Shambles

Chapter 10: Ember

I just dropped the signed papers off at the lawyer's office granting Gabe visitation for the kids. He also set up an account with $384,000 dollars with back child support. The lawyers gave me the debit card to that account today as well. Gabe added both kids on his medical and there will be a biweekly amount of $8000 dollars every two weeks deposited. I'm so in shock with the amount I don't know what to do.

"Bitch you can buy a big house with that money," Kita says sitting on the side of me. "You need to buy yourself your own car first, and then start looking for a nice three-bedroom home...with a pool. So me and Papa can come over all the time."

"Grady has a pool," I say looking over at her.

"How many times have me and Papa been to that house?"

"None."

"Exactly. The first time that nigga talks to me like he talks to you I will cut his mutha fucking ass. I'm older than him and I'm not his woman. He talks to everybody like their his fucking children and I don't go."

I don't respond because she's telling the truth.

"I've always told you to put money in your pocket. You get with Grady - and he starts running everything. You can't piss without asking this nigga. When he puts your ass out..and he will - he's gone to take this car, those clothes, even your fucking toothbrush. And when he does you will get in your Uber and have him drop you off at your own home and car." She says putting her hands up like she shot a ball. "That nigga enjoy those bitches running after him - needing him. When you leave you won't ever have to look back. I ain't never went back to a nigga once I was done." Kita starts laughing.

She turns the radio up. Cardi B's 'Money' song comes. "How fitting," I mumble.

After I drop her off and pick up Bash from school and head to the house. Bash couldn't stop talking about how much fun he had with his dad. I made him promise not to talk about it with no one, especially Grady or his kids. I left the debit card at Kita's. She put it up in her drawer.

I'm not worried about her stealing the money. One she has never stolen from us. Pimped us but didn't steal from us. Plus the card is set up to where it can only be used with ID and she doesn't know the pin.

When we walk in the door it looks like a summer camp has already started.

"Where the fuck have you been?"

"I just picked up Bash," I reply, looking at six of the seven kids. They are all in the living room loud as fuck. "Bash go upstairs and change out of those school clothes." He watches the kids in the living room. He knows they won't play with him. They asses are like their stupid ass daddy. He turns and stomps up the stairs.

"I need you to order them some pizza or something," Grady says staring at me. I keep looking in the living room at the chaos that's his kids. "You know to put the boys in one room and the girls in the other."

"Ok. Where are you going? You know they don't listen to me."

"Bitch don't worry about where I'm going. Just do what I ask. Your son might have to sleep in another room Junior has been complaining about having to share a room and it's not fair that your son has his own room."

I stare at him as my fistball up. "Calm down," I mentally reprimand myself. "Where should he sleep?"

"I don't give a fuck where you put him. Just put Junior in his room." I can feel my eyes watering at his words. I drop my head so he can't see them.

When I look back up he's left out the door. I order the pizza and direct all the kids to take baths and go to sleep at about nine-thirty. Of course, they don't listen. Junior is in Bash's room and has been in there since I told him that's where he will be sleeping.