Monse POV
I wake up to someone knocking on the door. I try to pretend to stay sleep so Oscar can deal with it but his snores are now annoying and the knocking won't go away. I move Omar and get out of bed. I close the door and head to the front one.
When I do open it I see Monse and Jasmine. It's too early in the morning for this.
Me:Good morning ladies, to what do I owe the honor?
Jasmine:She had a run in with Vero.
I roll my eyes and walk into the bathroom and wash my hands and face before brushing my teeth, God I just want to sleep in for once.
I walk back out and walk into the kitchen, I pull out things for breakfast and I look at them.
Me:I'm assuming it didn't go too well?
Monse:Is that who Cesar is dating?
Me:Yes. Have been for a minute now, little annoying Brat who thinks everyone wants Cesar, including me.
Monse:But you're dating Oscar.
Me:And that means what to Vero? She almost got her lights knocked out once but Oscar and Cesar saved her ass. But just don't entertain her. After a while she'll become background noise.
Monse:Did he tell you what he did?
I nod and pour the pancake batter onto the skillet.
Me:Yeah, but I'm assuming he didn't do what I advised him to do. Which was apologize to you , not find a girl who would let him disrespect her.
Jasmine:Wait you and Oscar are back together? Since when? Where's Isabelle?
I shake my head and she nods I flip the pancake before she speaks again.
Jasmine:Well, we all knew you two would be back together, you guys are in love, that kind of thing doesn't just disappear, especially if a cute baby is in the mix.
I raise an eyebrow and nod.
Me:Like you and Ruby?
Monse:*scoffs*Don't get her started.
I chuckle as Jasmine bumps her.
Jasmine:We broke up. He said he couldn't find Me in We.
I shrug and look at her.
Jasmine:What? You agree?
I smile and shake my head.
Me:You are a little too forward in ways Ruby isn't so I can see that, but at the same time yall are cute and it's only a matter of time before you get back together and sexing all over the place again.
Jasmine:I hope so, I do miss him.
Me:Then apologize for whatever you did wrong and give him a compliment, we all know he loves em.
Monse:A little too much.
I hear the door open and not long after I see my sunshine walking into the kitchen his fist in his eye.
Me:Morning my baby, you sleep well?
He comes over to me and hugs my thigh pressing his face into it, I rub his head and grab the eggs pouring them into the skillet.
Me:Did you see your aunties?
He moves and looks before waving, they both smile and wave saying soft hellos before he tucks his face back into my thigh.
Me:Go lay down baby. I'll call you when breakfast is done.
He slowly detaches from me and shuffles out. They watch him leave and then turn to me.
Monse:He's the perfect mix between you and Oscar but he's definitely has your mannerisms and personality.
Jasmine:Oh, girl not when he's upset, that's all Oscar, eyebrows and all. But how has he been since... You know.
I look at them before shrugging.
Me:He's better than I expected, I'm looking for someone he can talk to in Chicago-
Jasmine:Chicago? You guys are moving?
Me:We can't stay here Jas, things are changing and I can't put them through that anymore. I won't do it. Oscar's out of Los Santos, I don't want to be here after his situation so it defeats the purpose of staying. You guys are about to be adults off in college so it won't be a big deal. You know you can come visit and stay whenever. It gives you a place to escape from here.
Jasmine:I guess... But I just don't want to see you guys leave, but as long as you're happy and doing what's right for your peoples I can't be mad.
Monse:Same, you guys are my family and Chicago is beautiful I can't wait to visit you guys.
I smile and I come around the table and hug them. They hug back and I start to fix plates handing them theirs first. I cut up Omar's and I put Oscar's in the oven before starting to fix Lydia's bottle.
Me:So when are you due back for school, Se?
Monse:I'm not going, we can't afford it.
Me:Oh, I'm sorry, that has to suck.
Monse:Yeah, but I guess on the bright side, I'm ending my high school year with the same people I started with, well majority of them.
I see her phone ring and she picks up, after a few seconds she says what before saying she'll be down there. I frown as she hangs up.
Me:What's up?
Monse:The police wants me down there to talk about something.
Me:I'll do a Uber. You going home afterwards?
She stuffs her mouth while nodding, I chuckle and nod, I order the Uber before telling her it's 10 minutes away. Jasmine goes with her, taking her food to go.
Oscar:Bout time they left.
I turn and smile seeing him walking out through the house, Omar still sitting at his table eating, his appetite finally back. I place his plate in front of him with the strawberry syrup. He thanks me and before I can sit down he pulls me into his lap, I giggle and kiss his cheek, pulling my plate to me.
Oscar:Still no pancakes?
Me:Nope. How was your sleep?
Oscar:Refreshing. It's something about your beds that's just-
Me:You sleep halfway on me. So no don't even try it.
He chuckles and I grin.
