Bad Boy (DeVante Swing)

Back at One

"Okay then master, I will get with all the rules." I said chuckling afterwards.

She giggled. "Just making sure you get how we do things."

"I am your husband though Ari, not one of the kids. Besides, I'm trying to make things right, so I wouldn't disrespect your home." I stared at her as she nodded.

"Well, I'm going to go finish dinner. Can you keep him?" I jumped off the bed to grab DJ. I smiled down at him as he slept peacefully. "Okay nigga is you happy or what? Almost tackled my damn baby. Don't forget to wake up Zyla."

"Yes ma'am." I said smacking her ass as she left. "Still soft."

She looked back at me. "Watch them hands boy. Can't be touching what's not yours."

I chuckled as she walked downstairs. "Can't touch what's mine? What the hell your mama talking about DJ? That's all mine, I hit it first and I put a ring on that finger." I opened Zyla's room door and saw her sleeping peacefully. Well it wasn't peaceful she was damn near falling off the bed.

I rubbed her back. "ZyZy get up babygirl. Time to eat." She turned over and waved her hand at me. No this little girl did not try to dismiss my ass. Daddy leaves for a couple months and all of a sudden she grown? Hell no. "Zyla Marie DeGrate get yo behind up before I count to one."

She immediately sat up and got out of bed. "Hi daddy!"

This girl is going to give me grey hairs. "Hush before you wake up DJ. Come on little mama you ready to eat?"

"Yes, come on let's go." She said pulling me by my leg. I smiled and held her hand as we walked down the stairs. When we got to the kitchen Ari was putting everyone's food on a plate. She placed them on the dining table.

"Hi mommy!" Zyla said running up to Ari.

"Hi my little princess." Ari said kissing her cheek and putting her in her high chair. "You're going to feed him?" She asked looking at me.

"Yeah sure, he's wide awake now anyways." I looked down at DJ who was looking around at everything. We all sat down and Zyla wanted to say grace.

"God is grace. God is good. Let us thank Him for our food. By His hands we all are fed. Give us Lord our daily bread. Amen!" We all cheered for her. She looked so proud and I couldn't help but stare at Arrington. She makes sure to instill the fear of God in our children and making sure they know who He is.

"Good job baby. Now be careful when you're eating okay?"

She nodded and started to dig into her food. "Mommy can we get another dog."

I choked on my food as Ari gave Zyla a look. "When was there a dog?" I asked looking at Ari who was focused on her rice.

"I may or may not have a Rottweiler and a Doberman pincher."

"Where you hiding these big dogs?"

"They're outside now, but at night they sleep downstairs. It's like an extra alarm system. They might bite off a arm, you never know."

"When did you get it?" I said interested as I fed DJ some mashed up sweet potatoes.

"I was originally looking for a pug so Zyla can have a friend, but I fell in love with the two big ones. I wanted to get two more."

I nodded. "Sounds cool to me."

"You're not mad?"

"I was raised with dogs. I love them, now if you had a cat.. Hell no."

"Mommy what's hell?" Zyla asked.

"Some place you don't wanna go, but you close cause you think you grown." We laughed as she sat there looking confused.

After dinner I put DJ down to sleep as I read Zyla a story. Once I was done, we said the Lord's Prayer and I tucked her in. When I was about to leave she called me.

"Daddy?"

"Yes baby?"

"Are you and mommy going to ever love each other again?"

I scrunched up my eyebrows. "What do you mean Zy?"

"A girl named Elizabeth in my class said her parents aren't together because they don't love each other anymore. You were gone for a long time and mommy cried a lot. Did you guys break up?"

I tried to fight some tears from leaving my eyes. It broke my heart to hear my daughter ask me this. "No honey, mommy and daddy love each other very much. When you get older, you'll realize that even though you love someone you need to love yourself first. I didn't always treat mommy right, so I had to go on punishment. Just like when you disobey mommy she gives you a time out or a pop?" She nodded. "It's the same thing. I didn't treat mommy how she deserved to be treated. I took her for granted so mommy and I took a break, but we did not break up. I love your mother and I'm back to show her how much I love her till she forgives me. You don't have to worry about that though okay? Mommy and daddy love each other, we always will, and we are staying together. We are a family."

"Okay. I love you daddy." I kissed her cheek.

"I love you too baby. Sweet dreams okay?"

"Night daddy." She said turning over to sleep. I turned off her light and walked out the room closing her door.

I saw Arrington's room door open so I walked pass to see what she was doing.

I knocked the door to see her putting her hair into a bun. She was wearing her pajamas. She looked up at me and smiled.

"You okay?" She asked picking up DJ to put him in his crib.

"Yeah I was just coming by to check on you and to say goodnight."

She stood next to her bed and nodded. "Goodnight Donald."

I was about to walk out, but stopped. "Arrington?" She looked up from her bible. "Thank you.. For everything. I don't say it to you often and I know I don't show you I appreciate you. You're always there for me.. Even if you never take me back, thank you for being my best friend. I want you to know that I'm serious about gaining your trust and proving to you that I'm here for real."

She nodded looking away from me. "It's no problem.. We're family no matter what."

"Can I kiss you goodnight?" I asked looking down.

I heard her chuckle and when I looked up she was in front of me. She pulled my head towards her and kissed my lips gently. I opened my eyes slowly resting my hands on her small waste.

"I admire you trying. Going to rehab was a big step and for that I am proud of you. I'll meet you halfway as long as you just be a man about everything. You're making progress."

"Enough to lay with you?"

She laughed. "No, that'll take a couple months before I allow you in my bed. I mean you allowed other women to touch you like I'm supposed to, that takes a while to get over. It's enough progress to stay in the house and see your kids everyday."

I nodded. "I'll take that. Goodnight Ari, I love you." I said walking out.

"I love you too." I heard her call down the hallway and I smiled brightly.

It might take a minute, but at least I'm doing something right.

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Excuse any errors.