Selfish

Chapter 15

I get out of the taxi and walk up to Aiko's apartment door.

I can hear Ari crying from outside the door and my heart breaks. I feel guilty for leaving her as I knock, I shouldn't have went she said she didn't want to stay.

The door opens with Aiko holding a sobbing Ari. Ari immediately reaches for me. "M-mommy." The distress in her tone pains me.

I give Aiko an apologetic look as I take Ari from her. Ari wraps her arms around me tightly and lays her head on my shoulder as she breathes shakily.

"Thank you for watching her." I say as I rub Ari's back in an attempt to soothe her.

Aiko sucks her teeth. "Stop saying that. We love Ari even if she doesn't love us."

I snort. "But seriously I appreciate it.

"Yeah, Yeah." She says with a smile.

"I'm gonna get her home."

"Bye. I'll probably be over with Li sometime next week."

"Ok."

I give her one last smile before turning around to leave. Ari's shuddering breaths break my heart. That means she's been crying for a while.

I kiss her her head. "I'm sorry."

She lifts her head to look at me, her face is flushed and eyes puffy. "Y-you s-said i-it wouldn't be l-long."

I chuckle at that. "Baby I was barely gone for an hour it was supposed to be three."

"N-no y-you were g-gone f-forever." She coughs.

"I'm sorry it felt that way." I kiss her temple. "I love you."

"Wove you too. W-where's K-Kya?" She asks rubbing her right eye with her fist.

"She stayed at the party."

"W-why?" Her voice goes up a pitch.

"For work, she'll be back."

"I-I wan-ted h-her to w-watch Mo-ana with u-us." Her lip quivers telling me she's about to start crying again. She lays her head on my shoulder and begins doing just that. She usually wouldn't cry over something like this, she must be tired.

"Hey, look at me." I say calmly, she looks up eyes filled with tears as they leak from them. I wipe them with my hand and kiss her damp cheek. "We can watch it with her when she gets back."

"N-No! Then it's b-bed-t-time. I-I w-want her here n-now m-mommy." She continues to whine and coughs again.

"I'll let you stay up but I think your sleepy now. If you do go to sleep before she gets here we can watch it tomorrow but I can't make her come here now her job is important. Ok?"

"O-Ok." She says but doesn't stop crying. I rub her back as I walk us to our apartment.

We arrive at the apartment and I unlock the door. When we're Inside I attempt to set her down but she tightens her grip on me.

"N-Nooo, hold m-me." She whines.

I giggle and sit on the couch with her on my lap.

She's so clingy but one day she won't need me, so I'm ok with it. I won't be able to hold her like this. It honestly makes me sad.

I take off my heels and then her shoes and lay them on the floor.

I give her kiss on her cheek. "Want to go blow your nose?"

She nods and sniffles again.

I take our shoes and put them in our rooms before taking her to the bathroom and wiping her face. After that I change into a black tank top and some grey shorts. Then I take her to put on her Ariel shirt and shorts pajamas.