Kingsbridge (a Nas Story)

NINETEEN

Gia | 8:09pm CST

"Here you go, Ms. Sylvia."

Tyler's hand extended in front of hers a cup of water and two of her medication capsules. Tyler was so patient with Mama. She took the medication without any problems and smiled at him after she swallowed the capsules.

"Thank you, Tyler." She said calmly as he helped her adjust her body in a comfortable position to wind down for bed.

"You're welcome." Tyler winked at Mama as he tucked her into bed tightly. I leaned over her chest and kissed her forehead tenderly while Tyler dimmed the lights.

"Goodnight, Mama."

"Goodnight, baby."

I walked behind Tyler and shut her bedroom door softly. We stood in the hallway awkwardly before I walked past him. My arm brushing against him as I slid past his firm body.

"So, how long have you been coming over here—doing this for her?" I ask him as he followed me to the living room area. It was just he and I in this space.

"Since I graduated." Tyler's deep voice sent vibrations down my spine as he followed closely behind me. I sat on the couch. He sat next to me directly. His body slouching against the cushions of the couch with his legs slowly drifting apart from one another's.

"She's like a third grandma to me." He said with a smile on his face. "It's the least I can do, you know?" He said with his hands craning the top of his beanie with his fingertips.

"I appreciate you taking care of her the way you do."

"It's nothing, Gia. You know that." His already deep voice deepened even lower in tone with a certain gravel texture about it.

"So, what you doing back here so soon?" He asked me with his thinly raised eyebrow. His eyes were warm and deep set beneath his double lined eyelids.

"What is this? An investigation?" I joked with Tyler lightly as I adjust my prescription frames over the bridge of my nose.

"Nah, woman. Nothing like that." He raised his palms up to his chest in a form of surrender. A smile creeping along his mauve colored lips.

His eyes wasted no time scanning my naked ring finger on my left hand. The last time I saw him, my emerald cut diamond nearly blinded him.

"Everything good?" I cocked his neck slightly to one side with a look of concern on his face.

"Never been better, actually." I said followed with a tight lipped smile.

I was finally free from Nas's bullshit. His constant cheating and lying. The embarrassment and the fake apologies. None of that shit could fix what he's done and there's no way I'd take him back this time.

My concern was my children and the press.

Regardless of how this divorce plays out and how soon we go about things, I would never disrespect him or belittle him in the public eye. He is the father of my children. I plan to be mature about this divorce and handle things like the grown woman I've become.

"Well, I hope whatever it is—works out in your favor. You deserve that much." Tyler said with a reassuring pat on my shoulder. His palm covering the entirety of it.

"I deserve it, huh?" I challenged the end of his statement before laughing to myself out loud. "Thank you." I followed up.

"Look, you don't have to tell me shit. I can feel what's going on." Tyler's knee tapped against my leg as he continued to stay put in his slouched position.