This time it had been months of me declining and ignoring calls.
Now that I'm in his presence I feared what he would say to me.
"He isn't happy but not mad. Go find out"
Letting me go she stepped aside me.
I'm not gonna lie. I pulled the puppy face card. I was pouting hoping that'll help my case like it usually did.
"Hey Papi" I said nervously as he grabbed my suitcase.
"Nervous huh?" He questioned yanking me to what I assume was a bear hug.
"If you weren't 24 I'd beat you" He looked down at me with his arms around my shoulders.
"I thought you were ashamed of me" I looked up to him since he was taller than me.
By his expression what I said was insane to him. Handing Deaven to my mom he wrapped his single arm around my neck.
"Now why would you think something like that? Did I say something to make you think that?"
"Iunno" I shrugged.
"Because of my lies"
Turning me to be directly in front of him he sighed.
"What you do with your life isn't my business. You're my child Carina. I'll love you no matter what you do or say. Even though you treated me like a crackhead on the street"
"Thank you, dad. I'm so sorry" I hugged him as he kissed my forehead.
"Don't do it again. I can't operate when I don't know what's up with my kids. You can't just leave me like that"
"I won't. I promise" We shared our hug for a minute until we ended it.
"I assume you know..." I faltered off lifting my bag on my shoulders.
"We all know Ri. Look at that girl" He said making me look over to my mom and Nova who were at the vending machine.
Nova was blabbering off to her while my mom nodded.
"Can I even hide it anymore?" I rubbed my tired eyes from the long flight.
"I wouldn't let you even if you tried" He pulled my suitcase as we followed them to the exit.
"You need to tell him"
"I am. Mommy told me I have to I'm just... really scared"
"Understandable but there's nothing to be afraid of"
"Well, I know him. I just don't know how he'll react. I mean he hurt me but I kinda feel like I did the extreme"
"Honestly, you did but I will say hurt is a strong emotion and you weren't thinking straight. You were thinking with your still immature brain"
"Yeah..." I sighed.
Getting to the car my mom was on the side.
"Shoot. I should have told you guys to get a car seat"
"Six kids Carina. Six" My dad said putting the suitcase in the truck then going around to the driver's side.
Opening the door I looked in to see my mother strapping her up while she sucked on a nasty cheese doodle.
"I assume you want to sit with her mommy?" I lightly chuckled.
They were in deep conversation even though neither of them knew what the other was talking about.
"Oh," She looked up.
"I mean you can. I don't mind sitting with her"
"Get in the front stink" My dad gestured his head as I nodded.
When my mother closed the door my dad started the engine.
"That isn't your child anymore," He said as I laughed.
"You wanna take your cute little shoes off?" My mom chooed as she got in.
"That's her thing now. She hates wearing shoes. Especially when it's hot" I turned around watching her kick her feet to get them off.
"Grandma will take your shoes off" She undid her belts.
"Rina, baby why does she still have this bottle"
"Uh, yeah... about that" I dragged on.
"She doesn't want to give it up. I tried to wean her off but she isn't budging. She likes to put her hand in my face or swing"
"She got the attitude from you for sure" My dad said.
Laughing I turned back in my seat.
"I was a good baby"
"Who the hell told you that?" He questioned. "You was good after you got popped a few times"
"Mommy"
"She was a good baby Jarvin" She wiped Deav's face.
"To you and only you"
Laughing my mother shook her head.
"Don't listen to him. You were better than Dylan and Elisa"
"That's a no-brainer. Ass whoopings were like prayer in our house with them little niggas"
Laughing out loud I pulled out my bag. Retrieving my phone I went to my emails.
"So I'll be staying at Luxe Sunset Boulevard" I read the document.
"Why would you get a hotel?"
"I don't know. I just thought— I don't know" I looked between the two of them.
"Girl ima kill you. How long did you book for?"
"Only three days" I located the exact date.
"Just until Sunday"
"You know I never sold your house right?"
"Really?" I questioned surprised.
"Yeah. Everything's still intact"
"Oh wow" I replied shock.
"I have to go there. I thought it'd be gone by now"
"I can take you Friday after the event we'll be attending"
Furrowing my eyebrows I side-eyed her.
I did not agree to no damn event.
"Hmm... Event?"
"Yeah. My friends having a little anniversary party. They would love to see you and the baby"
"Oh, no mom. I don't want a bunch of strangers around her. What if she contracts something? You heard of Coronavirus? Me neither but I read it on the Lysol bottle then looked it up—"
"Six kids" They said cutting me off simultaneously.
Shutting up I looked out the window.
"Your familiar with these people Ri. She'll be fine"
Sticking out my lip I rested my head in my hand.
Not what I signed up for.
* * *
