Thug-ish (Book 1)

27:No love

West

I watch as Leti's chest rises up and down as she sleeps. Her face looks so relaxed and her stomach looks bigger than ever. She's three weeks away from her due date. Three weeks away from being a mother.

I'm three weeks away from being a mother.

I kiss her and head downstairs. When I walk into the kitchen I see Patrick sitting at the table. He sees me and begins to get up, but I put my hand up as a sign for him not to leave.

Patrick and I...well I hate him basically. He and P.J. have been staying here for their safety, but now that Calvin is gone they can leave my house and my life.

"How's Leti doing?" He wonders.

"Fine, how's P.J.?"

"Fine." He shrugs. "He loves his new school and he's excited about being a big brother."

"He is not my baby's brother." I demand.

"I have rights. She is my daughter." He claims.

"Do you want to die?" I raise an eyebrow at him. "Because I will shoot you."

"All I'm saying is that this little girl is going to wonder how she came to be. She's going to want to know her dad some day. What are you gonna tell her?"

"We will cross that bridge when we get there."

"Why? Why go through that when she has a father that's wants to be in her life? Leti grew up wishing her father would choose her over his business. I'm sure she doesn't want her daughter growing up the same way."

I slam my fist down on the table and glare at him. "Don't you ever talk about Leti as if you know her better than me. She and I will raise our daughter how we see fit and you should just be happy I haven't killed your ass yet."

"And you should remember that I'm the one who made sure Leti was alright after you made her think you were dead."

"Get the fuck out of my house." I demand.

"What?"

"You fucking heard me. Pack your shit and get the fuck out."

"What about P.J.? He's sleeping and he has school in the morning."

"Take his little ass with you." I shrug.

"We have nowhere to go. We can't go back to our house, Calvin's guys will probably kill us."

"Not my problem." I tell him. "Get out."

*
*
*

Malo

It's Jamiyah's first time seeing Westley today. I have no idea how it's going to go, but I'm hoping she will feel some sort of way towards him at least. I just want us to be a family.

"Malo, Westley has just woken up from his nap." Crystal informs me. "Would you like me to set up his bounce chair downstairs?"

"Set it up in the living room." I tell her. "His mommy is coming over today to meet him."

"Oh, are you nervous?" She wonders.

"No." I shake my head just as the doorbell rings. "Shit! That might be her, I'm nervous."

Crystal just laughs and heads to the living room. I take a deep breath and walk to the front door. I pull the door open and see Yaya standing there, awkwardly.

I just want to grab her and kiss her, but I can't. If we would've never went to that stupid ass party we wouldn't be going through this right now. She would've never lost her memory.

"Can I come in?" She asks.

I clear my throat and nod. "Yeah, we're gonna be in the living room. Imma go get him."

God, I know I don't pray, but please don't take Yaya away from me anymore. Please bring her back to me.

I pick my son up and carry him downstairs. By the time I reach the living room Leti and West are already downstairs.

"Say hello to mommy." I smile as I carry baby West over to Yaya.

"I can't believe it." Yaya says as she stands up from the couch. "I really have a baby."

"D you wanna hold him?" I ask her.

She nods and takes him from my arms and sits down. "Leti, look." She smiles.

Leti leans over and kiss baby West's hand. "My nephew is so adorable."

"This is just so much." Yaya begins to cry. "I have this whole part of my life that I don't even remember."

"Don't cry, sis." Leti comforts her. I sit down and put my hand on her shoulder, but she scoots away and hands baby West back to me.

"I should just go home." Yaya says.

"Please don't leave. You can stay here." I tell her.

"I can't leave David at the house all by himself." She claims. "And this place isn't familiar to me."

"You lived here after you got shot." West says.

Leti facepalms herself and Yaya's jaw drops. "I was shot?" She asks.

"Just once." I assure her.

"What else has happened?" She wonders.

"We have to go to my doctor's appointment. We'll let y'all catch up." Leti says as her and West exit the living room.

"I'll go feed, baby West." Crystal says. I hand her the baby and she heads to the kitchen leaving Jamiyah and me alone.

"How long have we've been together?" She asks me.

"About a year and a half."

"And we already have a baby?" She says seemingly shocked.

"We move fast." I shrug. "He was mainly my idea."

"How long have we lived here?"

"For the past three months. I moved in here because you were in a coma and I couldn't bare to go back to our house without you." I confess.

She sighs and stares at her hands as she plays with her thumbs. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For not loving you anymore." She exhales.

"Don't apologize for that. You do love me, you just have to remember." I tell her.

"I don't and I might not ever remember, so you should just move on. I'm not the girl you love anymore."

"We have a family together. I've waited months for you to come back to me." I start to cry.

"I'll be there for Westley. I'll be his mother, but I can't be with you. It wouldn't be fair for you to continue loving me when I don't love you."