Another Man Will

Another Man Will by Daaimah S. Poole Read Free Book Online

Book: Another Man Will by Daaimah S. Poole Read Free Book Online
Authors: Daaimah S. Poole
happen next.”
    â€œWe’ll get the results, and everything should be okay after this. It will prove she is his.”
    â€œOkay, he better hope so, because he sure has a lot of nerve. I’ll tell you, these men today have lost they damn mind. Making babies and then not taking care of them.”
    â€œYeah, well I think he is going to get it together. At least I hope.”
    I talked to my mom a little more, then went upstairs to put the kids’ bag in my and Dana’s room. It was the back room. My half was the right side, and her half was the left. We used to jump on the bed and stay up all night in this room, sharing so many secrets, dreams about who we were going to be, who we would marry, and where we were going to live. Back then I would never have thought my life would turn out like this.
    â€œMom, I’m going to get out of here.”
    She gave me a kiss on my cheek and asked if I had packed enough diapers.
    â€œYeah, and I already made the formula, so all you have to do is put the bottle in warm water for, like, two minutes and it will be ready.”
    â€œI raised three babies. I’ll manage.”
    â€œI know you will. Thanks for taking them, and I’ll be here first thing in the morning,” I said as I was leaving and tried to figure out what I was going to with my free time.

C HAPTER 5
    Crystal
    I wa s ready to go pick up my babies. Being home alone and listening to the sound of nothing was boring. It was only nine, but I was ready for bed. The sound of Syreeta saying, “You’re just a whore-ass baby mom” was still ringing in my ear. I started thinking of everything I could have said back to her but still couldn’t think of anything that would have hurt as bad.
    I needed to go somewhere, get out of the house. The only friend I had was a girl name Portia, whom I went to middle school with. We talked here and there. Whenever I ran into her, we would always exchange numbers and she would always say I needed to go out with her. Maybe she was out and I could meet up with her. I called her, and Portia answered with all this noise in the background. I could barely make out what she was saying over all the loud music. I asked her where she was and what she was doing.
    â€œI’m at Rascals. Come down. We’re having a fish fry for Jeremiah’s football team.”
    â€œA fish fry? That sounds so very country.”
    â€œIt’s not country at all. We’re raising money for the team’s new uniforms, and it is Wagner’s unofficial reunion. You should come down, too.”
    â€œI probably won’t remember anyone from Wagner, girl.”
    â€œThat’s why I have my yearbook. Come on, Crystal! If nothing else, come out and support my son. Get a platter and leave.”
    â€œAll right. Okay. I’ll come down. Let me get dressed.”
    Â 
    Â 
    An hour later I was walking through the door of Rascals. Rascals Lounge was what most people would consider a hole-in-the-wall hood bar. It was crammed with people and had loud music and the aroma of fried fish and fries. A thick girl with a silver ball piercing right over her lip was collecting money. I paid fifteen dollars; she gave me a ticket and pointed in the direction of Portia. As soon as Portia saw me, she rushed over and gave me a hug.
    â€œWho did you come with?” she asked.
    â€œNo one.”
    â€œOkay. Then come over here with me.” She had envelopes filled with tickets and dollars hanging out of them. She was multitasking, talking to me, texting, and greeting other people as they walked by. Over the music she leaned into me and asked me if I wanted a drink.
    â€œNo, but thanks. I’m going to get this food and probably leave.”
    â€œNo, you have to stay out for a minute. I need someone normal near me.”
    â€œWhy you say that?”
    â€œGirl, everybody here I see from Wagner looks so old and fat. I’m, like, ‘I know we didn’t

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