Falling From It Again

Eleven

CHERYL's POINT OF VIEW

"You're wrong, Tony." I told him as we both walked into our room.

"Hell, I guess you're upset with me too? I'm just saying Cheryl! Why are you encouraging this? It was cute when she was a child but now she needs to figure out something realistic! My child isn't going to be scraping by just because she chose damn art. No." Tony slightly yelled as he looked at me.

"Okay, you don't have to yell and why don't you support your own child? This is what she loves to do! Accept that and support her. She needs her Fathers support! It's one thing to have your Mothers support but every little girl needs their Daddy on board as well. You're hurting her feelings and you need to apologize." I told him.

"I'm not. Art is ridiculous. She's wasting her time. She's good but the only thing that I'm gonna let her do...as her Father is to show her that art can't take her anywhere in life. Watch." He said as he walked out of the room. I followed him.

"Anthony, what are you about to do?" I asked him in a serious voice.

"What I should have done 3 years ago." He said as he bursted into Cai's room. She was sitting on her painting stool painting something new. Tony walked over towards her and took the painting off of the stand.

"Give me all of your brushes." He said as he put his hand out.

"Tony! What are you doing?" I asked him as I looked at him crazy.

"Give me the brushes!" He said as he raised his voice.

"Ma-....are you really gonna let him do this?" Cai asked me.

"No, baby. Just-...keep your brushes." I said as I put my hand out towards her. "Tony, look at me- What are you doing? You're making a big mistake. Your daughter is gonna hate you if you do this to her." I reassured him. He looked away from me and grabbed all of her brushes. He then threw them in her paintbox, along with her paints. He even took all of her canvases and threw them in another box.

"No more art." He said as he looked at her. Cai sat there and just cried as she watched him put her things away. "I'm ordering you some career books tomorrow and if I even see you with a paintbrush again? You'll be in big trouble young lady." Tony said as he walked out of the room with all of her things.

"Tony..." I said but he just passed me by.

"He hates me." Cai said as she ran towards her bed and continued to cry.

Tony messed up big time.

The next morning when I took Cai to school, she didn't say not one word. She looked so unhappy. Ciyle didn't even wanna mess with her nor play fight with her. We all knew that her heart was broken into a million pieces. Her craft was no more.

"Baby, I'll talk to your Daddy today, Alright? Just- have a good day at school and enjoy yourself. Keep your head high and know that Mommy will do everything possible to get your Dad to stop this foolishness." I said as I looked back at her. She just nodded her head, opened the door and stepped out. Seeing her sad made my heart hurt so much. I knew how to help her feel better though.

Once I took all of the kids to school, I came back home to work on BVM again. Tony had left for work and so- I'm here all alone. Peace and quiet.

Until now...

Somebody was at the door. I went to go open it.

"Shemar." I said as I took a deep breath.

"You look like you're relieved to see me." He said as he walked in and closed the door.