Brown Sugar

WE HAVE TO TALK

I sat up in bed staring blankly at my mom's number across the screen feeling my heart pound. Since the baby shower we haven't talked, she tried reaching out a few times but I wasn't in the head space.

"You got this girl." Ari said giving a caring smile rubbing my back. Ari was the closet thing I had to a sister so it meant a lot that she was here. She knows all about my mom's and I relationship and been witness to some of it.

"You right, I got this." I said quickly picking up the phone hitting the green button and putting it on speaker. It rung a few times before she answered, "hello?" My mom's voice came into the speaker almost making me want to chicken out.

"Hey ma, this is Marlicia. Things got crazy the other weekend and I just needed time to process it. You dropped a big bomb." I said just getting it out feeling a little relief. "Hey baby, I have your number saved. I know it was an ambush but I felt like that day was about family. Now looking at it I could have made that a separate thing since it was so private. Charles just felt like ripping the bandage off was right so I gave it a go." She said making me roll my eyes.

"I'm so sorry and I don't want this to affect the relationship we are trying to build. But baby Tyler is your sister and she's so excited to learn who her little sister is. Neither one of you knew and I don't want my mistakes to affect y'all as siblings. Dialysis has been kicking my ass and I can't leave here without knowing all three of my babies are close together and happy." She said sniffing a little over the phone.

"Well.. thank you for apologizing." I said looking over at Ari not really knowing what else to say. "And I guess I'm down to meet Tyler, I just have to see if Lijah is cool with it." I said. "Girl, that boy is so stubborn. I know I messed up with raising y'all but I want him close again Marlicia." She said, practically begging. "That's just something for you and Lijah to work on but I'll speak to him." I said. Trying to make Lijah do anything was almost impossible and if he didn't want a relationship with our mother or Tyler then I can't force that.

"Maybe this weekend we can all sit down and have family dinner?" She said hopeful. I hesitated just thinking about Charles turned the whole idea off. "And you are welcomed to bring Reggie, tell Lijah to bring his pretty girlfriend over too. I haven't gotten a chance to meet her." She said making me look over at Ari who had the biggest smile. She loved compliments making me laugh.

"Okay ma, I'll see. No promises with Lijah though," I said. "Okay, thank you baby girl and again, I am sorry for how everything went down." She said. "It's fine mom, we can work pass this hopefully and this becomes water under the bridge." I said like I was trying to convince myself. "Okay, I would love that." She said making me nod my head like she could see me before disconnecting the call.

"That wasn't so bad." Ari said making me nod to agree. "You right, it just wrecked my nerves a bit just thinking about it but I'm glad I got that shit out the way. I got other shit to worry about and family drama isn't on the list." I said. "Period!" Ari exclaimed making me laugh.

"Now onto a lighter note, how you like this AirBnB for Jamaica bitch?" Ari asked showing me her phone making me scoot closer to her. "Ooo girl! How many bedrooms?" I asked taking her phone and scrolling through the pictures. It was a beautiful villa out looking the clear, blue waters. "Bitch I can feel the sun on my skin now!" I said to Ari making her laugh and get excited too. "Girl who you telling? You gotta know that Fashion Nova and SHEIN cart full." She said. "I need to start mine, I just feel like nothing will look right." I said looking down at my pregnant belly that was pretty much sitting in my lap now. "Marlicia you are not as big as you like to play yourself I promise. You still look the fuck good and we gone be in two pieces, mini skirt, dresses and booty shorts!" She said making me laugh out loud. I swear she did the most.