Hard Knocks

Reece

"Hello"

"You've got a collect call from- Brian." I immediately pressed one and accepted the call.

" What's up, baby?" BJ said through the other side of the phone. Just hearing his voice made my heart melt and my panties wet. I'm so happy he called, I haven't heard from him in a month.

"Was there something wrong with the phones or something? Why haven't you called? I have been sitting around waiting for you to call and shit, but you never did. You lucky I answered-"

"Yeah, girl, I miss you too." He interupted me laughing. "You good? You straight?"

"I'm good.The question is is you good. Ain't nobody been trying to get my ass, have they?" I said laughing walking into the store.

"My ass is not what im worried about. Ain't nobody been trying to get my ass and you ain't been trying to give it away right?"

"No." I huffed rolling my eyes and getting my Ginger Ale out of the store refrigerator. I closed the door and started making my way towards the chips.

"Good. Now, where's Bria?" I grabbed the chips off the rack and went to the cash register.

"Hey Reece." Joe the cash register said "Where you been? Since BJ went to jail I ain't been seeing you around like that."

"Hey Joe, I know I've been busy taking care of the little one." I said putting my stuff on the counter and getting a king sized Reece.

"You in my hood, huh?" BJ asked "Tell Joe I said what's up." BJ continued.

"BJ said hi Joe." I told Joe digging in my purse for my wallet.

"You talking to BJ? Tell him I said hey. Reece when you gone bring your little girl by here to see me."

"Why? So you can give her all the candy she wants." I said pulling out my wallet and pulling a five out and setting it on the counter.

"And to answer your question Bria is at your moms house." I said answering BJ's question.

"Don't ever in this life, or the next have me on hold for hella long." BJ said slightly irritated. I grabbed my change and put it my back pocket, and I grabbed my bag off the counter.

"All right Joe, see you later." I yelled over my shoulder walking out the store.

"Oh my god. Calm down, you wasn't on hold for hella long, shit you wasn't even on hold.

"Man whatever. Where you bout to go?"

"I'm about to go get Bria, then we're going home." I took the phone from my ear and looked at the time. Damn, it's 7:30 already. I told BJ's mom I would pick Bria up at 7. Oops.

"Aite, I gotta get off the phone. Tell my mom and dad and everybody else that I love and miss them. Give Bria a kiss for me, too, and my mom. Love you."

"Who else you want me to kiss?" I said scrunching up my face.

"The whole damn family" BJ responded laughing.

You have one minute left, the phone said

"Ima call you later on tonight."

"Ok." I pouted.

"Give me a kiss." He demanded through the phone.

"Mmmwaaaauuhhh" I said puckering up my lips as if I'm really kissing him.

"Love you"

"Love yo-" Was all I could get out before the phone hung up.I looked at it and dropped it in my purse. I miss my baby BJ. These little phone calls are not enough. Thankfully, he should be getting out real soon. I reached in my bag and opened my soda and took a sip. My phone started ringing again and it was BJ's mom.

"Hello " I answered.

"Mommy, where you at?" Bria asked.

"I'm on my way baby. I should be there in a little bit, ok?"

"Ok." Click. I know this little girl did not just hang up on me. I looked at my phone and sure enough she had hung up the phone. Oooh, she is rude.

15 minutes later I was in front of BJ's house. I knocked on the door, and seconds later the door opened revealing BJ's mom.

"Hey ma." I said walking into the house and giving Mrs. West, BJ's mom, a hug. "Where's Bria?" I continued looking around. It was a little too quiet in here.

"She just went to sleep. Amen. That little girl is like the enegizer bunny."

"I know" I laughed "She be wearing me out. BJ called and he told me that he loves and misses you, and he told me to give you a kiss." I dragged out the last 'and' and walked over to her and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"So he finally called you? How did that go?" She asked raising her eyebrow.

Ahh. He thinks hes slick. Next time I talk to him I will be cussing him out.

"Actually, it went pretty well. I didn't do nothing I said I was gone do, well I started, but your son changed the subject." I said examining my nails.

I really need to go to the nail shop, I should call up Z.

"It smells good in here, what you cooking?" I asked lifting my head up and sniffing the air.

"Damn it!" Faye cussed and rushed into the kitchen. I was right behind her. When I walked in I heard grease popping, and smelled burnt chicken.

