He turned and headed out of the bedroom. Rick was really acting as if I was the problem and I didn’t like this prison talk. I went after him. Still wanting to fuck him, and yet I wanted to kick him in the back and send him tumbling down the fuckin’ stairs. “Are you prepared to leave her?”

“How many times do we have to have this conversation? I’m not leaving her just like I am not leaving you. You need to get used to the idea of me, her and you. And my babies.”

“You a funny ass nigga. A bitch ass nigga at that! But this ain’t Iowa, and we won’t be one big ol’ happy family. I don’t need you, Rick. My baby and I are going to be all right. So, you want that bitch? Well, I’ll give you that.”

RICK

Kyra was getting on my fucking nerves just as well as I was probably getting on hers, but that was the least of my worries. Instead of going back and forth with her, I packed my shit and hopped a flight to Arizona to go and try to talk some sense into my other woman, Nina. Even though we were not together for a long time, we still had a deep history. Read Golden Hustla by Wahida Clark to learn more.

When I pulled up to the house, Nina’s three children, Jatana, Daysha and Jermichael, were outside shooting water guns. When they looked up and saw me pull into the driveway, they threw the toys down and ran to the truck.

“Hey, Rick!” Daysha greeted.

“Rick, you just got off the plane? My mom said you went on a trip and you wasn’t never coming back.” Jermichael told me.

“Your mom said that?”

“Uh-huh.” Jatana, the youngest of the siblings, chimed in.

“Well, she was wrong. I’m back now. And Jatana, why are you growing so fast? Who gave you a magical growth potion?”

She giggled. “I’m almost bigger than Jermichael. What you bring us back?”

I popped the trunk before getting out of the truck. “Don’t touch the big red box. That’s your mother’s.”

They squealed with delight as they ran to the back to see what was in the trunk.

Nina was sitting at the kitchen table squeezing a lemon into a teacup and looking like she needed a breather. I stood at the kitchen entrance staring at her. She reminded me so much of Kyra. Her complexion, her weight and height as well as her feisty spirit. She finally looked up at me, rolled her eyes, stood up and went to the sink. I turned and headed for the nursey.

“Rick!” She followed behind me. “Don’t wake him up. I just put him to sleep.”

“I know you’re going to let me see my son. And why did you tell the kids I was never coming back?”