Oscar:Have you decided what you wanted to do for your birthday?
Me:Nope, I honestly don't want to do anything.
Oscar:You never want to do anything. You're the only 21 year old I've met that hasn't gotten drunk on her birthday.
Me:Because I don't see the fun in getting drunk, and the last time I was drunk, I embarrassed myself and that's never happening again.
He laughs and I smack his chest.
Oscar:You were so confident you could hop that fence.
Me:Yo, shut up no one asked for a recap. I still have the scar from that on my leg.
Oscar:Oh you mean the scar from the scrap you got that made you throw up because the skin was ugly?
I try to move from his lap but he clings to me laughing. I grab a piece of bacon and stuff it into his mouth, but that barely shuts him up.
Me:Do we have enough tape for tonight?
Oscar:I bought some more yesterday and wrapping paper.
I exhale and stretch laying my head on the table, I feel Oscar's hands up and down my back and my neck I let out a huff.
Oscar:Remember how excited we were to get him gifts? Even if he was too young to even know what they were?
I smile and nod.
Me:How you rained on my parade telling me that we would be doing the most unwrapping and it'd be unnecessary wrapping things? Yeah.
I sit up and sigh.
Me:Would it be weird to say that I love Lydia as if she were mines? I don't know maybe it's just baby fever mixed with overwhelming happiness of just getting your child back.
Oscar:It's not weird, you have a big heart and you've been doting on her since she was placed in your arms, even at the most inopportune times. If anything I'd be worried if you weren't. You've been great with her. Makes me regret not actually having her with you.
I roll my eyes and look back at him.
Me:I can't tell, let you tell it you were very clear on your decision to leave.
Flashback
I put Omar down on the couch when I see a angry Oscar, here we go another failed interview.
Me:How was your day?
Oscar:Shitty, the asshole literally shut down the interview once he saw the tattoo! Even after I told him it was my past.
I look at him and sigh.
Me:I asked did you want me to cover it. I still have the stuff.
Oscar:I'm not putting on no fucking makeup, if they won't hire me with the tattoo then I don't need their ass!
I roll my eyes and mumble out him being stressed out .
Oscar:The hell did you just say?
Me:Oh my God don't start, Oscar maybe you may need to go down to Bakersfield to get-
Oscar:I'm not going! What's up with you and trying to get rid of me? I'm doing all of this for us!
I look at him and shake my head scoffing.
Me:You need to take a nap or something, because you're on twenty when I'm barley reaching 5. All I'm saying is maybe going down there will give you a leg up you don't know about. It'll make your life easier and the transition from Santos to biweekly salary smoother.
His nose flares and I sigh.
Me:Do you wanna cook or do you want me to?
He scoffs before grabbing his jacket slamming the door on his way out, on the way spooking Omar making him cry. Jesus he's so dramatic. I go and grab Omar before bouncing him trying to calm him down. I don't know why loud noises like that scare him so easily but sudden loud music doesn't maybe it's nothing.
I wake up to the door shutting louder than necessary, I sit up and see a now shirtless Oscar. I turn on the light checking my phone 8 am what the hell?
Me:Oscar what's going on?
Oscar:I'm going to Bakersfield, don't wait up.
Hang on, what?
Me:Huh? Wait-
Oscar:I gotta go, Ray is waiting for me.
He slips a shirt on before leaving out bag still open as he rushes out of the door. I just sit there blinking at the area he was just was. What the hell was that?
_____________
I stare at him, my heart breaking all over again.
Me:*softly* What?
He rolls his eyes and folds his arms, he looks at Omar in the back seat before looking back at me.
Oscar:You're a reminder of my past and I don't need that right now. If it has nothing to do with Omar don't contact me.
I step back leaning into my foot looking at him. I scoff and nod.
Me:This is what I get? You go somewhere ignoring your responsibilities as a father for months leaving me in the air, me worried sick about your ass neither you or Ray answering the phone just for you to come back obviously changed to tell me that shit? You serious Oscar? You know what? I'm done you're fucking toxic! I hope whatever you do with your life goes well because I plan on never seeing you again. I should have left when I had the chance and let you kill yourself with Cuchillos.
Oscar:Fuck you! That's exactly why I'm leaving your evil ass! You're nothing but negativity and selfishness.
I slam the door and push him.
Me:Selfish? Evil? Negative? Yo- have you not been seeing what we've been through? If I'm any of that you've made me it! You and your drama has drained everything out of me! All of this is your fault! If you stopped gaslighting me and lying then maybe I'd be back in Chicago in school but no because you wanted this to work I'm stuck here with my damn son! So fuck you, you selfish bastard!
He gets in my face and I push him again but he grabs my wrists and makes sure I'm looking into his eyes.
Oscar:I don't want anything to do with you. Not anymore I'm done with this, you're apart of a chapter I never want to revisit, understand me?
