Flashback – Long Island, NY
"Mama, what was my daddy like?" A young, seven-year-old Jayda asked. She sat in between her mom's legs as she got her hair braided up for the upcoming school week.
By the look on Alexandria's face, you could tell she wasn't expecting her to ask, but she quickly hid it with a small smile.
"Your dad..." she took a small pause, as the memories of her husband began to flood her memory.
"Your daddy was the most amazing man I've ever known. He had the type of smile that made you do whatever he wanted you to do, kind of like yours. He had smooth chocolate skin and those pearly white teeth could just make you melt. He was big on family, and making sure everybody was taken care of. "
"I wish I could've met him. Did he not want to meet me?"
"Oh baby, he was so excited for you he was willing to change his whole lifestyle just for you. He was willing to move mountains for you, and you weren't even born yet."
"Can I see him? Do you have a picture of him?"
Alexandria left everything when she was forced out of her home to New York. All their clothes, their furniture, everything that made the home a home, was left behind.
"No baby, I don't."
There was a small silence between the two until Jayda spoke again.
"It's okay mommy, I know he loved me. And I love him too."
Present Day
After the long 2-hour ride, Jayda finally pulled up to her home.
"Well hello Miss Jayda, how are you"
"What's up Jim, long time no see how are the kids?"
"Same ole, same ole. Working my damn nerves. How long you here for?"
"Just for a couple days, then I got to get back for finals, and then I'm home for summer break."
"I'm so proud of you girl, I can't wait to show my ass at your graduation next year."
"You and me both! My mom home?"
"No, her and Zo just left to go to the store. Ima let you go; I'll see you around."
In response she just nodded her head and drove through the gates that Jim allowed to slowly open. As soon as they moved to East Philly, her mom immediately had a 10-ft steel gate built around the perimeter of the house, a security system installed and had an armed security guard sit in the front and back of the house. A couple of them rotated shifts, but all of them were familiar. Jim was the coolest one though. He used to let her sneak out with Lorenzo.
Once she walked into the home it was like the smile automatically found its way onto her face. She absolutely loved her mother's house. From the layout, the way she decorated it to the amazing view. Although she grew up in Long Island, she felt more at home In East Philly.
It was like clock -work her phone began to ring, displaying the name "Bentley" making Jayda roll her eyes into the back of her head.
"Yes Bentley"
"Damn baby, that's how you answer your man?"
"It actually isn't, that's why I'm greeting you the way I am. Wassup?" she asked, lowkey trying to rush him off the phone.
"You know Wassup, I want to see you. Let me take you to get some food."
"I'm not hungry."
"Well let's take a ride and go to the beach."
"I'm not even on campus so..."
"Jay I know you home, I just want to see you. I miss you girl."
"Ok, we'll see. I'll call you later I'm about to take a shower."
"Man, you betta call me back."
"yea yeah." She clicked the red button before he could get another word out.
Bentley was Jayda's "friend". They had dealings her senior year of high school. He was from Missouri but moved to East Philly during high school. They were never in a relationship because he convinced her if they were loyal to each other and kept it real, a title wasn't needed. Jayda liked Bentley so much that she allowed it and ended up getting embarrassed because he got a female pregnant as soon as she went to college. She wasn't heartbroken or anything, but it did hurt the fuck out of her feelings because she thought he fucked with her how she fucked with him.
So, she cut ties and allowed him to do him. Sometimes when she came back home, they would link, smoke, chill, and vibe because before anything they were friends. And plus, she didn't mess with too many people in East Philly.
Lately, he's been acting different. Acting like he wanted to be in a relationship. Wanting to talk to her every day, wanting to know her every move, he even popped up on campus one weekend claiming he missed her. She was about to go into her senior year of college, and before she knew it she'd be graduating and doing what she loves for the rest of her life. Being in a relation ship with him, was the last thing on her mind.
After showering and changing into some lounging clothes she just sat in the living room, watching Manifest until her mom got back. Everybody was talking about the series, and she couldn't wait to watch it, to see what it was about.
"See, I knew she would pull up right when we went to the store." She heard her best friend's voice echo from the front door.
"You gone talk junk for the rest of your life?" Jayda asked making him shoot her the middle finger.
"Hi my baby" her mother's angelic voice spoke. Soothing her whole mood, as she had done her whole life. Her mother was her peace of mind, her angel on earth, her other half. They were like two peas in a pod.
"Hey mommy, I missed you." She said instantly wrapping her arms around her mother's small body.
"Did you cut your hair? I love it."
"Yeah, you know occasionally, I like to switch it up. I think I'm feeling the bob."
"Me too."
"You look so beautiful." Her mom stated as he gazed upon her daughter's face. Jayda was so used to the compliments her mom gave her whenever she seen her that it was a natural thing. It was her mother's compliments and reassurance that had Jayda so confident on who she was, and what she stood for.
Little did Jayda know, she was infatuated with her not only because she was her one and only; she was the last living piece of Marco that Alexandria had, and she wouldn't trade it for the world. From her button nose, her smooth chocolate skin, and that one-of-a-kind smile, Jayda was a spitting image of her father. Alexandria never met any of Marco's family, he didn't want to put her life in danger in no way shape or form.
Unbeknownst to Alexandria, one of the last conversations Marco had with his mother, was that she was going to be a grandma to a beautiful baby girl.
