by Blue Saffire
“Exactly, that’s why I want at least one more,” Alex said in my ear and kissed me on the cheek.
“You’re insane. We can finally be alone and you want another baby.”
“What can I say, you give me such beautiful kids. I can’t help but want more.”
“Is it really the kids or making them,” I purred at him and craned my neck to kiss him.
“Ew, gross you two can go upstairs with that,” Aliyah pouted as we kissed.
“Oh, shut up, liyah, how you think you got here?” Victor teased.
“Whatever, Daddy doesn’t need to be all over her like that,” Aliyah grumbled nodding her head toward us defiantly.
“I married your mother, I can do what I want. You the one that better not be kissing anybody,” Alex corrected Aliyah and pulled my face to his to kiss me again.
“Sorry, Daddy,” Aliyah murmured. We all started to laugh at her. Aliyah gets so sensitive when her father chastises her.
“Aw, come here, baby,” I giggled.
Aliyah came over and curled up in my lap as I stroked her hair. Alex leaned over me and kissed the top of her head. She is such a daddy’s little girl. Alex started to rub her back as she rested against me.
I love the different personalities of my babies. They all have their own characters. Even when it comes to the sets of twins, they’re all so different and unique.
“That’s why she’s spoiled now,” Al, the youngest of my oldest twins, grumbled.
“Look who’s talking. The king of spoiled,” I teased. I really do spoil him rotten.
“Aw, what’s the matter, poppa? You want some love,” my husband crooned.
Alex got up and mocked his sister, running over and giving my husband a hug, while trying to climb on top of all of us. We all laughed as they embraced and my husband kissed Al’s forehead and rubbed his back. Al leaned to kiss me on the cheek and give me a hug.
“You feel better now?” I asked him as I cracked up.
“Yes, Mommy, I feel loved,” Al chimed.
“What about you, Poppa?” my husband asked my oldest twin, Victor.
“Nah, I’m good,” Victor mumbled and folded his arms across his chest.
He looked so much like his father as he did it. Sometimes, it hurts to see how much he looks like and acts like his father.
“Al, you clean your room like I told you?” my husband asked.
“Yes, Poppy,” Al groaned, my little baby is becoming such a man. I can’t believe Alex and Victor, or Al and Vic as we call them, are going to be seventeen.
“What about you, Vic?” Alex asked as the doorbell rang.
“Ohhhh,” Vic called with a wicked grin, “saved by the bell.”
“If that room isn’t clean you’re gonna be in this house for the weekend,” Alex called after him as Vic ran to answer the door.
“Were you expecting someone,” I turned to ask. “Liyah, baby, pass Mommy that cup.”
Aliyah passed me the cup off the coffee table. “No Mama. You?” Alex asked and reached to take a sip from my cup.
“No,” I chuckled as I snatched my cup back.
“I can’t get a sip of water,” Alex laughed lightly in my ear.
“No, go get your own. Alexis asked you if you wanted something from the kitchen,” I teased.
“Poppy, it’s some girl at the front door,” Vic frowned as he walked back in the room. “She said something about La familia, La Mafia.” Vic shrugged and twisted his face some more.
The cup slipped from my hand as my body stiffened. The water went flying everywhere. Aliyah popped up to get something to clean the mess and I turned to stare at my husband.
Alex’s face looked tense as his mouth hung open. The name La Mafia was one I never thought I would hear again. Alex promised we would never live another moment tied to them in any way. When Victor and Juan died, La Mafia died too. The name left a bad taste in my mouth.
Alex kissed my forehead and got up to go to the door. I was enraged. I didn’t want this at my door. I told Alex I didn’t want my babies to know anything about La Mafia or the Towers.
Yet, here they were at my home, in the middle of the night, interrupting a family moment. I sat waiting as my children watched me anxiously, observing my reaction to what Vic had said. I tried to school my face, but it wasn’t happening.
“Mom you okay?” Al asked. Just like my little sweetheart to ask. My oldest two are very perceptive like their father.
