Falling From It Again

Thirteen

CHERYL's POINT OF VIEW

"What are you two girls doing in here?" I asked as I watched the two of them sitting on Cai's bed talking and eating popcorn together.

They stopped laughing and looked at me.

"Nothing much, Auntie Pep's." Bre said as she smiled at Cai and grabbed some popcorn in her hand. Cai nodded and looked down at her phone.

"How are you, baby?" I asked her as I went over towards Cai and touched her long curly hair.

"I'm good." She said as she looked up at me.

"She's better because at first she was grumpy." Bre added as she laughed a little. I smiled at the two girls.

"Bre aren't you 17 now?" I asked.

"Yes ma'am." She said.

"Oh okay. Do you girls remember when you two would play tea party with me and your mom, Bre?" I asked the both of them. Cai sighed.

"Let's not talk about that." Cai said as she slightly laughed.

"Why not? You two were so cute. You used to dress up and you would use goldfish as crumpets. Water as tea...Inaya and I tried our best not to laugh but it was super cute. I always got in trouble by Cai about not having my pinky up." I said as I laughed a little.

"I remember that." Cai added.

"I barely do but-....I do kinda still." Bre said as she smiled at me. "Actually, Where's my mom?" Bre asked me.

"She's downstairs, baby girl." I told her.

"I'll be back." Bre said as she stood up and walked out of the room. I looked at Cai and sat down next to her.

"Now, are you just saying that you're fine or?" I said as I moved one of her curls out of her face. She was looking down at her phone.

"...I'm okay. I have no choice. He took basically a huge part of my happiness away. Ma, I never thought that I would say this but...I wish that my Father wasn't my Dad sometimes. Like....why can't my dad be like Shemar? Shemar always supports me. Like, I remember when he came to my 6th birthday party and told me to keep drawing. Why can't Daddy be like that?" She asked me as her eyes started to dwell up with tears.

"Baby girl, I know that you sometimes dislike your Dad but...he's your dad. You've gotta keep patient with him. Until then...." I said as I stood up and walked out of the room.

I came back with a paint brush and small canvas.

"Let me work on your Dad, Okay?" I said as I handed the paintbrush and small canvas to her. Her eyes grew big when she saw what I had brought. "Almost forgot. Here. Some small paints. Don't let him see them, okay? Take them to school and keep them in your art class." I told her. She took them and stood up to give me a huge hug.

"Thank you so much, Ma. I won't let him see." She said a she hugged my neck.

"You're welcome, baby." I said as I held her tightly.

After Inaya left, I was left to watch these 4 children. I didn't mine having my own babies and my niece and nephew over. They added onto my happiness and having them here was definitely an adventure.

That night after the kids went to sleep, Tony wouldn't talk to me. He didn't even touch me.

"Stop being upset with me." I said as I got in bed and laid my head on his chest. He sighed.