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Lauren returned home to an empty apartment which was unusual to her. Usually she would have expected to be beat unconscious as soon as she entered the front door.
Lauren had made sure to wake Addie just incase she had to defend herself she didn't want to end up dropping her daughter, again.
"Mommy I still teepy'." Addie followed pigeon toed behind her mommy with one finger in her mouth.
"Go get in the bed then baby. Mommy will be there in a moment." Lauren unintentional dropped her keys onto the glass coffee table.
"Otay." Addie dragged her feet.
Lauren remained trying to figure out where Wayne could possibly be. She searched his home looking for him but he didn't turn up.
She began to immediately worry. This was the wrong time of year for him to go missing because she didn't know what he could possibly do to himself with his heart being so heavy.
Unlocking her phone she dialed his number. "Your call has been forwarded..." She hung up the phone calling two more times but getting the same outcome.
Lauren sunk herself into the couch trying her hardest to relax. She should be more relived that he was missing and she wasn't being harm but she was doing the complete opposite.
Her phone buzzed and she quickly checked to see who it could be.
Kera👯💙: Hey girl it's me I'm on break for the semester and I was hoping we could link like old times I miss you and you never text me back anymore 😔.
Lauren hadn't text her bestfriend in forever because Wayne damn near prevented her from having any outside contact. She did in fact want to link with Kera and with Wayne being long gone she decided she would.
Lauren👯💙: I miss you too but I've been busy with 'life' lmao but let's link
Kera👯💙: lmao I am your life but Where do you have in mind?
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"Addie this is Alice, Alice this is Addie." Ajayy introduced his daughter to his girlfriend. His decided to introduce the two as an apology for the way he behaved earlier. Addie is spending the night since Lauren went out with Kera so it would be the perfect time for them to bond.
"Hey pretty girl." Alice waved from the couch.
Addie hid behind her father holding onto his leg while biting her pointer finger.
"Don't act all shy now." He removed her arm and moved out of her way.
Addie remained quiet just staring at the woman who she felt was trying to replace her mommy.
"Addie say hey." Ajayy encouraged her bending down to her level grabbing her arm forcing her to wave.
"Hey." Addie finally said. "I Addie." She smiled.
-
The rest of the night the girls bonded playing dress up, doing each other's nails and hair while Ajayy jealously watched the whole thing unfold, he never seen his daughter take to anyone so fast.
"Lice, I want new color." Addie signed flashing her nails at Alice and calling her the nick name that she decided to call her.
"Addie I have changed your nails a thousand times." Alice placed her hands on her hips. Alice had changed Addie's nail color at least six times.
Addie would pick a color and once the color fully dried she would request for another. They basically spent the whole day in Addie's room, which now smelled like a nail salon. In a way she was trying to keep Alice away from her daddy and it worked.
"Dust' one more time Pwease." Addie spoke in the softest voice she could.
"Okay princess what color?" She skimmed through the small nail polish collection. She regretted even bringing it over.
Before Addie could pick a color Ajayy entered informing her that it was time to go.
"Your mommy's here." He scooped his daughter up.
Alice signed in relief the little girl had worn her out. She didn't want to see another bottle of nail polish for at least a year
"Mommy stay the night again? " Addie asked as they exited her bedroom.
"No, y'all are going home tonight." Ajayy told her.
"I no wanna go home." Addie whined shaking in her father's arms. She often did this so Ajayy thought nothing of it.
"You will see daddy tomorrow after school I promise." Ajayy informed. Any other day he would let his baby girl spend the night but he knew he wouldn't feel like taking her to school in the morning.
Addie remained silent as they traveled to the living room. She was really upset that her father wouldn't let her spend the night.
"Want me to walk y'all out?" Ajayy asked handing Addie to Lauren. Addie nearly jumped out of her father's arms to her mother's tucking her head into Lauren's neck so she couldn't see Ajayy anymore.
"No were fine, Kera's out there." She frowned confused about Addie's behavior.
Lauren and Kera had spent the day shopping and rekindling. They hadn't seen each other since Kera had left for college. Lauren had kept little to no contact because for one Wayne wouldn't allow her to keep contact with anyone and for two Lauren didn't want to bother Kera with her sob stories. She wanted her best friend to prosper and be great at her university.
"Well aight, tell her I said Wassup'." He opened the front door.
"I will." Lauren walked through it before Ajayy retracted her steps to pull her into his arms.
Looking up while her and Addie remained in Ajayy's embrace , Lauren was caught off guard by a passionate kiss. She found herself kissing Ajayy back and she couldn't bring herself to pull away.
"I love you so much. " he whispered onto her lips before pulling away.
Lauren didn't know how to respond so she rushed to her car. She wasn't yet ready for those strong feelings to return. Because she knew this time they would severely make or break her.
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"I love you too. " Lauren groaned into her pillow. Lauren couldn't believe Ajayy had said those words to her when he had a whole relationship up stairs. She didn't want to be the thing to come between them so she decided not to say it back, in his face.
She found herself in bed alone. She still hadn't heard anything from Wayne and she didn't know what to feel.
Something in her reassured her that he was alright and she was able to make it to sleep for the night.
Lauren tossed and turned so much it was pointless for her to have even went to sleep. She was up before her alarms sounded so she made sure to turn them off before exiting her bed.
Dragging her feet towards the bathroom in their bedroom Lauren became startled by what she saw in the mirror.
Her eyes were puffy and blood shot red, it had looked like someone gave her to big black eyes. She knew she wouldn't be going anywhere today, but she needed to get Addie to school.
After rinsing her face with a warm towel she placed a call to momma Nae to assure Addie had a ride to school. Of course momma Nae agreed so all of her worries went out the window.
It was only six and since Addie attended a charter school she didn't have to be there until eight so Lauren decided to lay back down.
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