AALIYAH

XIII

taurus bartlett

i was supposed to be going down to Chicago to see liyah but i wasn't sure. my flight left in three hours and i was debating whether or not i should go. i still had Tremani and them meeting felt so soon. i've talked it over with crystal and she didn't mind but in my mind i just didn't know. me and her weren't together so at any given point in time we could fall off, i can't have my son out here just meeting flings.

"dada." he handed me his red paw patrol cup.

"more juice?" i ask and he nods. "how about water?"

he shrugs and i rinse out his cup getting a water bottle pouring it in.

"it's water."

"kay." he says drinking it.

i liked that he wasn't one of those kids who didn't mind drinking water. i know some that'll refuse to drink if it's not juice or pop.

"you wanna go meet miss liyah? or we can stay home."

"miss liyah?" he ask tilting his head in confusion.

"yeah." i chuckle a little bit.

he clapped and nodded repeating her name over and over.

"okay we go see liyah." i smile and call my driver.

the bags were already packed i just had to decide if i'd use em, and it seems like i was.

my driver was about thirty minutes away and he'd be here to scoop us.

i made sure Tremani used the bathroom and i had all the toys he was playing with at the moment. his ipad was changed but i made sure to get the battery pack too.

the plane ride was smooth and i was at the airport waiting for aaliyah but her ass was taking a long ass time.

"uber daddy, uber." Tremani said tugging on my pants leg.

"she on her way dooda." i chuckle at his antics.

seconds later i saw her car and i loaded everything in the trunk with dooda beside me. once i finished i buckled him in and got situated myself.

"hey." aaliyah smiled tiredly.

"wuddap, you tired?"

"just a little bit i was up all day cooking and cleaning." she yawned while pulling off.

"we can sleep when we get to the house i know dooda tired." i look yk the backseat seeing him look out the window.

aaliyah moor

"this is tremani but everybody call him dooda, dooda you already know her name but this is liyah." he introduced the both of us.

"hi." i say but it came out as a coo.

"hi." he hid behind his father's legs.

"don't be shy dooda she nice." taurus moved over and i wave again.

he was such an adorable kid.

"yeah i'm nice i promise." i chuckle and he smiles a tad bit.

"so what you cook?" he ask wasting no time.

"umm just roast, carrots, and potatoes."

"always potatoes." he shakes his head picking tremani up.

i let them sit at the table before i started making plates. tremani's portion a little smaller than his fathers.

"thank you." dooda says reaching for his fork as soon as i sat the plate down.

"you're welcome sweetie." i then hand taurus his plate.

"you guys want anything to drink?"

"i'll take a water and if you got some juice he can have a little" he says and i nod.

i had some apple juice so i went ahead poured him a little.

i made my plate and ate as much as i could before my stomach started to hurt.

i washed up the dishes and took a seat on the couch and they followed.

dooda sat in his dads lap. curled up and i laid up against taurus in a way.

"watch we finna get into." taurus put his arm around me.

"i'm was thinking thinking The Hate U Give but that's too much with a child right here so it's gotta be something else."

"he on that tablet he'll be ight." he says and i look at him watching bubble guppies.

"okay." i turn it on anyways and we watched that.

this wasn't my first time watching this movie but i just loved it so much.

eventually tremani went to sleep, in my mail room i had a futon so i just let that out letting him sleep there. i placed the blanket he came with over him along with the comforter i had put up in the closet.

taurus kissed him goodnight, leaving the door cracked just in case he needed to get out. i suggested filling his sippy cup with something to drink just in case he got thirsty through out the night, i know sometimes i do.

"you tryna get them doonies beat, done put my son to bed on time and shit." taurus stood behind me as i tie up my hair so i can put on my bonnet.

"boy bye." i roll my eyes.

"if you is i ain't mad at you." he kissed my cheek before going to lay down.

i wore i giant shirt with nothing underneath but my panties.

"what you finna watch now." he cuddles my body as soon as i lie in bed.

"damn, missed me huh?" i ask hearing him inhale my scent.

"like hell i did. you know i was thinking while we were apart."

"what were you thinking baby boy?" i ask rubbing his arm soothingly.

"i didn't realize i'd miss you as much as i did, i thought it was strange since i usually don't miss nobody." he pauses and kissing my temple. "i was gone distance myself but tremani convinced me and i'm glad he did."

"why didn't you want to come?"

"i didn't want- i hoped so very badly that i didn't miss you."

"why?"

"so i could get over you." he says "it sounds stupid but i really wanted it to just be a thought."

"i guess i get it." i say quietly.

"it's scary to me, in such little time i fell in love with you. time was really on a roll" he then loosens up on my body.

"i understand."

"i'm glad you do, you make me feel like i ain't got nothing to hide from you." he said making me smile.

"i'd hope you never hide anything from me."

"it's just one thing..."

here we fucking go.