Kennedy was shocked at how far out of control things were spinning. She blocked his path. “What’s wrong with you? Why are you spazzin’? I’ve done nothin’ wrong. I took my child to meet his father.”

“You did everything wrong.”

“Like what?”

“Man, Kennedy, get out my way. I don’t even see you right now. I’m going out.”

“Going out where?”

“Going out to show you that you not the only one that can be sneaky.”

“I was not being sneaky, Chaz. I took my son to meet his father—”

“That is not his father! Stop saying that shit!” Chaz yelled in her face. “I’m Jordan’s father. I love him. I take care of him, and I spend time with him. That pussy-ass nigga ain’t never did none of that. He hadn’t even seen him before today. That is my child too, and you didn’t even think enough of me to consult me before you took him to meet that crab-ass nigga. Fuck all that, ’cause I got my own kids to be a father to. Shit, I spend more time with Jordan than I do with my own girls. I’ll get out the way and let dude have his job back.”

Kennedy felt like she had been stabbed, and Chaz could see it in her face. “Jordan always gon’ be mines. I’ll always be his father and be there when he needs me. He don’t have shit to do with the games his silly-ass moms play.” Chaz pushed Kennedy to the side and headed for the door.

“Chaz, let me explain.”

He stopped in his tracks, because all he wanted was an explanation. He wanted to hear her out, but his ego mixed with Hennessy wouldn’t allow it. So he told her in a calm, almost nonchalant way, “Nah, you don’t have to explain shit now, baby girl. You didn’t want to explain it before. At least you didn’t lie to me, though, ’cause Sin had already told me at the park that dude was your sperm donor. I only asked you ’cause I wanted to see if you was gon’ keep it one hundred or if you was gonna start telling lies in addition to being sneaky.”

“Chaz, baby, don’t do this—come back,” Kennedy pleaded as she tried to keep from crying. “You know we have an early flight back to Charlotte.”

He could hear the hurt in her voice, and it was a bit satisfying. He wanted her to hurt too. It was upsetting and a little embarrassing to have learned from Sincere who Brian was. As he opened the door he told her, “Don’t worry, I’ll be back, maybe … If I don’t come back, you know what it is.”

Chaz drove straight to his baby mother Ria’s house in Brooklyn, polishing off a pint of Hennessy he had in the car. By now he was in rare form. Just as he was about to knock on the door, Ria opened it, walking out with three of her friends. They were all dressed in club attire, laughing and chatting. Ria jumped when she saw Chaz standing in front of her. “What are you doing here?” she asked.