Chapter 13: What Is Life?
Chris
As soon as Chris locked the door he leaned up against it and looked up at the ceiling wondering what the fuck had just happened and what was going on his life. He was happy that Nia and April had talked and came to an agreement to be cordial but the whole asking April to be Royalty's God mother threw him for a loop. They had never discussed it no nothing. Nia had never even mentioned it to him and Chris would've never thought about asking April such a thing like that. Was he mad? No, not really but he would've loved to talk to Nia about it beforehand before asking April something so serious like that. It was one of those things where it was like who are you to ask April out of all people a question like that. Yet at the same time he was happy that Nia had grown enough to admit her faults and ask April what she had and that she was looking at what was going on in Royalty's life and was trying to make it better for her.
Chris wouldn't have asked because yes he knew April loved Royalty to death and she already claimed her as her own but would she really want to be the God mother to the same child that he had on her during their relationship? Let alone he wasn't the one who asked her it was the woman he had cheated on her with who had asked. He thought it would be too much to ask her such a thing but he also knew without a doubt that if something happened to him and his mother wasn't able to take care of Royalty that April would be the next person in line and best option because she without a doubt wholeheartedly loved Royalty and would do whatever she needed to do for her. She would make sure that all of her needs were met.
Life was definitely changing for him and what he had witnessed today he would've never thought would have happened in a million years. He knew how much April had despised Nia but to see them both sitting down in his living room and being adults without April dragging her ass across the living room floor for GP was progress in itself and God straight working his magic. He just hoped and prayed that April and Nia could continue to be cordial because his little girls didn't need to be caught up in any drama that he had actually been the source of. He knew that just because April and her family didn't remind him 50/11 times that they knew damn well that all of this shit was his fault to begin with but they weren't going to rub it in his face.
"God what are you doing to me" he questioned seriously. Chris had once been a piece of shit and he was definitely changing for the better and now he was actually starting to see the results. Life was good for him. He had two beautiful little girls and now his children's mothers were on the same page working together without him having to be the middle man. He knew it was because April was all about her girls and he was grateful because if not this shit wouldn't have even gone down everything could've gone left. He still couldn't believe this shit but he had to respect it. They wanted the best for their children and they were willing to be mature enough to make shit happen.
Finally walking away from the front door Chris took his phone out of his pocket, walked back to the living room, and plopped down on the couch speechless. He unlocked his phone and went straight to his, August, and Trey's group-chat and sent a 911. He needed to talk to his brothers like now. He needed to know that he wasn't dreaming and that this shit was the real deal.
An Hour Later...
"Big bruh what's the emergency" August asked concerned as he, Chris, and Trey now sat in Chris's living room. He had cut his session at the studio short to see what was going on. He was hoping that it wasn't anything too bad because they didn't need anything else happening at the moment. They were already making sure that they were watching their surroundings and the people they came in contact with.
"Word it better be important cause a nigga got plans" Trey said as he looked at Chris waiting for him to speak up.
"Sounds like a nigga got plans with his new boo thing" August looked over at him and teased.
Trey smirked and looked away. "Maybe" he said and left it at that.
Chris sat on the opposite couch facing them with his head in his hands. Today was a good day nonetheless but he was honestly still stuck on what had gone down and was this shit really real. Did this shit happen or was all this shit part of a fucked up dream. He knew karma was real so he wondered was this part of his karma. He wanted to know what was going on in the universe of fuckery.
"Y'all not gonna believe what the fuck just happened" Chris said as he finally spoke up and removed his hands from his face.
"I'm sure you bout to fill us in" August said and leaned forward ready to hear whatever was on Chris's mind because whatever it was had to be important especially if he sent out a 911.
"So remember I told y'all Nia wanted to talk to April" he said as he looked between the two of them.
"Yea" they nodded. This shit instantly peaked their interest they had been dying to know how that whole little sit down was going to go.
"Well they talked today" Chris confessed.
"Damn it" August said and snapped his fingers. "I knew it was something I was supposed to do today. I was supposed to act like I needed something from you so I could be a fly on the fuckin wall" August said and huffed as he leaned back into the couch mad as hell that he missed the conversation. He had been high key waiting for that shit to go down and to know he missed it he was definitely in his feelings. Trey and Chris looked at him and shook their heads. Leave it up to August's ass. Let alone if he had remembered what the day was he would've actually been at Chris's house snooping and shit.