"Faye you can't be burning the chicken, girl." I exclaimed walking up behind her and watching her put the chicken in the bowl next to her. Faye dropped the fork she used to take the chicken out with, and bent over to pick it up. When she did I took a piece of chicken out the bowl and bit into it. Oh my God this is best best piece of chicken I ate in my life.

"Reece don't eat up all my chicken girl. Matter fact, get out my kitchen." Ma said standing up and pointing the fork at me. I put my hands up and backed out the kitchen slowly. As soon as I was out the kitchen I turned around and walked up the stairs to BJ's room.

I opened my door and looked to my right, where BJ's bed is. I instantly saw my baby sleeping peacefully, under the covers. I walked over and sat at the end of the bed.

"Bria" I sang softly into her ear. I got no response.

"Bria" I sang again. Got the same answer, so I decided that I'll leave her alone and let her sleep. I kicked off my shoes and climbed in the bed with her. I grabbed on the remote and turned on the TV. I really regretted doing that because some rap song came on blaring through through the TV. Bria jumped out her sleep, and tried to turn the TV down as fast as I could. After the TV was at a decent value I looked at Bria and started laughing because she was so scared. Her facial expression was hilarious. Her eyes was so big she looked like Bugsy off of Bedtime Stories. She looked like a deer caught in head lights. As soon as she realized she was safe she started crying.

I feel so guilty now. "What's wrong baby?" I asked pulling her to me.

As quickly as I pulled her to me I pushed her away. Just by looking at her I could see why she was crying.

"Why you crying baby?" I still asked.

"I...I...I peed on my-myself." Bria said through her tears.

I laughed again, "It's okay, baby. Now stop crying, okay. Your not in trouble, it was an accident." I said wiping the tears off her face.

"But Daddy say that big girls don't pee in the bed, mommy." Bria sniffled.

"They don't, but it was an accident so that doesn't count."

I picked Bria pissy ass up and carried her to the bathroom.

"I talked to Daddy today" I said as I sat her on the bathroom counter. I walked over to the tub and started to run her some water.

"Why you didn't let me talk?"

"Because you was here." I said taking off her shirt.

"You wait til you got here, then I talk to Daddy."

"When I got here you was sleep, and he had to go. But he said he will call you tonight, ok?" I said taking off the rest of her clothes. I picked her up and set her in the tub and turned off the water. I picked up her clothes off the floor and put it in BJ's hamper. I, also, took of my hoodie I was wearing and put it in his hamper. I put my hair in a high bun, and took a deep sigh.

I walked over to the bed and took all the covers off. I seperated all the clean covers from the dry ones, and threw them on the floor. I walked to the hall closet and got the baby powder, a rag, and some new sheets. I walked back in the room poured the baby powder where it was wet at, and put the towel over it. I grabbed all the wet covers and took them out back to the wash room. After I put them in the washer I walked back in BJ's room and put the clean sheets on the bed. I made up the bed and walked into the bathroom.

"You ready to get out, mama?" I asked sitting on the toilet.

"No not yet!" Bria yelled splashing water everywhere.

"Bria! You wetting me all up." I said laughing and running my hand through her hair. "Come here. We need to wash this hair of yours." I said taking her hair down, and ruffling it a lil bit.

"You gotta get out in a minute, though, I know yo water getting cold" I said dipping my hand in the water.

" Uh unh. It's still hot"

"Whatever." I said waving my hand and walking out the bathroom. I walked downstairs and I saw BJ's dad downstairs talking to his mom. As soon as I walked in all talking stopped. I wonder what they were talking about?

Now, that man is fine, and he knows it. He was a walking 6' 3'' Hershey's bar; He has the prettiest brown eyes, too.

"Where is the little one?" BJ's dad, Brian, asked.

"Uhm... she's in the bath." I said snapping out my daze, and pointing upstairs. "Is the food done?" I asked Faye.

"Almost, I'm making the mashed potatoes right now." she said looking over her shoulder.

I walked further into the kitchen and over to the refrigerator very slowly. I took out the grape soda and sat it on the counter. I was trying to see what they were talking about, but they weren't saying anything. I walked over to the cupboard to get a cup and walked back to the soda, and still nothing. I acted like I was singing a song, and started dancing and shit, but still I got nothing. I put the soda back in the refrigerator and walked out. I even stood by the kitchen doorway.