“Yes, I’m fine,” I tried again to mask my aggravation and nerves. “TJ, Jose, and Liz, go upstairs and get ready for bed.”
“Night, Mommy,” Liz chimed and came to give me a hug and kiss. She is my youngest. She wouldn’t be waiting for me to come tuck her in, she will be passed out the minute her head hits the pillow.
“Goodnight, Baby. Don’t forget to put in your retainer.”
“Night, Mom,” Jose said and gave me a kiss on the cheek. He is my second youngest and the oldest of my last set of twins.
“Night, Mom,” I mocked. “You think you’re so grown.” I reached and pulled him into a hug. “Goodnight.”
“You know I’m thirteen now? I should be able to hang with the big kids now,” TJ said with a big grin as he sat beside me and wrapped his arms around my neck.
“I love you too, Baby, now go upstairs and do what Mommy told you,” I laughed.
“Love you, Mommy. Goodnight,” TJ sighed.
“Good night, sweetie.”
My three little ones left the room and I looked over to Victor. I wanted to ask what the girl looked like, but I didn’t want to drag my kids into this. I started to gnaw on my lip wondering what was going on.
“Was she cute?” Al tried to whisper to Victor.
“Yeah, she’s cute, but she looks like she’s been through something,” Vic frowned.
“How cute? Hold her hand in the mall, cute or take her to the movies at night, cute?” Al laughed.
“Focus on your books or your mom will beat you down, cute,” I hissed and threw a pillow at him.
Alex reappeared at the doorway and nodded for me to come to him. He had a stressed look on his face that told me I wasn’t going to like what he was about to say. I frowned before I could control it and got up to put my heels back on.
“The rest of you clean up in here. Alexis make sure you empty the dishwasher,” I called as I walked out of the room.
They all groaned in response. I was sure they would do the bare minimum and leave the rest for the maid. I just wanted them to be responsible for their mess. I really do have a bunch of spoiled brats, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
“What’s going on?” I hissed as Alex pulled me to his study.
“There’s something I need, Mama,” Alex said softly as we entered his office and he pulled me over to his desk. He leaned against the desk and sighed. “Tali, Mama, you know I wouldn’t ask you this if it wasn’t important,” Alex started.
“Why do I feel like you are about to drop a bomb on me,” I groaned.
He sighed again. “Baby, I’m sorry, but I am. Mama, Juan had a little girl not too long after you had the twins. Her mom was La Mafia. Juan left her everything he had saved up and he bought her a crib before he was killed, but she blew everything.”
“Oh no, Alex, we’re not giving anyone any money. What we walked away with has cleaned itself a hundred times over. I don’t owe anyone anything.
“How do you blow through over three million dollars?” I never knew where Juan’s money went, but I had helped to close his accounts and I knew what Victor and Alex had given him.
“Tali, listen Mama, no one is asking for money. She moved back to the hood with the baby and she went back to the life. Someone murdered her a few weeks ago, now Meliyah has no body.”
“Oh Alex, what are you asking me?” I gasped.
“Mama, Juan asked me to be her legal guardian if anything ever happened to him or Melissa. I promised I would do it as long as La Mafia stayed away from us. We had a lawyer draw up the papers a
nd he takes care of keeping up with our location, in case Meliyah ever needs us,” Alex explained. “Sisqo has been watching over her and he gives the lawyer updates for me.”
“So what, you want me to let some girl I’ve never met move into my house with my children, in my home with my teenage sons? No,” I said flatly.
“Tali, Juan was our family, Mama. He would have done it for our babies. She looks like she has been through hell, Taliyah,” Alex said really looking concerned.
“Alex, you promised. We were leaving La Mafia behind. We let this girl in our home, Alex and we are pulling them back in. No,” I said firmly.
“Tali, Baby, please do this for me,” he crooned and pulled me into his arms.
“No.”
“Mama, please,” he breathed against my neck. He kissed my neck softly and ran his hands along my curves. “Do this for me, Tali. I’ll make it worth it.”
“You really want this?” I breathed trying to focus. Alex knew just how to get his way with me.
