The Unexpected

Chapter 22

Chi Brooklyn Monroe

             {Two Days Later July 28, 2021}

" Let me go get you a hair wrap. Once Treasure gets a hold of something it's hard to even get whatever you had back." The comfortable silence had been filled with delightful laughter. I stand up making sure to watch over everyone's toes considering the fact that they all crowded around what ever spot Treasure was in.

I head towards my old child hood room. My mother had pretty much kept everything the same in here. I would have at least thought since I've moved out and everything she'd changed it into a yoga room or something. Yet my teenage girly phase still high in effect sat frozen in time untouched.

Everything had been kept in my pink desk top. It had been a present from my big cousin Ty. Ty had only been four years older than me, we rarely got a chance to see him because of his own family problems but those times we were lucky to have him around they were special and we always made them the best moments of our lives.

" Whew." My shaky, sweaty hands rub down my dress. " Get it together Chi. There are people out there that need you to be strong, especially right now. So put all that behind you and get it together." I take short breaths in and out. I reach for the third drawer nob, gently pulling and revealing different colors of hair wrappers.

I take three, sliding two onto my right wrist and leaving one dangling on my finger. I close my drawer turning around and heading out towards my family once again.

Seems as if I hadn't missed a bit except for now Nialey had moved in the kitchen drinking from a red cup, while my mother had her hands full with Treasure. I guess they were going through the same type of cycle because this had now been the third time that my mother had gotten Treasure after Nialey. I made my way into the kitchen.

" Ouu girl thank you." Nialey places her cup down gesturing at the hair wrapper. " You're welcome." She takes the one that I had dangling from my finger, pulling her hair into one big ponytail twisting and turning it into the hair wrapper did it's own magic. " You had been right about miss Treasure Reigns that girl has a mean grip."

" You don't even have to tell me. I think I have a few ball spots to prove it." Soft giggles filled the kitchen.

" Chi, it's so good having you back." She breaths out towards me. She went soft as if she was relaxing after a while of being so serious and holding back. " It's good to be back. Honestly. I've been dreaming about the day Treasure will be able to meet this side of her family." My head nods towards the front living room. " Well seems to me she loves it."

" Yeah she does." I spoke softly.

" Is it too early to talk about the whole ' Dave East ' being Treasure's father thing or is it a no go ?" Nialey face read that she really wanted to know the details. Luckily I had been in the mood to talk, especially about him.

The days before my leaving we hadn't spoken to one another. Him basing me on the entertainment as if I was the most worst mistake of a babymama had me tight. I thought that we we're doing so good with one another. He was even showing the signs of him wanting to be fully involved in Treasure's life. I guess I let my guard down completely and hadn't expected the unexpected. I felt that we will never get to a place of having a good future for the sake of Treasure. I'll try to do my own thing and he'll have some fucking input on the shit I do, yet I'm sitting with my mouth closed shut about the whole dream and him possibly being in a relationship even though I have questions of my own because if she's the girl he's actually going to be taking seriously then I should be able to lay down some ground rules when it comes to my child.

I lean back against the cold counters, relaxing my damn self.

" Damn he that stressful ?"

" Yes Nialey. I mean you don't even know the half of all the bs I've been dealing with since I got pregnant with Treasure. One day we're good with communicating with one another and then the next..." i give up on trying to find the perfect word to fit whatever situation we have on those complicated days.

" I mean Nailey I felt abandon the moment those words had left my mouth toward him that I was pregnant. You should have seen the way he looked at me, as if I was a broad trying to get a come up off him. Oh and then ' for the sake if the baby is mine, I want to at least be in his or her life. Anything you need for the kid I gotcha'." I used air quotes. " I text him about appointments, little updates on her Nialey as the mother of his child that's the best I could do because of the distance."

Nialey placed her hand on her heart. " I text this day, no response. A week later, no response to the text message I sent before this one. I tried to give this man chance after chance. But you know what's really killing me ? What's got me ready to fight him with my hands instead of my words is the simple fact that he would actually go on television and say I was just some pussy for this little one night, I wouldn't mean anything the next morning." My eyebrows knitted together in confusion as tears spring into my eyes.

" Chi. Sweet Chi." Nialey comes rushing over towards me embracing me in a hug. " He's broken you. You've reached your limit. I'm glad you came back when you finally did because baby you would have been behind bars." She steps back to wipe my tears. I felt like a mess, hell probably even looked like one. " I have never and I mean never in all of my twenty-six years would have ever picked you out of this family to be violent with anybody."

Nialey had been right. " Listen Chi and you listen to me good. I, as your big cousin do not ever want to hear you wanting or did get violent with anyone. Do you know how spick and span you made sure your record was and for you to mess it all up because ya babydaddy acting like all the rest of these scared brothers ?" She shakes her head. " I'll be damn if you throw away your future and that baby's do you understand me ?"

" Yes." I spoke lowly.

" Naw. Ion think you heard me. I asked if you understand me ?" A smirk plays upon my lips as I realize the fact that Nialey missed playing big mama to her little cousins. " Yes Nialey I understand you."

" Good. Now let's not let this little conversation damper our mood."

" Ok."

Nialey grabs my hand leading us back into the living room where it seems we weren't missed. Leave it up to Treasure to steal the show. I chuckle silently to myself. Finally in my arms had she snuggled deeper into me with a slight smile.