BJ's parents spilt up a while back when he was around 6 or 7 because his mom caught his dad in the bed with another bitch. They weren't on good terms, and it was always a lot of tension when they were in the same room as each other. They made little conversations, just hi and bye. So for them to be having a regular conversation is pretty weird.

I stood there for a couple minutes and they still weren't saying anything. Fuck it, I thought and sipped my soda as I walked up the stairs.

"Bria, are you ready to wash up and get out?" I asked as I approached BJ's room. When I got in there I saw that she was already out the tub and she was talking on my phone.

"Little girl who are you talking to?' I asked walking over to the bed and sitting on the edge of it. She had the biggest smile on her face and every now and then she'd giggle.

"Daddy." she responded still smiling.

"Come on, you can talk to Daddy in the tub."

"But mommy, I already wash up and my hair"

"Bria get your ass back in the tub" She smacked her lips, handed me the phone, and stomped into the bathroom.

"You better stop talking to my daughter like that. If she said she washed up and washed her hair, then that's what the fuck she did."

"I bet that is what she did, but I know she didn't do it right, so I'm going to do it again, to make sure my baby is clean. And you better stop telling me what I better do." I said walking into the bathroom.

"Bri, talk to your daddy." I said flipping my phone over automatically putting it on speaker. I sat the phone on the counter and sat down on the toilet.

"Daddy, why you never call me?"

"I do call you, baby, but ever time I call you never with your mom."

"I know that's why you call me. I call you, but you never answer."

"Bria, what are you talking about?" BJ said laughing.

"She tries to Facetime you on the Ipad." I said washing her up.

"Oh. Baby I don't have the Ipad." BJ responded Dragging out the oh.

"Me and mommy bring it to you."

I spread the towel out so Bria could get out the tub. I wrapped the towel around her, grabbed the phone, and walkeed out the bathroom. I sat the phone and Bria down on the bed.

"Damn, I forgot the lotion."

"Oooo Daddy, mommy cuss." I heard Bria say.

I looked in the cabinet under the sink and got the lotion, and baby powder.

"Tell her it's not nice and she gotta give you a dollar." BJ responded as I walked back into the room. Bria looked over at me. I gave her a look that she knew all too well, and she went back to talking on the phone.

I got down on my knees and started drying her off. I put her lotioned her up and and put the diaper and baby powder on. I put some baby powder on her neck and she started giggling.

"Mommy that tickle" She said squirming and touching her neck. "Gwandpa!" Bria screamed dropping my phone and walking to the door. I looked over and sure enough it was BJ's dad, his mom was behind her.

"Hey baby girl. I missed you!" After Bria giggled I zoned out the conversation.

"Hello"

"Damn, my feelings kind of hurt." I had took BJ off speaker phone.

"Why" I said picking up all the stuff and returning them to their place.

"Because she just dropped me so fast. I mean we was having a whole ass conversation and enjoying ourselves, then she just gone drop me for my dad."

"Shit, I'd drop you for your dad too." I said as I looked out the bathroom door to where BJ's dad was standing. Bria whispered something into his ear, and they started walking over here.

"You talking to BJ?" My heart dropped all the way to my stomach as his deep masculine voice filled my ears.

I didn't even respond, I just handed him the phone. He got on the phone and started talking to BJ as he walked away.

"The food ready, when you get hungry Reece."

"Ok, Ma, I'm going to be down there in a minute."

I took me a quick shower, dried off, and put on my leggings and BJ v-neck. 'Damn this shirt kind of snug' I thought to myself. I tightened the shorts so they wouldn't fall off and rolled them up at the waist so they wouldn't be hella long.

I walked downstairs and everybody was sitting in the living room eating, except for Bria.

"Where's Bria?" I asked looking at Brian and Mama Faye.

"Kitchen." Brian said pointing behind him.

I walked in and sure enough she was in the kitchen making a mess of her food. I walked over, and opened my mouth. She put a piece of chicken in my mouth.

'Thanks baby" I said letting my mouth build up with saliva to cool down the chicken.

I walked in the kitchen, fixed my plate and, went to sit with Bria at the table. I got back up to get me something to drink and when I came back, my piece of chicke was gone. I looked at Bria and she was looking down at her plate trying not to smile.

