Chapter 5

Kj doesn't have that many clothes so I decided to go shopping for him. At the mall, I scanned through a ton of clothes at a store for kids, called The Children's Place.

" Do you like this? " I asked Kj.

It was a striped shirt with a race car in the front. Kj shrugged his shoulders and tiredly sat in the middle of the floor.

I sighed. I was worn out myself. I wasn't sure what his size was and I wasn't sure what Kj actually liked. I didn't want him to just wear anything. Plus I wanted him to look stylish yet appropriate for his age. From what he wore when he was dropped off, his mother didn't have him wearing just anything either.

I walked aimlessly around the store looking at various items. KJ eventually walked with me not wanting to be by himself.

" Melanie," He whined.

Deciding on taking a break from clothes shopping, I picked up KJ and walked out into the mall. I was beyond frustrated with myself. I couldn't do the one thing I did best, which was shopping. Maybe it had nothing to do with styles and the sizes, he was three, it shouldn't be hard to figure out, but maybe it was because it was all too much. Too much reality in shopping for my husband's secret child.

" I'm sorry Kj," I found myself apologizing. Kj looked at me confused at my apology then laid his head on my shoulder.

Suddenly, Kj wiggled out of my arms. He had spotted a toy store and wanted to go in so we did.

" Get whatever you want." I told him as I lagged behind. Kj gave me a big smile before turning around seeing toys wall to wall.

Kj ran off to look at a toy when I bumped into my sister, Mya and my best friend, China.

" Hey bitchhhhh!" China said loudly.

" Girl there kids in here."Mia scolded, obviously embarrassed.

" They are not listening to me. Hey lil boy did you hear what I said ?" She asked Kj, who just looked at her weirdly before continuing to look at a toy. She has no idea who she just spoke to.

" Anyways, what are you doing up here girl? "Mia asked, pulling me into a hug. The hug was brief and awkward on my end since I desperately wanted to crawl under a rock. I only hoped that KJ was engrossed in the many toys long enough for me to get rid of my sisters.

" Yeah in a toy store out of all stores," China laughed. " You better not be trying to buy your nephew another lego set. Them shits is all over the damn house."

When I was about to say something, Kj came up to me with the toys he wanted. One of them being a huge electric dinosaur that he could barely hold up and the other was a boxed monster truck .

" I want these ones . Can I please have it?" China and Mia didn't think KJ was talking to me until KJ handed me the boxed toy.

" Please Melanie" Kj begged when I didn't answer right away. " I'll take just one."

" What the hell? " China said, confused as she stared at him. Mia looked at me, I guess searching for answers.

I just stood there for a second not really wanting to deal with this situation at the moment. Tears were at the brink of falling, but I sucked it up to save face.

" You can have both." I said softly, picking up the huge dinosaur for him while he held onto the monster truck

Feeling embarrassed, I grabbed KJ's hand and guided him to the cash register. I could lie all I wanted to, I knew there was no use. KJ looked too much like Kaden. Besides these were my sisters, they knew me like the back of my hand.

" What's going on Mel? Just talk to us."

I ignored them, embarrassed by the whole situation. Once everything was paid for I turned to leave but my sister, Mia stopped me.

" I know what you're trying to do and it's not going to work." I sighed as tears began to run down my cheeks.

Kj wrapped his arms around my legs, noticing how upset I was. He started to cry as well.

China crouched down to his level before speaking to him. " Hey little man, you want to get something to eat while Melanie and her sister talk?"

" No, I want to stay here with Melanie." He frowned at China as his grip tightened around my leg. I noticed that KJ always held unto me when he was scared, upset, or nervous. He did it last night when Kaden was yelling and he did it earlier when a lady was trying to tell him how handsome he was.

" See this is why I don't like kids." China scuffed as she stood up straight.

"China you have a child yourself." Mia said.

"Exactly, my kid is mean too" I couldn't help but chuckle at China, but I'm sure the moment didn't meet my eyes.

Mia rolled her eyes at China's antics. " Come on, lunch is on me."

Eventually I gave in since I was tired of standing here, crying for everyone to see.

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We all went to Chuck E. Cheese's so KJ can play while us adults talk.

I explained to them all that went down with KJ being dropped off at the house. I left out the part of Kaden throwing a fit about KJ being there. I didn't want them to worry too much. Besides, I can handle Kaden.

" You didn't know about this?" China asked.

" No, if I did I would have told you, China." I snapped.

" Alright, Miss snappy. I know you're heartbroken and what not but I'll still smack yah like I did in 9th grade. Don't play with me." China snapped back.

" And I hit back didn't I?" I said as my voice rose. China was not about to buck at me.

" Would y'all stop it? Y'all acting like some kids. What did Kaden say about all this." Mia interrupted.

" He didn't say much. He just kept denying KJ. He called him a bastard." I explained.

Honestly, I was more hurt at the fact that he denied KJ than him cheating on me. It makes me wonder if I had a baby and we weren't together would he deny our child. Kaden and I never really talked about children but now I wish I had.

" After all that baby is going through and Kaden wants to act like an ignorant ass. I don't fool with kids aside from mine and Mia kids when she makes me watch them. But KJ he is a good kid and so smart. It makes no sense for anyone not to want him or love him." China said.

China is the type to swear up and down she doesn't like kids but be the main one spoiling any kid she comes in contact with. It makes no sense.

" I know right. Y'all know how awkward I am around children but with KJ it's like I know what to do. There's just something about him that makes me want to protect him. You know?"

It's true. Besides not knowing how to go clothes shopping for KJ, I feel like I'm doing something right.

" It's just your motherly instincts. It's normal." Mia gave a small smile reaching for my hand." Even though you care about KJ and I see that you do, please don't stay in a marriage you don't want to stay in because of him. Maybe you should try to think about the situation more and talk to Kaden about it. Love can make you do crazy things but a broken-heart would make you do so much more. KJ doesn't need to come from a broken home into another one. But I'll be here for you." Mia said, honestly.

With Kj in the mix, I haven't even considered leaving. I haven't even had the time to think about it.

" I can't wait until Uncle Monte finds out about this." China said, shaking her head.

I widened my eyes at the mention of my father, " Daddy, can't know about this, not even Mom."

" Montgomery Kennedy will find out, eventually. Mel, you need to prepare yourself for the inevitable."

China was right. There's no information that her father won't find out.

I rub my temples just at the thought of my parents finding out about this. My parents were...something else to say the least. Being the youngest, naturally I was Daddy's little girl. Unfortunately, our relationship hasn't been the best since I married Kaden. Well if I'm being honest, our relationship had been rocky since I started dating. Like Kaden, my father works in the sales industry. In fact my father was the owner of Kaden's biggest competition. It was odd that my father never gave Kaden a chance in working for his company even though Kaden was the perfect person to let under his wing. I had a feeling that my father was still waiting for me to come to my senses and work for him so I could possibly take over one day, but it wasn't my dream, nor was it Mia's who became a hair stylist.

Although I had my quarles with my father, my mother didn't make it any easier. I was a daddy's girl for a reason. Mia and I were just as much as a disappointment to our mother. Growing up, our mother instilled elegance, prestige, and greatness down our throats. We had to be lady-like at all times, with our heads held high but not high enough to take the shine away from the men. We were told to know our place even though we were forced to be great in everything we do. As a result, my endeavors of being in and out of college at 25 was not ideal to her and my Mia and China being in cosmetology was beneath their potential in her eyes.

" Melanie, come play with me." Kj called with a smile, snapping me out of my thoughts. I will do anything to see that smile all the time.

This ended weird lol.

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I need some inspiration or something because Writers block ain't no joke.