King of the Empire (Completed)

Chapter Nineteen: Daddy

Chapter 19

"I'M A FATHER!? A damn father? This can't be true." Jamal said arms tense as he rubbed his face.

Cori looked at Jamal, not answering him, as Jamal paced the floor of Dem Love Notes.

"I can't be. This is impossible." Jamal looked stressed.

"Did you sleep with her?" Cori asked tartly.

Jamal kept pacing. "I slept with her one time. That kid is not mine."

Cori rolled her eyes. Where was this guy when the teacher was teaching sex ed? She chose not to dignify his dumb statement with an answer.

Jamal stopped, sitting heavily in a chair. "I can't be a father Cori. I don't know how to be one. How can I be a father if my own doesn't even want anything to do with me? What if I do something and she hates me? What if she hates me now? I've missed out, four or um five years? See? I don't even know her birthday. I'd hate me if I was her father. What if I mess up?"

Cori put down the mop and looked at Jamal, putting her hands on his shoulders. "Look Mal. Let's face it. Lucious Lyon messed up; he's not the best father."

Jamal nodded, wiping his face. "You aren't exactly helping Cori."

Cori rolled her eyes. "Listen to me. Do you hate your father? I mean he threw your ass in a trash can and beat you bloody on multiple occasions. You should hate him."

Jamal looked offended. "I can't hate him. He's my dad."

"Exactly. Despite what our fathers' do to us, we manage to hold a small spark of love for them somewhere in our hearts. She doesn't hate you. She probably doesn't even know hate yet. From what you tell me of her already, she sounds adorable."

Jamal stopped, thinking on Lola. "She really is. She got a little lisp and she's so sweet. She isn't too shy- and....what are you looking at me like that for?"

Cori chuckled. "You sound like a dad already."

Jamal chuckled too. "But what do I do Cori? I still don't know how to be a dad."

Cori studied Jamal. "What do you want out of your father?"

Jamal shrugged uncomfortably. "Love...attention...his appreciation...just him in general."

"Bingo. Give her all that. Love her. Give her your attention. Look for little things to show her. She probably just wants you to be there. Remember, she never had a daddy either. She's just as new at this as you are." Cori smiled and went to her mopping. "Get to know her Mal. Love her. Support her. That's all you could do."

JAMAL LOOKED AT the pretty black doll he had in his hand. What was he doing? He looked funny, standing here with a doll in his hand.

Lucious walked by, on the way to his office. "Hey son." Lucious looked down at Jamal's hand. "Cute doll...please tell me you ain't playing with dolls now. I didn't let you when you were a kid, doesn't mean you should start."

Jamal chuckled dryly. "No this is for Lola...my ummm..."

Lucious laughed a bit, patting Jamal's shoulder. "It'll get easier. I couldn't believe Andre was my kid. It's an amazing thing, having kids..." Lucious sighed. "Hard too."

Jamal shifted his feet uncomfortably. "Ain't she with Becky? I'll go get her really quick."

Lucious nodded and Jamal walked into Lucious' office lobby. Lola was in there with Becky, sitting on her lap, drawing with the colored highlighters.

Lola must have felt him eyeing her because she looked up. She beamed up at him. "Hi daddy." She got down from Becky's lap and shuffled her feet.

Jamal laughed inwardly. Why was he so nervous? This was his daughter. She was nervous too. He could tell when she shuffled her feet and rubbed her fist on the back of her ears. Jamal did that all the time when he was nervous.

Jamal knelt at her level. "Hey sweetie..." he said, with little confidence, the words feeling like saw dust in his throat. She smiled awkwardly at him.

"I-uh got something for you when I was out." Jamal looked at his hand, holding out the doll to her. "If you don't like it, we can got out and get something else when we-"

Lola grabbed the doll out of his hand. "It's so pretty. She's got hair like mine." Lola threw herself at him, hugging him.

Jamal grinned, his heart full to the brim. So this was what it was like to be a dad. He could get used to this.

JAMAL WALKED TO his apartment to see a blue Toyota filled with various things, and Michael loading more stuff in.

He ran towards Michael. "Babe....wassup?"

"I got to go." Michael responded, not daring to look him in the eye.

"Where? Babe...stop." Jamal put his hands on Michael's shoulders.

Michael stopped. "I'm no longer special to you."

"What are you talking about? I love you."

"You love your music. You love Cori. You love your family. I'm just getting in your way of your goals."

Jamal sighed. "No you aren't. Please don't do this Michael."

Michael sniffed, crying, which set Jamal off crying as well. "Bye Jamal."