Psalms 42 || Tori Kelly

& The Bees

8:30 PM

André paced back and forth before his wife as they tried to figure out how he and Tori were going to approach the sex situation. "So like, good cop, bad cop?" André stupidly suggested. Tori grimaced and got off the bed.

"Dré, we talked about this, we prayed about it. Let's be about it. It's just sex. But, if you can't do it, I will do it by myself," Tori said. André hesitantly started towards the door but immediately back pedaled.

"Yeah, chief, I think you've got this one," André chickened out. With a hard eye roll, Tori snatched the 7 year old condom from her dresser and headed down the stairs. After four kids and an IUD, Tori found no point in having condoms. Especially since the 7 year old condom, that they didn't know was old, got her Sampson in the first place. It was just going to be an example, then it was going in the trash.

—

Iriella sat in front of her desk with Sampson in her lap and Jairus on her bed. He was watching Nickelodeon, while Irie did her best to study, but Sampson was pissed. He was tired and he wanted Tori.

As Tori passed by her eldest daughter's room, she could hear her youngest screaming and decided to pop in. "Hey, you want me to take him? I'm about to go talk to Abiah," Tori asked. Before Irie could even respond, Sampson had scurried off of her lap and ran to his mother. "Okay, I guess the baby has spoken. Irie, don't stay up too late. Jai, go brush your teeth, because I know you haven't," Tori said. After taking Sampson into her arms and shutting the door, Tori headed down the hall to Abiah's room.

—

The 14 year olds brain moved in 7 million directions as she tried to figure out what her mom wanted to talk about. She hadn't really done or failed anything, so she couldn't think of anything that her mother might have wanted to talk about. But, the wonder ceased when her mother came in with a small golden square in one hand and her baby brother on her hip.

"I wanted this to be just us, but as you know, it's Sammy's bed time so, I'm gonna have to do two things at once," Tori said, taking a seat at the foot of Abiah's bed, dropping the condom next to her leg, then adjusting her baby on her lap to nurse him to sleep. Most teens would be freaked out at the sight of their mom breastfeeding, but it was so normal in that house, that no one even batted an eye.

"So, what's up?" Abiah asked, picking at her white sheets. Tori took a quick glance at Sampson making sure he was latched, before giving Abiah her full attention.

"So, you know how I did your laundry today?" Tori asked. Abiah nodded, still not sure where this was going. "Well, I saw your underwear." Abiah froze. "I know you had sex," Tori started. Those 5 minutes and 35 seconds flooded the teens memory as her mom continued. However, because she was reliving those torturous moments, she couldn't hear a thing. The smell of his hair, his beads of sweat, the pain, everything resurfaced and Abiah was on the verge of tears, but she sucked them back. No one was to know. "Biah, why sex? Why so young?" Tori asked, but Abiah wasn't having it.

"Yeah," she whispered. "I just wanted it to be over with," she nonchalantly shrugged. The teenager started to revert into her I-don't-care attitude to shield herself from the pain of the incident.

"I'm not mad at you for not waiting. I just wish that you would've come to me, before deciding. That's a big deal," Tori said, "I know what it's like not to wait, and I just want to make sure you're safe," Tori said, motioning to the condom. Abiah felt sick to her stomach, remembering how long she laid on cold wooden desk pinned under his hold as he struggled to put the condom on with one hand. 

"I know all about that," she rushed, wanting nothing more than to go to bed. "He wore a condom," Abiah quickly stated. Tori's eyebrow skyrocketed, but she had a baby on her and had to stay calm. She thought that she would be able to get through the conversation without getting upset, but the thought of her 14 year old having sex sickened her.