Choose Wisely Read Free Page A

to my car, I tapped on the passenger’s side window. Melissa was in the car sound asleep and I didn’t want to startle her. She unlocked the door and smiled. She still had that same pretty smile she had since we were kids. I got in and started the car.
                  “Whatchu doing out here sleep?”
    She sat up and straightened her dress.
                  “Boy I’m beat. It’s been a long day,” she stated.
                  “I feel you, and I gotta work tonight,” I yawned.
                  “Awe you poor baby,” she giggled.
                  “Well since you feeling sorry for a brother. I need a favor,”
                  She looked into my eyes with concern.
                  “What’s up?” She asked.
    `               “I need you to watch Jade tonight,”
                  “Boy is that all? You know you don’t have to ask me to watch Lil Mama,” she replied
                  “I know I just hate asking you at the last minute,”
                  “Jade and David love spending time together. It will be fine,” she assured me.
                  She took a deep breath, “Where is her mother tonight?”
                  “She called my phone and asked me to watch her earlier. When I explained I was busy, she got pissed and took her and the other kids over her mother’s house,”
                  “Wow that’s deep. Ain’t her mother sick?” She asked.
                  “Yeah she can barely take care of herself let alone four kids!”
                  Melissa took my hand.
                  “Don’t worry about it I got you,”
                  Her words warmed my heart because I knew she meant what she said. Melissa had been there for me since day one. She was the type of woman you brought home to meet ya Momma. Funny thing was my mother already loved her. I just couldn’t say the same when it came to her dad. I knew he wanted better than me for his daughter. Honestly so did I.
                  We pulled up to Trina’s mother’s house.
                  “Stay right here. I’ll be right back,”
                  I ran up the steps and rang the doorbell. Trina’s oldest son opened the door.  I gave him a few playful jabs in the chest. He tried to get a few hits in but I was too quick for him.
                  “What’s up man? Where’s your sister?”
                  He yelled up the stairs, “Jade your dad’s here!”
                  I heard Jade and her other siblings come running. Trina had three other children and they all had different father’s the only thing the kids had in common was all their fathers were incarcerated. I got arrested when I was eighteen. I did five years upstate for drug charges. I’d actually been home for two years now. I made a promise to myself never to go back to prison. I missed too much of Jade’s life already. I was doing my best to make up for lost time. It just never seemed good enough for Trina.
                  What pissed me off the most was when she took me down to Domestic Relations out of spite. She knew how I felt about the man being in our business. Domestic Relations was for men that did nothing for their children. Not only did I take care of mine, I also looked out for her other children as well. I knew a lot of women who were just bitter and my baby mama was no exception.
                  “Hi daddy!” Jade cheered.
                  I gave her a big hug.
                  “Hey princess how are you?”
                  “I’m fine daddy what are you doing here?”
                  “Your mom-mom called and asked me to come get you,”
                  I could see she was disappointed by the