"I ain't even trying to be funny but I don't see any clothing on the floor or no blood splatter and the furniture is still intact so I'm guessing lil sis didn't whoop her ass" Trey said as he looked around the room looking for the slightest hint of evidence that a fight had broken out but saw nothing.
August laughed. "Shit ain't nothing happen the police and paramedics would've been outside let alone a body print if lil sis touched her"
Trey burst out laughing. "True shit"
Chris looked at them and shook his head again. Only those two but he understood it and if there was no Charlie he could see a fight going down between the two of them. He could honestly see April whooping her ass just because. "The total opposite happened" he said still not believing the outcome.
"Bet so what happened" August asked ready to hear it already.
"They met up here to talk a lil while ago. Apple wanted me to sit in on the conversation but I dipped. I wanted no parts of it" he replied.
"Nigga you left those two alone better yet left Nia alone with lil sis" Trey asked him looking at him like he had lost his fuckin head. That just didn't sound like the right thing to do.
Chris leaned back into the couch and chuckled a bit. "Nia brought RoRo with her so Apple was not bout to fight her mother in front of her" he said as a matter of fact. He knew April wouldn't want that image in Royalty's head.
"Ole girl is smart. I give her that. She brought my baby so she wouldn't get her ass whooped" August said and nodded.
"She probably did. I can see that happening" Chris agreed.
"Ok but that doesn't explain why you didn't stay in here with them. This shit involved the three of y'all and I know lil sis didn't want to be in here by herself" Trey said not liking that Chris had left April alone with Nia not knowing how the situation would've played out. Anything could've happened.
"Like I told Apple it's only but so many times a nigga can hear how bad he fucked up. She told me how she felt and how I made her feel and all the things I did to her. I did her wrong. I fucked her over and what I did cost me and can't be undone. Who wants to keep reliving their fuck ups when they've done and are still trying to make amends and do right by that person on a daily? We talked bout that shit a lil over year ago. I didn't and couldn't hear that shit again. We're at a point in our friendship where we're actually good and I don't want to think bout what I did before we made it back to this point. We moved on from all of that and I got my best friend back" Chris confessed. He was tired of hearing that shit. It was like a constant jab to his chest every time he thought about it or someone brought it up or tried to rub it in his face.
"I know what I did to her and the conversation they needed to have wasn't bout me. It was bout them being cordial for the girls" he said. He honestly didn't know what was said. He had missed out on it all purposely. All he was worried about was the conversation that regarded his daughters.
"True" August and Trey said in unison. They understood where he was coming from when he explained it. No one wanted to be reminded of their faults and flaws or have them constantly thrown in their face when they were trying their best to correct them.
"You mad trash though. I thought I was bout to get some info. Now I'm a have to get lil baybeh to fill me in" August said and shook his head disappointed in Chris's luke warm ass tea. He thought he was about to get all of the details.
Chris chuckled. "Look the conversation went better than expected. I just knew Apple was going to at least tap her ass for the one time but they're going to work on being cordial for the girls. They had my baby asking if they were friends now and she was so excited when they said yes that her lil ass hit the woah" Chris laughed. He loved when his baby girl was happy.
"Only something ya child would do. I wouldn't be surprised if Triple B's first walk would actually be a damn dance step or some shit" Trey said and they all laughed.
"Leave my babies alone. I ain't send out a 911 for that" Chris said between laughing.
"So what the fuck happened then" August asked.
"So I finally come into the living room to basically see how they were doing and I hear Nia say some shit like ask Chris so me being me I wanted to know what was going on. So I say ask me bout what. How bout Nia asked April to be Royalty's God mother" Chris said with a straight face. He needed to let his brothers know that he wasn't joking at all.
Crickets...crickets is all that would've been heard if they were outside. August and Trey both looked at him with the slow blink waiting for him to say ha, ha it's a joke but nope there was no joke to be told. There was no punchline.
"Ha, ha very funny my nigga it was funny when you said Royalty asked if Nia and lil big sis were friends but I'm not gonna laugh at my baby because she doesn't know the back story but I'm a damn sure laugh at this bullshit" August said still waiting on Chris to stop playing.
"I'm dead ass Nia asked April to be Royalty's God mother. When she told me that shit I laughed dead in her face because why would she even ask her some shit like that" Chris said still being serious.
"All jokes aside like real talk" Trey asked wanting to know what was really going on.
"Dead ass" Chris nodded.
"And what did lil big sis say" August asked.
"Of course she said yes. I asked her was she sure and she said she was cool with it" Chris replied.
