"Ayo Landon! Landon!" I put my pillow over my head trying to tune out whoever was calling my name. "What the fuck." I mumbled to myself. A knock came through on my door, "nigga, get up!" I sucked my teeth as I yelled back. "What the fuck you want man?" I heard the door open, making me regret not locking it. I looked up seeing Jodie and Jason at the door, what the fuck was this nigga in my room for like we didn't just go head to head two days ago?

"Jason want to talk to you." Jodie said pointing towards Jason. I grabbed my phone to check the time, 10:32am, I couldn't complain about it being early as fuck, but shit it was early enough. "And this couldn't wait til noon?" I questioned with clear disdain.

"I'm leaving soon." Jason said. "And I feel this needs to be addressed before I go."

I ran my hands over my face as I started to get out the bed. "Well shit, let a nigga piss and brush his teeth first. Damn." I made it clear I was annoyed, I didn't like being woken up as it is, but being woken up for someone I don't even fuck with was further annoying.

Once I finished my morning business I walked back into my room as Jason stood inside my room by the door. I went back over to my bed taking a seat on it as I crossed my arms, "what's up?" I questioned.

He cleared his throat, "I know you ain't a fan of me, and I really ain't a fan of you." As if I gave a fuck. "But we have a common factor and us not getting along is going to stress her the fuck out and that's the last thing I'm trying to do."

"Nigga, we don't have to speak. Problem solved."

He chuckled, "realistically, you have to grow the fuck up man –"

"Don't tell me what the fuck I got to do."

"See, that's your problem. You always ready to go the fuck off. Like chill the fuck out. Can you have a regular ass conversation? I'm in her life. You the father of her child. We need to at least be able to be cordial. I don't plan on going nowhere and clearly you don't either."

"You damn right, that's my fucking child."

"Yo, I'm not trying to play daddy to your fucking child! But me dealing with her involves your child. You took me saying I was going to be there as I was trying to replace you. That's not what I fucking said. I have a fucking daughter man," he hit his chest, emphasizing the shit. "I feel you, I get where the shit is coming from. The mother of my child got a man but I'm man enough and was grown enough to be able to sit down with that nigga and hash shit out. It's not going to make for a happy home nowhere if we can't be cordial."

I nodded my head as my text tone went off. I turned around, checking it. Seeing that it was Aria. I opened the message and read it as she reminded me she has a doctor's appointment at twelve. I let her know I'd be there and then locked my phone as I put my eyes back on Jason. "You done?" I questioned. I knew he was saying some valid shit but I didn't like this nigga, the other day I was deadbeat but now he didn't say that? He was full of shit and I couldn't truly imagine Aria getting serious with this lame ass nigga.

He shook his head, chuckling with his head down. "You young minded as hell."

"Gon' head with the disrespect, you in my house now. Aria ain't here, I'll beat your ass."

"Nigga, I'm trying to hash shit out with you. Build a bridge, get over this shit. What's your problem? This shit clearly deeper than me."

"Who is you? Dr. Phil? Iyanla? Get the fuck outta here with that shit. I'm good. You don't want no beef? Cool, then it's no beef. Just don't come out your neck sideways at me. We ain't got no reason to talk. That's all I'm saying, as far as I'm concerned the only person I need to communicate with concerning my child is her mother."

He crossed his arms as he shook his head again. "I might be moving here, we looking at places to get together cause once the baby get here that apartment with roommates shit ain't gon' hit it. So I came to you man to man so we could deal with this shit cause I'm going to be around a lot more than you think."

What the fuck? They been dating all of a fucking month and she already trying to move in with this nigga? With my child?

I stood up, matching his height. Refusing to let the nigga get a reaction out of me, I know he lowkey wanted that shit, he knew I didn't know anything about it. But I wasn't about to give him what he wanted. I nodded, stroking my chin. "Bet, nice to know. Like I said, I'll handle shit with Aria. You can go, she has a doctor's appointment I need to get to."

He looked at me, eyes squinted like he was trying to figure me out. "I hope you grow up before that child get here." He said lowly with a shake of his head as he walked out my room. I bit my tongue and ignored his little comment as I started to get myself together.

———

We sat in the lobby as we waited for Aria's name to be called, there wasn't much talking going on between us. We hadn't really got to talk about what went down at her apartment since Jason had been staying with her. I was zoned in on her as she was flipping through a baby magazine.

I reached over taking the magazine out of her hand, making her look at me. "Why you do that?" She questioned as she reached for the magazine. I moved it to the other side of me. "We need to talk."

