Borrowed Time

Seventeen

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"You ready to get some LEGOs, my baby?" I asked Josiah, looking back at him. We were inside my car, having just pulled up to the mall. As promised, I told him Joy and I would take him shopping.

He shook his head in a fashion answering yes, beginning to unbuckle his seat belt. "Are you sure Mama's coming with us? I really want her to come."

"Yes, Jojo," I said back to him. I got out of the car then proceeded to help him out. "Actually, she texted me and said she's already here. Just waiting for us to come in."

My son smiled, happy to know that his mother was indeed joining us. The last I saw Joy, it wasn't exactly great. I had just beat the hell out of her girlfriend, and we hadn't talked about it since.

After strolling through the mall and reaching the LEGO store, Josiah and I spotted the woman seated upon a nearby bench, using her cellular device.

"Mama!" He called out to her, running toward her with his arms opened wide. They hugged, sharing cheek kisses.
I smiled, grateful to still be able to co-parent, despite our troubles.

"Alright, you go pick out whatever LEGOs you want okay?" Joy told our son, pointing toward the toys before us. "We'll be right over here whenever you're done."

Stepping off to the side, we watched as Josiah browsed through the store, choosing what he preferred. For a moment, there was complete silence between my wife and me. It almost felt a bit awkward, not hearing either of us talk.

But, Joy broke in the silence when she began laughing out of nowhere, making me look at her as though she was crazy.

"Girl, what the hell is so funny?" I asked her, eyeing her with my arms crossed.

She continued to laugh, shaking her head in disbelief. "I just still can't believe you came over and beat Karen's ass like you did."

I shrugged my shoulders, also finding myself releasing laughter. "I don't know why it's such a surprise, it's not like you haven't seen me that way before." I then looked over at Josiah, as he continued to choose what he wanted.

"Trust me, I have," Joy replied, her head jerked back a bit. "I'll never forget you getting us kicked off that cruise that one time because you beat that lady up." She incessantly laughed, allowing the memory to fiddle within her mind.

The incident she spoke about was the time we had gone on a cruise just months after being engaged. It was supposed to be a celebratory trip, but it was truly spent in shambles. Some random woman continuously made very bold advances at Joy—which I ignored at first—but it led to me showing her just who I was. Not the one to be played with.

"Okay, that is totally different," I said back, pointing in Joy's direction. "That lady kept asking for your number like she didn't see us standing together holding hands." I playfully rolled my eyes, shaking my head in obvious disbelief.

The other woman curled her lips to the side of her face, looking at me sideways. "Maybe she thought you were my sister, Toni."

I waved her off, saying, "We don't even look alike." I then signaled at her. "Hell, you basically white." The both of us laughed, knowing that my statement was indeed true. "Okay but seriously, did you have any idea that Karen was the one who messed up my salon?"