2 months later
Omniscient POV
"Yooo can someone please pass me my phone?" Odell said.
"Why you can't get it?" Duke asked.
"Nigga you don't see this baby in my hand?"
"I actually didn't but now you can get it yoself playboy."
"Y'all deadass? Say less." He said while reaching for his phone.
"See look. You didn't need our help. You got it."
"Go to hell."
"What's on the schedule for today?" Luke asked.
"I'm taking Ms. Saylor to her two month check up and we're taking some pictures today... aren't we stink? Yes we are." Odell coo'd.
"Your baby voice need some work." Duke said.
"Man please. I had two months to work on this i'm good. Worry about yours you be scaring my baby."
"Nigga no I don't.
"Go ahead and try then."
"Aight sayless. Watch this."
Duke grabbed the baby from Odell's arms and started to coo at her.
"Heyy stinka butt. Hii- Oh no no. Don't cry."
"See. Give me my baby." Odell said taking her back. "Aww stink he scared you. I'm so sorry."
"Shame on you." Odell said while flicking Duke off.
"What's wrong wit lil shawty?" Luke walked in and asked.
"What's wrong with uncle baby? You ready to eat?" He said cooing.
"I was gonna feed her before we go. Y'all coming right?" Odell asked.
"Of course. Ima fuck wit her while you fix her bottle." Luke said.
"So have y'all heard from Ryan lately?" Odell asked.
"Nah." Luke said keeping it short. "You?"
"Nah man. Last time I seen him he dropped out his fight. I haven't seen him since that night."
"Don't get too worked up about it. We got more shit to worry about. Everybody handle shit differently and this is his choice." Luke said.
"I get that but he got a whole niece out here that he ain't met yet. That's wrong. I wouldn't do that to him." Odell voiced.
"He not in the right head space. I wouldn't take it so personal you know?"
"How are you so calm about this? You don't miss your friend? Your brother?"
"Everyday but I never been one to force anything. You know that."
"Y'all looking at this shit all wrong. He needs his space yes, but do you know how many people wish they could see they brother right now? Or any dead relative? This nigga alive and well we just not on speaking terms. That shit sound crazy." Duke joined in and said.
*Saylor started to get fussy*
"Here. You can feed her, I need some air." Odell said walking out.
At the doctors office
"She hasn't stopped crying since she got here. I think she knows dude." Duke said.
"Man shutup. You're an idiot. She's fine.. just sleepy." Odell sighed and said.
"Okay.. who do we have here today?" The doctor said walking in.
"This is Ms. Saylor." Odell said smiling at her.
"Hi Saylor." She said cooing at her. "She's so cute."
"Are you dad?" She asked pointing to Odell. "Or is it you? Or are both of you dad? I don't want to discriminate."
Odell chuckled and said "None of the above. I'm her uncle, her current guardian. This is Duke, also her uncle."
"Okay well it's nice to meet you both. So what are we getting done today?"
"Well we're here for a two month check up but I'm sure y'all gone poke her again."
"You think we like to poke sweet little angels like this one?" She asked tickling her.
"I don't know what to think.. y'all do it so often. Ever since she was born.."
"I know I'm not her normal doctor so let's check her charts... she might be lucky today."
The doctor pulled up her chart on the computer.
"Okay so last month she got her hepatitis, polio, and tetanus. So today she's looking at PCV and RV."
"And that is?"
"Pneumococcal conjugate and rotavirus."
"See I told you man. That's why she was crying."
"No nigga it's past her nap time."
The doctor chuckled and said "I see she was a premature baby so do you guys have any questions before I send the nurse in?"
"Yeah I do actually. You got a number?" Duke asked.
"A number? Like my license number or something?"
"Nah ma like a phone number."
She chuckled and said "Im flattered. Of course I have a phone number but I did mean do you have any questions about her development? If you do you can contact the office and they'll redirect you to me."
"What if I wanted to contact you personally? What's your cell phone number?"
"Oh.." She said chuckling softly. "I'm not looking for anything right now."
"Give me a chance to change your mind. You see what kind of man I am... I'm here at the doctors office with my niece."
"Okay fine.. You can come back after my shift to get the number. If I don't see you then no chance ever."
"Deal."
"Okay. I'll send the nurse in. You guys have a great day."
"You too ma. See you later."
"That's your plan?"
"What?"
"I get everyone grieves differently but this is the eighth girl in two months."
"I know it's been hard since she's been gone but you can't keep hurting these women because your hurt."
"How do you know I've been hurting them? What if we just wasn't compatible? Look man, you got the better end of this shit. You got my niece. All to yourself and she loves you. I don't have nobody. She's gone so don't tell me how to grieve." Duke said sitting back in the chair.
A few seconds later Saylor started crying again.
"Knock knock..." The doctor said.
"Change your mind beautiful?" Duke asked.
"No... I have someone outside claiming to be related to this angel here."
"Who?" The both of them asked making Duke sit up.
"Is today the day I get to meet my granddaughter?"
"Oh hell no." Duke said.
~~~
"Are we still going out today?"
"Destiny, I don't know man. Can you quit asking? I thought I told you this already."
