Chocolate Coated Raisin

Best Behavior

The next morning I woke up to flowers at my doorstep along with a note and a box of chocolates. Denzel was trying to make up to me for cutting me off, I see. "Can I eat some of the chocolates mommy?" Zuri said as she put my flowers in a vase with water. "Yea just one. You need to eat breakfast first" I said. I read the note as I made Zuri a bowl of cereal. "I'm sorry for everything. I hope tonight I can make it up to you." I smiled and the butterflies in my stomach returned. I hope I wasn't stupid for getting over those texts so easily. I immediately texted him.

Me: I really appreciate the flowers you sent and the chocolates. Zuri is eating the candy now! Lol

I started cooking breakfast as Zuri helped me crack the eggs. I honestly was more so upset that I didn't know why he cut me off rather than him actually cutting me off... I just wanted to know why really.

Denzel: Who is this?
Me: Really? So you deleted my number too? Lol and it's Brooke neva Broke!!!
Denzel: I ain't send you no flowers and I asked you to please stop texting me

I looked at Zuri as she stirred up the eggs. I stared over at the flowers. Who sent me this? It had to have been Denzel.. I don't talk to anyone else. "Mommy can you grab the cooking pan so I can make the eggs?" Zuri asked. Her words echoed as my heart began to pound. Xavier got life in prison.. but what if he got out early? What if he's out right now? "Mommy... I don't know how to start the stove" I hopped up when I saw Zuri starting the stove. "Sorry baby" I said. I finished breakfast and gave Zuri her plate. I picked up my cell phone and called my mom. My throat was extremely dry and my mind was racing with the many thoughts of who this strange person could be. Maybe I'm overreacting... maybe I should just calm down and relax. Xavier got life in prison, and he's not getting out for the rest of his life. ... I hung up the phone before my mom could answer. I'm not gonna worry her with this. I calmed myself down, and sat next to Zuri and watched TV.

Me: Sorry. I thought you sent them.
Denzel: I didn't. You lied to me. Why?
Me: What did I lie to you about Denzel?
Denzel: Everything.
Me: What?
Denzel: You told me your baby daddy wasn't in your life or your child's life. You told me you knew how it felt to loose someone because he was sent to jail. You don't remember saying that??
Me: Wtf?? That was all true Denzel.

He sent a screenshot.

1(918)347-2973: You talk to Brooke?
Denzel: Who is this?
1(918)347-2973: I'm Xavier. I'm just trying to find out what's going on because she's been going out late at night lately and I'm wondering why....
Denzel: She told me y'all weren't together and you were in jail and been in jail for a couple years now. I ain't with the drama so what's goin on?
1(918)347-2973- In jail? Naw nigga she lied to you. We've been together and we still are together but she's a cheating as hoe so that's what's going on
Denzel: Like I said I ain't with the drama I'm in school and I got too much going for myself so I'm good on all this
1(918)347-2973- I don't blame you

Denzel: did you get the screenshots?
Me: None of that is true. I'm not sure who that is texting you. Xavier is in jail and he's sentenced to life. I'm not lying about anything. But believe what you want to believe Denzel. I really like you but if your so easily moved by a couple text messages from a random ass person then that clearly shows me what's real....

He didn't text me back for a long time. At this point I was over the entire situation. My mother always said that right before a blessing the devil always comes in. It was obvious that the blessing was my PhD and the devil was trying to throw a bunch of distractions in my life. I deleted Denzel's number. I have a daughter I need to be focused on. I'm disgusted at myself that I've been sending her off place to place all so I could be up under him. Get yourself together Brooke. I'm so glad me and Denzel didn't have sex, all he did was give me head and I'm so glad that's all that happened. I headed back to the kitchen and read the note again. "I'm sorry for everything. I hope tonight I can make it up to you" I ripped up the note and threw it in the trash. "Where do you want to go this weekend Zuri?" I asked as I walked back over to her. She was eating her waffles and watching sponge bob. I hugged her and kissed her cheeks all over. She started giggling and nearly chocked on her food. "Mommy stop I'm eating!" She laughed uncontrollably. "Your asking me where I want to go this weekend? What's the catch?" She said. She had on her hello kitty pajamas and her hair was all over her head. "There is no catch. Just mommy making it up to you for not spending time with you lately" I said. Me and Zuri was so close and I'd always feel bad when I spend even an hour less than usual with her. "First I want to get ice cream and then I want to go swimming, and that's it" she said. "Ok well it's getting kinda chilly to be swimming, so that's out." "We can go to an inside pool though" she rolled her neck with an attitude. "Zuri that's not an option" I said. "Ok well just ice cream and we come home together and watch a movie together too" she said. "Ok perfect!" I said. She fell on my lap for another hug.

