"I know what you're probably thinking Alianna. And I know that you're very unsure about this whole situation."
Safaree calmly said as soon as they were out of earshot of Onika.
"Imma let you go first. Ask as many questions as you want."
Alianna looked down at her hands clamped together into fists, her mind buzzing with so many questions, pondered as to which one she'd ask first. Then she blurted it out, not thinking at all what she was saying.
"Why did you leave my mama?"
Safaree bit his lip as he looked out the window, then stared straight back into her eyes.
"You wanna know the truth? The whole truth?"
Alianna softly nodded her head, and looked down at her lap.
"Alianna, I'll tell you what. I was scared. I was scared of the commitment. I was scared I weren't gonna do a good job! I wanted you to have the best chance of having a great childhood without my big annoying ass getting in your way. I knew your mama were gonna do a good job. I knew she weren't gonna dessert you. And you know what? Leaving you guys was the worst and biggest mistake of my life."
Alianna looked up for a split second. She had heard his voice falter. She looked up long enough to see that at the brim of his eye, a tear was threatening to spill down his cheek.
"Then why did you come back?"
"Ali, I came back because I had realised what a mistake I had made. I mean, of course I wanted fame and money but, so does everyone. I guess the chances of that actually happening aren't that good. My plan flopped, and I'm not saying that y'all are my last option, you're not. I just saw what I had done and how I had affected the family and thought it would be best if I came back. I wanted fame and glory, but I needed you."
Alianna fiddled with the hem of her skirt then asked one last question.
"Can I call you daddy?"