Give Me The Reason 2: A Love Story

by Coco Amoure

  “You didn’t wake me. I was just laying here watching you with your son and enjoying every moment of it.” Ashanti had forgotten how angry she was with him for not answering her phone calls and leaving her all alone in the ninth hour. The moment they were sharing made it seem less important.

  “I want to apologize for leaving the house and turning my phone off. But once I received word that Delaney was out of the coma, I jumped up and headed straight to the hospital. I can admit that I was wrong. I’m just glad you and the baby are ok,” Tyson said while looking down at the sleeping infant in his arms.

  At the mention of Delaney’s name, Ashanti’s smile disappeared. This was supposed to be their moment and he just had to bring the bitch up and ruin the happiest day of her life.

  “If you don’t mind, I would rather not discuss her. I just gave birth to a beautiful son, our son.” Ashanti pouted. The news that Delaney was possibly in recovery did not please Ashanti in the least. She knew this bitch was going to be a problem, but she had plans on making Delaney’s life a living hell. This baby was her ticket back into Tyson’s life. The way he was all goo-goo eyed over the baby proved it. Now all she had to do was make sure the paternity test came back naming Tyson as the father, and she knew just the man to make her dreams a reality.

  “I’m not trying to ruin your moment, Shanti, but Delaney is a part of my life and she will be a part of our son’s life as well. I thought you understood that. You are going to have to accept that you and I are over. This little man right here is our priority and the only thing that we have in common,” Tyson said standing up and handing the baby to Ashanti. Little man was squirming and started whining which probably meant he was hungry. Tyson didn’t want Ashanti to get it twisted, his heart belonged to Delaney. He knew that Ashanti desperately wanted to make things work between them, but he made sure to remind her of his love for Delaney every chance he got. His intentions weren’t to hurt her feelings, but to force her to see the reality of the situation.

  Ashanti rolled her eyes and adjusted the bed in the upright position before she took the baby from Tyson’s arms. She was all smiles when she looked at his chubby little face.

  “Is Mommy’s baby hungry?” she cooed. Ashanti removed one of her breast from inside of her night gown so she could feed her little man. Tyson immediately turned around in search of the remote control so he could power on the television. Breast feeding was a natural thing that mothers do, but he didn’t feel right sitting there watching her.

  “Tyson, don’t be so dramatic. It’s not like you’ve never seen my breasts before. I remember a time you loved seeing me naked,” she said, noticing how uncomfortable he was acting. Tyson flipped through the channels ignoring her comment.

  After Ashanti fed the baby, Tyson laid him down in the hospital bassinet. He needed to go see about Delaney, so he figured he would use this opportunity to go check on her.

  “Well, Imma head on out, and I will be back to check on you and the baby a little later. We need to discuss having the paternity test done, and also giving him a name.”

  Ashanti cringed when he mentioned the word paternity test. If she had it her way, the test was going to be pushed back until she could get her plan in motion.

  “Oh, so you’re gonna run out on your child to go see ya lil’ girlfriend? What a joke!” Ashanti bitterly replied.

  Before Tyson could respond, there was a knock at the door and in walked Drake.

  “Well, look at the happy family,” he joked. Drake knew Ashanti was pregnant from day one, but he never told Tyson. Fucking Ashanti was another thing he never told Tyson about either. He tried to warn Tyson on several occasions that he should answer Ashanti’s phone calls. But he refused to do so and now he was in this fucked up situation. Deep down Drake knew that the baby could possibly be his, because she got pregnant shortly after they started fucking, which was only two weeks after she left Tyson. Secretly he was hoping the baby was Tyson’s so he could make a move on Delaney. Drake didn’t have a conscience. He always went after what he wanted by any means necessary. From the day he ran into Tyson and Delaney at the restaurant, he knew he had to have her. Her beauty was breathtaking and she was exactly the type of woman he needed on his arm.

  Tyson sighed heavily, he wasn’t in the mood for Drake’s jokes today. He of all people knew that Tyson loved Delaney.

  “Man cut the shit, how is Delaney?”

