Chapter 43

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I don't even remember the drive home, I think I cried most of it.

But I made it to my father's house in one piece. I had not warned them I was coming home today, they thought I was coming home tomorrow night.

So I had the house to myself. I tossed my bag of dirty clothes in the laundry room, grabbed a bag of chips and two of my little brother's juice boxes. They didn't keep much to drink but juice boxes and alcohol in the house. This would be a perfect time to grab a sip of something, but the good angel on my shoulder screamed the loudest.

I went to my room, changed, and got into bed with my snack and pulled out my phone and scrolled through social media to see what everyone was up to. On Diallo's page, he did not mention me or dumping me but posted some cryptic message about "people showing you who they are."

Was that directed at me?

I should unfollow all of his pages, but I didn't. I wanted to be nosy and snoop. So unless he blocked me, I would continue to look at all his pictures and tweets.

My suitemates both blocked me on their pages days ago, but I didn't care. I checked out Donnell's page and that's where I was shocked. There were many with Chantell. That was shocking, considering he was seeing several girls. Maybe Chantell was right about him changing.

I was about to check for King when a call started to come through. It was my mother. Could she sense I was in town? I was not going to tell her I was home, but of course, she had to know I would come back for the holiday.

I ignored her call, but I knew she would call back.

I sighed and laid back in bed and cried myself to sleep.

I was woken up by my brother AJ jumping in bed with me.

"Rayvn! Rayvn!" The little toddler jumped up and down on my bed before falling on me, nearly knocking out my two front teeth.

"AJ, gosh!" I grabbed him in my arms and tickled him. "Thanks for waking me up. I'll remember to return the favor."

I grabbed my phone and took him and headed downstairs to see what was going on. I could not believe I was sleeping for nearly two hours. My father was home and in the kitchen and Angel was on the sofa and looked as if she was napping.

"Home early? You couldn't tell us?" my father said. He grabbed me in a hug. "Sorry! I meant to say, I missed my girl. Give your old man a break."

"Hi Daddy, nice seeing you." I kissed his cheek and looked into the pot of whatever yummy pasta he was making. I started to dig my fingers into it but he smacked my hand away.

"Come on Rave, you know better. Go take your brother and wash your hands, dinner is nearly ready."

After we washed up, I looked over my phone and saw I missed several calls and texts from my mother. Oh no!

I need more money, u better stop ignoring me

Fuck that school! you could be here working and helping pay some bills

We have nothing to eat in here, you want us to starve

Ask Angel for some money, I know she got it

Don't let me call yo deadbeat ass daddy

I wanted to cry but I held it in. My daddy looked at me staring at my phone.

"You okay Rave, baby?"

"Huh? Sure."

I had to send her more money before she involved Angel or my father.

While we ate dinner, I talked to them about how school was going, but I did not tell them about the issues with my roommates or what happened with Diallo. Until Angel asked.

"How's that cute boyfriend of yours?"

"Boyfriend!" AJ repeated as he played with his food.

At least he did not understand what that meant, and I hoped it would be years before he got his heart broken by a girlfriend, or a boyfriend, or whoever he was in a relationship with.

"When do I get to meet this boyfriend?" her father asked.

Oh no! Just like that, I wanted to cry again. I got up from the table and rushed away. I could not even keep a boyfriend for three months. Rayvn, the loser, I would be alone the rest of my life.

"Rayvn!" It was my father following me as I tried to get away to my bedroom. I made it right to my door when he stopped me. "Why are you running away from the dinner table? Can you talk to me and tell me what's going on?"

I was surprised it was my father wanting to know what was going on and not Angel. My father did not know what was going on in my life, with my breakdown while Angel visited. This had nothing to do with that. Well, not really. I felt like I was going to have another breakdown with all going on in my life.

Was this what being an adult was all about? Problems left and right?

"Daddy! I can't take it anymore!"

I broke down in tears and hugged my father.

My father squeezed me tight to him, rubbed my back, and made me feel safe. "Come on baby girl, let's go talk about it."

We went into my room and he closed the door. We went to my bed and I grabbed my stuffed bear to cuddle. My father sat there and looked at me but I didn't know where to start. Tell him everything or tell him nothing?

"Come on baby girl, if it's school, it's okay, I know you are doing great. If it's this boy..."

"He dumped me!"

"Then he wasn't worth your time baby girl."

"Daddy, I really liked him! He was everything, so perfect."

"Now how can he be perfect if he let the best thing that could have happened to him go." My dad pinched my cheek and I giggled at him then pushed him away.

"Stop Daddy, be serious."

"I am being serious. Rayvn, I don't want you depressed over some little boy not worth your time. Yes, I want you to find someone, find love because it's the best thing, but if he is not the one, move on."

I smiled at him. "Now you sound like Angel."

"Hell, she went through some things before she found the great catch in me."

I rolled my eyes at him. "You are a great catch, Dad."

"And so are you. But enough talk about this lil punk that broke my baby girl's heart, what else is going on with you? I know there's more."

I squeezed my phone in my hand, just as it went off. I knew who it was without looking. I felt my body tense up at the thought of answering it and hearing my mother's voice.

"Rave, what's going on? Who's on the phone?"

"Daddy, it's...my mom."

"What about her? She wants you to stay over there?"

"No! No, Daddy, don't make me go over there!" I trembled at the thought of being face-to-face with my mother. I know she will give me hell for not stopping by on Thanksgiving, but I just did not want to see her.

But what if what she was saying was true? What if she had nothing to feed my brother? He was over there starving and it wasn't fair.

I clicked on my phone and pulled up my text messages, then I handed the phone to my father.

"What is this?" he asked as he scrolled through the messages. "Rayvn, why is your mother asking you for money? Did you tell her about-"

"No! I didn't tell her about the money Angel gave to me. She just...she just knows you guys have money and she asked me to ask you for some to give to her. I told her I couldn't do that. But she needed the money so I gave her some so she could leave me alone. Now she wants more."

"This bitch....I'm sorry, I didn't mean to call your mother out of her name." My father handed me back my phone. "Don't give her any more of your money Angel. That is yours, not hers. You don't owe her anything."

"She is my mother, dad, and she said they don't have any food. I believe her. I went hungry many times at home sometimes."

"What? You never told me anything like that!" My father jumped up from the bed. "I gave her money every month that should have gone to food and clothes for you. It was plenty of money. I worked my ass off to make sure you and Symone had what you needed, this is before Angel. I took care of you! I did."

"I know."

"I'd rather go hungry than have my child go hungry!"

"Daddy, I'm sorry." I started to cry again.

"Why are you crying?"

"Because you're upset."

"Not at you." He came over to hug me. "Rayvn, you're the best daughter, you know that. Trying to take care of your mom and brother, but that's not your job."

"Well, who'd going to look after her?"

"Not you. Look, stay a kid for as long as you can. Finish school, get your degree, find a great job, and have a life. Find a boy that will love you like your father loves you." He kissed my forehead. "You're smart, and I trust you, Rave. You're the one I don't have to ever worry about."

I loved my daddy so much. He was the best.

"I will take care of your mother," he said.



A/N: Hook better take care of this woman for sure!


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