"That's a little sus." Mink said with a look of astonishment.

I nodded my head in agreement. I had just told her how Jason had been acting a little weird lately, and how the last time we hung up the mother of his child was blowing up his phone and he refused to answer. Told me she was 'tripping about some bullshit.'

"I know." I sighed, "and my mother is not a fan of the girl already told me to watch it. So I don't know if it's really just her that's the problem or if Jason is what's causing her to be the problem. You know?"

Mink nodded, "oh I know. Niggas love to act like the girl is just crazy when behind the scenes they made her that way."

"But off that." I swatted, "what's been up with you?" I asked as I finished folding up some clothes.

"Girl not shit, happy that this semester is about to be over." Now that was something I agreed with, but it also reminded me that I was even closer to delivering a baby as well and that made me nervous.

"It's about to be a hot girl summer! Fuck this niggas! And fuck school!" She finished.

We were both laughing as a knock came through on my door, I looked down at my phone to check the time. "Oh yeah, Landon's coming over so we can talk. I lost track of time."

Mink stood up as I put the last shirt I folded up on top of the rest of my folded laundry. "Well let me head out so you two can talk. I need to go see a man about a horse anyways" she smirked at me as she headed towards the door.

"Oh but I thought it was a hot girl summer! Fuck these niggas remember?" I smiled.

"It is! Get that head, get that bread, then leave!" I couldn't do anything but laugh as she opened the door and greeted Landon before making her way out.

I heard him close the door as I placed my laundry back in my room. I walked out as he was taking a seat on the couch. "What's up? How are you?" He questioned as soon as he laid eyes on me. His eyes going from my face to my belly.

"Good and you?" I responded pulling his eyes back to mine. "I'm good. You look good."

I blushed a little, the compliment was unexpected, "thank you, you do too." And I was being honest, he had a fresh cut and a nice little fit on.

He smiled and leaned up, "but aye look, might as well cut to it." He looked at the watch on his wrist checking the time. "I got a little date in about an hour. But I'm going to be honest, I'm one hundred percent not down with you moving back with your moms after you have Ava." I was still stuck on the fact that he said he had a date to get to. He continued once I didn't say anything.

"I've already talked with my mom and everything and she said it's fine if you stay there. I'm not comfortable with you being an hour away with a newborn, and I'm not comfortable with the trip it's going to take to get her there, especially not when we already have support here."

"Hold on," I held my hand up. "A date?" A small smile etched on my face. He started laughing. "Yeah Aria, but that's not the conversation at hand."

"A date with who?" I questioned, I was being nosey but I was truly curious. It now mad sense why he had fallen back. In one sense I was happy, in another I felt a type of way. And for what? I couldn't tell you.

He licked his lips as he smiled again, "you don't know her. C'mon now. Let's talk about what I came over here for."

I definitely wanted to dig more but I decided I would wait and talk about the more important topic. "Okay." I let out, "I heard everything you said, but I'd feel more comfortable with my mom." I responded honestly.

He shook his head. "I'd feel more comfortable with my child here. We have to come to a compromise." I wasn't sure how we were going to compromise on this one.

He continued, "my parents place is huge, we have three extra bedrooms, your mom can stay in one. But I'm just not down for you taking her so far away so early." He finished.

"Landon, I don't even feel like this is up for debate."

He laughed as he leaned back, "I'm sorry but as far as I am concerned it most definitely is, she's mine just as much as she is yours and it's not fair to have her that far from me. Like it's not even recommended to have babies out the house that early." Oh so now he knew all the facts? I internally rolled my eyes.

"She won't be out the house, once we leave the hospital we'll head straight there."

He shook his head, "no. Stop being so selfish for once and try to see this shit from my stance."

"How am I being selfish?"

"Because all you're thinking about is you. You're not thinking about Ava, or me, or others involved like her grandparents here. You're thinking about what benefits you. My mom could give you the same help that your mom is going to give but you being selfish all you're thinking about is how you want your mom there."

"And is that wrong?"

"To want your mom there? No. To not consider others and the consequences that fall with it? Yes."

