The Wild Child

by Nicole Jackson

  I stood there, nodding, going along with whatever bullshit she was spewing. She should’ve known by now that I wasn’t adhering the none of that.

  Chapter 34

  Jhyrah

  My daddy had me back at home like a big ass baby. When I was in rehab, he’d established that he was moving me out of my condo, because I was moving back home. Of course, I could’ve fought it, but I’d been fucking up too much. So, I decided to go with the flow to give everybody a peace of mind. I know my daddy wanted me close-by to keep a watchful eye on me, and having me under the same roof would do just that. And surprisingly, I’d been enjoying it more than I’d anticipated. Still, I had to keep in mind what my therapist said.

  Although, I was livid when I first found out that I had to go to rehab, I was now glad that I had. There, I’d come to realize that my issues weren’t drug-related. Drugs were just an extension of my problems. Like, I never had overwhelming desires to do coke. I primarily indulged whenever I called myself behaving badly and no one was looking. My issue was my inability to handle stress. And sadly, that hadn’t begun with Jeremy. He was more so the medicine that relieved the symptoms but didn’t cure the disease. My issues went back to Tyra and my daddy’s intense need to help me get past that. He’d coddled me too much, and I never quite learned to manage my feelings alone. Whatever they were. With so many siblings and overbearing parents, I’d gotten used to having someone there to problem solve for me. Then eventually, Jeremy picked up where the they left off. So, when it was time for me to deal with things on my own, I didn’t know how. That lead me to finding a superficial quick-fix. So, now the goal was to start navigating through life, without someone holding my hand. Only then could I learn how to face adversity, without falling apart.

  “Mama, when did you redo this room?” I queried as I sat at the edge of my parents’ bed. “I am so loving this.”

  My mama sat on the floor, Indian-style, eating white grapes, looking like a ripe teenaged girl. “Cocoa redid it last month.”

  I lifted a brow. “Cocoa, who?”

  “Chubby’s Cocoa,” she popped a grape into her mouth.

  “Whaaat?” I stressed. “Her crazy as…I mean butt, knows how to put some stuff together like this?”

  “Yep, took me by surprise too,” she stated absently, as she scrolled through her phone. “I see you’re back on the Gram, huh?”

  I nodded. “In moderation. Nothing too major.”

  “Umm hmm,” she grumbled. “If only Ubereats delivered from Trina’s Cajun Seafood Kitchen,” she read my Instasnap aloud. “A Cajun pasta, with fried shrimp, hush puppies, and the only coleslaw I eat would be hitting, right now,” she continued to read, before glancing up at me. “Why didn’t you just call your daddy? You know that he’ll make sure that you get whatever you want.”

  I scratched my scalp. True, my daddy was always accommodating. Surprisingly, he was hyped about the baby to the point that I was weirded out about it. After mentioning it to my therapist, she helped me to see that perhaps my daddy felt that a baby would calm me down. I guess he figured that me having a baby to care for was better than me recklessly running the streets. “I know daddy would make it happen, but he’s meeting with that construction company today. I don’t want to disturb him.”

  “Girl, please. You know that whenever I’m pregnant, I’ll make him stop whatever’s he’s doing, if I’m craving something.”

  “Mama, well, that’s different. He’s the one that put you in that predicament, so he’s obligated. This baby aint his responsibility.”

  “Oh, okay. I can’t believe that’s the stance you’re taking, with your spoiled ass. I thought that every and anything to do with you was your daddy’s responsibility. But okay, girl, with ya grown ass.”

  “Knock, knock.”

  I lifted my head and saw Jeremy waltzing through the door with a bag in tow. He appeared to have come from a work out, as he rocked basketball shorts, a wife beater, and Jordans.

  “Hey, baby,” my mama smiled. “What you got there?”

  “Some food,” he answered. Stepping up to me, he handed me the bag.

  I frowned, wearing confusion across my face. Digging into the bag, I retrieved a compartmentalized tray of food.

  “Got damn, that must’ve came from Trina’s,” my mama assumed.

  “Yeah,” he answered. “She put this together herself, saying that the regular portion wasn’t enough.”

