"Mommy!" I bent down to his level and embraced his hug. It doesn't matter if I've only been gone a few hours he always acts like he hasn't seen me in a month. "I missed you so much!" He claimed. I squeezed him a little tighter then kissed his cheek, "I missed you too, bub." He ran off to get his things so I stood up and faced Michelle. "How was last night?"
Last night...I laughed, so did she, "That bad?"
I shook my head, "It wasn't terrible. You know how those dinners go. Pointless conversations with pointless people." I downplayed it.
She went on talking about how her night went, and what they've done so far this morning.
"Thank you again for keeping him. We appreciate you so much!" I said before walking out her door.
On our way home we passed Chick-fil-A, and like clockwork, "I want chickin' nuggets mommy." We never pass it without getting him some but today Rihmeek wants to take us out for breakfast. "We're gonna eat in a little bit."
He stayed quiet for the rest of the ride home.
I dressed him before myself then sent him back into his room to watch TV. "I'm just going to be a few minutes, okay?" He nodded his head, never taking his attention away from the TV. I walked back to my room and picked out my outfit first. I don't want to look overdressed because it's just breakfast, but I don't want to look underdressed either. I decided to go with a white bodysuit and a green bomber.
"Mommy!" I was just about to step in the shower when I heard him yell for me. I stuck my head outside the glass door and yelled back, "What, Rich?" His voice was faint but I heard him say someone was at the door.
Always early.
I smirked before wrapping a towel around my body and walked down stairs.
"You said you wouldn't be here until 10:30." I said, crossing my hands around my midsection. "You want me to come back?"
I shook my head and laughed a little bit. "No, Rihmeek. Come in, you can sit on the couch while I finish getting ready. You want anything to drink?" I asked while shutting the door behind him. I seen him shake his head before shoving his hands in his pockets. I could sense the nervousness radiating off of him. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous too.
"Don't be nervous. This is going to be fine." I reached out for his wrist and stepped closer, "He's gonna love you and I know it." I said these things not only to make him feel better but to make myself feel better too.
"I...I don't know Nic. That's my kid, you know. How is he going to understand me not being here? He's gonna think I didn't want him when that's the farthest thing from the truth. Hell, regardless of our situation, if I had known I would've been here. I don't care what your parents threatened." I smiled while batting my eyelashes. "I know this Rihmeek, I do. It will take time. This is going to be a lot for him to take in because he's young but at the same time that works to your advantage. He'll adjust easier." I nodded his head but his expression didn't give me the impression I helped at all.
"Rich, come here to momma!" I yelled and the look on Rihmeek's face made me bust out laughing. "He ain't gonna bite." I whispered.
Soon Rich found us and gave Rihmeek a skeptical look before running up to me.
"Hey lil man." Rihmeek spoke first and I stepped back watching their first conversation unfold. "Hi." He bashfully replied.
"Don't act shy, Rich. Tell him your name."
Rihmeek kneeled down to his level and waited for him to speak. "My name is Richard Rihmeek Maraj, but everyone calls me Rich." When he said his middle name Rihmeek's eyes locked with mine and he didn't dare break the eye contact even when he was done talking.
"Oh, yeah." He was still staring at me, "My middle name is Rihmeek too."
I ducked my head once his stare became too intense. I felt like crying but I held myself together for Rich.
"You my mommy's friend?" He asked. Rihmeek nodded, "I am."
Before I knew it Rich had him in the living room playing with toy cars and they both acted like I didn't even exist.
"I'm going to go finish what I was doing. You two okay down here?" They both nodded and Rihmeek shot me a wink. I smiled, "I'll be in the shower if either of you need me."
I took my time getting ready so they could have time to themselves. The last thing I want to do is overstep. They need their time alone.
"Mommy, hurry! We're hungry"
I know Rihmeek put him up to that so I didn't say anything. I was almost finished anyway.
I slid on my nude heels and looked in the mirror once more. After adding some final touches I was good to go.
As I walked down stairs I seen Rich sitting in Rihmeek's lap as they talked about a car. The sight nearly made me miss a step.
"You talk a lot for someone who isn't even ready themselves." I said while leaning against the wall with a hand on my hip. "Go put your shoes on and let's go since you're so hungry" I said while smiling. Rich ran upstairs leaving Rihmeek and I alone.
"He's smart." Rihmeek said while looking towards the stairs even after he was gone. "Knows a lot about cars." I nodded my head.
"He's ahead of his time. Scares me sometimes." I said while admiring the look of adornment on his face. "He got his love for cars from Richard. They bonded over them a lot." I said.
He nodded his head while smiling then finally looking back towards me. "Thank you for making sure he was apart of his life." He said, making me emotional only because I truly knew how important Richard was to him. "Thank you for allowing him to be apart of my life." I didn't specify which Richard I was talking about because I was talking about both. Which way he took it didn't matter.
"Named him after me, huh?" He smirked. I nodded my head, "Only felt right. I couldn't give him your last name because, you know.."
He nodded his head, "That's gonna change."
His dominance had me taken back, not because I was offended but that's how he took it.
"If you don't want that then I mean-" I stopped him before he got started, "I do not care, Rihmeek. He is your son."
At that exact moment Rich walked into the room with a look of confusion all over his face.
"Huh?" Rihmeek and I looked at each other, neither of us knew what to say. This isn't the way I imagined him finding out.
"Come here, baby." I sat down beside Rihmeek and pulled Rich onto my lap. "You remember how I told you, you had a surprise?" I asked, to see if he remembered our conversation. He followed along by nodding his head.
"This is it, baby." I said looking towards Rihmeek. "So you're my daddy?" He asked.
That pulled at a heart string and I swear I felt it pull at Rihmeek's too. "Yeah, lil man, I am." His voice cracked but I couldn't look at him. If I did I would loose it and now isn't my time.
What happened next shocked me, Rich rubbed his eye but couldn't catch the tears quick enough. I hugged him while rocking him but couldn't say a word. If I did, the damn would fall and the tears would pour.
"I thought you were dead." I stopped rocking and sat still. I don't know how long we were sat froze, unsure what to say next.
What do you say to that?
"Come here little man." Rich crawled out of my arms and into his and I couldn't hold it in any longer. Tears streamed down my face.
Rihmeek motioned for me to come into his embrace too. I didn't think twice. I buried my face in his neck and took in his scent, slowly calming down. "I love you." I whispered. He didn't say it back but that was okay, I felt it.
Rich was still crying but it was faint now.
"Shh, lil man." Rihmeek said while rubbing both of us, "I'm here now. I ain't going no where." Hearing those words struck something in me and I signed in contentment.
"Why did you think he was dead, Bub?" I asked, curious as to who would put something like this in his head. "Kids at school said when your dad isn't around that they're either gone to jail or dead. You never talked about him so I just though that he was dead." Listening to what he said made me feel like the shittiest mom on the face of this earth.
"I'm so sorry baby." I said, blinking away more tears. "He's here and like he said, he isn't going no where." I made eye contact with Rihmeek to confirm his words and he nodded his head.
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A/N
I'm sorry this is short I just wanted to give y'all a lil something something.
Let me know what y'all think 😜
Please ignore any errors 😘
