Page 70 of Promised To A Menace

My Mama and I stayed on the phone a little longer. Before we hung up, I told her I loved her and promised I wouldn't go so long without calling again. She told me she loved me too and reminded me that I could call her whenever I needed to talk.

Once we got off the phone, I plugged my phone into the charger and crawled underneath the covers.

And that was when I finally broke down.

I'd been trying so hard not to sit around feeling sorry for myself. I had a job to go to, bills that still needed paying, and a whole life waiting on me outside this house. I didn't want to spend every day thinking about what my father had done, but talking to my mama had brought all that shit right back.

I rolled onto my side and pulled the covers up, wiping at my face even though the tears kept coming.

What hurt the most was knowing my daddy had looked me in my face for twenty-five years, told me he loved me, and never once told me the truth.

That was the man I'd trusted more than anybody. The one I could call whenever something went wrong because I knew he'd handle it.

Now I didn't even know what to believe anymore.

And if my own daddy could do me like that, how the fuck was I supposed to trust another man?

Last night was a good night. I was glad Kaylen had gotten the chance to spend some time with her sister. The two of them looked so much alike that if you didn’t know Kaylen was the oldest, you’d probably think they were twins. I could only imagine what their mama looked like.

I had just walked into my office and taken a seat behind my desk when somebody knocked on the door. Damn, I hadn’t even been sitting down a full minute, and niggas were already coming to bother me.

“Come in!” I called out.

The door opened, and in walked my father.

I leaned back in my chair, already wondering what the fuck he wanted. It was too early in the morning for whatever bullshit he was about to bring my way.

“What’s up, son?” he greeted me with a smile.

“What you want, Pops?”

“Damn, that’s how you greet your old man?” he laughed as he walked farther into my office. “Can’t get a ‘Hey, Pops, how you doing?’ or nothing?”

“Nah, because I already know you about to be on some bullshit.”

He shook his head, still laughing. “Nah, son. I came in peace.”

“Uh-huh.”

I clasped my hands together on top of my desk and waited for him to get to the point.

“Why you never believe me when I tell you that?”

“Because you always got some bullshit attached to your name.”

He chuckled. “I’ll take that. But I actually came to check on you and see how everything was going.”

“Everything good.”

“That’s what I like to hear.” He glanced around my office before looking back at me. “And son, I know I don’t tell you this enough, but I’m proud of you. You’ve accomplished a lot, and I want you to know I see that.”

I gave him a nod. “Appreciate that, Pops.”

“Of course.”

I waited, knowing damn well that wasn’t the reason he’d come over here.

“So, how things going with you and that Barrett girl?”