PROJECT GIRL

Fifty-one

TANYAPOV:

Life after the engagement and the baby has been good. Well for the most part I have been loving the attention from my fiancé. I also was enjoying my baby boy. I have been away from the drama and focused on the things that really matters. I haven't seen Nana since before she went to L.A. I decided to invite her to my house and let her see my son.

"He is so handsome. One thing Maniac can do is make some adorable babies. Have you seen Raven's daughter?" Nana asked kissing over Major. I sat in silence.
"Yeah she's pretty." I say less excited.
"What's wrong?"
"It kinda bothers me that Raven and I have like this problem but we are supposed to be a family."
"Well I can tell her to come sit down so you guys can talk this out. Also you need to have a conversation with Maniac to tell him this too. He needs to know this before y'all tie the knot."
"I will have that conversation with both of them the last thing I need is to have drama or tension with all this wedding stuff going on."
"Right."
"But anyways how was L.A?"
"It was great I met a guy."
"Really?"
"Yes his name is Cameron. He is very sweet and I really like that about him. He puts me first and I can't ask for nothing more than that."
"Wait so are y'all dating or your just still tryin to figure things out?"
"Well at first it was me trying to figure things out but now it's very clear this is what I want and we both are going to be living for a few months."
"Wait what? This is too much."
"He lives in L.A and he feels like I shouldn't go through the pregnant by myself. So he said he will come stay with me for the rest of my pregnancy so he can be here for me."
"Wow that's sweet. Where is Semaj?"
"Up Trina's ass. He tells me he wants to be with Trina and have a family but he continues to act like he can't move on and he acts like he want to be with me. Then he disrespected me twice with this he thinks he isn't my child's father. I can't deal with this shit. This is a really delicate situation I can't risk my baby's health for his shit."
"That true. If I wasn't on good terms with my man I would go pop his ass in the mouth."
"Girl don't waste your energy on weak niggas."
"Did you talk to Tori?"
"No all this shit is between Semaj and I. I don't have no problem with Tori but I ain't really talk to nobody from that side except Danny and Kennedy."
"You have been getting a little closer with Danny , what's that about?"
"What are you talking about? It's just Danny and I worked through our differences and she help me get passed Semaj. You and I weren't that good at that time. But I'm cool with her and you why can't I be friends with both of y'all?"
"Never said you couldn't but I just think she is full of shit. She was just now turning Semaj against you and tried to do the same thing with Tori. So it doesn't make since why would she want to best of friends all of a sudden?"
"We are all good and you should come around more to see what's going on."
"I'll consider it but right now I have bigger things to worry about."
"Speaking of bigger things. Where were you at my Grand Opening?"
"I had the baby and Maniac was out. I also had nothing to wear but I'm sure everything went well."
"Yeah it's not about that it's about supporting your best friend. If it was you I would have been there."
"Okay well I'm sorry that I have responsibilities that take up my time."
"I'm gonna leave the conversation where it's at before I get upset. So let me go I have to go grocery shopping and I have to stop by the store." Nana grabbed her purse and then left without another word being said.

It bothered me how close Danny and Nana were getting but I couldn't let that get to me.  I was sitting with Major when Maniac came there with his sons but not his daughter.
"Hey baby wheat you do today?" Maniac asked kissing me and taking the baby.
"I went to see Nana."
"How did that go?"
"Good. Where is the baby?"
"With her mom. She has a cold so Raven said she can come over when she feels better."
"Okay well I hope she feels better."
"Yeah me too that's my baby girl."
"Well baby you know my birthday is coming up."
"Yeah did you decide what you wanted to do?"
"No. I do want a new car."
"What type of car?"
"Benz."
"Baby you want a Benz?"
"Yes is that a problem?"
"No but I just want you to know that car ain't about to be cheap."
"So what we got enough money for you to buy all them chains and watches. So we have enough for my Benz."
"I hear you but we'll see."
"Yeah whatever. You should really talk to your boy too."
"What you trippin bout now?"
"Semaj really stressing my best friend out over this parenting shit."
"I mean she wanted to have a baby with him so bad. That's not my problem what they go through. I'm in a relationship with you not them."
"Bro you sound dumb. Your homeboy got her pregnant and she didn't even know she was pregnant. When she did find out she wasn't sure what she wanted to do. After losing her first she want wanted to try again. So don't blame her for getting pregnant."
"Look I'm just saying I ain't with him or her so I'll let him and her do what they want to do. I'm minding my business you should do the same."
"What does that mean?"
"Baby I don't want to argue."
"Neither do I but for my best friend I will check anyone I have to."
"Relax."
"No you relax y'all been coming at my best friend like she ain't who she is. Nana is better than Trina will ever be. On her worst days she shine better than Trina or anyone else on their best days. Y'all better act like y'all know. Now relax that shit." I stormed off and went upstairs to our room. I laid down and watched tv until I fell asleep. When I woke up the baby was crying. I went to the baby's room and saw him in his crib crying. I wiped the crust out my eyes and I walked the baby down stairs to get some milk.
When I got downstairs I saw Semaj and Maniac playing video games.
"Maniac you don't hear you're son crying?" I asked fixing the baby bottle while rocking him.
"Baby come on don't start this picking shit."
"No don't baby me. You playing video games like you don't hear you're son."
"Baby you got him now so what's the fuss about?"
"You really make me sick."
"Baby I love you too."
"Yeah whatever. What time is it anyways?"
"Like two in the morning." Semaj answered.
"Wait Semaj it's two in the morning for you to have a bitch why you not home with her? You here at my house."
"First off this my man's house you just moved in it. You ain't his wife yet so fallback before I hurt your feelings."
"Hurt my feelings then. I ain't Nana I ain't gotta deal with your ass."
"You want to be Nana. You want to live her life that's why you can't stand me. Yeah cause I treat her like royalty something you'll never feel like. You cum bucket."
"Cum bucket? You must be talking about Danny she the one slanging that pussy around the city."
"Fuck you bitch!" Semaj shouted and threw the controller down and left. I was mad that Semaj really tried to get big with me. But I was more mad that Maniac sat there and let shit happen.

