21. Oh mama!

"Just go in Jessica, you'll be fine. I'm sure she'll be happy to see you."

Jessica shook her head as sat in her car outside of her mothers house. It'd been a month since her and Mateo had seen each other but he made sure to call and check on her weekly. And today he happened to call when she made the brave decision to go see her mother.

"No, you don't know my mom. As far as I'm concerned me and my sisters are all a disgrace to her."

Mateo didn't understand how a parent could truly feel like that, he understood that children could do disappointing things. But he didn't feel like there we're many things that a parent would just write their child off for.

He sighed, "look you're taking the first step, if she can't get past whatever she's felt you've done wrong then leave it alone. You did your part. But you're already there, so go in."

She sighed, knowing he was right, "okay."

"Call me when you leave okay?" She nodded as if he could see, "okay I will."

They got off the phone as she took another deep breath before exiting her car. She walked up knocking on the door. It was before long before she heard all the locks un-clicking reminding her of her childhood. Her mother was crazy, but nobody outside of her sisters and Alexis understood just how crazy she was.

Her mother opened the door with her hand on her hip, she had a beautiful wrap on her hair with her dark skin glowing. "Jessica," she let out before traveling down to her belly. "You're very pregnant, umph." She said with dissatisfaction in her voice as she turned around walking further into her house.

Jessica rolled her eyes as she sighed, "yeah mama, I told you I was pregnant months ago." Jessica closed the door behind her, locking up all the locks because she knew she would hear her mothers mouth otherwise. She then walked into the kitchen area where her mother was. She was mixing some herbs together, she also was very natural and holistic, something that Jackie definitely got from her.

Her mother looked up at her, her eyes glancing down to Jessica's hand. "And still no ring."

Jessica was already feeling like this was a wasted trip , this was why no one came to see her mother outside of her clients that she made herbs for. She was rude and super judgmental.

"We're not together. We're going to co-parent, like you and dad started doing once we got older." She stated as she sat down. She felt like she had to purposely remind her mother that everything didn't work out perfect for her either. Unfortunately her father had died a few years back.

Her mother rolled her eyes, "do not compare my situation to yours. I was married before I had you girls."

"And okay! I'm not, so what! It's not like I planned this but it happened."

"Because you were irresponsible." Jessica stood up, "okay see, I knew this was a bad idea."

"Because you can't handle the truth?" Her mother spat as she transferred the herbs into a jar.

"No, because you're nasty!" She started, finally ready to tell her mother about herself. "This is why you have no friends. This is why daddy left you! This is why your family doesn't talk to you! You're so judgmental like you're so perfect! Like you've never done any wrong! You ran everybody away from you."

Her mother stopped what she was doing as she focused on her daughter. "I wanted the best for my life and I wanted the best for your life as well as your sisters and I wasn't going to let anyone take that away."

"No you wanted to control everything and everyone around you. Like do you realize your biggest issue with me started when I didn't go to school for what you wanted me to do? I did everything you asked of me growing up. I even was in at your stupid ass eight o'clock curfew on the weekends and you still found something to dislike. You put those locks on the door like we lived in some crazy house."

"Yeah because of your fast ass sister Jazmin, she's probably still out there in different beds with different men."

"Jazmin was never a ho and still isn't! Your issue with her is because of something that isn't even true! Yes she snuck out but we were in high school! And had to be in the house by eight, do you realize how ridiculous that is?"

"I was protecting you all!" She yelled.

"From what?" Jessica questioned back. "Because what we needed protection from was you and your crazy ways!"

"Don't you dare!" Her mother pointed at her. "I tried to shelter you from this world and all the nonsense in it, but no! Jackie's still gay, Jazmin is still dating different guys, I have friends and they show me! And you, pregnant by a man you're not even with."

"Oh please mom, Queen is not a friend, she is a gossip buddy! She looks for that type of stuff! And even if Jazmin is so what! She can do what she wants! Sorry that we didn't meet your perfect criteria! But no one will. You act like you're God and you're not! I was coming here hoping we could make some type of amends. But you're never going to change."

In that moment she saw her mother do something she had never saw her do before, cry. Her mother was always strong and always mean. She not once saw her cry and she stood there in front of Jessica with tears starting to fall from her eye. But she quickly wiped them away. "Then go Jessica."

Jessica stood there amazed at her mother's response, her face and her mouth said two different things. "You really don't care?" This time it was Jessica who was getting emotional. "I'm literally about to have your first grandson in a few months and you don't care? You don't care to be there for me, you don't care to meet him? You're seriously telling me to go?" Her eyes started to water.

"Jessica, just go." Her mother stated again as she turned around no longer facer Jessica.

Jessica shook her head and wiped her eyes, "I literally tried mama. I tried to come here and fix this I'm still standing right here trying to fix this."

She stood there waiting for a response, any response from her mother. But she never got it. She shook her head as she turned around and walked towards the door to leave. As soon as she got in her car she called Mateo, the tears falling before he even answered.

"Mateo," she cried out.

"What's wrong?" He questioned, concern etching his face as he got up from the table that him and all his teammates were eating at. He quickly made his way to the front of the restaurant where it was quieter and less people.

