Chapter Fifteen
The Almãnzar Side

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nettieafine Oldie but Goodie 💙
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cardiafine you were already pregnant in this picture 😭
nettieafine @cardiafine found out the next day I was pregnant and pissed as hell
sirrocco @nettieafine not me trying to get you pregnant that night, and you were already pregnant 😹😹😹😹
nettieafine @sirrocco 🖕🏼🖕🏼🖕🏼🖕🏼
effiealmánzar cousin 😍
nettieafine @effiealmánzar Hey cousin ❤️

===THE===WIFE===

"I'm having a music showcase tonight to secure a record deal," Effie told Cardi, Janay, Princess, and Nettie over lunch.

"Congratulations," Nettie said.

"That's great," Princess said.

"I hope you ladies and your men will be there tonight because it would mean a lot to have my family's support. As you know, my mom still does not approve of my career choices," Effie said.

"You know how your mom is; Auntie Yolanda wants to protect you, her only daughter, from the harsh world of the music industry," Cardi said.

"And I understand that but let me be...Let me be me!" Effie said with frustration.

"You know your mom has never played about you," Janay said.

Janay thought back to when she first met Effie at Cardi's house for Effie's quinceañera and how Yolanda, Effie's mom, beat up Effie's dad's girlfriend for making Effie cry.

Everyone knew that Yolanda was a momma bear, and the fact that Effie is even pursuing a music career that her mother is openly against is crazy.

Still, Effie is courageous for going against her mother's wishes.

"Be lucky she's only talking and not putting her words into action; you remember when she helped Mom embarrass me at the strip club when they found out where I was working," Cardi said.

"Was this before or after mom pushed you down the stairs after you told her you were a stripper?" Nettie asked Cardi.

"After, but yeah, Yolanda will support you no matter what because if she didn't, you would not have made it this far," Cardi replied.

Effie nodded.

"Okay, I get what you're saying, but it's frustrating not having her say she supports my decisions," Effie said.

"I say invite her to the showcase, and if she shows up, then you know you have her support, and if he doesn't, then do what's best for you and live your life by your rules, not hers," Princess said.

"I agree with Princess," Janay said.

"Okay, I'll reach out to her," Effie said.

===THE===WIFE===

"Look, here, Maddox," Cardi said as she punched Maddox on the shoulder after she found him eating ice cream when he was complaining about his teeth hurting.

"Ouch," Maddox said as he dropped the spoon in the sink.

"You said your teeth were hurting, and you think eating ice cream will make it better," Cardi said as she grabbed the tub of ice cream out of Maddox's hand and put it back in the freezer.

Maddox shrugged.

"You have issues," Cardi said.

"So do you; now re-explain what we're doing tonight," Maddox said as Cardi mixed water and salt for Maddox to use to flush his teeth.

"For the tenth time, we're going to my cousin Effie's music showcase," Cardi said.

"Why? Can she even sing?" Maddox asked Cardi.

Cardi shoved the cup into Maddox's hand.

"Yes, she can sing, and she's family. I'm... We're going to support her," Cardi answered.

"I'm just saying she better not embarrass herself on stage, or else I'm going to throw tomatoes at her," Maddox said.

"Boy, if you throw tomatoes at my cousin, you can sleep in your Porsche," Cardi said.

"You're no fun," Maddox said.

"This is an important night for Effie, and I want her to know our family has her back," Cardi said.

"Okay fine, I'll be on my best behavior," Maddox said.

"Good," Cardi said.

===THE===WIFE===

"What did you think about Effie's performance?" Aunt Yolanda asked Cardi.

Cardi smiled.

"She did amazing, and she looked like she was having a lot of fun up there," Cardi answered.

"Do you believe she'll get signed to a label after that performance?" Aunt Yolanda asked.

"If she doesn't, then those labels are missing out on real talent," Cardi replied.

Maddox chuckled beside Cardi, and Cardi punched him.

"What's so funny, Madden?" Aunt Yolanda asked Maddox.

