Odell
"So where the fuck you been at?" I asked Ryan.
"Look ima head out before shit get hectic." Mj said dapping everyone up.
"Bye mama. I'll see you tomorrow." He said cooing at Saylor.
"I been around."
"Oh you been around but you couldn't come around to see us or your niece."
"It's complicated.. I wasn't ready." He said with his hand on his face.
"Nigga and you think we was?! That day changed all of us. Some better than others clearly."
"I know for me it was the best and worst day of my life. My little angel came into the world and I lost my sister at the same time. Or at least I thought I did."
"If you stayed around and had faith in her maybe things would've turned out differently. But nah you was too worried about hitting on Destiny."
"What?" Ryan asked frowning.
"You heard me. How long you been putting yo hands on her?"
"Luke told you that?" Ryan asked looking his way.
"It don't matter. Is it true?"
"It only happened once and it was an accident."
"It's never an accident. You think i'm about to let you around Saylor? Hell even Ameerah?"
"Fortunately it's not your choice. I'll get my chance to meet my niece properly, until then I'll see y'all around." Ryan said.
A few weeks later (for context we're in the beginning of March now)
I woke up to no noise in the house which was strange. It made me jump up and see what's going on.
When you have a three month old no noise isn't a good sign. She should be up before me.
I looked in her crib but I didn't see her.
"Yoo." I called out to see if I would get a response.
Nothing. I started to look around some more and noticed no one was in there rooms. I pulled out my phone to call Luke until I heard the door opening.
Duke, Luke, and Ameerah came walking through the door with bags in their hand.
"Now how you just gone take her and not tell me nothing?" I asked Luke.
"In his defense I said we shouldn't wake you. You been working hard lately and I wanted you to get some sleep. I hear Saylor keeping you up at night. I was just trying to be nice, that's all." Ameerah said.
"Well when you put it like that I guess I can't be mad."
"Good because we brought you some food too."
"What I get?"
"Chicken biscuit and chicken minis from CFA."
"My favorite, thank you twin."
"No problem." Ameerah said before there was a knock on the door.
"Are y'all expecting someone?" Ameerah asked.
"Nah. Are you?"
She chuckled slightly and asked "Was that a joke?"
"A bad one apparently." I responded.
"I'll get it." She said.
She opened the door revealing Ryan with a bouquet of flowers.
"Ryan- Hi." She said a little flustered.
"What're you doing here?" She asked.
"Well I came to give these to you."
This nigga can't be serious.
"Aww thank you. I have to buy a vase for them. Did you want to come in?" She asked.
"Nah he good where he at shawty." Luke answered for me.
"Yeah I actually gotta go to the gym to train but I wanted to see how you was doing first."
"I'm doing good. Thank you again. I really appreciate it."
Just as Ameerah was about to close the door I heard a familiar voice traveling through the hallway.
"No, no I'm here now Malik. It's too late Odell should've taken the chance I gave him. Now which door is it?"
"Nevermind I see Ryan right here."
"Ryan how are you?" She asked in a tone.
"I'm doing well. I came to see your daughter."
"Mmm good for you. I actually came to speak to Odell. Where is he?"
"I'm sorry who are you?" Ameerah asked confusingly.
"No one honey just get Odell. Thanks."
"I got it Meerah. Wassup why you here?"
"I didn't want it to come to this but I wanted you to hear it from me and not a court official. I've requested an emergency family court hearing for Skylar."
I took a deep breath and looked between her and Ameerah. I couldn't let her find out this way. Her mom was being a bitch and I hate that it took me this long to see her in this light.
"Aight can we step outside and talk about this?"
"Why?" She asked while scanning my face for answers.
"Oh... You haven't told her have you?" She asked with a smirk.
I swear I'd never seen her look so happy about something so fucked up. It was so weird.
"Don't do this. Step outside please." I said sternly.
"Fine." She said throwing her hands up.
"I'm not here for her anyway." She said as the door closed.
"Now what is this emergency court hearing you talking about? What's the purpose of it?"
"Well I believe Skylar would be better in the hands of her grandmother and her family. Not a bunch of teenagers trying to figure out how to take care of a baby. I already know how to do that."
"First of all her name is Saylor and secondly we're grown and doing a great job taking care of her. Ask anyone."
"Regardless of your age she's in better hands with me. I'm her grandmother, I know what's best for her. Not you." She said with a cutting voice.
"You thought you knew better with Ameerah too and look how she turned out. She almost died and you still haven't taken the time out your day to acknowledge her or what happened." I said.
"You or Ameerah don't get to blame me for what happened that day. She made her choice the day she walked out of my house. What happened to her after that is on her not me."
"Maybe I could've helped her but she didn't want my help. She made that clear." She said turning her lip up.
"All you ever tried to do was control her and I hate that it took me this long to see the truth. I hate that she had to deal with you alone for so long. I hate that I wasn't there more often because I can only imagine how she felt. I can barely stand talking to you now imagine 20 years."
I could tell the last sentence really offended her because she went from smirking to having evil eyes.
