Aura.
"Wait we have to put the candles like this."I shook my head showing Jayven "or else it's gonna ruin the cake."
"You know it's not that deep you do too much."he smacked his teeth "them kids don't care what the fuck them candles look like all you gotta do is just put them on the fucking cake."
"Wait why are you more frustrated than I am."
"Cause you do too much."he shrugged looking at the cake.
"Okay then explain why I see 7 candles on the cake goofy."I folded my arms.
"Ain't he turning 7?"
"In what world? The boy turning six you would know that if you weren't focused on telling me that I stay over reacting."I shook my head carefully removing one.
"Aight you right, my bad A."he said as I chuckled.
"We make a pretty good team, I'm a good uncle."he high fived me.
"What you get him for his birthday any presents or sum."Jayven asked.
"I got him a nerf gun, he's been wanting it forever and a couple of toys to add to his toys... what'd you get him?"
"I got him-"
"Knock knock family Auntie Yasmin is here."Yas smiled as she let herself through the kitchen door.
"I got him a gift."she put it on the kitchen stool "this cake looks good "
"Thank Yas."I smiled cause that's all I could do, she popped up here out of nowhere.
"I think it's time to sing."Uncle fed said sticking his head through the door "come on now."
I got the cake and went into the backyard, I sat the cake on the table while Amiri and his friends gathered around.
We all began singing for him, he awkwardly looked at all of us, giving the normal reaction anyone would give.
"Dad."Amiri yelled, he got up and ran to the back door.
I turned around slowly and I nearly passed out. It can't be him...this all must be a weird dream.
Antonio picked Amiri up " you so big and strong what yo mama been feeding you?"
"Lots of vegetables."he said making me smile a little as I walked towards them.
Antonio put him down and a random nigga I guess his friend or something stood behind them with two gifts one big and one small.
"It's my birthday today."he smiled at Antonio.
"I know, I done got you gifts too."
"Really? Can I open them?"
"Yeah go ahead."he nodded.
While Amiri opened his stuff, he turned to me "Aura."
"Ant."
"I'm finna start by saying thank you, outside looking in it seems like you did a good job"he said "he's healthy and happy."
"You didn't call for a year."
"Shit happened I couldn't, I still made an effort to make it back in time for his birthday, I didn't wanna miss another birthday."
"Mom I got a ipad and a bicycle."Amiri excitedly showed me "I can go on Roblox and stuff."
"Magic words baby."I said.
"Thank you daddy."Amiri hugged Antonio "you came back."
"Ofcourse I came back."
"I thought you left ma and I."
"I would never leave y'all, is that what your mom told you?"Antonio asked narrowing his eyes at me.
"We should speak inside."I said "baby why don't you go eat some cake?"
He nodded and listened to me like he always did.
I led Antonio to my room and locked the door.
"Really Aura?"he asked "you told him I left him?"
"You didn't call for a year, you didn't even tell me why what the fuck was I supposed to tell the kid, and no I never said you abandoned him I just told him that maybe you were busy."I paced around the room.
"But you let him believe I just up and left y'all like I ain't ask you if I could take him with and you said no, I told you y'all could both come with me you said no."he said calmly but I could tell he was about to explode... figuratively.
"I'm done with this conversation." I pushed passed him heading for the door. He gripped me by arm and pulled me back sending me flying against the wall.
"Ow."
"This is my kid we talking about yo you don't just get to walk away and I gotta accept this shit."
"WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU? YOU WEREN'T HERE OKAY I HAD TO MANAGE ......AND CONVINCING HIM THAT YOU LOVE HIM WASN'T MY JOB THAT WAS ALL UP TO YOU AS HIS FATHER"I yelled at him.
"YOU FUCKING B- AURA BE FUCKING FOR REAL RIGHT NOW."he sighed and calmed himself down "ah you stupid ass b- girl, I should call you a bitch right now cause that's how I feel, how the fuck you gon' say I wasn't there? I took care of him, I paid your bills, I paid the rent to keep you and him out the streets while I was gone, I sent you child support money on top of that I face timed him almost every day for four years, I took the fall for you so he could grow up with his mama cause I knew I could beat the case...how the fuck you gon' say I wasn't there? How Aura how?"
"You mad at me because I didn't convince him to think you were coming back?"
"Nah I'm mad at you because you made it seem like I abandoned him when I wanted to go with him, does he know that I wanted to go with him? Did you tell him that atleast."Antonio asked.
"To make me look like the bad guy cause I said no to it? He'll think I denied him the chance of a father."
"But you did Aura you fucking did and now I come back and the kid think I was absent? That's some bullshit."he shook his head.
"I don't know what you want from me, you back right? Build a relationship with him it's not the end of the world Antonio stop bullshitting me you're the one who decided you gon' stop calling your son."
"But did you even stop to think why I stopped calling?"
"I don't care, you'll explain it to me, move out of my way...please."
"Tonight, I'm taking Amiri with me to my crib, he gon' stay with me."Antonio said.
"That's not safe and you know it, there's going to be guns and weed and all types of drugs around him and I don't want that."I shook my head.
"Yeah and I rather him with me than with yo unstable ass...and ain't no drugs gon' be around him and shit, I ain't absent minded, don't talk to me like I'm slow or sum shit"
"Oh really now? You wanna call me unstable, I raised him...is he unstable? Cause he seems pretty well raised and respectful to me."
"He staying over at mines, finna get to know each other and this time I don't give a fuck about how you feel or anyone else feels about it."
