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Thanksgiving Day

In the midst of all the craziness going on, I was finally happy. Why? Because it's fucking thanksgiviiiiing! And I'm about to be so fucking greedy, I don't even care if I get sick. Well I do card because of the baby but I'm just ready to eat.

Shockingly, I was ready to spend the day with my mom, but Chris literally begged me to come over to his house because his family will be over. I'm not in the mood for a meet a greet but I guess I'll stop by.

After our weird little argument, I went home. I don't care if we apologized, I'm sick of all the shit. I needed peace and quiet and I've been getting that at my home.

My mom hasn't been bothering me, Ariel is okay, my brothers are here. I'm good.

If I don't like anything else my mom does, I love love love her cooking. She wasn't one of those lazy stay at home moms, she handled business. Especially in the kitchen, that's where I got all my skills from.

When she told me she wanted to cook, I got excited and we instantly went to the grocery store.

Now I'm sitting at the counter watching her move around the kitchen. My stomach is growling so damn loud, it's crazy. My little one must know it's some good food around.

"Oh my gosh Ma, how much longer? I'm starving." I whined.

"Aubree, don't make me put you out of here."

"Technically you can't."

"I don't care if it's your house. I'm trying to concentrate and you're asking me am I finished every two seconds."

"Okay, okay. I'm can't help that I'm hungry."

"Eat a snack or something."

"Oh no no no, that's against the black family thanksgiving rules."

She chuckled. "We do starve before we eat huh?"

"Yes we do."

"What time are your brothers coming?" She asked.

"I'm not sure, hopefully it's before I leave. I'll be back though."

"Well I wanted to talk to you three about something really important."

I raised an eyebrow. "What's that?"

"I really want to fix my family Aubree. I've had a lot of talks with myself and god and the more I thought about it, I realized that it's like I was never there for you guys."

"Ma this is something that I've been telling you for what? Five years?"

"I know Aubree, I was being stubborn and I had that devil in my ear, something else you all have warned me about. It's just when your dad died things shifted for me. I was in a terrible space. I didn't make sure my babies were okay. I did the wrong things to cope with losing him and that brought horrible things into our lives. The best part is Ariel. And speaking of Ariel, I have something for you." She rushed away.

Honestly, I didn't want to hear this guilt speech. Just wanted to hear dinner is ready.

Am I being mean?

Nah.

She came back with something behind her back. Walking over to me. "Aubree, thank you." She said.

"Huh?"

"Thank you, for being the mother to Ariel that I couldn't be. You did an amazing job raising her. She's an amazing little girl and I know she'll always look at you more as a mother than myself and I'm okay with that, as long as I'm in her life."

Why is she trying to make me cry?! And I'm pregnant so my emotions are 1000 times worse than normal.

"So I wanted to give you this?" She handed me an envelope. "This is very hard for me to do but I just want you to promise me that you won't keep her away from me."

My eyes grew as I looked at her then down at the envelope quickly opening it. "Ma, what is this?"

"Read it."

"I want to turn over my parental rights."

I couldn't fight it. The tears fell. "What? Ma."

"Aubree, rightfully you're her mother. I just carried her." She laughed. "I've tried over and over to have that mother and daughter relationship with Ariel but it's just not happening."

"But that can change. It takes time."

"I know but I just feel like it's the right thing to do."

"It's crazy because I've always wanted Ariel to be my daughter but for some reason, I just can't take this. I don't want you to regret in the long run."

"I won't, I know this is the right thing to do and not for our sake, for Ariel's sake. She loves you so much Aubree and I don't want to ruin that. I'm going to build a relationship with her, I want her to be comfortable around me but I'm okay with you being her mother."

"Ma, are you sure? Is this forcing me to deal with any of Cliff's craziness?"

"He's not on her birth certificate. He can't do anything regarding Ariel."

I sighed. "Can I think about it for a little bit?"

"Yes. The papers are only good for so long though."

"Okay, I just need a few days."

"Alright, take your time."

I chewed on my lip while staring at the papers. "So if I sign this, that means that Aubree will be a big sister."

"A big sister? Is her birthday before Chris's daughter."

"No." I laughed. "She'll become a big sister in about 7 months."

She stopped and looked at me then covered her her mouth while tears filled her eyes. "AUBREE!"

I found her reaction so funny. "What?"

"Are you pregnant?!"

"Yes mama, I'm pregnant."

She squealed jumping up and down. "Oh my goodness, oh my goodness. I'm going to be a grandma."

"Mmhm, can you believe it?"

"No! But I'm so happy. That is going to be one gorgeous child oh gosh. I know Chris is excited."

"Eh, I guess."

"I don't like that response."

"He's just a little scared. Royalty's mom passed while giving birth so he's paranoid and it's causing him to act a little crazy. Nothing I can handle though."

