“Don't even try it Kaiah. If her ass wouldn't have popped up here today, you wouldn't be worried about her. Don't be trying to use my daughter against me before she even gets here.”
Kaiah rolled her eyes. “First of all Deonte, I'm not trying to use anything against you. I'm trying to get you to realize that we can't just think about ourselves anymore. We have a child that we have to think about,” Kaiah said before getting up and going downstairs.
She didn't have the time or the energy to be arguing with Deonte right now. That was his mother’s and his situation. All she was trying to do was be supportive, but he was taking it the wrong way so she was going to stay out of it.
He fell back on the bed and sighed. He and Kaiah had just gotten to a good place and he didn't want to mess that up, but in the end the decision was left up to him. He had the choice of if he wanted to be in a relationship with her or not.
“Fuck this,” he said out loud to himself as he got off the bed. When he walked downstairs, everyone was sitting in the living talking as if there wasn't an elephant in the room. “Okay, just give me your number and I'll call you when I'm ready. I just can't do this today,” he said to his mother.
Katrina nodded her head as she reached in her purse for a pen and something to write on. She wasn't going to force him into doing anything. She knew she had messed up big time and it was up to him if he wanted to forgive her or not.
Deonte couldn't help but to keep staring at Katrina. In all honesty, he never realized how beautiful she was. He could see where Synai got her looks from. Well, all of them actually, but mostly his sister.
Katrina got up and headed towards the door. She kissed Shauntez on his cheek and waved goodbye to Kaiah as she and Cortez left. Deonte looked over at Kaiah and she had her arms crossed over her chest.
“So y'all mad?” he asked her and his brother.
“Nope, at least you got her number. Some progress is better than no progress at all,” Kaiah said.
“Yea, what she said,” Shauntez said.
“Well, now that's that is over with, let's do some shopping!” Kaiah said excitedly.
Deonte just shook his head at her and smiled. “Let's go you brat.”
15
Kaily sat in Orlando’s backyard enjoying the breeze and puffing on a cancer stick. It was eight weeks, exactly two months since Carlos’ suicide and even though the nightmares have nearly ceased, smoking cigarettes had become a new habit of hers. Thanks to Orlando, she had come out of her depression but since she didn't work or have anything to occupy her time, she had started becoming very bored.
“That's what we’re on now?” Orlando asked as he walked over to her.
“I guess,” she shrugged.
“You guess?” He took the burning cigarette from between her fingers and put it out. “That shit ain't cute.”
“I'm bored, Lando, I need a job or something. I can't just sit around on my ass all day and keep dwelling over the things I can't change.” She sighed.
“Then get a job. It's plenty of places hiring, so go out and get you one.”
“I’m not talking about no regular nine to five, ‘Hello, how can I take your order?’ type of job.”
“Okay, well you know your sister always has some type of job venture up her sleeve. How about you two hook up and make something shake?” Orlando suggested.
“That doesn't sound like a bad idea,” agreed Kaily.
“So we’ll be having a visitor later on,” Orlando informed Kaily as he played with a strand of her hair that she had started let grow out.
“Oh yea? Who is it?”
“Little Lakey. Daniella called and said he hasn't stopped talking about me since we first met. She's dropping him off so we can spend some time together.” He smiled brightly.
“Awww, that's so beautiful, Lando. I'm so happy you found your sister. I remember when you used to always talk about how happy you would be if you could find her.” Kaily smiled.
“Man, we used to talk about everything; literally.” Orlando smiled.
He and Kaily would stay up late at night on the phone and talk about everything under the sun. He confided in her about things that no one knew about, he always felt safe talking to her. She was the only one who knew that he was raised in the system. He told her and not one time did she judge him, she told him that didn't make him any less of a person just because he didn't have a real family.
That's why he fell for her so hard and so easily. She would always listen to his problems, give him advice and wasn't afraid to put him in his place. He loved her then and still loved her to this day, he just wasn't going to push up on her or try to pursue her while she was grieving and mourning the loss of her man.
“Yea, you still owe me a house on the beach. Don't think I forgot.”
“You can have whatever you want,” Orlando said.
“Anything?” Kaily asked as she looked deeply in his eyes.
“Anything,” he answered as he looked back at her intensely.
Kaily just laid her head on his shoulder and Orlando wrapped his arms around her tightly as the two just stared out in space, letting their thoughts consume them. As always, Kaily felt safe in his arms.
~ ~ ~
Kaiah sat behind her desk looking at baby stuff. She was now officially five months, which mean she only had four more months to go. She was excited but nervous at the same time. While she was scrolling, an idea came to her. She pressed her intercom button so she could speak to all the girls. “Meeting in my room in five minutes,” she announced.
She got up and headed to her room. Surprisingly all the girls were already there. They were huddled over something and whispering when she walked into the room.
“What y'all doing?” she asked scaring them.
They all jumped and scattered throughout the room. “Nothing,” they all said as they looked at Natalia.
“Nati, what's up?” Kaiah asked.