"Sorry but these females funny as hell. So you fuck sis man, get pregnant, and then have the nerve to ask the same woman whose man you fucked to be ya child's God mother. What kind of crack are people out here smoking because weed doesn't do that shit to you" Trey said flabbergasted. "Damn bro look at the shit you created" he said knowing that if Chris had kept his dick in his pants none of this shit would've been happening.
"I told you what lil big sis is on. The only thing saving these chicks is her kids and that's all. If it wasn't for those three lil girls she'd be slinging bitches left and right. But now she's on some shit where she's basically saved and shit and trying to keep the peace for their sake" August said. "It's like it doesn't matter how she feels bout a person anymore. If they have something to do with the girls she's going to put their feelings first before hers"
"Facts she's still a hot head but when it involves them she puts them above all which she should. My only concern is that I hope like hell that Nia isn't on some bullshit and putting Ro in the middle of some shit because we all know it won't end well" Trey agreed with August and said.
"You already know she nipped that shit in the bud and told Nia what it was so hopefully she takes heed to it if not then I don't know what to do. I just don't want my daughters caught in the crossfire to where they can't see each other without some shit popping off" Chris groaned. He hoped like hell it didn't come down to that.
"This shit is funny as hell and crazy" August said and chuckled. "All I can think bout is the shit that Agnes posted on IG. She said all the shit questioning lil sis's ability to have children and now lil big sis has three and is raising her child as if she was her own. My niece even calls her momma. Then she thought that once she talked to you that y'all would just be friends and now y'all done fucked around and had my baby Triple B together and now Nia asked her to be my RoRo's God mother. Bitches hate to love her but their kids adore her" August said and laughed. "At this point lil big sis doesn't even have to lift a finger. Karma be on full watch"
"True shit" Trey laughed. "Karma be working her magic. Now she's in their lives and they have to watch this shit play out especially Agnes. She's not even a part of Kai's life anymore. That lil girl is lil sis's baby and you can't tell either one of them otherwise"
"Karma is definitely a bitch" Chris shook his head then put his head down. God sure had a funny way of throwing curve balls at people and making them watch all of the things that they could've had.
"How do you feel bout lil sis being her God mother though" Trey asked serious. He really wanted to know.
"I don't have a problem with it at all. Y'all know how she's been with Royalty since day one. Since day one she has put Ro before all of the bullshit and she still does to this day. Ro has always been her baby. Let's face it blood has no say so in this one. It is what it is. Now would I have personally asked her something like that? Absolutely not because I feel like no matter their relationship I fucked up so bad that I don't have the right to ask that of her but I know that she's in good hands. At the end of the day I'm happy that she has a role model in her life like April. Now with her being her God mother she'll have more access to her and she'll be able to go get her and see her without me in the middle and that's a good thing. There won't be a strain or anyone in their feelings" Chris replied honestly. He had no problem with it at all. Royalty benefitted from it. She had additional family that loved her and that would be there for her.
"Agreed but what happens if my RoRo slips up and calls her mommy" August asked.
Chris looked at him and laughed thinking about a little while ago when April asked the same question. "My baby has already slipped up. She done called her momma"
Trey and August looked at each other and started dying laughing. "Damn what is life? Ya baby straight out here telling y'all what she wants and done finessed the shit right out of y'all" August buckled over laughing.
"I'm not even gonna hold you. I saw this shit happening. Not the God mother shit but the whole calling lil sis momma shit. Y'all see how they are when they're together and even when they're a part they be asking about each other. Lil sis loves on her, shows her attention, and even when she has Kai she never falters or treats her differently. She treats them the same way" Trey admitted. It was honestly inevitable. Whether Royalty called her momma now or later it was bound to happen.
"I saw it too but I was thinking she'd just think it instead of actually saying it" Chris confessed. He had seen all the signs and was actually surprised that it hadn't started from the very start.
"True" August nodded. "But um is it just me or what but I think lil big sis might have an episode one of these days" August said hesitantly. He didn't want to put it out there but it was something he had been thinking about since Thanksgiving.
Chris and Trey focused on him. "Elaborate" Chris said with his eyes on him.
"Well she's just been letting a lot of shit slide by honestly. Every time she's ready to pop off something or someone is always standing in her way. Hazel popped up at her crib on Thanksgiving, Mama Ana basically invited Hazel to stay, and she couldn't even do shit bout it. She talked to Nia today and let's face it we all know she wants her round yet she still couldn't do anything about it" he said and looked between Chris and trey.
