RED.

Chapter 14: Sorry

One hit.

That's all I could manage, before Chresanto pulled me away. I wanted to beat my father to a bloody pulp. I wanted to relieve anger out on him. I wanted to be alone. So after I freed myself from Chresanto's grip, I locked myself into my room and stretched across my bed.

Minutes turned to hours as I stared at the ceiling. I wasn't sure if Chresanto was still here, nor my sorry excuse for a father. The constant growling of my stomach is what finally pushed me to get up and go into the kitchen. After walking out of my room, I could see my father's figure sitting in the dimly lit living room. He turned around towards me, giving me a view of his unscathed cheek. I shook my head and continued my path into the kitchen.

"I'm sorry." He said.

"You're obviously one of those people who feels as though a whack ass 'sorry' can fix things." I snarled preparing to make me a sandwich.

"You are truly my child." He laughed.

"Sadly." I shot back, ceasing his laughter.

I listened to him clear his throat as I spread mayo across the bread of my sandwich. "Where's your mom and your grandmother?"

"Nana is minding her business, mom is over on Rose Lane." I muttered.

"Rose Lane is.." He voice slowly trailed off as he realized the reference to my mother's death. "Damn, I'm sorry."

"Don't be, you're the last person I would want pity from." Once my sandwich was complete, I placed everything back in its place then headed back to my room only to be stopped.

"Can we talk, please?" He asked as he grabbed my arm softly. I wanted to yank my arm away from him, I wanted punch him again, but I didn't. I pulled my arm out of his grip and sat down on the LA-Z-BOY adjacent from the couch which he was on.

For a few minutes we just sat there and stared at each other, and I got a good look of my dad. He was Lance Gross' twin, dark chocolate skin, white teeth, all of it. Besides his contribution to my brown skin, height, and our smile similarities, I looked nothing like my father. "You've grown into a beautiful young lady Azalea."

I refrained from rolling my eyes and just nodded. "I never meant to stay away for this long. I wanted to come back, I wanted to come back and raise you alongside your mother."

"You shouldn't have left in the first place."

"I was seventeen Azalea. I didn't leave you, I left because of the trouble I got myself into. I was a boy playing a man's game, that almost got me and two of the most important people to me killed. So in order to keep them safe, I left. But I left you and your mother mon-"

'Oh is that what you're here for? Your money?" I said failing to hide the anger in my voice. "We don't have sh-"

"I don't give a fuck about the money." He yelled cutting me off. I watched as he looked at me, his facial expression filled with anger and his fist clenched. "Look I know you hate me, but don't think I'm just a dog ass father, who only here for some money. You hear me?"

I didn't say anything or nod.  I just listened.

I listened to him explain himself on why he left. He told me his memories of me and my mom before he left, how Nana and him loved playing Spades together, and most of all he told me about my mother and how they met. In the midst of him explaining my mom revealing her pregnancy to him, the front door opened and in walked Nana. 

"Ay dios mio." She said as she dropped her bags on the floor and shut the door.  She let out a long sigh before she peered over at us. My dad smiled at her and before I could blink Nana had her sandal and was beating him with it. I listened to her ask him where he's been, how could he, and tell him how bad she's going  to beat him in her native tongue. By the time they were finished Nana was out of breath and my dad was trying to console every inch of him. 

"Y'all done?" I said as they both looked at me. "Good, because Nana you have some explaining to do."

She rose up the hand holding the sandal and quickly flinched. "What happened to your face?"

Fuck.

"Why were you gone for so long? You trying to leave me?" I retorted back and soon that sandal came down on my thigh hard. "Ow Nana!"

"No ser una smart culo. I decided to stay a little longer and while having fun, I broke my phone. Now you."

I was truthful in telling Nana what I happened to me at school, and received the glare she pointed in my direction. She hated when I fought, it always ended in ways that were not in my favor, such as community service for fifty days. She shook her head and proceeded to ask my dad why was he here.

"Moved back to Houston, so I came to mend old bridges." He said. "If you both let me."

"That decision is hers." Nana said motioning in my direction. "You'll always be my son, regardless of your actions."

Nana walked away and my dad's focus was now on me. "So?"

"Sorry doesn't fix anything, but I'm not an asshole so if you want to work on this we can try." I shrugged. 

"That's all I ask for." He smiled.

The next day my dad showed up bright and early to eat breakfast here with Nana and I, then take me to school.  He told me how him and mom were graduates of my school and how mom was big nerd. I told him that I played basketball and he said how he would be at all my games if his job allowed him to. I couldn't help the smile that covered my lips once he said that.

"So what's up Azalea South Creek kids ain't good enough for you?" A boy named Domani called out as I sat down in my desk.

I rolled my eyes and listened to him and another boy continue to talk about how I was a traitor and how they saw Chresanto and I. It wasn't until Domani said, "Just another hod rat finding her way out on some rich dick" that I got upset.

"Shut the fuck up, whoever I rock with don't have shit to do with you." I said.

"Man don't get off the court and think you tough and shit Azalea." He shot back.

"I'm 'bout it on and off the court, so fuck is you saying?" I said rising out of my seat.

"Who this bitch-" Domani's friend started.

"We good here Azalea?" Andre said beside me as his arm wrapped around my shoulder.

There was silence in the former noisy classroom, all eyes was on us four. 

"Yea we cool-"

"I'm not talking to you." Andre chuckled as Domani stopped talking. Andre looked at me, staring at me intently. "A, you good?"

Andre was another kid who did what he had to do to make it. He had a one year old daughter who was his world and with providing for her, he made a name for himself so some kid's knew not to mess with him. He's always been sweet to me even going as far as to buy my lunch one day on my birthday.

"Yea we good here Dre." I said turning to him with a smile.

With a wave of his hand Domani and his friend went back to their own business and I sat back down in my seat. Andre took his spot in the desk in front of mine.

"How's that beautiful baby girl of yours Andre?" I asked.

"She's getting so big on me Azalea." He beamed.