There's A Thug In My Life

TWENTY TWO

There was so much going on, Aaliyah didn't want to be in Haiti nor Memphis. She knew Bahari was irritated with everything. From taking her real mother to the United States to moving to Santa Monica, California.

She was five months pregnant still modeling. Her mother was trying to figure out how she was going to get a green card. Was she going to get married or invest in $500,000?

"Stop, it won't fit stop tryna force it inside," Aaliyah argued.

"Well if you'll be still, it'll slide right in," he argued back.

They were busy putting Braylin's Trampoline together. Bahari grew on California. He was back on his shit and he made sure to notify Aaliyah that they wouldn't be going anywhere no time soon. Business was good out there.

"Ion even need help no more," Bahari said waving her off. "Gone inside, I'll figure it out. Just bring me a beer."

She rolled her eyes with her hands on her back. He grabbed her arm and brought her into a kiss, when he saw that she was about to act like a brat. "I love you."

Aaliyah tried to hide her smile as she turned around on her heel. She went to the refrigerator and grabbed a beer, when she closed it she was startled by Skailee. "Boo!"

"Shit," she said trying to catch her breath. "One of these days you're gonna give me a heart attack."

Skailee laughed, she always scared her daughter. She was just playful like that. "Please..."

"So do you wanna come to the doctors office with me to find out what I'm having?" Aaliyah asked.

"You should do gender reveal party," Skailee insisted.

"With what friends?"

"You're right," she said as her shoulders slouched down. "I see gender reveals on the internet, it's just so cute.."

"I don't even like surprises," she stated. "I wanna know right then and there."

She went outside to give Bahari the beer. He was on the phone as he grabbed it. "Is Skailee going with you to the doctor's office?"

"Yeah, I wish you could come though," she pouted.

"Hold up, Dre....I'll call you back," he said putting his phone in his pocket. "Tell you what...I gotta gotta handle something right quick but I promise I'll make it home by eight and I'll take you on a nice ass date."

"Date?" Aaliyah smirked. "You never took me on a real date before..."

"Well new beginnings then," he said kissing her jaw.

She enjoyed the new and improved Bahari. He was involved, being supportive, and spending quality time with his family.

•••

Bahari had went to meet with a new connect name Dre at a strip club. Average height, rough skin that was light, yet he held pretty brown eyes. Dre seem to be on his shit—he never really muttered a word it was just business for him. Yet Bahari was different to him, he reminded him of a younger him.

"You act like you scared to look," Dre's worker taunted. Bahari only looked at him he never really showed interest in strippers—whatsoever.

Many were trying to give him a lap dance but he simply declined. He was worried about getting home to his girl in time.

"You got somewhere to be, young king?" Dre questioned as Bahari checked his iced out Audemars Piguet.

"No, just hate the strip club, man," he lied. "It smells like cabbage in here, my nigga."