Me:If that's the case, you don't want to see Omar anymore since he's a constant reminder of that chapter, right? Now let me go.
I try to snatch away but he grips me harder and pushes me into the car, his other hand comes up and points into my face.
Oscar:Don't play with me Amara, you don't want to test how far I'd go for that little boy, I'm doing all this for him and I'll be damned if he doesn't see how hard I'm working to better myself for him.
He snatches from me and I nod before chuckling.
Me:I hope whoever you're doing this for is worth it, and make sure you stick to your word and never come back to me because we both know that every time we've split up you've come back to kiss my ass. Remember this.
Flashback Over
I stand from his lap, the actual conversation coming back full throttle. I move around the table tossing the foot away my appetite gone. I exhale dropping my head as I lean on the sink, what the hell am I doing? I said I wasn't doing this. I was talking about Monse and Cesar my God we're worse. He literally told me I was evil and here I am hugged up on him. What examples are we?
Oscar:Amara-
Me:Don't... Look-
Oscar:No, I'm not doing anything if you aren't there with me.
Me:You don't get that choice, I can't do the toxic thing anymore. I can't do this for a year or two until you find someone you're interested in and up and leave. I'll be damned.
He grabs my hands but I snatch them away.
Me:What did I say Oscar? I meant what I said, I just told Monse that Cesar found a girl he could disrespect because he couldn't do it with Monse with and now I'm that girl with you.
Oscar:Don't compare us to those two, did you forget that I proposed to you and you said that it was too early? I stayed even though people told me to leave, and I admit I was confused and angry nothing was working how I planned it and you weren't giving up and it made me feel like a punk so yes I blamed you and I was wrong, I was selfish but Amara you have to understand that I'm sorry I had to learn how to love myself before I could love you, I had to experience life without you after having you and now I don't want anything else. Please. One last time. That's all I'm asking you for.
I roll my eyes and move from him as he moves to get on his knees, I look away from him to Omar who's looking at us, I mutter to Oscar.
Me:Get up, your son is looking at you.
Oscar:Good, because I want him to see it's nothing wrong with begging for the love of your life to let you back in. To beg for forgiveness after messing up with the person you were meant to live with for the rest of your life. Please Amara, I just need one more chance.
I glare down at him and shake my head.
Me:You need to leave, Oscar. Now. I can't deal with this right now because I know that if Isabelle was still here you'd be still with her getting ready to go to Portland, even with these feelings and I don't deserve to be second choice to no one.
I move around him and walk into the bathroom but he follows and before I can close the door he walks in and closes the door I fold my arms and glare at him.
Oscar:Look me in my eyes and tell me we're done. Say, "Oscar we are done and I never want to see you again if it's not dealing with our kids."
I open my mouth to say those exact words but he taps my chin making me look up into his eyes, I feel the words die on my lips, why in the hell can't I say it? I mean it. He meant it when he said it, why can't I? Because deep down we both know we were trying to hurt each other saying anything because we care too much.
Me:Oscar, we are going to do right by each other, no more saying things just to make the other angry to get a reaction out of them, no more chances, no more running from conversations, no more Bullshit, no more leaving... And the next time you propose, I will accept it. I promise.
He wipes the tear from his eyes and lifts me up, hugging me. I feel him kiss me and I look at him, he pulls me into a spine snapper, and not the one I rather it be in. I hear Isabella start to cry and I push Oscar away.
Me:Go handle your daughter.
He kisses my forehead again before leaving out.
I sigh and put my head down, before looking up at the ceiling.
Me:*Whispering*What the heck am I doing?
I turn on the shower and get in trying to slip out of that mind set.
I finished the last gift before tossing it into the pile of gifts, the teenagers are supposed to come over to my parents house later on today so I had to do their gifts all at once and I had to mix Oscar's in while he was packing up the house. Once I've packed up the others gift, Manny said he wanted to pack his own shit, saying he doesn't want me throwing his memories out, and by memories he means junk that's borderline hoarding. He has a news paper from our eighth grade year from a project he did, he doesn't even have the project anymore.
I look at the boxes that's now labeled and tapped up, I feel my stomach drop and I stop, something isn't right. I head to Omar's room and check on him, his bed is taken down so he's just on the mattress and box spring. I check him over before going into my room seeing Oscar putting my clothes into bags. I see him look back at me and I kiss his cheek while looking at him before going to Lydia, she should've been the first I checked but my mind wouldn't let me go straight to the possible problem. I run my hand over her stomach feeling her breathing, I rub her forehead and see she's not too hot or cold. It's too late to bug my parents with a phone call, I'll text them.
I pull my phone out and text them all Manny, Dj and Jamal texting back almost right away, Monse and Jasmine as well, then Cesar, my dad texts for both my mom and him and so does my uncle. Maybe I'm just being dramatic.
