Santiago

I ring the doorbell and waited for her to answer the door. Her car was out front so I know she's home.

"Hey",eb said opening the door a little.

"Sup",I said.

"Idk. Your on my porch."

"You gonna let me in or what?",I asked her.

She sucked her teeth at me and let me in. Her home was extremely cold.

"You ain't pay the electric bill or something? It's freezing in here."

"You gonna give me money for it?",she spat. I smirked at her and reached in my wallet.

"How much is it?",I asked her.

"I don't need nothing from you."

"Consider it a favor for favor."

She crossed her arms and looked at me.

"What's the favor?"

I looked at her belly and she was showing a lil bit. Ebony's frame was real petite so it's obvious that she was pregnant and showing.

"Help me pick out a ring for Khia."

"Ok so let me get this straight. You come here after months of me calling y'all trying to apologize and shxt, you put me out your house and left me stranded and now you expect me to help you? F... no."

"Eb let's not forgot what you did to Khia. I opened that door for y'all to be friends again and you shxtted on it. Take responsibility for your own actions. You caused a reaction out of us."

"I just want to apologize to her."

"I'm not gonna let you near her eb so forget about it."

I took $300 out of my wallet and placed it on her living room table.

"Fam don't do fam dirty. We look out for each other",I said and left her in her house lookin stupid.

"Wait",she yelled after me. I turned around and waited for what she had to say.

"Let me change. I'll be out in a second",she said. I opened the car door and started the engine while waiting on her to get ready. I turned the heater on just in case she was cold. When I seen her coming, I got out and opened the car door for her to get in. My father raised me that way so i wasn't gonna let her open it on her own.

"So where are you going?"

"This store at the mall called diamonds a dozen."

"Sounds expensive."

"Khia is an expensive girl."

"But it's just a engagement ring."

"I want her to be proud to show that ring to her friends when she says she's engaged."

"Your a good man",she said. I glanced at her and she seemed sad.

"You told him?",I asked her.

"Yeah."

"He claimed it?"

"No."

"Damn. What kind a man don't own up to his child?"

"The type of man that khia's been dating."

"If khia's been telling you all this about this man, why you still went back and date him."

"There's always three sides to the story. Her side, his side, and the truth."

"Not a smart move eb",I said shaking my head while driving on the freeway.

"I'm getting a abortion."

"Is this something you want to do?"

"No but I don't have the support I need to carry this child. I don't have family here, trey isn't claiming my child, I gotta work. I'm too young for this."

"You has family, you blew that up",I reminded her.

"Yeah and you won't ever let me forget it."

"Nope",I said causing her to chuckle.

"Whatever you decide, I support it though."

"Thanks",she said smiling at me.

Khia

Every time I look at this ring it makes me sad because I'm one step closer to marrying Santiago and I'm not even on good terms with my mother. If the wedding were to happen today, I wouldn't know whether to invite her to walk me or not. I didn't want to be at odds with my mother for the sake of the family I'm trying to build in the future. I looked at the clock and opened my book to take this open book quiz online. I needed to focus my energy on that instead of things in the future that may or may not come to pass.

Santiago

I got the perfect ring for Khia and I was feeling real anxious and happy. After dropping eb home, I took a detour and ended up on khia's mom's front porch. Luckily her car was parked out front. This could either end good or bad. I had every reason to dip right now because her mother don't like me. That was reason enough. Khia and her mother had to restore this relationship between them soon but while I'm here, ima do my part. This conversation could go left, and if it does, it'll be the last time I'll try. Everything khia's mother said was indirectly to me. But she never said it to my face so maybe I could get it out of her and face the truth of what she thinks of me. Hopping out the car, I tied my shoelaces and buttoned up my collar shirt. I took a deep breath and ring her doorbell.

It took her a minute but she eventually answered.

"Santiago?",she said opening the door and looking behind me. I guess she thought I came with Khia for a round 2 but that's not what I came here for. I felt my back pocket for the ring and it was there.

"Hey Ms. Kim. How are you?",I said initiating conversation.

"I'm alright. How are you? Please have a seat",she said.

"I'm good thank you",I answered sitting down.

"Do you want something to drink? Eat?"

That's what I loved about her mother, she's always ready to offer whatever she had to visitors. I declined her offer this time only because I don't want to be distracted from the real reason I came here.

"So what brings you by?"

"The last time Khia was here so shared some things you said to her about me. I just wanted to hear from you myself."

"Majority of the things I said weren't altered. I did say that I don't think your good enough to be with my daughter to make a long story short",she said looking at me.

"And with all due respect, why do you think that Ms. Kim?",I asked her.

"I mean times have changed. And so have you. The young man I welcomed into my home 6 months ago isn't the same one sitting here before me. You murdered her father, you moved her away from me, your in and out of jail. You have about 5 mugshots Santiago."

I raised my eyebrow cause I ain't think she was gonna go into my whole background and throw it at my face like that. She bold.

"What happened to that lovable church boy she was dating?",she continued grilling me. I let her talk cause I had a whole speech for her after she was done.

"Ms. Kim, I am the same lovable guy from church. I go to church faithfully. I'm the one forcing Khia to come here to fix the relationship you guys had lost. Because I know how much family means to me especially if you are going to be a part of mine. Yes, I've been in and out of jail. Yes, I murdered your ex husband and yes I moved her out of this town but everything I do is for the safety of Khia. I'm not sure what you heard out here in the streets, but hear the real story from me. I came to Ebony's house and found your daughter up under her father with a knife next to her throat. Yea I could've called higher authorities but by the time they'd get there, I'd be burying my girlfriend six feet under and you'd be burying your daughter six feet under and i refuse to let that be our future. So I shot him. It was the only decision I could've made at the time. Yea, I've been in and out of jail for her ex trey who keeps trying to insert himself into our lives. And from what Khia has told me, you wasn't a fan of his and neither am I. The reason I moved Khia out of this city, is because she wasn't safe. A month ago she got jumped by a bunch of thugs and had a black eye just by walking to ebony house. Everything im doing is to protect her & keep her safe because I don't know about you but i can't afford to lose Khia. Everything you've questioned me about, I've answered so is there any other reasons why you don't like me Ms. Kim?",I said. She was quiet.

"Ms. Kim, I'm a very easy person to come to. If you have any questions about my character? Or what your hearing? Just call me. I won't decline your call because I respect you. Your like a mother to me and I highly respect my mother."

"Aww Stop it",she said smiling a little.

"Ms. Kim I didn't come here to argue with you or give you another reason to hate me. Your approval means so much to me because without it, I can't do this",I said pulling out the all black small box.

She jerked back and put her hands to her mouth in surprise. I opened it and let the diamonds speak for themselves.

"Ms. Kim may I have your blessings to marry your daughter?"

"Yes yes",she said smiling and ran up to hug me. I received her hug and my heart was warm. Everything was starting to fall into place and I felt God was on my side with this one. Her mom looked at me and tears of joy filled her eyes. She hugged me again and I felt her genuine love.