𝙏𝙚𝙢𝙥𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 | 𝙎𝘽

035.

After Anita had her stern talk with Trevon, she decided it was time for a serious sit-down with both Trevon and Kayli. She had seen enough of the back-and-forth between them and knew that if they didn't address their issues head-on, things would only get worse.

Anita loved them both, and with a grandchild on the way, she wasn't going to sit back and let them stay in this messy place. She called Kayli first, asking her to come over, and then Trevon. Neither knew the other was coming, but Anita had a plan.

The evening came, and Kayli arrived first, feeling a little anxious but knowing that Anita always had a way of making things feel okay. She hadn't expected Trevon to walk in behind her a few minutes later, looking just as surprised as she was.

Anita stood at the kitchen counter, arms crossed, watching them both with a no-nonsense look in her eyes. "Good, y'all both here," she said firmly. "Sit down."

Kayli and Trevon exchanged glances before sitting at the table, the tension between them palpable. Trevon rubbed the back of his neck, clearly uncomfortable, while Kayli folded her arms across her chest, not quite ready for whatever was about to happen.

Anita sat across from them, her eyes moving between the two. She let the silence linger for a moment before she spoke, her voice calm but commanding. "Alright, I'm tired of y'all tiptoeing around each other, acting like everything's fine when it's not. Y'all need to talk—really talk—and get all this mess off your chests. You got a baby girl on the way, and all this back and forth ain't doing nothing but hurting y'all and stressing Kayli out. So, go ahead. Say what you need to say."

Kayli and Trevon sat in silence for a moment, both clearly struggling to figure out where to start. Anita gave them a look that said she wasn't about to let them stay quiet.

Trevon sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Look, I know I ain't been doin' right by you, Kayli," he began, his voice low. "I been distant, caught up in my own stuff, and I wasn't there for you when I should've been. But I'm tryna change. I ain't tryna lose you or our baby. I messed up with how I handled things with Ezra, but I was just scared. I didn't want nothin' happenin' to you."

Kayli shook her head, her voice soft but firm. "I get that you were scared, Trevon, but it wasn't just about Ezra. You've been distant for a long time, and it feels like I've been going through this pregnancy on my own. You say you wanna step up, but then you disappear, caught up in your music and everything else. I need you to be consistent, not just show up when things get bad."

Trevon nodded, his expression pained. "I know, Kayli. I ain't makin' excuses. I just... I didn't know how to handle everything. But I'm here now, and I'm tryna be better."

Anita, who had been listening quietly, raised a hand. "A'ight, hold up," she said, looking at both of them with a serious expression. "I hear what y'all saying, but let's be real for a second. Y'all both acting like this is just about Ezra or Trevon's music, but it's bigger than that. Y'all gotta stop feeling sorry for yourselves and realize what's at stake. You got a daughter coming into this world, and she don't need parents who can't even talk to each other without it turnin' into a mess."

Kayli looked down, her emotions swirling, while Trevon sat quietly, taking in his mother's words.

Anita continued, her voice softening just a bit. "I know it ain't easy. Relationships never are, but this ain't just about y'all no more. You got a whole little girl who's gonna depend on both of you, and right now, she needs parents who can communicate and work together, not two people stuck in their own feelings. You hear me?"

Both Kayli and Trevon nodded, their expressions serious.

"I'mma keep it real," Anita said, leaning forward. "You gotta get over yourselves. Trevon, you gotta stop thinking you gotta solve everything with your fists or by pulling away. That ain't how you protect your family. And Kayli, you gotta stop shutting him out. I know he hurt you, but y'all can't keep hurting each other and expect things to get better."