"Where is she burying this shit? Someone is going to roll up on her and she's gonna unleash the worst on them. Sure she talks to East and her sisters but we all know it's only but so much a person can take. What is it gonna take for her to snap because I doubt she even snapped after the shit with you" August said and looked at Chris. "Then she's plotting on Agnes but who knows when she's going to actually be able to take care of that and on top of that she thinks somebody is out to get her"
"When you think bout it you do have a point. It might be festering and that isn't healthy" Trey added.
"I know before y'all got back cool every time I asked lil baybeh bout her she'd always say she's at work. Everything was work but now she's on maternity leave and watching two kids while East is on tour so she can't bury herself in work like she used to. So what is she using as an escape" August continued. He was the one that paid attention to any and everything.
"She has the girls. They do a pretty good job at keeping her sane" Chris said and leaned deeper into the couch. He hoped like hell that April was good especially with having the kids 24/7. But August was right. She hadn't snapped on him the way he thought she would when they had their talk, she couldn't fight Millie because she was pregnant the same with Hazel, and then there was Nia who he knew she had a problem with but she still couldn't do anything about it. Even when Royalty was first born she had stopped her from coming at Nia and he knew the only reason why she hadn't done anything then was because Nia was using Royalty against him. Granted April didn't have to lift a finger personally because it seemed like karma was working in her favor but August was right. How much more could she really handle before losing it.
"That's true I just hope she's mentally good at the end of the day" August said concerned.
"Facts but uh what you mean she thinks somebody is out to get her and did Hazel really show up for Thanksgiving" Trey asked looking between Chris and August.
"Shit you did miss the showdown as usual" Chris looked at him and shook his head. Trey stayed missing out when shit was going down. "We had a lil family meeting on Thanksgiving after Hazel popped up. Apple pretty much feels like something bad is going to happen to her. She can't shake the feeling so we're all just looking out and hoping nothing happens but you know Pops and unc ain't letting shit go down" Chris said filling him in. That shit still had him worried and a little shook up because he wouldn't be able to deal if something had happened to her let alone he couldn't think of anyone that would want to harm her besides the usual suspects but at this point they'd be fools if they did something stupid.
"But yea long story short ole girl did a pop up at lil big sis house like it was cool. Lil big sis gave her a tongue lashing. You know how she is with the mouth" August said and snickered thinking about how April had put Trey in his place for disrespecting her and questioning her loyalty. She had verbally ripped his ass to shreds.
"Chilllllll" Trey dragged laughing. "I earned that shit" he shrugged remembering how that shit felt when he sobered up the next day. The tongue lashing was so severe that if those words were punches then he had gotten his fuckin ass whooped.
"You did" Chris laughed. He was ready to get at him that day as well. He had really over done it that night and got handled accordingly.
"Just finish the story" Trey waved them off not trying to revisit that day.
"Any, who lil big sis was ready to pop off and get at her she already had on her Timbs, put her hair in a ponytail, and was inching towards her. Soon as she's ready to square up Pops stops her because the kids were there but lil big sis was with the shits that day so she told us to take em to the basement. So I'm thinking she bout to say fuck it and what not so you know me I stay ready. I'm looking at lil big sis and I'm looking at Hazel with my hand in my pocket gearing up to get my phone and shit so I could make a volume three" August said giving Trey the run down.
Chris just looked at him and shook his head laughing. Even when his ass was serious he still couldn't keep it up. This was typical August fashion though.
August continued. "Next thing I know East reminds her that my nieces are there so lil big sis backs down but she's still talking her shit. She says what she has to say and walked away telling Pops and Mama Ana that it's a spill on aisle living room and to come get it. Now I know I wasn't the only one thinking they were going to walk her out to her car or some shit you know to get her out of the house before lil big sis says fuck it all but no they did the complete opposite" August said and scratched his head while Trey just sat there and listened.
"Yea I still don't know how they could do that shit. We all know they ain't on good terms and Apple really isn't off her so you would think they would've gotten her out of the house and fast with the way Apple was ready to attack" Chris said shaking his head. That shit right there didn't make any sense to him at all. He thought that shit was fucked up.
"Wait so they let her stay there" Trey asked flabbergasted. He knew damn well that they weren't the type of family to do fuck shit like that so something had to be up.
"Yup" Chris and August said together.
