Damon stared at Reyna and Capri who sat across from him, munching on the fresh and homemade pepperoni pizza they'd baked together. It was Capri's favorite and only right that it was their dinner on her birthday eve.
She led most of the conversation with Reyna and Damon following her lead. Her little heart was just settling with the excitement of having both of her guardians with her at once.
"Do you like going to work with Dee?" Reyna asked her daughter as she watched her wipe her mouth before drinking apple juice from her cup with impressive etiquette.
Capri nodded and smiled as she sat her hot pink Barbie cup on the table. "After I finish my homework, I get to throw the ball or blow the whistle or push the red thing."
"The sleds." Damon informed her with a chuckle. He loved how she could be his mini-me at times. "Finish your food so you can go to bed. Your big day is tomorrow, so you need to sleep for strength and energy."
"Beauty sleep." Reyna's tone was corrective as she and Capri smiled at each other.
"Mommy, can you tuck me in tonight instead of Uncle Dee?"
"Give her a minute, princess. Go and look on your bed and pick out some PJs. Brand new ones for the birthday girl." After watching Capri travel up to her bedroom with a smile, Damon looked at Reyna who was reaching for another slice of pizza.
He put his arms on the table, his hands balled just before his chin. His brain racked before he began talking, hoping whatever came out wasn't too reckless.
"I think...no, I know that you've forgotten who I am, Reyna. You've been trying me like I'm a weak ass nigga. Like I won't do whatever is best for Capri and make her happy. I did the same thing for you, even though you don't act like it."
Reyna's eyebrows met in the middle of her forehead as her face scrunched, "What's that supposed to mean, Dee?"
"You know exactly what I'm talking about, Reyna. You're here right now, but we both know you're not going to stay. How long are you gonna be gone this time? Two months? Three? Don't even get me started on where her dad is."
Reyna's eyes darted around the room, avoiding his piercing gaze. She hoped they wouldn't speak on this while she was in town; it was Capri's birthday. For Capri's sake.
"It's not as easy as you're trying to make it sound." Reyna defended through a tight expression.
"Tell me wassup then, because all I see is you taking my kindness for weakness, and taking Capri's innocence for granted. To me, it seems pretty fucking easy for you to leave your daughter and play with her emotions. She can't even contain herself when you're around because she never sees you. She deserves better than your selfish bullshit."
"Damon-"
"Nah, I don't even wanna hear it, Rey. It's not fair to me either when you pull this. No calls or check-ins to see how she's doing. Not even responses when I call you, whether it's important or mundane. You don't even pretend to care about either of us."
He shook his head, distaste flying off of his tongue as he scolded his overgrown little sister. All of the slack that Damon usually gave her quickly ran over and came at her full force. He was tired of Reyna and her drama.
"That's alright, though." He rose from the gray-stained wooden chair and pushed it under the matching, long dining table. "After this weekend, all of this is a wrap. I promise you that."
He made his way upstairs to Capri, helping her to get ready for bed since Reyna's presence was already beginning to be erased from his mind.
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YOU ARE READING
All That Matters
RomancePeaceful would be the perfect word for Mila to describe where she was in life. She was a single mother, raising her daughter alone-which wasn't anything new, anyway-but she'd escaped. She'd escaped the life she was born into and created a new found...
