Daddy Taught Me Better (11 page)

I looked over at my father and he held an expression I had never seen on his face before. The guilt I felt for hurting my family because I allowed Jaden to walk over me came rushing to the forefront. I walked over to my father and kneeled down in front of him as I laid my head down on his lap. I kept trying to speak but couldn’t because I was trying to contain my emotions as the same time; however when my father placed his hand on top of my head and began to rub the back of my head I couldn’t hold it in any longer.

“Daddy I’m so sorry I let you down, I never meant for all this to happen. I tried my best to be the woman that you raised me to be. I never wanted to be that girl, yet here I am broken. I promise I’m done with Jaden; it’s no going back to that life for me. I never want to feel this low in life again, next time I’ll do better, I won’t ever allow another man to hurt me the way Jaden did. I never meant to shame you, Daddy, please accept my apology.”

“Kasey you could never shame me. Why are you telling me sorry? You have nothing to be sorry about, everybody gets there heartbroken once in their life.”

I looked up at my daddy and told him, “Because you taught me better than this.”

As soon as those words slipped out my mouth, Kasiya got off the couch, walking out the door and slammed it. I swear I seen a tear falling out of his eye.

“Don’t worry about him; I’ll go talk to him,” Kason said while going out the door to go get my brother.

“Kason make sure that boy don’t leave here and get himself into any trouble. Kasey get up off that floor, I need you to get it together. Go to the bathroom and get yourself together. We are not finished talking we need to discuss how you are going to reclaim your life back.” My dad started barking out orders.

When I got up off that floor and began to walk to the bathroom, I felt as if the world had been lifted off my shoulders. I knew the hard part was behind me, with the support of my family I would be fearless as I went through this trial. As I was walking back from the bathroom, I saw Kason and Kasiya coming from outside.

Kasiya said, “Sis you good.”

“Yeah, I’m straight,” I replied.

“Just know when I left out the door I wasn’t walking out on you, that’s a lot to hear, everything you been going through and I wasn’t there for you.”

“I wouldn’t have let you anyway, your here now and that’s all that matters.”

I looked over my parents and saw my mom sitting on my dad lap in his recliner; I guess they had made up while I was in the bathroom. I thought it was funny how they still acted like they were teenagers. Kason didn’t say much, which was deadly. He was always a man of few words; his actions always spoke louder for him.

I was snapped out of my thoughts when my Dad began to speak, “Kasey you and the boys are going to stay here until we can find somewhere for y’all to stay. I’ll pay all of your bills up for a year while you find a job and get yourself together.”

I started laughing and everyone looked at me like had two heads.

“Um, Kasey I didn’t think I told a joke. Why don’t you share with all of us what you find so funny?”

I immediately stopped laughing and told my family, “The hardest part of this ordeal was letting all of you know what was going on. When Jaden baby mama left his daughter on that doorstep, I knew then that I would never sleep in that house again. Daddy, I have the means to take care of me and my boys.”

“Oh yeah, so let us in on your plan then Kasey.” My daddy said sounding irritated with me.

“Well, the company that I had interned with when I got my MBA I have been working for them now for about a year and a half. Jaden paid all the bills and basically brought everything I have in my closet so I never spent any of the money. Jaden don’t even know I have the job because he is never home and all of my work is mostly done on the computer. You know webinars, video conferences, reporting and all that other stuff; therefore, I just been stacking all my coins. Every time Jaden give me money I would bank some of that too, I don’t care if he gave me ten dollars I would bank half of it. Trust me when I tell you my bank account look real nice. I also was presented with a business venture to purchase some real estate properties. I’m going to keep some as rental properties so I’ll have a residual income from that and others I’m going to flip, then sell it at the new appraised price, cashing out on the equity.”

You would have been able to hear a pin drop in that house it was so quiet after I finished speaking.

“Y’all didn’t think I was all the way dumb; damn give me some kind of credit,” I announced.

“Now that’s what the hell I’m talking about, you did take after your momma after all.”

“How in the hell Liza, you didn’t hear Kasey say I taught her better. That’s me all the way sitting over there talking.”

We all burst out in laughter. It felt good to have a genuine laugh with my family.

“I just need your help with a couple of things. I have a suite on Singer Island, but I don’t want to bring the boys so I need them to stay here for a couple of days with you guys. I don’t want them going to school from no hotel. I’ll have my key by tomorrow and I’ll need to go shopping to get some things for the house, but Tuesday do you think y’all can come with me so I can get me and the boys stuff from the house.

“Man let that nigga have that shit; I know your bank account fat and all that,” Kasiya said.

“Oh no, no that won’t be happening. I earned that shit and besides there are somethings in there that are valuable to me that I need. The rest of it I can replace myself.” I responded.

