First Position | Kehlani

36.

Kehlani.

"Come eat dinner boys." I told Calvin and Charlie.

We recently took Charlie to the doctor for his loss of hearing. They provided him a hearing aid so he's able to hear us now. They dropped their toys and ran to the kitchen, sitting in their seats.

They were actual good boys and had manners. I'm not gonna lie, I enjoy having them here and I'm sure they're glad to be here. Karrueche has even started to open up more to them.

I sat down on the couch scrolling through my phone when I hear laughter. Keys hit the door as it's unlocked and Kae walks in with some nigga.

"You're still stupid." Kae laughed closing the door behind him.

I made eye contact with him and he licks his lips slyly. I squinted my eyes at him and shook my head.

"Who's this?"

"Babe, this is my best friend Erik. Erik this is my soon to be wife Kehlani." Karrueche smiled widely at the two of us.

"It's nice to finally meet you. I've heard good things about you." He walked up to me and extended his hand for me to shake.

"I wish I could say the same." I ignore his gesture and get up to go check on the boys.

"Oh this is Calvin and Charlie who I was telling you about."

When it came to dudes near me who I don't know, I felt uncomfortable. It made me weary and I hated I felt that way because not all dudes are bad. I should've told Karrueche but it's her best friend, who I'm guessing she hasn't seen in a while.

"Wassup boys? Y'all like basketball?" Erik asked them as I cleaned up their mess.

"Yeah. It's our favorite sport." Calvin answered.

Erik smirks. "Think y'all can beat me?"

"Heck yeah!"

"Is it cool if we hoop outside?" Erik looked at Karrueche then at me.

"Yeah sure. Please be careful boys." I warned them as they nodded and ran behind Erik.

I looked over at Kae who was staring at me, I shook my head.

"Baby what's wrong?"

"Nothing Kae, I'm just tired. I'm trying to enroll the boys for school." I threw the kitchen towel in the sink and leaned against it.

She smirked and tip toed to me as I bit my lip from smiling. She wrapped her arms around my neck and poked her bottom lip out.

"Keh we have time to all of that. You're doing the best you can and now it's time to take a break."

I nodded and wrapped my arms around her waist. I laid my chin on her shoulder and sighed heavily. I was so worked up on making sure the boys were perfect until their mom could get them. I wanted to show them that their lives could get better and I wanted to be the reason for it.

"I love you." I mumbled, kissing the side of her face.

I could hear the smile in her voice. "I love you more babe."

"Lani, lani! We just beat him in basketball!" Calvin said excitedly as he ran in with Charlie.

I squatted down to their height and held my hand out as they high five it. "Good job, boys."

"Hey Kae, I gotta go. It was nice meeting you guys." Erik waved goodbye to us. "I want a rematch when I see y'all. I let y'all win."

Calvin rolled his eyes. "Yeah, suuuree."

Karrueche shook her head laughing as she walked towards Erik. I figured she was walking him out so I gave the boys something to drink.

"Okay let's get washed up and ready for bed."

—

It was Dylan, Jurnee, Kae, and I chilling in the backyard. We decided to have a few drinks—well everyone but Jurnee— and just talk. We've all been busy lately so we haven't kept up with each other in a minute.

"So how's everything going Dyl?"

He shrugged as he sipped from his beer. "Everything is going. The doctors said the tumor is small for now and they wanna schedule an appointment for surgery."

"That's great, right?" I asked.

Jurnee sighed, laying against his chest. "But this will be a serious surgery. He could possibly die if they don't get it out in time."

"What do you mean in time?"

"I don't know if I wanna go through with it." He stressed.

"Dylan, you need this surgery. This will make it all go away. Of course you waiting isn't gonna make it any better." I tried to reason with him.

"Keh, you don't get it. If I get this surgery for no reason, I'mma be hurt. The surgery could make it worst causing more tumors to pop up. I don't see the point in that."

"Bullshit. You really gon skip over something that could make you better? Oh well if it's 50/50, you gotta try. I'm not bouta sit here and act like everything is okay." I felt myself getting angry at the subject.

He shrugged. "Everything isn't okay and you just gon have to accept that."

I chuckled to myself feeling Kae rub my back. "Nah I'm not sticking my ass around for this shit. Goodnight."

"Kehlani, no." Kae held onto my shirt before I could get up.

"No? Baby I'm not listening to shit Dylan's saying. He's talking out his ass."

"Bruh fuck you. You want everything to be perfect knowing damn well, we not even perfect."

"Babe chill out." Jurnee spoke.

"You don't know how it feels thinking of if you're gonna wake up the next morning. I could be gone before my baby is born but I'm talking out my ass. The world doesn't revolve around you, Keh. We grown enough to make our own decisions and this is mine. Let's go Jurnee." Dylan tapped her thigh making her get up with a frown.

"Bye guys." She mumbled walking off with Dylan.

I got up and went back in the house with Karrueche on my ass. I knew I was about to hear her mouth just by the look she was giving me.

"Whatchu gotta say Kae? I'm wrong?"

Kae sat on the bed, nodding. "Of course you're wrong babe. It's his decision, whether you like it or not."

"Dylan has been my nigga since we was kids. You think I wanna lose him?"

"Nobody is saying that. We know how much he means to you but this is his life. You can only do so much by accepting his choice and letting it go."

"Baby-"

"Let it go, Kehlani." Kae warned.

I smacked my lips and continued getting ready for bed. I slide onto my side and got under the covers while Kae tangled her legs with mine. I kissed her forehead and played in her hair.

"Trust the process baby. I promise you everything will be okay."

"I hear you."

The room became silent until Kae's light snores. I held her closer to me before falling asleep myself.