“And why did y’all split?” Charles asked with a raised eyebrow.
“I told her I loved Cashmere and that I wanted to be with her. Baylynn confessed that Brandi wasn’t my daughter and I told her to pack her bags and leave,” he answered honestly.
“Manny, who is he to you?”
“That’s my cousin.”
“Mmm-hmm.”
“I guess you view me as the bad guy now, huh?”
“Actually, I don’t. You remind me a lot of myself. I’m sure you know I was married to Tamia’s mother when I met Cassandra. Cassandra was my mistress for almost half my marriage, and me and Olivia have been married for nearly forty-something years.”
“Damn!”
“When I decided to become a judge, I cut Cassandra and Cashmere off because I didn’t want anyone to find out about my outside family. I wanted to be viewed as a do-right kind of guy, and if the media or my opponent found out I had outside children and a mistress, that shit would have destroyed me. I was only thinking of myself and my wife. I didn’t think about how it would affect Cashmere. I had been in her life until she was eighteen, and when she graduated high school, I never spoke to her again.” Charles fought back tears.
“What made you want to have a relationship with your daughters again?”
“When Tamia told me that Cashmere had a daughter, it fucked me up because I didn’t expect her to have kids. I didn’t think she would be as successful as she is. She was a college graduate from Temple, a mother, and she was opening her own bookstore. It never dawned on me that I would be missing out on so much of her life. People always say that when their kids turn eighteen, they’re done parenting, but we don’t ever stop to think about the rest of their lives, like when your kids become parents and you have to be there to help them raise their kids,” Charles chuckled.
“I want to have a relationship with my girls because I don’t want to hear about the things that are going on in their lives. I want to be a part of it. I know they’re grown and they don’t need me as much, but I need them. I’m not complete without them.”
“I hear that. I feel the same way about my family,” Ramsey smiled.
“So, what’s goin’ on with you and Cassandra?”
“That woman in there has always been the woman I wanted to be with, but I was too afraid to leave my wife to be with her. I had put Olivia through so much. She knew about my affairs with Cass and Fateema and the kids and she never left me. She stood by me through everything and I felt like I owed it to her to stay with her. She told me she would never accept my kids, and when I made the choice to cut them off, I felt like I was doing the right thing for my family. Things were good between me and Olivia for about two years after I became a judge, but I started missing Cashmere and Cassandra. I was sending Fateema money to keep her mouth shut about Baylynn, but I was never sure she was mine until I took the DNA test. When I told Olivia that Baylynn was indeed my child, she became real distant and put us in the mess we’re in now.” He shook his head.
“And I thought my life was crazy,” Ramsey chuckled.
“I told you we got a lot in common.”
They laughed.
“Before I forget, I spotted Simon and Olivia coming out of a hotel downtown yesterday. I followed them out King of Prussia where they checked into another hotel up there. I gave Nick the address and he’s sitting up there now with Tamia.”
“Cool. I just found out some chick I slept with while I was locked up is the girlfriend of Simon’s son. He sent pictures to my phone of the guy.” He pulled his phone out and showed Charles the pictures.
“She looks pregnant.” Charles looked at him with the side-eye.
“I know what you’re thinkin’ and the baby ain’t mine. The baby belongs to her nigga and I’m positive about that shit. I went with her to the doctor a month ago and she was too far along for her to be pregnant by me.”
“Did you tell Cashmere?”
Ramsey dropped his head to the ground.
“Son, you need to tell her before it gets back to her the wrong way. Y’all are married now. All that she might leave me shit is out the window. She was with ya ass while you had another woman and she held your ass down while you were in jail. She loves you. I’m not saying she won’t be upset, and she might try to take your head off, but you still need to tell her.”
“Breakfast is ready.” Cassandra opened the sliding door.
“Okay, honey,” Charles smiled.
“Tell her.” Charles pointed at Ramsey before he went in.
Ramsey stood in the backyard, thinking about what his father-in-law had just told him. Telling Cashmere about Phoenix was easier said than done, but he knew he was going to have to tell her sooner than later. He just didn’t know when or how.