"My mom wants to see her just as much as your parents would want to." I countered.

"So your mom can come here, we live here, we made this baby here, we're raising this baby here. Like what do you mean?"

"Or you and your parents could come there! Like the fuck! Landon we aren't together. I'm not obligated to you or to raise this baby here if I don't want to." I was over this conversation.

He shook his head as his jaw tighten, "Aria I'm not trying to argue with you or do this back and forth shit." He spoke calmly. "But you know realistically it makes more sense for her to stay here. More people are here that are big factors in her life than where you're from. Like we've been talking about this for weeks now. She'll be here real soon. Be real."

I rolled my eyes, I couldn't fake as if he didn't have a point but I truly wanted my moms help. I'd be able to vent to her and talk to her and wouldn't feel like I'd have to hold anything back. Landon's mom and I didn't get off to the best start, granted we're good now I just feel like the shit would be weird. "I get where you are coming from Landon, but this is a lot that you're asking me to consider. Your parents barely like me." I knew I was being extra, because as I stated his mother and I's relationship was actually starting to flourish.

He sucked his teeth, "Aria, you know that's bullshit. It might have been a rocky start but you know my mama love the ground you walk on. I get it's a lot I'm asking, but I'm asking you to consider it, I want to be there for my child and be able to help when I can and you being an hour away is going to make that harder than it should be."

I sighed as I pushed my hair back, realizing I had no choice but to compromise, I spoke with my mom about this after he bought it up the first time and she saw no issue with it. I would just be working to get my own place sooner. "If I decide to stay with your parents I'd want you to stay as well." I emphasized 'if' and I wasn't about to be in his parents house by myself.

He smiled, "of course."

"I'll think about it." I said with a straight face. "That's all I'm asking." He responded with the smile still sitting on his face causing me to roll my eyes.

He laughed, "one more thing." He said as his smile slowly diminished. I side eyed him, "what now?"

"Jason, I don't want him about around my daughter. Me and him have to be on way better terms before that shit happens."

I laughed internally thinking of the story I was just telling Mink, "Okay."

He brought his eyebrows together, "just okay?" I nodded. "Yeah, okay."

"No fight on it?" He questioned with his eyebrows scrunched in. I shook my head no. Something with his baby mama wasn't sitting all the way right with me so I had to figure that out first.

He nodded his head, smile on face, "this conversation went well." He paused before saying something more. "Anything you want to get off your chest? Those were my main two points that I needed us to have clear before Ava got here."

I shook my head no as I picked off lint from the couch, I really didn't have anything I felt like I needed to get off my chest at the moment.

We sat there in silent for a moment, "well" he started "I'm going to head out. You need anything?"

I shook my head no again as he got up, "alright then, come lock up." I got up following him. "Have fun on your date." I spoke as he neared the door.

"Appreciate it." He responded before turning to look at me, his eyes dropped to my belly as his hands followed. He started talking my belly as he had been doing lately. And Ava responded every time to his touch and voice.

He started laughing as she started kicking and moving, he knew I couldn't stand how easily she responded to him. "What can I say? She loves her daddy." He winked before dropping his arms to leave.

***

My phone kept ringing, every time I tried to ignore it it would ring again and it was making me mad. Nothing I hated more than being woken up early, but in the middle of the night? It better have been a damn good reason. I snatched my phone and looked at it as it stopped ringing. The light damn near blinding me as I saw that I had five missed calls from Jason. My nerves built up as fear crept in at the thought of something happening to him. I quickly called back.

"Hello?" A female voice answered, a hint of attitude and frustration in her voice.

I looked down at the phone to make sure it was Jason I called. "Who is this?" I questioned automatically once I saw I indeed called Jason back.

"No, who is this?" She questioned.

"Ma'am, you called me in the wee hours. I'm sure you know who I am."

"No I don't, but I know that Jason is my man and the father of my child. And your name has been showing up quite a bit. He says he works with you but I honestly feel like it's bullshit."

