Chapter 32: Forget Forever, Remember Everyday

Chapter 32

Eros Dylan Donovan

Forget Forever, Remember Everyday

My hands are shaking as people continue to chatter with their cliques. I'm in Starbucks, where I'm supposed to meet Tiffany. I know that it will be a typhoon. Knowing Tiffany, she won't step down until she puts up a fight. She's a strong women. I remember when we were dating. A pervert guy tried to smack her ass. Tiffany did not let him. Instead, she broke her fingers and the pervert guy howled in pain. What's funny was, Tiffany was charged of violence. But Tiffany being Tiffany, she bitched and bitched until she got bailed out and told the policemen the pervert guy tried to rape her. She was just protecting herself. I was dumb back then. I thought she was the right girl for me, the right woman. But I was wrong. She just didn't care and left after she gave birth to Brad.

Moments later, I meet a pair of eyes that once lured me, that once made me weak. Tiffany's eyes. She's looking at me with a smile tugged on her lips. Her hair is in, as always, curvy and she's wearing a dress-skirt. She's old for it, but she can pull it. It's like she belongs in the teenager group.

"So," Tiffany says, smiling at me seductively. "Ready to be a family again?"

It almost saddens me that she's desperate for us to be a family again, when in the first place, we did not become a family at all. I shake my head, and her smile turns into a frown and her happy demeanor replaces with a bitter one. She grips her purse and her left eye twitches, indicating that in any second, she's going to burst. Tiffany's always like this. Whenever she doesn't get what she wants, her left eye would twitch. She regains her calmness and gives me an oh-so fake smile. That angers me. She can say what she wants to say. I don't want her to hide what she really feels.

"No," I state, taking a sip of my black coffee. I put it back on the table and contemplate if I should do this quick or not. I choose the former. Mike's probably waiting for me. Mike will be discharged in the hospital and he's going to come home.

Mike has already told me the talk she had with her mother, Mel. And to think Mel did a good job to earn back the house made me want to hug her. But Mike would be jealous. I just can't believe that the house is mine again.

"Tiffany," I say, sighing as I toy with straw of Starbucks. Who plays with straws? Me. "I don't want to have a family with you. And it's not necessary for you to put a word 'again' at the end of your sentence. We weren't a family back then, and we're not going to be a family today. Or in the future."

"Oh stop it, Erdy." She says, flicking her hair to the side as she bats her long lashes at me, her lips slightly pouting. "You love me, Erdy."

"It's so nice of you to compose it in a present tense," I say sarcastically as I roll my eyes at her. She glares at me and scoffs. "It should be in past tense."

"Erdy, you're just confused. You still want me," she persists, holding my hand and bringing it to her cheek. "I'm back, Erdy. I know you're mad at me for leaving you. But still, you love me. Erdy, we can pass through this stage. I still love you. We would make a good family. And perfect. Me, you, and Brad. Erdy, just think of it. We can still save what we had before."

"Tiffany, don't you get it?" I ask, my voice getting higher. Shaking my head, I contain my anger inside me, not wanting to burst in public. I don't want to be in the news. "I don't love you. What we had, leave it in the past. We're not going to be a family. We're already broken. Since you left us. I know I keep rubbing it on you. Believe, I have already forgiven you. But that's not enough - "

"Then tell me what to do so you can accept me again!" Tiffany shouts, slamming her fist against the table. People whip their heads into out direction. My black coffee has stumbled and it spilled all over the table. I stare at her in utter shock, not wanting to believe that the once naive girl has turned into a very different one.

"Tiffany, calm down," I say, looking at her dead in the eye. "We should be talking decent here. You shouting at me won't solve anything."

"Then if I speak to you at a decent tone, will you accept me again?"

God. This girl is giving me a headache. I massage my forehead, releasing the tension by taking a deep breath and exhaling. I look at Tiffany again and most of the people are still giving us uneasy looks. I can't blame them. Tiffany is crazy now.

