Unfinished Business

1

Missy

"Daddy!" I heard Lyric screaming. I knew now that August had used his spare key to let himself in.

"Missaay!" I chuckled to myself. "August, what's all this noise you bringing into my house?" I raised one eyebrow, looking away from the stove. He had Lyric in his arms with two shopping bags hooked onto his wrist. One from Claire's and one from Tiffany & Co.

"August, I told you to stop spoiling her." I scolded.

"This ain't e'en that serious. I got ha' bracelet from Tiffany and some clothes. The otha' bags onna' couch though." he said to me, but kept his eyes glued on Lyric. "Why would a three year old be wearing a bracelet from Tiffany, August?"

August and I had many discussions about buying Lyric all these expensive gifts. Yeah, I want my baby to have the world, but I don't want her to think it's going to be handed to her. I'm grateful for him buying the things she needs and more, but sometimes, it gets excessive. I don't want her to grow up as a spoiled brat.

"Chill fa' a minute. It's just a small bracelet with a heart charm hanging from it. It don't e'en got no diamonds, it's just sterling silver. It was only $150." I let out a sigh of relief.

A bracelet from Tiffany & Co. was still a lot for her, but at least it's not as expensive as his other gifts. He brought a picture frame made from sterling silver for her many pictures in her room. The picture frames in her room range from $700 up to $1,000, which is ridiculous.

"I gotchu' something too." He smirked. "Oh god, August. I told you, you d-" I was quickly cut off by him shushing me.

"I know I'on have ta' buy you gifts, but I want to. You gave me one uh' the best gifts, I could'a ever received. Plus, I just wanna' make up for all the mistakes I made. I know it don't fix everything, but I just wanna' do something fa' ya'."

"Just take it mommy!" Lyric shouted and nodded her head. "Juh' take it, mommy." August repeated.

"Oh god, just show me then." He put Lyric down onto the floor and reached into the bag. "Wait, close ya' eyes." he instructed. "Lyric, baybeh. Make sho' ya' mama keep ha' eyes closed." she nodded. I sighed and closed my eyes like told.

I could hear him set something down on the counter top. "Alright, open 'em." I opened my eyes to see two Tiffany boxes set side by side one the table. One rectangular and one a small square. "August, how much did you spend?"

"Don't worry 'bout all that, just open ya' boxes." I opened the rectangular one first and was almost blinded by the glimmer that the diamonds gave off. "It's so beautiful." I whispered, running my fingers over the necklace.

"Open the otha' one too." I looked up at him then to the square box.

I opened it to see earrings that matched the necklace he'd bought. I knew he had to spend a fortune on these gifts. I knew they were both in the high thousands, but both of them together? That's a lot. More than a lot. This is more than I paid for the house I lived in before I had Lyric, plus the rent.

"Auguuust," I whined out. "You like it?" he asked. "I love it, August. I just don't see why you buy me these expensive gifts. That stuff has to be in the ten thousands range." I told him.

"Stop stressing over it, like I'on got no money. I'a make that back before the end of the week. Na' let me put it on you." he wiggled his eyebrow then winked. I got the pun, but Lyric didn't. "Mommy, let daddy put it on you!" she shouted.

I turned my back to him and pulled my hair, ignoring her comment and letting him hook the necklace around. "You heard my baybeh, let me put it on you." he whispered so Lyric wouldn't hear. "I wish you would." is what I would have said, but I didn't. We had boundaries.

"Thank you, August. For the gifts."

"You know I gotchu. But consider letting me put it on you."

"You already put it on her, Daddy!" Lyric butted in. "Lyric, inside voices baby. You've been shouting the whole time." I said through laughter.

"I know, baybeh. I'm tryna' put it on ha' some mo'. I wanna' put so much on ya' mama, she'll feel so loved by the time I'm done." If only Lyric knew what he was talking about, she wouldn't be so happy.

She's been pushing for us to move in his house. She says it looks like a castle and she wants to sleep in bed with him every night. She doesn't understand our relationship right now. I believe she thinks we're together, but she only thinks that because in every children's story, they mommy and daddy are married. She knows we're not married because we don't live in the same house.

"Lyric, go play in the living room."

Once she ran off, August came at me and pulled me into a big hug. He also put a firm grip on my butt and left sloppy kisses all over my face.

"You ain't e'en stop me. That's how I know you like it."

"Boy, nobody is worried about you." I lied. I'm always worried about him. I know that we're just friends, but he's someone that I could never let go of. He knew that because he was the same way.

After we broke it off, I moved out into a newer home and cut all ties with him unless it had something to do with Lyric. Eventually, we couldn't keep up the games, acting like we didn't care for each other, so we settled on friends.

As friends, we'd have sex every now and then, but it wasn't an every night thing. After we did so, we would carry on with our lives like it didn't happen. The sex also stopped because it brought back old feelings and memories, but now he's replaced sex with gift buying.

Not only does he buy Lyric and I gifts all the time, but he uses his emergency key to enter my home anytime he likes. Even if I wanted to have a boy toy, I couldn't because August is always barging in. Even if he didn't come in whenever he liked, I still have Lyric and I refuse to bring men around my daughter unless their her family or her father.

"Come on, Missy. She not paying us no mind. Just one time. I ain't had none since the last time we did it and that was months ago." he whispered in my ear.

"August, no. You remember what happened last time we did that." I said as he ground himself into me. "That won't happen again. Man, come on."

Last time, August and I had a sexual encounter, he ended up pouring his heart out to me. He cried and held me all night because he felt like if he let go, then I wasn't going to be his anymore.

I can't deny my love for him, but we can't keep getting ourselves caught up with one another. He knows I love him, but he also knows that there are boundaries.

"Okay, August. Just once, and make it quick before Lyric notices we're gone."

He jumped up and dragged me to my bedroom and locked the door.

I know this won't be the last time.