A/N

Enjoy. Sumn light.

💛

"You packing?" Erica asked knocking on the door to get Lay's attention since it was open. They were leaving on the 22nd which was tomorrow. Lay was coming home from Belize, just to get right back on a plane on the 23rd to go to Disney World for four days. Thankfully the girls were granted free days for the last three days that they were at the retreat.

"Yes ma'am. I'm almost done, you finished?" Lay asked sitting down on the bed out of breath. She had been meaning to talk to Erica and depending on how that went, add Samaria to the conversation.

"Mhm, back to my boring ole life. I bet you're excited huh? You got life going on." Chalynn sighed looking at Erica who had a certain look on her face.

"Why do you do that?" Lay simply asked, she just wanted to dig deeper into Erica's life. It seemed as though she hadn't learned a thing while being at this retreat.

"What?" Erica asked cluelessly, she didn't see a problem with anything she had said or done.

"Tear yourself down. Be homophobic, you say little comments that seem ill-mannered. I don't want a friend like that, but I do want you as a friend because I see your potential. Why do you do that?" Lay out her serious face on, God had been speaking to her about Erica. She was nothing like Bria, spiritually.

"I-I don't know. I'm so used to people tearing me down that I do it myself before anybody else can. When I was a child I was molested by my aunt, so now when I see gays or lesbians or anything like that it triggers me. Growing up I had to kind of push my way into friendships to be liked or I had to seem like I had it all made even when I don't. I see you and Sam and instantly get jealous because I've never had a friendship like that before. When you came up to me, and you finally opened up about who your baby dad was, it made me feel like I had to over-present myself. I don't mean any harm." Erica was currently crying, and Lay could tell that was one of the first times she's probably opened up to somebody like that before.

Samaria who was standing at the doorway walked inside and hugged Erica the best that she could.

"Wow. Thank you for opening up like that Erica. I was raped several times so I know exactly how traumatizing that is. My little sister is gay and I took complete offense to your remarks and facial expressions because not every man or lesbian is a molester or rapist. Your trauma is very real and if you don't agree with the LGBTQ community that's valid but I won't accept any derogatory name-calling or slander. All we wanted from you was you pooh. We never wanted you to go over the top or try to fit in with what you think our images are. You see how Sam and I are just goofy as hell, we eat, we talk our shit, and love each other through mistakes. I came up to you for a reason and you still have healing to do, shit we all do and I know I'm willing to love and help you through it but I can't do that if you present your false self." Lay laid it out completely on the table for Erica who had her head on Samaria's chest as she rubbed her hair.

"I'm sorry Erica. I never gave you a real chance because I was too busy trying to compete for Lay's attention but it's clear that she has more than enough love to go around. When I was in school I was bullied by girls like you, that always thought they were better than everybody or had to one-up the next girl. That triggered me as well and caused me to shut you down immediately and I apologize for that. I'm here to help as well, as long as you'll still have me?" Sam started scooting over to the couch with Erica so they could sit down.

Sam was all for Erica opening up but something still seemed off about her. She noticed how receptive Lay was to her apology so she shook her thoughts to the side. However, she wasn't going to just dismiss her intuition completely.

"Both of yall's words mean so much to me. I accept your apology, Sam, as long as you guys accept mine. Group hug?" Erica said wiping her face, Lay huffed as she struggled to stand up. 21 weeks was taking a toll on her. They all group hugged and talked about things a little bit more.

"Y'all wanna slide tomorrow? We're having a welcome home party for me, I can send the location." Sam asked, now that they were all cool Sam wanted to see how Erica was going to act outside of the retreat.

"You know we down. I'll be there after I stop by Key's family thing." Lay stated going back to fill up her suitcase.

"You think that's a good idea?" Samaria asked helping Lay pack her belongings.

"What better way to see if I've gotten over him than to jump right back into it? However, my sister and lil girl will be there though so it should be fine!" Lay had her worries about seeing Key and Aubree together during the holidays. She felt confident enough to go through with it but she didn't want to psych herself out.