  I was grinning like a Chester cat. “That’s why it pays to have a granny with her own restaurant.”

  Jeremy sucked his teeth, as he sat next to me. “There you go.”

  I was already digging into the food, when I cut my eyes at him. “How did you know I wanted this?”

  He furrowed his brows. “Didn’t you post it?”

  I slid my tongue across my teeth. “I thought you unfollowed me.”

  “And then I followed you again. But enough with that. If you was craving this, then why didn’t you just call me?”

  “I didn’t know what you have going on.”

  “It didn’t matter. You should’ve called. You aint gotta announce your cravings on social media. What, you tryna have niggas flooding your DMs?”

  “Not really. But if they do, its cool.” I shrugged.

  “You funny.”

  I brightened my eyes. “I’m not trying to be.”

  He kept a straight face. “I’m trying to figure you out, right now. Is it your mission to make me mad?”

  “Help me to understand how my DMs is any of your business?”

  “You know that I can get your account deactivated, right?”

  My mama tittered. “Yall need to stop all that arguing and have a real talk. It’s time to grow up. Jeremy, try telling her why you’re so concerned by her DMs.”

  He looked at me. “Mama Raven, she knows why.”

  “No, I don’t,” I denied. “I’m not a mind reader. Tell me.”

  He locked eyes with me. “Jhyrah, you know that I don’t want you communicating with other niggas. Come on, man.”

  I frowned. “I don’t care about what you want.”

  “Why is that?”

  “Because we’re not together.”

  “And that can change, Jhyrah.”

  I scrunched my face. “Boy, please. Don’t disrespect me like that. Talking as if you have full control over this situation. I don’t move on your command, so we won’t be together, unless that’s what I want. And right about now, I’m not feeling you.”

  “What did I do to you?” he snapped.

  I sassily twisted my neck. “For one, you’re dealing with somebody who I have a major problem with. I don’t mess with people who mess with people I don’t deal with,” I had to keep it PG, because my mama was sitting there.

  “Man, you really don’t know what you’re talking about, on the cool. Me and that girl don’t rock like that. I talk to her here and there. I don’t really believe that she had anything to do with something being slipped into your drink. Still, the fact that she found out after the fact and didn’t say anything is a problem. So, it’ll never be anything between us.”

  “Yeah, nothing but your dick, huh?” I mumbled, forgetting about my mama that quickly.

  “Hey, girl, watch your mouth,” my mama warned.

  “My bad, mama, he made me forget where I was, for a minute.”

  “Uh huh,” she waved me off. “Yall really sound so damn silly. Going back and forth about a bunch of nothing. Shit happened and things went left. That’s life. But if aint enough to say you’re done, then don’t be done. We aint gonna judge you if you’re right back up each other asses. That’s yall business. All I know is that baby there aint no game, so, don’t waste too much time being in ya feelings.”

  Jeremy

  “So, are going to come through tonight?”

  I sighed into the phone, as I sat in my car. “Nah, I doubt it.”

  “Really, Jeremy? I got this girl thinking that you’re coming through tonight. We wer
e supposed to have fun,” Vita pouted. At this point, I didn’t understand why she continued to do that shit. Whining wasn’t going to move me. She didn’t have that kind of impact on me. Never did.

  At this point, Vita represented pussy to me. Nothing more and nothing less. Yes, over time, we’d developed a friendship, so there was a certain level of comfort with her. She wasn’t into fame, and I never had to worry about her telling my business. Besides, I’d hit her ass with a NDA a while ago. Therefore, whenever I wanted to get my rocks off, I’d swing through and fuck her. And these days, she couldn’t get much of my time, if she didn’t have a friend with her. Fucking was all she was good for now, that much was clear, but weirdly, she’d sometimes act like she didn’t know what it was.

  “Man, I don’t know why you’d tell the girl to come without talking to me first. Don’t ever make plans for me.”

  “Well, damn, who pissed in your cereal?” she asked, clearly taken aback.

  “Aye, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m just saying that I got a life, and you shouldn’t ever just expect me to fall through without confirming with me first.”