"Well he should've waited until he was fully coped with what happened. Hopefully he gets it together."

"Yeah hopefully."

"Everything is going to be fine. That situation is tragic and Royalty is young so that wound is still fresh. Just make sure you keep him involved in everything, so that he knows you're okay."

"Yeah, I was going to talk to his mom too."

"Yeah, Everything is going to be okay though."

"Hope so."

She walked over to me kissed my forehead then placed her hand on my stomach. "Congratulations honey."

"Thank you mommy."

£

Ariel and I walked inside of Chris's house. It was packed people were by the door. I was stuffed and wanted to go to bed so I told him I was probably going to catch him tomorrow but he wasn't hearing it.

Before another argument started I packed up Ari and we came over here.

"Where's Royalty?" Ariel asked.

"I'm not sure, let's go see." Grabbing Ariel's hand, we made our way further into the house. I heard a lot of noise coming from the living room so we went there first. Chris, his friends, his brother and a bunch of other men I didn't know, were in there watching football. I tapped his shoulder.

"Hey baby." He jumped and gave me a hug. "Family this is my baby Aubree. Aubree this my family. It's way too many in here to go 1 by 1, we'll do that later."

"Okay." I waved then spoke to everyone else I knew well except Dave.

"Aubree my momma been looking for you, she's in the kitchen."

"Okay, Where's Ro? Ari wants her."

"She upstairs with all the kids little bit." He pinched her chin before she took off running.

I headed into the kitchen. His mom was in there with another lady. "Hey ma." I said.

"Hi Aubree. I thought you weren't going to make it." She hugged me. "Christine this is Aubree, Chris's girlfriend."

"Oh hi, nice to meet you sweetie." Christine pulled me into a hug next. "You are so pretty."

"Thank you." I flashed a big smile.

"Chris finally settled down, that's a good thing and you seem like a good girl."

"She is, my baby is very lucky and he loves her to death." Joyce said. "I'm just waiting on a wedding a grandbabies."

Well she doesn't have to wait too long for that. I told my mom so we might as well tell her. I'll talk to Chris about it first.

"Are you hungry honey?" Christine asked.

"Starving." I should be ashamed, cause the way I just ate at my house should've held me over for the rest of the day.

"Okay let's fix you a plate."

£

After eating and talking to Mama J and Aunty Christine, we all went into the living room with everybody else and chilled with them for a while. I ended up falling asleep in Chris's lap. Then when I woke up, I was shown all of the pictures that they took.

Dave started being the creep he is so I decided to go upstairs and get in bed.

About two hours later Chris came upstairs. I hope he don't think I'm spending the night. Who am I kidding? I'm too stuffed to move.

"Baby my stomach feel like it's about to bust." He said while sitting next to me

"Mine too and I'm so sleepy."

"Get some rest."

"I am I just want to talk to you about something real quick."

"What's up?"

"My mom gave me papers today to basically adopt Ariel and I don't know how to feel about it."

"You think it's some shady shit?"

"A little bit, she went from giving me the hardest time to turning over all rights to me. She even thanked me."

"Well Baby she had my dumb ass father in her ear but he's not. Maybe this is sincere. You're just used to her doing shady shit so when she is for real about something it's hard to believe it."

"Maybe.....it's nothing I want more than for Ariel to be my daughter but I'm just worried."

"Well take some time and think about it."

"I told her I was pregnant."

"So you don't think she's sincere about the adoption but you can tell her you're pregnant without letting me know."

"She just gave me papers for the rights of someone she birthed. I felt like she need a pick-me-up."

"I guess we gotta tell my mom then huh?"

"Yes but tomorrow because I'm too fat to walk back down the stairs."

He smiled. "Alright, every year my family says what they're thankful for on thanksgiving. Since this is our first one together, we have to do it together."

"Okay.....well I'm thankful for all of my many blessings, being completely healthy, for my unborn child, for my sexy boyfriend, my siblings, our mothers. I'm thankful for a lot of things, but mainly the love and laughter that has been brought into life." I smiled.

"I'm thankful for everything. Last year I was sitting in a cell. But I'm home with the people I love. Im thankful for the judge making you my PO because I wouldn't have met you. I'm thankful that I have your beautiful self in my life. I'm thankful for my family, I'm thankful for all of the blessings that have been bestowed upon me and I'm most thankful for my two babies Royalty and Apollonia." He kissed my stomach while I laughed.

"Boy bye! This ain't no purple rain. That ain't my baby name."

"Alright, that can be the middle name then."

"No and what if it's a boy?"

"I ain't think about that."

Shaking my head I rolled my eyes. "You're crazy, but I love you."

"I love you too baby. Happy Thanksgiving."

"Happy thanksgiving."

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