But Who's Counting?

Chapter Thirty-Five: "Dumbo."

Sophia was sitting next to me, glaring at me.

I told y'all, she's in a mood. We just got into a argument over baby names.

Sophia was wearing a sun dress, it clinging perfectly to her body and she actually wore her curls down for once.

"I like Bernard." I smile, hoping she'd ease up some. Of course I was joking, who would actually named their child that? That's more of a dog name.

"I will kill you, Alexander. You're not naming my child Bernard."

"I was joking." I mumble before speaking out, "I like Jayden."

"I like 'J' names." She mumbles, toying with her nails. Her and Maya went and got their nails and toes done yesterday. Maya got pink nail polish, her favorite color, and Sophia got purple nail polish.

"So 'J' names? That'll at least help narrow down."

"Yeah. I like 'J'." She frowns before looking back up at me.

"Jacob."

"Makai." She says my middle name sternly, her pointed eyes looking at me. "Jacob is like a tall bald guy with a receding hairlines name."

"How about Jasmine if it's a girl?" I question and she smiles widely at me. "I like it. That's the best thing you've said all day."

I think I've said a lot of great things besides that today.

"Marie as her middle name? Maya wants that to be apart of her name." She says and I nod. "I like it."

"What if they are both boys?"

"Then we will save Jasmine Marie for when we have our daughter. If it's a boy I still think we should do Jayden."

I don't think Sophia noticed what I said and if she did, she decided to ignore it. "I like Jalen."

"I like Jacob." I say, in all honesty joking. I didn't even mean to say it, j thought I said it in my head as a joke.

I did not.

Sophia automatically glares at me, slightly cocking her head and squinting her eyes at me.

These hormones really hate me, huh?

Maya's loud cry breaks Sophia and I out of our intense stare off. I immediately exit the room following her cries.

"I didn't even do anything!" Maya let's out as I damn near stumble down the stairs.

She doesn't cry often and for her to get this worked up to be screaming the way she is means either she's really upset or somebody hit her.

"Shut up!" A voice snaps at her. I enter the living room to see a average height blonde woman standing in front of Maya, her back to me. In the blonde woman's hand was Maya's red iPhone. Maya day on the floor, heaving as she cried. On her arm was a bruise that was already forming. It wasn't in the shape of a hand, but it definitely wasn't there a hour ago.

The lady's hand goes up as if she's going to hit Maya.

"Don't fucking touch my child." I say, making my stride longer so that I'd reach the woman in three steps. I pluck my daughters phone out her hands before reaching for Maya. She instantly puts her head in the crook of my neck while crying.

"What's wrong Maya?" I ask, as the unknown lady looks at me with an astonished look. I notice creaking on the steps and I see Sophia finally made it down.

"She took my phone from me and pinched me! I didn't do anything." She sobs again, tightening her grip while I stare pointedly at the woman. She's glaring at Maya.