“Yes, Tali. He was my family, I promised. You gonna make your poppa happy, Mama? Do this for me,” he breathed against my neck and gently kissed my ear.
“We protect our babies first, Alex. You promised to protect Victor’s boys, my boys. Baby, I don’t want them hurt by this,” I replied as my gut twisted. I really wanted to say no.
“You know Juan named her after you?” Alex said with a smile. “Well her mother wouldn’t let him name her Taliyah, so he added her name and named her Meliyah. Tali, I know Juan would appreciate this.”
“Alex, Juan owed me enough. He didn’t bring Victor home. Don’t make him owe me again. You protect my babies first,” I demanded.
I had never really blamed Juan, though I knew he blamed himself for Victor’s death. He could barely look at me or the twins after. But tonight, I felt like Juan owed me. He was interrupting my perfect life.
“Tali, you know I protect you all with my life. I wouldn’t even ask you for this if it wasn’t Juan. I never thought I would have to do this,” Alex reassured me. “I’ll protect our babies, all of them, Mama.”
“I love you,” I sighed and kissed him.
“I love you, too. Thank you,” he crooned and kissed me back, giving me a tight squeeze. “Come on, let’s get the kids to bed. I still want to work on that baby.”
“Don’t you think you’re asking for too much tonight?” I teased.
“Nope, I told you, I’m gonna make it worth it.”
“Oh, what am I going to do with you,” I giggled and pulled away to leave the room.
Alex led me to the foyer where a woman was standing, not the teenage girl, I was looking for. She looked scared and like she’d been through more than any of my kids had seen on T.V. or in real life. I looked up at Alex and pressed my lips. I knew this was a mistake.
She was hugging herself dressed in a fur coat, with sneakers on. As cold as it was outside, she didn’t seem to have pants on. It made my chest squeeze to think of what she may have been through.
My oldest girls were just starting to take on curves and turn heads. I could only imagine how guys back at the Towers reacted to this young lady. I groaned internally. Not in my home with my teenage boys, was all I could think.
“Hello,” I said as I stopped in front of her and appraised her.
“Hi,” she said shyly.
“My name is Taliyah,” I said and reached out my hand.
She reached out hesitantly and took my hand. She was trembling. I had only been around her for less than five minutes and I wanted to burst into tears and hold her. I wasn’t sure what happened to this poor baby, but I knew in the pit of my stomach I wouldn’t like it.
“I know,” she replied softly. “Uncle Sisqo used to tell me about you guys. I didn’t know this was where he was sending me.” Her face twisted into a pained and confused expression.
“Well, that makes two of us, but you are here now. Let’s get you a room and a nice hot shower,” I offered, “Baby, go check on the kids.”
“I need to make a few calls,” Alex responded.
I leaned to whisper to him. “I don’t want them to see her like this. Just give me a minute to get her upstairs and cleaned up. Keep them in the family room.”
“Okay,” he replied and kissed my forehead.
“Come Meliyah,” I said and placed my hand on her back. She jumped a little at my first touch.
“Sorry,” she murmured.
“That’s fine.”
I walked her upstairs, calculating rooms. I wanted her close enough to know where she was, but far enough away from my boys’ rooms. I didn’t want her too close to my husband either, after getting a good look at her.
Not that I don’t trust Alex. I just know better than to trust a woman in my home and this young lady was a woman if I had ever seen one. Something about her reminded me of myself, I just didn’t know what.
I chose the room in between Alexis and Liz’s rooms. It was across the hall from Vic and Al, but there were plenty of kids around them. I didn’t want to stick her in a corridor all by herself where my boys were free to go sneaking around. This one used to be Aliyah’s room, until we got tired of her complaining that Alexis had a bigger closet.
I took Meliyah into the room quickly, so that the younger children didn’t see her. I was glad they use the backstairs earlier and missed her standing in the foyer. It was enough that Victor had seen her.
I told her to take off her coat and hang it in the closet as I went to get her fresh linens for the bed and towels for the bathroom. I closed the door behind us and started to strip the old linens from the bed.
