"what made you choose to be a teacher of all things?" andrew asked, tilting his head. his hands were holding onto his cup of coffee that sat on the table in front of him.
adeline leaned back into the booth, crossing her arms and letting out a sigh. "when i was 18, i went to college for the fine arts. i wanted to be an artist because that's where my passion was at. growing up, whenever something would happen with my parents and my siblings, i'd draw or paint or anything artistic to get my mind off of it." adeline let out another sigh. "during my first semester of my freshman year, something happened in between my brother and my parents which led me to taking him in. i changed majors so i could get a stable job for the both of us, i dropped my dream so i could take care of him." she shrugged her shoulder, pushing a piece of hair out of her face. "i always had a way with kids, this being the push behind becoming a k-6 teacher."
"you say you admire that i grew up and became a father, but from the looks— you know how it feels. you dropped everything so you could take care of zion, i admire that." andrew said, sending the woman a soft smile.
"he's my little brother, id do anything for him. he was the only one who was there when i needed someone growing up, he reminded me i wasn't alone. without him, i don't know what i would've done growing up with the parents i was given." adeline let out a chuckle, trying to lighten the mood. "enough about me. how'd you feel when you found out rosalia was going to be born?"
andrew grinned, thinking back to the moment he found out he was going to have his own child. "best day of my life, besides the day she was born of course. i didn't really have any plans or any motivation to keep my life in line. when i found out i'd have a little human relying on me, everything was put into perspective and i grew up. i wanted to be the best i could be for her." the man licked his bottom lip, a bright smile shining on his face. "rosalia is the best thing to ever happen to me, without a doubt. like you said with your brother, she reminds me i'm not alone. everything i do is for her."
"i hope one day, my husband and child have a relationship like you two have. your bond with each other is so special, don't take it for granted."
"never." andrew sent the woman a playful smile, before turning serious. "i do feel like mine and rosalia's relationship grew so much when allison left. we were the only thing each other had left. our relationship wouldn't be what it is if allison hadn't of left. so, yeah it sucked that she left. it hurt us both, but i'm also grateful for it because without it we wouldn't be what we are today."
"time heals everything, andrew. when i changed majors and took caleb in, i felt miserable. i worked all the time so i could support us and i went to classes to get a stable job to take care of us and it sucked. having caleb around was amazing, i loved every second of it but i lost the chance to fulfill my own dreams and that sucked." adeline took a sip of her coffee, feeling andrews stare on her face.
"do you still have that passion for art?" andrew asked.
adeline licked her lips, trying to think of her answer. of course she still had the passion for it, but she knew andrew was going to encourage her to go back and fulfill her dreams, but she knew she couldn't do that. at least, not until caleb and brandon started their own thing and finished high school. caleb came first and she didn't have the money to go back to college anyways.
"yes. it never left."
"then go bac—"
adeline cut him off before he could finish his sentence. "i don't have the money to go back and i couldn't risk it all when caleb is still living with me and trying to start his own music dream. his dream comes firs—"
"adeline."
the woman looked from her coffee to the man she had grown to care for in the last couple months. "yes?"
"you have to choose yourself sometimes."
"i know," adeline nodded, pushing her cold coffee to the side. "it's just— i'm the only thing he has. i couldn't disappear on him and do my own thing when he still needs me. i made a promise a long time ago that i'd never leave him hanging. going back to college would be. i still have my entire life to go back, i can wait another year."
"i have a studio at my house. let zion and his friend come over sometime and work in there. make their first mixtape or something." andrew pushes his coffee beside adeline's, leaning forward. "i have connections, i could help get their music dream kickin'. from what i've heard from the party though, your brothers got a talent and from what he's told me about brandon's production skills, they'd be set in the industry."
adeline leaned closer to the table as well, crossing her arms and setting them on the table. "really? i know they'd both love that. i don't know how i'd repay you."