I laughed, was I getting played by Jason? Was this a joke? Now I was just getting aggravated like I was woken up out of my sleep to find out I was getting played.

"Well it is bullshit indeed. Jason and I were basically dating as well. We never had sex, but definitely went on plenty of dates and everything else. Nothing work related."

She sighed, "I fucking knew it." She said lowly. "He said he was taking business trips and shit and whole time he really going to see your ass."

I felt worse for her than I did for myself, she had a child with this man and he was blatantly lying to her. It would be much easier for me to let him go. I had no baggage to him. He was trash as hell for this though, cause our parents were neighbors and we would still have to run into one another.

"Did you know about me?" She quickly asked. "Hell no." I let out. "I don't play that. He told me you had a man and were moved on. If I would have known that he had any type of dealing with you in this way I wouldn't have dealt with him."

She chuckled, "Of course he'd say that, well thank you for your honestly. But I hope you don't continue to deal with him because honestly I'm not going anywhere. We've been through hell and high waters. We take our breaks, break up, and make up. So I just want you to know."

I rolled my eyes at her stupidity. "Trust, I'm good on him. He's all yours." With that I hung up not caring about what more she had to say. I sent a text to Mink letting her know what just happened before locking my phone and drifting back to sleep.

The next morning Mink was at my house ready for me to spill all this tea meanwhile telling me she had some of her own. She came by with breakfast from IHOP which I'd been craving.

"Spill it girl, what she call you saying?" She asked as she popped a piece of bacon in her mouth.

I went back through the conversation that I had with his girlfriend as I took bites of my food in between. "Girl, that's crazy. I knew that nigga wasn't right. His ol' shady ass. Has he tried to contact you?" I shook my head no as I picked up my drink to take a sip.

"You think he knows she called?" I shrugged my shoulders, "I mean she called me from his phone so I would think so unless she deletes the call history."

"Mm, I can't wait until he hits you up."

"But what if he doesn't?"

She looked at me like I was crazy, "oh, he's going to."

I shrugged, "okay, so your tea. Spill."

"Well" she started as she got comfortable. "You might not like it, or you might not care."

"Just spill." I said as looked at my food, raking my fork over the eggs.

"So, I met Landon's little girlfriend or whatever."

I quickly looked up, "girlfriend?" So this was his girlfriend?

"Okay, so you care." I shook my head no, "no, he told me he had a date or whatever I just didn't know it was his girlfriend."

She nodded her head, "yeah, and she's actually cool Aria, I can't flex."

"Who is it? What's she look like?" I was invested now, extremely curious.

Mink smiled, "her name is Ashley, she's light skin, her hair is cut into a cute little bob, she has a bomb body, and a real nice personality. We talked for a little minute. But I mean she still don't hold a candle to you."

I rolled my eyes at her kindness before smiling. "Oh okay." I nodded as her eyes were zoned into my every move. "Are you bothered by it?" She questioned as she closed the top on her food container.

I shrugged, "I mean no and yeah. Like I just wasn't aware he was this serious with anybody. Like I just wish I could have got a heads up before today. But I honestly can't talk cause he found out about Jason by Jason." I shrugged again, it was what it was.

"No I feel you, cause just at the baby shower he told me I knew where his head and heart was and it was with you. So it is a little quick and questionable." Mink responded.

I nodded in response, "exactly. Like he hasn't been down my back as much but he still definitely been on me. But that's Landon for you." I rolled my eyes, lowkey bothered by it.

"Yeah," she began, "I definitely pulled him to the side like what the fuck? But he made a valid point Aria. He's been trying to get with you for months and you ain't been for it. I mean the nigga wasn't going to chase you forever. And especially when you were making it clear another nigga had your attention."

It was a valid point but still. "I mean, yeah but whatever." I got up, taking my food containers to the trashcan.

Mink laughed, "look, if you want him say it. But you been playing with my nigga for months. And before you say you don't want him they way you responding and your body language is making me question it."

I didn't want Landon, this was just a surprise. I looked at her like she was crazy for the comment. "I don't want Landon." I made it clear.

And I didn't. Right?