Chapter 25

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This is the day. I flew back to Dallas to welcome my niece into the world. LaShae wanted me in the room with her and Sean. I'm not sure why I was so nervous being that I'm not the one having a baby. I helped Sean with making sure LaShae was as comfortable as she could be. LaShae opted out of having an epidural. She's the real MVP in my book. I'm not sure if I would be able to endure that kind of pain as long as LaShae has.

After ten hours of labor, Miss Corrina graced us with her presence. Sean cut the umbilical cord and immediately ran to LaShae thanking her for their beautiful baby girl. She has caramel skin tone, silky curly dark brown hair with deep ocean blue eyes. She's definitely a good combination of Sean and LaShae.

Sean's parents and LaShae's dad visited and held little Miss Corrina. Now it was my turn to hold her. I didn't want to share her with anyone. I sat on the couch holding her and rubbing her little feet and hands. I'm in love. How could being a part of this little one's life make me feel the way I do at this moment. I know she'll need nothing, but I'm going to do my part to spoil her.

In our own little world, I started singing to her. As I sang to her, I continued rubbing her feet and hands. God's creation couldn't get any more beautiful than this baby girl that I'm holding right now. As I was about to stand to take Corrina back to her parents, Andre and Macy walked in with balloons and gift bags full of things for Corrina. He is the godfather so I guess he was getting an early start with spoiling her.

I stood up and gave the baby to Sean because LaShae had fallen asleep. I told Sean that I would be back tomorrow but if they needed anything before then to call me. Andre watched me as I grabbed my purse and walked out of the hospital room. If I said I wasn't hurt to see Andre and Macy together, I'd be telling a lie. He chose her and I'll be ok with it.

I made it back to my parents house. I had to get myself together. I didn't want my parents seeing me hurt like this. Why did I expect anything different from Andre? He didn't have the decency to tell me. I guess bringing her to the hospital knowing I would be there was his way of telling me. As I was about to walk into the house, my phone vibrated. It was Andre.
Andre: Can we talk?
Me: There's nothing for us to talk about. I wish nothing but the best for you and her.
Andre: Are you seriously not going to talk to me?
Andre: Just like you said I helped you make a decision, you helped me too!
Andre: Don't ignore me! I'm coming to see you now!
Me: Don't come over here. Just leave things as they are.
Andre: I'm coming

I walked in the house. Thank goodness my parents were already in their bedroom.

No more than an hour had passed before Andre texted me to come outside. What little energy I had was now gone. 

I got in the car with Andre and we drove off to go somewhere that we could talk. We ended up at the trail not far from my parent's house.

"Tahleea, where did we go wrong? I thought we were going to work on our relationship."

"Well it takes two to work on a relationship, Dre. I feel like I'm the one waiting on you to decide if I'm important enough for you to try, but every time I think we're getting things together, something or should I say someone knocks us back. You bringing Macy to the hospital confirmed my gut feeling. So if you want to be with her, then be with her Dre. I don't have the energy to try anymore. It's not fair that I'm sacrificing my happiness and peace, heck my health, waiting around for you. For me, it stopped after I got out of the hospital. You didn't care enough to even help me. So without words, you let me know what value I hold with you. It hurt, I'm still hurt, but I'll eventually get over it. Thankfully that part is temporary. I know this isn't what you wanted to hear, but this is what I have for you."

Andre just looked at me. He shook his head like he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"So are you saying this is it for us? We can't continue to try? I love you and I want to be with you and only you."

"Dre, do you hear what you are saying?"

"Yes Tahleea. I heard what I said. Hell I'm the one that fucking said it!"

I know he was getting upset with me, but I had to make him understand that I'm not a game of X's and O's with different routes. I'm Tahleea Danielle Layton and I won't be played. Settling for a mediocre relationship isn't in the cards for me. I don't care that Andre could give me the world financially. What I want and need in a relationship can't be bought.

"Dre, you say a lot, but your actions don't match. You say you love me. You only want to be with me and only me but what you have shown me is totally different. If you want me to believe what you are saying, you have to do more than say it. You have to show it and do it. Your words have to have some action. You didn't win MVP just by saying you were going to win. You had to put some action into it."

Again he just looked at me and dropped his head like he was defeated. I grabbed his face so we could look eye to eye.

"Dre, I love you and I always will. But right now isn't our time. We keep passing each other and there's nothing wrong with that. Maybe this is a sign that we still have more learning and growing to do before we become Andre and Tahleea forever, if it's meant to be."

I pecked his lips with a light kiss and asked him if there was anything else that he felt we needed to talk about. He said no and started the car to take me back to my parent's house. As we pulled in the driveway, Andre grabbed my hand before I could exit the car. I turned to look at him. He grabbed my face and kissed me like his life depended on our lips touching.  Damn it felt good, but I can't go backwards. I pulled away and smiled at him. He told me that he loves me and that when he comes back for me, it will be all about us. I pecked his lips again and got out of the car. Damn my heart hurts!

A/N

Hello Sunshines,
I apologize for the short chapter, but I wanted to give you a glimpse of Tahleea being a part of this special event, the birth of her goddaughter. I love how she admires Little Miss Corrina. Shout out to all the aunts/godmothers reading my book. You are a special part of our lives. 😘

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