Since you been gone I learned how to move on. How to be myself I don't need nobody's help. I'm doing so good I forgot that I could live like this.
***
4 years later
A N G E L
"Khyrie!" I yelled for my daughter through my two story family home.
It's been 4 years since everything went down and if I do say so myself I've been doing real good. After reading Khyran's letter I broke down and went into a deep depression. He left me without knowing we had a child to take care of he had a different number and refused to speak to me even though he spoke to Anthony and the rest of his family. I was hurt beyond measures so when my daughter was born I told everyone that I didn't want him to be told about her. Call me selfish but certain things must be done. Anyways... my daughter. Khyrie Nevaeh James. Born at 7 months and small as ever. Since she was premature she didn't look her age yet about a year younger but I wasn't complaining. Khyran and I had made something precious even though I took care of her on my own.
I turned the corner and Khyrie crashed into my thighs causing her to fall back onto her butt.
"See stop running." I said grabbing her tiny hand and pulling her up. I rolled my eyes seeing her giggle like she hadn't just bust her ass. I couldn't help but to smile at her deep dimples that she got from Khyran. She didn't look much like him but their personalities were identical.
"You ready to go?" She nodded letting me fix her navy and white striped dress.
"I'm going to auntie Lani or auntie Janice house?"
"Lani's baby go get your bag so we can leave I gotta go to work?" She walked towards her room and I jogged downstairs to get my stuff. Anthony and I owned a few gyms in Michigan. Since we both didn't go to college and we work well together then we figured why not.
I grabbed my MCM purse scrunching up my face when I felt it was heavier than usual. I opened it seeing about 3 bankrolls lying inside and I rolled my eyes. About two years ago Khyran's family moved to Detroit and ever since they realized I wasn't gonna ask for help with Khyrie his male cousins would occasionally slip money in my purse or in Khyrie's bag. I appreciated them and I loved them for trying to help me but I was okay.
"Mommy let's go." Khyrie said coming down the stairs holding the rail.
"Alright come on."
***
"Auntie baby." Lani cooed picking up Khyrie and placing her on the side of her baby bump.
"You gonna mess around go into labor. Where's my niece?" I said referring to Lani's first child, Alani.
"Sleep as always. Ant already left so you better hurry up cause you know how he is." I nodded and turned around to walk out of the door.
"Wait Angel." I turned around and raised my eyebrows.
"He has to talk to you... Have an open mind about what he's saying alright?" I nodded confused but I didn't ask questions.
"Okay. Love you."
"Love you too bye."
***
I walked into Fit For A King and it was crowded as always. Ant and I made sure business was always running smooth. I walked inside greeting those who said hi to me and making my way to Anthony in the back counting money.
"Wassup sis." He said and I sat in the chair across from his desk.
I reached in my purse and took out the money throwing it into his lap.
"Stop putting shit in my purse and tell Cole, Shaud, and Reese's nappy head asses that too. I make sure me and my baby are good, I appreciate it but we're fine." He chuckled and shook his head.
"Your 22 stop acting childish and accept help."
"Why accept it when I don't need it." He laughed sitting back further in his seat.
"Now hello Anthony." He shook his head sighing and pushing a dread out of his face.
"When you gonna cut that shit?"
"Man Shutup. How are you?"
"I'm cool."
"And my niece?"
"Fine, she's at your house."
"Cool cool." We fell into an awkward silence and he just stared at me like he was trying to read me.
"Nalani said you had to talk to me about something. Wassup?" He took a deep breath and that told me he was about to speak on bullshit.
"Khyran's being drafted to the Michigan Wolverines next season so he's coming back. He wants to speak-"
"Fuck no."
"Angel-"
"No. I don't want nothing to do with him and my daughter will have nothing to do with him."
"About Khyrie...I think she should meet him. He deserves to know she exists and she deserves to know her father isn't a dead beat. He'll be there if you let him and you know that." I scrunched up my face looking at him like he had two heads.
"I don't want him to know about her. I tried to talk to him when I was pregnant and he didn't want shit to do with me. I loved him so much and he gave up on me and you witnessed it... Look at me. About to cry and shit and he ain't even here. I have a soft spot for him and I need him to stay where he's at so it can go away. I'm weak around him and I won't let my baby witness the 17 year old me. I named her after him and gave her his last name I've done enough. So my answer is no."
"So what you gonna tell her when she starts asking questions."
"I'm gonna tell her the truth. I got pregnant and her father walked out on the both of us."
"Don't do that Angel. Don't make your child a statistic."
"She already is Anthony!" I yelled feeling myself grow angry.
"I'm happy and I'm young and I have a lot going for myself and its taken me a long time to get to this point and I don't need a man taking that away from me."
"I get it but you're gonna regret doing this to him. You have his child and your keeping her from him. You may fail to realize it but you still love him and it'll hurt you if he hates you over this."
I got up snatching my purse off of his desk preparing to leave.
"I won't. Fuck Khyran."
I walked out of his office and went straight to mine and placed my purse down. I took a deep breath shaking off all thoughts of Khyran. I knew I still loved him and Anthony was right but I couldn't let him in again. He would just leave me again.
I walked out into the gym and when I turned the corner I saw my worker Ashley arguing with a handsome man who looked like he was trying to work out.
"Hey hey hey...what's the problem?" I said watching the man's face soften once he saw me.
"This young lady is trying to tell me that I can't renew my membership when I've done it several times." I looked at Ashley nodding letting her know I would handle it.
"I'll take him from here thank you." She nodded holding her hands in surrender before walking off to another part of the gym.
"I'm sorry about that here you go sir." I said sliding the papers to him and he smiled.
"It's okay beautiful." I blushed a bit and smiled watching his hand as he wrote on the paper.
I hadn't had sex since Khyran left and it was sad that I was being turned on by this man writing on paper. When he was done he slid the clipboard to me yet I was too busy admiring his flawless body to actually take it.
"Ma'am." He said smirking and I shook away my negative thought.
"I'm sorry...Ill take that." I said typing his name into the computer.
"It's alright...uh I'm not tryna be rude or anything but your gorgeous. You got a man?" I sighed smiling a bit.
"No I don't."
"You looking for one?" He said biting his lip and I laughed.
"No. I'm focused on my kid."
"Well if you change your mind call me." I nodded and slid him a piece of paper and a pen and he wrote down his number.
"Call me whenever." I nodded and he smiled showing his straight white teeth before walking away.
I licked my lips and went back to typing his information in the computer. Mason Wright.