A month later

KATHRYN

"Mommy I want the lucky charms,"Amarah said in the store. She grabbed the Cinnamon Toast Crunch and placed them back on the shelf. "I hate Cinnamon Toast Crunch. They don't even taste like toast, or cinnamon. They don't even crunch mommy."She said as she reached for the Lucky Charms.

I rolled my eyes, "Little girl we didn't come to the store to talk about your cereal opinions. Now put that cereal back in my cart...I'ma eat it."

"Okay whatever,"She sassed and dropped the box back in the buggy.

I gave her a look. She smiled at me and continued to walk down the aisle looking for things to put in the buggy. She wanted to go grocery shopping so bad, I decided to take her. I ain't know she was going to wild out on the groceries.

"Mommy you want the diet coffee or the regular one?"She asked.

"There's no diet coffee Marah. It's decaf."

She held up both of the packages, "Okay so which one?"

"I don't drink cof-"

"Definitely the regular,"I heard a voice say.

I turned around and saw Lillian looking at the cereals. She was smiling at me. I laughed and smiled back. I haven't seen her since she quit. I had no clue why she quit, but it's her life.

She wore a adidas track suit with some nike slides. Her hair was pulled up in a high pony tail. She had on little makeup but it made her look absolutely beautiful

"Lillian! Hey girl how you doing?"I asked.

She moved her basket and I could see the little pudge beginning to form, "Is pregnant an answer?"

"Lillian! You're having a baby!"I shouted.

She smiled and held her stomach. She was grinning from ear to ear. She was very young, but I was happy for her. A child brings immense joy to anyone and I know she'll love him or her.

"Yes I am,"She laughed. "Speaking of babies, who's this cutie?"

"I'm sure you remember Andre. This is his daughter Amarah," I looked at Amarah. She had her arms crossed. "Say hello to Ms. Lillian, Marah."

Amarah looked her up and down, "Drake said checks over stripes."

"Excuse me?"Lillian asked.

"Uncle Phrey said if you wear adidas you're on Kanye's side and Kanye is crazy. Is you crazy?"Amarah asked.

I hit Amarah's shoulder. This child did not just...Phrey and I would have to have a serious talk. This child can't be saying stuff like that to people.

"I'm so sorry. Her uncle is a character and she takes after him very much," I said.

"Well I better get going. I have class later on,"She smiled. "It was nice seeing you Kathryn." She bent down to Amarah's level, "and it was nice meeting you Amarah."

"Mhmm,"Amarah said.

I rolled my eyes. Lillian walked off. Amarah threw the decaf coffee in the buggy. I laughed. Amarah was the pettiest person I ever met.

"That lady had on adidas clothes and Nike shoes. Who let her come out the house like that!"Amarah shouted.

I placed my hand over my head. She was around Humphrey for way to long. PJ probably contributed to it as well, but I knew Humphrey did most, if not all the damage.

"Uncle Phrey said 'Never mix match brands or I'll beat you'. He gon beat you mommy because you wearing puma slides and a Nike tank top."

"Amarah hush lil girl. You want me to call your father?"

"YoU WaNt mE tO cALl yOUr fAtHeR?"She mocked me under her breath.

"I'm bout to beat yo ass in this store Amarah."

She laughed and ran down the aisle. I rolled my eyes and took the lucky charms out of the basket. This child bad ass hell.

ANDRE

"Mommy whooped me,"Amarah cried.

Kathryn walked in with groceries in her hands. I took some of them from her and began to unpack them. Kathryn pointed upstairs, and Amarah stomped  upstairs while tears fell from her eyes. I laughed.

Amarah was starting to get a mouth on her. It was Phrey letting her say whatever the hell she wanted to say. PJ had a smart mouth so it probably rubbed off on her also. I haven't had to whoop Amarah for awhile so this was definitely a surprise for me.

"Why ya whoop ma baybeh?"I asked putting the milk in the fridge.

"We saw Lillian in the store today. I told Amarah to say hey, this little girl gon start quoting Drake. Then she had the nerve to mock me. You're child needed her ass beat and that's exactly what I did. Tore that ass up in the parking lot."

"Ya said ya saw Lillian?"I asked.

Kathryn looked up at me and smiled. I gave a slight smile back. I had broken things off with Lillian when Kathryn and I moved to this three bedroom house. I didn't want things getting weird between Kathryn and her co-worker so I took the initiative.

Lillian got so mad she quit. She quit just so she could still see me. Call me crazy but there was no reason for her to quit. I haven't heard from her since I told her to call me when she get her head on straight, and I guess that's never gonna happen.

