For Marli

65

Milani pov

There was a guy I started talking to before the incident between Keith and I. We met through mutuals on a groupchat, he dm after it and it went from thete. Starting off as just friends, I told him I was still going through healing and not trying to rush anything.

I finally linked with him when I went down to Miami. We spent a week hanging with each other and going on dates. His name is Victor, he's an NFL player.

He keeps me laughing, all we do is crack jokes together. A good listener and understanding.He respects my healing and wanting to go slow. He has a daughter the same age as Marli. So far we've been dating for 3 months since I've been here in Miami. But talking for 6.

Since I was down here for work, Keith kept the kids for the weekdays and my mom kept them on weekends and every two weeks I'll come down for the week and every other weekend they'll come to miami. Luckily I have two more weeks of shooting for the show I'm on, then I'm back home, until I have to go to Atlanta for the two movies.

Victor and I decided we'd let our kids meet since we'd both have our kids this weekend.

My mom flew with kids for me to pick them up and took her flight back home.

As we drove, I spoke with the kids.
"Mommy miss yal so much, we got two more weeks and I'll be back home."

"I can't wait til you come back home too mama." Marli said.

"Me too mommy."Keiko added.

"Mama guess what?" Marli said.

"What is it?"

"Daddy and Madison aren't together anymore , daddy's been single since you got down here. Mama we can be a family again, you both can get back together."

"Marli, it doesn't work that way. Mommy has moved on."

"Mama, we're a family. You have to get back with Daddy so things can be back to normal. I don't like going to separate houses and having to see you all one at time. This has to be God's will mama."

"Marli, I've moved on, I'm seeing someone else now."

"Mommy how could you do this?!" Marli exclaimed.

"Marli you're hurting my feelings." I said

"I'm not trying to, but you're hurting mines. You and daddy are supposed to be together."

"Marli, when your dad was dating Madison you didn't give him a hard time. You're not being fair. What happened to you wanting to see me happy with someone?"

"I wanted you to be happy with someone because you couldn't be with daddy, but now you can be with daddy." She said.

"Marli it's been 2 years they were together, 2 . And I was single for those years. I had to move on Marli."

"You like to ruin our family." She said under her breath.

Tears ran down my face as I wiped them quickly, trying to focus on the road.

Once we got to the house, Marli went off to her room and Keiko followed , while Kairo followed me, as I sat on my bed, I called Victor.

"Hey babe."

"Hey." I said as I sniffed, running my fingers through Kairo's hair as he rested his head on my legs.

"Everything alright?" He asked

"No not really, we'll have to do the meeting another time. My oldest, Marli isn't ready. She's not too accepting of me moving on. Their dad is single now and she thought that meant her dad and I could get back together."

"Oh wow, I understand. That's no problem, how are you feeling?"

"Mistreated. My ex husband decided to get a girlfriend while I was 8 months pregnant. 6 months in on our divorce. My daughter took the girlfriend in, accepted her, and everything they were friends the way she said it. 2 years of them together, while I was single. I meet someone and it's not the same, no acceptance and now I'm the one trying to ruin the family. It's just unfair to me"

"Wow baby that's a lot on you. I am sorry you're going through this. She has big feelings, I hope you both can deal with together. We don't have to rush the meeting. I don't want to push myself onto your kids if they're not ready."

"Yea. "I replied sighing.

We talked for a little, he lightened the mood to make me feel better.

After getting off the phone, Kairo was sleep, so I went to check on the girls.

Marli and Keiko were laying in bed. Keiko was napping while Marli just laid there quietly with tears falling down her face.

"Marli can I talk to you?" I asked standing at the door.

"Yea." She said before I sat on the edge of the bed. 

"I'm sorry plans seem as if they're not going the right way.  I can understand the let down you felt with believing your dad and I would get back together. It got your hopes up, I get it. I can also understand your frustration about having to be in sepersre homes and seeing us one at a time. Your father and I will work on getting back to having family time again. But I do want you to understand that God's will is still be done. God's steps for us is already in ?" I said.

"Order." She finished my sentence.

"And he makes no?" I asked

"Mistakes."she answered.

"Exactly, another cool thing about God is that, he knows everything that's going to happen before it happens. He knew way before Your dad and Madison met that they were going to get together, date for 2 years and break up. He knew that I was going to find someone before I even knew. We're walking on his path he has created for us from the day we were thought of and born,that's why he knows. He's setting everything up , every experience, every encounter, every loss, every win,and putting people in and out our lives for a reason. Madison may have served her purpose in your dad's life teaching him a thing or two. Now he's maybe about to learn how to be single, how to cope with loneliness, or learn how to heal without someone's help. Now I get to learn something from someone else. If we last we last if not its all God's plan. So it's no accident that he's single and now I'm not. Everything happens for a reason. " I said.

"You're right mama." She said.

"What's some things you learned from Madison?"

"How to bake, about human anatomy, and how to do braids. "

"Oh word, you might have to put some braids in my hair and you can show me how to bake something." I said.

".Yea, We can do that?"

"Mama what's something the guy you're dating taught you?"

" Hmm, how to find the good in the bad. The importance within communication is comprehension. And some funny jokes."

"I would like for him to teach me some jokes." Marli said.

"He would love to do that. Whenever you're ready he'd be more than happy to meet you and your siblings. He has a daughter that's the same age as you as well. I believe you both would get along well."

"I can meet them." She replied.

"You sure. I want you to be ready, I don't want to throw them on you ."

"I'm ready mama."

"Oh uh alright, I'll let him know." I replied.

"I love you Mars." I added.

"I love you too mama." She said as we hugged.

"Wanna help me cook dinner?"I asked.

"Yea." She replied.