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Movin on

Jazz

I pulled Tyler into a hug and even though he was 6'3, he collapsed in my arms. I cried into him and rocked him in my arms like I used to when he was a baby.

" Hey, now you know I'm going out here to help better our future. I need you to look over those two in that house you dig? As soon as I get enough money to bring y'all out there, I swear to god it will be no types of hesitation, okay? Keep ya head up baby boy, you are to bring lil bit here before y'all go to school everyday, I already worked it out. Mrs. Johnson says she gets lonely and would love to watch her everyday. Don't forget that Mimi has speech therapy on Tuesday's and Friday's, she has to take her meds when she wakes up. Lil bit wakes up every 4 hours, just give her a bottle and change her diaper, I just need you to look after them for me okay. Tina said she'll help as much as she can, I'll call you when I get to Michigan and then again when I get to Colorado. I will facetime y'all when I get to L.A."

"Okay, thank you for being there. For being a momma for us when you could've been like momma and Keisha n 'nem."

I kissed his head and we held onto each other for a few more minutes. Tina came out the house and hugged me.

"Bitch, you really made it. Now when you get to Hollywood, don't forget about me or I'mma go on Wendy Williams and tell her how much shit you talked about her."

"You wouldn't."

"Deadass, you will constantly be a hot topic. Now pinky promise me that you won't forget about a nigga." She stuck out her pinky finger, we intertwined fingers and kissed our thumbs. She looked in my eyes and hugged me again.

"I got them boo, go do whatchu gotta do and make us proud ight. Take a load off, we gotchu." I hopped in the car, backing out of their drive way, and driving outta D.C., beginning my new life.

•••

39 hours of straight driving has to be the most exhausting thing I've ever done. I left a message for my aunt to tell her that I was finally in L.A and she sent me directions to my condo. She has been my support system outside of Tina and her family. She tried to take us from my birth giver but when we went to court the judge wouldn't let us go into her care. When I called her about moving to L.A, she gave me her condo that had already been paid off and set me up a job interview.

I pulled up to the building and saw my aunt standing there with my cousin, Maria, and 2 tall ass dudes.

I ran to my aunt and held her, silently thanking her. I felt Maria wrap her arms around me and I broke down. They rubbed my back and my aunt kissed my hair.

"It's okay, I got you now. Trust the process, ight?" One of the dudes cleared their throat, making us pull away from each other and I wiped my eyes.

"Oh shit, my bad. I'm Jazz, nice to meet you -"

"I'm Brandon and this idiot next to me is Jordan."

"Shut up SlenderMan, anyway, I'm Jordan. It's nice to meet you as well."

"They're here to help us move your stuff up & I added some more things in but we did that earlier."

"No thanks to them, they spent most of the time arguing over nothing." Maria said pinching Jordan for thumping her arm.

"Thanks y'all. It ain't much, most of it is clothes or important documents about the kids." I said pulling my braids into a ponytail.