"You moving in with Jason?" I questioned getting straight to what I wanted to know. She rolled her eyes then looked back at me. "He was talking about moving here, and we looked at a couple of places online, so no I wouldn't say I was moving in with him."

This man just lied to lie. I chuckled, "how long you been with this nigga?" She pushed her hair off of her shoulders, "honestly, we kind of started talking again when I found out I was pregnant. I went home and ran into him and yeah." She finished with a shrug.

"So when you were mad about me fucking Casey you were dealing with him?" I questioned trying to make sense of it all.

She let out a deep sigh, "no, at that point we were just catching up. But once you fucked Casey as I goodbye I had no reason not to explore shit with him, he ended up calling me that night and it took off from there."

I nodded as I took my eyes off of her, that shit lowkey blew me. "So you never were really going to give it a shot with me. You had this nigga in your back pocket."

"No, I actually considered it Landon. But like I just said that fucking as a goodbye shit, a bitch answering your phone, you weren't proving that it was worth trying to go down that road. And remind you, our situation has been messy from the start. I got pregnant off of a bet Landon, like I legit was going to try and make it work with the same nigga who literally only fucked me for cash."

Here we go again with this shit, "you ain't let that shit go, that's why the shit couldn't work. Be real."

She laughed as she shook her head, "Landon it's like you have to find something else to put the blame on. You aren't used to the word no and that's clear. Yes, I think about that shit. But no, that's not why. Like who doesn't want to make it work with their father's child? Like part of me still wants to make it work, but we can't force that shit and I refuse to deal with the bullshit that comes with you."

"Aria, you never even gave the shit a real try. You threw the towel in quick as fuck. Like you only gave me half of you. But it was easy as hell for you to give yourself fully to this nigga. I don't get that shit."

"And I don't see how you don't get it. Look at what you did to me. Like you really can't see how fucked up you are?"

"Aria Stills!" one of the nurses called holding the door open with a chart in her hand. Aria quickly stood up bringing the conversation to a halt. I got up following behind her, but this conversation wasn't over though.

Once they took her weight and settled us into a room we got right back to the conversation, "so you really serious with this nigga?" I asked.

She chuckled as she put her head back on the chair that she was on, "Landon! Can we not right now?"

"No, we need to Aria. This nigga came to my place trying to hash shit out cause he's going to be around my child a lot more than I think." I mocked.

She turned quickly, looking at me. "He did what?"

I nodded my head, "you heard what I said. So I want to know this shit now. I don't want no connection to that nigga, I don't want my child around him either."

She rolled her eyes. "He's not that bad."

"I don't give a fuck about that Aria. I'm not about to be buddy buddy with a nigga who with the girl of my dreams. With a nigga who in the position I'm trying to be in."

The doctor walked in before she could respond, getting straight to it, going through the motions of everything, asking all the same questions and shit.

"We're getting closer and closer, you ready?" she asked looking at me.

I smiled, "nervous, but yeah."

"You'll be great!" she said with a big smile. "Okay Ms. Stills, I'm going to check your cervix, so lean back for me." Aria did as she was told as I went and stood beside her, "oh wow, looks like you're already one centimeter dilated."

"Is that good or bad?" I asked.

"Neither, she's thirty weeks, most women don't start dilating until about thirty-two but she's only two weeks off so it's okay. Some women dilate before that, some don't dilate until late. Every women is different."

I looked at Aria as she gave me a small smile, she always got on me about how I acted in the doctor's office but I didn't understand none of this shit so I was always on edge about it. I just wanted to make sure her and the baby would be good.

The doctor finished up and then left, telling Aria to book her next appointment at check out.

"Dropping the previous conversation." Aria started with a serious look. "My mom's coming down today." she said as she turned facing the opposite direction as she redressed herself. I decided to drop the previous conversation for now and focus on this one.

I'd talked to her mom on the phone before, even seen her on FaceTime but we'd yet to meet in person. "oh yeah?" I responded, figuring this would probably be the time I actually met her.

She nodded her head as she pulled her jeans back on. "You need to meet her."

"I know," I said as I crossed my arms eyeing her body as I looked her up and down.

"So," she began as she flipped her hair back and turned back around to face me. "Be at my place at five. She's getting here at like 5:30 and I want you there before."

I nodded my head, "cool, we doing dinner or just kicking it at your place?"

She shrugged, "we can do dinner." I was satisfied with that, my plan was to win mama over.

———

"Which name?" Aria compiled a list of names setting the paper in my lap as soon as I took a seat on her couch. I laughed, "you're serious." She had been on me about picking a name.

