 16 of Kisses Behind The Spotlight 2: Finale

“Why aren’t you answering your phone?”

“I broke my phone when I was making a delivery to the Johnson farm yesterday. What’s wrong? Are Noah and Maurice okay?” He quizzed.

“Depends on your definition of okay,” I quipped. “Noah asked to come live with me yesterday, and I agreed.”

“Why did he do that?” Stanley questioned.

“His mama moved some nigga in with them, and they got into it over food. You know she acts like she can’t afford to put food in the house.”

“She too busy spending her money on that nigga she deals with. I heard she bought him a Dodge Ram tr⁠—.”

“Even if she did, you’re his father,” Auntie cut him off.

“I pay my child support though.”

“Stanley, that $75 a week ain’t hitting on shit! I probably spent more than that on Noah’s toiletries last night. Don’t piss me off,” I badgered.

“I told you to stop calling me that.”

I put my hands on my hips and rolled my neck as I went in. “Stanley, I can’t help but call you your name when you rarely act like our father. I know Noah told you his mammy ain’t been putting food in the house and been unstable with the rides. That’s when you should’ve stepped up as the father and did what needed to be done.”

“I can’t get Noah to school and get here to open the feed store. I’m only one person.”

“Figure it out just like moms have been doing for years,” I argued.

“Well, I don’t think it’s a good idea for Noah to live with me because that private school that you put him in is too far. I’m close to paying off all my debts. I’m actually glad y’all are here to speak face to face because I was actually going to ask for a loan.”

PSSTTTT!

I hissed, waving Stanley off.

“What do you need a loan for, Stanley? Are you gambling again?”

“No, I swear,” Stanley flailed his hands in front of him. “I’m just trying to put myself in a position where I can get ahead instead of constantly coming from behind.”

“Oh hell no, I’m out,” I grumbled. “If you want to stop coming from behind, be a more responsible adult. Getting a loan from us would just put you in more debt. Or are you planning to take our loan and forgive it yourself? I should’ve let Vincent come in here and beat your ass again.”

“Vincent is here?” Stanley gasped.

“Right outside,” I taunted, having too much fun.

“I swear I’m not gambling again. Melody said she wanted to put Maurice in summer camp. I gotta pay a thousand-dollar deposit to hold his spot. That’s all I need the money for. She told me last minute, and I don’t have it right now. You can call her to verify. As soon as I pay for that, I can start sending you money for Noah,” he rambled.

“I don’t want your money, Stanley. I got Noah. I just need you to talk to his mama. I need her to give up his documents. You know she hates Auntie, and if I talk to her, I’m going to handle her just how I handle you; y’all are really the same damn person. Except you take my mouth and accept it. She gone try to talk to me crazy, and I’mma go beat her ass for letting that nigga eat the groceries I bought for my brother.”

The cordless phone on the counter behind me rang, and I quickly passed it to my dad.

“Speaking of the damn devil,” he turned the phone around so we could see Bridgette’s name on the caller ID screen.

“Hello,” he answered, putting the phone on speaker.

“You need to call your daughter and tell her to come get Noah’s stuff since he thinks he’s grown enough to stay out all night and not answer the phone when I call him. I know it’s her ass enabling Noah and his disrespect. She swears she’s his mama. If that lil heffa wanted some kids, she should’ve popped them out of her own pussy.”

My dad tried to take the phone off speaker, but I snatched it from him and ran. He chased me until we made it to the door, and he saw Vincent leaning up against his truck. Perfect.

“If I did pop some kids out of this pussy I’d actually take care of them, unlike you. I was trying not to get into it with your simple ass again, but you need to get the business, just like Stanley. Bridgette, you keep Noah alive, but you don’t really take care of him. Did I swear I was Noah’s mom when I helped y’all move to Florida because you didn’t want him in Tulsa as he got older? Or did I swear I was his mom when I paid your light bill in December? Or maybe I swore I was his mama when I had to buy him food in January because he literally said he ate sleep for dinner? Which one?

“You moved down here under the guise that Noah needed a better environment, and I agree. But we got Noah into a better environment; he’s doing much better in school and has shown an interest in basketball, and instead of focusing on your child, you decided you don’t have to parent anymore? You just want to chase broke bum ass niggas? Move them into your house and have them eating his food and in his room using the shit that I bought him.”