"Josiah, I have a feeling you've been avoiding me, baby," Riley spoke as she walked into the main house to see her three youngest children. Josiah always had difficulty adjusting to things, but she thinks he was acting off of what was happening around him. The boy was only nine but was like his older sister Eva. Josiah saw and heard everything around him, and now she knew why he was so distant from her.
"I don't feel like talking to you right now."
"Josiah...."
"I SAID I DON'T FEEL LIKE TALKING!" He yelled, making Riley stop in her footsteps. He was angry, and she got that. Riley would have been if her parents were going through what she and Xerxes were right now. She planned to make it right but needed to figure out where to start.
"Okay, can I get a hug? I haven't seen you for two years. How are your grades, and how do you feel about being home again?" She asked as the boy side-eyed her. He was something else; hardhead, stubborn, and too smart for his own good. Xavier was the same way, but at least he listened. On the other hand, Josiah only listened to three people: his dad, Luca, and her father. He gave everyone else his ass to kiss and didn't care if they punished him or not.
"I don't want to hug or talk to you. Why are you here? You and dad are not together, and he and Amoy are out. What are you trying to do, Riley...."
"We're not going through this again. My name is Mom, not Riley. You don't call your mother by her name." She spoke while the young boy in front of her stared at her like she was crazy. The sad thing was he never really called her mom. From the time he learned her name around the age of two, it's been Riley and the sad thing. It was like he refused to call her mom.
"Go away... please."
"Josiah...."
"Ma, you should know by now. This isn't how to get him to talk to you; Josiah will come to you when he's ready to talk. Leave him alone, and why are you here?" Xavier asked as he and Shanice walked in with her grandbaby. Almost immediately, she reached for her, but Xavier stepped back with his brow raised.
"I came to talk to my son, but he is refusing to have a conversation with me. He's nine and should listen to me. I shouldn't have to beg nor plead with a nine-year-old."
"No, you shouldn't, but Josiah isn't your normal nine-year-old...."
"I know because he is sick. I don't care what your Opa or the twins says. It's something wrong with that boy. He's a danger to himself and others with all that anger built up inside of him like that. Give me my grandbaby." She said as Xavier's tall ass stepped to the side with a frown.
"You're one to talk. Josiah is fine. Have you ever stopped and asked yourself why he dislikes you so much? I mean, it is only you that he dislikes. Mother or not, you gave him a reason not to like you; people are not born with hate, mom. It's developed over the years, but trying to force him to do something isn't helping... like now you are trying to force me to give you my child. You can't make me if I don't want you to hold her." He spoke, making her stop and look at him.
"Just because you are Don, don't give you the control to teach me, a grown-ass woman, what to do."
"It does when I think you need it. I hope you don't think I was just pulling your leg when I said I would kick your ass out on the streets if you don't stay your distance from dad and Amoy. Remember, mom, you're only alive for two reasons because you are my mother, and our father loved you too much to kill you, but that's not stopping me from kicking your ass out of the community. Remember that the next time you think, you can walk into dad's house unannounced." He said, making her look up into her son's eyes as he held a straight face. Quickly she nodded as she slowly stepped back and sighed.
