If I have to (bwwm)

chapter 36

Back and forth. Back and forth I haven't stopped pacing since James left.     I'm just thankful he had a business to attend to after breakfast. Another hour together and my anxiety would have gotten the best of me.

I'm surprised I made through breakfast without him asking what's wrong.  Despite my leg bouncing I really didn't show any signs of nervousness.

The letter has me stressed. "Why now, why me?"  I barely heard my phone as it rang.

"Hello?" I sighed.

"We need to have a friend meeting," Ali said.

"Can't this wait until Sunday brunch?"

"No there's a lot of tension between us. We need to clear the air." She said firmly.

I didn't reply. God, why are my friends so dramatic.

"So with that being said we all will be there in twenty minutes. Okay?"

"Okay Ali whatever," I said ending the call. I didn't mean to be rude but I'm not in the mood for any more bullshit.

FLASHBACK

"So mama sia gonna live with us again?"

"Yup baby she sure is."

I was doing my favorite thing cooking with my mama. We decided to bake sia a welcome home cake.

"Mama, can I ask you something?

"Yeah baby?" she replied.

"How come Masia my sister but you didn't carry her in ya belly?"

My question was one I wanted to ask for a while. I thought my mama was gonna give some confusing answers. One that would only make me regret asking.

"Well, pumpkin Masia is like me and daddy special baby. It's a long story."

Maybe mama thought by saying that it was a long story would make me not wanna hear it. Nope, it made me more interested.

She let out a sigh and began. "Masia's "belly mama" was my best friend. She and I were friends for years. She started to date ya daddy's brother and that's how Masia came about."

"But I thought daddy didn't like his brother."

"He doesn't he'd be annoyed if he knew I mentioned him. "

I didn't know much about my uncle just that he never came around and that daddy didn't want him to.

"So what happened why didn't sia grow up with them?"

"Unfortunately baby her daddy isn't able to take care of her. "

"What about her belly mama? Your friend. What was her name?"

"Her name was Nadia she got sick and died a little while after having sia." Mama said sadly.

"So I and daddy decided to raise her. I thought I couldn't have babies. So for a while, it was me daddy and sia. Until one day my little pumpkin came about. That's when God blessed me with two amazing little girls. Y'all are my greatest gift, Masia and Morgan."

"So no matter what sia is my sister?"

"Yes, Morgan no matter what. Masia is a family. Family is what makes you whole. Promise me, baby, that no matter what happens in this life no matter what you go through. You'll always have sia is always right by your side."

"I promise mama."

"Remember baby family is all we got. Now c' mon let's finish up ya sister's welcome home cake."