Two years later
November 4th, 2019
Tiny hands could be felt rubbing up against her face but Kaleena was too busy trying to enjoy her Saturday in before she had to get up and handle business but the way these hands were caressing her face, she knew that was a done deal for her.
Peeking one eye open, the little boy who she adored with all of her life, showed his four teeth that had already grown in and started kicking off with laughter once he saw his mother peeking through her eyes.
She tried to play like she was still sleeping to see if he would leave her alone but Kalan only whined and pulled her eyes open himself until he saw both of them completely open.
"You just won't let me sleep huh?" She groaned and sat up.
Kalan just continued to look at her with a smile before shaking his head left to right. He had yet to master shaking his head up and down as yet so everything you asked him; he would shake it in response to no. It was crazy really, Kalan was a smart one year old and she couldn't be more proud of herself for doing it all alone.
He was a gift when she thought her life was all over and done with. She had just escaped her abusive relationship fully when she found out that she was pregnant and when word got back to her ex, Pjay; on whether or not Kalan was his. He tried to come back and plead his case about being a better man. Pjay words still stung her ears from time to time when she broke it down to him that he wasn't Kalan's father.
She would get random letters saying how she would meet Kalan dead one day and then she'd be next. It had her so scared to the point where she didn't leave her house, her entire pregnancy and she didn't bother to post Kalan on any social media account.
When word got back to her that Pjay ended up getting his ass beat so bad in jail that he didn't make it off of the surgery table was when she felt like she was finally free. She was able to leave her house for the first time when Kalan was three months and she had gotten accustomed to posting him on social media but only the back of him so no one can identify his face whenever they're out in the public eyes.
It was her way of keeping herself and her child safe. There were a lot of child predators that would often seek out their victims from their parents social media anyways so she felt like she was making the right decision about keeping his face private from the evils that the internet beholds.
Rolling over to get off of her bed, Kaleena picked up Kalan and walked out in her kitchen to see what she was going to make the both of them for breakfast. "What do you want to eat, papa?"
Kalan looked over at Kaleena and smiled before walking over to the fridge and pointing to it. Getting up from the stool that she sat down on, she walked over and opened it up for him so he can show her what he wanted. Kalan pointed his little fingers at the tangerine.
"Is that all you want?" She asked him just for him to shake his head which made her chuckle.
She really needed to teach him how to nod. Grabbing the tangerine, Kaleena peeled it and separated it before handing it to Kalan on one of his plates where he sat on the floor and started eating from it. While he was busy eating that, she started her pot with boiling water to make them both some cream of wheat since that's what she was in the mood for and Kalan loved eating it.
Her house was a nice sized two bedroom and three baths. After having Kalan and Pjay dying. She knew for a fact that it was time for her to leave her parents house and her dad helped her by buying the house for her no matter how many times she begged and pleaded for him not to. He told her that it was a gift for her being so strong with accomplishing school and learning how to be a great mother to Kalan.
Looking back, she really should've told them when Pjay first started hitting her but she was so caught up in his lies and his words that all of his actions got excused because she wanted to believe that he would be a better man.
Part of her was tempted to take Pjay back until her mother started talking to her again and made her realize that if he could put his hands on her; imagine what he could do to a child that wasn't his biologically. That put everything in perspective for her; she couldn't see life without Kalan and if any man was to walk in her life right now, he would have to accept them both or leave her alone because her son came first.
However, when it came to Kalan's biological father. Kaleena searched everywhere to try and find him but she just couldn't and she couldn't see why it was even hard to find him because the island that they lived on was so small that everyone knew someone but that wasn't the case with her.
She was scared that Kalan wouldn't know what it's like to be raised with a father that adored him like she grew up with hers and that was hurting her. For the love of God, she couldn't even remember the guys name. All she knew was that it began with a C but if she saw him, she would know for a fact that he's Kalan's father because his face just won't leave her mind and she wasn't allowing it to.
This was something that she owed her son and she wasn't going to stop searching for him, she didn't care how long it took her to find him; all she knew was that she was going to find him even if her death bed threatens to come, she will be on it still searching.
After putting her and Kalan's cream of wheat in their respective bowls along with some fruits, she called him over to the living room where he sat by his little table and she sat on the sofa. Turning the television on to an educational cartoon, she allowed him to eat by himself while she occupied herself on her phone.
