K A S H M E R E
A few days after lunch with Mace and he texted a few times but he didn't randomly pop up on me since that day he took me out to lunch. No matter how many times August claimed he was cool I noticed him tense up and watched his jaw clench every time I told him that Mace texted me.
Hopefully soon all of this could be over and done with, tomorrow I was supposed to be informing Mace that me and August were officially done. I was anxious and not in a good way to see how Mace was going to react to that news.
It was after seven and we were closed for the day but I was sitting in the lobby waiting on one of the parents to come. To my left sat Kaliyah color in her coloring book and humming along to some random song in her head. To my right sat Jayson, Crystal's son glance up every so often at the door but for the most part he kept his head down.
From what the teachers told me he was quiet, he didn't participate in any group activities and he didn't talk much. Even when I asked him if he wanted to color with Kaliyah he just shook his head no. I knew that some kids were just quiet but I sensed that something else was going on. I knew it wasn't my business but I wanted him to open up to me but it was hard because when you asked him questions all he would do was nod his head yes or no and shrug.
"So how do you like school," I asked him, "Your going to first grade now aren't you?"
I already knew the answer to my question but I just wanted to get him to talk and open up a little bit. Like I figured he would he just nodded his head yes at my question.
"Kaliyah is going to be in kindergarten next year," I told him and I watched him up and at Kaliyah for a while before putting his head back down.
"Did you like kindergarten?"
He shrugged his shoulders never looking up at me.
"How was your teacher, was she nice?"
He nodded his head yes.
"That's good, what was her name, can you tell me her name?"
I thought he wasn't going to say anything until I heard him mumble, "Ms. Pickett."
"That may be Kaliyah's teacher to. You two are going to be going to the same school."
I tried to get him to talk to Kaliyah but the most he ever did was just stare at her. I was about to ask him again if he needed something but then the lobby doors opened and Crystal came rushing in.
"I'm sorry," she apologized, "My car broke down and I called earlier to tell you but I couldn't get through."
"It's fine," I assured her standing to my feet. She walked over to Jayson and bent down and kissed his cheek before standing up and apologizing again.
"Is your car okay," I asked her.
"I had to get it towed to a repair shop and it won't be ready until Friday."
"How did you get here?"
"No one I called was picking up so I had to call a cab."
I looked at her and I could tell when people were trying to get over on me or get sympathy but from the looks of her she looked stressed.
"Tell them thank you Jayson so we can go home and get some dinner," Crystal told him but before he could I cut in.
"Actually me and Kaliyah were going out to get some dinner to. If you want to we can all go out together and I can give you a ride home afterwords."
"No, I mean you've done enough and I don't want you to go out of your way."
"I don't mind."
She looked like she was debating and she looked down at Jayson before finally agreeing. I don't know why I was willing to help her out but I guess in a way I felt sorry for her. It was obviously that she was stressed out and so I just wanted to help.
After she paid the cabby we got into my car and after the kids buckled up we drove to a new restaurant that I had been hearing good things about plus it had a indoor playground area for the kids. Once we ordered and ate Kaliyah wanted to go play and I made her take Jayson. She looked annoyed by that and he looked like he didn't want to go but he followed behind her anyway.
"I know I apologized to you already but I really am sorry about everything that happened between us. I was young and dumb back then, I had my priorities all messed up. After I stopped talking to you guys I thought I had made some good friends, better friends but I had to find out the hard way that they weren't really my friends."
"We were both young and dumb back then. But were older now and we have bigger things to worry about now," I referred to the both of us being mothers and looked over at the kids.
"Your absolutely right. I also should congratulate you, you finally got your studio."
I laughed because back in high school it was always a dream but I never would of expected for it to be so successful, "I did."
"I'm happy for you."
"Thanks," I smiled at her. We could be cool but I couldn't really see us being buddy buddy again but then again it looked like she was lonely and she needed a friend, someone to confide in and talk to. All the years we grew up together she never really talked about her home life and I've met her grandma who she lived with a few times but that was it.
But now that we were alone and the kids were playing I could talk to her one on one. I didn't want to get all in her business but I was curious.
"So what have you been up to over the past years, besides for motherhood?"
At first I thought she was going to give me the standard answer but I was surprised when she answered honestly, "After I had Jayson I went back to school for medical assisting."
"That's great congratulations."
"Thank you."
"So how's your grandmother?"
Her smile faded a bit, "She died two years ago."
"I'm sorry," I apologized sincerely because the last thing I expected when I asked that was to hear that her grandma had passed away.
"It was hard at first and sometimes still is. Sometimes I missed the days when we were still in high school and the only thing we had to worry about was grades and gossip."
I agreed with her on that and asked her if there was anything I could do to help her.
"No I'm fine. My grandma left me her house and it's completely paid off, I'm fine. Plus I just started a new job and I'm getting paid a lot more than I was. I have plenty of money put away so I'm good but thank you."