"Make sure you go off on everybody. If you don't I will. Nobody showed up to see you, like literally nobody! No more nice shit. Big Lay. Boss Lay, everybody needs to follow what you say. No more everybody running over you!" Samaria started crossing her arms over her chest.

"What do you suggest I do?" Lay asked, she was always open to ideas to make herself better and stand her ground. Erica sat back and listened to the conversation, while they were all cool now. Lay didn't know if she wanted her to hear.

"First, since Marlee and Key, from what you've told me are always at his people's beck and call but whenever you need something they aren't there. You need to make yourself unavailable to them. Marlee needs to either start chipping in around the house or go live with him and his people. Eli is not yours and I think you should sign your rights away. As far as your baby dad goes. You are not his therapist, you all do not need to communicate outside of your baby." Sam watched Lay's face to see if it would change but it didn't. It was relaxed with no sign of distress.

"I know but that's my baby. Maybe that's why it hurt so bad that not even she showed up ya know? I'll talk with her and let her know how I'm feeling and if nothing changes from there then I'll have to put my foot down. As far as Key, I still want a relationship with him." Lay twisted her mouth to the side.

"Aht aht. What do you mean relationship?" Sam looked at her suspiciously.

"Like a friendship .. we're going to have to be around each other. Maybe one day we can be friends. I wanna be cool with his girlfriend too, I mean she's going to be around my son or daughter so why not." She shrugged her shoulders.

"You better than me 'cause right when he left you, told you to abort it and slept with her the next day. I would've killed her." Erica agreed with Samaria.

"My beef isn't with her. It's with Key, plus she's nice. She didn't owe me any loyalty, I'm not going after her. I just want him to show the same courtesy when Dorian starts breaking my back!" Lay laughed and Samaria decided to switch the subject.

"Are you going to ask him about the no-sex thing? I mean it's not like the baby is just roaming free. They're in a little sack of fluid." Lay looked at Samaria caught off guard.

"We might have a little while before we have sex. I mean, I'm trying to go as slow as I can with Dorian but he makes it hard cause he's so fine. I would just feel bad about sleeping with him. You don't think it's nasty to sleep with another man while pregnant?" Chalynn chewed the inside of her cheek.

"Hell Nah. Why can men go around and sleep with other people but women can't? As long as both of ya'll are clean and it's consensual. I don't see the problem and it's not like you fucking a whole lot of people." Erica butted in, she was all for sex.

"I agree. I very much agree." Samaria spoke, and for the first time, Erica said something that made sense to her.

"Okay, I think I'll talk to him when we go to the Grizzlies game after Christmas." Lay sighed, she stopped packing because she got tired.

"Grizzlies game?" Erica asked raising her eyebrow.

"Yeah, I got him courtside tickets for Christmas," Chalynn said nonchalantly, she had bought them when they first met but now she was still going to give them to him just because it would be a good time for them to talk.

"Shiit, I know my baby shower gift gone be nice as hell!" Sam joked, "But nah, I'm excited about that push gift!" She stuck her tongue out.

"I need one of them. I might just ask his ass too! I need a car or a house." Lay giggled, but she was for real. After the trauma, she has gone through during this pregnancy it was the least he could do.

"We should get each other something nice too!" Erica suggested and the girls agreed, it would be cute if they all honored each other in some kind of way.

Key walked up to the white door of the familiar home in Memphis. He had one of the homeboys do some research for him so that he could see where Brittany's ass was. He had sold drugs to this house multiple times back in the day.

Junkies hung out in the front with needles hanging out their arms. It most certainly looked like the walking dead.

"Sup' Key? What are you doing 'round here?" Bryson asked walking out of the house and onto the porch.

He tried to size Key up but that didn't scare him.

"Looking for Brittany. She needs to come to get her lil girl. She not mine." Key shrugged, his Glock in his waistband was easily reachable.

