What I Learned In L.A. (Sequel to What I learned at Hope Springs)

mad house

6 months later

Micheal

Zion and me was chilling at the house. Chris and Brittany were out last minute shopping. She was overdue and miserable and Chris was the only one who cheered her up so why not hang out with him. I gave Zion her bottle and she clung to it tightly. We were watching some animated show on NickJr. and she was so tuned in. "How you watch this stuff girl?" I asked her but she just smiled and pointed at the tv. Someone knocked on the door so I picked up Zion to go open it. There stood Jasmine. "Hey baby did you miss me?" I sighed, "go away Jasmine." "Micheal, come on." "No! Gone somewhere!" Over her shoulder I saw another car pull up. Now who is this, I thought. Out of that car came Brittany mom, following her; Ricky.

"Look man you need to go, or I'm gonna call the cops!" "At least let me see my daughter." Jasmine said. I grabbed her by the arm yanking her towards me , "fuck outta here Jasmine!" She backed off the porch just as Brittany mom and Rickey were walking up. "Hey Micheal." Her mom said. "What you doing here?" I asked. "Came to visit my baby, and see her baby." "The baby not here yet" "well who's this?" Ricky asked reaching to touch Zion and I pushed his hands away. "Nigga, don't." I said.

"Aren't you gonna let us in Micheal?" "No, get outta here." I told them but they just stood there. "You not coming in here so you need to leave before I call the cops." I closed the door, and locked it. I found my cell phone in the kitchen on the counter and.scrolled down finding Brittany contact. "Baby." I said one she answered. "Hey Mikey." "I don't know what's wrong with the earth today but it's out of wack. Jasmine is out She came by, and your fucking mom is standing at our door. I wouldn't let them in." I told her. "Them?" "Yea, HE'S here."

"Seriously Mikey?" "Yea, where are you? Don't come here. I'll meet y'all at Chris's house." "Okay. See you later." "I love you Mikey." "I love you too Mikey." I hung up the phone, slipping it in my pocket. Brittany was doing good, these past months. She was barely seeing her therapist, she was handling her moods okay, the baby was healthy. Surely this would upset her, and I didn't want or need her around it. I put Zion down on the floor and picked up her various toys and baby stuff placing it in her bag. "Zi Zi you ready?" I asked, She looked up at me clapping her hands and smiling. I picked the bag throwing it over my shoulder. I picked Zion up and carried her to the car that was parked in the garage, strapping her in. I got in lifting the gate up before starting the car. I backed out the driveway seeing her mom and Rickey still standing there. I shook my head and drove off.

Brittany

"Britt Bratt what's wrong?" Chris asked me. I looked down to see me holding his hand while he was driving. I didn't even realize I had grabbed it. "Micheal just said my mom popped up at the house with Rickey." "Why? You wanna go there?" Chris asked. "He said he'll be at your house." "Okay." Chris made a u-turn when the light turned green. We took the ride to his house, I didn't know why my mom was here, I didn't want to see her. I wasn't ready to see him. I was pregnant and not prepared for this. My grip on Chris hand tightened unknowingly. "Chill B." He said. "It's cool." I really wasn't cool.

We pulled up at the house. I groaned once I saw Jasmine standing on the porch. "Seriously what's going on today?" I groaned. We both got out the car and made our way to the front door. "Baby, I'm back." Jasmine said trying to grab Chris but he didn't let go of my hand at all. He opened the door to the house letting me in. "Chris, please let me talk to you." She begged. I knew he didn't want to talk to her but he left me in the house alone anyway.

Chris

I closed the door behind me, Jasmine stood in front of me. "Hey." She said. I didn't respond, I just stood there. "Guess I'll do the talking then. Chris I wanna come home. I miss you. I miss Zion, I'm sorry for everything." She just kept going on about how she messed up. When the hell did she get out anyway. I tuned back into her talking and just stared at her. She was beautiful and as much as I wanted to hate her I couldn't. Besides, Zion was the spitting image of her. "When did you get out?" I asked. She sighed, "last month."