We sat around and talked some more until the twins appeared from the back.

“Is it safe to come out now since everybody laughing?” Kaden asked.

“Yeah come on in here, I need to talk to you guys anyway. Come on and sit next to me.” I told the boys.

“You guys are going to stay here with MeMaw and Papa for a couple of days and then we will be moving into our new house.”

“Mommy I want to come with you,” Jaden said. Kaden followed up with, “We leaving Daddy aren’t we ma? That’s his punishment huh?”

I looked at my mother and father with pleading eyes to help me out with the conversation that needed to had with my Jaden and Kaden as my brothers were sitting there laughing. They always laughed at the things Kaden said, but he was working my nerves today.

“Girl I don’t know what you going to do with that one right there.” My mama said pointing at Kaden. The boys just as different as night and day.”

“Jaden it will just be two or three days max and you will see me every day. Mommy has to get your room together. How you want your room to be?”

“I don’t care Ma as long as I have my Xbox 1 and my games,” Jaden answered me.

“Gotcha, now give Mommy a kiss and a hug.”

After Jaden did as he was told, I turned my attention to Kaden. I left him for last because he could be very difficult.

“Kaden we are not putting your Dad on punishment. Sometimes moms and dads live in different houses, now you will have two houses.” I tried explaining to Kaden.

“I don’t want to go back to Dad’s house. I just want my game, he has a new baby and I don’t like her.” Kaden replied.

“Kaden that’s a baby, she didn’t do anything to you and besides that your sister. Even though your dad has a new baby he is still your Dad and he loves you, so I’m going to need you to get your attitude together.”

“Yeah whatever,” Kaden blurted out at he crossed his arms over his chest.

I guess my father could sense my frustration in by my body language from Kaden’s last remark because he finally spoke up trying to help me out.

“Okay that’s enough for one day, go back there in y’all room and turn on the game; Papa about to beat y’all.”

A smile instantly formed on their faces and they took off running to the back.

“Girl you good because I would have been knocked Kaden out, let me get up and start dinner.” My mother said as she got off my daddy lap and headed to the kitchen.

Kason and Kasiya got off the couch to head home, both of their phones had been vibrating; they needed to make it back home to their wives. We said our good byes and Daddy told them he would call them so that we could coordinate the day and time we would be going to get me and the boys stuff from the house.

I stayed around at my parents’ house to eat dinner with them and the boys. I got to spend some quality time with them before I gave them a bath and put them to bed to get ready for school tomorrow.

I kissed my mom goodbye and told her I would speak with her tomorrow, and then my father walked me out to my car. Before I got in my car my dad said, “I know you think I’m disappointed in you, but I’m actually proud of you. Even though you were going through all that you managed to ensure that you had a way for you and the twins, that my dear is admirable.”

“Thank you, daddy, I love you. I’ll call you guys when I make it back to the hotel.”

“Okay baby girl, drive safe.”

Before I drove out my parent’s driveway, I pulled my phone out and texted Apollo.

Leaving my parents’ home now…..Marriot on Singer Island….Room 214…..TTYL.

Chapter 18 – Apollo

“Well don’t you look dapper this morning?” My mother said as she got in my car.

“If I must say so myself, your son is one handsome fella.” I chuckled after pulling off from my mother’s house, heading to church. I actually did look very handsome for church service this morning. I had given myself a clean shave this morning. I got dressed in my blue pin stripe Hugo Boss suit. I accessorized it with a white dress shirt where the collar was pink matching my outfit with a pink and blue patterned tie.

“Your welcome.”

“Ma what are you saying you’re welcome for?”

“Because you got your good looks from me.”

I just started laughing because she was right. I was indeed the male version of my mother.

“What did you get into last night?” My mother asked me.

“Oh before I forget, when we leave church we are going to go by Auntie Ellie house so I can talk to Jaden, she’s going to cook.”

“Jaden before you start making plans for me, please ask me first.”

“What’s wrong with you ma? You were the one preaching to me about family and sticking together.”

“Jaden just because I don’t want any division in the family doesn’t me I want to dance in the devil’s den right after church. Why you want me to go with you over there, do you plan to tell Jaden the plans you have concerning his wife?”

My mother’s comment had pissed me off as soon as the words left her mouth, “Nall ma, I’m giving him something he wants more than his wife and that’s power.”

“Jaden this situation will definitely cause problems and you know The Bible states in the tenth commandment that you should not covet another man’s wife.”

“If that’s the way you want to interpret that verse than yeah that would be true.”

“What other way is it to interpret it?”

