Chapter Fifteen

Anthony
"Why didn't you tell me you were supposed to see your daughter last night? Do you know how bad I felt Rissy already doesn't like me and now she thinks I kept you from your daughter!"
I couldn't believe she was coming at me like this.
"Whoa Whoa why is everybody making such a big deal about this. I talked to Anaya and told her I'd see her tonight she's okay so why does everybody else have problem with it."
"Because Anthony you can't tell a child something and don't do it they remember those things."
I still didn't understand what the big deal was and I didn't feel like arguing about it anymore.
"I'm sorry okay I didn't mean to make you feel bad I know you wouldn't keep me from my daughter I just wanted to make sure things were good between us and about Rissy it's not that she doesn't like you she just wants me to get back with Maya and that's not gonna happen."
Her face was still frowned up. I ran my hand down her face to make her smile. It worked.
"Is Meech going to be home tonight?" I asked walking her to the door.
"No she's working graveyard again."
"Good I may stop back by."
"No you go spend time with your daughter I'll talk to you tomorrow," she said pushing me away.
"Just for a little while."
"No." she said unlocking the door.
"Come on it'll only take two minutes."
"If that's how long it's going to take you definitely not coming in."
She made me laugh.
"You too much you know that."
"But that's why you love me," she kissed me and we said our good nights.

I headed to Maya's thinking how happy I was Ang is back in my life.
Maya's hair fell down around her face as she opened the door. That uncombed look use to turn me on at one time but that memory faded real quick.
"Anaya your dad is here!" she rolled her eyes as she let me in.
"Hi Daddy."
I picked her up and kissed her.
"Dang girl you almost tall as me, what you been eating?"
"Come, let me show you what I got."
I missed her birthday but I made sure I sent her gift. I followed as she pulled me to her bedroom. She showed me the many outfits she'd gotten and other girly stuff that I knew nothing about.
"Where's my gift?"
She pulled out the necklace from under her shirt and pulled up her sleeve to show me the matching bracelet.
"You make sure you keep them in mommy's jewelry box so you don't lose them."
"I don't have to I have my own now. Mommy's friend Daniel bought me one."
I know she didn't just say what I thought she said.
"Mommy's friend Danielle."
"No Daniel, he's a guy," she laughed but I didn't.
She showed me a few more things but my curiosity was bubbling.
"I'll be right back sweetie."
I pulled her bedroom door ajar so she didn't her the conversation I was about to have with her mother.

I sat on the arm of the sofa trying not to make it too obvious I was upset about the information I just heard. I spoke slow.
"So uh who's Daniel?"
"A friend," she said never taking her eyes off the television.
"Why is this friend buying gifts for my daughter," I said still trying to remain calm.
"Why are you out here questioning me about something that's none of your business."
I snapped.
"Who the fuk is this dude you got around my daughter!"
"Don't cuss at me and lower your voice!" she said now facing me.
"So you dating this dude."
"Maybe."
"I don't want him around my daughter."
"Well if he's with me he's going to be around my daughter!"
"Oh so it's like that. What you all in love now and shxt too?"
"You could say that, he makes me happy and I haven't been happy in a long time."
"Oh is that right so I didn't make you happy."
"Why are you in here when you're supposed to be visiting Anaya."
"Answer the question did I make you happy Maya!"
"NO! you didn't."
"You mean to tell me all the years we spent together you weren't happy?"
She looked back at the television and ignored me, pissed me off, my whole night was ruined I had to leave before I did or said something I'd regret. I kissed Anaya and told her I'd pick her up tomorrow and take her to see her Grandma.

Maya's words fuked me up how could she say I never made her happy. Now she seeing some punk ass nicca, fuk him, fuk them, I only cared about my daughter anyway.
"Anthony what's wrong?" my mom asked as I stormed past her and headed to the kitchen to pour me a drink.
"Hey what's up talk to me," she said.
"Can you believe Maya said I never made her happy?" I downed the glass of Henessey and poured me another, "does she know how much I loved her and now she got some clown around my daughter buying her gifts and shxt."
"Come sit down," my mom said softly.
I sat at the kitchen table while my mother proceeded to talk to me.
"I don't think she meant you never made her happy but at one point in your relationship something changed."
"Yeah she changed, that's why we argue so damn much."
"Anthony what I'm going to tell you I'm telling you out of love not to make you angry or take sides."
She paused then started again.
"You are so much like you dad, you're charming you're loving but baby sometimes you can be selfish.
I didn't want to hear this.
"You want what you want when you want it and how you want it and if it doesn't go your way you lash out and you lash out hard and you get very mean. I can't tell you how many times Maya called me crying about you. She loved you so much she didn't want to leave but it was making her sick to stay."
"She knew I wanted to do music and she said she was okay with it."
"She was okay with it Anthony and she supported you totally but somewhere down the line baby you forgot about her and your daughter."
"I was there for them what are you talking about."
"She was raising Anaya basically by herself while trying to take care of a household and you she got burned out Anthony she gave and gave and gave and didn't get anything in return."
"So now you saying I wasn't good to her."
"I'm sure you did the best you could baby but when she needed you you weren't there for her like she was for you."
"But how is she gon have some other dude all around my daughter."
"Daniel is really nice and he loves Maya and Anaya."
"You knew and you didn't tell me."
"I told Maya it was her place to tell you."
I shook my head in disbelief.
"What did you expect her to do Anthony stay single the rest of her life?"
"Yeah and raise our daughter."
"I'm a say this and then I'm going to bed Maya is a beautiful woman I wished things would've worked out with you two but it didn't you moved on Anthony so let her."
I drank the last of my drink I had a lot to sleep on.