Unfinished Business

36

Missy

Waking up the next morning, I was in bed alone. I thought that August may have went back to the guest room after I was sleep or he might be caring for the kids so I didn't think much of it. I got up and did something that I haven't done in a while, look in the mirror. To see your reflection may not be major to a lot of people, but you have to realize how you see yourself, before you let anyone else tell you how you are or make you feel like you're something other than yourself.

After looking at my reflection for a bit, I went down the hall and in to the bathroom to clean myself up. When I was in the shower, I heard two loud knocks and the door creak open. The shower curtain swung open. I expected to see August, but instead I seen a naked Lyric with her Dora the Explorer towel in her hand.

"Washy time!" She shouted with a big smile plastered across her face. I laughed at how cute and silly she was being and picked her up over the rim of the tub and pulled her in the shower with me. "Missy!" I heard August call from the hallway. I called out back to him to see what he wanted. I didn't hear him respond, but I heard him enter the bathroom.

All of a sudden, the shower curtain swung open once again and there was August. Standing in all his naked glory. And then there was Lyric, confused as to what was going on.

"Shit Missy! Why ye'en tell me Lyric was in here? When y'all start doing this shit?!" He shouted, trying to cover up with whatever he could find, except Lyric's towel. "You didn't ask! I didn't even know you were coming in here. You didn't say anything back after you called my name."

"You should'a knew! I didn't e'en know Lyric took showers. When the hell she start taking showers?!" He shouted. "She wanted to take one today! It's her first one and I'm pretty sure you ruined it for her."

"Daddy, what's that hanging from your belly?" Lyric reached to grab it. "Don't touch it, baybeh!" August shouted as he grabbed her hand before she could touch him. She started whining since he yelled at her. "I'm sorry baybeh, but you don't touch those. None uh' em. They not for little girls."

She nodded and continued to imitate what she'd seen me do in the shower. She was washing up with her wash cloth, but it had no soap on it. "Get the hell outta here. Crazy ass." I told August while trying to contain my laughter.

He walked out and slammed the door like a little ass kid.

After teaching Lyric the proper way to clean herself and cleaning my own body, we went back to the room and got dressed. While I was dressing her, she was still asking a million questions about "daddy's little leg". Well, that's what she calls it. I kept it clean when I told her that all boys have one, but they're supposed to keep it a secret.

She agreed to never speak on it again.

Lyric wanted to chill in bed, but I was hungry so I left her with my phone while I made something to eat. Once I entered the hallway, I heard some chatter. I followed it all the way down into the kitchen. I was going there anyway. When I walked in the kitchen, August looked up at me with a grim look on his face. I looked down to see why.

My mother was chatting it up at the table with his mother. "You finally out the room! Where's Lyric?" My mom spoke. "She's in the room, playing on my phone. What's going on?" I asked. It was more like 'what the hell is she doing here?', but I had to be nice.

It's a pretty messed up situation. Even before I met August's mother, I didn't like her. I didn't dislike her just because I wanted to or because I didn't know her, but she left him to fend for himself at seventeen. He already struggled with not having a father, and she puts more burden on him. At seventeen, everyone messes up. There's no age limit for mistakes. I understand discipline, punishment, but how can you punish someone for surviving?

When we first met, we talked about his life at home. When he was living with his mom, they didn't have much then either so regardless of where he was, inside the home or outside the home, he was going to grind the best way he could. It didn't make any sense to put someone out for hustling. Don't you think if he lives out in the streets, he would hustle harder?

"I was just having a conversation with an old friend who also wanted to see her son and grandchildren." I scoffed at what my mother said about this woman. "Now all of a sudden, she wants to see her grandchildren? She was just calling Lyric loud and ignorant. Saying we need to raise her better." I spoke, looking her square in the eye with each word. "What you really want?" I diverted my attention to her.

"First, I wanna apologize. Fa' all uh' the madness I caused when I was here and fa' insulting ya' parenting skills. Lyric's a real smart girl and all kids are loud. I was jus upset and saying any ole dumb thing that came ta' my mind ta' upset you two as well. I was upset and jealous that my son had two otha women come inta' his life and take care uh' him. That's not an excuse, it's just an explanation fa' my behavior. I'm sorry ta' had caused ya' family any trouble when I was staying in ya' house."

I raised one eyebrow, put my weight on my left with my left hand on my left hip. "So, you did all that because someone was doing your job when you weren't. You don't realize August was living on the streets. Did it ever cross your mind that he wouldn't be on the streets forever? Why would you even want him out there? Anybody could have hurt him and you wouldn't even know. He was with us for a good minute in New Orleans. When did you find out he was staying somewhere?" I asked. 

She put her head down in shame and muttered up some saddened words. "When he got a la' fame." I scoffed. How could you possibly not know where your child was for a year? I just didn't understand.

"Can y'all find it in y'all hearts ta' fa'give me na'?" She begged. I looked at August with my lips tucked in. "It's all on you. That's your mother. I'm with you on whatever you do, in this situation." He shrugged like he was still thinking. After a few moments of silence, August gave us his answer.

He gave us a yes, a a very hesitant yes but it was a yes. Ms.Sheila had jumped up and pulled her son into a great big hug. I can't even lie and say it wasn't a great sight. It was great to see my baby smiling so big and great to see a mother bond with her child.

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I didn't feel like typing anymore. I've been typing this piece by piece for a few days, but I couldn't come up with anything great.

It's my 17th birthday and I can honestly say, this is the shittiest day of the year right now. I don't even wanna claim that it's my birthday anymore. Like can you just cancel your birthday? If you could, I would.