“That verse also speaks about coveting a man’s ox and ass, his property; now if a man referred to you as his property, you would have a problem with that. The woman was created from his side, making her his equal, not his property. Ma when I told you my feelings about Kasey, I never thought you would turn around and use what I said against me. I spoke freely to you because I trusted you, so why you telling me about the tenth commandment?, Let him without sin cast the first stone and the last time I checked we all have sinned and fell short. Don’t judge me because I sin differently than you.”

“Well, I guess you put me in my place hmmph.”

“Ma, I don’t want to argue with you, we haven’t been to church together for a while and I want us to just enjoy the day.”

“You’re right son; I hope The Lord has a word for us today.”

“I just came so I can her that red BBW blow, it’s always the BBW’s that be having people falling out with The Holy Ghost.” I joked trying to lighten the mood as we pulled up to the church.

My mother playfully slapped me up against my head, “Come on here boy, I don’t want to miss devotion.”

I couldn’t tell that my mother didn’t want to miss devotion as she continuously stopped to introduce me to all the single ladies that I had not met yet. We had finally made our way into the church and they had just closed the doors because devotion had started, which meant we would be stuck in the vestibule of the church until it was over. I know it was about to get hot in there because surely more people would be coming in waiting as it seemed devotion lasted thirty minutes.

“Lord have mercy, Deacon Thomas leading devotion, ain’t no telling how long we going to be out here.” I heard my mom saying to one of her church friends. She must have been reading my mind.

When they finally opened the doors of the church for us to come in, I was relieved because I was about to burn up in that suit out there. As the choir was closing its last song, Reverend Davis stood and made his way to the pulpit, he introduced a guest speaker Dr. Tracy Lanier to be the word forth all the wat Atlanta, which was a woman.

Today’s message is entitled “There’s No Loopholes in Love.”

The title immediately piqued my interest. Reverend Davis began to speak “Let me tell y’all how to walk away, some of you need to sever some ties. Some of y’all are connected to the wrong man. It’s going to be alright if you can receive these words it going to be alright. So many women in the room in the room needing a word. When Destiny calls, accept the process. The problem is so many of us want the promise; we want to hear the plan but we don’t want to have to walk out the process. So many women, I can sense the weariness, you weary because of the process, some of y'all are tired in that place, but God said remember that I am God and God alone. I found myself clapping and saying Amen on some the statements that’s he said.

When church was dismissed, I was feeling at peace with myself. I looked over at my mom while I began to drive over to my Aunt Ellie house.

“So ma how did you like the sermon.”

“It was a powerful word, that guest speak. Dr Lanier was preaching this morning.”

“Does it change your thoughts about the way I feel?”

“I’m not sure Jaden; it did make me think about it, though. I said a prayer about it because even if you handle the situation, correctly your cousin is not at the same place that you are in life.”

“I hear ya ma, I love my cousin because he is family but I really don’t like him. If he wasn’t family, I wouldn’t deal with him on any level because he all about himself. Then again I can’t even blame that on him, he only knows what he was taught.”

“That apple didn’t fall to far from the tree; he is his mother’s child that’s for sure.”

“Kasey called me this morning.”

“Oh yeah, how she holding up.”

“Honestly ma she sounded real good, she wasn’t on no pity-party talking. She says that she is done with Jaden for good, she been staying at a hotel.

“I don’t know how she dealt with him as long as she did. She a better woman than me because I would have been left him. Some people just not built to be in a monogamous relationship. His mother never was and he gets it honestly. She really tainted his thinking.”

“How long before she has her closings on the houses.”

“I will have to check my calendar, but one of those houses belongs to my company. It’s not occupied and actually ready to move in, she can move in that house now because we are only waiting on the paperwork to get finished.”

“I already know that’s why I told her I would bring her the keys to one of her houses tonight.”

“Jaden I don’t know what I’m going to do with you, you a hot mess.” my mother looked at me shaking her head.

We finished our ride to Aunt Ellie’s house in silence as thoughts of Kasey clouded my head. I know there was a lot of thinking I needed to do and I knew that I would have to approach this situation the right way. When I pulled up to Auntie Ellie’s house, I was about to get out of the car and my mother grabbed my arm.

“Ma what’s up with you, why you grabbing me like that?” I asked while sitting back down in the car. My mother didn’t answer me right away as she was digging in the luggage bag she called a purse.

“Oh we not about to walk in the devils den without any protection; I’m not playing that today. We just got out of church getting a good word I refuse to let the devil steal our joy today.” My mother replied while finally retrieving her blessing oil out of her purse dabbing some on her behind her ears and the middle of her forehead.

“Ma are you serious right now?”

“Apollo do it look like I’m playing with you, turn around here,”

I did as my mother requested, and then exited the car with oil running down the middle of my forehead. I swore my mother went too far sometimes even though I know she meant well. We didn’t get a chance to knock on the door because my aunt came outside and met us on the porch.

