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“You fell in love with him?” I didn’t answer. I just cried harder. “Come here, stupid.” She grabbed me and held me. For the first time since I walked in the door, she finally shut the fuck up, and I was glad.

Anton “Tax” Hodges

I was starting to think that Key had a problem minding his mufucking business. For the past week, this nigga had been finding something to say about everything I did. First, I was sleeping too much. I got up and poured a drink. He became a damn doctor worried about my liver. Then, I wasn’t eating enough. I started fucking shit up. He get to hollering I’m depressed eating and gone gain too much weight. Now, he was sitting on the couch holding Lovii, looking at me like I had personally ruined his life. She couldn’t be left alone, so I had him go grab her the morning after I dropped Bubbles off. We both been here ever since.

“Nigga, just because your baby mama left don’t give you the right to be a deadbeat. I’m trying to figure out how the fuck I’m over here getting the dog dressed.” I looked up from my phone and tried not to laugh. Key had one of her shoes in between his fingers, trying to get it on her foot. Lovii was wearing a cute pink sweater with a matching bow from Chanel.

“Why are you putting shoes on her, and she in the house?”

“Because you bought the shit. Why buy them if she ain’t supposed to put them on?” I went back to my phone. I was not about to argue with his ass. He mumbled under his breath for a while, and then he spoke out loud again. “She ain’t ate yet.”

“Then feed her.” He looked at me before shaking his head.

“Then feed her,” he mimicked me in a high pitched voice. “You should be taking care of your own damn child. Nigga, I’m not your wife.”

“Thank God. You nag too fucking much.” He put Lovii down on the couch next to me before walking in the kitchen. Lovii climbed into my lap and started licking my hand. “Hey, pretty girl.”

“She probably don’t even know who you are. You ain’t touched her in three days.” Key walked back in the room, placing her bowls on the floor.

“It’s only been three days. Quit being dramatic.”

“Mufucka, that’s twenty one days in dog years.” I looked at him and fell out laughing.

“Nigga, that ain’t how that shit goes.” He grabbed Lovii off my lap and sat her down to eat.

“How you know? You just got a dog.” I didn’t respond to that dumb ass shit. He was right about one thing, though. I’d been at his house too long. It wasn’t like I was uncomfortable here. I was just used to being in my own space. I knew I couldn’t stay here forever, but I wasn’t ready to go back either. I already knew what was waiting for me. All the memories of Bubbles around that mufucka. Not about to go down that road again, I shook it off and looked down at Lovii.

“Your mama ain’t shit.”

“AND THERE IT IS!”

“There what is?” Key was looking at me in disbelief.

“Now you talking bad about her mama to her. That’s some bitter baby daddy shit.”

“Mannn, shut the fuck up.”

“I’m just saying. You can’t be poisoning that child’s mind against her mother.” He held a straight face for a second before we both fell out laughing. I hated this nigga. “We going out tonight.”

“Who the fuck is we? I’m not going nowhere.”

“We is we. I’m tired of you laying around here depressed. I don’t even think you washed your ass.”

“Mufucka, I got in the shower yesterday.” He turned his face up as if he didn’t believe me.

“At what time?”

“Bruh, please find somebody else to bother.” I stood up and grabbed Lovii.

“Come on, baby. Let’s go for a walk, so we don’t have to hear your uncle talking shit.” Opening the door, I stepped out on the porch.

“And another thing. You should want to go out, so you can find some pussy. I heard you in here watching porn last night. Nasty ass too old to be jacking off.” I slammed the door and started our walk.

****

By the time we got to the club, I regretted coming. On the way here, Key spent the entire ride telling me I needed to get back to myself. He was acting like I was off my square. Business was still moving, everybody paid, so it was nothing I needed to do, and I wasn’t interested in anything outside of work. Apparently, that bothered him more than it did me. We walked through the club to our section, and Key immediately signaled for them to bring our bottles. Instead of one bottle, he ordered three. I sat back and looked around. I could have stayed at home. It was nothing but the same shit.

“You see anything you like?” Key leaned over and asked me.