Christopher Brown
I rummaged through my medicine cabinet hidden in the bathroom, trying to look for my pills. This Luna shit had pissed me all the way off and if I didn't calm down now, I may end up saying or doing something I regret.
I located the bag and popped a couple into my mouth with no water because I didn't need any. I sighed and laid against the wall. I instantly felt myself calm down and relax.
Don't get me wrong though, I was still going to show Luna who's really running this show and who's just selling the tickets.
Okay, that didn't make sense, but I'm honestly high out of my mind, so who cares?
Seeing Luna on Hoody's snapchat last night really triggered something within me. Something I haven't felt for at least a couple years. Pure anger and disgust for a human being.
I knew it was something as to why she keeps acting out and accusing me of shit. I just didn't know she was out here fucking cheating. We can argue all day but once you go and smile in another nigga face, were fucking done.
I looked up as Royalty came out of her room, rubbing her eyes. She instantly warmed my icy heart and made me regret taking those pills. All I needed to relax was her.
She smiled when she saw and gave me a hug. Little did she know I needed it way more than she'd ever know.
"Good morning, Daddy."
"Good morning, I love you." I sighed. She was literally the only girl in the world who would never treat me any type of way. Royalty loves me and shows me that. Not that bullshit love Luna throws my way.
"I love you more, are you busy?" I looked at her, startled a bit.
"Um, not at the moment, no. I have dance rehearsal later on, but you can come if you want. I know it's Friday, and Fridays are our days."
She giggled to herself and sat on the couch. I followed behind her. "Everyday is our day because Mommy still didn't answer did she?" I huffed and ran a hand down my face. I had actually forgot about Nutty Nia because I was so upset over Loony Luna.
"Um, she actually did, Ro. She said she's going to feel better one day. For you." I left out the part about her saying she would call because I didn't want to get her hopes up in case she didn't.
Ro looked up at me with an unsure expression. "Daddy?"
"Yes, baby?"
"Morgan Newman told me her mommy does things she wants to do. Like watch movies and get ice cream and stuff."
"Okay..." I said, not sure where she was going with this.
"And that Morgan loves her because they're like the bestest of friends. But I saw Morgan's mom at Muffins with Mom and she was..."
"She was what? She choked on a muffin?"
"What? No, silly! She was my color, but lighter. Like a marshmallow color. And Morgan is brown. Really brown. When I asked, she said she just met this mommy because her daddy didn't like the other one she had."
"Where are you going with this, Royalty?"
"That if a mommy is someone who loves you, and does stuff like what Morgan does with her marshmallow mommy then maybe I don't miss my mommy like I thought and I would like to trade her in for Luna."
I tried to contain my eyes from bulging out of my head. I would have never let Luna around Ro if I knew she was going to be out doing snake shit. I never wanted my daughter to get attached to any woman unless I knew for a fact she would be around for the long run.
However, I didn't know Royalty felt this strongly about Luna, they'd only been around each other for a couple months. "That's not the way it works, sweetie. You can't just trade moms. Morgan's dad and her real mom, the brown one, may have had an understanding. But you haven't talked to your mom or Luna about this yet to decide."
She shook her head and saw her start to get upset. I know because she's my spitting image when she's upset. "Morgan said mommy's don't hit you! She said mommy's don't go.."
"Mommy hit you? Why didn't you tell me this?" I was now starting to get upset because if there's one thing in my life that I got right, it was Royalty and I'll be damned if she gets hurt more than she already has in her lifetime.
Royalty was now crying and I almost was too. She lifted her shirt and I saw her little tummy. Nothing was on it.
She then turned in a semi-circle and I saw her back, which was bruised with purple marks. These didn't even look like whooping or spanking marks. "How did you get these and why have you just now told me?" I asked. I was actually really hurt that she didn't tell me, and also I was hurt because my daughter was getting abused and I didn't even know of it.
"By mommy's friends and mommy."
"Because?"
"Because she didn't have any super secret dust. Mommy says although super secret dust makes her sick, she still needs it and when she doesn't have any or she runs out she gets angry. Morgan Newman says mommy's shouldn't do that."
I held her close to my chest and wiped some of her stray tears that had fallen. "Morgan Newman is right. Mommy's shouldn't do that."
"But I still missed her.. I missed having a mommy. I was the only one at Tumbling Tots without one! But whenever I dream about her or see her picture I get scared so I changed my mind. Last night was the last nightmare I want to have about her."
I nodded as if she could see me with her head dug into my chest. "I'm so sorry I couldn't have helped you sooner, baby, but if something like that ever happens again, please, please tell me."
She sat up. "Well I want Luna to be my new mommy and then we can be a family because a family is when mommy loves daddy and daddy loves mommy and they both love Royalty." I chuckled. "A family could also be just me and you."
"I know. But I prefer Luna, so ask her. Please, for me, daddy?" She batted her eyelashes and crossed her hands together. God knows I couldn't say no to that.
"o-oOkay." I stuttered, wondering how in the hell was I going to do this when I had thoughts of bodyslamming her to the ground and choking her so she felt as breathless as I did when I saw those pictures and videos of her at the Waffle House.
