She
nodded.
“How
have they been, Journey?” he asked with a shrug. “You know, all things
considered.”
“They
have been doing great considering Perri’s a single mom.” Journey raised her
hand to his forthcoming comment, “And I know that’s not your fault; but you
asked me how they were doing and that’s the only fair way I know to explain it.
Perri’s great with her and Imani has almost everything she could want or need.”
“Except
knowledge of and access to her father,” Barrington stated matter of fact. “And
don’t be trying to take up for Perri’s lack of consideration for me, because
where my child is concerned almost doesn’t count. I’m surprised she can
even sleep at night with all the dirt she’s done this past year.”
Journey
could understand his anger. But Perri was her best friend and she’d watched her
go to hell and back because of loving this man. She wanted to tell him his
hostility was uncalled for. Instead, she told him, “Perry can speak for
herself; but I can tell you Imani’s not lacking in the love department.”
“That
makes Perri keeping me in the dark about Imani okay?”
“Not
okay, Barrington; but—”
“She
was not going to tell me, Journey,” he angrily cut her off. “I realize she’s
your friend. I respect that. But I don’t care what you say; you can defend her
actions until the cows come home. Bottom line is this,” Barrington said. “There
is no excuse for what she did to me and Imani.” He shook his head, feeling the
hurt of Perri’s betrayal all over again. “So don’t expect me to stand here and
agree that Imani’s not lacking in the love department when Perri didn’t even
invite me to be part of her circle of love.”
Journey’s
heart went out to the man. “For what it’s worth; she did want to tell you.”
“That’s
not worth a good damn to me at the moment considering she never bothered to
contact me. They got phones in every damn state, Journey; she could have taken
five minutes to pick up one and call me.” The more Barrington thought about it the
more pissed off he became at Perri all over again. He felt like making her hurt
as much, if not more than she’d hurt him. And she need not think he’d forgotten
how she just bounced out of his life as quick as she’d entered it; no way was
he about to allow her to do the same thing to him with his daughter.
Barrington
refused to even let his mind take him back to that painful period of his life;
this was a new day with a brand new chapter and he intended to write the ending
he wanted. If Perri did not want to be part of that story that was her business;
but he was not about to stand in the shadows and watch while she brought his
daughter up as a single mom in a one parent household. It simply was not going
to happen. Not on his watch!
“It’s
been over a year and because of Perri’s selfishness I’ve missed the first
precious months of my daughter’s life. Time I can’t get back; not to mention I
was cheated out of the experience of witnessing her grand entrance into the
world. All of us only get one physical birth. Perri made damn sure I missed out
on seeing Imani’s”
There
was nothing Journey could say to that but she wished she could for Perri.
Barrington
smiled in spite of himself. “I bet my girl was a sight to behold.”
Knowing
he meant his daughter, Journey smiled and confirmed, “That she was.”
“Were
there any complications with her birth?” Barrington hated to ask because he
should already know the answer.
“Not
one. She was a healthy and loud six pound five ounce, twenty-two inches long,
bouncing baby girl.”
They
laughed.
“That’s
good.” Barrington watched a teenage couple walk past them, reminding him of
what he had and lost. “What about Perri?” he asked but resented the fact that
he cared to know. “Was she scared?”
Journey
chuckled. “I think her scare period was the first six months. By the last three
months she was ready to,
nodded.
“How
have they been, Journey?” he asked with a shrug. “You know, all things
considered.”
“They
have been doing great considering Perri’s a single mom.” Journey raised her
hand to his forthcoming comment, “And I know that’s not your fault; but you
asked me how they were doing and that’s the only fair way I know to explain it.
Perri’s great with her and Imani has almost everything she could want or need.”
“Except
knowledge of and access to her father,” Barrington stated matter of fact. “And
don’t be trying to take up for Perri’s lack of consideration for me, because
where my child is concerned almost doesn’t count. I’m surprised she can
even sleep at night with all the dirt she’s done this past year.”
Journey
could understand his anger. But Perri was her best friend and she’d watched her
go to hell and back because of loving this man. She wanted to tell him his
hostility was uncalled for. Instead, she told him, “Perry can speak for
herself; but I can tell you Imani’s not lacking in the love department.”
“That
makes Perri keeping me in the dark about Imani okay?”
“Not
okay, Barrington; but—”
“She
was not going to tell me, Journey,” he angrily cut her off. “I realize she’s
your friend. I respect that. But I don’t care what you say; you can defend her
actions until the cows come home. Bottom line is this,” Barrington said. “There
is no excuse for what she did to me and Imani.” He shook his head, feeling the
hurt of Perri’s betrayal all over again. “So don’t expect me to stand here and
agree that Imani’s not lacking in the love department when Perri didn’t even
invite me to be part of her circle of love.”
Journey’s
heart went out to the man. “For what it’s worth; she did want to tell you.”
“That’s
not worth a good damn to me at the moment considering she never bothered to
contact me. They got phones in every damn state, Journey; she could have taken
five minutes to pick up one and call me.” The more Barrington thought about it the
more pissed off he became at Perri all over again. He felt like making her hurt
as much, if not more than she’d hurt him. And she need not think he’d forgotten
how she just bounced out of his life as quick as she’d entered it; no way was
he about to allow her to do the same thing to him with his daughter.
Barrington
refused to even let his mind take him back to that painful period of his life;
this was a new day with a brand new chapter and he intended to write the ending
he wanted. If Perri did not want to be part of that story that was her business;
but he was not about to stand in the shadows and watch while she brought his
daughter up as a single mom in a one parent household. It simply was not going
to happen. Not on his watch!
“It’s
been over a year and because of Perri’s selfishness I’ve missed the first
precious months of my daughter’s life. Time I can’t get back; not to mention I
was cheated out of the experience of witnessing her grand entrance into the
world. All of us only get one physical birth. Perri made damn sure I missed out
on seeing Imani’s”
There
was nothing Journey could say to that but she wished she could for Perri.
Barrington
smiled in spite of himself. “I bet my girl was a sight to behold.”
Knowing
he meant his daughter, Journey smiled and confirmed, “That she was.”
“Were
there any complications with her birth?” Barrington hated to ask because he
should already know the answer.
“Not
one. She was a healthy and loud six pound five ounce, twenty-two inches long,
bouncing baby girl.”
They
laughed.
“That’s
good.” Barrington watched a teenage couple walk past them, reminding him of
what he had and lost. “What about Perri?” he asked but resented the fact that
he cared to know. “Was she scared?”
Journey
chuckled. “I think her scare period was the first six months. By the last three
months she was ready to,
Similar Books