  “Damn dawg, get ya panties outta ya ass. Can’t you take a joke?” he chuckled. Drake walked over to Ashanti and planted a kiss on her forehead. “Hey, beautiful, congratulations on your new bundle of joy.” He glanced over at the baby and he had to admit he was a handsome little fella. Drake couldn’t tell if the baby looked like him or not, it was still too early to tell.

  “Thanks, Drake!” She beamed. Ashanti didn’t feel uncomfortable with Drake in the same room as Tyson, because she knew he didn’t want to be her baby’s father just as much as she didn’t want him to be. Once she discovered the type of man Drake really was beyond the money and his charming persona, she knew Tyson was the man for her. His money wasn’t as long as Drake’s but, he wasn’t broke either.

  “I asked you a question, bruh. How is Delaney?” Tyson asked for the second time. He really wanted to know if she asked for him again. Nervous energy coursed through his veins.

  “To be honest with you I don’t really know. The doctors had taken her up for some tests, so we didn’t get to see her yet,” he replied.

  “Ok bet, well I’m gon’ ‘head down to see what I can find out. I will be back later,” he said looking at Ashanti. She simply rolled her eyes and sighed heavily. The little bitch could have her moment for now, but before it was all said and done, Tyson was going to be hers.

  “Whatever, Ty!” she said waving her hand at him.

  Once Tyson left the room, Drake pushed the door closed and walked over and sat down beside Ashanti. “We need to talk, ma.”

  Chapter Ten

  Cane pulled up to Dana’s house in a rage. He needed to know if she knew about Cam being Delaney’s biological father or not. The fact that Delaney was not his child cut him deep. Cane couldn’t remember the last time he’d shed tears, but today would prove to be a day he wouldn’t easily forget. The screeching of his tires in her driveway were sure to leave their mark for some time. He slammed the gear into park and quickly hopped out of his car. His heart was beating a mile a minute as he ran to the door.

  Boom! Boom! Boom! He banged loudly on the door. Cane knew Dana was home because her raggedy ass 1992 red Honda Prelude was parked in the driveway.

  “Damn, wait a minute. I’m coming!” Dana yelled as she slowly walked to the front door. She peeped out and saw Cane standing on the other side of her door. “Now what the fuck does he want?” she said quietly to herself, as she mashed her cigarette out in the ashtray that was sitting on the end table. After blowing the smoke out of her mouth, she turned the double locks and opened the door. “Why the fuck is you banging on my goddamn door like the police?” She frowned, tightening the belt on her favorite floral robe. Dana had both of her hands propped up on her hips. She glared at Cane and stepped back to allow him to enter the house.

  Cane shot her a look that said he wasn’t in the mood for any bullshit. The pungent smell of cigarette smoke and sex instantly assaulted his nose as soon as he stepped through the door. Dana had let herself go over the years. She was still an attractive woman, but the years of hard living were starting to show.

  “I need to talk to you about something serious, and I want the fucking truth,” Cane said, getting straight to the point.

  Dana crossed her arms over her breasts and twisted up her lips. She needed to get ready for her date and she didn’t have time for Cane’s bullshit. He was the main reason her life was so fucked up. She’d lost her best friend because of him, and she lived with regrets on a daily basis. In the past she would have done anything he asked her to do. There was a time that Cane had her so snowed that she worshipped the ground
he walked on. He would always tell her that she was the one he really loved. Deep down in her heart she knew he was full of shit, but her love for him continued to cloud her judgment. In addition, he stayed fucking around in the streets. She was crushed the day she found out he was cheating on her too. It took Dana a long time to get Cane out of her system, but when she finally did it was a wrap.

  “What is it, Cane? I have a date tonight, so spill it so I can get you outta my damn house,” she said with major attitude.

  “Fuck your date! This shit is serious, Dana, and I need answers.” Cane plopped down on the tattered white leather sofa and scowled. He wasn’t budging until she gave him the answers he came for.

  “Hold up, don’t walk up in here demanding anything from me! You don’t run a damn thing around this mafucka anymore!” Dana said, waving her hands wildly in the air. He had some nerve coming up in her house talking shit. She grabbed her cigarettes off the table and lit one before sitting down on the sofa across from Cane.