“Well, since you were on bed rest and had to deal with the loss in your family, I was wanted to help you cut down your workload and everything and the girls wanted to help so we pitched in and did something for you with the help of someone else,” Natalia said as she handed Kaiah a big folder.
“What you do?” Kaiah smirked as she opened the folder. Inside were pictures of buildings and floor plans. One of them was already circled and had handwritten notes on it that said where everything would be placed.
“We went looking for buildings for you and Nati to open up your business. Keith already drew up the paperwork and everything, so all you have to do is pick which building you want and it's yours,” Asha, the new baby of the house said.
Kaiah had to wipe the tears she didn't even know were falling. For the past two weeks, she had been very emotional and was blaming it on the pregnancy. She was shocked because she had just about given up on the search and the whole idea because she had other things to worry about but leave it to her girls to come through for her.
“You ladies didn't have to do this, I swear I appreciate it and I definitely appreciate all of you too.” She smiled through the tears.
All the girls crowded around Kaiah and gave her a group hug. For the past five years that Kaiah had been running her escort service, they had become real close and like family. She didn't look at them as hoes, prostitutes or whatever else society would label them as, she looked at them as her sisters.
“Y'all got a thug all emotional and stuff,” she laughed. “But I called you guys in here because as you all know Angel is seven almost eight months pregnant and I would love to give her a surprise baby shower.”
“Oooh yess! Let's start panning now!” Natalia clapped with joy.
“Cool, so they chose not to know the sex of their baby until she gave birth, even though Angel says it's a boy and Kaison says it's a girl.” Kaiah shook her head.
“So we can just buy yellow balloons and décor?” Asha asked.
“Yea, that will be fine. I'm thinking two weeks from today will be coo
l?” she asked everybody. They all agreed that it will work. “Excellent, I'm going to think about who I want to handle stuff then assign you tasks like who will be in charge of games and stuff like that.”
“This is going to be so much fun!” Natalia gushed.
“I concur. Now I'm about to get up out of here. Me and my little one are hungry.” Kaiah smiled as she rubbed her protruding belly.
“You're next on our baby shower list.” Natalia winked.
“Imma hold you to that.”
When Kaiah pulled up in her driveway, she expected to walk into a quiet house and just relax since Shauntez and Synai were spending the weekend with Katrina. She was hoping that Deonte went out and did something with his life instead of trying to be under her all day.
She slowly opened her door and didn't hear a sound. “Yes,” she cheered.
She went up to her bedroom and ran water in her tub so that she could take a bubble bath. While the water was running, she went back into the bedroom and grabbed one of Deonte’s t-shirts. Since her stomach had started to grow, she preferred sleeping in bigger shirts, and his were perfect. She put on her Bose system then headed back into the bathroom.
She turned the water off and made sure it wasn't too hot for her and the baby. She undressed and eased her way in. “Oh, this feels so good,” she said as her head fell back. Luther Vandross was serenading her on a throwback jam. She hummed along with him as she scooted down in the tub.
“Do you mind if I join you?” Deonte asked.
“I didn't even hear you come in. Stop scaring me like that.”
“My bad.” He smiled as he walked over to the toilet and sat on it as he starred at her.
“Why are you staring at me?” asked Kaiah.
“Because I miss you.”
Kaiah tilted her head to the side, “Deonte, you just seen me this morning before I went to work, which was only seven or eight hours ago.”
Deonte wiped his hand over his face. “I mean, I miss the old Kaiah. The one who used to look at me with love in her eyes, the one who used to tell me she loved me almost every hour on the hour.”
“My feelings changed Tae, not me.”
“So you can honestly look at me and say you don't love me or wanna be with me?” he asked.
Kaiah sighed. “I love you Deonte, but I really don't think we should be together right now. I have withdrawn the divorce papers, but that doesn't mean we're together.”
“So why am I hear then if you don't want to be with me?”
“Because you want to be here Tae, I didn't ask you to damn near move in. You have your own house. You're also here because you know like I know that there's a glimmer of hope that well get our shit together and be a family again but it's not going to happen today,” explained Kaiah.
Deonte smirked, he knew Kaiah still wanted to be with him but he wanted to hear her say it herself. She didn't even realize that he had just set her up for that one. “Why you smirking?” she asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Nothing man, come on,” he said as he grabbed her loofah and started washing her back.
Kaiah didn’t put up an agreement or fight, she just sat up so he could get an easier access. No words were exchanged between the two as Deonte continued to wash his wife’s body. Kaiah flinched as he washed her pussy, the last time he got too close to her he made her cum. After he was done washing her, he grabbed the showerhead and rinsed her body off as he let the water out of the tub.
“Come on, you big baby.” He smiled as he wrapped her up in a towel and carried her to the bedroom.
“When I get bigger, you’re not going to be able to do this,” Kaiah laughed.
“You may be right,” he laughed with her.
Deonte lotioned her body down and even dressed her before jumping in the shower himself and climbing the bed with her. He went to sleep with a smile on his face because he knew it would be no time before he and Kaiah got back on track. He had no worried or doubts about it.