Bryson was so grimey Key wanted to take his head off his shoulders right damn now but he was going to pick his battles.

"Yeah. I heard that. How's spook?" Bryson pulled the black and mild from the back of his ear and sparked it.

"Who the hell is that?" Key asked looking off his shoulder, wasn't any way in hell he was about to come to a crack house by himself? Snupe was in the car along with Woo.

"Chalynn, nigga. Pussy still sweet?" Bryson smirked ashing his black and mild into the grass. He watched as Key's jaw tightened up and then released as he took a deep breath.

"Watch ya mouth talm bout the mother of my child." Her vagina was none of Bryson's concern and never will be again.

"Fuck you gone do nigga?" Bryson asked stepping to Key flicking the butt of his black and mild on his Jordan's. A red laser from Snupes gun balanced on Bryson's chest.

"Stop playing wimme and go get Brittany's ass." Key took a step closer, and right when he did, Brittany came flying out the door tussling with another girl.

"It was mine you bitch! I just got it from Bry." Brittany screamed taking the baggie of crack out of the other girl's hands. The two women faced the two men as Bryson snatched them up by their collars.

"K-Key? What are you doing here?" Brittany asked scratching her arms and neck. A sadness washed over him. Her hair was tangled all over her head, she looked pale and her teeth had begun to rot as well. A foul smell came from her skin, almost like death.

"Elianna ain't mine. You were wrong for leaving her on Lay's doorstep." He adverted his eyes to the clear blue sky. His heart couldn't take looking at Britt, she was once such a beautiful girl.

"You never would've loved me without Eli." She slurred taking a jagged step toward him. Bryson raised an eyebrow, watching silently.

"I never loved you. Not the way you wanted me to and I'm sorry for that, but you need to get clean. I'll pay for it, for your daughter. Can you do that?" Key asked looking into her glossy eyes. Tears spilled out of her eyes and onto her cheeks as she nodded her head.

"Y-yes. I can." Using the back of her dirt-covered hand, she smeared it on her face. Trying to reach out to touch Key, he reluctantly allowed her to. Everything Brittany did was to keep Key close but he honestly didn't want her nor Eli.

Key didn't want kids period, so he wasn't about to take care of one that wasn't his.

"Shit I can take you today." Key pointed to his car, and Bryson looked smug at the two of them.

"She not going anywhere with you. She owes me bout 4,500 dollars nigga." Bryson stuck both his hands in his pockets.

"Hmm. Now she doesn't owe you shit. Let's go, Britt." Key tossed him a wad of money as Brittany fumbled down the stairs.

"Ayo Key?" Bryson called out. Key didn't verbally respond to him. He just nodded his head.

"Once my bitch, always mine. Remember that." Key flicked him off. One day or another, he was going to kill his ass. He just had to be smart about it, it was the wrong time to go to war with the prince of Memphis.

Bria watched Key take her sister away from the upstairs window. She still wanted that man so badly, she was running out of ideas of how to get him.

Two weeks later ⌚️

Key looked down at his watch. First, he was meeting Arnell, and then he had a meeting with Brittany at her facility.

"I haven't spoken to you since I dropped the bomb, so thanks for showing up today," Arnell stated, she looked a little out of it. Like she had been crying.

"No problem." Keeping it short and sweet, now that he had his opportunity to grow and see his wrongdoings towards Lay, he didn't want to repeat them with Aubree.

If Arnell's son wasn't his, this would be the last time she saw him. Now if he was, Key was ready to step up to the plate and make up for the lost time.

"You still mad huh?" Arnell asked looking over her first love. He didn't seem like the same boy she had fallen in love with originally. Or even the same guy from a few weeks ago when she originally told him that she may have his son.

"I just have a lot going on Arnell. Ian heard from my actual baby mom in two weeks. So I have no idea, how she or my son is doing." He said annoyed, it was easier now that Lay was gone to get over her. Ever since she officially broke everything off with him and left the country he was a little heartbroken but he knew it was needed.