Listening to the front door opening and closing, Kaleena already knew it was no other than Taylour who came around the corner smiling as wide as she can while reaching out to an excited Kalan. "Come to mommy, handsome." Taylour cooed as she kissed Kalan all over his face.
"You keep calling him your child but never come for him anymore." Kaleena rolled her eyes at Taylour.
Taylour waved her off, "There's absent parents in real life that'll still ride or die for their kids. Plus, Kalan knows I love him and nothing is going to change that but I promise to do better."
"You better." Kaleena pointed and scanned her from head to toe. "Are you going to the beach or something?" She questioned.
"Bitchhhh." Taylour dragged and covered up Kalan's ears as he fought for her to move them. "Don't tell me your ass forgot about y'all family annual beach party?"
Smacking herself internally, Kaleena looked at Taylour wide eyed, "Is that today?" She questioned with a slight chuckle.
"Is that today?" Taylour mocked and switched Kalan to her other hip. "I'll get him ready and pack his bag while you get yourself dressed." She offered while throwing her free hand up in the air.
Kaleena smiled and hopped off of her sofa, "See, this why you're my baby daddy." She pointed at Taylour with her tongue hanging out of her mouth.
Taylour waved her off and retreated down to Kalan's bedroom where she placed him in his swimming trunks and a white tee with his Nike slides. Leaning closer to Kalan, she smelled his mouth and scrunched up her face. "Ya mama didn't brush your teeth yet, huh?" She questioned Kalan who shook his head.
"Yet." He mocked Taylour and clasped his hands together.
While Taylour was busy getting Kalan together in his room. Kaleena was too busy struggling with trying to figure out which bathing suit she wanted to sport. Of course she didn't want to wear something too inappropriate since they were going to be around family but she still wanted to show skin.
After debating with herself for so long, she decided to just put on her black one piece that had an opening in the back with her white shorts and black sandals. She threw her hair in a messy bun and popped on some lip gloss.
Looking around her room, she found her beach bag that she wanted to take and packed a change of comfy clothes and a simple cute dress In case they were to go out after the beach party for a family dinner like they usually did.
"Lena, hurry that ass up. Always late fucking with you!" Taylour yelled out with irritation.
"I'm gonna brush my teeth really quick and I'll meet you guys in the Jeep!" She yelled back and raced into her bathroom where she brushed her teeth and wiped around her face.
Grabbing her bag, she made sure that she had everything that she would possibly need before leaving the house and locking the door behind her. Once outside, she looked over Taylours pink Wrangler Jeep and shook her head. It was just like Taylour to get something so bright and outrageous just to taunt a lot bitches that caught themselves being jealous of her.
Half of it was sometimes comical but to Taylour it was her making a statement and that statement was just the simple fact of her saying she's that bitch. Jumping inside of the Jeep, she gave Taylour a pointed look with a smirk on her face. "Pink? You really outdid yourself with this one here."
Taylour waited until Kaleena was belted in the passenger seat before she pulled out of her driveway and on to the main road. "Had to make that statement." She smiled then scoffed as if something just ran through her mind. "Too bad I have to get it sprayed over"
"Why?" Kaleena questioned and opened up a juice box for Kalan who was occupied on his Ipad.
Stopping at a red light, Taylour faced Kaleena. "Your brother thinks this look will affect his masculinity." She admitted in a sarcastic tone while putting masculinity in quotation with her fingers.
The laugh that so badly wanted to escape from her lips couldn't be held in any longer so Kaleena let loose and doubled over in her seat. "You're kidding right?"
Shifting the Jeep gear back into drive, Taylour rolled her eyes, "Bitch, I wish I was kidding." She sighed. "I guess I can compromise with him on this since we're getting married and everything. Don't want him to be feeling like a little bitch in the Barbie whip." She chuckled.
"I still can't believe you guys are getting married." Kaleena smiled.
"Same girl but I can't wait to be Mrs. Anderson." She gushed and turned the radio up as she sung Marry You by Bruno Mars.
The two got engaged about two months ago and Kaleena was super excited when she found out. However, part of her couldn't help but to wonder if she would ever get to that point herself, she was always so focused with being the best teacher to her students and being a wonderful mother to Kalan that dating was just always pushed to the back of her mind. But now, seeing Taylour with this huge rock on her finger, she wanted nothing more than to dream of having her own one day before she got too involved in herself to where it'll no longer be a dream of hers.
