Slow Down | ✓

20. RHYTHM

She makes her way to the kitchen where Elijah is rubbing his eyes with a yawn. She can only imagine how tired he is ━ he's worked however many hours this week only to have his first full nine hours of sleep to be high jacked by the cute child.

"Your pillow now smells like tea tree oil, by the way," Aliyah announces, the child on her hip. She places Maya in the high-chair which is placed between two chairs around the island.

"Ah, my favorite smell," The doctor says, sarcastically before shooting his friend a smile, "I'm making breakfast. Any requests?"

After ensuring that Maya is secured in the seat, holding the bottle properly and drinking from it, Aliyah makes her way over to the other side of the island and bumps her hip against Elijah's.

"I'll have whatever little miss over here is having," Aliyah snickers as she hunches over the counter beside him.

"Mashed peas coming right up," Elijah jokes before pulling out a carton of eggs and a pack of bacon.

Aliyah laughs before focusing her gaze on the little girl who's still drinking, "How's your head, by the way? It sounded like it hurt. Could be a concussion."

Elijah shrugs as he turns on the stove, "I'm a doctor, Lee. I can tell when I have a concussion."

Aliyah hums with amusement, "Whatever you say, sir."

He passes by her bent figure and taps her ass, giving her a signal to move out of the way. Aliyah doesn't even feel fazed as she side steps to give Elijah space to open the drawer she was blocking, "Maya and I are heading to the park today, you coming?"

"Well, I'd have to go home, shower, and get some clean clothes, but yes, I would love to." She sends him a cheeky smile as she goes back to the spot she was in.

THE PARK WASN'T EMPTY, but it felt like it to Elijah and Aliyah. He holds Maya in his arms, her body all bundled up in the cutest onesie.

Charlotte weather is unusual. Especially in April. One day it's ninety degrees and heat stroke worthy, the next it's forty-one and if one focuses, they'll be able to see their own breath in front of them.

It's unusual ━ and spastic.

But Elijah loves it. He loves the constant change ━ it keeps him on his toes.

Aliyah is beside him, her eyes peering out at the other families who decided it was also a good idea to bring their kids to play on the monkey bars, swings, and the likes.

The last time she got on any of those, she was in grade six in Jamaica and had a bad experience with her doing some gymnastics shit on the top of the swing, therefore ripping her PE skirt right off.

It was embarrassing for nine, almost ten, year old Aliyah.

Elijah's focus was more so on the woman beside him. He wasn't looking at her but just her presence had him floating on cloud nine.

Eventually, they find a seat on one of the park benches, Elijah shifting Maya to sit on his lap. A couple of minutes before, Aliyah stumbled upon an ice cream truck, getting a cone of rainbow ice cream for Elijah and an icicle for herself.

While Maya was chewing on her ice cold ring to soothe her aching gums, Aliyah had finished her icicle in no time and was feeding Elijah seeing as his hands were full.

"You're so bad at feeding people," Elijah chuckles as he sends the woman beside him a glance. Rather than pay attention to what she was doing, she was, instead, people watching. That resulted in a dollop of ice cream on Elijah's freckled nose.

She spares him a glance with an uninterested nod before she returns her gaze to the set of parents chasing after their kid who seemed to have not one care in the world. Elijah follows her stare before a smile grows on his face.

"'Cause staring at people isn't creepy at all," He leans in to her, throwing his arm to rest on the back of the bench. He stabilizes one arm around Maya to make sure she's secure.

Aliyah rolls her eyes, playfully when she feels his minty breath on her face. Her hand slips and pushes the ice cream into his face, the chill of it making Elijah bust out laughing, startling Maya.

The teething ring falls from her hands which Elijah catches mid-air. Maya starts to cry, losing the comfort that she'd been holding on to.

Elijah changes her position, holding her against his chest as he coos at her, gaining her attention long enough for Aliyah to wipe the ice cream off his face before Maya can rub her hands in it and get them sticky.

"I'm not sorry," Aliyah laughs as she watches the man beside her comforts the young child in his arms.

He chuckles, "Yeah, I know."

A moment passes before Aliyah flings her leg over Elijah's and slides her body down to rest her head against his shoulder. With her hand running down Maya's back, she closes her eyes, giving way to the comfort of being with Elijah.

for all my jamaicans who are in america and not sure if you wanna celebrate july 4th for america, celebrate it for mandeville.

today is the 204th anniversary of its founding. that's my birth place btw.

homesickness buss today.

but like fr if you really out here celebrating "the fourth of july" like what are you doing w your life 🤦🏾‍♀️

one thing i LOVE about jamaica? the fact that we embrace our past and HAVE EMANCIPATION DAY SEPARATE FROM INDEPENDENCE DAY but like there's kinda a black majority on the island so really, what did we expect?

just so y'all know MY independence day is the sixth of august 🇯🇲

BUT ANYWAY we got domestic aliyah and elijah (btw can someone help w a ship name? 😂)

and that part about the PE and the ripped skirt is my own personal experience 😭😭