New on the block

Sunday

Monse's POV:
I told Cesar to just stay at his house while I talk to my dad in his house. "What do you mean that's not the whole story?" I ask when I sit on the couch. It feels weird being in this house but I can't focus on that right now. "I lied. I told everyone who saw anything to lie too. She was high, she was an addict, and that's why she locked her phone and keys in the car with you on accident." He says and I feel the weight on my chest again. "Why? If she did all that on accident why didn't you just tell me?" I cry. "I umm... I thought if you knew the whole story it'd over complicate everything. We told everyone it was on purpose and you didn't need to know." He never stops lying to me. "Did you know Latrelle and Marianna are my cousins?" I ask. "What? I didn't even know she had any siblings. Trust me if I knew you had family here I would've told you. It would've made moving here a lot easier to explain." Call it ignorance but I believe him. "So she didn't hate me?" I ask. "No, she loved you but she wasn't ready to be a mom. She never has been and she never will be so maybe just avoid her... or all of them." He says and I feel my blood boiling. "So first you tell me my mom just left and forgot about us, then you say she tried to kill me, and now you're saying it was an accident but I still shouldn't talk to her. You're a horrible person!" I scream. "I'm trying to protect you!" He argues. "You kicker me out of the house!" "Because I was trying to keep you safe! You're better off over there and not part of my bull shit. Tell me this, have you had more good day since you moved? Less stress, more like a teenager should be living?" He asks. "Yeah... I guess." Even with everything I've been through it feels like it's all worth it. "Ok good so I did my job. I'll protect you even if it means hurting your feelings for a minute." He says sweetly. "So how do we know my mom isn't gonna do the same thing? Maybe she stayed away because she thought that was what's best for me... for both of us. You raised me, you did everything and maybe she thought you didn't want her back." I point out. "And I don't want her back, if that's what you want I'm not gonna stop you. You're still my baby Finnie, but you know what you wanna do." He says and I nod. "I want to give her a chance." I say quietly. "Ok. Here's her number, tell me how it goes." He hands me a piece of paper with her number on it. "Thank you." I get up off the couch and walk to the door. "I love you." He says before I leave. "Okay." I leave the house and cross the street. "How'd it go?" Cesar asks. "It was an accident." Is all I say before throwing myself in the bed.

*Sunday: 3:00pm at Dwayne's Joint*
I made sure I would be around people who always have my back so Dwayne's Joint was the perfect place to meet up with my mom. "She's late." I tell Cesar. "Just give her a minute you said three it's only been like thirty seconds." He says calmly. "She's here." I mumble. "I gotta go back to work good luck baby." He kisses me and he walks away. "Hi Monse." Julia says. "My dad told me the truth." I say quickly. "Good, I didn't want to ruin your relationship with him." She says. "That'd be impossible. I don't even live with him." I didn't mean to tell her that. "Seriously? You always meant the world to your dad I could imagine him letting you live somewhere else." She says. "It's fine, it was in my best interest I guess." I shrug. "So where are you living now?" She asks. "With my boyfriend Cesar and his brother." I tell her and she shakes her head. "The Diaz brothers?" She asks and I nod my head. "I'm just visiting here, I live in Brentwood, would you want to stay with me for a while?" She asks and I freeze. "You don't have to decide now but it seems like you need a safer place to live." She says. "I'm sorry, less than twenty four hours ago I thought you tried to kill me when I'm not really in any rush to move in with you." I say bluntly. "That's fine, why don't we get to know each other first?" She asks. "I'd like that." I nod. "So, why don't you introduce me to those teenagers who keep staring at us?" She asks. I turn around and wave them over. "This is Cesar." When he walks over I can tell he's nervous. "Nice to meet you." He says awkwardly. "Meet me? I was in the hospital waiting room when you were born!" She laughs. "Yeah, I was pregnant as hell but I knew you and Monse were gonna be best friends so I had to be there." She laughs. "And that's Ruby, Jamal, Olivia and Jasmine." I point them all out. "I've heard a lot about you." Jasmine looks her up and down. "Flores? I knew your dad in high school. I'll have to tell you some of the crazy shit he used to do. I'm really sorry about what happened." What doesn't she know about us? "I'm having your nephew's baby." Olivia says bluntly and awkwardly. "I swear Latrelle doesn't tell me anything. Boy or girl?" She asks. "Boy." Olivia smiles. I guess she feels nervous meeting his family. "Jamal, you're the one dating my niece right?" She asks and Jamal nods his head quickly. "She said you're the only one who was there for her in middle school, thank you for that. Mari can be a little..." She thinks over her words for a second. "Private." Jamal finishes her sentence. "Exactly! Ruby, when your mom had you... I'd never seen her happier." Julia smiles. "Yeah, too bad you weren't even half as happy as she was." Ruby says. "I'm so glad Monse has friends who care so much about her but I've changed." She tells them. "I don't want to sound judgmental but I haven't even had my baby yet and I couldn't even picture leaving him." Olivia says. "I love Monse, I always have. I actually just offered her a place at my house in Brentwood." Why would she tell them that?! "We're pretty happy at my place." Cesar says. "It's my decision." I say and they all stare at me.