Oscar:Hey, what's wrong?
He turns me around and I shake my head.
Me:Something feels off.
Oscar:You're about a few days away from going back home it can be nerve racking.
Me:It's not that-
Oscar:Don't worry about it. Everyone is fine and it will be. It's Christmas and we have a alarm clock ready to go off in 4 more hours. Let's get some rest, okay?
I nod and he pulls us to the bed and I fix my headscarf before turning off the light. Something isn't right.
Oscar:Hey, calm down.
I shake my head and sigh closing my eyes. But as soon as I do my phone dings, same with Oscar's, we look at each other before sitting up grabbing them.
Cesar🖤: Heads up... Bigfoot's been ID'd.
Shit.
Oscar:Where did Bigfoot come from?
Me:It's what they told the cops for why they were in the forest. Thanks to Jamal they were up to date for the facts about him... We gotta go, like by the end of this week.
Oscar:Why?
I toss my phone on the side and look at him.
Me:If the Santos but the dates together, they're gonna get you as a answer. You can not be here when that shit hits the fan.
Oscar:No one is gonna find out, we made sure who did know was under tight wraps. I promise. You can't stress this, Amara, we're leaving but we can't rush a process that's already been on express shipping.
I sigh and nod, we lay down and I lay down on his chest, dozing off in a uncomfortable state of mind.
Something isn't right.
---------------------------------
Omar:Mommy! It's Christmas! Papi!
I move away from Oscar once I feel his foot land on the bed, Oscar groans and I grin, merry Christmas old man.
I stand up and kiss Omar's face before telling him to let his father get up, I make him go brush his teeth, wash his face and find himself a outfit for the day and I look to Oscar.
Me:You've got about 30 minutes before he comes back.
We both rush to clean up before i pick up a awake but quiet Lydia, I smile and kiss her making her smile, I walk into the front and I see Omar with Oscar as Oscar hands Omar his gifts, who in turn just rips them up with no problem more fascinated with unwrapping everything. Until he sees that bulky Lego set I promised him and his new basketball and the rim Oscar got him. He runs around the house screaming before crashing into Oscar and then me. He softly kisses Lydia's forehead and Oscar hands him another gift it's smaller than the others.
Oscar:Would you like to open your sister gift for her?
Omar:Yes!
He does and he opens it and gasps he rushes to me and shows me, I smile and nod. It's a gold bracelet with her name with a cross on both sides. I take it out and clip it onto her wrist.
Omar:She has one like mines.
Me:Yeah, you like it?
Omar:Hmh. Pretty.
I smile and I tell him we need to start getting ready. When we all finish we head out gifts in hand.
====================
I lay a knocked out Omar on his bed, his shoes put away, I kiss his forehead before turning off the light and heading to the front. I see Oscar sitting on couch beer in hand, I sit next to him and I see a small box on the coffee table next to the gingerbread house.
Me:Whose gift is this?
Oscar:Yours.
I look at him and frown.
Me:What's this another pandora charm? If you continue at the rate I'm going to have to get another bracelet. What could this one even be? You guys basically got me every one.
I reach for it and lean on his thigh as I unwrap the box.
Me:How much tape did you use?
Oscar:The shit wouldn't lay right.
We laugh and I finally get it undone and I see it's a diamond ring, it's not the same one he first proposed with, I look at him and he shrugs.
Oscar:I've never stopped being ready to marry you, but I decided to change the ring because I thought that wasn't the best I could do. Everytime you look at that ring I want you to see that I love you with everything in me. So if you say yes-
Me:Yes.
He looks from the ring to me and I smile, he was ready to fight for his life. I hold my left hand out and he chuckles and takes the ring and slips it onto my ring finger, I leap into his lap and kiss him, he holds me tightly to him. I pull away and I chuckle.
Me:You were about to fight for your life weren't you?
Oscar:Damn near, I had this whole speech laid out and everything.
Me:Well I did say that I would say yes the next time you proposed. Even if I didn't think it'd be this close after saying it. You know you like to space stuff out and make people sweat.
He chuckles and sighs.
Oscar:Life is too short to be letting things or people 'sweat' I've known you were the one since I seen you walking down that street by yourself. I don't know why but I did. I just thought I wouldn't have that much good luck, then you had my son stuck by me I can't let anyone else have my blessing.
I smile and kiss him, he kisses back and I lean my forehead into his.
Me:I love you.
Oscar:I love you too.
I lean back and think for a second before looking at him.
Me:How long do you think the baby will stay sleep?
Oscar:She's been awake basically all day, so majority of the night why?
I shrug and slowly lift up his sweater. He chuckles and helps me.
Oscar:Now this is the gift I wanted.
Me:Well I guess you made it on the nice list.
Maybe everything will go well after all.
______________
Unfortunately that time has come.... Get ready, warming yall now.