"So you must don't care how your friends talk to your fiancé." I sat the baby in the car seat then I stood in Maniac's face and he stood in mine.
"You came down here with the bullshit. I told you to relax I let you sleep it off but you came down here and started."
"Maniac you still shouldn't let no one come in this house and disrespect your family. That's that on that."
"If you keep coming for people they will shoot back that's life."
"I hope you say that shit to yourself when you want your dick sucked or some pussy. Go ask that nigga Semaj since it "Life"." I picked up the baby and went upstairs.

Maniac allowed Semaj to disrespect me and not only just in front of him but in front of our son. My happiness was slowly fading away. I was slowly going back to the old way things used to be. Nana and I were havin our differences and Maniac was choosing the streets and Semaj over his family. It really made my heart break that things were the way they were , I know I have to keep my head focused on the better things.

With days going by I was just worried about the more important things. I also thought about investing in a future for my son. I waited for Maniac to come home one day and I sat him down to talk.
"I want to make money of my own." I started.
"What you mean?"
"I see how Nana got her own store and doing it on her own for herself and her baby in a way and I want to do the same."
"Baby you don't need to do that."
"Baby I do for me. I can't depend on the streets to take care of me and my son."
"Baby I got this family. You just need to worry about taking care of the family. Simple."
"Well I'm going to start doing my own thing on the side just to be sure of everything."
"Tanya I'm trying to not get mad but you pushing it. If I say I got it then that means that I got it."
"Why can't I do something for myself?"
"Cause I said so."
"Whatever."
"If you go and do anything behind my back you not gonna like how things go."
"Is that a threat?"
"No, a promise."

Maniac slammed the door when he left. It woke Major , Who I had just finally got to sleep. I was pissed. Maniac was stepping in the way of my dreams. I wasn't just going to sit back and let him control my life. It was time I move differently. The next day I got in touch with Raven and asked her to meet with me. She told me to meet her at her house so I took Major and I went to meet with her.
"So what brings you by?" Raven asked writin a bunch of papers.
"I've been meaning to talk to you about Maniac."
"What about him? I hope you don't think we messing around?"
"No that's not what I was talking about. I was talking about how he acts."
"Meaning like the abuse and shit like that ?"
"Yeah."
"There ain't much to tell. He went through the typical shit. His father used to beat on his mother and he does the same to the women he deals with."
"What happen with you two?"
"He was stepping out on me with every bitch in the city and was sending me to the hospital. I was either there because of his abuse or there to have a baby. We have three children together it wasn't easy to make that family."
"What is it about me?"
"What you mean? He did propose right?"
"Yeah but he keeps pushing me away and pulling me back in."
"That's how he operates."
"What do I do?"
"Look do you know how I take care of my kids?"
"No."
"I had to work. I made sure I kept a job while I was with him. So he can't say he did everything. After that I made my own Eyelash line. Maniac wants everyone to answer to him. I left before he killed me. I made my dreams happen sadly without him. My best advice for you is to leave. Maniac ain't for nobody."

After talking with Raven I went home then I went to work. If I was going to ever take charge of my life it had to be this way.