*Four Months Later*
*Aery POV*
Smoke is like a fuckin alcoholic. He smokes and drinks everyday. I understand that he's grieving but I need help. I'm taking care of Niala (Smoke was granted custody because her mothers aunt and uncle didn't want her), Taking online classes, plus I'm 5 months pregnant. But i don't mind taking care of Niala...she is now my whole world. I love that little girl with all my heart. I've been taking care of her with the help of Jazmine. Jazmine is Smoke cousin. She moved to Atlanta wen she heard about wat happened. I really appreciate her help.
I still can't get the memory of that day out of my head. I have nightmares every night. I can't rely on Smoke to comfort me anymore..he's fighting his own battles. I miss wen I could fall asleep in his arms and wake up still in them. Now he gets drunk and passes out wherever. So Niala sleeps in the bed with me. I usually wake up to a crying Niala or the sounds of glass breaking. Smoke tends to knock shit over wen he's drunk.
I guess your wondering wat happened to Flacko. I'm pretty sure he's rotting in hell by now. He was pronounced dead upon arrival to the hospital. He was struggling to breathe because Smoke shot him in the lung. That was also the day I found out that I was pregnant. It was so hard for me. I wish someone would erase that day from my memory. I lost my bestfriend, A close friend,a brother and a sister. Niala lost both her parents. Smoke lost his mother, brother and sister. And the fact that I couldn't go home after I found out all this info stressed me out. I had no home to go to plus I had to go to the police station and be questioned. I told my side of the story and they said that it matched Smokes story..but they couldn't let him go. They kept him in jail with no bail. We had been to court 7 times over the course of 3 months. They still wouldn't let him go. On the last day of court they found him not guilty on 10 counts of murder. Smoke pled guilty for the death of Flacko..but it was self defense so he was let go.
Stylz & Djaay, Tan, BK, Mimi & Beez, and Ryan came to all the court dates to support Smoke. They all asked me why I been M.I.A.. I explained to them why I had to get away and they understood. Stylz looked like she was about to pop. She told me she was due in 2 months. Of course that was a month ago. I feel like I've missed sooooo much. Smoke also been stressed because Unique is nowhere to be found. He's worried that he'll never see his child. We filed a missing persons report..but no one has gotten back with us.
I felt Niala hitting my arm.
"Mama, eat eat." she said.
"Okay...let's go find something to eat then." I picked her up and went in the kitchen. I took some chicken nuggets out of the freezer and put em in a pan. I put the pan in the oven and cut it on. It was gone be a while before they were done so I got her some apple slices.
"Hey baby..." Smoke said walking into the kitchen. He was hung over.
"Hey." I said dryly. Turning around to fix Niala some juice.
"Awl baby don't be like that." He said holding me by the waist. He put his chin in the top of my head.
"Imma stop drinking..I promise." He said. I turned around to face him.
"Well when Smoke? Cuz I need to know..." I asked.
"I don't know...I'm just...having a hard time right now." He said leaning against the counter. I laughed at him.
"Ohh...yu having a hard time? My whole life has been a hard time. But do yu see me drinking when I have responsibilities I gotta take care of? No. You're being mighty selfish for a man that claims he loves me. I know loosing your family was hard. I lost my family too so I understand. I've been thru so much stuff..but I have never given up because I have people depending on me for stuff. I love you so much..but I don't wanna see yu go down the wrong road. I need yu to change..like right now." I said to him.
"Man watch out..." he said moving me out the way. He went in the room and shut the door. I followed him.
"SMOKE!" I yelled. No answer.
"AUGUST!" I said.
"Don't fuckin call me that no more!" He said opening up the door. "What the fuck yu want?" he asked.
"I wasn't done taking to you!" I yelled.
"Well I'm finished taking to you! I said I was gone stop drinking so shut the fuck up! " He said back to me.
"Why the hell are yu acting like this?" I asked.
"Yu and all these kids getting on my fuckin nerves! I can't do wat the fuck I wanna do cuz y'all here. I wanna drink to drown my sorrows but I got 'responsibilities',I wanna blow my money on weed but I got a little girl to take care of that ain't even mine. Then I'm living and taking care of a girl that's pregnant and it ain't even my baby! So yu can get out my face with all this extra shit. I do shit that I ain't got to to keep yu happy...AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHY!! And now yu gone get mad and drive away in a car that I bought. Bitch please." He said yelling in my face.
I felt hot tears rolling down my face.
"You don't have to worry about me taking your car. I'll walk." I said. I grabbed Niala diaper bag, stroller, and her coat. I put her coat on. I got her nuggets out of the oven and put them in a container. I put the container in the stroller and I carried Niala in my arms. We got in the elevator and I let the tears fall. Niala looked at me while I cried and she cried too. She put her finger in one of the tear drops.
"Mama cry?" she asked me and I nodded my head. I can't believe this..after all the shit we been thru he wanna pick a fight widd me about this.
The elevator opened up and we got out. I put Niala in the stroller and we walked out of the building. We walked to the closest café. I sat down and ordered my food while Niala ate her nuggets.
My food came and I ate. Niala was getting bored so I decided that I wud take her to the park. I went to pay for my food when I realized I left my purse at home. I had no money. I was searching in Niala diaper bag when someone got in front of me and went to the counter. I looked up.
"Justin?" I was surprised. I haven't seen him in a while..
"Yea...Its me.. I haven't heard from you in a while.." He said hugging me.
"I know..I've been sooooo busy lately." I said.
"I can tell..." he said looking at Niala and my belly.
"No! She's not mine...but she's mine....I'm taking care of her. " I said.
"And what about this one?" He said feeling my belly. I just looked at him. He knew wat I was hinting at. This situation was making me very uncomfortable.
"I'm sorry...." He said.
"It isn't your fault..." I said looking down.
"Well..if it helps...I know you'll be a great mother. " he said.
"Thank you..I appreciate it. " I said to him.
"No problem...and yu still got my number? " He asked.
"Yea.."
"Don't be a stranger.." He said. He left the café.
Gosh he is so cute.
I started looking for money again. I checked my coat pocket once more and I felt some money. I pulled a $50 bill out of my pocket that wasn't there before. I smiled and payed for my food. I took Niala to the park and let her play with the other kids. She played until she got sleepy and we headed home. I braced myself for what Smoke might have to say next.
