Gone and Never Coming Back

Is it something I did, or is it something I said. Is it something you heard is it something that I’m missing. Tell me what’s going on where did we go wrong?

Aaliyah

I pushed the cart through out the store as Cayden sat at the top playing on his game system. I swear there was always something new out there, this one had 3D vision.

“Can we get those!” He quickly lifted his head and pointed to the pop tarts. “Pwease, pwease, pwease!” He muttered.

I laughed and tossed them in the cart. “Don’t think your going to eat them whenever you want Mister.”

He smiled. “Okay.”

I knew full and well that when he said Okay he meant yeah alright, sure whatever you say. Cayden was hard headed.

I slid out of the isle and headed towards the frozen foods where Cayden acted up the most at.

“Be good alright?”

He nodded. “Okay.”

I bent over to grab some beef from the section and I could hear Cayden singing from the cart. A song we heard on the radio here.

“I rock gucci I rock prada at the same damn time. On the phone drinking coke soda at the same dam-“

I put the meat away and rushed over to him. “Say it boy, I dare you.”

He plopped his lip out and looked around the store. “Sorry.”

“Remind me to put those pop tarts back when we pass that isle again.” I said going back to the meat.

“Excuse me.” A boy said reaching for a pack of chicken.

I moved over and looked up. “Sorry.”

His eyes grew big. “Its good.”

“Mijo?” I asked touching my chest.

He eyed me for a few seconds and then eyed Cayden. It was as if he didn’t wanna see me.

“Aaliyah?” He asked looking me up and down.

“Yeah it’s me. Nice to see you haven’t fell off the face of earth like everyone else.” I said turning my nose up and preparing to exit the isle.

“Mommy, it’s cold here.” Cayden whined.

“I know baby, I know.” I said frowning and heading towards the cart.

Mijo eyed me. “That’s your son?”

I knew exactly what he was thinking. How the fuck did I move on so fast from Chris and have a son with some other dude. Little did he know Cayden was Chris’s son. It was pretty unfortunate he didn’t even bring up the Chris issue.

“Yeah.”

“Whats up.” Mijo said giving him a head nod.

“Hi.” Cayden said holding his game system tightly. “I’m Cayden.”

“How old are you?” Mijo smiled.

“4.” He raised his four chubby fingers up.

Mijo smiled softly and grabbed his pack of meat and threw it in the cart before walking towards Cayden.

“Be good for your mommy alright?” He placed a 5 dollar bill in his hand. “Four is a rough age huh?”

Cayden laughed and nodded. “Tough.”

“You’ll get threw it.” Mijo mushed his hair. “Oh and Aaliyah?”

“Yeah?” I asked starting to push.

“Let the man have them pop tarts.” He said laughing and walking the opposite way of me.

It was pretty funny how he didn’t even bring up Chris’s name but the way he looked at Cayden spoke volumes. He knew damn well Cayden was Chris’s son. There was no way around it, they looked exactly alike.

“Mommy who was that?”

“An old friend.” I whispered into his hair and pushed right on out of the isle.

Chris

Mijo walked in with the groceries and a worried look on his face. It was like he had lost his puppy.

“What’s wrong man?” I asked starting to unpack the bags.

“Guess who I saw?”

“Who?” I asked snatching the freezer open.

“Your baby mama.” Mijo said shaking his head.

I laughed. “Nigga I ain’t got no baby mama. Who you see? Jada?”

“Fuck no.” He shook his head. “I saw Aaliyah.”

My smiled vanished and I lifted four fingers to my chest. It was a sensitive subject being as though I had hurt her.

“Where at?”

“The grocery store.. She had this kid with her Breezy.” He said running his hands across his face. “And I swear to god this kid looks like you man.”

I eyed him. “Mijo?”

“Man I’m dead serious. I ain’t never seen no kid that looked so much like their father like this boy does you.” Mijo said sliding the milk into the fridge. “It’s like you spit that kid out.”