They honestly needed to either be single or date other people.

"What's so special about her? Why have you never loved me, as you love her?" Nell was almost on the verge of tears but Key kept his focus on the tiled floor in the doctor's office.

"She's cut differently. Arnell be fuckin for real. You never wanted me for me. You wanted me because of what I could do for you. The bags, the clothes, the shoes, hair, and jewelry. How many times have you ever seen me cry? Held my gun in your purse risking yo whole life for me? Every time I was caught up, you were nowhere to be found. You nor Brittany and that's why neither of y'all could get shit else from me but some dick and materials." Key scuffed and out the corner of his eye he saw her raise her hard times him.

Unlike Chalynn, he didn't have any love for Arnell, and just like that she would disappear off the face of the Earth. He didn't care if Band play was her cousin or not. Noticing the look on his face she put her hand down.

"He's not yours Markeyvius." She wept silently, he chuckled standing to his feet. What was up with women lying to him about a baby?

"Figured. So on that note. This the last time you gone see me. Lose all my shit." Arnell couldn't even say anything, she just watched him walk out of the clinic.

Sighing, Key started his vehicle. Next, he was about to go see the other crazy female that tried to put a baby on him. As much as it would probably break Lay's heart to do it, he was going to request a paternity test.

"Here to see Brittany Silas." Key was hoping Brittany was still doing good because if she wasn't. He was still going to hand Elianna over to her grandparents.

"Right this way. She's been waiting for you." The receptionist led Key to the back where the visiting area was at.

"Thanks." He stated as the guard patted him down making sure he didn't have anything detrimental to Brittany's recovery.

"Markeyvius! Two more weeks and then I can go home." Brittany ran over and hugged him. She wasn't as thin as she was before. Her skin was fuller and had the color back in her cheeks

"Wow, look at you! Yep, two more weeks. Are you ready to come home? Do you wanna stay longer?" He asked trying to see where her head was at.

"Nah, I'm ready to come home. The food here sucks. Plus I miss my baby." Brittany smiled from ear to ear when she thought about Elianna.

"I'm sure she's ready to see you too. It's been a while." Key trailed off, he didn't know how to tell her that once she was out of here, he wasn't going to talk to her ever again.

"What's wrong?" She asked noticing him drift off into space.

"I just don't get why you and Arnell would lie to me." He shook his head when he thought about it. It was just going to make him even madder.

"I think it's just because we wanted to keep you around. Deep down Markeyvius, you're a good man. You lucky you found a good woman like Chalynn, cause tuh. I'm not keeping no illegitimate baby." Brittany laughed softly but Key wasn't amused.

"Me and Lay not together no more. So. Yeah."

"Mm. What did you do?" Brittany asked clasping her hands together.

"Eh. I'm not getting into that right now, I gotta go. Keep yo head up Britt." Key stood to his feet, he couldn't keep looking her in the face. Knowing she tried to pin somebody else baby on him was pissing him off more and more.

"Key wait," Brittany called out standing up and walking towards him.

"Wassup?" His jaw clenched, he didn't know how he was going to calm himself down now that Lay was gone. Now that they were officially over though, he would have to find a new outlet.

"I love you. I'm sorry for everything and thank you for helping me." Brittany grabbed his hand but he snatched it away from her.

"You're welcome." Brittany watched Key walk away, even though she loved him. The love would never be returned, especially not now.

Once he was in his car again, he was lost in thought driving down the street and that's when he saw it. A boxing club. Key immediately pulled his car over and walked into the establishment.

"How much for a private room with a punching bag?" He asked the clerk who was staring at him in awe.

"Free for you. Here's a key." He swiped the key from her hands and immediately went to find the empty room. Closing the blinds, he taped his hands up, put on some gloves, and started releasing his anger.

Relying on somebody else to take on his emotions only made him vulnerable. His therapist got paid for a reason and he couldn't be selfish like that anymore. It was time he stopped putting his problems on everybody else and dealt with them himself.