Daddy Issues

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

It had been an interesting month. In just thirty days, Zion and I have grown closer than what I would have thought possible in such a short amount of time. We both lay in bed, watching tv quietly trying not to wake Cisco who was sleeping in the other room after we all went out to an arcade till it closed. The boy had tired himself out there and hadn't been awake since he got in the car.

I felt his hand wander to my butt and start poking it to watch it jiggle making us both laugh. I scooted in closer to him. I inhaled his spicy scent and felt warmth flood my body. He grabbed me and forced me on top of him and started to kiss me till he turned back to watch television .

Zion continued to play with my butt until I slapped his hands away. "Go to bed, we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow."

"It's just Thanksgiving cooking don't take that long." It was a comment made by a man who had never made a Thanksgiving dinner in his life.

"You can't cook anything but noodles, breakfast, and fish. How would you know?"

"Whatever," he replied. I settled into him and closed my eyes knowing that I would need the sleep.

I woke up bright and early before the sun would even think to appear above the horizon while Zion stayed asleep. Walking in the decadent bathroom, I started the shower allowing for the water to get hot while I brushed my teeth. When the steam started to cover the mirror, I stripped out of my clothing and got in the shower. When inside, I sat on the ground at let the water wash over me.

My mind started to wander to Zion's parents. We had a talk about it two weeks ago while I was planning the Thanksgiving menu. His family didn't exist anymore his father had left him, his mom and a little brother when his brother turned two. His father had taken all the money and valuables from the house when he moved in with a white woman he had been cheating with. Zion's mother died not long after he turned nineteen and none of their family was there to help so Zion took over the parent roll.

In true deadbeat father fashion, his uncles and aunts from both sides of his family suddenly remembered how to call when he got drafted into the league. I felt bad for him I know how it feels to have an ain't shit father.

He had not had a Thanksgiving dinner since his mom was alive, not a real one. They were all catered and sad, as he had explained. I wanted to be the person to give that to him.

I finished showering and dried off walking into the room in just a towel. Finding some sweats to wear. When I finished I went to go wake Cisco up in his room where he was sleeping with his new favorite stuffed animal a life-size fox I bought him from the toy store.

"Time to get up, bunny," I whispered while shaking him. I called him bunny because he loves hopping around. I told Zion he should put him in a gymnastics class to see if he was any good.

Cisco turned over and opened his eyes slowly. "I don't want to," he complained. I walked into the bathroom and ran him a small warm bath, then walked back to the room and picked him up and sat him on the bathroom floor.

"Take a bath I'll get your clothes," I said. Walking to the room's closet I picked out some clothes then brought them in helping him brush his teeth and hair after giving him enough time to bathe. I then carried him into the living room and turned on a child targeted channel to entertain him. "Stay here, okay?"

"Okay, Cyprus," he smiled up at me. Smiling back, I rubbed his head before walking back to Zion's room where he was already awake and dressed. He sat on the bed with my phone in hand.

"Good morning, baby," he said when he looked up. I walked over to him and straddled his lap. He pulled me in closer to him grabbing my chin and met my lips with his.