Joey sat on his bed, waiting on his mom to pick up the FaceTime. He ran his hand over his head, feeling the absence of his dreads.
Connecting...
The call picked up and his mom dropped her phone as soon as she saw him.
"Ma!?" Joey sat up. "You good?"
She slowly picked up the phone off the floor. Her skeptical look made Joey sort of chuckle as he realized she was looking at his head.
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"Boy who you?" She had one eye in the camera.
"Ma stop playing." He said. "You like it?"
"I almost ain't recognize my baby." She said now fully showing her face. "What made you cut it?"
"I got tired of it. Plus i only did it cuz i was tryna be like pops so I decided to just let it go."
"Well you look handsome. You look just like Joseph when we first met. You know tomorrow is his birthday."
Ms. Lupita said with a weak smile.
"Yea I know. You okay?"
"Who me? Child I'm fine. It's not like he celebrated them things when he was here anyway." She said, a sad look creeping it's way onto her pretty face.
"Ma it's okay to miss him."
"I know Joey. But it's hard for me to think about him at all. Cuz when i do, it's the good, the bad and the worst wrapped all into one." She said
"You were the one that told me, despite what he did, he was a good man."
"No i said he was a good father."
Joey didn't say anything.
It has been almost 2 years since his dad died and he could tell that it wasn't just him who still had to deal with that lost and the hurt he left behind.
They forgave him, but sometimes it's the forgetting part that beats them.
"Ma i made the decision to cut my hair to detach myself from him. Being like him."
"What you mean baby?"
"Nebula and I been through a lot since she moved out here, and she made me realized the last time we broke up that in some ways i was scared to be like him."
"I'll be damned if i sit by and let you hurt Nebula like that." His mom said firmly as she realized what he meant.
"I know ma. It's because of you that i even confessed my feelings to Neb. I just feared that i would fall into his pattern of behavior."
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"Joey you could never be like your daddy. Not the man I raised."
"Ma I-"
"I understand what you saying baby. And I'm glad you're dealing with how you feel. I'm just saying that's not you. Okay?"
"Yea ma." Joey sighed.
It became silent again.
"When are you gonna deal with it ma?"
"I don't have to. Because I can't detach a part of me from him like you did with your hair. He left me with two permanent souvenirs from my time with him. My biggest blessings. You and Bia."
"Ma." Joey hung his head low.
"Joey we gon always be connected to him." She began to cry.
"Momma don't do that." Joey absolutely hated to see his mom cry.
It always made him tear up as well.
"Imma be okay baby."
She wiped her eyes and straightened herself.
Joey shook his head at the fact that time doesn't heal all wounds. Or so he felt.
Especially for his mom.
She devoted most of her life to his father. That's a different type of sacrifice. And that's a part of her that he took with him.
"Stop crying Joey." Mama Lu said. "You getting your cap and gown today?" She asked him trying to change the topic.
"Momma-."
"Your cap and gown Joey." She said firmly. "when you getting it?"
"Tomorrow." Joey wiped his hand down his face.
"I can't believe my baby graduating from college next week. You're so grown now."
"I been grown." Joey said with a smirk stroking his beard. His eyes red and glossy.
"Boy goodbye." She laughed. I'm so proud of you baby. That other school calling your name." She smiled.
"I'm stilling waiting on the letter to come in the mail."
"It's gonna come baby. And it's gonna say accepted as soon as you open it up."
"You're right."
They both smiled.
A text came in on Joey's phone.
Neb❤️ Come get your boy.
He looked at the text funny and his mom told him to go see about whatever it was before they hung up.
.
.
.
Joey got to Nebula and Shine's place. He heard yelling from the outside.
"What the fuck imma do with a baby?" Youth yelled just as Joey knocked at the door.
It quickly swung open.
An upset looking Nebula appeared. He could see Shine seated on the couch, crying.
"What's wrong?" Joey kissed Nebula's cheek as he stepped inside.
He looked over and saw Youth pacing the room.
"Youth you good?" Joey asked and he didn't respond.
He looked angry as well.
"Shine's pregnant." Nebula informed Joey and he looked at Shine.
She just hung her head lower.
Nebula sat next to her, and took Shine's hand to comfort her.
"And your boy been yelling at her for the past half hour."
Nebula said glaring at Youth.
"He says he's not ready for a baby." She continued.
Joey didn't know what to say.
"It ain't mine!" Youth spat.
"Who's baby is it then Youth!?" Nebula asked. "I swear some of you niggas be so pussy it makes me sick."
"I know you better watch ya fucking mouth." Youth said stepping to Nebula.
Joey stepped in front of him. "What you tryna do?" He said ready to fight.
Nebula grabbed his arm.
They were all shock at how stupid Youth was acting.
No one expected that of him, especially Shine.
"Get out my face bro." Youth said.
They were chest to chest.
"No you stepping up like you bouta do sumn."
Joey said dead in his face ready for whatever.
"You know how I am bout mine. You clearly ain't shit bout yours." He continued.
"Joey it's okay." Shine said through her sobs.
Her and Nebula tried pulling him away from Youth.
Sucking his teeth, Youth stepped back and snatched his Jacket and bag off the table.
"Handle that shit." He pointed at Shine before huffing out the door, slamming it behind him.