Fire We Make (August Alsina)♥

Real

I waited for about two hours for a call back. In the mean time, Giovanni woke up, I got him dressed, and fed him breakfast. Ayesha had left to her mothers when Ashley finally called back.

"Good news, bad news." She said, without saying hello.

"Good news first." I responded.

"Ricky got arrested, they found the drugs in the room." She took a deep breath. "But bad news.." She paused. "Legally, Crystal is to take care of Giovanni, he's her adopted mother."

"So you're going to take him?!" I said, followed by a knock on the door. I held the phone up to my ear in disbelief, answering the door.

"Mommy, is everything ok?" Giovanni yelled from the kitchen. I didn't respond.

On the other side of the door was Miss Woods and a police officer.

"You can't take him!" I yelled, starting to cry.

"Jackie, calm down.. It's just for now.."

"How is she not locked up? She knew about it!! I don't get it! She shouldn't have him! No! I won't have it!"

The officer held me back as miss woods walked into the kitchen and grabbed Giovanni.

"Where am I going?" He asked, confused and scared. I'm sure my facial expressions and my hysterical crying didn't make it any better.

"With Crystal for the next few days, okay?" She said to him.

"But I wanna stay here.. With mommy." He started to pout.

"Baby, I'll see you in a few days ok? You'll come back home with me!"

"To Texas?!" He yelled back.

"Yes baby! To Texas!" I yelled to him.

"Ma'am, will you calm down? Stay home till your next court date.. Don't you try and do something. I'll personally come down here and take you. Don't make things worse than they are.. I've seen things like this happen way too many times." He sighed. "Just stay home." And then he walked away.

I won't lie either, I started to act over dramatic, like usual. Throwing myself around, crying hysterically, the whole nine yards. I hustled to get my phone out of my pocket and called the first person who popped into my mind, August.

He picked up: "Hey babe, what's up?"

"I don't know what to do.. They took my baby! Crystal has my baby! August I-"

"Whoa, Jackie! Slow down. What's the matter? What do you mean they took him?"

"The case worker took him back to Crystal! Ricky got arrested.. I don't know what to do. Ayesha ain't home.. I'm going crazy! I'm afraid I'll never get him back August. I can't live with myself if that's true!"

"Hey, hey.. Calm down.." He paused. "Please don't think like that.. Call Ayesha, I'm booking the next flight I can to go see you, okay? I don't want you to go through this alone."

"I'm not alone, I'm just.. Well, you know." I took a deep breath. "Scared." I admitted.

"Don't be, I'll be there before you know it, okay?" He reassured me. I responded yes.

"You don't have to do this August, honestly. I called cause-"

"Cause you needed me.." He finished my sentence. "I know you, you wouldn't call just to say hi." He chuckled. "You call when you need to hear my voice, when you need someone to talk to, and when you need a shoulder to cry on. There's nothing wrong with that.. I love how you need me." he said. "I need to feel needed."

"I do need you here." I mumbled, wiping tears from under my eyes.

"And that's exactly why I'm going.. Call you cuz, alright? Have her stay home with you. Ima call you back in like an hour and tell you what's going down? Sound good?"

"Yeah babe. Thank you so much."

"Anything for you." He said sweetly.

"Before you go.." I said. "I just wanted to say that I appreciate you."

"Oh yeah?" He chuckled again. "I love you too Jackie."

"You better!" I said, cracking a smile. "I'll talk to you later, let me call Ayesha."

---

Ayesha came home about an hour later. Immediately, she got Ashley on the phone.

"Look, all I know is that Gio has to be with an adult who has custody of him since Ricky got arrested. I understand that you had temporary custody Jackie, I'm gonna talk to Judge Wou and see if he'll let Gio stay with you. I'm doing all that I can.. I honestly think it has a lot to do with who Crystal is.. The officers who did the raid knew her. She's the one who brought up Gio and how she wants him to be at home with her so he's feel safe."

"None of this makes sense.." I said to myself. "Why?"

"Jackie, I'm meeting with the judge this afternoon, I'm gonna get this straightened out!" She hung up.

"Ayesha, I came all this way to get my son and I AM getting him back. I AM taking him home with me. You hear me?!"

"Yes I hear you! Jackie you should have had him since day one! I'm sure the judge won't let Giovanni back into that house! Even with Crystal there. Look, everything is gonna be okay.. Give it a day or two. I know it's hard." She wrapped her arms around me tight. My phone rang in my pocket, it was August.

"Hello?"

"Babe. I'll be there tomorrow morning, around ten thirty I should land. Is that fine?"

"That's perfect. I can't wait to see you!" I smiled. "I'll pick you up, okay?"

"Yeah that sounds good babe." He sighed. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Was that August?" Ayesha asked. I nodded, saying yes. "Why'd he call? What are you picking him up for?"

"He's coming to Chicago."

"He misses you that much?" She joked.

"I guess so." I went a long. "We'll be picking him up at ten-"

"I can't wait to meet him!" She got excited.

"Calm ya ass down, okay? He's mine. You better back off." My time was serious. "That's my boo."

"Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!" She rolled her eyes. "It's nice that he's coming to see you though. He must really care."

"Yeah he does."

"But so didn't Jeremy..." She mumbled.

"Seriously? You wanna bring him up?"

"I just think it's wrong that you cheated on him. He loved you so much." She said. "But, I'm glad that you're happy with August." She shrugged.

"Look, you don't get it.. I settled with the first guy that showed me love after I moved. Yes, Jeremy cared about me, but nothing last forever."

"I'm not gonna argue with you about this, honestly.."

"Good, even though I know you're lying." I rolled my eyes.

"You didn't love August! I don't think you do now!"

"Ayesha, how can you say that? I-"

"I don't even think you loved Jeremy." She spoke clearly.

"How can you say that?!"

"Jackie, you needed someone and-"

"I needed someone like him." I stopped her. "Don't you dare Ayesha, don't you dare." I stormed off into the bedroom.

I couldn't believe she's say that to me. Granted that I was Jeremy a while then went with August. I did love Jeremy, but I was contemplating if I loved August the way I loved Jeremy, and I didn't know the answer.