"Auntie, it's Maddox," Cardi said, correcting her aunt.

"Nothing," Maddox answered, knowing he did not need to be getting into trouble tonight.

Yolanda huffed.

"Honestly, she could be doing something better with her life; music is not a suitable career," Yolanda said.

Cardi frowned.

"She does modeling too, but music is her passion," Cardi said, defending her cousin.

"She gets her music obsession from her useless father," Yolanda said. "And modeling you can't depend on your looks for everything," She added.

"Amen," Maddox said.

"Look, Auntie, Effie is grown up, and she has the right to do what she wants with her life; I thought you were coming here tonight to show that you understood that and supported her, but I guess not," Cardi said.

"I will never support it; why couldn't she be like you can trap a rich man," Yolanda said.

Maddox coughed.

Cardi was hurt by the comment her aunt had made. She never knew that's what her aunt thought of her relationship with Maddox.

"You think I trapped Maddox?" Cardi asked Yolanda.

"Isn't that what you did?" Yolanda replied.

"No, she didn't; I knew from day one that Cardi would be my wife. If anything, I trapped her," Maddox said.

"See, this is why your husband left you; I wouldn't want to put up with that nasty attitude of yours either, and for your information, everyone knows you're just jealous that Effie can sing, unlike your deaf tone self," Cardi said.

"Cardi," Maddox said as he spotted Fran walking over to them.

Maddox knew that Fran had caught word of what was going on; she would be choking Yolanda until she apologized to Cardi.

"Cardi, calm down," Maddox said.

"No," Cardi said.

"What's going on here?" Fran asked Cardi once she noticed how upset her daughter had gotten. She glared at Yolanda as she knew she had to have said something to upset her daughter. "Yolanda," Fran said.

"Fran, you raised a disrespectful child," Yolanda said.

Fran wanted to slap Yolanda.

"Cardi being disrespectful means you must have said something to own the disrespect from her," Fran said.

"Momma, she said I trapped Maddox," Cardi told Fran.

Fran gasped.

"My daughter doesn't have to trap any man; how dare you like such a thing," Fran said as she pointed her finger in Yolanda's face.

Maddox got up and quickly placed half of his body in between Fran and Yolanda as he knew she was about to get fucked up.

"Why are you upset, Fran? Is it because your daughter is more like you than you thought? You were a whore who raised a whore," Yolanda said.

Fran was pissed.

"You can call me a whore all you want, but my daughter, you better watch your mouth, you bitch!" Fran shouted.

"Don't call me a bitch," Yolanda said.

"What? Bitch is what you are," Fran said.

"Watch it, Fran, you don't want this problem," Yolanda said.

"Bitch, I'm from Flushings; I am the problem," Fran said.

Cardi snapped out of her anger and realized where they were, and she knew they couldn't ruin the night for Effie, so she knew she had to cool her mom down, or else Fran would drag Yolanda's ass up and down the whole venue.

"Momma, calm down, let's just leave," Cardi said, grabbing Fran's hand.

"You've been a punk, Fran; I don't know how Abiezer even laid with you," Yolanda said.

"Bitch, I was the best thing that ever happened to Abiezer; you're just jealous that I have the life you thought Alejandro would have given you, but he left your ass in the Bronx," Fran said, pulling her hands away from Cardi so she could get closer to Yolanda.

"How dare you!" Yolanda screamed as she tried to swing at Fran, but Maddox blocked the hit.

"How dare me? How dare you! For years I put up with you and your family constantly disrespecting my children and me all because I wanted my children to have their father's family in their lives to know their roots, and even after Abiezer's death, you people still can't respect my children! I'm tired!" Fran said.

Cardi knew this was more than about what Yolanda had said tonight. Fran's anger was pent-up anger from years of dealing with her father's side of the family. Cardi knew her mother was going to snap.

"Momma, let's take this outside," Cardi said to her mom.

"I'm not moving," Yolanda said.

Maddox shook his head.

"Lady, please shut up!" Maddox exclaimed.