  “Okay, mean-ass, it’s understood. I just thought that since it’s been a few weeks, and you’re in town, you’d make some time for me. Can I ask you what you’re doing today instead? Is it the club? Because I’m more than willing to pull up.”

  I snickered. “I thought that you and clubs didn’t get along? Especially after your last situation.”

  “Ha, ha, very funny,” she chided. “I see that you’re on your petty shit today. Won’t ever let me forget about that night. Shit, you watched those hoes drag my ass. How much longer do I have to pay for something I never started?”

  “You make it sound like I’m punishing you. That aint even my angle. You just need to stop having these high expectations for this situation. But anyway, to answer your question, I just pulled up to check on my BM. I’ma see what she’s up to and take it from there.”

  “Wait, what did you just say? Your what?”

  “My BM.”

  “Since when do you have one of those?”

  “It’s been a minute, technically. But we got a new one baking in the oven, right now.”

  “You and who?” she snapped.

  “Damn, home girl, what’s with the attitude?”

  “Home girl?!” she shouted. “Who the fuck is a home girl?!”

  “Man, calm down,” I chuckled. “You’re getting yourself all worked up over nothing.”

  “Are…are you serious?” her voice was shaky, like I’d revealed that I'd just stolen money out of her purse or some shit. “You got a baby on the way?”

  “Yeah, I do.”

  “With who?”

  “The opps as you like to call her.”

  “Jhyrah?”

  “Who else, man?”

  “Oh, wow,” she stressed. “How far along is she claiming to be? Because you know she just disappeared off the grid recently. You’re sure that it’s yours?” Of course, she was clueless about Jhyrah’s stint in rehab.

  “She’s five months, man.”

  “Five months?! O-kay, is that how you get down? We were hot and heavy five months back!”

  “Aye, Vita, I’m about to let you go, because you’re talking ridiculous, right now.”

  “How am I being ridiculous? Here I am believing that somewhere we just fell off track recently, but you were fucking her, way before she ever ran up on us.”

  “Come on, man. We’re not about to have this conversation again. We’ve discussed this before. No, I didn’t get specific with the times and dates, but you knew what was up.”

  “Okay, Jeremy,” she sighed heavily. “Whatever you say…no, you know what? I’m not about to sit here on this phone and pretend with you. I love the hell out of you. I’ve been in love since the first day we met. You’re one of the closest people to me, and so I don’t understand how you can handle me like this. I honestly didn’t think that you were that kind of guy. I’ve watched you handle Jhyrah with care at every turn, but I haven’t earned that same respect?”

  “Vita, I’m not about to go over the why, when, and where with you. That shit is pointless because you’re a smart girl. So, you definitely know why certain shit changed between us. And honestly, I don’t wanna sit here and listen to you throw a pity party. That shit is draining, when I have my own problems to deal with. Then if it’s to the point where I’m arguing with you more than with people who actually matter, it’s time to call it quits. Especially, when you’re not added value, know what I’m saying?”

  “Not added value?” she repeated. “You know what? On that note, I’ma let you go, Jeremy.”

  “Alright, bet,” I sighed, ending the call. A part of me hated being so callous, but my pops told me to be firm when I wanted somebody to know where I stand. She wasn’t gonna play victim, like I owed her something, on my watch.

  Nixing the drama off, I hopped out of my whip, before traveling up the driveway. After ringing the doorbell, I stood waiting patiently. A few moments later, the double doors were open and I was greeted by one of Jhyrah’s younger brothers.

  “Man, I was just talking about you,” JJ claimed, as he had his cell to his ear. “I was telling them niggas that my brother-in-law is just getting warmed up. Yall might have went out in the first game in the playoffs, but that was just the injuries, holding yall back.”

  “Aye, you already know,” I clasped hands with him. “Where your sister at?”

  “I don’t know. She’s in here somewhere, probably working somebody’s nerve.”

  I cracked a smile. “You wild, boy.”