  Cane frowned when she blew the smoke out of her mouth and nose at the same time. He despised the smell of cigarette smoke and he never cared for women who smoked. “Now what is that has you all up tight?” she asked crossing her legs and leaning back into the sofa.

  “Did you have any idea that Delaney was Cam’s daughter and not mine?” he asked getting right to the point. During the time of Ava’s pregnancy, she and Dana weren’t talking too much because she and Cane were fucking around on the regular.

  “Well, I had a suspicion, but no I didn’t know for a fact. Macy’s nosey ass insinuated it a few times, but she said she couldn’t be certain,” she replied nonchalantly. Dana didn’t feel as if she owed Cane an explanation. He made his bed and now he had to lie in it. Plus, Macy was always running her damn mouth trying to start some drama. Even Dana was stunned to know that Delaney wasn’t Cane’s kid.

  “And you didn’t feel like you should have come to me with this information!” he yelled. Cane stood up and paced the floor. He wanted to knock that smug ass expression off of Dana’s face. He felt like a damn fool. He wondered who else knew.

  “You can lower your damn voice in my house. I know you’re upset and hurt, but shit what did you expect Ava to do? You were so busy with your nose up my ass, and plenty of other women’s asses, to notice that she was falling in love with your brother. Don’t act like you didn’t know how much time those two were spending together. Even a blind man could see that shit coming a mile away,” she said standing up. It was time that somebody gave it straight to Cane’s ass with no chaser. He needed to face the reality of his actions and take some of the responsibility.

  “So you’re saying that I deserved to be lied to about a child I believed was mine this whole time? Huh Dana?” Cane was furious and appalled that everyone seemed to think he was such a bad person who deserved to be deceived like this.

  “No, Cane, that’s not what I’m saying. But it’s time for you to grow up and realize that you just can’t keep going around treating people any way you want to without any repercussions. What we did was wrong and I will never forgive myself for what I’ve done to Ava. But what I regret even more than that is not telling Natasha that you are her father.” Dana pointed her finger at Cane, breaking down into tears. When Dana discovered she was pregnant, it was shortly after Ava found out that she was pregnant with Delaney. Cane begged Dana not to tell anyone, but one day out of the blue, Ava popped up over at her house and confronted her about being pregnant by Cane. Unable to keep the pact she made with Cane, Dana admitted to Ava that the baby she was carrying was Cane’s baby.

  “Open this damn door, Dana!” Ava yelled and banged on the door at the same time. Macy’s messy ass had just left her house after telling Ava that Dana was pregnant, and word on the street was that the baby was Cane’s. Ava marched out of the door and went straight to Dana’s house so she could get the truth directly from the horse’s mouth.

  Dana swung the door open with a scowl on her face, “What do you want, Ava? Damn, you know I have to work tonight.”

  Ava walked right in without waiting for an invitation. Cane must have just left because she could still smell remnants of his cologne in the air.

  “I never thought you of all people, my so called best friend, would be fucking my man, but now I hear you are pregnant by him!” Ava yelled. Tears were threatening to fall from her eyes, but she chucked that shit up because she refused to cry in front of Dana’s trifling ass.

  Dana was taken aback. She knew she shouldn’t have said anything to Macy’s big mouth ass. The expression on Dana’s face said it all. Ava plopped down on the sofa, feeling like she was going to pass out at any moment.

  “Ava, look I’m really sorry, I never meant for any of this to happen. If I could go back in time and change things, trust me I would. Please believe me,” Dana whined. She felt terrible about betraying her best friend, but her desire for Cane had proven to be stronger than her loyalty to Ava.

  “Fuck all that, Dana! How could you? You ain’t shit! You’ve always been jealous of me and I knew from day one that you were hot in the ass for Cane, but he chose me. He wasn’t checking for you at all and you just had to put yo funky ass in the mix didn’t you?” Ava screamed.

