“Oh, God! Momma? Is that who I think it is? Is that Malek?” I almost drove into the mailbox when I saw him standing in the walkway. Big Momma was huffin’and puffin’ next to him, her arms waving all up in his face. I had no idea what Malek was doing there or how he even found my new house, but one thing was for sure: his presence meant trouble. Big trouble.
“Cirl, it sure looks like that fool. What’s he doin’ here? You tryin’ to mess things up with Travis?” My mother’s tone was accusatory, like I had something to do with all this shit. God, I could feel a migraine coming on with a vengeance. Not only was my mother already jumping in my shit about him, but Travis would no doubt have plenty to say about it, too. He was already glaring at me with his arms crossed. Made me wanna put the van in reverse and back out of the driveway.
“Stephanie, I think you better get out there and do something,” my mother urged as if she’d read my mind and knew I was close to fleeing.
“I ain’t goin’ out there, Momma. Big Momma looks like she’s got everything under control.” I tried to sound like it was a joke, but I would have driven away in a hot second if she had even smiled at me in response.
“She looks like she’s about to slap that boy silly.” Momma shook her head. “Now get out there and get rid of that fool before he ruins what’s left of the holiday. We ain’t even opened the presents yet.”
“How am I supposed to do that? You know Malek ain’t got good sense.” I just wanted to crawl under the dashboard.
“You the one who had a baby with him, so don’t be complainin’ now.” She gave me a light shove. “Now get out there and handle your business.”
I sighed in protest but knew she was right. Malek wasn’t going anywhere until I talked to him. If there was one thing that boy had always been, it was persistent. He could stand there and face Big Momma’s berating all day if he set his mind to it. And from the look on his face, he was ready to do just that. I reluctantly opened my door and stepped out, gathering my strength as I marched toward the group.
“Malek! What the hell are you doing here?” I pushed my way past Travis and Big Momma and got right in his face.
“What’s up, Shorty? You lookin’ mighty fine.” I swear it took everything I had not to smack the shit outta him when he eyed me from head to toe with that arrogant grin.
“Don’t ‘what’s up?’ me, Malek. And my name is Stephanie. Not Shorty.” I glared at him. “What the hell are you doing here? And how did you find out where I live?” I added that last part for Travis’s benefit, who had yet to speak, though he was standing by, watching every move I made. I wanted to make it completely clear I had nothing to do with Malek’s arrival. Unfortunately, Malek also decided it was time to invite Travis into our little discussion.
“Yep, that’s my Shorty. She sure got a lot of spunk, don’t she?” he smirked at Travis. “You know, that’s why I started messing with her in the first place, because she had a lot of spunk. That and a phat ass.” He grabbed my arm and spun me, his eyes traveling down my backside. “Mmm-mmm, she always did have a nice ass.”
“You better back the fuck up ’fore I put my foot in your ass!” Travis roared, taking a step toward Malek. He looked like he was about to hit him.
“Oh, my God. Travis, no!” I grabbed tight onto his arm to keep him by my side.
“Come on and bring it, big boy. You don’t know who you fucking with. I will fuck your big ass up!”
“That supposed to be a threat, punk?” Travis lifted his fists, grinning. “C’mon, let’s see what you got.”
“Travis! Please don’t! Malek’s sorry ass ain’t worth it. He’s still trying to prove he’s a man.”
“Shut up, Shorty,” Malek growled. I ignored him as I looked into Travis’s eyes.
“Baby, you got me and the kids. Don’t stoop down to his level.” I kept my hand on Travis’s shoulder, though he had relaxed enough that I knew there wouldn’t be a fight. “I asked you a question, Malek. What are you doing here?”
“I came by here to see my daughter.” His fists were down, but he was still pretty agitated. “And if you didn’t want me to know where you live, you shouldn’ta put it on this.” He pulled a rolled-up paper from his back pocket and waved it at me.
“And? What’s that supposed to be?” I was in no mood for guessing games.
“It’s the subpoena you sent to Ma’s house. You tryin’ to get my rights as a parent taken away?” He shook his head. “You think you’re real slick, don’t you? Sending this to Ma’s house instead of Nana’s. You knew I wouldn’t get it.” He was right. I didn’t want to deal with his ass when it came time for Travis to adopt Maleka, so I had purposely sent the papers to his mother’s house. That woman was so cracked out, I figured there was no way he’d ever see the subpoena. Then we could just claim him unreachable and everything would be smooth sailing. Malek took great pleasure now in telling me how my plan had failed.
“I guess you didn’t know my ma ain’t on crack no more. She lives with me at Nana’s now.” I knew Travis was gonna be pissed about this. He’d told me to just make up an address, but I had to be stupid and put his mother’s. Who would have ever expected that lifetime crackhead to get straight? I’d have to deal with Travis later, but for now I still had to get rid of Malek.
“So you’re living with Nana, huh? I thought you lived in
D.C., Mr. Big-time Rapper,” I smirked.
“Yeah, well things didn’t work out,” he mumbled.
“Somebody finally tell you that you can’t rap?” That got a laugh from Big Momma, who was still standing nearby, ready to jump back in if I needed her.
“Very funny, Shorty. You should be on the Queens of Comedy.” He could front all he wanted, but I knew I’d just hurt him. Once upon a time I had been his biggest supporter. That time was long gone.
“Well, if you don’t like the jokes, get the hell out my yard.” I jerked my head in the direction of his souped-up hoopty.
“I’m not going anywhere till I see my daughter.” Back to that. Damn, he wasn’t playin’, no matter how many people he was up against.
“I told you. You ain’t got no daughter around here. Now get the hell outta here ’fore I call the police.” Big Momma was heated. Malek ignored her and spoke to me.
