*Layton & Brooklyn in MM*
*Another long one for y'all. How y'all doing? I leave on the 18th🥲. Imma miss y'all💘. Hopefully I can drop two more chapter before I leave!! Make sure y'all check out my other book "Broken".*
Payton was unpacking the new house. August and Shawn was out getting a haircut and Adam was asleep in his crib that was in the living room.
She had already unpacked the kitchen, downstairs bathroom, one of the guest bedrooms, and now she was working on Adam's room. She listened to Brent Faiyaz as she unpack to make her relax.
I almost fell in love with you
After the club last night
It don't know what you do
Money's gonna treat you right
Girl, don't act like you changed
When we both know you can't
And I know you love me
Cause i think you're lovely
Girl check my coat
Drop that ass on the floor
See you move on that pole
Baby, look at you go
Girl, check my coat
Drop that ass on the floor
See you move on that pole
Baby, look at you go
She hummed to the lyrics as she sat on the sofa separating Adam clothes. He was growing so big so fast and was realizing it as she got rid of some of his old clothes. Her emotions started to catch her slipping as she got deep in her thoughts.
She really had a kid of her own. She thought about him growing up to be a handsome young man and the girls made chills go up her spine and she cringed. Shaking her head she wiped a few tears, she was having a mommy moment.
Her phone began to ring and she sigh grabbing it. She seen it was Shawn aunt. Answering she put the phone on speaker.
"Hello" she answered and there was silence before someone said something.
"Hey Payton this is Martha, I was calling because I wanted to let you know that Michelle came by and she asked to stay with me for a while and I told her it was fine" Martha began to explain.
"Okay so what does that mean" she asked and Martha sigh.
"Do you want Shawn here with Michelle being here" she asked and the door opened in walked Shawn & August.
"Hey look let me give you a call back" Payton said standing up and August walked over hugging her.
"Okay." She said and they hung up.
"Pay-Pay you like my haircut." Shawn asked and August kissed her.
"Yea it's nice, I want to talk to you real quick." Payton told him and he nodded
August walked over to Adam kissing him before walking in there room to give the two privacy. Shawn sat down and Payton sat beside him.
"Shawn do you want to see your mom" she asked and his eyes watered.
"No" he said after a while and Payton sigh.
"You fear she's going to leave again don't you." She asked and he nodded before breaking down and Payton brought him into a hug.
"I don't wanna go" he said as he hugged Payton tight.
"You don't have to." Payton said, she couldn't let him go through that again.
"Why" he asked as he pulled away wiping his face.
"She's living with your aunt and I know she doesn't have her life together right now so it's no guarantee she's going to stay, I'm not gone put you through that again because it hurts and I know it does" she explain to him and he nodded.
"Thank you Pay-Pay" he said hugging her again and she hugged him back.
"I love you kid." Payton said and he pulled back with a slight smile.
"I love you too." Shawn said, he was so happy he could stay.
"Go unpack your room, your bed is already up." She told him and he got up going upstairs.
"Amarin." Pierre walked downstairs.
"Yea babe." She answered as she sat on the couch watching Grey's Anatomy.
"We need to take Asia to the doctor for another pump, also when is the next family therapy meeting" he asked and she looked at her watch.
"In two hours" she said and Pierre looked at the clock on the wall with their family picture in it.
"At two, well I'm going to get Payton... you wanna go" he asked and she looked at him.
"I thought she had her car." Amarin asked as she paused the tv.
"Amarin this is Payton we talking about, she don't wanna be around us remember. She's not going to come if we don't go get her." Pierre said and Amarin sigh.
"I talked to her the other day when she was here and I think we should talk" Amarin told him and he was confused.
"Can we talk on the way over there." He asked, he really wanted Payton to come.
"Sit down Pierre" she said and he sigh walking around sitting down.
"What wrong" he asked throwing his keys on the table.
"Pierre please don't be mad" Amarin said nervously.
"Babe why would I be mad at you" he asked curiously.
"Pierre... I had a m-... I had a miscarriage" she cleared her throat and Pierre said nothing he just stared at her.
"Pierre say something please." Amarin said getting up going to sit beside him.
"When was it." He asked and Amarin sigh.
"The say we went to Payton's and I thought it was my period but it wasn't... I'm sorry." She apologized and Pierre just hugged her.
"Are you okay." He asked as she cried in his shoulder.
"What if I can't have another child Pierre." Amarin asked and Pierre pulled back wiping her tears.