70
A few days had passed and Baylynn’s feelings were starting to get the best of her. Since her confession about Nysir, shit had gone downhill real fast. Baylynn would try to make conversation with Manny and he would look right through her or tune her out. If he came home, Manny would barely beat the sun. Baylynn understood why he was angry with her, but she wasn’t going to keep being ignored and disrespected.
It was early in the morning when Baylynn heard keys jingling in the front door. She grabbed her phone from under the pillow she was sleeping on and checked it for the time. It was 7:45 a.m. and she was angrier than she was before she had fallen asleep on the couch, waiting for Manny to come home. Baylynn sat up as he walked through the door and when she turned on the lamp, Manny froze in place for a second as they stared at each other. She waited for him to speak, but he just shook his head as he walked past her, heading for the kitchen. Jumping up from the couch, she followed him, determined to get some answers.
“How long are you gonna keep ignorin’ me, Manny?” She leaned against the stove.
He remained silent as he sat at the table.
“Can we please talk about this shit so we can move past this?”
“What is there to talk about? I knew the type of chick you were when I started fuckin’ with you, but you fuckin’ a nigga for bread while you had a nigga who had money is mind bogglin’ to me.”
“That’s how I used to get money when I was a teenager. I’m sure you know my history by now about how I was the neighborhood thot and so forth.” She rolled her eyes.
“I know I didn’t have a reason to fuck around while I was with Ramsey, but it was somethin’ I couldn’t shake, and when I tried to get my life together to be all about him, our relationship was already over. That’s when I found out about him and Cashmere.”
“Okay. So y’all both cheated on each other, but you had that man believin’ that Brandi was his for damn near a year before you confessed, and the only reason you did that was because you were hurt that he was leavin’ you for Cashmere. If shit woulda turned out differently, you never woulda told him the truth about Brandi. Am I right?”
Baylynn’s eyes shifted to the floor.
“Un-fuckin’-believable. So, let me ask you this. Who’s to say you won’t do that same shit to me? I’m out here tryin’ to give you everythin’, and when the next nigga catch ya eye, are you gonna fuck him because you can, or are you gonna remain loyal to the nigga you with?”
“I’m with you, Manny, and I’m ridin’ with you. I know that my past got you lookin’ at me sideways, but I haven’t cheated on you since I reached out to you while you were in prison. I got a job and focused my energy on our daughter. I changed not only to show you that I was serious about us but to create a better life for myself and not be the person I was. Before you found out about Nysir, we were good, bae.” She walked over to the table and sat across from him.
“I just want to put this behind us and go back to how we used to be.” She grabbed his hands.
“I know ya past shouldn’t be an issue, but I’m not gonna lie and say that it ain’t. You just gotta give me some time to think about this. I’ll get my own spot, and when I get settled, I’ll give you the addres
s. I’m still gonna be there for you and Brandi and we can work out a schedule later, a’ight?”
Manny got up from the table, kissed her cheek and headed for the front door. When she heard the front door close, she sat there for a minute, replaying their conversation. Baylynn couldn’t believe that after everything she had done to prove to Manny that she wasn’t trying to live the life she was known for, he still needed to think about if he wanted to be with her. Her feelings were beyond hurt, but she wouldn’t allow the tears to fall.
Her cell phone began to ring in the living room, but she ignored it. When her phone rung for the fifth straight time, she hurried to see who was blowing up her phone. She saw it was Tamia and answered.
“Wassup, Mia?” she sighed.
“I was callin’ to let you know that Cashmere invited us to her crib for lunch and I figured this would be the perfect time for us to talk and get everything we’ve been dealing with off our chest.”
“Thanks for the invite, but I think I’m just gonna chill for the day.”
“Bay, I’m not letting you stay home. Now, get my niece washed and have ya ass here by 11:30 a.m.”
