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

New Love

Brittany

It had been a week since they took Jr. Chris bailed Micheal out and now he was on his way to pick him up. I didn't understand why Chris was doing this but he was adamant about Micheal not being that person. All I know is, I miss my son and if Michael was the reason he was taken then I didn't want to see him. Zion was up so I was feeding her, and myself. She made a big mess with the food. "Da Da." She banged her cup against the the tray where her food sat. "Stop making a mess girl." I said and she laughed. I heard the door open and braced myself. "Hey B. We back." Chris yelled. He came in and kissed my cheek. Micheal stood behind him but didn't speak. "Hello Micheal." "Hey Brittany. " He said like he was shy or something. "Chris I just really wanna take a shower bro." "Go ahead man." Chris said. He kissed Zion on the cheek then sat next to me. "Why are you doing this?" I asked. "Would you chill out?" He asked grabbing my hand. "He's not a monster." He said. I shook my head looking away. "Look at me." I turned to face him but held my head down. "No. Look at me Britt Bratt." I looked up at him. "We're all gonna sit and talk, he's gonna explain." I sighed. "We gone be alright." He said leaning in and kissing me. "Okay." I mumbled. "Okay?" Chris asked. "Yea whatever." I said smiling.

Once Micheal was done he came downstairs. We all sat at the table in the kitchen. "How you been Micheal?" He just looked at me. "Can we just go home Brittany?" He asked and both Chris and me look confused. "Mike, Chris and me are together now, I'm not coming back." "Together?" "Yes, you were with Jasmine I don't understand like you knew what was going on." "Mike man. I told you all this in the car." Chris said jumping in and thank god he did cause I didn't feel like I needed to explain this at all. Micheal sighed. We needed to talk about what was important anyways. Why didn't I have my baby right now. "Micheal you do know they took Jr., right?" "For what?" "Cause you raped Jasmine." "I didn't rape Jasmine, I didn't even have sex with Jasmine I was drunk." "She said you beat and raped her. "But I didn't, how could I have sex with her if I was sleeping with you." I looked at Chris. "Michael we didn't sleep together." "Yes. You did, I was drunk but I remember.

"Micheal we need to get our son back." "Where is he?" "They have him in foster custody." He sighed. "Cause she lied." He said. He shook his head. "How can we get him back?" They want us to take parenting classes, and you have to.agree to do domestic violence courses. There's a caseworker coming some time this week and we have to talk to them." "Man." He palmed his face. "I'll do whatever. Chris can you take me home please." "Yea man." Chris grabbed his keys from the table. I took Zion, who had fallen asleep in my arms upstairs.

Micheal

The ride was awkward. This dude who was my best friend was now sleeping with my wife. "So um, you and Brittany, how did that happen?" I asked and Chris turned to me without answering. Its not like I pushed her into his arms anyway with everything that I was doing to her. Chris was always there when I wasn't so I mean, it could have happened sooner but she was faithful, unlike me. "Mike man, you gotta know that this kind of is your fault. I mean you've been fucking up. You been fucking up a lot." I sighed. He was right, he's been telling me to tighten up, and I have been too selfish to even consider her feelings. "I know, I know." I said. "If you want me to back off, I will man." He said, he sounded sincere but I didn't want either of to be upset with me, especially Brittany. "I just want Brittany to be happy, maybe you can take care of her better then I was doing." He dropped me off and I went in the house immediately finding something to drink.

I ended up drinking a whole bottle of Vodka. I moved to the living room but as soon as I sat down there was a knock on the door. I groaned, getting up and going to see who it was. I swung the door open seeing Star. I smiled lightly, I wasn't expecting to see her but now that she was here we could chill. "Hey." She said. "Sup." I said leaning on the door post. "So I been kind of stalking you, coming by, and calling you and you haven't been here lately." I smiled. "You missed me?" I asked her and she smiled back. "I did." She said dropping her head and giggling. She was so cute. "Come in." She came in sitting a bag on the counter. "I brought gifts." She said unloading the bag. She pulled out Chinese take out, from her purse she took out a small bag, and two swishers. "I like these gifts." She passed me the blunts and started breaking down the weed. Once she was done she passed me the weed and I rolled the two blunts. "So where were you, on vacation? Couldn't have been fun you didn't take me." She was always flirting. "Actually, I got locked up, some bull shit ass story that Jasmine told the cops." I explained. "Even took my son." "Oh my gosh no, are you serious?" "Yea." "I'm so sorry." She apologized and that was more then anybody has said since I've been out.