As it got later in the day, I thought it was only safe for me and Zuri to not stay at the house. Although I was over the whole flowers and note thing, I still remembered that the note said "hope I can make it up to you tonight." In case it was a crazy person or Xavier or anyone else, I just still didn't want to be at the house alone. Zuri was in the bed with me asleep. I had explained everything to Logan and as always, she was ready to fight. She was always so crunk. "I'm telling you, this is exactly how it went down. Although Xavier been in jail I'm pretty sure he's been having his homies keep an eye on you. Pretty sure he told them to watch Brooke and watch my daughter when she's born and as she grows up and whatever else. For years his homies been watching you and watching Zuri. It's common since Brooke! His homies found about this dude Denzel and probably found out who he was and his name and all that. One of his home boys texted Denzel, pretending to be Xavier so that Denzel can get mad and want nothing to do with you. The poor boy fell for it. Xavier doesn't want you dating nobody else, and he for damn sure doesn't want anyone around his daughter. Xavier is still in jail, but his homies ain't" Logan said as she flat ironed her weave in the bathroom. "That does kind of make sense" I said. "Bitch I know how niggas are. I know how they think. Even though Xavier in jail he still got his homies doing his work. Zuri is his daughter and your the mother of his child and he may not be here to watch out for you so he got his niggas doing it" she said. Everything she was saying was making sense. Why are you trying to avoid Xavier anyway?" I got up out the bed and went into the bathroom with her to pee. "I just don't want him to bring all that hood mess around me. I'm successful, I have a lot going for myself and I don't want my daughter around that. It's too dangerous. I'm finally happy, I'm finally settled and when I was with him it was nothing but mess. Police at our doorstep every night, girls wanting to fight me, I got jumped three times by some girls because of some mess he got me in and I just don't want that life all over again" I explained. "I know if he ever were to get out of jail that the first thing he's gonna want to do is see his daughter, and be in her life. I hope I don't sound stupid, but I don't want him to be. I don't want her to know that her dad is like that. Gangster and killing people and selling weed." "Maybe he's changed Brooke. I'm pretty sure getting sentenced to life would change anyone. That's his entire life he threw in the trash all due to him wanting to be big and bad" Logan said. I flushed the toilet and washed my hands, standing in the doorway still talking to Logan. "And what about the flowers? Did his home boys send me that too? And why'd the note say hope I can make it up to you tonight?" I asked Logan. She seemed to have all the answers. "Now that part I don't know" she laughed. "I wouldn't worry about it though. I'm so sure it's just his homeboys trying to watch out for you and Zuri, and Denzel as just extra baggage in the mix. If your really concerned then maybe you should call the police or something" Logan said as she finished up her hair. I climbed back into the bed and cuddled under Zuri. Logan got in the bed too. "Whatever all this is Brooke, you need to make sure you keep Zuri safe. If anything happens to my god daughter I'm killing you and I'm getting sentenced to life" Logan laughed. "What if they let Xavier free because maybe he had good behavior.. you know how sometimes they let people go early for not causing any trouble while in jail?" I said. "Girl prison isn't some preschool. They don't just let people go for being good. Sometimes they do, but not people whose  killed someone. If there's anyway he got out it's because someone bailed him out" she said. She tied down her hair with a scarf and climbed into bed.