Made Men

Chapter Twenty Two - Scandolous

C O R I N N E

I sat quietly in the diner and sipped on a soda occasionally looking towards the door waiting for Kareem to come in. I'd been feeling more emotionally tired lately, I was eleven weeks now and my mother was getting sicker the further along I got and I'd just been feeling alone.

Glancing down at my phone I stared at the message I'd sent Isis a few days before and she hadn't responded to it even though the message says read. I'd never fought with my sister for this long and it was bothering me making me second guess even living with Kareem.

"You haven't eaten your food" Dante pointed out and I picked up a fry and ate it leaving the burger I ordered untouched. He scooted closer to me in the booth and just stared at me trying to get me to smile but I knew that wouldn't work.

Even Kennedy hadn't had time for me she was hanging with other people. It just made me feel like complete shit and I'd been stuck with Dante because Kareem was emotionally distant and Lyric was being a bitch all the time.

"I want to start over" I said with a sigh as my voice got shaky. I felt tears burning my eyes and Dante sighed pushing his plate of food away from himself.

"You're just going through pregnancy hormones it's okay to cry Corrine" he laughed. Sniffling I wiped my eyes and sat up straight sucking everything back inside.

The door to the diner opened and Kareem walked inside texting on his phone as Lyric trailed behind him with a smile on her face. I took a deep breath to keep from stabbing her in the throat with the fork Dante was eating his rice with.

Lyric was five months and didn't ever miss an opportunity to brag about it. For the most part I just avoided even saying anything to her because she was delusional and it was Kareem's business not mine.

"This is the last time I'm taking Corrine to her doctors appointment. You're the father bruh and you haven't been to a single one, we even heard the heart beat for the first time" Dante said and Lyric pursed her lips together sitting in the booth.

Kareem made Dante get up so he could sit next to me and he placed his phone away. I looked at him and he leaned over kissing my lips.

"Alright I been distant and I know that, I just been thinking a lot. I haven't been there for her either I'm just not sure how I'm going to balance this. She's having a boy Corrine and the shirt just feels more real and I got scared and had to back up for a moment" Kareem said.

"You don't even need him at your appointments you aren't that far along. I'm the one that's five months so I need him more than you, for all we know there's still a chance you could miscarry by falling down the stairs" Lyric smiled innocently tilting her head some.

"If I punched you in the stomach full force repeatedly would you miscarry?" I questioned and she gave me an evil eye and I fake smiled in return.

"Look both of y'all stop saying ignorant shit, I invited her here because I want to reach common ground. You don't have to like each other but you will respect each other" Kareem said and I gave him a look of annoyance.

"I don't think I know what you mean, should of explained it when you came over last night" Lyric smiled at me.

I clenched my jaw remaining still to keep from dragging her across the table and stomping on her ugly ass face, she was such a cunt for no reason.

"Look nothing happened I stopped by with O'Sage because he was picking up Justine. None of that is relevant to this situation what I'm saying is Lyric the only way this is going to work is if I don't come around until after you give birth. I'll give you money to buy the things you need but unless it's an emergency don't call me" he said leaning forward.