"Tiffany, God no," I say, frustrated because she can't put it in her fucking head that we're done. "Look, I don't love you. I used to love you. We're never ever getting back together. So please, don't push yourself on me. There are lots of men out there who want you, who can make you happy. You don't deserve me, and especially, I don't deserve you. The only reason I wanted to talk to you is about Brad. I know you - "

Tiffany cuts me off by leaning up and pushing her lips onto mine forcefully. I push her away and stare at her in shock, with disgust swarming in my eyes. A few men gasp and someone mumbles about me being a jerk. I pretend I didn't hear him. Instead, I keep my eyes on Tiffany, watching her as her body trembles.

"Brad, I'll file a custody. I'll take Brad away from you." She states, her voice has no tone at all.

I smash my hand on the table. The already spilled black coffee has been shaken and drips onto the floor. I smash my hand so hard on the table that Tiffany practically jumps and a few of the men tell me to stop hurting the girl and I give him the coldest ever glare.

"If you don't shut up, I'll shoot you with my gun." I say menacingly, which makes the man scrambles away and goes off of the store. I turn back to Tiffany. "You. You can do whatever you want, fuck whoever you want, but not me. I swear if you ever go near Brad, you'll never see him again. You know me, Tiff. Once I say it, I mean it."

"Erdy, I'm his mother, you can't do that to me!"

"Yes I fucking can!"

Now, everybody's looking at us. All of them are glaring daggers at me. The hell I care. They can go fuck themselves. If they want to get side to Tiffany, then be it. I don't want anyone on my side because U can handle it on my own.

"You just gave birth to Brad, left us alone, and after four years," I say, pointing a finger at him to emphasize that every word should be imprinted to her fucking brain, "you'll come back and want to take my son away? Hell no! I won't let you. Brad grew up with no mother to take care of him. Brad went to school with no mother bringing him to school. Brad made homework with no mother helping him. Brad took a bath with no mother helping him to shampoo his head, to dry himself, and to put a shirt on himself because you're too fucking selfish and you left us alone with no good-byes! I did all of that to him. Now tell me, are you good enough to be Brad's mother? Brad grew up with me always on his side. And I'm pretty sure that if you file a custody, you'll just raise hell. Because believe it or not, you're talking to Satan himself. And Satan is stronger when he's in hell."

With that, I turn on my heels, putting $20 on the table as a payment for the coffee and the scandal we have created inside the store.

Tiffany is such a bitch. I know getting in touch with her again is a bad idea, talking to her was a bad idea. I swear if she ever file a custody, I'll cut shoot her with a shotgun. Nobody will take Brad away from me. He's my son.

+++

Mike is watching me with a helpless look. I told her about the talk Tiffany and I had. He told me Tiffany was just being a bitch. He also assured me that if she ever files a custody, most likely, we would win because Brad grew up better. Because I made him better. I taught him good things and told him about bad things that he should never do. I've been a great father to him. Everyone knows that. I'd kill for him. I'd do everything for my Brad. Mike takes a step forward slowly, wrapping his arms around me. I put my head on his chest and inhale his scent. His scent makes me want to bury my face in his chest and snuggle. I wrap my arms around his waist automatically.

"Everything's going to be fine, Eros." Mike assures, running his fingers across my scalp. He leans down and presses his lips on my forehead and I look up and give him a peck on the lips.

"Thanks," I say, tightening my arms around him. "I don't know what will I do if you're not here."

"You'll do fine. I swe - "

"You two, stop being teenagers and let's go home!" Mikel's voice echoes around the room. This is the time that Mike will be discharged from the hospital. Mike's face reddens and he buries his face in the crook of my neck. I chuckle. "There's no forever!"

"Yup," I shout back, agreeing. "There's no forever, but we definitely have everyday! Right, babe?"

"Yes, babe, remember, we have everyday to be with each other," Mike says, locking his lips against mine, making me want to rip his clothes off of him.