"I just wanted to know before I make other plans.."
"What other plans? You going out with some nigga?"
"No! Why would you even say that?"
"You ain't been spending no time around here. What else am I supposed to think?"
"I haven't felt like you wanted me here recently so why would I stay?"
"Well shit if you feel like that then get the fuck out."
"See this is exactly what I'm talking about. You know Ryan I've really been trying to be patient with you ever since Ameerah but-"
"But what? And why are you even bringing her up? What does she have to do with anything?"
"She's the reason you've been acting out."
"I'm not acting out. The fuck are you talking about? You talking like i'm your child or something. Watch it."
"Watch it? Who do you think you're talking to? And stop yelling.. You want another noise complaint?"
"Don't micromanage me man."
"You need it, You're not listening to a word i'm saying."
"Because it's all bullshit. I'm fine. "
"Ok....well I can't do this."
"Do what?"
"Be here.. with you." She said while grabbing her stuff.
"And where you think you going?"
"Home."
"Man I'm not tryna hear that. This is yo home." He said waving her off.
"Not anymore." She said continuing to pack her bag.
Ryan continuously becomes agitated while watching Destiny pack. Ever since Ameerah's death he's been on the edge, real irritable. He shut down communication with any and everyone and has been alone ever since.
"Yo why are you still packing?! Put that shit back. Now." He said snatching her clothes.
"Ryan give me my shit."
"No. Sit the fuck down." He said pushing her down. He quickly realized his mistake.
"Shit... Destiny I'm sorry." He said reaching out to her.
"No! Don't touch me. I wanna go home Ryan." She said sniffling.
* Knock knock *
"Just stay here... please." He begged.
"Lucas... What you doing here man? How you find me?"
"It wasn't hard. The hell going on in here? Destiny you good?"
"Why you talking to her? She good."
"No i'm not. Lucas I wanna go home."
"You keeping her here Ryan?"
"I'm not keeping nobody here, she live here man. What's up with all the questions? The hell you doing here?"
"You avoiding the questions man. Come on Destiny, I'll walk you out." He said reaching for her.
"No you won't. You not coming in here."
"Ryan you sure you wanna do this?"
"No, are you sure you wanna do this?"
Luke chuckled and motioned for Destiny to come on.
"I came over to see how you was doing and to see when you was gonna come meet your niece... But now I think it's best that y'all haven't met. You not the same nigga I remember."
"Take care of yourself." Luke said before walking away with Destiny.
~~~
"What the hell are you doing here?"
"I came to meet my granddaughter whom you've been keeping from me."
"I didn't keep anyone from you. This is what Ameerah would've wanted. Y'all weren't even on speaking terms so why would you meet her daughter?"
"Listen... I came out of courtesy to y'all. I understand she's been under your care for the past two months."
"She has and that's where she's gonna remain."
"I came here to tell you that I've started filing the necessary paper work to be her legal guardian."
"Well you wasted yo fucking time cause you can't do that." Duke said.
"Why are you doing this? Why do you want her? You didn't want her mother." Odell asked sounding hurt.
"I fucked up with Ameerah. She was my only child and I didn't know what I was doing. But with her... I know I can do better." She said rubbing Saylor's head.
"You don't even know her name."
"Are you gonna tell me?"
Odell looked at Duke and then down at Saylor.
"Saylor Reign Beckham."
"Beckham??" She asked baffled. "She's a Johnson. How dare you?!"
"No she's not. Ameerah didn't want that so I didn't let it happen. I told you her name now leave man."
"I'm sorry you feel that way Odell. I treated you like you were my own."
"Guilt trip? Nice."
"I'm not trying to guilt trip you. I'm telling the truth."
"Whatever."
"Duke could I speak with you privately?"
"We can step out. You making my niece fussy. She tryna sleep."
"So what's up?"
"You loved Ameerah correct?"
"You know I did..."
"If that's true then do the right thing. Tell Odell to back down without a fight otherwise it won't be pretty for anyone."
"All due respect ma'am, you know how much I loved your daughter. You know how much I cared for her. So for you to sit here and try to manipulate my love for her into helping you tells me everything I need to know."
"You're doing this for your own selfishness but you're not gonna win. Not as long as i'm here." He added.
"Well... I'm sorry to hear that. It's sad, you both are too caught up in your own egos to see how wrong you are. You're only gonna hurt Saylor in the end."
"Ameerah is gone and there's nothing we can do to bring her back but I made her a promise before she left. And that was to keep Saylor as far away from you as I can. I'm not breaking my promise."
"I'm sorry we couldn't agree on better terms but this is truly for the best. I only have her best interest at heart. You'll see soon."
~~~
"You'd think after everything that happened mfs would change." Duke said.
"I never believed in people changing.. They just put on this front to please you." Luke said.
"I don't know what's gonna happen with Ryan but what I do know is my niece isn't going anywhere." Luke added.
"I don't care who or how much we have to pay. She's staying with us. I'll be damned if she come out damaged like Ameerah knowing there was something I could've done to change it." Odell said.
"We made a promise."
"And we gonna keep it." They said nodding their heads.
~~~
Don't fight me🫣.