  At this point she was beyond hysterical. The tears that she tried to prevent from falling were now cascading down her face. Hurt was an understatement to describe the emotions that were running through her body. Ava’s entire body trembled from hurt, anger and rage. Dana too was crying. She cried for the pain she caused her best friend, she cried because she knew that Cane was not going to leave Ava no matter what, and she would be a single mother to a bastard child, but most of all she cried because she was the product of the exact same thing that her own mother had done to her best friend.

  “I’m sorry, Ava! I don’t know what else to say,” Dana said, crumbling to the floor in a heaping mess. Ava stood over her with her hands propped on her hips. She didn’t feel one ounce of pity for Dana. Even though Ava knew the baby she was carrying inside of her wasn’t Cane’s baby, she refused to let him go and raise his baby with Dana. If it wasn’t for Dana and Cane running around behind her back she would have never gotten involved with Cameron in the first place.

  “Yeah you’re a sorry bitch alright! Cane is marrying me in a couple of weeks and we are raising our baby together. He will never leave me for you and I will never accept your baby! I hate you, Dana! Stay the fuck away from me!” Ava yelled before spinning around, walking out and slamming the door behind her.

  “We did what was best for everyone involved. You knew I was engaged to marry Ava and you also knew from day one how much I loved her. I never told you that I would leave Ava. I provided financially for Natasha and I made sure the girls were raised together, even though they didn’t know they were sisters. Well cousins now, since I’m not Delaney’s biological father.” Cane spoke calmly, interrupting Dana from her flashback of the past. Guilt consumed Cane for all of the pain his deceitful ways had affected so many lives. Delaney was his precious baby and the best thing that had ever happened to him. But now even that had been snatched away from him. Natasha on the other hand, was deprived of even knowing who her real father was, all because of his selfish ways.

  Cane knew karma was a bitch, but damn she proved to be the baddest bitch he’d ever met in his life. Ava tolerated Natasha’s presence, but she never warmed up to her and it was obvious that she resented the child from the day she was born. At the time, Cane understood Ava’s indifference towards Natasha, but as the years went on he assumed she would warm up to her and accept her as family. Delaney and Natasha were thick as thieves from the beginning, but even their closeness didn’t warm Ava’s heart towards the innocent child. He knew one day Pandora’s box would open and he’d be forced to deal with his demons. The one thing he never saw coming, though, was Ava and Cam’s betrayal.

  “No, Cane, you did what was best for you and I let my guilt cause me to go along with you! But not anymore, Natasha des
erves to know the truth! All this time I’ve been lying to her and telling her that her father ran out on us and all the while he’s been living around the goddamn corner!” she cried. Dana was fed up. She was tired of being labeled the whore of Babylon.

  “This isn’t the time, Dana. There is already too much going on without stirring up some mo’ shit. I’m trying to process the fact that a daughter that I loved since the day she was born isn’t even my daughter. Don’t you think I feel guilty enough about not being there for both Delaney and Natasha? That is the main reason I stayed running the streets, I couldn’t stand the fact that I had a daughter across town that I had to keep as a secret,” Cane said, running both of his hands over his face.

  “Cane, I could care less about your feelings. I have always put your feelings and needs above my own and that of my daughter’s,” Dana stated. It was time to purge herself of the lies and deceit she’d been carrying around all this time.

  “Just give it some time, please! Delaney is just coming out of this coma and she has enough to deal with. I’m sure Cam and Ava are going to tell her that Cam is her biological father, and to deal with the knowledge of Natasha being my daughter on top of all of that is just too much right now. Please, Dana, I am begging you to just give me a little more time and then we can sit down together and tell the girls,” he pleaded.

  Dana always had a soft spot for Cane, and this time was no different. “Ok, Cane, I will give you time, but not too much. Natasha deserves the truth and so does Delaney. I just hope this doesn’t put a strain on their friendship.” Dana adored Delaney, and she was happy that even though the girls didn’t know they were sisters, that they had the opportunity to bond and grow up together. She was still in shock to find out that the girls were not sisters, but cousins instead. Dana could feel a headache coming on from all of the drama that had just come through her door.