About an hour had passed since Royalty and I's conversation and we were now in her room, having a tea party with Mr. Ruffles the penguin plush toy, Barbie the Barbie doll, Jessie from Toy Story, and Brittany the teddy bear. She saved a seat for Luna next to me, much to my dismay.
There was a little tray of bite sized cookies on the small table in the center and pink tea cups filled with coke in front of each chair.
"Is she on her way, Daddy?" Ro asked, and right on cue, I heard the front door unlock. I heard her footsteps as she called out for us.
"Royalty? Chris?" I rolled my eyes at her voice. Don't think because my daughter softened my heart that I was going to forget about her late night escapades. I still had something for her and that nigga, once I found out who he was.
Luna entered the room and Royalty instantly ran to her hugging her leg. "Hi!" Luna smiled back and bent down to pick her up. "Hey, girly. I missed you, what're you doing?"
"Having a tea party! I was hoping you could come." Luna's eyes met mine and she dropped her head.
"I..um.."
"Please, Luna?"
She sighed and sat Royalty down. "Okay, sweetie. I'll stay." Ro cheered and pulled out her chair for her to sit in, beside me. She didn't make eye contact with me, and I didn't even receive not even a smile. She must've known she did something wrong.
"I'm going to go get the pink napkins." And with that, she left the room, leaving Luna and I alone.
It's like you could cut the tension with a knife. Her, picking at her nails, avoiding my stares, and me, pulling at my beard watching her intensely. Waiting on her to speak. Waiting on her to apologize. Waiting on something.
She finally met my gaze and huffed. "We need to talk after this." I nodded. "Of course we do, babe." I gave her the most devilish grin I could. She just smirked and averted her attention back to her nails.
I silently thought about what I would do. Was I going to cheat back?
Would I kill the guy?
Would I demand answers?
"Is everything okay? You've been out all night." I spoke coldly. She nodded. "I just needed some air. And some time to think, you know?"
Hell naw, I didn't know.
"Yeah, babe. I know."
I pulled out my phone and went directly to my screenshots of Hoody and Mijo's messages about Luna and this guy. I pulled up the video first and began to play it aloud.
Her head snapped in my direction. "What're you watching?" I shrugged. "Something on Snapchat. I guess Mijo and Hoody were at Waffle House last night."
"Oh." was her response.
As I watched the video, I saw the table clear. Luna had eggs in front of her, and the nigga had bacon, hashbrowns and grits on his. There was a number on the edge of the table that I saw her crumble up, but stuff in her pocket.
I looked at her. "I'm in the mood for eggs, you?"
She didn't respond. "Where's Ro with those napkins?" She mumbled.
I watched the video, noticing which pocket she had the number in. I sat my phone down and touched her thigh. "Tell me there's nothing in your right pocket."
She sucked her teeth and scooted away from me. "Get real, Chris."
"Tell me!" She rolled her eyes. "You're a fucking maniac." I pulled her back down and began to go through her pockets as Royalty showed up in the doorway. "Daddy, is everything okay?"
"Go to your room, baby."
She smiled. "This is my room, Daddy." Realizing she was right, I got up and grabbed the back of Luna's neck. "Luna's a little sick right now, Ro. I'm finna go lay her down."
"Aww, okay. Come right back though." I nodded and drug Luna into our room, locking the door. She scrambled to get up, then pushed me. "Like I said, a fucking maniac."
I showed her the crumpled number. "What is this? Is this what we doing?" She shook her head, but I was playing no games. "Let you have found this on me and see what would have happened."
"It was from a woman! There were no trash cans available and I didn't want to be rude so I stashed it in my pocket! End of story! Now leave me alone! Royalty is in the next room and you're being dumb and violent. I don't have time."
"No. You don't get to put this all on me. Who was the nigga, Luna? Who was he?"
"It was Joey! My ex! He's in town for a little and he saw me and sat down, that's it." I wanted to slap this damn girl. You just said you were sitting down with your ex but yet, you say 'that's it'. Girl, no. I never met boo boo the fool, but I'm almost certain I'm not him.
"This is just too much. You shouldn't have left. You shouldn't have been sitting with him!"
"I'm tired of this!" She yelped, slapping my face with her palm, hard. I was so taken back, I didn't know what to think.
"Your future seems to be the only thing that's important! I wasn't a bum before we met, and I can't be one now. I'll be damned if I stay here and let you control me another minute." She bumped me and walked into the closet.
"What do you mean? Control? If anything, I leveled you up! Look at this! You up here picking up a Gucci duffel bag to stuff your shit in. You know damn well you used to K-Mart only shit."
Not that there's anything wrong with K-Mart because drip can come from any store, but I was trying to make a point.
"I got you out there. I helped you with that article." She slapped me again.
"This! This is what I mean! You didn't do shit! Fuck you, I'm done." She walked in the closet and I scoffed.
"Okay, babe." I shut the closet door and put a chair under the knob, leaving her in there. Little did she know, I was just getting started.