“What took y’all so long to get out the car? What’s up auntie favorite nephew?” My aunt asked us.

“It didn’t take us long, you just impatient. What’s up with that favorite nephew stuff, I’m the only nephew you got.”

“That’s why you my favorite. Hey, sis, I can’t remember the last time you been to my house, church must have really been good.” My aunt rambled off as we entered the house.

“It’s always a blessing to be in the house of the Lord, you should come with me Sunday.” My mother replied.

“Nall I’ll pass on that, I’ll leave that to you sinners that fell down, got back up and now looking for salvation.”

“Lord have mercy on this child, she know not what she say.”

“See you do enough praying for all of us just keep on praying for me and I’ll be alright.”

“Auntie what you cooked?” I intervened in the conversation before things escalated between the two of them.

“Oh nephew I threw down for ya, I made some collard greens, macaroni, and cheese, yellow rice with some oxtails. I put my foot in it,”

“That’s what I’m talking about, where Jaden at?”

As if on que Jaden came strolling through the door.

“Hey Auntie Deb, I haven’t seen you in a little minute,” Jaden said giving my mother a hug.

“I know baby, I still stay in the same place. You can stop by and come see me some time, don’t be no stranger.”

“I know auntie; I’m going to do better.”

“Deb you believe that shit if you want to, he don’t even come see about his own mother unless he wants something. I hadn’t seen him for about two weeks until he had to drop his baby off. Did Apollo tell you that he got a daughter now?”

“Yeah, I heard about that. Where the baby at, I want to see her.”

“She in the back sleeping and I’m not waking her up, damn baby whine all the time just like her damn daddy.”

We all began laughing at what my aunt said, except for Jaden. He didn’t think the comment was too funny.

“Jaden, babies, are truly a blessing from God, but you know you’re wrong for having a baby outside of your marriage.”

“I know Auntie; it’s something that just happened. Keisha did that on purpose, trying to trap a nigga into upgrading her since she had my seed. They see how Kasey be rocking and they aspire to be her.”

“Speaking of Kasey how is she holding up with all this mess going on.”

“She on her girl power shit, talking about she leaving me and want a divorce. I’m not thinking about all that stupid stuff she talking about, she’ll be right back.”

“What makes you so sure Jaden? A woman can only take so much and you have given that girl her fair share. You going to wake up and find yourself by yourself. You can’t just run around here and keep playing with someone’s heart. Every time you break a woman’s heart and try to pick up the pieces to mend it back together, there will be a piece missing until she no longer has the heart for you.”

“Auntie she can’t live without me. How she going to afford the lifestyle she has become accustomed to? Everyone has a price auntie and she let me know that when she knew, I was cheating all these years and allowed it. That’s how I see it. So I’ll upgrade her car or buy her a new house and she’ll be okay. If she doesn’t get on board, then it’s plenty of women that want a man that’s going to keep them laced with the finer things and make them a housewife.”

“Jaden it seem like you have it all figured out so I’m not going to preach to you but if you never remember anything else I have ever said to you I want you to remember this. What is it for a man to own the world, yet lose his soul?”

“Deb you wasting your time talking to him, he dumb as hell, but honestly I don’t know why he married Kasey in first place. He thought he won a prize when he snatched her up and now see that he didn’t get anything but the free toy from out of a McDonald’s happy meal.”

“Auntie why you don’t like Kasey? That girl ain’t ever done anything to you.” I asked my Auntie Ellie. She never liked Kasey from the moment her and Jaden started dating. It was confusing because most mothers wanted their son to end up with somebody like Kasey.

“I don’t like her ass, simple as that. I don’t need a reason not to like her. She walks around like she better than everybody else when she ain’t nothing but another dope dealer’s wife, it’s not a damn thing special about that.”

I was about to reply to my aunts comment until we heard a baby crying. I don’t think anything I said would have a difference anyway.

“Jaden get up and go get your hollering ass baby while I fix these plates so we can eat.”

My aunt was making our plates when Jaden came back rocking Jade in his arms. She was indeed a gorgeous baby.

“Oh my goodness Jaden she is beautiful, look at her hair and chubby cheeks. Let me see her while you make her a bottle.” My mother requested.

As we sat down to eat my mother wouldn’t let anybody pick up a fork until grace was said, which irritated my aunt. Halfway through our meal, I guess my aunt couldn’t hold in her anticipation anymore.

“So nephew when are you going to give Jaden the rundown on handing everything over to him? You sitting here eating up all my food and haven’t said anything yet. Don’t tell me you changed your mind.”

Before I could get a word out, my mother intervened, “Ellie I don’t understand why you entertaining your son taking over a damn trap house. Why would you continue to encourage this behavior when you know what this kind of lifestyle brings?”