“Can’t be my son Mijo.” I huffed sitting down at the table. “It don’t matter what he look like. Aaliyah wasn’t pregnant when I left.”

“How are you so sure?”

“Cause I know man.” I said angrily.

Mijo needed to shut up and get that shit out of here. I was already feeling horrible about leaving but with a kid too? I knew she was struggling.

“Well she said It’s glad to see I haven’t disappeared off the face of earth. You need to cut this Cam act out. It’s been four years nigga.. Go get your girl!”

“It ain’t that simple.” I huffed.

Him and Tyga didn’t quite get that.

“Well nigga make it simple! It’s safe now.. Just some time and explaining, and shit will be all good. I promise you.” Mijo said seriously. “She probably think it’s something she did or said!”

“Whatever.” I said standing up from the kitchen table and walking into the living room and taking a seat on the couch.

I was beyond tired living with these niggas. They brought bitches through here daily, when I told them not to. They smoked in this bitch like it was a policy, when I told them not too. And they bought unnecessary shit bringing tons of attention to themselves when I told them not to.

“Breezy!” They all yelled entering.

Sean who was called Reek.

Gui who was now named, Tony.

Trey who was known as, Trigga.

And Shad who we now called Bow.

“Aye.” I said softly. This was my Que to bounce.

“Where you headed to?” Trey asked as I was getting up.

“I’ma head over to Jada’s house. I’ll catch ya’ll niggas later. Try not to smoke the house the fuck up.”

Gui raised the blunt to the ceiling. “We’ll try.”

Aaliyah

I sat on Jada’s sofa as I devoured the Spaghetti I had came to make. She wasn’t the best cook so she always invited me over to cook for her.

“Girl this is good!” She said biting on a home made biscuit.

I smiled. “You know me.”

Cayden came out of the dinning room with spaghetti all over his hands and plopped down on the couch. “I’m finished!”

Jada’s eyes widened. “Oh no little sucker! Go wash your hands.. All on my couch sweetie this is a custom!”

I rolled my eyes, laughing. “Don’t talk to my son like that Heifer! Go head and wash your hands baby.”

He nodded and raced into the down stairs bathroom.

“Oh hunny, I’m kind of glad I can’t have kids! If my child messed up my furniture I’d trip!”

“Like wise.” I laughed, in the middle of hearing the doorbell.

“I’ll get it.” Jada said standing to reach the door.

When she opened it, it was Cameron: her boyfriend. The same one that had fixed my car for free. The same one, who I had caught an attitude with.

“Cameron!” She smiled pulling him into a hug.

He hugged her and eyed me. “What’s up?” He entered sitting down next to Jada.”

“Nothing.. Eating this dinner my bestie made! She can cook baby.”

Cameron smiled. “It smells good.”

“I’ll grab you a plate!” She said getting up and walking into the kitchen leaving me and Cameron alone.

“Mommy all done.” Cayden said walking out with paper towel on his hands and his shirt entirely wet.

“Oh I see.” I said snatching his shirt off. “Shirt all wet up boo.”

He frowned. “I tried-“

“You’re fine.”

Cameron eyed Cayden with a soft smile and then looked towards me with the same expression. “You-you wanna go out to lunch some time?” He asked.

“What kind of friend do you think I am?” I stood ready to take Cayden’s shirt down to the dryer.

“It’s not even like that baby girl.”

“It’s not?” I rolled my eyes.

“Absolutely not.” Cameron said laughing.

“I’m not interested, but thanks.” I huffed and exited the room and headed to the laundry area.

Who did this dude think he was? Actually he came off pretty strange to me. Who goes around asking their girlfriends best friend out to lunch? Who fixes their girlfriends best friend car for free? I was beginning to think he liked me more than Jada. He hardly looked at her when I had came around the two times.

“Isn’t he sweet?” I said passing Jada heading to the laundry room.

“Yeah..” I mumbled. “Definitely.”

A little too sweet