"Babe it's okay if you can't, I'm grateful for what I have." Pierre said as he kissed her.
"I love you so much." Amarin said hugging him once again.
"I love you too." Pierre said hugging her tight.
August was in the bedroom with Adam as Payton got ready. He didn't know where she was going. His phone began to ring and he quick answered it so it wouldn't wake Adam up.
"Yo Yung we got a meeting at the studio in bout a hour you coming" Dawg told him and he looked at the time.
"Naw bro I got my son today" August told him and Dawg smacked his teeth.
"This important, you can't miss this August" Dawg said and August sigh.
"I'll be there" he said hanging up.
He put Adam in his crib and snuck out the house without telling Payton. He prayed he'd be back in time before she left. The meeting shouldn't take that long, well that's what he thought. Once he arrived he noticed a black Roll Royce outside, he never seen that car before. He got out and walked in.
"Yo" August said as he closed the door behind him.
"August nice to finally meet you, I'm Nicki." Nicki Minaj stood introducing herself.
"Hey how you, what y'all doing here" he asked as he shook her hand.
"We're doing a song together" she said and August raised his eyebrows in confusion.
"Who said that" he asked as he took a seat beside Dawg.
"The label Yung, y'all gotta record this song tonight and drop it by Friday and the video" Dawg told him and he looked at everybody confused.
"Yo Dawg wait man... you do realized I have a child to look after." August told him as he thought about all this.
"So do I but I'm going to be there just as much as you" Dawg explained and August was pissed.
"Congrats on your son August I didn't know." Nicki said, lowkey flirtatious.
"I never said it was a boy so you did know" August said and the room got quiet.
"Yo Yung chill man." Dawg nudge him a bit.
"Well anyways the song, it's called no love it'll be on your album and it already pre-written" Nicki manager told him.
"Pre-written.. I write my own music" August told them and Nicki chuckle.
"August your so tough, loosen up." Nicki told him and he gave her a slick smile.
"My bad but I'm confused because I don't understand why my manager didn't communicate with me" August told her as he looked at Dawg.
"Well can we start recording." Nicki manager asked not really wanting to get in their business.
"Yea we can" Dawg told them and everybody stood and headed to the studio except August.
"Yo Yung come on man." Dawg said as he came back down the hall.
"Dawg this is foul and you know it." August told him as he stood up.
"It's work Yung, you being dramatic." Dawg said as he walked out the door with August.
"If anything happens Dawg I'm telling you now, you gone get fired" August said before walking in the studio.
Payton walked out the bathroom about to head over to Pierre's for the family meeting. As she walked out the bathroom she seen Adam was asleep in his crib but August was gone. Sighing, she grabbed her phone calling him. She got no answer, she called him again and still got no answer.
"You can't be serious right now" Payton said to herself as she walked out the room calling him again.
"You have reach the voicemail bo-" she hung up the phone.
There was a knock on the door and Payton looked out the window. There was a black bmw outside. She couldn't see who was on the porch but she never seen that kind of car before. Going over to her closet she grabbed her gun and walked to the door with it behind her.
"Who is it" she asked as she slowly unlocked the door.
"Pookie" she said and she opened the door.
"What you doing here" she asked tucking her gun in her waist band.
"I wanna see Shawn before I turn myself in" he said and Payton let him in.
"Pookie you shot Malcom" Payton asked and he sat down on her couch.
"He took everything from me Payton...my wife, my girl and my kids expect Shawn. He's all I got" Pookie told her and Payton could tell he was a different, he looked guilty.
"Pookie I'll let you see him but don't hurt his feelings" Payton told him and Pookie started to cry.
"P... I didn't mean to do it." Pookie said wiping his face before looking at her.
"Pookie you need help." Payton told him and he nodded in agreement.
"I know... thank you for keeping your promise P." He thanked her and she sigh deeply.
"Even though you broke yours, I know you love your kid. I will never take that from you." Payton told him and Shawn walked down the stairs.
"Pay-Pay can we go to the court today" Shawn asked and he didn't even see his father.
"Shawn" Pookie stood up and Shawn froze.
"Breathe Shawn" Payton told him as his eyes watered, he looked scared.
"Son im so sorry" he apologized and Shawn stepped back shaking his head.
"No..Pay-Pay help me" Shawn said as he looked over at her with pleading eyes.
"I'm not here to hurt you" Pookie told him and Payton quickly went over to comfort him.
"Shawn he just wants to talk to you" Payton said and he hugged her so tight as he cried.
