homecoming. | EDITING

twenty five

Who's side are y'all on? Justin's or Jada's? Poor Khaila 😭

Jada

I packed my little clothes in bags, tears falling down my face. I desperately wanted to admit that I wanted to stay, that I needed to stay. And most importantly, that getting custody wasn't necessary. We would be able to raise Khaila together.

But I didn't. I'm a stubborn bitch that didn't put her pride aside. Even for her daughter.

I walked downstairs and tried to get rid of the tears before I said a sad goodbye to Khaila, but I know that I failed. Khaila wasn't stupid, she knew what was going on.

"Hey, baby," I said weakly. She had tears swelled up in her eyes,"Mommy," she ran into my arms and buried her face in my shoulder. We both began to cry on each other, not acknowledging Justin right behind us.

"Mama's gonna be back to see you soon, okay?"

"Where are you going?" She asked, shaking every so often from her sobs. "I have a ... A lot of business to take care of right now," I shot a death glare at Justin. "Grown folks business?"

I chuckled lightly,"Something like that. But I'm gonna be back for you, Khaila. Real real soon. For right now, you're gonna be staying with Mr. J--- your dad."

"Okay, that's good," she looked up at Justin and smiled at him, but then frowned at me. "Why can't you stay with me and my daddy then?"

"Khaila."

"Sorry, sorry, I forgot. Grown folks business," she sighed. I pulled her into a hug and held her tight, not wanting to let go.

This would be the first night ever that we'd be separated, and it hurt me. I can't believe Justin was trying to separate me and my baby.

The little girl I'd watched and protected since she came out the womb, all by myself, is taken from me.

She's been my first priority all her life, and he's been her dad for not even a full day.

I hate the advantage rich people have on us.

We pulled back from the hug and I stood and looked at Justin. "I can't believe you're doing this," I whispered, shaking my head in disgust.

He completely ignored me,"I think you're ride's outside. You'll be hearing from my lawyers soon." He walked to his door and opened it for me. I sighed and gave one last look at Khaila, blew her a kiss and walked out the door.

***

After a drive back to his house and a lot of pressuring for me to eat something, we were sitting on Khalil's couch. "Can you tell me what happened now? Where is Khaila?"

I tried to swallow the large lump in my throat. "You have to promise to listen. The second you start hollering, I'm just gonna stop," I made sure he understood.

He nodded,"Fine."

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath,"Khaila's not yours."

He looked surprised and then hurt,"What? W-wait what do you mean she's not mine?"

"She's not your daughter."

He closed his eyes, and tears fell out of them. His fists were clenched and he was taking deep breaths. "We'll talk about that later. Go on with the story, where is she?"

"Justin gave her a DNA test and I found the results this morning. I told him off about sneaking a test on my daughter, and then after that we had some disagreements concerning Khaila. Then he kicked me out."

"And you left without her?!"

"He said that if I took her then he'd just report that she was in an unstable home with a women abuser and drugs," I blurted out, getting more upset.

"Shit," he rubbed his face with his hands,"I'm so sorry, Jada. It's all my fault." No kidding.

"Whatever. I just want to go to bed. I have to look for a good lawyer that'll take the low amount of money I got."

"Lawyer?" He furrowed his eyebrows," For what?"

"He's trying to get custody of her."

"Now that's some bullshit!" He shouted,"What the fuck is wrong with him? Can he even do that?

"It's his daughter," I said weakly,"He can do whatever he wants now."

Justin

"Hey," I crept into Khaila's new room,"Are you alright?" Since Jada was gone, I could finally tell Khaila that she could get her own bedroom and didn't have to sleep with me anymore. I took her shopping and she got whatever she wanted, needs for her bedroom and wants. Mostly wants.

After we got back we had a tea party and watched movies and played with some of the toys that she had picked out today. I know today was a confusing and difficult day for her, so I just wanted to make her happy with me.

After a pizza dinner, she told me she wanted to go to bed. Surprised, I told her okay so I gave her a quick bath and changed her into one of her new pajama sets.

Then she crawled into her Doc McStufffins™ bed set and I left her, thinking she would fall asleep.

I should've known that wouldn't be the case.

"I'm fine," she said, turning around under her cover. I heard her sniffles. "Are you sick?" I asked, sitting on the end of the bed.

"No," she admitted. "You had fun today, didn't you?"

She quickly faced me and nodded,"Yes. Thank you for all the stuff, daddy."

I smiled,"You're welcome princess. So, can you tell me what's really wrong?"

"It's just that mommy reads me a book before I go to sleep, so I won't have any bad dreams. Since she's not here, I'm scared to go to sleep." I looked around her room and mentally cursed myself. Shit, we didn't get any children's books.

I didn't know kids wanted to read. I thought they all hated reading, I know I did when I was in school.

I had a couple books in my room. Did Khaila want to hear the Bible?

"Um," I rubbed my chin. "We don't have any books, Khaila, I'm sorry. But what about if daddy sings to you?"

"Ew, no."

I chuckled,"What?"

"Boys can't sing!" She exclaimed. I laughed and shook my head,"That's not true. I can sing pretty well, actually."

She crossed her arms. "Mhm, prove it."

I asked for a song suggestion and she said she wanted me to start off with Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

I sang it and her eyes widened in awe. "Wow, daddy. You can sing."

I smiled,"Told you."

And that's how we ended our first day together. Me singing silly songs to her while she laid down and eventually fell asleep.

I guess I was a little more tired than I thought, because I woke up on Khaila's carpet the next morning.