•𝘽𝙚𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙄𝙢𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 •

- 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙏𝙬𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙮-𝙏𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙚

Josiah Langston : Chapter Twenty-Three

A week later

"Your baby in here killing me, Josiah!" I heard Alexus yell from upstairs. I looked up from my laptop as I sat at the kitchen table, "what's wrong mama?!"

"You in pain?!" I shouted again.

After not receiving an answer. I stood up sighing, "this woman man."

"I'm right here. I just need help coming down the stairs." She mugged holding her stomach.

"You gon' stop mugging me. Wasn't doing this before that baby? He tryna turn you against me." I made my way up the stairs before helping her down slowly to the couch.

"What you wanna watch?" I laid a blanket on top of her and got her some snacks. "Twilight." I glanced at her smacking my lips. "So you ca' be up here crying again? Shit not even sad. Which one?"

"Who that?" She turned to me when the doorbell rang. "Hold on," I handed her the remote answering the door.

"You miss me, lil nigga?" My dad asked when I mugged him, "I look like I miss you?" I half-heartedly joked. He pushed passed me, "where is my future daughter-in-law at?"

"In the living room." I closed the door following after him.

"You spoke to Brianna. I know she been avoiding y'all."

He turned around almost like he remembered why he came here. "Yeah, we talk alright. I've been rethinking a lot of stuff" I nodded, "is one of them, helping the creeds, set up some shit in New York?"

His eyes lowered at me, "how did you know about that?" I shrugged, "because I'm not stupid, Amante was way too willing to let me take Brianna to New York."

"But her questioned it- yeah but not enough, not like he usually does." I cut him off. "I raised you to be smart and Amante raised Brianna to be the exact same way. All this time y'all been reading us."

I ignored his previous statement, "why did you even agree to help?" I looked at him not hiding the disappointment in my voice.

"Cause we both want the same thing."

"What?"

"For them to break up. But I don't- I don't know anymore. The way she spoke. Reminding me of her mother," he looked at me, "and yours."

I swallowed the lump in my throat. "She so fed up Josiah. Just tired. And for so long I blame that whole family for what one of em' did. I don't like em' but I shouldn't have to hate that boy to keep the fire in me alive." He shook his head wiling his hand down his face.

"You're scared," I muttered.

He raised his head to me, "I'm a lot of things but one of em ain't scar-" I stopped him, "yeah you are." I nodded.

"When mom died, you forced yourself to hate them all. Because that hate kept that fire in you alive as you said. And it was easier being angry than sad, right?"

Before he could respond somebody knocked at the door. He didn't waste time to make his way out of that conversation and finally greet Alexus.

"I'm just famous today huh," I spoke to myself opening the door to see Brianna. "Look what the cat dragged in," I smiled. "Boy shut up," she walked passed me.

"Y'all gon' get enough of inviting y'all self into my house." She suddenly stopped walking backing me bump into her back.

"Your dad here?" She whispered. I nodded, pulling her into the living room although she tried to break away. "You too grown for this shit Brianna," I spoke, getting the attention of my dad and Alexus.

"Yeah," Brianna straightened up giving a fake-ass smile. Then she noticed Alexus and she flung me off of her. "He been kicking?" She asked going to sit next to her.

I like how we all assumed it was a boy.

My father glanced at me, "she don't see me?" He mouthed pointing to himself. I shrugged, "guess not."