"Y'all have to stop leaving this kid man, this hurts" Payton told Pookie as he wiped his tears.
"I'll come back later than" Pookie told them as he grabbed his keys out his pocket.
"Tomorrow" Payton told him and he nodded before leaving.
"I don't want to see him ever again" Shawn said as he cried on Payton's shoulder.
"It's okay Shawn... I got you" Payton told him and he just held her tighter breaking down.
Shawn was hurt and Payton knew it. She just wanted Shawn to know that despite his parents flaws they loved him. Payton was going to make that he knew, even if he didn't want to.
*that Friday*
Payton was home after she finished unpacking the house. August had been working all week so he was hardly home. Only time Payton had seen him was when he was sleep, other than that he wasn't there. She didn't say anything she just let it slid.
She knew he was hiding something from her because he had been distant from her this whole week. She just kept quiet though, because she knew when shit hit the fan she'd have ever reason to go off.
The doorbell rung and she went over to it. She opened it and there stood Pookie. He took Shawn to the airport. After he had spent time with Pookie he asked to go visit his mom. Payton booked him and flight and Pookie asked to take him to the airport since that would be his last time seeing him for a while.
"Pookie what you doing here" she asked as she let him in and he looked so sad.
"I just wanted to tell you thank you Payton" Pookie told her as she closed the door.
"It's all good, he's means a lot to me" Payton told him and he just wanted to cry.
"May I have a hug" Pookie asked and Payton sigh.
"Sure" she said and Pookie walked over and her hugged her.
She didn't like hugs but she was willing to give one if it was needed. He hugged her tight and Payton hugged him back. She could tell he was back to the old Pookie. The door opened the door and in walked August.
"The fuck" he said slamming the door and Payton pulled back from the hug.
"Thanks P" Pookie said looking her in her eyes before leaving.
"Take care of her man." Pookie told August before walking around him leaving.
"Who the fuck is that" August asked as he locked the door.
"Shawn's father" Payton said like it was nothing walking to the couch.
"How he know I stay" he asked aggressively.
"Umm... his kid stay here duh" Payton said as her phone pinged.
"Payton but y'all hugging and shit though" he asked and the tone is his voice sounded furious.
"He asked for one" Payton told him and she didn't care about August attitude.
"So you hugging another nigga in my house and you ain't even tell me he was here" August asked and Payton smacked her teeth.
"If you was home long enough I'd tell you why he was here but you to busy working and I'm not gone stop you for making your paper" Payton told him as she clicked on his new music video.
"So that's what this is about" August and Payton ignored him as she watched his music video.
"Thought you said you wasn't doing the collab with Nicki" Payton asked as she turned the phone around so he could see that she was watching the video.
"I was going to explain" August said and Payton scoffed turning the back around.
"Y'all close as hell too" Payton said being petty.
"Was you not just all up on another nigga in my house" August said and Payton was pissed.
"August you foul yo" Payton said as she locked her phone tossing it on the couch.
"Fuck all that Payton why was this nigga in my house with his arms around your body" August said and stood up walking to the kitchen.
"August watch your mouth when you talking to me yo dead serious" Payton told him as she walked to the fridge and he followed her.
"But you telling me I'm foul but yet you cheating on me in my damn house" He told her and she paused as she closed the fridge.
"Cheating...August nobody cheated on you so don't disrespect me like that" Payton told him as she opened the water and she was so calm.
"You could've fucked him for all I know" August said, he was just talking out the side of his neck. He didn't mean nothing he was saying.
Before Payton knew it she threw the water on him before throwing the bottle at him. There they stood staring each other down. Payton ears were fire red, you could see the smoke.
"I just told yo stupid ass not to disrespect me and you did it anyways" Payton asked and they both was pissed.
"Payton... get out"August kicked her out and not once did she move.
"No fuck that... this whole fucking week I have dealt with your selfish ass. I'm fucking tired yo, you been working this week and not once have you asked me was I okay or how was my day. I've tried to ask you but when I wake up your gone, now you on a whole music video between another bitch legs that you once told me you wasn't even gone do the song with shorty.. fuck you August" Payton snapped and August didn't care that she was mad.
"get... the fuck out my house Payton" August said as he wiped his wet face.
"Fuck you and this house... I'm tired of this yo" Payton said, she had enough of everything and everybody.
"I just bought this shirt" August said as he took it off as she walked off.
Meanwhile Payton grabbed one of her gym duffle bags and threw the clothes in the bag. She didn't care what she grabbed she just wanted to leave. She just want to breakdown and cry but she remained strong the whole time.
