Another Lifetime

Chapter 46:

Cesar's POV:
We're at Jamal's with a shit ton of other people. I keep bouncing my leg under the table until Monse puts her hand on my knee. "What's wrong? You've been off all day." Monse says. "I'm good. Nineteenth keeps stressing me out, but I got it handled." I lie. I haven't told her about Spooky and Venom yet. I'm not saying anything until I know what Monty knows. There's now way Spooky didn't tell him anything. "You know you can-" Jamal's mom cuts Monse off. "She is so cute." She twists one of Mona's curls. "Thanks. Cesar swears she looks like him." Monse laughs. "How? This baby is 100% you." Mrs. Turner tells Monse. "She has his eyes. They make the same faces and everything." Monse explains and I smile. Having a kid is like seeing the love I have for Monse. Sometimes I still can't believe I get to have them both in my life... as long as I don't fuck it all up. I take my daughter and stand her on my lap. "How's it been having Kyrie around? I heard he called you grandma." Monse says. I know Ky doesn't really have any grandparents but sometimes it hurts that my nephew sees the Turner's as family. "He's such a sweet kid. I'm still getting used to my son having a girlfriend with a six year old, but I'm happy for them." She explains. "Did Oscar say anything to Jamal about visiting Kyrie?" I ask her without thinking. "Not that I know of." She looks confused and so does Monse. Someone waves her over and she looks happy to go. "Enjoy the baby stage. It goes by way too fast." Mrs. Turner tells us before she goes. "Oscar left... like really left, right?" Monse asks. "I don't know." I admit. "Is he even allowed to do that? What about when Vale's mom gets back?" She really thinks I have all the answers when I barely even know if he's actually gone. "Oscar has full custody. Alasie signed over her rights." I explain and she nods. "You wouldn't-" I stop her before she can finish her sentence. "I'm not going anywhere." I promise and she kisses me. "Can I have everybody's attention." Jamal stands up. "When I met Lola I didn't know how much she'd change my life. She's my friend, my favorite person, and the love of my life. Hell, she's the reason my best friends have a daughter." He holds Lola's hand and gets on one knee. "I know this is the best thing that'll ever happen to me so I'm not waiting another minute. I want you and Ky to be my family." He says and I clench my jaw. "Now." Jamal tells Ky and he runs over with a box in his hands. "Jamal wants to marry you mommy." Ky smiles and hands her the box. "Fuck yeah I'll marry you!" Lola jumps up and kisses Jamal. Everyone claps and cheers, but I just watch. Mona starts crying so I take my opportunity to get the fuck outta there. Seeing Jamal and Lola always just reminds me how replaceable I am. I get locked up and Monse's just gonna find someone better. "She doesn't like all the noise. Monse was like that too." Monty tells me when he walk back in the house with Maverick. "Hated hearing people laughing and talking too loud... still kinda does." He smiles. "Yeah, she used to hate Spooky's parties. Good thing he isn't around to annoy her anymore, right?" I ask him. "He finally text you?" Monty asks. "What are you talking about?" I furrow my brow. "Told him to reach out when they got go where they were going." He explains. "So you did know. You should've told me. I could've stopped him! When the rest of the Santos find out they're gonna be pissed." I yell. "You think I didn't tell him that? He's a grown man and he knew the risks. Guess Oscar didn't wanna take the chance that you'd kill him jumping him out." Monty says. "Doesn't matter, now I really gotta kill him. No choice once they find out." I remind him. "Oscar's gone?" Monse picks up Mona when she walks in. "Yeah." I say. "He tell you where he went?" She asks and I shake my head. "Good, he's protecting you." She says but before I can say anything, Jamal walks over. "You believe she said yes?!" He laughs and I nod. "She's crazy about you." I say. "You guys next?" Jamal points back and forth between me and Monse. "We're not even officially back together." She tells him. "We're not?" I ask. "I don't know, we never talked about it." Monse reminds me. "Shit. If I knew I wouldn't have said anything." Jamal says. "It's all good. We're good like this." She smiles and my heart drops. He walks away and I pull Monse into another room. "We're good like this?" I ask and she shrugs. "I guess. I just meant we didn't have to rush it." She says. "Yeah but you're my girl, I wanna be with you for real." I tell her. "We are together baby." She puts her hand on my cheek. I know she's right but I feel disposable as fuck. "We have a kid and I'm crashing at your place. You're stuck with me." She promises and Mona laughs. "We gotta go soon. Can't fuck with her sleep schedule." I say. Monse looks surprised and I smile. "Dad of the fucking year." I laugh and kiss her. "Let me say bye and we can go." She kisses my cheek. I can feel someone staring at me when she leaves. When I look up I just see someone wearing a purple hoodie walking away.
We get to my house and there's a girl sitting on my front steps. "Hey Cesar." She smiles. "I thought you were in prison." I frown. "Time off for good behavior... and bribery. So where's my baby? Where's Valeria?" Alasie smiles and I just stare. "Where the hell is my daughter?!" She screams.