"It doesn't matter now what's done is done. I have another chance with Skylar and I'm gonna do the best I can."
"If you think I'm gonna let you fuck her up too you're sadly mistaken. You don't even have any rights to her so how did you get this emergency hearing?" I asked worriedly.
"I wrote a letter explaining to the judge why I think Ameerah is an unfit mother right now. She can hardly remember herself let alone her own child. The custody hearing is set for a week from now so I suggest packing all of Skylar's things and have them sent to me."
"Assuming that the judge is going to side with you is bold. Too bold considering your child has tried to commit suicide twice now."
"That's exactly why it's going to swing in my favor. Once the judge sees Ameerah has no will to live there is no doubt in my mind he's not going to grant me custody."
"You out of all people have no rights to the child if we're being honest. So theres no way he's going to let you keep a child you're not related to by blood."
I sighed because I knew she was right. I had no real chances of winning this custody hearing. The thought of losing Saylor is hurting me. I have to do something.
Walking back inside Ameerah didn't pay me no mind because of Saylor thankfully but Luke and Duke knew better.
"So how is everything with her?" Luke asked.
"Can I talk to y'all for a minute?" I asked.
"We'll be right back shawty." Luke said to Ameerah.
"Take your time. I'm gonna go change Saylor." She replied.
I swear sometimes it feels like we're talking to a different person. She's become so... sweet.
"Wassup?" Duke asked.
"Ameerah's mom is fighting for custody of Saylor."
"How is that even possible?" Duke asked.
"I don't know. I haven't fully read this but it says something about an emergency custody hearing. I guess she can claim we're unfit to raise Saylor and the judge decides who is."
"That's bullshit. I never knew she would go this far." Duke said.
"Neither did I and I've known her for the longest."
"So what do we do?" Luke asked.
"Well first we need to find a good lawyer before next week. Otherwise we can kiss Saylor goodbye literally."
"Then what? How does that help us?" Duke asked.
"We get legal advice from there. They'll tell us our options and we'll see how it goes."
"Are we gonna tell Ameerah?" Duke asked.
"Tell her what?"
"Everything. The truth. I think she needs to know plus I miss her. The real her." Duke said.
"If it comes down to it and that's the only choice then yeah. But if we can avoid it I think we should." I said.
"Why? How long are we gonna lie to her? She would want to know the truth." Duke asked.
"That shit only gone hurt her in the end. You seen what she tried to do. I know you don't like it but this "new" her might be the best option for her." Luke said.
"Aight when this shit all said and done and she looking for answers i'm pointing right at you niggas." Duke said.
"I'm okay with that." I said putting my hands up.
Duke
I couldn't understand how they didn't feel the way I felt. The "new" her was cool and all but I miss our bond. I miss the way we would talk to each other even when we were mad. I miss everything about her and I don't think I can keep pretending.
"Have you started on your paper yet Meerah?"
"No Duke I haven't. You know how many times you've asked me that today?"
"I'm asking cause it gotta get done and we got shit to do tonight."
"It'll get done but what shit we gotta do?"
"Shit we going out. I can't say too much."
"You needa say something more than that. You know my hoes wanna see me."
"Aye man. Nobody wanna hear all that."
"It's the truth and I don't know why you acting like you didn't have that girl over here in my face a couple of months ago."
"Mann why can't we leave the past in the past?"
"Because you know damn well if I did that shit you would've cussed me out and beat the nigga ass."
"That's not true love. I would never cuss at you."
"Yeah right. Save it for the judge nigga."
"Me and that girl don't have nothing going on."
"I heard all this before. Sounds good until you find out the truth."
"Nah i'm being serious. We not together aight?"
"If y'all not together then I don't have no hoes."
"See how crazy that sound?" She said laughing.
"I know you was tryna convince me but I know better forreal. Now where we going tonight?"
"Ryan has a fight but if you too busy wit your hoes then don't worry about it." He said with an attitude.
Ameerah rolled her eyes.
"We gone start this again?"
"Start what?"
"You having an attitude because I have a life outside of you."
"Man please. Nobody worried about them niggas." He said waving her off.
"So what the two love birds fighting about now?" Odell asked.
"Your brother is mad because he found out Im playing the same game he playing. I'm a reflection of him." She said.
"It don't matter anyway because I'm going back home today."
"You are?" They both questioned.
"Yup. Nomore crashing on the couch."
Duke and Odell both frowned.
"Y'all should be happy I'm getting out of y'all hair. Show some excitement."
"Now you know this nigga is not happy about that. He love having you here. Ain't that right Duke?"
"Nah it's cool. You still coming to the fight?"
"Of course. Don't I always?"
They might not agree with me but Ameerah would want to know the truth.
~~~
Hey y'all, I know it's been too long. Honestly I get writer's block often and I've never been the type of person to half ass something.
Also wattpad has been deleting my progress everytime I edit a chapter so that's been setting me back too. Idk what the issue is but it's out now. I only wanna give y'all the best so let me know how it is!