Chapter Nine
"Okay, once we're in there, pick out what you want, and don't run off," Lamia told the kids as she placed Liara in the shopping cart.
Laith and Laird nodded as they made their way inside the grocery store.
About 20 minutes after they had arrived trouble had began. Laird noticed that a woman had been following them for five minutes now. He was getting annoyed with the woman.
"Is that lady following us?" Laith asked his brother.
"Yeah, don't worry if she's a Karen, I'll protect us," Laird answered.
Laith nods.
The boys let Lamia know that they wanted to get snacks so they went to the chip aisle. The woman follows them down that aisle.
They pick out what they wanted and as they are about to go to their mom, the woman stops them.
The boys looked at each other; they were waiting for the woman to say something so they could get back to their mom.
"I'm your grandma," The woman told them.
"We only got one grandma and you're not her," Laird said, referring to Patricia.
"I'm your mother's mother," The woman said.
"Yeah okay, whatever," Laird said, trying to get away from the woman.
"I see she didn't teach you any manners," The woman said.
"I don't know you, so, why would I be respectful to you?" Laird asked.
"I just told you I'm your mother's mother," The woman answered.
Laird shrugged.
"Never heard of you," Laird said.
Lamia noticed that the boys hadn't come back yet.
"Let's go look for your brothers, they probably any decide on their snacks," Lamia told her daughter.
Liara giggled.
Lamia pushes the shopping cart to the chip aisle where she finds her sons, looking annoyed with a woman trying to talk to them.
"What is going on?" Lamia asked, going into momma bear mode.
"This lady won't leave us alone," Laith answered as he and Laird move to their mom's side and place the snacks into the shopping cart.
Lamia looks at the woman.
"Who are you to be bothering my kids?" Lamia asked the woman.
The woman chuckled.
"I know it's been a long time but Lamia, you can't possibly have forgotten how your mother looks," The woman told Lamia.
Lamia frowned.
"Stay the fuck away from me and my kids," Lamia said crossing her arms over her chest.
Lamia shot her a dirty look.
"I just want to talk," The woman said.
"No one wants to talk to you, Aurelia," Lamia said as she tried to go past her with the shopping cart.
Aurelia blocked her way.
"Come now, I just want to talk and catch up, Lamia, I've missed you," Aurelia said.
Lamia closed her eyes and counted to ten in her mind before opening her eyes again. She didn't want to make a scene in the grocery store but she knew her mother wasn't going to leave them. She was hoping she wouldn't run into her parents but Kamoria was right. You can't hide forever in this city. Especially when everyone knows you.
"There's no need to catch up, Aurelia, you sold your daughters off to the highest bidders and ruined their lives for your benefit," Lamia told her.
"It doesn't seem like your life is ruined," Aurelia said.
Lamia was starting to get impatient.
"Look don't make me beat your ass in this store, Aurelia, I don't know what you thought was going to happen here but stay away from me and my family because I will hurt you. I've suffered enough because of you. Let's go, kids," Lamia said as she bumped her shopping cart into Aurelia's shopping cart, moving it to get out of the aisle.
"Lamia," Aurelia said, trying to get her to stop walking away.
"Go to hell, Aurelia!" Lamia said over her shoulder without looking at her.
Lamia pushes the shopping cart across the next aisle. "Sorry about that," She told her kids.
"She's your mom?" Laith asked.
Lamia sighed.
"Sadly, yes," Lamia answered.
Lamia resumed her errands with an agitated look on her face. Aurelia had ruined her day. She was praying to God that she doesn't have any more run-ins with her mother. She was afraid of what she might do if she sees her again.
Kamoria was going to be pissed that she missed a chance to confront their mother once Lamia tells her about her run-in with her today.
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sasolisafaust Reunited, and it feels so good 🌟
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"Girl, I'm so sorry that happened to you," Sasolisa said, after hearing the truth about what happened to Lamia all those years ago.
Once word had spread that Lamia was back in town. Everyone was reaching out to talk to her. Lamia had met up with her old neighborhood friends. It also didn't take long for the truth of Lamia's disappearance to spread across the city.
Everyone was now side-eyeing her parents for their shady behavior and mistreatment of their daughters.
Lamia shakes her head.
"I don't even know how to respond when people say that, you know, I'm sorry that happened to you like it's a relief that people know the truth, but what do you say to that?" Lamia asked.
"Thanks. Then change the subject or move on," Valentina said.
"I can't believe your parents did that to you and Kamoria, man I was so pissed when I found out the truth," April said.
"I hadn't even known they lied like that because I definitely would have tried to show my face sooner, let everyone know what was up," Lamia said.
"Girl, everyone never really believed that you had the balls to run away, we just couldn't approve that something had happened," Kandice said.
"Yeah, aside from myself, Joe and his family were probably the only ones who came out and said they don't believe that shit," Sasolisa said.
The other girls agreed.
"They took your disappearance the hardest, you would have thought they lost a family member," April said.
"That's because they did," Sasolisa said, taking a sip of their drink. "They loved...Well, they probably still love you, Lamia," She added.
"And Joe that man was a wreck for the rest of high school over you, I never thought he would move on from you," Kandice said.
Valentina snorted.
"You can move on and still want that old thing back. I promise you that man wants her now and probably forever will," Valentina said.
Lamia groaned.
"Not you guys too. I swear I don't see what everyone else sees. Joe doesn't have feelings for me. We were kids, y'all," Lamia said.
Sasolisa playfully rolls her eyes.
"Yeah, kids who had five kids, girl, the man gave you his seeds, you know how many girls tried to
sleep with him and he never gave them the time of day. He was stuck on you until college," Sasolisa said.
"And will probably still be stuck on you if you open your eyes and give him a chance," April said.
Lamia shakes her head.
"I've been burned by relationships, if he wants me like everyone is saying then he gonna have to put in work because I'm not opening myself up for more hurt," Lamia said.
"Okay say he does then what?" Sasolisa asked Lamia.
Lamia thought about it for a moment before answering.
"Then I can see something happening between us," Lamia answered with a shrug.
"She knows she wants him, like real bad," Valentina said, smirking.
Lamia rolled her eyes.
"I ain't an idiot, he's a beautiful man, who wouldn't want him, but I'm not going to set myself up to be hurt like you guys don't understand Lance put me through hell, I don't have the energy to drag myself out of suffering again if Joe hurts me," Lamia said.
"Joe isn't Lance, Lamia," Sasolisa said.