Chapter 16.1- Leyah

“Look you need to stop calling me. Why are you checking up on me anyway? Have you nothing better to do?” I shouted down the phone, whilst trying to make a cup of tea.
“I'm not checking up on you, I’m checking how my baby girl is”
I gritted my teeth. “She is fine now, just like half an hour ago when you called and the hour before that! Look I do have things to sort out! Your constant phoning is disturbing me now Reese I am trying to be polite!”
I was getting very irritated now. Asia only had a little temperature and runny nose and Reese was treating it like she had been diagnosed with Meningitis! I knew that this was just an excuse, he was acting more anxious than usual, like he was so concerned that he should come around to make sure that she was okay. Anything to try and come down in order for him to try persuade me that he has changed! Anything to make my blood boil! Rub the situation in my face!
“Leyah I'm just concerned about my babies’ health. I’m here to make sure she is okay. I'm worried”
“Please Reese! Are you trying to say that I am incapable of looking after my daughter and nursing her back to health?”
“Correction ‘our’ daughter! And I'm not saying that and you know it. But I just want to ensure that she is okay. Did you give her the night dose for her medicine?”
“Look I’m going now Reese!”
I hung up the phone. He was calling too much now. Not only was it infuriating but I was also becoming to be suspicious at his real motive! He had been the one to collect her from school yesterday, because they could not get hold of me and now he was not letting me forget it! He was everywhere, every minute, every second and he is not even physically here! At first it was nice of him to check on her after he dropped her home, but as soon as he collected her from school he had taken her to the doctors and collected her medicine from the pharmacy before I was able to do it. He was proving to me that he is capable and that he would drop everything for our daughter. I know he really enjoys being a part of her life. But I know this already, he did not have to reinforce it like this! Maybe he had heard that I was on a date last weekend. But who would have told him? Nah, I’m just being paranoid! I know Reese, this type of behaviour has always been instigated by something or someone!

After he had finally vacated my phone line I went and tucked Asia safely into her princess sheets, reading her favourite Barbie story until she fell asleep. She was so beautiful. Although she looked so much like her father she had the odd little features from me. Her cute button nose, that Reese always admired on me and she also inherited my full-size ears. Other than that she was the perfect clone of her father. I always resented Reese for that. Every time I looked at her she reminded me of him. How he use to make me feel when he used to compliment me every time he saw me or walked into a room. He made me feel like a princess and now he was making Asia feel like one too. He devoted everything to his little girl. She was the apple of his eye. He would do anything for her, even put his relationship at risk for her; which he has done on more than one occasion. Reese did not care. He was the type of man that would cheat, get caught and blame it all on his woman for not giving him enough attention and neglecting his needs! He was an arrogant bastard at times. But he was not my problem. Like I said good luck to Shantel!
My priority is Asia, and as long as he makes sure that he looks after her and does not let any woman affect this, then it is okay with me!

I hadn’t called Lucas as yet as I was still sceptical about our date. Why would he want to take me on such a romantic walk on our first date? He was definitely trying to make me fall into his web fast and furious! I did have fun though, he did seem genuine but things are never as good as they seem.
I should just give him a call and see what he is up to.
I rushed downstairs to look for my mobile phone which I had on charge since Reese had killed the battery calling every hour on the hour!
I contemplated on the move which I was about to do, but quickly resorted to continuing the act before I talked myself out of it. I searched through the phone book and stopped at L. There it was, Lucas. Right here it goes…
“Hello…”
“Hi this is Lucas Banton Speaking”
“Wow, are you always this formal on the phone?”
“Yes I am.” He laughed. “Who am I speaking to?”
”Do you not have my name stored in your phone?”
“Sorry, but I have my bluetooth in and it answered automatically”
“It’s Leyah”
“Oh… hi stranger. Didn’t think that you would call”
“Well of course I would, why wouldn’t I?”
“One second…”
I listened carefully as I heard him close a door, entering somewhere more quite.
“Sorry… Well it has been two weeks since our date and every time I offer to take you out again you provide a new excuse!”
“They were not excuses. I have just been busy with all this studying I’m doing at the moment”
“Okay. Well I will let you off. But you have to make it up to me!”
Look at him. Make what up! He is lucky that I even phoned him at all. “Make what up? What for?”
“Make up the two weeks which you have been denying me of your wonderful company and grace”
I had to laugh, this mans charm is so cheesy! “Well I will let you take me out to Musiq Soulchild concert in a couple of weeks”
“Wow, your very demanding aren’t you? Okay. I guess it’s a date then!”
I thought to myself, I’m not going to give this man the pleasure of my company again so easy. I better do it right and let him work for this! Musiq Soulchild tickets were just the answer. I wanted to go to this for the longest, but I didn’t want to be there with my girls looking like a lonely hearts column displayed for all to see. Most people would be there with their partners, holding hands, hugging each other and singing to the words. That was my mistake when I went to the Joe concert last year. I felt so pathetic standing there with Keshia by my side. Don’t get me wrong I was glad for the company and it was one hell of a concert, but I needed to be there with the opposite sex.
Now Lucas taking me to this concert was a test to see how much he really wanted to go on another date with me, the tickets were almost sold out so he would have to act fast.
“Okay, well I’m going to get onto the tickets, the best seats in the house” He paused for a brief moment and the phone went all muffled. “Leyah, I got to go. We’ll talk soon. Bye”
Lucas hung up the phone suddenly without even waiting for my reply. That was strange. Why did he run so quick? I could hear voices in the background of a woman I think, it wouldn’t surprise me if he was a married man! Men are all the same. Well I’m going to remain positive like Janet always advises. I’m not going to think the worst just because Reese had been a bastard and all the other countless guys we seem to come across. Faith was not one of my strong points at the moment, but I will give it a go. We had just made arrangements to go to see Musiq Soulchild and that was fine with me. Just as long as he keeps his promise then I won’t have much to moan about and part of my faith will be restored.