She stood in front of me with her arms crossed, stomach poking out. "Yes Landon, in two weeks I'll be eight months and both baby showers are next month. I'd like to have a name on the cake. I'm about to just choose it myself if you don't stop being so difficult."

She had a point, her family was throwing her a baby shower as well as mine, we were getting so close to baby Powers coming so it was time we figured this shit out. I was picky as hell though. My baby needed to have a fly ass name, but simple all in the same.

I looked over the list, saying no to each one in my head until I got to Ava and Laila. "I like these two." I pointed to them so she knew which ones I was talking about.

"Okay, so let's narrow it down to one. I like Ava" she said as she took a seat beside me.

"But I like that Laila starts with a L like my name."

She rolled her eyes, "well Ava starts with an A, like my name. And I had to carry her for nine months so I think we should go with Ava" she smiled, one of those fake smiles.

I laughed, "whatever, Ava's fine. She getting my last name anyways."

"Exactly!" she started, "she doesn't need your initials." I was thankful Aria didn't fight me on the last name, knowing she had reason to if she wanted to.

There was a knock on the door causing both of us to look that way, "we'll figure out the middle name later," she said as she got up, heading to the door. I stood up, a little nervous to meet her moms, but not too nervous. I did good with parents and we'd already had a few conversations. She walked in and quickly hugged Aria, all smiles on her face, looking like a slightly older Aria. "Landon," she had a smile on her face as she walked my way.

"The beautiful Mrs. Williams." I said as I went in to hug her, meeting her half way. She pulled back, looking me over. "Tall, dark, and handsome, he's cuter in person Aria."

I laughed, appreciative of the compliment as Aria rolled her eyes with a straight face, "please stop" she demanded as she made her way to her room." We decided to go out to eat so I figured she was going to get her shoes.

"Let's talk before we go." Her mother insisted as she walked towards the balcony after setting her bag by the couch. I knew this part way coming but she played no games getting straight to it. I expected this at dinner, not right now.

I opened the balcony door for her as she stepped out and I followed before closing it back.

"You ready for this baby?" she asked, facing me as soon as I finished closing the door. I nodded my head, "yes ma'am, I have to be."

"Don't have my daughter do this alone." She demanded with all seriousness on her face.

"I won't." I answered honestly.

She just looked at me for a second, looking me over. "I like you Landon, from the few conversations we've had and the vibes I've gotten thus far, I like you so please don't give me a reason not to. That girl in there," she pointed towards the apartment. "I don't play about her."

"I completely understand." It was clear Aria didn't tell her mom about the situation fully, or her mother was real forgiving. Either way I wasn't about to question it.

"Now what I'm about to say next, I want this conversation to stay between us." I nodded letting her know it would.

"Now I know Aria's with Jason, I'm just curious on why you two didn't want to be together. She hates when I bring it up and I know I'm being nosey right now but shit, I want to know."

I chucked lightly as I licked my lips, "well ma," I started, "I'd love to be with your daughter. But it isn't reciprocated."

She looked at me like she reading me, "well did you do something?" She asked. That I wasn't prepared for and a clear indication that Aria indeed did not tell her mother about our situation which I was thankful for.

"Umm," I ran my hand across my cheek. "I could've been a better man." I answered. She crossed her arms, "once someone hurts her it's hard for her to open back up." That I was easily seeing.

"If you mean it, prove it. Stay consistent and don't do anything to make her second guess you. She has a man though so I'm speaking hypothetically of course." She gave a little wink. "I love Jason to death," she continued in a much lower tone. I could've went without hearing that. "But that baby mama of his?" She shook her head no. "I don't want my child in no parts of that." I chuckled lightly.

Just as she finished the statement Aria slid the door open. "Let's go! I'm hungry! You two have talked long enough." Just as quick as she said it she was walking towards the door to leave the apartment.

She looked back at me once Aria had walked away again and finished what she had to say. "And that's not to say you're the guy for her because I don't know all the history and I'm just getting to know you. But if you're serious it just sounds like you got some growing up to do. So grow up and man up. But don't do it just for her, do it for you and my grand baby who needs it."

I nodded my head, soaking in everything she just said. "Thank you ma, seriously."

She smiled, pulling me in to hug her as Aria yelled for us to come on again. I laughed, "let's feed that girl." She said as she released me. We both made our way in meeting Aria at the door.

Knowing Aria's mom was lowkey rooting for me gave me some hope, but all in all I was realizing I would have to completely change my approach. I needed to take a step back, from what her mama said, Aria said and even her lame ass nigga - they all told me something I needed to hear, even if I didn't want to hear it.