"If you ever need help with anything all you have to do is ask and I'm not just saying that, I mean it."
We made small talk and then got up to watch the kids play. I snapped a few pictures of them and of course Kaliyah was a diva so she didn't hesitate to pose for the camera but Jayson was another story.
"Jayson's so quiet and well mannered," I commented.
"Yeah," she nodded, "I try to get him to talk more and loosen up, that's why I thought taking him to your program would be good for him."
"I'm sure it will be," I told her, "And I'm sure soon you wont be able to get him to be quiet."
She laughed at that.
"So where is his dad, if you don't mind me asking?"
"He was around off an on and when I mean off and on I mean when me and him were together we were one big happy family but when we broke up I would have to beg him to come and see his son."
I shook my head because that's something that I couldn't imagine, how can you call yourself a man and neglect your child? If August thought I acted a fool before he would be in for something else if he ever pulled that bullshit.
"How is he with Jayson now?"
She sighed but didn't hesitate with her answer, "I broke it off with him a year and a half ago. I coudln't put up with him anymore, not only was he cheating on me but he just wasn't a good guy. To be honest I was glad that he wasn't around Jayson, he was living a bad lifestyle that's why I wasn't to surprised when I heard that he was killed a few months ago."
Damn two times in a row. I decided to stop being nosy at this point but I did apologize to her for her loss.
"There's no need to apologize. Jayceon and me had some good times but we also had some bad times. I was upset when he died but with the way Jayceon lived it was either jail or the grave."
My whole body tensed up at the mention of his name. At first I thought I heard her wrong until she said his name a second time.
"Jayson...Jayceon," I said the two names and realized how similar they are but I would of never put two and two together.
"Yeah. He wanted me to make Jayson a junior and I was so glad that I didn't. I know that was his father but I'm kind of glad that Jayceon wasn't here to corrupt him you know?"
I looked at her and nodded, I wanted to tell her that she made the right decision in breaking up with him and keeping her distance but I didn't.
"Only thing about it is I don't much family, other than my grandma all my other family lives further down south. I'm sure Jayson gets sick of being around me all day and I want someone he can look up to you know, man to man."
"Maybe you can get him involved with sports. I worked with some of the youth coaches for an event last year and a lot of them are man who actually mentor a lot of young boys who come from single mother households."
She nodded her head and I watched her watch Jayson. I could tell that she loved him and that she would do anything for him but I could sense that when she talked about Jayceon there was something else she was holding back and I already pried into her life enough.
"So how are you and August," she asked.
"There is no more me and August," the lie was a lot easier to say now, "We just came to the conclusion that maybe were better off apart. He's a great father to Kaliyah and hopefully will always be friends."
She nodded her head and left it at that. It was getting late so we called the kids and I paid for the bill since it was my idea to take them out. After I dropped them off I headed home and still couldn't believe that Crystal and Jayceon were connected. I didn't even know that she knew him or that he knew her for that matter.
Once I got Kaliyah down for the night I got myself ready for bed and once I was settled in I called August.
"Hello?"
I could hear some talking on his end so I knew that he was probably with his crew.
"Hey."
"Are you busy," I asked.
"Not to busy to talk to you."
At that I smiled but I knew that I had to talk to him about the news I found out. The more I thought about it the more I thought about how convenient the timing was on Crystal just popping back up in my life. Maybe it could just be a coincidence but I wanted to get another opinion.
I knew that we couldn't talk for long so I got right to the point.
"Did Jayceon ever tell you about having kids?"
He was silence and I'm sure that he was confused as to why I was asking about Jayceon and he was probably shocked that I addressed him by name.
"Not really, I mean I think he did though why?"
"I told you about Crystal coming in to enroll her son in my program. Well today we went out and had dinner with the kids and we got to talking and she told me that her son's father was Jayceon."
"Say that again."
I repeated it and this time went into more detail and immediately he started asking questions and more questions.
"He never mentioned her to me before or having a son but that don't surprise me since she told you that he wasn't around. Just keep your distance from her from now on, be cordial and shit but don't get out with her again."
"Okay," I agreed and let out a yawn.
"Are you in bed?"
"Yeah, I'm tired so I'm going to let you go."
"Aight, but first let me ask you a question."
"Yes?"
"What color panties you got on?"
I rolled my eyes and decided to play with him, "I'm not wearing any."
"Forreal?"
I could imagine his face and I let out a laugh.
"You want me to send you a pic?"
We couldn't meet up like we used to so we were restricted to the phone and not even for long periods of time.
"Nah I'm bout to come through."
"Are you sure that's safe?"
"Fuck safe, I'll be there soon."
He had a key and I knew by the time he did show up I would be sleep. We hung up and I put my phone on the charger and laid back thinking about tonight. I didn't have anything against Crystal or her son but I was going to definitely be careful around her from here on out. I just couldn't take any chances.
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