"I try to be there for everybody but nobody is never there for me. I pray for everybody expect myself... I've had enough of this shit" she talked to herself as she threw everything she could think of in the bag.
"Can't get along with my family, I'm raising a kid who isn't mine, and the communication in my relationship fucking sucks...God I'm just fucking tired man" she said just talking as she expressed herself.
She was physically and mentally over her life at this point. She tried her best to hang in there but this time she was done. She zipped her bag and threw it in her shoulder. She grabbed her charger out the room and kissed Adam.
She decided not to take Adam. She didn't want to wake him up and she was going to her condo to get herself together. She walked out the room to see August on the couch on the phone with somebody. She walked right passed him and out the door.
*the next Wednesday*
August & Payton we're headed to their therapy session. After their argument they decided to give each other space. Payton had yet to return home but she made sure she seen Adam everyday. August missed her but he refused to take the blame for the argument.
"August... where's Payton" Mrs.Joseph asked him and he shrugged sitting on her couch.
"I'm not sure, she told me she was on the way though." August told them as he put his phone in his pocket.
"You drove separately... that's not likely. Is there something going on" Mr.Joseph asked him and he sigh.
"We had an argument and she left, i was mad and kicked her out I didn't mean it though. She hasn't been home since but she comes to see our son" August told them and Payton walked in the door.
"I'm ready" she said as she made eye contact with Mr.Joseph.
"Well hey to you too Payton" August said and she gave him a quick wave.
"Alright then... come on" Mr.Joseph said as he walked out and Payton closed the door following him.
"How you feeling about all this" Mrs.Joseph asked August.
"Honestly I can't lie to you... I don't think we're going to make it." August told her and she looked at him to see if he was serious.
"August... why you say that" Mrs.Joseph asked and he cleared his throat.
"Payton has never been this distance towards me... we'll at least try to talk things out but neither one of us has gave it a try" August revealed to her.
"And why don't you want to talk things out" she asked and he shrugged.
"It's not my fault this time" he said honestly.
"So explain how it's hers" she said and he sat up taking his shades off.
"She let this man come in our house the one I paid for, while my son is there and didn't tell me a thing. Then I walked in on them hugging and this wasn't no regular type hug this was a connection kind of thing." August told her and she took note.
"Then boom, that same night my label dropped a video and I admitted I was wrong for not telling her but that video wasn't in my hands and I didn't wanna do it anyways." He told her.
"But it still didn't change the fact she had another man in my house around my kid and didn't tell me, so I kicked her out and ever since we haven't talk." August said not honestly caring.
Meanwhile, Payton was talking with Mr.Joseph about how she had been feeling lately. She had been trying to be strong but it was getting hard. All she need was some kind of comfort and love but she wasn't getting it, she was getting the opposite.
"Payton you look so tired" Mr.Joseph told her as he grabbed his notepad.
"Oh trust me I am" she said and she had no kind of emotion.
"What's going on with you" Mr.Joseph asked her and she sigh feeling the tears coming.
"My son is the only thing keeping me here" she revealed and a tear fell.
"Here where" he asked as he began taking notes.
"On earth. I wasn't expecting to be here this long and now that I am I hate it with everything in me. I don't wanna be here, around these people, I just wanna go and be at peace" she said as tears fell and she wiped them all.
"Is it because of what happened between you and August" Mr.Joseph asked and she sigh.
"I love this man, he's the only human i can feel safe around. He kicked me out but he didn't listen to me and I'm tired of feeling like I'm always wrong and he lied to me again. He cheated on me I never once even thought about cheating on him, and he thinks I did" Payton vented and Mr.Joseph handed her some tissues.
"Did you guys talk about it" he asked and Payton wiped her face.
"I can't even look at him without wanting to snap but then again it's like I wanna marry this man you know... he's the father of my child for godsake I can't hate him forever but I'm just tired" Payton told him and the sound in her voice was so heartbreaking, she was down bad.
"Do you have anybody you feel safe telling this" He asked and she chuckled in defeat.
"I had my dog, but he's dead because one of August crazy bitches ran him over and I wasn't going to let him keep suffering so I put him to sleep" Payton said getting even sadder as she stared at the wet tissues thinking about Marco.
"Payton do you believe in God" Mr.Joseph asked putting his notepad down.
"I do." She said and he passed her another tissue.