"I tried Mateo, maybe I went too far. I told her about herself but I also made it clear that I wanted to fix our relationship. She's so prideful! So so prideful." She bawled.

"Calm down Jess, you tried and that's all that matters. Maybe she'll come around she just might need some time." He paused for a moment as he heard her sniffles. "You don't need to stress yourself like this, not while your pregnant. And not over something you only have but so much control over."

Jessica tried to control her breathing and slow it down. She had tried. He was right, she couldn't let this stress her out right now. They talked a little bit longer until she she calmed all the way down.

Once they got off the phone Jessica made her way home, she was meeting up with Dwayne soon and needed to get herself together.

—

Mateo walked back to the table where his teammates and coaches were. He took his seat across from Jose, the teammate he was closest to, who easily was one of his best buds. "Sofia?" He questioned as he finished up the food on his plate.

Mateo shook his head no, as he gave him a look letting him know who it was without him asking. Jose was the only person on the team outside his coach that knew the situation at hand. He was the only one he trusted not to go running his mouth to somebody. All it took was the wrong person knowing before everyone knew.

He knew it would get out, but if he could control how it got out, he would. And he honestly wanted it getting out to be through him.

"Ohh," Jose let out, "everything good?" Mateo nodded. "Yeah, just some shit with her mama."

"Did she decide on moving here yet?"

Mateo looked around the table before responding, "haven't asked again, don't want to be too pushy. But I'll definitely be asking soon."

"How Sofia feel about her possibly moving here?" Jose asked more quietly.

Mateo shrugged his shoulders as he took a bit of his food. "Haven't mentioned it, but it's not like she would be living with us."

Jose looked wide eyed as he laughed, "she's still going to feel some type of way. Cause isn't she going to stay in your townhouse?"

Mateo nodded, "if she comes yeah."

"And you're paying the bills?"

"If she lets me." Mateo picked up his drink taking a sip as his eyes focused on Jose.

Jose shook his head, "she's not going for that, act like you know Sofia's crazy ass." He laughed lightly. "You paying the bills where another girl staying? She's not going for it."

"It's not her money though, and it's not like it's my side chick or no shit. She's the mother of my child and I'm asking her to move here. I'm not saying I'll be paying her bills forever and honestly with the type of girl she is she's not even going to let me foot all the bills but it's me providing for my child. Making sure my child has a roof over his head, I'm going to always make sure he straight."

Jose understood, but he still knew it wasn't that simple. "Have fun with that conversation."

"I mean what can she really say? I pay for everything. She don't pay shit, not anything for the house, not food, shit she uses my card to go shopping. What is she going to do? Complain about me taking money away from her? Be real Jose, it's not taking shit from her. I pay for that place now and ain't nobody staying in it might as well put it to use."

He nodded, "I get it."

But Jose and Mateo both knew it wouldn't go over that easy, but Mateo wasn't worried about it. He wanted to be closer to his child and he was going to do what he had to do to make sure that he was.

—

Jessica exited her car as she made her way towards Dwayne's apartment. She had let him take her out after the crazy lunch incident and it went really well. She still wasn't sure on going back down that road with him, but she was enjoying the ride.

She heard yelling, her eyebrows automatically pulling in as she wondered if she was at the right apartment. She knocked as the door quickly swung open as if someone was already on their way out.

She stood face to face with a tear streaked Brielle. Brielle looked her up and down, her eyes widening in surprise as she caught sight of her belly.

"Are you pregnant by Dwayne?" She questioned.

Dwayne came to the door, "Brielle, go." Stress and anger was etched on his face. Leaving Jessica standing there feeling lost.

"You know we've been fucking right?" Brielle questioned with her eyes zoned in on Jessica. "Started months ago, he even told me he wanted to make it work with us." She wiped her face as every inch of sadness turned to anger in the moment.

"Brielle we haven't fucked since I've tried to get back with Jessica. Get the fuck out of here with that. She already knew we fucked when me and her were together. We not even together right now with your stupid ass. Over here trying to ruin shit cause I don't want you? Get the fuck on."

"Oh so we didn't fuck last week Dwayne, really?"

"Hell nahh!" He yelled out. "The fuck is you lying for?"

This was all too much for Jessica, she had already dealt with her mother and she honestly didn't want to deal with this. She shook her head turning on her heels to head back to her car but Dwayne followed after her, calling her name. "Jessica please," he caught up to her and grabbed her arm to where she was now facing him. "She came over here on some other shit, it's nothing like that. I swear. I fucked up when I slept with her while we were together but I'm not about to put this shit in jeopardy by doing the same thing that got us here."

"I can't fucking believe you Dwayne," Brielle yelled out as she was nearing them. "All that I fucking did for you," she cried out; it was clear this was just the beginning of her rant right now.

"You need to handle that," Jessica let out as she continued her way to her car. She wasn't about to deal with all of that.

"Fuck," Dwayne stated lowly as he watched Jessica get in her car. He turned around to Brielle who stood there with her arms crossed, tears rolling down but a smirk on her face.