•The Next Day•
~August~
"C'mon baby you got it. Just a li mo'." I encouraged.
"August I don't think-"
"Shh, Bethany, just be patient."
I held my hands out to Angel as she released Bethany's hands and then took two steps by herself before grabbing my hands.
"Aye! That's my girl!" I exclaimed, grabbing Angel and holding her up in the air.
She giggled loudly as I kissed her cheeks.
"Da-da." Angel replied, reaching down at my face. "Dada."
I looked at Bethany and she had the same shocked look on her face as I do.
"That's right baby, that's your dada." Bethany said with a smile.
"Say it again, Ang. Say dada." I said, making a silly face at her.
"Da! Da!" She squealed, then began chanting "Da-da, da-da, da-da!"
I placed her feet on the floor but held her hands and we chant with her.
"What's going on in here?" A voice said behind us.
I turned to see Niecy standing there with a hand on her hip.
She gave me a surprised look.
"August? What's your skinny ass doing back in the A?"
"What's it look like?" I picked Angel up, and smiled as she poked my face.
"Awww, that's so sweet. I would cry if I had feelings." She dramatically fanned her eyes.
"You're a mess." Bethany said, walking over to hug her. "Hey girl. Where's Jay?"
"Bathroom. She hasn't been feeling too good the past couple days." Niecy shrugged and followed Bethany to sit on the couch while me and Angel took a spot on the carpeted floor.
While I watched Angel play with her toys, I couldn't help but overhear their conversation.
"Does Nathan know he's here? I'm sure he's not too happy about it."
"Oh yeah he knows." Bethany replied, and I can imagine her rolling her eyes. "Do you know he had the nerve to come here drunk yesterday morning and tried to tell me that August needed to leave?"
Niecy gasped.
"No! Are you serious? The hell is wrong with him?"
"Girl, yes. I don't know what his problem was. And then he told me that I had to choose between him and August."
I smirked to myself.
Bitch ass nigga, of course she'll choose me.
I'm her baby daddy....and I'm sexy.
"Oh wow, and what did you say?"
"I didn't have a chance to answer. He walked out." Bethany said, sadness evident in her voice. "I haven't heard from him since."
"I can't believe he would act so childishly. That doesn't sound anything like Nathan." Niecy said and from my peripheral vision I saw her shake her head.
"Same thing I said."
"Mm. Let me call his ass and give him a piece of my mind..."
"No," Bethany said quickly. "I want him to come back on his own accord, not because you threatened him."
"Whaaaat? Threaten? Me? Never that. I would never." Niecy scoffed and placed a hand over her chest.
"Umm..." I raised my hand, entering their conversation. "That's a lie. You threatened me not to hurt Bethany when you found out about our past."
Bethany gave Niecy a look and she rolled her eyes.
"Okay fine!" She threw her hands up. "But that was just one time."
"Niecy you literally threatened me the other day when-" Bethany started.
"Okay! I threaten people a lot, oh well. I only do it because I care. Gosh."
"Aww." Bethany wrapped her in a hug. "I love you bestie."
"Love you too. Get off me." Niecy laughed.
Jay walked into the room then and all eyes went to her.
She rubbed her stomach and said hello to everyone.
She laid down on the couch opposite from us.
"Are you okay?" Bethany asked her. "Can I get you anything? Some water or a snack?"
"No thank you." Jay shook her head quickly.
"Baby you sure? I can go get some pickles from the store or cider to settle your stomach." Niecy said.
"Pickles would be nice. I'm a bit nauseated." Jay said softly, closing her eyes.
"Oh, I have some in the fridge. She can have those instead of you having to buy some Ni." Bethany suggested.
"Okay." Niecy stood and walked toward the kitchen, kissing Jay's head as she passed her. "Be right back."
A few seconds after Niecy left, Jay sat up and rushes around the corner into the downstairs bathroom.
At the sound of her throwing up, me and Bethany make eye contact.
"Pregnant?" I mouthed.
Bethany shook her head quickly.
"Are you crazy? No way!" She mouthed back.
I shrugged in response and picked up one of Angel's toys.
Let me just mind my business.
"Where's Jay?" Niecy came back in with the jar of pickles.
A loud gagging sound comes from the bathroom and Niecy hurried towards it.
"I know what you're thinking Aug, but stop it okay? Or at least keep it to yourself." Bethany said quietly.
"Niecy ain't dumb Bethany." I replied, not looking at her.
"I know but...There's other explanations. Could be food poisoning..."She trailed off and shook her head.
Angel moved to sit in her mother's lap.
Bethany smiled automatically, and I smiled while looking at her.
Just beautiful.
I can't lose this again.
I watched Angel hold Bethany's hand and reach for one of mine.
I can't lose my family, not again.
Niecy came back to announce that she and Jay are going home.
"But you just got here." Bethany whined.
"I know, but Jay still doesn't feel good. We're gonna go to the doctor in the morning but right now we're just going home." Niecy sighed. "I'll call you after her appointment tomorrow."
"Okay." Bethany replied, standing up to walk them out.
I grabbed Angel and stood up as well.