"Well I'm going to tell you something and this isn't my place to do so but I feel like you need to hear this and if you don't mind I want to pray for you" Mr.Joseph told her and she was so heartbroken.
"I don't mind" she told him and he got up to sit beside her.
"My mother once told me, you only live once but if you do it right once is enough. So with that being said, live for you. Your the strongest client I have ever seen, life is making you tougher than your suppose to be and now your tired but don't give up Payton." Mr.Joseph told her as she wiped her face and stared away listening to him.
"Don't let the devil win, God is a savior. Go to him when you feel happy, sad, mad, anything. God is there for you, you just have to let him be there. He's not going to just walk in your house and fix it Payton, he's going to knock and you have to let him in. Life is hard but If you want to be happy, don't dwell in the past, don't worry about the future, focus on living fully in the present" Mr.Joseph gave her some words of advice.
"Thank you" Payton sniffed sitting up and he grabbed her hand.
"Let's pray" he told her and she sigh bowing her head closing her eyes.
"God I come to right now and ask you to watch over Payton. God I ask that you wipe her tears and let her know it's going to be okay. God I ask that you guide her to peace and keep her strong through it all. God I'm asking you to help your daughter in your name I pray" he prayed for her and she felt ever word in her spirit.
"Amen" they sealed the prayer together.
"Thank you so much" Payton said and he brought her into a hug.
"Your welcome, and you got this alright. Be strong not only for you but for your son" Mr.Joseph said and she smiled lightly.
"My son" she nodded wiping her face once again.
After the therapy session Payton left to go see Adam. August was already gone by the time she left the therapy session. She headed over to the house to grab more clothes and shoes. Once she got there she got out and headed in.
She tried unlocking the door with her key but it was obvious August had changed the locks. She was three seconds from another breakdown and she didn't wanna do it infront of Adam. Sighing deeply she rung the doorbell.
"Who is it" she heard his voice and she just wanted to cry.
She didn't want things to be like this. If only August would've listened, they wouldn't be going through this. But Payton refused to let him disrespect her like he did.
"It's Payton" she said loud enough for him to hear, her voice was cracking.
Opening the door, she walked right in refusing to look at him. If she did she would've cried right then and there. She walked to their room and over to Adam's crib. He was asleep, she felt a tear fall ad she leaned over kissing him.
"I just put him down" August said walking in the room.
"Okay" she said lowly wiping her face, she stared at him for a while longer before heading to the closet but August stopped her.
"We need to talk" he told her and she looked up at him.
"August I didn't come to argue or nothing like that alright, I just came to see our kid and get clothes" she told him as she wiped her tears.
"We don't have to... I just want to talk" August told her and she sigh.
"Alright fine." Payton said and he stood up walking to the living room and he followed.
"So wassup" she asked as she sat on the couch and he sat beside her.
"So where do we stand" August asked her and she sigh.
"August I don't know... I just feel like it was real disrespectful of you to think I would cheat on you like that. In our house, with our son here ain't no way" Payton told him and he sigh.
"What was he doing here" August asked her and she shrugged.
"He came thank me for taking care of his kid, he asked for a hug and I gave him one that was it... you was foul for what you said." Payton told him and August shook his head.
"So he's been here before" August asked and she nodded.
"Shawn is his child, I'm not going to stop him from seeing his child. You would've known he was here if you was home but you wasn't so I don't feel like you should blame for not telling you." Payton told him and August sigh.
"Payton I'm sorry for disrespecting you. Are you going to come home" he asked and she shook her head no.
"No, not yet." Payton told him and he looked over at her.
"Why... and why you keep crying" August asked and she sigh.
"I just need time August." She said and August scooted closer to her.
"But I miss you and your son needs his mother" he told her.
"I miss you too and I got him August. Just give me sometime to get myself together" Payton him as she wiped her tears.
"Fine.. whatever you want P. When is Shawn coming back" he asked and she sigh.
"I don't know... he's spending time with his mom and I'm not going to stop him. I told him he could come back when he's ready" Payton told him and he just stared at her.
"I'm sorry P" August apologized and she looked at him.
"It's okay." Payton told before kissing him.
"I love you" she told him before standing up heading back the room to grab clothes.
"I love you too" August said to hisself as he watched her disappear behind the door.
For some reason he felt like that was a goodbye kiss. He didn't want to believe it but that's what he thought. He waited for her to come back out. After about five minutes, she came back out with her bag on her shoulder.
"I'll see you later" she told him as she opened the door leaving.
He just sat there looking at the door hoping she would turn around and come back but she didn't.