3. Even ✔

Seven

Nyeesha Brooks

It was my dad.

"D-dad?" I asked.

I haven't seen my dad since I was seven years old.

He told me he was going to the store and he never returned.

Here we are 17 years later with him on my step.

"How'd you find me?" I asked.

"I saw you in the paper and over the Internet. I seen you were dating that rapper. I've been looking for you ever since I left," he said.

"Don't feed me that bullshit, we lived in the same house for years. Mom still lives there, why are you here?" I snapped. "Cus I don't need you and I never will."

"Nyeesha, listen to me." He stated.

"What?!"

"I left because I couldn't deal with your mother," he said as I cut him off.

"So you leave your two kids behind? I'm sure you all could have worked something out. Not just leave one day and never return. So fuck outta here with all of that" I said as I fanned him off.

"It was complicated," he stated causing me to cut him off again.

"If you don't tell me why you're here, you can leave or I will have you escorted off the premises."

"I just want to start over, I'm staying down at the group home for battered men. You can come there if you wanna talk, I still love you baby girl and congratulations on your store" he said before he walked off.

I miss my dad a lot but nothing can make me forget that he left us. I honestly thought that he didn't want me anymore and I still do. I think he's just here for the money, just like my mother. I wouldn't be surprised if she shows up tomorrow too.

As I was stripping out of my clothing, I seen Chance calling me.

"Hey," I answered.

"What's wrong Ny?" he asked as I heard him chewing on something.

"My dad was here," I mumbled as the tears fell down my cheeks.

"Talk to me and stop crying baby" he told me as I sniffed.

"He left us when I was seven years old, he told us he was going to the store and he never returned. Now he shows up seventeen years later? For what? And he knows that I date you and he knows about my store so I think he's just here for the money just like my mom"

"Baby, you have to talk to your parents. You have to let go of this grudge you're holding. It's not healthy, you hear me?" he asked.

"Yes I hear you, but I don't need them. They abandoned me and I'm good thanks to you,"

"No thanks to yourself. You did everything you wanted to do, I just provided assistance for that rough patch in your life, enough about this shit, we'll talk when I get home. How was the opening?" he asked.

"Great, we sold everything except two sweaters. I want to do another one" I exclaimed.

"Oh yeah sorry my grandmother couldn't make it, she wasn't feeling well."

"It's cool. I understand, I'll see her this Sunday at church. You need to hurry up and get here, I miss my baby" I told him.

"I leave in an hour, should be there tomorrow." he said which made me smile to myself.

"Oh yeah, your little friend Rose showed up at my store and tried to steal." I started. "Next time I see her it's a wrap," I told him.

"Where this Ny come from? Lil Ali" he joked.