Love Should've Kept Me With You

Chapter 4.

3 weeks later...

Yvette was beyond pissed right now. This was the fourth time since JoJo started school that Jody has forgotten to pick him up. She was happy she got her car last week because she was tired of depending on her friends and family. They didn't mind giving her rides when she needed them but she felt like she's been without a car of her own for too long. With the help of her father, she was able to get a new 2003 matte blue BMW. It wasn't her first choice but after Derrick let her borrow his for a day, she decided to get one for herself. The car note was higher than her last one but it wasn't anything she couldn't handle.

Yvette pulled up to the school and parked in the first parking space she saw. She tried calling Jody once again only for it to ring one time before going straight to voicemail. She exhaled deeply then got out of the car and made her way inside the school. She had to calm herself down before she went into the building. She didn't want to go inside the school angry and have the staff looking at her like she was crazy. Upon walking in, she spotted JoJo on the other side of the room playing with another boy while a man watched them. The man's back was turned making it hard for her to see who he was.

"Ah, hello Ms. Thompson." JoJo's teacher greeted her.

"Hi, Mrs. Underwood. I'm so sorry about today, but I can promise you it won't happen again." Yvette assured her as she closed the office door. Mrs. Underwood took off her glasses and sighed deeply. She was getting tired of hearing Yvette saying the same thing.

"I hope not Ms. Thompson. But there's a parent here who didn't mind taking your son with him but I couldn't let him do that without your permission. JoJo seems to know the man very well and says that the man and his uncle are friends." Mrs. Underwood explained.

"Who was this parent?" Yvette asked her. She knew most of Jody's friends but the only ones who were allowed to pick up JoJo if she or Jody couldn't get to him were Derrick or Pea.

"He's right outside with the boys. They didn't want to leave him by himself." Yvette thanked her then exited the office.

Yvette tapped the man on his shoulder and he turned around and smiled. Yvette stepped back once she noticed the man was Darnell. He was surprised to see her. He wasn't expecting JoJo to be the child she and Jody shared. He looked over at JoJo and had to admit he was the spitting image of Jody. JoJo got up from the floor and ran over to Yvette, wrapping his arms around her waist. He thought she forgot about him like Jody did. She picked him up then looked at Darnell who was holding his son as well.

"Who is this beautiful lady JoJo, is she your girlfriend?" Darnell asked him earning a big toothy smile from the little boy.

"No, she my mommy. Mommy this my best friend DJ and this is uncle D and daddy friend. His name has D too!" JoJo exclaimed. Darnell chuckled at JoJo's excitement and held out his hand for Yvette to shake.

"Nice to meet you, mama, I'm Darnell and this is my son DJ. Do you mind if JoJo comes with me and DJ to Arcade City?" Yvette caught on to what he was doing and decided to play along.

"How do I know you're not a kidnapper or a serial killer?" She asked as she helped JoJo get all of his belongings while Darnell helped DJ.

"I'm not a kidnapper or a serial killer. You're more than welcome to meet us there if you'd like." He smiled at her. They left out the preschool and made their way to their separate vehicles. Yvette could tell from the look JoJo was giving her that he wanted to go with Darnell and DJ but he wasn't going cry and pout if she said no.

"We'll follow you. Come on JoJo, you'll see him in a few minutes." Yvette helped JoJo strap himself in his booster seat then got the car and waited for Darnell back out first. Once he did, they were on their way to Pizza World. Yvette was glad he chose there to eat instead of McDonald's. That was all JoJo wanted to eat because that's where Jody took him whenever he had him.