Talia's POV
The game finally ended and me and the girls were currently in the family area waiting for Steph like he told me to do earlier. The girls were extra excited since the Warriors won against the Lakers. Even though I enjoyed the game, the conversation that I had with Steph earlier was still in the back of my mind. I could barely concentrate on what was going on in front of me because of it. I just hope he doesn't despise me for it, or my girls when they find out. I know that there is only a matter of time before I have to tell them. More than likely it will happen soon.
"Girls, have you decided where you want to go eat?" I asked turning to look at them. Tae was scrolling through her phone while Ty was looking over her shoulder trying to see what she was doing.
"Southern Blues is not too far from here and it has really good reviews. Our friend Emily at school told us about it since she's been there before. I think she said she went there the last time she was in Oakland with her aunt." I was always down for southern cuisine since I grew up in the south. That also meant that the portion sizes were probably going to be huge.
"Sounds like a plan." I responded while looking down at my phone. I just think that the timing is absolutely crazy. I reunited with Steph, Sonya apparently told him what happened, and then my mother calls me out of the blue for the first time in eleven years. I still haven't called her back. It's not because I don't want to, it's because I don't know what to say. Like oh hey mom, you remember when you kicked me out of the house and didn't care if I had to live in my car while pregnant? That didn't seem like a proper way to start a conversation and knowing me and my smart mouth, I would probably say something like that.
"Talia, you ready to go?" Steph asked me breaking me out of my trance.
"Oh yeah, the girls decided where they wanted to go. They said Southern Blues."
"Their food is really good. Do you want to follow me there?" He asked while sliding on his jacket.
"We walked since our hotel is literally three blocks from here." Ty responded.
"That's fine. You'll ride with me and then I'll drop you back off at the hotel. Sound good?" Steph asked looking for everyone's approval.
"Yes! I really want some mac and cheese." Taelynn said which I was surprised by since this girl only really eats burgers. I cannot tell you how many packs of them I am buying during the week. It's like she inhales them.
"Then let's go. We can go out this way." Steph said while we trailed behind him.
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"Seriously mom?!?!" Ty complained as I stole another fry from her plate.
"Hey, you two ran up my hotel bill so I will get payment however I see fit." I responded while taking another one and before biting into it, I stuck my tongue out at her while she did the same thing.
"So I see you still like stealing food?" Steph said while taking a sip of his iced tea.
"Okay first of all you would always share with me any way."
"No, I would ask you if you wanted anything and you said no and then when I got my food you would mean mug me until I gave you some." Steph replied while laughing.
"Well being the girlfriend and best friend had its benefits." This was definitely a good choice that the girls picked and I knew I was going to end up in a food coma sooner or later.
"Yeah, I guess it did. So, you girls like living in L.A.?" Steph asked.
"It's pretty cool, but it's gotten weird. Mom is more famous than she was before so we sometimes have paparazzi around but other than that it's fine. We're really proud of her." Tae responded and I smiled.
"I am too. I still remember when she told me she wanted to model and have her own clothing line." I think we were around 14 or 15 years old when I first told him.
"The clothing line is in the works. I'm going to start it here and then there will be stores all along the coast then it will move to other cities."
"You're like super woman, I swear." Ty added while smiling at me.
"Anything that makes me money and helps me take care of you two I'm willing to do." I responded being completely honest. They were the reason that I kept going every day.
"I want dessert!" Ty suddenly exclaimed while Tae groaned.
"How can you eat so much? I feel like I'm going to pop." Tae looked like the itis was already setting in with her.
"Get what you want Taina, my treat." Steph said while handing me a dessert menu. I looked at him as if he was crazy.
"I literally ate enough food for like three people and will have to spend an extra hour in the gym tomorrow at the hotel and you're handing me the dessert menu?" I asked him and all he could do was laugh.
"We'll share it, they have that molten chocolate brownie sundae you like. Is that still your favorite?" Steph smirked and knew he had me sold. I could never say no to my favorite dessert.
"Ehh, fine." I finally gave in and realized that there was no turning back.
Once our waiter brought it for us, it was literally as big as a newborn baby. Their name Southern Blues truly fits them. When you went down south, they always gave you enough food to feed an army.
"It did not look this big in the picture, good lord." I said and they all laughed at me. That didn't stop me from stuffing my spoon in my mouth either.
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Once we were back at the hotel, it was well past 12 am and the girls were worn out from the entire day (especially running up my bill) so they went straight to sleep. Steph made sure that we got in okay and we were now sitting on the balcony that was connected to my bedroom. That way if the girls were to wake up they wouldn't hear us. I didn't want them knowing just yet, especially what our mothers did. They already tend to ask about my mother and I tend to always dodge the question. Considering their personalities and how protective we are over each other, they would not be happy if I told them what grandma Tierra did.
"You ready to talk Baby T?" Steph asked me while looking over towards me.
"Where do I even start?" I muttered while trying not to get upset. I knew that it was going to take a lot for me to get over it and Ashton mentioned to me recently that I should go see her therapist. Ashton had some relationship issues and it ended up being really good for her. I might take her up on that offer. I don't want to feel this way forever.
"From the beginning. When you first found out." Steph replied while coming to sit directly next to me.
