We were in the middle of eating dinner when the telephone rang. The only person I wanted it to be was Shanelle, but she didn't know my phone number. So I guessed it was my dad or Mallory. I let Eden answer it, because he got to it first.
"Hewhoa?" he asked, not able to pronounce his words correctly.
"Hey, is your mommy there?" someone asked my baby.
"Who dis?" he asked cutely. I just smiled.
"It's Aunty Mallory, who's this?" she asked, not knowing which it was.
"Me Eden. Here's mommy." he finished and gave me the phone.
"Hello?" I asked.
"Hey you, how you doin'?" Mallory asked me. I was happy it was her.
"I'm good. It's really great here." I told her. I still couldn't take in the fact that I had seen him, the boys' father, but I didn't know if I should tell Mallory or not. She hated him.
"Cool, and... I'm sorry I was a bitch about you leaving yesterday. I'm really glad you're happy there." she told me, making me smiled again.
"Thanks, and I am happy..." I told her, but I guess I didn't sound too convincing.
"What? What's wrong?" she asked me.
"Nothing... just... well... last night, this girl came up to our house and I talked to her for awhile after the boys were sleeping... and she was really cool, and she lives right underneath us..." I began. "And... she said she and her boyfriend would come up to our house again today so we get to know each other and become friends..." I continued.
"Really? That's great!" Mallory told me.
"Well, it was great. I waited all day for her to come up, and she didn't. Then she came up like half an hour ago, and she told me that she was sorry but she couldn't stay and she rushed out of here." I finished.
"Oh, did you find out why?" she wondered.
"No, and I really want to know. Do you think I should find out?" I asked her.
"Yeah, you should. Maybe something is seriously wrong..." she suggested.
"Yeah, you're right. I'm going to find out. Thanks, Mal. Can I call you later?" I asked.
"Of course. Bye." she finished and hung up.
I put down the cordless and took a deep breath. I didn't want to have to take the boys downstairs to investigate, but I couldn't just leave them alone. So after we finished eating, I put on their shoes, and my own, and the three of us went down the few flights of stairs leading to the first floor. We were on the second. I figured out that room 101 was right under us, and knocked on the door, hoping she'd answer. She didn't.
The door opened slowly and I saw a tall, darker skinned guy. His hair was jet black, but his eyes were a peircing green. His face looked cold and mean as she stared my in the eyes.
"What the hell do you want?" he asked me.
"Does... Shanelle live here?" I asked him back, a little scared. Both my sons hid behind me.
"If you're that chick that she met yesterday, I want you to stay away from my girlfriend. She doesn't need friends like you..." he told me coldly again. I was shocked.
"What? A friend like what?" I yelled, getting upset.
"Like you. You're a bad influence... with those little brats of yours, and no man... what the hell is your problem?" he asked, but lowered his voice.
"Don't you be talking about my sons like that. I made a mistake a long time ago, but there's nothing I could do. It's not only my fault I got pregnant, and my ex-boyfriend left me, because guys, like you too, freak out and just ditch us girls like we're nothing." I told him defensively.
"Whatever... just stay away from Shanelle." he replied.
"Or else what? What are you going to do? You can't tell her who to be friends with." I said sternly. I wasn't going to lose my only new friend.
"I'll leave her if she stays friends with you. Because you're putting thoughts into her head about having kids. She came home last night talkin' about how cute your kids are and how she'd love to have one... and I don't want that." he told me. I almost laughed.
"She's smarter than that. She doesn't really want to have a kid right now. She knows that mine were not planned..." I answered.
"You don't know my girlfriend." he told me.
"I know, but I want to. C'mon, I just moved here, and I have no friends yet. I need some friends. Why can't you just forget about my sons, and get to know me?" I asked him sadly.
"Well..." he began, and I hoped he'd change his mind. "Only... um... if she ever mentions having a kid again, I won't let her hang with you..." he said. I smiled.
"Oh my gosh, thank you so much. I'm Torrance." I told him, holding out my hand.
"I'm.... Mackenzie." he finished, and shook my hand softly.
"So, is Shanelle here?" I asked.
"She just ran out to the store. I'll... tell her you came by..." he told me. I smiled again.
"Thanks again, really. Thank you." I told him again and again. "C'mon, guys, let's go back upstairs." I whispered to my boys, as I turned around. I heard Mackenzie sigh, then I heard,
"Well, actually, why don't you wait here for her? She'll be right back, and she'll be happy to see you."
"Are you sure?" I asked him.
"Yeah, come on in." he finished, holding the door open. I grabbed both my sons' hands and we went inside their apartment.