"Where my chicken at little girl?" I asked walking over to her with my hand on my hip. She just shrugged her shoulders still looking at her plate. Then Brian walk pass us smiling hella big. I looked at Bria expectantly.

"Pops took it." She tried to whisper pointing towards the kitchen.

"Aww Bria, you a snitch." Brian said walking out the kitchen.

"Damn. Why you have to take my chicken?" I said with my stank face and pushing him.

He stumbled back a little and started laughing. Damn, this man is just too damn fine and he knows it. UGH! I started walking back into the kitchen and out the corner of my eye I saw him bite his bottom lip. That turned me on a little bit, and it made me miss BJ.

I felt an arm go around my shoulder, and a hand grab my right arm, right under my elbow. "Because you chicken was looking hella good sitting on yo plate. It looked all nice and juicy and shit, and it was looking hella cripsy, you know? It was all hot, and steaming. Made a nigga mouth all watery and shit; it was just looking hella eatable. So I took it, and ate it."

Pause.

When he first grabbed me his arm was wrapped around my shoulder and a hand on my right arm. My right ass cheek was pressed into the left side of his pelvic area. When he finished we were still in that position, but his arm was wrapped around my waist. Everything went into overdrive, my hormones was shooting through the roof. It took everything in me not to press into him more. This is weird, we have never been this close; or maybe I'm just sexually frustrated and I'm interpreting it wrong.

"Well, it's getting late, I gotta go. See you later." he said giving me a kiss on the cheek and walking off. I heard him say bye to Bria, and yell bye to Mama Faye.

I was still standing in that same position going over everything that just happened. Did my chicken look that good?

I walked back into the dining area, and sat down in front of my plate. I tried to eat some of the Mac N' Chesse , but I lost my appetite,

"I done, Mommy." Bria said setting down her fork. I took her and mine plate in the kitchen, I dumped the remaining food in the garbage and put the plates in the sink.

I walked up the stairs and went in BJ room, and I didn't see my little one. I laid down and found something to watch on tv.

I looked at my phone and it was 10:30. Why hadn't BJ called, yet?

Fifteen minutes passed by and still no call. I continued to watch tv, until I staterd dozing off.

I hear my phone ringing and it's 2 o' clock in the morning. Who the fuck is calling me this late?

"Hello!" I said with an attitude. I hear the automated voice come on and I knew it was BJ. I accepted the charges, and just held the phone.

"Hello?" BJ said.

"Why are you calling so late?" I said in a whiny voice.

"Because some shit popped off, and I had got put in the hole."

"If you got put in the hole, then how are you calling me?" I said rolling over on my back.

"Whatchu mean? I got pull up in this bitch baby." BJ said laughing.

"Whatever" I rolled my eyes, laughing a little, "That's gone be some more days added to your time, huh?"

"Yeah. I was gone try to see if they could let me out before Bria birthday, but me going to the hole, I know that ain't gone happen." BJ said sighing.

"Oh." was all I could say. That news really dampened my mood, and made me more irritated. This would be the second birthday he missed, considering that he went to jail two weeks before Bria birthday.

"Where was you gone do for the party?" BJ asked asked trying to change the subject.

"Well she really wants to go to Chuck E. Cheese, but I don't want too."

"Why?" he asked in a a raspy voice.

"I'm tired of fucking Chuck E. Cheese. Everybody kids have they birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. I want to go some where new. I wouldn't mind going if they had something new, but it's the sme ass shit there." I said clapping my hands together. I got up and walked into his mom room, to find her and Bria sleep. I walked back into my room and closed the door.

"So what if you tired of Chuck E. Cheese it ain't yo damn party! If Bria want to have her motherfucking party at Chuck E. Cheese, then that's where it's gone be." BJ said authoritively.

"Damn. Ok daddy." I said a seductively.

"You coming to visit me tomorrow?" he asked changing the subject.

I just busted out laughing.

"What are you laughing for?" he asked, but I didn't answer 'cause I was still laughing. After a minute I stopped laughing.

"Yeah I'm coming tomorrow." I responded in uneven breaths.

"You bringing Bria?"

"Uh-uh" I said shaking my head eventhough he couldn't see me.

We talked for a few more hours before I hung up.