“Go in the bathroom and shower. I believe there is shampoo in there and there’s some body wash under the sink,” I told her.
I changed the bed and lit some candles in the room to bring in a soothing feeling. This girl needed to relax. I had to go to my room to get her something to wear.
She was not going to fit any of Alexis or Aliyah’s things. Alexis, the oldest of my second set of twins, is too thin and Aliyah is too tall and not as busty. I found her some sweat pants and a t-shirt of mine.
When I got back to the room, Meliyah was stepping out of the bathroom in a towel. She still looked scared and nervous. She also looked really tired.
I held out the clothes for her and she walked over to take them. She clutched the clothes to her chest and stared at me for a few minutes. I gave her a reassuring smile and as soon as I did, she wrapped her arms around me and started to sob.
“It’s okay, now,” I said softly and stroked her hair.
Suddenly the little woman that entered my home started to look like the little girl she was. She had released the façade she had up to protect herself. Now, in its place was left a girl. She was as vulnerable and innocent as my Aliyah.
“He… tried… to… rape… me,” she sobbed as she started to hyperventilate.
“Oh, my gosh, Meliyah, are you okay? I knew something happen to you. Honey, you can tell me what happened,” I gasped.
I sat her on the bed as I rubbed her back. She started from the night she saw her mother being placed in a body bag. Meliyah went on to tell me how she thought all was lost until this very evening, when Sisqo showed up to send her here.
This poor baby hadn’t even begun to grieve properly. She was dealing with too much crap. I couldn’t hide the few tears that wouldn’t listen and stay in place until I walked out of the room.
She even told me some about her mom and their relationship. She was not much of a mother. I was so angry and not sure who to be angry at. Then, I realized that wasn’t going to help her. The last thing she needed was anger. Meliyah needed someone to love her.
“Listen sweetie, you get a good night’s sleep. Just happens me and the girls have a spa day planned in the morning. I’m sure we can add one more. We’ll get you to the mall and take care of getting you some clothes as well,” I told her.
“I have some money,” she said and bit her lip to hold back the fresh tears
that were coming.
“That’s not any good here. You can save that for your pockets. The kids are always trying to buy something at school. How old are you?”
“Sixteen, I’ll be seventeen in June,” she sniffled.
“So you are a junior like my boys. Wow, your mom was pregnant around the same time as me. Your dad was keeping secrets,” I teased, “a beautiful secret… goodnight, Meliyah.” I kissed her forehead and got up to leave the room.
“Thanks, Mrs. Delgado,” she called.
“Aunt Taliyah or Tali, is fine,” I offered. “Your dad was like an uncle to my boys.”
“Okay,” she smiled for the first time, a real smile.
I walked out of her room and closed the door behind me and really let the tears fall. She had been through so much, things I fight to keep my babies from. I wasn’t sure what to expect of having this young lady in my home. I wanted to help her, but I wasn’t sure if she had been too damaged to help.
chapter six
Make It Up
As I entered my room, I went straight to shower and think. I had gone through some things when I was younger, but it all looked small next to her story.
I had lost my virginity in a way I wasn’t so happy with, but Victor didn’t rape me. I was drunk and stupid at the time, but I was willing. I’d been a willing party as the alcohol and confusion coursed through me.
It made me think. To someone else it may have looked otherwise. I never saw it that way, I never told him no as we laid there. I clung to Victor and what he offered that night.
I had to quickly shake the images from my head. That was a long time ago and it wasn’t going to help to go back there now. I sighed at what turned into the longest night ever as the water relaxed my muscles.
I was elated the moment I felt Alex’s arms wrap around me in the shower. He was exactly what I needed at that moment. My safety, the man I knew provided for me and my children.
Alex began to kiss my neck, pulling my waist to his. He had come to make good on his word. Alex had been serious the past month about wanting another baby.
We’d been to see a doctor and everything. I love my husband and would give him anything. He knew that, that’s how he knew Meliyah would have a place to stay. He had what he wanted before he asked.