The drive to the beach became short once they indulged in singing to the music that was playing on the radio. When they arrived at the beach, Kaleena hopped out and grabbed Kalan out of his car seat while Taylour grabbed their beach towels.
Before they got to where the family was on the beach, Karen was already racing over to get an excited Kalan out of Kaleenas hands. "Hey, gammy boy!"
She watched as her mother barely paid her any attention before she went to show Kalan off to everyone in the family. Kaleena rolled her eyes and greeted everyone with a sheepish smile and hug. The only one she didn't greet was her brother Khalil and it was only because the two still wasn't talking and Kaleena didn't intend to suck his ass anymore because he was just being entirely too petty for a situation that was done and over with.
The party was in full effect with the men on the grill, the women sitting on the benches and the kids in the water with the teenagers. It was always like this and there was no other way around it when the entire family decided to get together. Sometimes it could be a really good thing and other times it could get so bad to where they wouldn't see one another for many years to come which is why Kaleenas parents organized an annual beach party.
Out of the corner of her eyes, she could see her aunt Joyce sitting down staring at her. She knew it was about to be some slick shit that was about to come out of this hoe's mouth. To be quite honest, Joyce never liked Kaleena as a child and couldn't stand her more now that she was an adult.
When Kaleena was younger she used to question it but now that she was older. She couldn't give two fucks what this bitch had to say or think about her. "When are you gonna get a man to take care of you and that baby, girl?" Joyce questioned while smirking at Kaleena.
Chuckling, Kaleena looked over at her dad and ignored his pleading eyes. "Didn't my uncle divorce your ass already? Why you still coming around like someone still wants you to be here?" She taunted at Joyce and winked.
Joyce huffed and stomped over to the grill to complain to Kaleenas uncle but she didn't care. How you coming to the kitchen looking for heat and can't take it? Tuh, Joyce had another thing coming if she thought Kaleena was just going to hold her tongue like she was still that little ass girl in the corner crying from her stinging words.
The sun was now setting and everyone was gathering up all of their trash and items to leave the beach. It was going on five o'clock and everyone decided to go home get dressed and meet at a restaurant by eight o'clock to eat dinner. Since Kaleena house was too far, she decided to just go home with her parents along with Taylour and Khalil.
Time rolled around quick and when everyone looked back at the time. It was time for them to be making their way to the restaurant. The only reason she was even going to this dinner was because she was hungry and she wasn't going to be paying for the bill otherwise she would be laying in her bed making some lesson plans with Kalan right beside her.
Free anything was the best way to get her to come anywhere she thought as she sat down and ordered a chicken Alfredo pasta for her and chicken finger and fries for Kalan with two fruit punches.
"Can one of the fruit punches not be filled all the way to the top and can it be in a plastic cup?" Kaleena asked the waitress and watched as she wrote everything down while trying to get everyone else order.
"When are you and your brother going to cut this foolishness out, Lena?" Her mom questioned.
Kaleena shrugged, "That's your son acting stupid not me and I'm not about to keep trying to talk to him to get nothing back in return."
"You know he's still having a hard time wit-." Karen started but Kaleena cut her off.
"Hard time?" She chuckled. "I didn't know Khalil was the one getting his ass handed to him almost every night. What type of hard time is he having? Because I can recall my many nights of praying for a way out or for one of you to see that I'm crying out for y'all help just for it to be ignored. So please, tell your son to stop acting like a bitch and get over the shit. The least he can do is thank God that I'm still alive even if he was the one who saved me."
"You watch your mou-."
"Leave her alone, Karen. Khalil is the one you should be talking to." George, her father told her mother with nothing but sternness in his voice.
Looking over at her dad, Kaleena smiled and silently thanked him. As the night continued to go on, she couldn't wait for the dinner to be over and done with because she was ready to get home in her bed and cuddle her baby. There was a lot of things that she couldn't handle and not talking to her brother was one of those things no matter how bad she tried to act as if it wasn't hurting her.
In all honesty, she just wanted him to see that she was still here and him carrying this anger in his heart won't do them any good because life just wasn't promised to anyone these days and he was failing to see that which was despicable to her but it was time for her to just truly move on from it and one day he just might get his shit together before it all becomes too late for him to do so.
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How do you guys feel about Khalil and how he's acting towards Kaleena?
Are you guys ready for Kaleena to find Cree already? How do you think he'll react to being a parent?
Chapter wasn't all that but I just wanted to give you guys a little insight on Kaleenas family.