“Look, Shorty, you know how I get down, so don’t make this hard on yourself. You might as well go get my daughter and bring her over here. I just wanna give her my Christmas present, then I’ll leave.” Malek gave me a wicked smile that sent chills down my spine. He was right I did know how he got down. Things were bad enough already, but he was prepared to turn it up a notch if he had to; and the trouble he could bring was much worse than a little fight with Travis. I did not need this bullshit, especially on Christmas. Time to give him what he asked.
“You wanna see your daughter, Malek?” My eyes got small and they never left his.
“Yeah.” He nodded.
“You really wanna see your daughter?”
“I said yeah.”
“Okay.” I nodded. I could see the disapproval on Travis’s face, but he didn’t know Malek like I did. “You got two minutes; then you’re gonna leave, or I’ll be the one calling the cops. You got that?”
“Ah’ight” His body language relaxed a little.
“I wouldn’t let him see shit.” Big Momma sucked her teeth.
“Please, Big Momma, let me handle this.” I gave her a pleading look. She didn’t answer, so I said it again. “I know what I’m doing. Let me handle it.”
“Ah’ight, child. It’s your life.” She lookedat Travis as she said this. I knew what she was thinking, but I could smooth things over with Travis as soon as I proved my point to Malek. Maleka knew who her family was, and I was about to prove that to her father. I just had to let him put his foot in his mouth one more time.
“Malekal Maleka! Come here, baby!” I called to my daughter. She came skipping over to us.
“Yes, Mommy?” She looked a little nervous. No doubt she’d picked up on the tension in our group. I stroked her hair to calm her and introduced her to her father.
“Maleka, this is Malek.”
“What’s up, Maleka?” Malek bent down on one knee to be at her level.
“Hi.” She waved. “Your name sounds kinda like mine”
“That’s right.” He looked at Travis and smiled smugly, then turned back to Maleka. “You’re a very pretty girl ”
“Thank you,” she replied bashfully, twisting as she spoke.
“You’re welcome. This is for you.” He tried to hand the shopping bag to her, but Maleka pulled back. She looked up at me uncertainly.
“What’s wrong? It’s a doll baby. Don’t you like doll babies?” Malek was confused. I guess he’d expected to buy his daughter’s affection with a lousy doll.
“I like dolls, but I’m not allowed to take things from strangers,” Maleka told him.
My grin was a mile wide. I knew my child, and I knew what would happen when Malek demanded to see her. He brings his triflin’ ass around after all this time, expecting his daughter to jump in his arms. Please, maybe that woulda happened if she knew who the hell he was, but she already had a family, complete with a daddy and a new baby brother.
“I’m not a stranger, Maleka. Ask your mommy” Malek’s expression softened. He was looking for some help from me all of a sudden, and I was more than willing to oblige.
“Oh no, honey, he’s not a stranger at all. Are you, Malek?” Our eyes met, and I know he got the point. He was out to sea and I would not be throwing him a life jacket. At least not one that would work. “Matter of fact, why don’t you tell her who you are, Malek?” I smirked.
“I’m your daddy, Maleka.” He said it without much conviction. Could it be he already knew he’d lost this battle?
Maleka screwed up her face and shook her head at him adamantly.
“No, you ain’t! You ain’t my daddy.” She grabbed Travis’s arm with both her hands. “Travis my daddy, right, Travis?”
“That’s right, baby. I’m your daddy.” He scooped her up into his arms and kissed her cheek.
Everything seemed to stand still after that for a few seconds. No one said a word, but Malek’s mind was spinning, I’m sure. He was breathing heavy, probably getting angrier by the second. I could tell by his eyes that his male pride had been wounded. I was afraid he might try and attack Travis while he was holding Maleka. I think Big Momma had the same fear.
“Don’t you do nothin’ stupid, Malek. Not unless you wanna spend the night in jail.” Big Momma positioned herself between Travis and Malek.
“Big Momma, will you take Maleka in the house and give her some ice cream?” Travis asked.
“Uh-huh, I think that’s a good idea. Come on, child. Big Momma wants some ice cream, too” She reached for Maleka’s hand and led her toward the house.
“You know this is some foul shit, Shorty? You ain’t had to do this. You coulda made sure she knew who I was” If I didn’t know better I would have sworn he was about to cry.
“No, you didn’t” My eyes were wide with amazement. “No you didn’t just try to blame this on me. I raised that girl by myself for four years without your sorry ass. You ain’t brought her a pack of Pampers or sent a birthday card since she was born. Matter of fact, do you even remember when she was born? When’s her birthday Malek?”
He glared at me, tryin’ to be a hard-ass, but he sure didn’t have an answer.
“I didn’t think you knew. So don’t you dare come around here telling me what I should’ve done. If you wanted Maleka to know who you were, then you should’ve brought your black ass around.” There was a momentary silence while I let my words sink in. “You’ve seen your daughter. Now it’s time to leave.”
“Don’t play yourself, Shorty, ’cause this ain’t over. I’m still her father.”
“Yeah, but as you can see, that don’t make you her daddy!” I took hold of Travis’s hand, and the two of us began to walk toward the house without even bothering to look back at Malek.
“You’re not gonna win in court. I’ll still have my rights!”
I stopped in my tracks and turned toward him as I let go of Travis’s hand.
“Maybe so. But not until you pay some of that child support you owe the state from when I was on welfare.” That felt good. Finally, I knew I’d had the last word. He didn’t have nowhere near the money it would take to get straight with the state. “Oh, and by the way, Malek, now you know how I get down. Remember that for future reference.” I turned to Travis. “Come on, boo. All of a sudden I’ve got a taste for some of Big Momma’s sweet potato pie.”
Travis smirked at Malek. “I’m right behind you, baby. I’m right behind you.”