A Work of Art (a Chris Brown Love Story)

20: We Need Help (part one)

Christopher Brown

    "Daddy, what's that noise?" Royalty asked, as we finished our cookies. I shook my head, ignoring Luna's bangs and knocks against the closet door in the next room. 

"Nothing, sweetheart. I don't hear anything."

"Oh. Okay." Royalty dropped her head. I frowned. "What's the matter with you?" I picked up Mr. Ruffles. "We all want to know."

She shook her head. "Ya'll are fighting. I'll never have a mommy." "Who said we were fighting?" She gave me that 'bitch, I'm four, not dumb' look. "I know, Daddy."

I sighed and ran a hand down my face. It was just really hard to talk to Luna. In her eyes, sitting down with your ex at 4 am is acceptable. What am I supposed to do with that? She said nothing happened and I half believe her, but damn. Sitting in this nigga face? She had to know that was foul.

I began to help my daughter clean up the tea party mess. I ate the cookies that the rest of the party didn't eat, which was basically all of them but Ro's. "I'm gonna go check on Luna, okay, baby girl?" She nodded. "I'll come too."

We walked hand in hand in my room and she stopped by the door. "Daddy, what's this?" She picked up a box of condoms that were laying on my dresser. I snatched them from her. "Gloves." 

"Gloves?" She giggled. "Gold gloves?"

I sighed and waved her away. Kids and their imagination, right? I pulled the chair away from the door. "Why was there a chair on the door, Daddy? Luna wouldn't be able to get out of the closet with that there."

"It was an accident."

"That wasn't no accident." She snapped. I faced her. "Watch the attitude or no happy meal." She zipped her lips and watched as I opened the closet. I could tell Luna wanted to fight me, but she held back because of Royalty's presence. 

"Are you okay, Mo-.. Luna?" Royalty asked her. Luna smiled at her. "Yes, just a little sick. You wanna come get some air with me?" She nodded her head. "Yes! And McDonalds!"

"Of course, McDonalds. Then we could come back and play with Barbie and her sisters."

"So they can get caught up on the tea that happened at the tea party!" I found myself chuckling. What the hell did she know about tea? I instructed her to go put her shoes on so Luna and I could be alone. A piece of me really wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt and make this family shit Ro was talking about work. I could call the police and give them any and every lead on Nia, get her locked away with Ella and Mrs. Winston, and live happily ever after.

Life don't work that way though, unfortunately. 

Luna gave me a half-hearted smile that I wasn't expecting. Prompting me to lay it all on the line. "I was wrong for locking you in the closet and not hearing you out. But you have to understand I was mad. What the hell was I supposed to think when my girl is caught on camera smiling in another nigga face? I wasn't even physically there and I know he was feeling you. He wouldn't have sat down if he wasn't feeling you. I'm very territorial over my loved ones. If that comes off as controlling, then I'm sorry." I folded my arms and sat on the bed, awaiting her response.

She pulled her back into a ponytail. "I do understand how it looks. But you also have to trust me. I know, I'm calling the kettle black because I went through your phone last night, but your ex text you at 3 am! The same ex that is partially responsible for me getting shot. I just.. That really upset me, Chris. But that didn't mean I had to overreact like that. Or put my hands on you. I just have a lot going on and I feel like I'm getting depressed."

"Do you feel like you need to talk to someone?" She nodded and I could tell she was fighting back the tears. It's not as easy as some would think to admit that you have issues that you want to discuss with a therapist.

"I can't stay here like this, Chris. I haven't seen my mom in I don't how long. I have no clue how her chemo is going. I haven't seen Kendall or Kate and I'm a bad friend for that, I know. I want to work, but my fucking side hurts. I've been trying not to take the medicine because I know it's addictive. I just.." She got quiet for a second.

"I just need some air, okay?"

"Okay." I responded, quietly. 

She slipped on her slides and headed for the door, but turned around. "Were gonna be okay, Chris. I just have alot going on. I gotta fix me, for us."

I nodded as if I understood her, and honestly I did. I had some stuff going on as well and just hearing her say she needed to get better for me, let me know I needed to get better for her too. I kissed her cheek as she hugged me tightly. 

I felt myself getting sad as I clutched the pills in my pocket. 

Luna Livingston 

    "I'm coming, Ro. Let me just go grab something out the bathroom. Go wait in the car."

"Which car?"

"My car. The least expensive one." I chuckled. She smiled and ran outside. Her little light-up shoes lighting up with each step she took. 

Before Chris took his nap, he told me it was okay to take Ro out for ice cream and to see my mom. I was actually excited. I hadn't saw her in a while and I just know she would love Royalty. Hell, I did and she wasn't even mine. 

What sucks though is that I'm actually worried though. Chris has been sleeping like a pregnant woman lately and I've been trying to ignore it because we only began sleeping together the other day and I read a Oprah article where she said some men get the women symptoms during pregnancy. 

So I guess he was sick. 

I rummaged through the medicine cabinet for my Nucynta pills and was shocked to see about 4 pill bottles there, and an additional bag of them behind it. My doctor only prescribed me one bottle so what the hell was all this?

They all had my name on the bottle, but yet, they all were almost empty. But I've only taken like 2 pills since I've been shot. Realizing what was going on, I shoved the bottle in my pocket out of frustration.

Could Chris be taking these?

I sighed as I walked down the stairs, and out the door. Getting in the car and making small talk with Ro, my mind couldn't help but wonder. Chris and I really need help.

From the Joey situation, to the pills, to him locking me in the closet, the situation was slowly but surely becoming toxic and we needed help.

Soon.