"The shit was crazy because Apple really didn't want her there. Next thing you know they're babysitting her at the kitchen table" Chris said. "Apple was enjoying herself but the whole time we were chilling she was looking between the girls watching them like hawks. She wouldn't let them out of her sight unless they were with one of us and even then she was on high alert"
"Facts I think they should fight at least once just to get it out of the way and go from there. I think lil big sis is just hurt that out of all people the one person and pretty much the first person besides family that she let in her world fucked her over" August said. "She shared her life, her parents, her lil sista, and everything else with her without complaining since she was ten. Hazel knows how her family didn't have much, all of their struggles, her secrets, their come up, and everything else. She thought the one person besides her actual blood would have her back like she had theirs but it was the complete opposite"
"Not to mention the way Hazel was talking she felt a way for years so no one really knows when she started feeling the way she did" Chris added.
"Understandable I can see that" Trey nodded and looked away. Hazel was still a sore spot for him even after so many months of being apart.
"Has she reached out to you" Chris looked over at Trey and asked.
"Nah not at all and I don't think she will" he answered.
"Do you miss her" August asked.
"Sometimes...it's not that easy to throw away your feelings for someone you spent years with. But I don't dwell on that shit either. Everything happens for a reason. I just hope she finds whatever she's looking for but other than that I'm good on her" Trey truthfully admitted. When he thought about his and Hazel's relationship he realized that she wasn't into him like he was into her. She liked him maybe even loved him but she wasn't in love with him and he wasn't it for her. He didn't think she knew how to actually love anyone but herself. She was still damaged.
"Understood" Chris said. He knew that feeling all too well luckily he was finally over and had come to terms with his feelings he had for April. He had none. He wasn't in love with her but he loved her and had love for her for being his best friend and the mother of his children.
"I bet you are you been hanging out with café girl a lot these days" August said to Trey laughing.
Trey chuckled. "That isn't her name but yea we've been kicking it. She's cool peoples like I said and I like her vibe. I was headed her way until bruh sent out that 911"
"My fault big bruh tell her it was a family matter. We're big on family over here" Chris said laughing.
"But nah all jokes aside are you good bruh" Trey asked Chris. "You do know that just because Nia asked lil sis what she did and just because lil sis said yes doesn't mean you have to fall in line. What you say matters and lil sis would understand if you changed ya mind or felt a way bout it"
"I'm good I really don't have a problem with it. You know me if it involves my kids I don't hesitate to speak up and speak my mind if I feel a certain way. I'm just shocked it happened" Chris replied. He appreciated how his brothers always dropped what they were doing to make sure that he was straight. They all did the same for each other and that's how it was going to stay.
"True" Trey agreed.
"But uh are you bringing ya boo thing to the New Years party" August asked.
"I don't know yet. This shit is still new and I don't want any shit to pop off or make shit awkward. I use to date their sister and Pops and Mama Ana's daughter so I don't know how they would feel bout me bringing someone new around" Trey replied.
"I get it but you know they wouldn't mind" Chris said. "At the end of the day they're still family and look at you as such" Chris said sort of trying to remind him that yes he and Hazel was no more but that didn't mean the family had counted him out. Besides they had all talked the night of the baby shower and everyone was still on good terms with one another.
"I'll see" Trey shrugged. He wouldn't mind spending New Years with her and introducing her to his family but he didn't want any weird shit happening or make her feel uncomfortable.
They continued talking for a little while longer until both Trey and August were sure that Chris was actually good. Neither, Trey or August wanted to leave him in his thoughts if he wasn't. As far as Chris he didn't know if it was karma or God playing a funny joke on him but this shit was pretty trippy to him. It also made him looked at Nia a little differently. She had him looking at her with one eye open because at the moment he couldn't see if she was being genuine or if she was up to something and he really didn't want his baby girls to be caught up in the middle of an adult situation. Yet he had to say that he was a little shocked that she was actually on her grown woman shit and had admitted her faults and was willing to better herself for the sake of all of their kids. Life was strange but it was life.
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-Hey guys happy reading & hope you enjoyed. Sorry for the wait I had a long day yesterday. Any, who there's a part 2 to this so stay tuned.
-I figured I'd put out a Chris POV so y'all could see if he was really feeling the situation or not.
-I didn't forget the pop up it's coming. I'm actually working on it now 😝
-Trey is still talking to cafe girl as August put it. Wonder how they're doing 🤔
-Any, who sharing is caring so tell a friend to tell a friend. Don't forget to comment, vote, & add to your libraries 🥰
-If you are reading & not commenting no problem just make sure you color the ⭐️ please & thank you 🥰