IF THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES Book 2

Chapter 27

“Sata is still young. I don’t want her on the road.”

“Mama said she would keep her. You don’t have to go to every date.”

“Still. She’s so young I don’t want to be leaving her like that.”

I heard the doorbell ring. My heart started to race.

“You expecting somebody?” He looked at me.

“Uh no. Let me go see who it is.” I got up to get the door.

I knew it was Aug. I slowly opened the door.

“Hey baby.” He bent downed and kissed me. Aug noticed Rell who had come to the front.

“Hey Rell ain’t seen you in a minute. What’s poppin’ Mr. King of R and B?” Aug smiled brightly and tried to dap Rell. But Rell turned to me.

“Oh so this why you can’t go?” Rell looked at me angry.

Aug looked at Rell and me confused. Sata was laid on Aug’s shoulder.

I closed the door behind Aug.

“Rell I don’t feel like arguing.”

“You don’t feel like arguing? But you felt like crying on my shoulder ever damn night when this nigga left you.” Rell got in my face.

“Whoa. What the hell is going on?” Aug looked confused.

“You trying to Ray Rice my sister that’s what’s going on. The only reason I ain’t whooping yo ass is because you got my niece in your arms.”

“Amb hold Sata.” August gave her to me.

“August. Don’t.”

“Nah this nigga got a problem with me. Let’s settle this shit like men.”

Rell laughed. “You far from a man mutha-fucka. Men don’t beat women. Men don’t leave women alone to raise babies by themselves. So you ain’t no man. You something but it ain’t no man.”

“Aug y’all just stop.” I yelled out.

Him and Aug were toe to toe.

“I’m not doing shit. It’s this nigga acting like I’m some bitch.”

“I’m just calling it like I see it.” Rell looked Aug up and down.

 “Rell he’s Sata’s father. Leave him alone.”

“No Nate was Sata’s father. This nigga was a sperm donor.”

August looked at me, I looked down.

“Says the nigga that cheated on his wife and had a baby on her? Take care of your own fucking house before you come in mine.”

Rell laughed an evil laughed and I knew what that meant.  He drew back and punched August. They were on the floor fighting.

“Stop it!” I yelled.

They weren’t listening. Sata started crying seeing them. I was going to put a Sata in her crib, but luckily my mother and Governor Parker walked in. Governor Parker separated them.

“What the hell is going on?” My mother screamed.

Rell nor Aug answered. They both had bloody lips. Rell moved his jaw side to side.

“You gotta leave son” My mother told August.

August looked at me. I sighed.

 “Ain’t nobody gon come in my house causing havoc. He can’t come back in here. He ain’t been nothing but trouble since he entered your life.”

She took a crying Sata from me. “Get him outta my house.” My mother narrowed her eyes at me.

I went over to Aug. “Go sit in the car while I get you some ice.”

Aug went outside to the car.

“Rell you okay baby?” My mother called out.

“Yeah I’m cool Ma.” Rell came into the kitchen with me.

“Why did you punch him?”

“That nigga disrespected me. And besides his ass deserved it for how he treated you.”

“Rell we’ve moved pass that. Like Tanya forgave you, I forgave him.”

“This ain’t shit like me and Tanya. He tried to beat you into the ground.”

 “Just stay out of my business okay.” I said getting the ice out the freezer.

“All the bullshit he put you through. The tears. Making you feel like giving up on life. Treating you like absolute shit. Discarding you like trash and you want me to stay out of it?”

“Yes.” I yelled. “Let me live my own damn life.”

“Well if the nigga hit you again, don’t come calling me.” Rell walked out the kitchen with some ice on his lip.

I got Aug’s ice, a paper towel and some Neosporin then went out to the car.

I was going to put it on his lip but he snatched it from me.

“You supposed to be my woman and you didn’t even defend me.”

“I did.”

“Psh. Take me home.”

“Baby I--.”

“Fuck it. I’ll walk.” He got out and slammed the door and started walking.

I rolled alongside him and tried to get him to get in the car but he ignored me and kept walking. I stopped the car and ran up to him and grabbed his waist.

“I’m sorry baby I didn’t defend you like I should have. Rell doesn’t know how much you’ve changed, but I do. And I’m so appreciative of it.”

“Just not appreciative enough to defend me? You let this nigga call me a sperm donor and not say nothing?”

I was silent. He unwrapped his arms from around me and disappeared into the night.