I watched Bethany lean foward to hug Jay who hugged her quickly and walked outside.
"Have a good night you two. Bye Ang." She waved at Angel, who opened and closed her hand in response. "It was nice seeing you again August. How long are you in town ?"
"Until Bethany kicks me out." I joked.
"Oh, you're staying here?" Her eyes widened. "In this house?"
"Yes." Bethany confirmed. "Downstairs, of course."
"Hm." Niecy looked between the two of us. "I see why Nathan was a little upset. "Bethany," Her eyes flickedto me then back. "Be careful."
"I know I know, I'm a big girl Ni." Bethany rolls her eyes.
"Mhmm. Bye girl. Bye August." She walked down the steps and got into her car.
Bethany closed the door after Niecy pulled off and looked at me.
"Now what?" I asked.
"I don't know." She shrugged. "Wanna watch a movie?"
"It's kinda late don't ya think." I said, checking my watch.
9:34pm
Bethany laughed at my face.
"You can go to sleep if it's past your bedtime, but me and Angel will be watching Despicable Me 2." She took Angel from me and walked into the living room.
I sucked my teeth and followed her.
"Girl I ain't ever had no damn bedtime." I said.
"Watch your mouth." She called over her shoulder.
"Yes ma'am." I mumbled, smiling.
"That's what I thought."
She grabbed the remote to set the movie up.
I sat beside them on the couch and she put Angel between us as the previews started.
Not even halfway through the movie, Angel was out like a light.
Bethany looked at her, then glanced over at me smiling.
I couldn't help but smile in return.
She focused back on the movie.
After it ended, I stood up and stretched.
Angel was still asleep on the couch and Bethany scooped her up before standing.
"Aw, my poor baby was so tired." Bethany whispered, kissing Angel's cheek.
I grabbed Angel from her arms as she passed me.
She sucked her teeth but follows me upstairs.
I started to walk into Angel's room but Bethany stopped me.
"You can just put her in my room. I have a second crib in there."
"B, if you wanna get me in bed, all you gotta do is ask." I joked.
"If you don't...August shut up." She laughed, opening her room door.
I followed her inside and placed Angel in a crib in the corner of the room.
"Could you do me a favor and....watch her, while I shower? I know she's asleep but....I don't want her to wake up crying and I'm not there." Bethany said nervously.
"Sure, no problem." I sat on the end of her bed and turn the TV on.
"I'll try to be as fast as I can." She said, quickly grabbing clothes from her dresser.
"Nah I got it. Take your time ma."
She thanked me before closing the bathroom door.
I chuckled when I heard the sound of the door locking.
A few seconds later, the shower came on.
After flipping through a couple channels, I finally settled on some movie on BET.
A vibration echoed throughout the room and I reach for my phone in the pocket, only to realize it wasn't me.
The vibration continued.
I look around and saw a light on the nightstand.
I get up and walk towards it, finding the source of the vibration when I see Bethany's phone light up with a picture of her and him.
Of course he's calling.
I debated on answering it or letting it go to voicemail.
I started to reach for it, then shook my head.
"Nah."
I sat back on the bed and continued watching the movie until Bethany came out of the bathroom 20 minutes later.
I took a minute to look at her.
She'd taken her contacts out and had her glasses on.
Her hair was wet and tied into a bun on top of her head and her skin was a bit flushed from the heat.
Damn.
She could wear a plastic bag and still be beautiful.
"Hey." She smiled, climbing into bed.
"Hey." I replied, raising an eyebrow at her. "You okay?"
"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" She questioned.
She picked up her phone, frowned, then set it down and looked at me.
Hmm...wonder what that's about.
"You're being....nice."
She laughed and the sound made me smile for some reason.
"Do I really treat you that bad?"
"Nah I'm just playin with you. Goodnight." I stood and walked out.
"August." She called softly.
"Yeah." I stepped back into the room.
She looked down and played with her fingers before speaking.
"I'm glad you're here....but, I know you have Serena back in New Orleans..." She glanced up at me then looked back down."Ang just turned one, she won't remember you if you leave. Serena is five, she needs you more than Angel does. It's okay if you need to go-"
"Stop." I interrupted her, holding up my hand.
"No August, you need to hear this. If you feel like you need to leave then just go, but make sure you give me a heads up."
Well of course she's still upset about me leaving.
I dragged my hands down my face and walked towards the bed.
"You're scared I'ma dip out on you again, huh?" I asked.
She didn't look at me, confirming my suspicions.
"Okay, okay I get that." I nodded slowly.
I sat down on the opposite side of the bed from her and started untying my shoes.
"I wasn't trying to offend you, but it's the truth August. I'm scared I'll wake up one day looking for you and you'll have disappeared again." She said, more to herself than me.
I finished undoing my shoes and pulled the covers back, getting under them.
She sat up quickly.
"August, what are you doing? You can't sleep in here." She whisper-yelled.
"I ain't gone sleep in here. And what you whispering for? This yo house." I chuckled.
She still looked at me like I was crazy.
"Come here."
"No."
"Bethany. Come here."
"August, get out of my bed."
