Severed Ties

Chapter 13

Alya laughed as she and Janice piled shopping bags in the foyer from their cars. In the six months since their last altercation they'd developed a good friendship. Hayden called them both mom. Janice was Mama and Alya was Mommy.

Janice laughed as she said, "Girl, now we gotta get all this shit upstairs."

Alya laughed as she said, "I need a pickle. Fuck them bags."

Janice followed her to the kitchen and hopped up on the counter.

"You want something to drink or something," Alya asked.

Janice nodded and Alya grabbed her a flavored water. They sat in silence for a brief moment. Then the front door flew open and Malik rushed in followed by Hayden.

"Y'all get this girl," he shouted as he ran around the counter.

Alya grabbed Hayden as she said, "Both of y'all better stop running in my kitchen."

Hayden crossed her arms as she said, "That's not funny!"

"What happened," Alya asked.

"Daddy said I could get a puppy," Hayden huffed.

"But that's good Hay-Day," Alya explained.

Hayden mugged Malik as she said, "Then he said SIKE!!"

Malik bust out laughing. Alya thumped his head.

"That's not funny," she scolded. "You getting her a puppy too!"

He shrugged as he said, "I don't care. Y'all better teach it how to use the toilet outside somewhere. I'm not having no messes all over my house."

Alya held up her ring clad hand as she said, "Our house. And I had Ruckus potty trained in less than twenty four hours. I got this. Hay-Day go look on my phone for a puppy."

Janice hopped down from the counter and stomped over to the bags heated as hell. So they were married? When the fuck did that happened? She thought maybe engaged when she saw the ring. But she didn't think they'd gone as far as marriage. In the seven plus years she'd been with him he'd never even hinted at marriage. Hell the only time he was a hundred percent faithful to her was when she was pregnant with Hayden. But he was full on married to Alya?

Janice snatched up some bags and headed upstairs.

"What's up with her," Malik asked as he rubbed on Alya's belly.

Alya shrugged as she said, "I don't know. I'll ask her while we unpack this stuff. Help me take these bags upstairs."
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A couple hours later, Malik sat in the living room watching the news of a murder trial as Alya and Janice unpacked baby things upstairs. He looked up as Janice trot downstairs and she headed to the kitchen. She came back with a bottle of water and walked over to him.

"So you actually married her," she asked not really expecting an answer.

Malik muted the TV and nodded.

"I wasn't getting any younger," he began. "And why not marry the woman that I love if my daughter and grandmother both approve and love her too?"

Janice stepped in front of him as she whispered harshly, "Really Dom?! After all our years together I never got a damn ring! But you gone full on marry some ex-hoe?!"

Malik chuckled as he said, "You really one to talk. Like how many times did you get caught out? I mean Alya was held against her will and she only stripped to take care of her peoples. I can respect that. Because look what she made of herself. You was out fucking niggas for bottles at the club and shit. You only able to walk in here wearing labels because you currently fucking a nigga moving weight in Florida."

Janice's mouth fell open and Malik laughed.

"You thought I ain't know," he chuckled. "I know everything. I gotta know incase you act dumb and try to take off with my child. But let's be clear. I ain't marry you because you a hoe at heart. And we all know you can't turn a hoe into a housewife."

Janice sucked her teeth and stomped back upstairs.

Malik smirked as he unmuted the TV and sat back to finish watching the last of the news. He knew things with Janice and Alya were running too smooth. He just hoped shit didn't pop off before his baby got here. He'd kill her ass if she cost him his child.

He stood and walked upstairs, down to the baby's nursery. He stood just next to the door as he heard them talking.

"I understand," Alya was saying. "I mean y'all had a lot of time together. And I don't mean to sound mean, because I love you as Hayden's birth mother, but I don't really give a fuck about y'all time. All that time you had to earn your place. You didn't. Now I'm pregnant right now but I won't always be. I heard the lil shit you said. I will fuck your ass up if you try some shit with my husband."

He stepped in to see Janice sitting in the corner holding a bear as Alya folded clothes. Janice looked up at him.

"Did you hear," she asked.

He played dumb and replied, "Nah. Hear what?"

Alya pushed her hair back as she said, "The same thing I'm finna tell you. If you and her ever try some shit I'm fucking y'all up and I put that on my dead son's soul."

He watched as she calmly went back to folding clothes. He mugged Janice and walked over to Alya. He kissed her neck lightly as he rubbed over her bulging belly.

"I only want you Baby," he whispered in her ear before nibbling her earlobe.

She giggled and turned her head to kiss him lightly. He kissed her lips then kissed her forehead before heading for the door.

"I love you," he called before exiting the room.

"I love you too," she called after him.

She glanced at Janice before continuing her task of folding clothes. She couldn't wait to have this baby. Any day now she'd be in labor. Any day now.