Forever Isn't Long Enough

Chapter 4

Chapter 4
July 2018

Wally

I smile as I make my way through the identical, rundown buildings of the Orchard Park projects. I can't help but to smile while I think about how my girl is waiting for me in one of these ugly ass buildings.

Someone calling my name makes me stop and turn around just as I'm about to open the door to Yasmine's building. "Ayo, Wally!" A dark skin man with golds in his mouth walks up to me with a smile.

"G. What's up, man?" I dap my girlfriend's baby father. I may not like him or what he does but I can't disrespect him. This is still the OP and I'm still just a nigga who is messing with a drug dealer's baby momma.

"Man, I wanted to talk to you," Gregory Watson, known best as G around the OP, waves his hand to me. "Now, I know we all been doing this co-parenting shit for almost a year now," I wait for whatever insult or threat he's gonna make. "I really appreciate everything you've been doing for my little girl. I may not give a fuck about Yas but Jazz— that's my world."

I just look at him. "She's a baby, man. She's a beautiful little girl. I couldn't imagine treating her as anything less than my own. I was planning on getting them outta the OP. Yas, Jasmine, and Miss Cecilia. They don't need to be here anymore, man. You and I both know that. Three women leaving on their own? Shit ain't right."

G looks around while he thinks about what I've proposed. "So where you tryna put 'em? I want my baby girl growing up in the OP like I did. Like her momma did. Shit, man, like you did."

"I do too, but she needs better— they all do. Miss Cecilia needs to be somewhere comfortable and Yas gotta stop stressing," I pause. "I got a place uptown. It's got four bedrooms. One for everybody and a guest. I won't be there often but they'll have security and nurses to help Miss Cecilia. There's a good school down the street— that's why I picked it. For Jasmine."

"So you want my daughter to move in with you? What kinda bullshit is that?" G starts getting agressive. When he steps into my face, I have to push him back.

Just as he reaches behind his back, probably for his gun, Yasmine comes outside with Jasmine. "Hey! What's going on out here? G! Gregory! Leave Stephan alone! Put that away, Gregory! Before Jasmine sees it."

G looks back at his two-year old daughter. He pulls her into his arms while Yasmine walks over to me. "Hey, baby girl."

"Daddy!" Jasmine squeals when she's in her father's arms. She looks at me and squeals even louder. "Steph!"

"Hey Jazzie." I smile at the little girl. G pulls her attention back to him and I roll my eyes.

"You okay?" Yasmine asks as she checks for any wounds.

"I'm good, Yas." I shake my head and move her back a little. She still looks worried.

"It's not your weekend, Gregory. It's mine." Yasmine says to her baby father.

"I know. I saw Wally and wanted to talk to him," G says while looking at Jasmine. "What's this I hear you moving into some big house with the faggot?"

"Don't call hi—"

"Look, nigga, I ain't no faggot. Call me one again and you gonna have to put your daughter down." I snap at him. The golds glint in his mouth as he smiles sarcastically at me.

"So you gonna threaten me with my daughter in my hands?" G laughs. "Yo, this the kind of nigga you want around my daughter?"

"She's my daughter, Gregory. And it's about time you realize that me and Stephan are for real. Jasmine likes Stephan. He's doing the stuff you could never do— yeah, he's gonna move me, Jazz, and Momma outta here. It's about time somebody did," Yasmine looks at me with a small smile before putting her stank face back on for G. "The sooner you accept Stephan as a man, the sooner you'll be able to see your daughter again. We're moving next week."