Never been told that before.
"I just wanna talk."
"We can talk in the morning. Goodnight. Get out."
"Please just come here. Lemme hold you, just for a lil bit." I pleaded. "I wanna talk."
She stared at me for a few seconds before scooting closer to me.
Half an inch.
"B, come here."
Another half inch.
"This bed is too for all this." I sucked my teeth. "If you don't getcho-"
I pulled her closer and wrapped my arms around her, pulling us both back to lean against the headboard.
She tensed.
"Relax." I soothed her.
My head inadvertently leaned down to kiss her head and I couldn't help but inhale the scent of her shampoo.
Them damn strawberries.
"What did you want to talk about?" She asked quietly, breaking me from my daze.
"What I wanted to say was....I have two beautiful daughtas with two beautiful women," Bethany scoffed, "Cut it out. Like I was sayin, both Angel and Serena are very important ta me and even though I haven't been around for Angel as much, she's still my daughter and I love her the same as Serena. I can't just leave one for the other, that ain't fair."
She nodded to show me she's listening.
"When we lost," I paused, unable to speak of our unborn son. "After what we went through, I made the mistake of leavin you. That was the worst thing I coulda done in that situation, and I'm sorry for that. I was wrong. I thought leavin was the only way to help you when really, I should have stayed to help you heal, so that both of us coulda healed."
I stopped and clear my throat before continuing.
"I can't take back the pain I caused you by leavin, but I hope that you'll allow me to be here for both you and our child. In a way, I wanna try to make up for leavin."
She didn't say anything for a while and I think she's fallen asleep.
"I forgive you." She whispered. "Thank you for coming back."
"Of course." I replied.
She suddenly looked up at me.
"You want to know why I named her Angel?"
I nodded.
"It was before I found out that she was still alive."
I flinched at the word alive.
Angel lived, but her brother didn't.
Bethany didn't notice and kept talking.
"I was...I was in a really, really dark place one night. I hadnt eaten properly in weeks, I was losing weight. I was depressed. I-I tried...I wanted to die. I planned to kill myself." She said, looking into my eyes.
My eyes widened and I automatically started shaking my head.
"I know it's crazy? Well, at the time it felt right. I had a handful of sleeping pills Dr. Daniels had prescribed for me and I planned to take every one of them. Just as I put the handful of pills up to my mouth, I felted a tug in my stomach. I ignored it and swallowed 3 or 4 pills. But that tug grew into a dull pain. Then suddenly I felt the urge to throw up. So I did, a couple times that night actually. That's when I realized that my baby bump wasn't going down. The next day I went to Dr. Daniels and surprise, I was still pregnant."
She stopped talking then and looked down.
"You named her Angel because in a way, she saved you. Like a guardian angel." I said, putting two and two together.
She nodded, sniffing.
"It's a little corny I know, but it means a lot to me."
I wiped the tears from her face.
"Look at me."
Her eyes slowly met mine.
"If you ever feel like that again, you tell me okay? You should never have to feel like that, and definitely not alone. I'm here, and I'm not leavin you like that again."
She nodded, tears silently sliding down her face.
I pulled her into my chest as she began to sob.
"Let it out baybeh, it's okay. You been holding it in for so long. Let it out." I mumbled, rubbing her back.
I reached up to wipe away a few tears of my own.
Soon she calmed down and laid her head down on the pillow.
I took that as my cue to leave.
I push the covers back and swing my legs out when she grabbed my arm tightly.
"Could you stay with me? At least until I fall asleep?" She pleaded.
The sadness in her tone was almost too much.
I took her hand from my arm and kissed it.
"Yeah baybeh, gimme a sec."
I hurried to my room downstairs to change out of my tear-stanined shirt and pants into a wifebeater and basketballs shorts.
I made my way back upstairs to see Bethany standing over Angel's crib talking to her.
"-I know you would have been a great sister, my beautiful Angel." She leaned down and kissed her cheek.
She looked up when she saw me and smiled shyly.
"You okay?"
"I'm better, thank you." She nodded.
"You still want me to...." I trailed off, nodding at the bed.
"Is that weird for you? It's fine you can sleep in your room. I shouldn't have asked, I'm sorry." She shook her head.
"Nah it's fine, I was just makin sure you was still cool with it." I said, climbing back under the covers.
She followed after turning off the lights.
"Goodnight August." She said , but her voice is facing the other way.
"G'night B."
I started to doze off when I feel the bed shift.
"Could you...could you, um..."
Without saying anything, I pulled her closer to me and put my arm over her.
"Thank you." She mumbled.
"No problem. Goodnight beautiful."
"Goodnight ugly." She giggled.
I smiled.
I felt her body relax and soon her breathing slowed.
I drifted off soon after her, glad to finally have her back in my arms, if only for this one night.
Excuse any mistakes!
Anyways, hopefully this update makes up for it.
How are you feeling about this chapter?
•Nathan?
•August's promise not to leave? Will it last?
•Bethany's confession?
•Angel said dada!😭😭😭❤❤How sweet!
Tell me what you think!
Keep reading/voting/commenting!
~•Dana•~