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Twenty Eight

continuation of December, 1995/January, 1996

It was New Years Eve today, and of course I was working. Kim had been riding my ass even more within the last few months to start picking up as many shifts as I could, and honestly I really didn't take her seriously until Hailie was born, which is probably why we were fighting so much over this last little bit. I don't know why, but I just never really felt like having a baby was real, until it was real. So now I was more stressed out than ever to try and make money and especially since Kim can't work right now either. 

Kim came back to my moms about three days after Hailie was born, which meant she had also been back at my place for three days. Since we did quite literally just have a baby, we weren't gonna go out tonight as we both just wanted to be home with Hailie. However, I did know that Rufus was holding a New Years party tonight, so I told Kim I was gonna swing by there for maybe an hour after my shift ended at 8:30pm, and then I'd be home by 10pm. She agreed, but she wasn't thrilled about it. But it was only an hour, what harm could that do? I just wanted to see my friends. 

I had driven my moms car to work, so I was able to get over to Rufus' a lot faster than I would have if I had been taking the bus. I arrived a little past 8:50pm, and surprisingly there seemed to be already quite a few people here. I guess it was almost nine. I ran up the old rickety stairs to Rufus', passing a few randoms on the way in, and opened the door. Music was blaring and I was right, there was tons of people here. Some I knew, and some I didn't. I made my way through the crowd until I found Doody and Sharonda in the living room. 

"Yooo the baby daddy made it out!" Doody smiled his big smile as he dapped me up. 

I laughed. "Yeah, I ain't stayin' too long though. Kim wants me home by ten." 

He tucked his chin in, I assume outta confusion. "It's New Years! Why the fuck ya ain't stayin' 'til at least twelve?!"

"DeShaun the boy just had a baby, 'course he can't be stayin' out late." Sharonda said. 

"She's right. Kim will fuckin' lose it if I ain't back by ten." 

DeShaun groaned. "Fine. But we still hittin' up the studio this week though right?" 

I nodded. "Yeah. 'Course. We already paid for the time so we gotta go." 

"Aight good. Just checkin'." 

"Where's everybody else at?" I asked looking around the living room, not seeing anyone else from our circle except acquaintances. 

"Ahh, they're around here somewhere." DeShaun said. 

"Is Ti here?" I asked. 

Sharonda cocked an eyebrow up at me. "Why?" Her tone of voice sounded like she was suspicious of me.  

I shook my head. "I just wanna see her is all. Probably wont get to see her again before she leaves, y'know?" 

Sharonda nodded. "Last time I saw her she was goin' to the bathroom." 

"Oh, aight. I'll just wait then." 

Half an hour later I was still waiting around for Ti, so in the meanwhile I had decided to go and talk to Denaun, Ondre, and Von who me, DeShaun, and Sharonda had found in the kitchen. We were all just joking around and hanging out when I saw Ti and Devon start to make their way through the kitchen towards us. "What are you doin' here?!" Ti asked me with a drunk smile as she instinctually went in for a hug. It did surprise me a bit, considering the last time I had seen her we kinda got into a fight. But Ti's always been a happy drunk, so I guess it makes sense.