Tamia ended the call, not giving Baylynn a chance to protest. Doing what she was told, she went upstairs to the bathroom and ran the water for Brandi’s bath before she went to her room to find her something to wear. It was spring, and the weather was finally starting to break. Baylynn decided that she and Brandi would match for the day and wear purple and white. After laying out her and Brandi’s clothes, she woke Brandi up to put her in the tub.
After getting Brandi dressed, Baylynn passed her off to her mother who was coming out of her room. Fateema carried her downstairs while Baylynn went into the bathroom to get washed up. She tried to coach herself through her anger that was growing by the minute, but she couldn’t. Manny’s choice to leave was really fucking with her. She felt like she had changed her life around for nothing because all people saw when they looked at her was a thot. People’s opinions never bothered her, but she couldn’t help but think if that was how her sisters viewed her as well.
When Baylynn was finished in the bathroom, she walked to her room and got dressed in a purple Polo maxi dress and her white Chanel sandals. She put on her gold hoops, necklace and bracelet before she placed her white Chanel shades on top of her head and switched from her Louis Vuitton Neverfull tote to her white Chanel tote. Baylynn filled it with everything she needed for her and Brandi before walking out her room and down the stairs. She strolled into the kitchen where she found Brandi sitting in her high chair, eating dry Cheerios out of a bowl while her mother sipped coffee from her favorite mug. Baylynn grabbed some grapes out the fridge and a water before she sat at the table.
“I couldn’t help but overhear y’all conversation this mornin’. How are you holdin’ up?” Fateema quizzed.
“To be honest, Ma, I’m in my feelings somethin’ heavy. Like, since I broke up with Ramsey, I’ve been livin’ on my own, holdin’ down a job and bein’ a better mother to Brandi. I stopped usin’ drugs and started livin’ right. I haven’t cheated on Manny since we started talkin’ again and this nigga is too stuck on my past to notice the changes I’ve made,” she fumed.
“Baylynn, I have to admit that you’ve changed into a woman I didn’t recognize at first, but your new life is very becomin’ of you. I know it’s not easy tryin’ to turn your life around after havin’ a bad reputation that follows you for most of ya life. I blame myself for how you turned out because instead of stoppin’ you from goin’ down that road, I ignored it and let you do you. It’s been years since I’ve been in the streets and people still refer to me as Fateema the prostitute. It bothers me sometimes, but all I can do is continue to live my life and make the most of it, and that’s all you can do, too.”
“The only reason I changed my life was so I could be like Cashmere and Tamia. Cash is an entrepreneur and Tamia is a journalist for a magazine company. I felt like a person like me shouldn’t even be related to chicks like them. I used to move work for Ramsey while we were together and when we broke up, I was a stay-at-home mom with no income besides the money Manny had someone send me. I didn’t want to keep layin’ on my back to make money, and I didn’t want to be a stripper. So, I got this job to try to fit in with my sisters and be about somethin’ like they are.”
“Wow. I always wondered what encouraged you to change ya life around.” Fateema nodded with a smile.
“Yeah.” Baylynn tossed a grape into her mouth.
“So, how are things workin’ out with you and Cash now that she’s out of the hospital?” Fateema got up from the table to pour herself another cup of coffee.
“She’s been nice to me, but I honestly feel like we’re bein’ fake about this whole thing. We both agreed to leave whatever problems we had at the hospital when I went to go see her, but us not addressin’ our issues and pretendin’ like shit is cool between us makes me uncomfortable when I’m around her. I’m about to go to her crib now to have lunch with her and Tamia.”
“Well, I’m sure you and Cashmere have a lot to get off y’all chest, and the only way y’all can move forward is to get everythin’ out in the open. Whatever happens after that, just happens.” Fateema sat back down at the table.
“I just hope this shit don’t turn ugly.”
“If it does, oh well. The point is to leave all the issues on the table.”
Baylynn nodded before she got up from the table and removed Brandi from her high chair. She kissed her mother on the cheek before walking out the front door. When Brandi was secured in her car seat, she hopped behind the wheel, turned on the car and pulled out of the driveway. As she cruised down the expressway, Baylynn had positive thoughts on her mind as she thought about what she was going to say to her sisters, but when Brandi asked where her dad was, it made her anger come back full force, turning her positive thoughts into negative ones.
