𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐒𝐋𝐘 𝐈𝐍 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 | MJJ

MY LAST MISTAKE | 02

SAT, JANUARY 2ND, 2016...

For the third weekend now, Michael had the kids with him while Carnation did her own thing at home. He was definitely starting to see how difficult it was to handle three kids alone, without the help of a spouse, and saluted Carnation for doing it 99 percent of the time following the divorce. He couldn't imagine having to do all of what he was doing, get them to and from school, and work on top of that.

Michael found something to occupy the kids for a few hours while he went downstairs to his office to finish up some work-related things. He was organizing dates, paying bills-getting his life together.

He heard quick footsteps descending the stairs, and it was Solay who approached him. He put his pen down and watched her, waiting to hear what it was she needed to say.

"Daddy..." He nodded. "I need to tell you something."

Rotating his chair completely now, he gave her his full, undivided attention.

"Wassup?"

She came out with it. "I got a boyfriend."

Michael's head jerked back so far; he swore he could've pulled a muscle. He wasn't entirely sure she said what he thought she did. "Excuse me?"

"Mommy said I could," she defended, "and she said that you were just saying stuff you need to say 'cuz you're dad."

"No-" Michael gave her a vehement head shake "-I'm saying shi- stuff that I mean. You can't have no boyfriend. What you need a boyfriend for, Solay?"

"I like him." She pouted childishly, her hands dropping to her sides.

"So what? I liked a lot of lil girls when I was in middle school, but did I date 'e all? No. You too young for a boyfriend."

"No, I'm not," she promised. Of course, Solay felt as if she was mature enough to have a relationship. Sure, did she need it? No. But she damn sure wanted it, and nobody was going to stand in the way of that. "Mommy gave me the talk and everything after Christmas."

"The talk? What talk?" He knew exactly what talk she was implying, and he hated that.

It was one of many rude reminders that his little girl was growing up too quickly, learning information he hated for her to know right now. He couldn't hide it forever-that was a recipe for disaster. But, shit, couldn't it wait a little longer?

"About sex and stuff. How I can't do it 'cuz I'm way too young, and how it can cause diseases and babies."

"Oh, hell nah." He grabbed his phone that was sitting face down on the desk, currently charging. He ripped it off of the charger and found Carnation's contact, ready to give her a call.

Luckily, she picked up quickly.

"I'm at work, Michael, what?" she stated abruptly upon answering.

"You told Solay she could have a boyfriend and gave her the talk?"

"I absolutely did," Carnation told him shamelessly. "She's turning twelve this month, it's that time. A lot of kids her age get pregnant because their parents were irresponsible and didn't talk about that kind of stuff with them." There was a brief pause before Carnation returned with her lecture. "Middle school is when kids are introduced to a lot of vague sexual information. I'm just protecting my daughter."

"You're doing the opposite, Carnation. The sex talk, I can understand, but what the hell does she need a boyfriend for at eleven years old? She's not even a pre-teen yet," Michael reasoned.

"If she likes a boy and he likes her, why can't they be together? Love is trial and error."

"'Ion want no nigga breaking my daughter's heart." Michael briefly glanced at Solay who was still standing there, watching him converse with her mother whom she couldn't actually hear. But she knew that Carnation was defending her own actions and her daughter's desire for a relationship.