Page 4 of Pretty

“You wanna tell me where the fuck you been?”

“Home.”

“You a damn lie. Dani’s been in this house since she flew into town a couple of days ago. She waited for you, until I returned to town. She just left an hour ago. Now try that shit again.”

Kendra sighed and rolled her eyes. “I went to spend some time with Amonte, okay?”

“Why couldn’t you just bring him here to spend time with him?” I asked, narrowing my gaze.

Kendra had a twelve-year-old son who lived with his father because she could no longer handle him after a while.

“It was easier for us to go over there. I didn’t want to be in this big ass house alone.”

“You didn’t have to. You could’ve been there with me.”

“And I told you why I didn’t want to!” she snapped, spinning away from me.

I grabbed her by the shoulder and spun her around. I narrowed my gaze at her and got in her face. “You still fucking that nigga?”

“No!”

“Then why the fuck are you spending the night at his house?”

She exhaled deeply. “Listen, I know y’all got beef. I know that he was disrespectful as hell to you on multiple occasions over the phone, but he’s still my son’s father.”

“Right,” I replied, nodding slowly. “Kendra, make up ya mind this day who you gon’ choose—life or death. ’Cause fucking around on me with that cornball-ass nigga gon’ cost you ya life.”

“I’m tired, Drew. I’m tired of all the arguing, the mistrust, you being gone all the time.”

“I’m retiring.”

“And I’m tired.”

“So what are you saying, Kendra?”

She sighed and pulled her hands through her sew-in. “I don’t want this anymore. I don’t want us,” she declared and waved her hands around the house.

“You should’ve started with that. Should’ve said that shit before I came back to town.”

“I didn’t want to impact how you played or how you celebrated.”

I scoffed. “Since when you ever gave a shit about that?”

“I haven’t,” she remarked sassily and walked away toward the front door.

“Where the fuck you going, Kendra?”

She glared at me. “To be with my baby’s daddy.”

My fists clenched, and my jaw worked back and forth. I closed my eyes and counted slowly backward from five.

“Walk your ass out that door if you want to; don’t think you’re coming back.”

“Tuh. What you gon’ do, Drew?”

“Test me and see.”

“Whatever.” She sucked her teeth and rolled her eyes. I walked back to the nursery to find my son was awake. He stood in his crib, shaking it and smiling at me as slob dribbled down his chin.