Pulling into the driveway, she parked behind Tamia’s car before she got Brandi from the backseat with her purse hanging from her wrist. Baylynn rang the doorbell, and seconds later, Cashmere answered the door with Cassi in her arms. Cash gave Baylynn a quick hug before closing the door behind her and guiding her to the backyard.
“Look who’s here,” Cash beamed.
“Hey, Bay! Don’t y’all look cute in y’all purple and white.” Tamia hugged her.
“Thank you.”
“You showed up just in time. Everything is done and we just got finished setting up.” Cashmere walked over to the huge blanket that was set up on the grass.
“Y’all didn’t say we were havin’ a picnic.”
“This was Tamia’s idea, and with the twins gone, I figured why not,” Cash shrugged.
“Come on and sit down.” Tamia got comfortable on the blanket.
Baylynn and Cashmere kicked off their sandals and sat on the blanket. They sat Brandi and Cassi next to each other and they began to play with the toys that were laid out. Baylynn started to feel uncomfortable, and she was tired of the fake love she felt was being displayed.
“I can’t take this no more.” Baylynn threw her hands up.
“Baylynn, what are you talking about?” Tamia questioned.
“I’m talkin’ about us pretendin’ we like each other and, like nothin’ ever happened between us. The only thing me and Cash got in common is you, Tamia. That and the fact that we were fuckin’ the same nigga. Other than that, I feel like we shouldn’t even be tryin’ to have a relationship with each other, Cash.”
“I’m not gonna lie, it has been a little awkward between us since we decided to put this shit behind us at the hospital. So, how about we each take turns telling each other how we feel,” Cash suggested.
“Okay. Well, let me finish. I feel like you fucked up my life. If you woulda kept ya ass away from Ramsey, I wouldn’t be in the situation I’m in now.”
“Baylynn, go head with that bullshit. Now, I will admit that when I first met Ramsey, I wasn’t aware that he had a girl. He di
dn’t tell me and his sister didn’t tell me, either. When he finally did tell me, I was already in too deep, but everything that went wrong in y’all relationship was on you and him. Yeah, he was cheating on you with me, but you fucked another man, got pregnant by him, lied to Ramsey and you fucked another nigga for money, so who really ruined y’all relationship? You were probably cheating on him before he even met me.” Cashmere waved her off.
“You can’t blame anybody for the mistakes you made, Bay. Nobody made you do those things. You did that on your own free will.” Tamia pointed at her.
“I’m not saying what Cash did was right because I don’t condone cheating, but after everything was said and done, Ramsey made his choice. You just have to deal with that.”
“Bitch, you’ve only known me for a hot second. What the fuck do you know?” Baylynn got up from the blanket, slipping her feet into her sandals.
“If it wasn’t for you and ya bitter-ass mama, I wouldn’t even have known I was related to this bougie bitch in the first place, with ya coward ass,” Baylynn spat.
“What the fuck did you just say?” Tamia jumped up, walking over to her.
“You heard me, hoe. If ya ass woulda spoke up instead of goin’ into hidin’, I wouldn’t have gotten shot, Cash wouldn’t have been in a coma for a fuckin’ month and some change, and ya punk ass wouldn’t have been knocked unconscious. Out of all the bitches in the world, I ended up with a punk and a stuck up bitch for sisters.” Baylynn picked up her purse.
“Y’all are spittin’ images of y’all mamas.”
“And what the fuck do you think you are?” Cash got up, placing her hands on her hips.
“Yeah, my mama was a side chick, but she got the man she wanted in the end, just like I did.” Cash flashed her ring.
“You, on the other hand, will always be known as a thot, just like your mama will be known as a prostitute, you bum bitch.”
Tossing her purse to the ground, Baylynn rushed towards Cashmere and punched her in the face. Cashmere two pieced her and they exchanged punches back and forth until they were being torn apart by Ramsey, Nick and Tamia.
My Other Baby Mama Box Set Page 33