16
Kaiah had told Kaison about the surprise baby shower that she was planning for Angel and he thought it was a great idea. He had to stop be the store to grab something real quick before he took her to the mansion for the surprise.
“I’m about to run in here real quick, you want something?” he asked.
“You know I do. I’m about to come in with you though,” she said.
“Girl, I don’t need yo pregnant ass slowing me down and shit,” Kaison laughed as he got out the car.
“Whatever.” Angel fake pouted as he opened her door.
The two walked into the store and Angel accidently bumped into someone. “Oops, I’m—“ She looked up and was met with a face she hadn’t seen in years.
“Angel?” her dad asked.
Angel looked up at her dad with hate in her eyes. She was so angry at him for all that he had put her through. She hurried and ran out the store trying to hold back the tears that she refused to let fall. She refused to give him the power to make her cry anymore, she had stopped crying over the pain and hurt years ago.
She didn’t understand how a father could abuse his only child that way that he did. Not just physically but emotionally also. Instead of embracing her and loving her like he should have when she told him about her being raped, he accused her of lying and kicked her out of the house.
Kaison rushed out of the store behind her, forgetting whatever he came to the store for. He pulled open the passenger’s side door and turned Angel so that she was facing him and kneeled down so they were face to face.
“You good baby?” he asked, looking her straight in the eye.
Angel put her head down and twiddled her fingers. “I don’t know,” she whispered. She looked up and Kaison and was about to speak again before she saw her dad walking in their direction.
“Angel, can I please just talk to you for a minute?” her dad pleaded.
“You don’t have shit to say to me Alex. You said all you needed to say that day you kicked me out your house.”
“Angel, I’m sorry, okay! I wasn’t in my right frame of mind and I let the liquor do the thinking for me,” her dad tried to explain, but Angel wasn’t trying to hear it.
“Honestly, I really don’t care. I think you kicking me out was one of the best things you have ever done for me. Because you kicked me out, I had a chance to learn what it feels like to be loved by a real family. I met the love of my life, will be a mother any day now and I will never do my child the way you did me.”
Alex tried to speak but Angel put her hand up to stop him. “My child will never have to know what it feels like to live on the streets and have to steal food just so they won’t have to be hungry. If it’s a girl, she will never have to sell her body to men just so she could have some money to take care of herself. Just because you and my mom failed me as parents doesn’t mean I have to follow in your footsteps.” She turned to Kaison and gave him a look that let him know that she had said all she had to say and that she was ready to go.
Kaison caught the hint and shut her door. He looked at Alex and hit him with a shoulder shrug before walking around the car. He got in and looked over at Angel, he grabbed her hand and gave her a smile that let her know that everything was going to be okay.
As they were driving, Angel noticed that they were going in the direction of the mansion. She wanted to ask Kaison why they were headed there but she figured that he had to stop by and check on something for Kaiah.
“You look so much better when you smile,” Kaison said.
“Shut up, Kirk Franklin Jr. I’m happy even if I’m not smiling.”
“Good, because I don’t need you getting my daughter all riled up,” Kaison said as he put his hands on her stomach.
Angel rolled her eyes. “I don’t know how many times I have to tell you that it’s a boy.”
“Okay, we’ll see.”
They pulled up to the gate of the mansion and Kaison hit the guard with a head nod as he waited for the gate to grant them access
. Kaison was excited about the baby shower. It had been five years since the last time he did this and that was when Kalise was pregnant with Keymani.
“Come in, Imma be a minute,” Kaison said as he threw his car in park.
“I swear, it feels like I haven’t been here in forever,” Angel said.
“You miss it?”
Angel shrugged. “The memories and the girls, but not the reason behind why I was living here in the first place,” she answered truthfully.
Kaison used the key that Kaiah gave him and hand-in-hand, the couple walked through the door. Angel smiled as she looked around the house. She’d had some very good times living here and she missed everyone a lot.
“This is the quietest I ever heard this house,” Angel said, wondering what was going on.
Kaison led her to the kitchen where everyone was hiding. The guard had let Kaiah know when they pulled up, so they all hid to surprise her.
“SURPRISE!” all the girls yelled. Everyone was there, including Kaily and Keymani.
Angel stepped back and grabbed her chest. “Oh my God, y’all are about to make me go into labor,” she laughed.
“Not yet girl, we got all these gifts you need to open and food we need to eat. Tell little Kaison to stay in there a few more hours,” Natalia laughed.
“Awww, I miss yall so much,” Angel said as she got teary eyed. All the girls ran over to hug her and everyone cried.
Kaison took that time to pull his sisters to the side and let them know about the incident that happened. “Let me talk to y’all real quick,” he said.
The girls followed behind their brother into another room, wondering what he needed to talk to them about. “What's wrong, Duke?” Kaiah asked her twin.
“We ran into Angel’s dad on the way here and I think it upset her and stirred up some unwanted emotions in her. She said she was good, but I know better than that,” explained Kaison.
“Wait, what? Her dad? The abusive alcoholic?” asked Kaily.
“Yup,”
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