  Being comfortable and familiar with the house, I didn’t wait around for JJ to lead me anywhere. I wandered around the house, thinking of where Jhyrah could be. Stepping into a corridor, I could hear several voices coming from their enormous game room. Figuring that at least I could talk to somebody who didn’t have a phone glued to their ear, I trudged in that direction. Tipping into the room, I stumbled across Jhyrah horse playing with Jah’s teammate Jagger. He was posted behind her, with his arms wrapped around her, while her sisters knocked him over the head with pillows.

  “Jhyrah, what the fuck are you doing?!” I lashed.

  Immediately, her head snapped up, as Jagger released her.

  “What’s up, man?” Jagger offered a head nod.

  “Bitch ass nigga, don’t address me.”

  “Uh-oh!” Jahreiah shouted. “It looks like some smoke is in here! Old big bro aint having potential new big bro trying to step on his territory!”

  Jhyrah rolled her eyes at her sister. Jahreiah was 15 or 16 and was messy as hell. If I wasn’t thinking about tearing that game room up, I probably would’ve laughed. Jaylah, who was around 11, and was my ride or die, and I’m guessing that’s why she’d been the main one hitting Jagger’s lame ass with hard blows. Reagan was about 5 and was standing there with a perplexed expression on her face. That face reminded me of innocence, and why I couldn’t clown in a house that wasn’t mine. If her own daddy wasn’t disturbing her peace, then I damn sure had no right.

  Taking a deep breath, I rubbed the side of my face. “Look, I’m not about to stand here and disrespect these kids. Jhyrah, step out of here for a second. Let me holler at you.”

  Jagger gazed down at her. “You cool with that.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I’m good,” she strolled past me. “I’ll be right back,” she promised, as she sauntered out of the room, with me not too far behind.

  Once we were a nice distance away from the game room, I went in. “The fuck is wrong with you?!” my voice bounced off the walls. “Why would you have that nigga over here?”

  She pursed her lips, while remaining surprisingly calm. “Do you know how crazy you sound? Me being pregnant with his baby does mean that you own me. I’m free to do whatever I want.”

  “Nah, that’s where you got me fucked up at. You do not have free reign to do whatever you want while my baby ta
kes up residence in your body.”

  “Says who?!” she exploded.

  “Say, what the hell is going on?” Big Jahrein enquired as he stomped over to us.

  “Unc, I’m sorry for shouting in your house, but your daughter got me wrong, man,” I spoke up.

  He focused on his daughter. “Jhyrah, what the hell do you have going on?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Little Jahrein brought his friend Jagger over here. But then mama asked him to ride somewhere with her, so Jah left Jagger here. And since we’ve hung out a time or two, we’re pretty cool. So, we were joking around, and Jeremy came along, cussing that man out, talking crazy.”

  I glared at her. “Him having his arms wrapped around you is considered as joking around?”

  “But I can do what I want!” she squawked. “Remember? Just like you did!”

  “Girl, if you don’t stop this childish tic for tac bullshit,” Big Jahrein fussed. “Of all people, you know that I aint about to stand around and co-sign some bullshit. Now, if you didn’t wanna carry this man’s baby, then you should’ve done something to prevent it. Then with as much as I’ve preached about protection, I know damn well that this wasn’t a accident. On either end. You wanted his baby at some point, so put your big girl panties on, and stand on your bullshit. You’re pregnant with his child, so of course, he don’t want some other nigga sniffing behind you, right now. That’s natural. And the last thing you need to do is drag some other man into this, while yall go back and forth. The shit will end badly. You know what happened with me and your mama. Now, I aint telling yall what to do about your relationship, because that’s some shit that yall gotta work out. But I do strongly recommend that neither of yall get involved with other people, until you’re positive about what yall wanna do with each other. Plus, Jhyrah, you know better. Don’t bring none of that bullshit in here. I’ma tell that other nigga personally to leave you alone too. You need to focus on that baby and keeping your head on straight. Now aint the time for him to interview for the step-daddy position, because if this was me and your mama, and I was the pappy of that baby…I would’ve done more that cussed his lame ass out. And Jeremy, nigga, you know that I try to mind my business, but you make this your last time playing with my daughter. Or you gon have to see me.”