"Yes! She's pregnant Andre. I figured that's why she quit because juggling a job and a ba-"

I dropped the Cinnamon Toast Crunch on the floor, "What ya say?"

"Andre you spilled my cereal!"Kathryn shouted.

"My bad,"I said bending down to pick up the box. Kathryn stood beside me helping get some of the cereal off the floor. "What ya say about Lillian?"

"I said she was pregnant. Why?"

I stared at her for a second and began to laugh, "That's crazy. You really think that's why she quit?"

"It has to b-"

"Ima go call Phrey. He supposed ta be bring our couch ova hea."

I walked out the room and pulled out my phone. I stepped outside and walked towards the mailbox. I dialed her number quickly. She answered on the third ring.

"Hello?"

"Ya pregnant na?"I shouted into the phone.

"Yeah but it's not you-"

"Bull fucking shit Lillian!" I shouted, "If, if that's ma baybeh I need ta kna. I'm not leavin na child without a fatha if I'm it."

"Andre nobody asked you. It's not your fucking child. If it was don't you think you would know? I would kill for my child to have an father amazing father like you."

"...Lillian...if that's my chil-"

"Stay the fuck away from me!"She screamed into the phone.

I heard the long dial tone fill my ears. I looked down and saw she had hung up the phone. I placed my head in my hands and prayed to God that wasn't my child.

Amarah wanted a sibling but I'm damn sure not having any more kids. Amarah was more than enough. She was about three in one.

"Everything okay Andre?"Kathryn said.

I turned around and saw her standing in the door, "Yeah e'erthing 'ight ma'."

"What Humphrey say about our furniture? I'm tired of sitting on the floor."

"Huh?"

"Didn't you just call Humphrey, Andre? You sure your okay?"She asked in a worried tone.

"Oh he ain't pick up tha phone,"I lied.

She walked over to me and sat beside me. She placed her hand on my knee and traced a circle with her finger. She was smiling at me. I gave her a slight smile back.

"Andre I want you to know if you ever need anything I'm right down the hall....literally. I know this whole thing with your mother might have you down but just know she's going to be fine."

I sucked my teeth, "I ain't worried bout that woman. She shouldn't have tried ta run somebody ova. I don't een know how she got a ca'e."

"I don't know how I'm living in a 3 bedroom house with you,"She laughed. "Anything's possible Dre." She stood up and headed for the door. "Oh by the way I'm going out with Zamia and Riley tonight."

"What that got ta do with me?"I asked standing up behind her.

"You need to know where I'm at just in case something happen,"I gave her a look knowing that wasn't the whole story. "Zamia bringing her dog. I told her you would watch it."

"What tha fuck Kat?"I shouted as we walked into the house.

"It's a dog Andre. You acting like it's gonna kill you."

"I'm allergic ta pets. Don't that girl gotta a whole husband...who in tha whole NBA...who gotta whole lotta money?"I asked.

She flicked me off and walked upstairs. I rolled my eyes and grabbed my phone out of my pocket, so I could text Lillian.

Text me when ya get a chance ma'. I'm sorry but we gotta talk.

My message didn't even go through. I shook my head and grabbed a beer out of the fridge. My phone rang and it was Phrey ugly ass. I picked it up.

"What up ugly ass nigga?"Phrey shouted into the phone.

"Nigga ya ugly. That's why PJ was tryna suck ma dick last night,"I responded.

"Papi Johns tried to suck your dick?"A little voice spoke.

I jumped and dropped my phone. I turned around and saw Amarah looking at me like I was crazy. I picked my phone up and looked at the fresh crack across the screen.

"Fuck ya want Drake lookin ass bitch?"

"Daddy? Hello?"Amarah said.

"Go back ta ya room. Ya still in trouble."

"Mommy said I c-"

"What I just say? Go ta ya room na' lil girl."

"MOMMYYYYYYYYYY! DADDY IS BEINNNGGGG MEAANNNN!"She screamed as she walked up the stairs.

"I need ya ta come ova hea' tanight. Kathryn friend bring a damn dog like ima babysitta."

"Ain't ya allergic ta dogs?"

"Nah nigga I just almost die when I'm around them,"I replied smartly. "Of cou'se I'm allergic ta dogs!"

"Oh shit, that's tuff man. Good luck with that."

"Just bring ya humpty dumpty ass and ya husband ass ova hea in 2 hou's."

"Ight."

I hung up the phone and watched as Amarah walked back down the stairs with a sly smirk.

"Mommy said shut up, I can do what I want."

"AMARAH! I AINT SAY THAT!"