"adeline, you don't have to repay me. you do enough with my daughter, you're good." andrew said, watching as adeline bit on the side of her cheek. he took a minute to admire her, the way her curly brown hair was wildly tamed and the way her brown eyes would shine in the sunlight when it hit them. she was breathtaking and andrew had a hard time understanding how someone hadn't already swept her off her feet. "you're beautiful."
the sunlight hit adeline's eyes, andrew feeling his heart race at the sight of her beautiful brown orbs. adeline felt a blush rise to her cheeks. the farthest a compliment went with every guy she'd ever acknowledge was how hot she was or her body— no guy had ever said she was beautiful and hearing the words come from andrew made her heart jump.
"thank you." adeline mumbled, trying to seem calm. the woman then took the time to admire his curls that sat on top of his head, to his scruff that hadn't been shaved in a minute, to his pale green eyes that she could get lost in if she looked in them for too long. he was beautiful.
"shit, it's almost 11. i promised rose i'd take her to the beach at noon. i really hate to cut this sho—"
"andrew, it's fine. go home and take your daughter to the beach." adeline said, reaching for her purse that sat beside her. "we could do this again? maybe dinner next time? even bring rose along, perhaps."
"definitely." andrew replied, scooting out of the booth the two had sat in for the last two hours.
"goodbye, andre—" adeline was cut off by the feeling of two arms around her body. she wrapped her own around him, feeling her heart about to jump out of her chest.
andrew pulled back, holding adeline at arms length. he smiled down at the woman, feeling his own heart race at the close proximity of the two. "goodbye, adeline kuwonu."
"goodbye, andrew bazzi."
"uncle nate! he's home, he's home! he's thirty minutes late! they definitely kissed!" rosalia's voice sounded through the house, nate letting out a laugh at the dramatic child.
"rosali—"
"miss kuwonu and daddy, sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n—"
"hey, missy! where'd you learn that from?" nate asked, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion on how the now six year old learned the old saying.
rosalia gave the man a dumbfounded look, shaking her head and putting her hand over her face. "uncle nate, i'm six. not two!"
"i know, miss smartas—"
"hey, princess." nate was cut off by andrew walking into the house.
rosalia sent nate a look that screamed 'we'll finish this later.' before running into her father's arms. "hey, daddy. how was your date with miss kuwonu?"
"it wasn't a—"
rosalia shook her head, cutting the man off. "lying is disrespect, daddy."
"who taught you that?" andrew asked, walking into the kitchen with the child still in his arms.
"you, mister!" rosalia replied, touching andrews nose before letting out a series of giggles at the silly face he sent her.
"nate, hey."
nate nodded, sending his best friend a smirk. "so, how was the date? you never answered miss priss."
rosalias jaw dropped. "miss priss? thats the best you got, uncle nate?"
"hey, hey." andrew said to the child, trying to keep his own laugh at bay. "be nice."
"he's been calling me names all morning." rosalia retorted, shaking her head causing her loose curls to move. "call uncle j next time, he's nicer to me."
"i will, princess." andrew finally let out his laugh at the betrayed look on nate's face. "it was nice. she's— different."
rosalia leaned her head on her father's shoulder, pushing her hair out of her face. "i think miss kuwonu is the prettiest girl."
"i think so too, princess."
AUTHORS NOTE:
probably should've made this longer
but i'm tired ! so i'm publishing this
and going to sleep ! i can't wait to wake
up and read all the comments you guys
leave it honestly makes my entire life.
i love you all so much :,)
I DONT REALLY LIKE HOW I WROTE
THIS CHAPTER SO ILL PROBABLY
COME BACK AND EDIT IT, NO MAJOR
CHANGES IF I DO JUST ACTION DESCRIPTION
AND OTHER STUFF. NO DIALOGUE CHANGES OR ANYTHING ELSE 💓💗💓💓💗💗💓
okay goodbye really i cant believe i make
my author notes this long no one cares !