My Right Hand 2

Aleah

Work has been different. It's weird seeing August every night now. He picks me up for work and drops me off. After a long night we're on the way to my house. It's a struggle trying to stay up all night but the money is the motive. I almost have enough money saved up for an apartment. I know I could've asked my mother, August, and even Ty but I need to do something for myself, no handouts.

"Aleah..." "Yeah?" God when a man is sleepy and his voice has that late night effect, it's the sexist shit ever plus his ass is tipsy. "Mama told me what you're doing." "What you talking about?" "Getting an apartment." "Oh." "I got a thousand on it." I just said I didn't want any handouts now here he comes with one. "August I don't want your money." "Aleah just let me help you." "No I got it." "You got it or your lil friend?" "I got it and my lil friend name is Ty."

"Good for him but I want to help you." "I'm fine." "Stop being so damn stubborn." "Stop trying to clear your guilty conscious." "Why you assuming that's what I'm doing?" "Go ahead sit there and act like I haven't been your friend for years. I know you." "That's not what I'm doing." "Seriously August it's okay. I know you feel real  guilty for basically abandoning me and your child while you make a family, get married, raise Liq Liq, have Amina." He slams on the brakes.

"Give me whiplash why don't you!" "A what Aleah?" I sigh heavily, "I was pregnant August." "Aleah." He says dragging out my name. "It was a girl." "What you mean was?" "I gave her away and pretended like the shit didn't happen." It was tough shit to do but it's what I felt was the best thing to do. "So you gave my child away and put her into the damn system? Why the fuck haven't you mentioned this before Aleah!"

"I was going to August." "When Aleah?...What twenty fucking years later?" "If you were visiting you would have known." "Fuck all that man. You foul as hell." "Nigga you really want to talk about someone being foul as hell?!? Yo ass the one that got the fuck on. You married some snobby ass bitch, left Raevyn ass in the damn cold, and you fucking around with Angelique feelings, she's not stupid August. Yo ass ain't been trying to contact Raevyn. So you want to talk about being foul as hell check the mirror first dumbass. Let me out this shit."

I get out of his car, "Aleah get back in man." "No I'm not riding with you."  I talk my phone out my pocket. "Hello?" "Where you sleeping?" I ask. "Nah just got back in the house. What's wrong?" "Can you come get me?" "Where you at?" I look around... Where the hell are we? "August where we at?" "You tripping if you think I'm about to let you let him come get you when I'm right here." "Hold on Ty." I got a trick for that shit. I turn my gps on. "I'm on Wright street."

"Alright I'll be there in a second." I hang up and sit my ass on the curb. "Aleah get back in the car." "Fuck all of that. Fuck you. Fuck that damn job, fuck yo life my nigga. I swear I wish I never met yo ass." "You don't mean that shit." "Does it look like I'm joking fuck you mean." He has me heated! How the hell you gone tell me I'm foul, shit if you we're around yo ass wouldn't known. Wherever she is I'm sure she's getting all the love and things she needs. Shit I couldn't give her from a jail cell.

"Aleah come on man." "No. Here's my ride.... Have a nice life August. Don't call me, don't text, just act like you been acting before I got here as if I don't fucking exist." I get in the car with Ty. Without saying a word he drives off. We pull into my driveway and Ty cuts the car off. You alright ma?" "I just don't get it Ty I swear I don't. He doesn't see this shit the way I do." "You can't expect him too Aleah. You can't be feeling like he owe you shit because of what you did for him."

"Wanna come inside?" "Nah I'm straight Leah. It's late." "Is that the only reason why?" He looks at me, "Yeah what other reason is there?" Damn maybe I'm the one tripping, calm yo damn nerves Leah. "I don't know. Thanks for the ride." He looks at me for a few seconds before cranking his car back up. "Later Aleah. Good night." "Good night Ty." I walk into the house.

The following day, "Aleah open the door for them." I roll my eyes getting up. The loving family was coming over for dinner. Oh the joy of being stuck in the same damn room with two of  my most favorite people that deserves to be pushed off a damn cliff and into a river with bricks attached to their damn feet. I open the door.

"Well hello babies." My mother says coming to the door. "Hey mama." I go sit back down in the living room. "Hey Aleah." Angelique says sitting beside me. "Hey girl." "Have you talked to my mom lately? My dad said you did." I look up at August and back to Angelique, "Yes I have actually." "Do you think I could talk to her?" "I'll see." "Okay." Angelique says smiling.

"Where's my third grand baby?" My mama asks. "She has therapy every week so that's where she's at now I'll have to go get her in a bit." Mackenzie says. "Should we wait to eat?" "No we can go ahead and start." "Are you sure Mackenzie?" "Positive mama." She can not call my mother mama. Everything about her irks my damn nerves. "I look the exact same why she tries to tell me what to do." Angelique whispers. I laugh, Oh Lord.

After mama prays we sit down and start eating. The girls finish eating and goes into the living room to watch tv. "So what's the announcement your have to make?" Mackenzie asks. What announcement is this girl talking about? "Well Aleah, August I only have-" Mackenzie phone starts ringing, "Hello.... I'm on the way... Okay thank you.." She hangs up. "I'm sorry I'll be back once I pick up Amaya." That name sounds so familiar. Where have I heard that before...

Mackenzie leaves out. "What we're you saying mama?" August asks. "Well babies I went to the doctor and they're saying it's getting worse. It's spreading into other parts of my body." I get up from the table. "Aleah!" "I'll get her mama." I walk into the room and slam the door. I slide down to the floor, I can't with this man. I just got home not too long ago and now this shit. August walks into the room. "Aleah it's going to be okay." "No it's not August she's going to die."

"Aleah don't think that way." "But it's true." He sits there and hugs me. We're too close. I can't do this shit either. I try to move but with the amount of energy in my body right now, I wasn't going anywhere.  "August why her? Why..." "I know lil Kenzie but we will figure it out baby girl. Trust me it's gone okay... We're going to get through this." He leans down and I meet him halfway and we kiss.

It's like the Fourth of July. "August." Mackenzie says knocking on the door. Damn this bitch. He pulls back taking his bottom lips into his mouth. "Yeah..." The door opens, oh shit he hasn't moved his hands from around my waist. Mackenzie looks at us, "Amaya is here baby." August moves his hands but he stays in place. "Daddy." "Hey Maya." I look over at the little girl, "August it's her!" "What's her?" He asks. My mama walks into the room. "Oh my word!" "August this is your daughter... Our daughter.."