𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐋 | 𝐃.𝐄.

22

"I didn't even bring that shi-stuff-up. Kaiya did. I told her quit doing that but she don't listen to me." He was getting frustrated all over again.

"Honestly, how did you think a seven year old would react to her dad bringing a girl home-after having me as the only woman around her entire life. Angel takes her out for girls day, gets her early from school, buys her all of her favorite things, tucks her in to bed, cooks dinner for her-the whole nine yards."

"I don't wanna talk about this no more ma." Roman reached in his pocket to grab his phone, and Faye took it out of his hands as soon as he did.

"You never do and that's why that baby done left now. You can't keep running from a conversation that obviously needs to be had, Roman. If it's causing static in your relationship, you need to talk it out to fix it."

"Ma I c-,"

"No. Shut up and listen. You do enough talking as it is." She shut him down before he could even get a statement out, waving her hand at him.

"You think I don't know what this is about, but I do. You won't let her step up and be Kaiya's mama 'cause you think she's going to leave her like your mom left you. Tell me that I'm wrong." She looked over at him again, and he remained silent, proving her correct.

"See. You steady blaming Angel for something she had nothing to do with. She is not Kimora, Roman. Stop treating her like she is." Faye referred to his mother, whom was her first and only child.

Roman used the tip of his finger to wipe the corner of his eye before a tear could fall, upset with himself for becoming emotional. He hated confronting the truth, which explained why he was always so stubborn about everything.

"That baby is good for you, and for Kaiya too. Angel loves that little girl like she had her. But you gon' run her away if you keep on with your foolishness." Faye finished up, coincidentally at the same time that Kaiya came back over to talk about the new toy that she found.

Obviously stuck on how she had just read him like a book, Roman remained quiet during the rest of their time at Target. He could barely provide responses for the conversation Kaiya kept trying to have with him-probably about nothing anyway-because he was too caught up in his own thoughts.

His grandmother was the only person who always knew what he was thinking and how he felt about something even if he didn't know himself. At this point he didn't even ask how she did it anymore; she'd had the same empathetic ways since he was a kid.

And he hated how she was always right, too. Every time, it never failed.

He tried not to dwell on the conversation nor on his feelings after they left the store, but he was obviously failing. He wanted to talk to his girlfriend more than anything right now. She didn't deserve his stubbornness and he was upset with himself for how he'd pushed her away.

Getting back on her good side was the only thing he was worried about right now.

"See, you is a good man! A good man!!" One of Angel's cousins greeted him at the register of Hugga Mug Cafe, seeing a large bouquet of red roses in his hand.

"Nah, I still got some shit to work on. You'll get her for me?" He chuckled, knowing that Angel was probably somewhere in the back stocking.

"Yeah, but before I do, you got a cousin or sum'? A brother??" She questioned with her hands on her hips, and he just shook his head with another chuckle since she didn't look older than 18.

"Take yo' ass on and go tell Angel her husband waiting up here for her." Another family member of theirs gestured at her, making the younger girl roll her eyes.