"It was right before high school graduation. I took a pregnancy test at home and thought I threw it away. I guess I was in a rush to get to you and left it on the bathroom counter. Taedra had her own apartment, so it was obvious it was mine. I was on my way to tell you when my mom came home and found it. She was pissed obviously. She already knew you were the father and then she called Sonya and told me not to move out of her sight. That's when shit really hit the fan. They didn't even give me a chance to say what I wanted to do. My mom said get an abortion or put it up for adoption and I didn't want to do that."
I sighed deeply before I continued.
"That's when Sonya told my mother that she wanted me to break up with you so I didn't hurt your future. Even though no one gave a flying fuck about mine. I was told to stay far away from you and to never tell you. So after I broke up with you which was literally the hardest thing I have ever had to do except child birth I packed up my room and got in my car and left. I remember having to pull onto the side of the road since I couldn't see because I was crying so hard. I knew that I hurt you, I still remember the look on your face and I knew that I couldn't fix it."
I wasn't anywhere near done, but looked down to see that Steph had grabbed my hand and was encouraging me to keep going.
"I don't think I could ever forgive myself for that. I didn't fight hard enough for us like I should have. So then I went to stay with Taedra. They mailed me my diploma and I started working night shift at the hospital as a receptionist to save as much money as I could. I still remember when I found out there wasn't one of them, but two. I cried for days. I knew that I couldn't afford to take care of one child so how was I going to take care of two? Then through saving my money and applying for scholarships, I went to college in New York. Taedra and Anthony helped as much as they could. I graduated and then stayed there for a little bit and then moved to L.A. when I felt that I wasn't getting enough opportunities. Every day that goes by I see more and more of you in them and I always thought that you would never want anything to do with me or them when I told you. That's why when I got your message on instagram I was scared out of my mind and relieved at the same time."
By this time there were full blown water works and Steph quickly reached up to wipe my tears away. I already knew my mascara was ruined.
"I am so sorry for keeping them from you, but I didn't know what else to do. You missed out on 11 years. You can't get that back."
"I might not be able to get them back, but I can start now. When you told me how old they were I did the math. When I told my mom I had talked to you her whole mood changed. Especially when I mentioned the twins. That's when she told me. And when I saw them tonight in person, I had no doubt they were mine." He is seriously taking this a lot better than I thought he would.
"I know you probably hate me." I sighed.
"Talia Eden, I could never hate you, ever. And I mean it. I just didn't want to believe my mother, but you told me exactly the same thing she did. I just never thought she would do something like that. Those are her granddaughters."
"You were always too good to me." I said as Steph brought me into a hug.
"No, it's definitely the other way around."
It was silent for a few minutes and then Steph finally spoke up.
"So, are we going to tell them?" He asked. I knew that this was coming.
"We definitely need too. But, only when you're ready."
"You know any time I dated someone, you were always on my mind. I was always comparing them to you and they would always fall short."
"I figured you would have been married by now." I responded being completely honest. I mean look at him, who wouldn't want him?
"But, I still remember promising the girl I was in love with when I was eighteen that I was going to put a ring on her finger and hers only." Talk about my heart skipping a beat.
"It's like those eleven years didn't even happen. It's like we've picked up right where we left off. I mean you definitely have more facial hair than what I remember because it was non-existent, but the baby face is still there." I said making him laugh and pinching his cheek at the same time.
"Is that why you and your mom don't talk? My mom mentioned it to me." Steph asked.
"Yeah, she told me to get out. So, I never looked back. My dad was trying to be the voice of reason, but she didn't want to hear it. I mean I always felt that I was in Taedra's shadow growing up, but getting pregnant was the icing on the cake. My mom always favored her over me. I still remember her yelling at me why couldn't I be more like Taedra."
The good thing is that me and Taedra never let my mother put a wedge between us. We were always close and she always stood up for me, no matter what. Especially when she knew I was trying my best and my mother still wasn't satisfied.
"It was always why are you not as small as your sister? Not as smart as your sister? Don't participate in more sports like your sister? Or if I followed in Taedra's footsteps and did everything that she did I would be told why couldn't I be different? I remember that is exactly what she said to me when I became captain of the cheerleading squad senior year. I despise her for it now. It's like no matter what I did it was never enough for her. She actually had the nerve to call me the other day."
"Did you talk to her?" Steph curiously asked.
"No, Taina answered the phone and she just said to call her back and I haven't. Taina didn't even know she was talking to her grandmother. They know nothing about her and vice versa. I feel as though she doesn't deserve to know about them."
"I just wonder how it would have played out if you would have gotten to me and told me before your mom found out."
"Good question, I feel that my mother would have still acted horribly towards me because I'm convinced that she hates me. But, I mean everything happens for a reason. I remember being so proud of you when I watched the draft and saw you picked by the warriors. I would watch all your games with the girls even when you were at Davidson. It just hurt because I thought you wouldn't want anything to do with me ever again."
"Like I said before, I could never hate you Talia. More than ten years have passed and I still feel the same way I felt when I was eighteen. You weren't given a fair choice. You really weren't given a choice at all. Your mother simply said you better do this or get out my house."
"No, it wasn't fair at all. I just knew I had two little girls to care for and that I wasn't going to let anything or anyone get in the way. Especially my mother. I was going to do everything in my power to give them a good life."
"But if you're willing, we can start over and make the happy ending we originally wanted for ourselves." My eyes immediately lit up.
"I'd like that."
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