The Black Woman #Wattys2016

The middle.

"I want you bad as ever
Don't let me just let up
I want to give you better
Baby it's whatever
Somebody gotta step up
Girl I'm that somebody
So I'm Next up

Be damned if I let him catch up
It's easy to see that you're fed up
I am on a whole 'nother level
Girl he only fucked you over cause you let him

Fuck em girl I guess he didn't know any better
Girl that man didn't show any effort
Do all I can just to show you you're special
Certain it's your love that holds me together."
                                                 _
Alani
Nine months and 27 days before
      Declan held his hand out for me to grab and I immediately caught on to it and allowed him to help me out of his black Rover. "I didn't know how to dress because you wouldn't tell me where we were going so I just stuck with casual.." I mumbled and he smirked. "You look absolutely stunning, Alani. This is what you call casual?" I shrugged and walked beside him with our arms linked. From the looks of it, we were going inside some type of dark restaurant.

"It wasn't even my fault. You never told me where we were going so this is all your fault, Mr. Declan." He licked his lips and led me into the restaurant. We were instantly greeted with a perky, blonde woman. "Name please?" Declan cleared his throat. "Kelly. Has my family gotten here yet?" The woman nodded and walked ahead in front of us. My throat instantly felt dry. Woah, what? Declan must've noticed my change in mood because he brought my hand up to his lips and kissed it gently. "You'll be fine. I just needed a date for the dinner since all of my siblings will be accompanied by someone. I wanted a gorgeous woman on my arm too."

I slightly blushed and smiled. "And besides, you already know my big mouthed brother and my mother so there's three people at this dinner that absolutely adores the ground you walk on." He put me in front of him and gently placed his hand on my waist as everyone stood up to greet us. His mother was first of course. "Ah, my Alani. It's so nice to see you again." I smiled and embraced her back. "You too,  Katherine." Then, Blake grabbed me and spun me around quickly. His date stood there awkwardly with his hands in his pockets. "Oh! Boo boo! This is my date Flynn. He's an exchange student that just transferred to my college." The man fixed the fedora that was placed on his head and smiled shyly. "Hello.." He said in a deep Irish accent. Flynn had curly, black hair that stopped at his shoulders, was tall as heck, and dressed just like Blake. A match made in heaven. From the corner of my eye, I saw another woman talking on her phone. When she looked up at me, she instantly smiled.

"That's our sister Dayja.." Blake whispered in my ear. "She was adopted." I nodded slowly, taking everything in. Dayja ended her phone call and stood up. I stared in awe because she was honestly breathtaking. "And you must be Alani..." She softly hugged me. "My family raves about you on a daily basis, trust me. You have absolutely nothing to be worried about. They practically love you more than they love me." We both laughed as everybody sat back down in their chairs. Declan held the chair out for me to sit in and then took his seat beside me and his brother. "Is dad not attending this dinner?" He asked and placed a napkin in his lap. Katherine sighed. "I don't know, son. He was supposed to be back home this morning but he hasn't shown up yet. Your sister and I have been trying to call him all day but no answer."

Blake took a sip of his water. "That's peculiar." Declan shook his head. "You know that's not peculiar. If the man could start a new life without any of us, he would, and you know it." Katherine looked down at her menu and without looking up, said, "Declan, stop it. I won't allow you to talk about your father in that way." He rolled his eyes and looked down at his menu as well. I grabbed his hand that was underneath the table and felt his whole body relax. He smiled down at our hands and then looked back at his menu. Dayja grinned from ear to ear. "So, Alani, I hear that you're one of momma's best designers on her team."