"Just please, I wanna talk. I haven't spoken to you i-in months, Sarah." Peter said.

I sigh, shaking my head. "There's a reason for that. I'm done with you, your company, and everything. I've had enough of all of this back and forth with you."

"So that's it? You're just going to through away years of friendship because of August? Yeah, I caught his little interview with the Breakfast Club and Hot .97. Y'all dating now? You his now?" He asked.

And I frown, immediately getting upset. "You threw away our friendship when you decided to put your disgusting hands on me. And for that, you should be lucky I didn't press charges or go the media and exploit you for doing what you did."

He chuckled before clearing this throat. "Alright. I'm done. I'll see you around."

"You won't." I hung up and sighed.

I don't even know why I answered the call. It's been at least three months since I last talked to Peter and now he wants to call "to talk, to get on the right page".

No, absolutely not. I'm done with all of this. I'm finally in a place where I'm actually content with how my life is going.

My child is great. He's so beautiful and just so amazing, I can't get enough of him. His birthday is today and he's spending time with August, while I decorate my apartment. I was halfway done with everything except goodie bags and balloons when Peter called.

August and I are great. He's really been a great help when it comes to Christian and just making sure I'm alright. After leaving New Orleans, he's been by my side, praying for me, praying with me, and making sure I don't let what my "parents" get to me.

What my dad said was really harsh and I did nothing to deserve that rudeness from him and not to mention him calling my child an it.

I'm over him. I will not beg for a relationship with that man. I was fine without him and I'm still fine now.

But, my mother and my brother on the other hand were actually trying to better our relationship. My brother reached out almost every day trying to get to know Christian, August, and I. I felt that was really nice of him. He could've been like my father and disown me based off of what he had heard of me or believed what my father has filled his ear up with lies and rumors about the whole situation that happened when I was younger. I really applaud Simon for not believing what he was told.

And then there's my mother. Though she just won't put her foot down and check her husband on the lies spewing out of his mouth, she was trying. When we meet up to speak in New Orleans, she wasn't fully understanding what I was saying. She didn't know how hurt I was by her actions years ago and sorry wasn't going to fix that.

Sorry is just a word. I need action. If you're really apologetic about what you did to me, show me. And that's just what she did or what she was trying to do.

She reached out literally everyday. Making sure Christian and I were alright and asking for forgiveness.

And even though I told my mother it'll take time for me to forgive her, truth is, I forgave her years ago. I just wanted her to see how broken she left me.

When my mother left me, I was broken. I was hurt. I was so hurt by my mother's actions, I wanted to hate her. I wanted to say to hell with her, but something in me just couldn't say it. I couldn't feel that hate I wanted to feel for her. I forced myself to think of all the dirt she had done to me and still I ended up with the same results.

I couldn't hate her.

After praying and crying out to the Lord to help me, I felt as if my prayers were going unheard. Why couldn't he just make me forget her. She hurt me. She destroyed our bond, our relationship, our love. Why do I have to be the bigger person and forgive?

Because the Lord said, And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

That's why I choose to forgive my mother.

I smile slightly, wiping my face of the tears I didn't know I had in my eyes.

I wipe my face as my phone begin to ring.

"Yellow." I answered

"Ima hang up and when I call back, don't say dat stupid shit no mo'." He hung up and two seconds later called back again.

I laughed, answering the phone again. "Alsina, what I say about hanging up on me?"

"What I say bout sayin' sumn yellow?" He said in the most whitest voice I've ever heard.

"Shut up," I laughed. "Anyways, how's lunch? Is Christian being good?"

"He good. Aye, why you ain' tell me dis nigga stay hungry. He done ate a big ass hamburger, some fries, and a chili dog." He said.

I shake my head, sighing. "What did I tell you before y'all left? I said do not and I meant do not left him eat too much. And what did you do? You left him eat a big hamburger, some fries, and a stupid hot dog."

"It wasn't just a hot dog. It was a chili dog." He corrected.

I clench my jaw, "It doesn't matter, Aug. I already cooked a table full of his favorite foods. Either he's not going to eat or he's going to eat and get a stomach ache, then after that he's going to complain and whine and cry about his stomach."

"I'm sawry, baybeh."

A smile slowly starts to appear on my face. "I can't stand when you do that."

He laughed. "What I'm doin'?"

"Every single time I get on you about something, you alway deepen your voice and your accent get super thick and you know I like it." I whine, throwing my head back.

He lets out a loud hyena laugh, instantly making me roll my eyes. "You jus sayin' dat. I ain' doin' nothin ta you."

"Bye, Aug." I hang up.

As 3 o'clock came, there was a knock at the door. I rushed to go answer it already knowing it's August and Christian.

"Who is it?" I joked smiling.

"Can you please answer the door?"

It was a voice I haven't heard before and it alarmed me.

"Name?"

"Open the door, please."

"Who is it? I'm not opening it until you tell me."

"Just please."

The voice sounded so broken and vulnerable and I really wanted to know who it was.

I gulped, opening the door. I cover my mouth, regretting my decision in answering the door. I try to close it back, but the figure in front of me held it open with his foot.

"Please move. I'm so sorry." I cried, pushing harder on the door.

"No, I just wanna talk." He pushed the door open, knocking me on the ground. As the door bust open, I quickly crawled over to my phone.

He grabbed my ankle, pulling me back to him. "Stop," I lift my leg up and kick him in the chest. "Fuckin stop!"

I cried harder as he pinned me down. "I'm sorry, please get off me. Get off me!" I screamed.

"I just wanna talk, please Sarah."

"Get off me and leave. Get out of my house." I whispered.

I couldn't even scream. I was that scared. My voice gave out on me.

"Look at me."

I shake my head. "Please get off me."

"Sarah, look at me."

I lift my knee up to knee him in the middle area. He let me go, grabbing himself. I got up and tried to run into the kitchen but he quickly grabbed my ankle with his right hand.

"I said stop!" He growled into my ear.

All movement seem to have cease and I silently cry.

"Raymond, please get off me. You're hurting me." I cried.

"Just listen." He mumbled.