Krystina

Against my natural, God-given will, I let Savannah's ridiculous thoughts about Stephen and I take root in my head.

It's how I find myself, forty-five minutes after out discussion, watching old videos of me and Steph that are saved to cloud drive.

Reminiscing about the good times.

Take a good long look ladies and gentlemen. It doesn't get any more pathetic than this.

We were happy together, and as uncomfortable as it is for me to say, I think I was my happiest when Stephen and I were together.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm all about being a strong, independent black woman, who don't need no man (excuse that double negative). And I know I shouldn't put my worth in a man, or feel like a part of me is missing because of some guy, but hey. The truth is I've never been happier in my life, than when he was in my life.

I let out a deep sigh, rubbing my forehead in the process. This is honestly the last thing that should be on my mind.

And by the coincidental ringing of the doorbell at that exact moment, fate agrees with my assessment.

I move the laptop aside and jump off the bed onto the plush carpet beneath. I try to run down the stairs as silently and quickly as possible. Bryan finally went down for his nap twenty minutes ago, and I do not need him to wake up, least of all cranky because of the repeated ringing of the doorbell.

So caught up in my thoughts of Bryan, I give no thought to the fact that I'm opening my front door without knowing who's on the other side, until the individual is revealed.

My eyes goes wide, and I have to try hard to keep my mouth closed, and my emotions in check.

"Gabrielle. What are you doing here?"

She moves her long twists out of her face, before fixing me with a disapproving frown. "You think cause you're grown now, you can call me by my first name? I didn't raise you like that Krystina. If I would've called your grandmother by her first name, I'd be missing teeth. Show some respect. Now, greet me the way a daughter should greet her mother. Especially after she's flown all the way over here to see you and Bryan." She says, chastising me with a grin. She reaches out to pull me in for a hug, and I step back out of her grasp.

Her faces morphs into an expression of confusion. "Krystina?"

"How can I treat you like a mother, when your behavior towards me has been less than motherly." I fold my arms across my chest and bounce my leg, waiting for an answer.

She takes one look at my stance and rolls her eyes. She waves a hand in my direction before planting both of them on her hips, "Oh, please Krystina. You're what, twenty-six? Aren't you a little old for such displays of teen-like unruliness?"

"Are you really going to pretend like you don't know what I'm talking about?" She can't be serious.

"I'm not pretending Krystina. I have no idea why you are treating me this way." She says, raising her eyebrows in confusion.

I shake my head in disbelief, shocked that she won't just admit to what she did.

"You lied to me. To my face. About dad and about that money. You can cut the act, now mom."

"Oh Krystina, you're still on about that." She scoffs as if this entire conversation is inferior to her. "Look, I'm sorry for lying to you sweetie, but I did what was best for both of us, and I'm not going to sit here and let you make me feel bad for my decisions." She finishes with look in her eyes that tells me she wants to hear no more talk about this situation.

That's too damn bad.

"You did what was best for both of us? Tell me how, exactly, you think I benefited from this whole ordeal?' I demand.

"If you think that man was going to stay with you once he found out you were pregnant, you're dumber than I thought. He was a rich WHITE man Krystina, he was never going to make an honest woman out of you. He was never going to marry you. You would've just been some black bïtch he kept on the side. I saved you from the pain and heartache that I knew was on the horizon. I saved you from public humiliation. Do you think his colleagues from Europe would've accepted you? Huh? Some lower class girl, with divorced parents, and an absentee father? You would've been a laughing stock, and even if he still married you after that, he would've divorced you soon after. Class and reputation mean everything to those people. Neither of which you have. So instead of standing there with your nosed turned up at me, you should be thanking me. I did YOU a favor." She says, pointing a menacing finger in my face to emphasize her point.

I have to do everything in my power to keep the tears that have been accumulating, from falling. I cannot believe she's able to stand in front of me, and try to justify what she's done. She can claim that it was for me, all she wants. We both know it's a lie. All she sees is dollar signs. That's all she's ever seen.

With every man she ever sunk her claws into, it was always about the money and what he could do for her.

It was always about how she could benefit financially from every relationship in her life.

I just didn't know that it meant using her daughters as well.

"And what about Bryan? How did not having a father in his life, benefit him? You don't even know how he's felt these past few months. All the father-son activities that go on at school and in the community that he doesn't feel a part of. Yeah he had Kyle, but he knew it wasn't the same thing. I can't imagine what my baby has had to go through mentally when he sees other kids with their dads, or with their parents together. And you. You helped take that away from him. That's all you do. Take." My voice wavers, the tears free falling down my cheeks and onto my chin.

I can't help but raise my voice when I notice that the indifferent expression on her face has yet to change. "You haven't even thought about how any of this would affect Stephen, did you? You don't even care that he's missed out on 4 years of his son's life. Bryan's first steps, his first word, his first day of school,  all things that Stephen will never get back, partly because of you."

She pinches her lips together, before letting out a deep breath."If you're looking for an apology, you're not going to get it. Even if I hadn't been a part of it, Stephen's father was going to find some way to keep you away from his son. If I had not agreed to go along with it, he might have done something a little more detrimental. Think on that." She tells me, attempting to walk pass me and into the house.

I stop her, pulling her away from the door by her arm.

"Get off my property."

She snatches her elbow away from me, an expression of shock on her face.

"You are no mother to me." I tell her.

"You can't deny me the right to see my grandson." She says aghast.

"Actually I can. You're not the only grandmother that Bryan has now. As I remember, Stephen's mom was always quite fond of kids. I expect she'll be more that loving to her newest grandson now that she knows of his existence." I tell her, uncharacteristically relishing in the way her face crumbles as she hears me speak.

"You told them?"

"I did. He knows and so do his parents. Contrary to your beliefs, and although they've only know each other for less than a day, Stephen and Bryan absolutely adore each other. That "rich white man", as you so eloquently put it, is completely and utterly infatuated with his son." I tell her matter of fact.

She swallows hard, and slowly steps down the stairs backwards in defeat.

"One day, he'll prove it to you. One day you'll realize that I was right." She says smugly, shaking her head in disappointment before opening the door to her rental.

"You know what they say Krystina, mother knows best."

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A/N: Can you guys believe that I've actually been updating on time. It's crazy what a little time management will do for you.

So, how do we feel about that whole little spat between Krys and her mom?

Why is she so smug?

Why did everyone at the Grammys get snubbed. Rihanna and Justin B were nominated for a combined 12 awards, and they got 0. Beyoncè was nominated for 9 and only got 2!

It's an outrage I tell you. Adele's cool and all, but Bieber had best pop vocal album and the SOTY with Love Yourself.

And everybody and they momma know Lemonadé should've won AOTY.

So disheartening.

Anyways.

160+ votes for the next chapter.

And as always, thanks for your support, guys!😘😘