Dave
Feeling around in the bed for Aaliyah I groaned when my finger tips met the cold spot her body once possessed. I sat up rubbing my eyes.
"Good morning Bitch" I heard them felt a sharp metal object on my lip
I opened my eyes confused pulling my head back. Aaliyah was standing over me with a knife to my lips smiling devilishly.
"Whatcha doing Mamas?" I ask nervously. What the fuck she got going on?
"You didn't think I forgot did you?" she ask slicing my bottom lip open "you busted my lip when you sent me face first into the stairs. Paybacks a bitch right?"
"Ow fuck Liyah!" I groaned holding my mouth
"Then you choke slammed me. Your lucky my small ass can't do that to you. After that you just straight up choked me." She mumbled jumping on my lap choking me with both hands "then you threw a lamp at me, it hit my back and man did that hurt."
She squeezed my throat then released me going into her bathroom looking for something.
I got up running to the room door. The shit was locked with hella chains and shit on it.
"Where are you going?" She ask tilting her head. I ignored her trying to break the chain. She mumbled something then sent a curling iron to my back. "I like all my lamps so I decided to throw a curling iron."
"Shit" I hissed dropping to the floor holding my back. She sat down beside me smiling wiping my tears away.
"I forgive you" she smiled kissing my cheek, then sent a punch to my jaw "We're even now, come back to bed"
I nod following her to bed.
"I'm not going to do anything else, I just wanted you to know how I felt when you did those things to me." she sighs happily, pulling me under the covers rubbing my back.
"Ah that shit hurt" I hissed holding her wrist
"I know" she hums using her other hand to continue rubbing the area. "Your mom made breakfast in my kitchen. Who gave her permission to use my pots and pans?"
"I don't know Baby, I'll talk to her about it" I mumbled glancing up at her. She held a calm expression but her tone was deadly. "You feeling alright?"
"I feel fine, why?" she questioned twitching her eye
"No reason, unlock the door" I said sitting up
"Why, do you want leave me?"
"No no I just want to see the kids. I'll come back I promise"
Mumbling to herself getting up and unlocking the door.
I wasted no time leaving going downstairs to see everybody eating and laughing.
"What happened to you?" Seriyah asks
"Aaliyah woke me up on some fool shit" I ran a hand down my face "where the kids at?"
"In Hope's play room, it's down that hall by the stairs" Prince pointed in the direction
"That's why I don't let her ass smoke, she has a weird react to it. You know how some drunks get crazy and do reckless shit than don't remember any of it the next day? Well Liyah's like that with weed but it's the other way around, she's fine while smoking but the morning after she's acting crazy and weirder than usual" Mike shrugs "Just don't piss her off and you'll be fine."
"Gon head I don't need another one of these from her" Troy said showing me a scar on his forearm
"So y'all knew she would act like this and didn't give me a heads up?"
"Yeah" Prince nods "we mind the business that pays us most of the time, this is one of those times where turn a blind eye and go on about our day"
"Peace and love, my brother" Troy nods
"Dave!" Liyah yells
"Hold on!" I shout back "how long until she's back to normal?"
"Eh give it about an hour or two" Mike said calmly as if he don't care.
"David! Come here now!" Liyah yells louder than before. My mom gave me a plate and motioned me towards the stairs.
"Baby, I'm coming" I mumbled dragging my feet
Once I got to her room, I went to her bed with my head down. Sitting on it I ate my food as Liyah rolled over beside me pressing a gun to my pants.
"Don't you ever put your hands on me again in your life. I won't hesitate to shot yo shit off." she says staring into my eyes deeply, I nodded staring back at her.
"Alright"
"I'm glad we could come to an understanding" she smiled kissing my cheek jumping off the bed putting her gun away.
"Me too"
"Wanna watch a move"
"Yeah that's cool with me"
"Good" she smiles putting fuzzy shorts on, flipping through the tv channels.
God please be on my side throughout this day. I can't die yet, not until Kairi's fifth-two living with eleven cats and Hope's rude ass watching over her.
I know Hope will take after her mother with the clap backs and ungodly hands but my baby Kairi? She's too innocent to realize the nasty truth of this world.
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"Dave, why aren't you cuddling with me?" Liyah asked laying in my lap. I haven't touched her since she threatened me three hours ago, I kept my hands to my side the whole time.
"You told me not to touch you" I mumble looking at the tv
"I was talking about hitting me. You can cuddle with me if you want" she sighs playing with my fingers. "I'm sorry if I freaked you out."
"It's alright, you didn't freak me out. You just beat my ass a little bit" I chuckle wrapping my arms around her
"Yeah sorry about that" she mumbles shyly brushing her finger on my lip. I winced at her touch moving her hand. "that looks deep, did you clean it?"
"Yeah, don't worry about it I'm fine"
Aaliyah nods climbing on top of me straddling my waist. I moved my hands to her hips making eye contact with her.
"Y'all would make beautiful babies" We heard. I looked behind Liyah and groaned. Seriyah comes into the room sitting on the bed
"Hi Riyah" Liyah waved resting her head on my chest
"Hey, the boys and I are going to the beach later you wanna come? I don't want to be the only girl out there."
"Yeah sure, I don't mind." She mumbled looking up at me. "We can finish watching movies when we come back?."
"Yeah" I nod
"Okay well I'll see you at nine o'clock. Bye babes" Seriyah waved leaving us alone
"We aren't getting high on the beach Liyah"
"Why?" She frowns pouting "it's apart of our plan, we were supposed to get high and maturbate while the sun's sitting"
"I know but that was before I knew about your strange reaction to weed. I've never seen no shit like that before and I don't plan on it."
"We'll see" she mumbled pulling my nipple
"Ah shit"
"Shut up" she says twisting it
"Bitch stop" I hissed slapping her hand. She snapped her head in my direction, glaring at me she twisted it harder while pulling it. "I'm sorry, Liyah! I'm sorry!"
"Mommy Aaliyah!" Kairi shouts trying to get in the bed. Liyah lets go and a huge smile covers her face as she helps Kairi onto the bed.
"Hi Kai" I murmured rubbing my nipple mugging Aaliyah
"Good morning my beautiful nugget" Liyah smiled
"Hi Mommy" Kairi smiled rubbing her nose against Liyah's cheek
"So I don't get any love?" I frowned. They looked at each other then me disgusted.
"No boy" Liyah said giving me a stank face
"Forget y'all" I waved them off "Peanut come here!"
Hope came running in with a big smile. She got up into the bed and embraced me in a warm hug.
"Good morning Davey" she smiles pulling away
"Good morning my favorite daughter" I smiled back flicking off Kairi and Liyah.
Kairi grabbed my finger bending it backwards causing Liyah to laugh sticking her tongue out.
"That's not nice Kai" Hope frowns crossing her arms
"Sorry Dada" Kairi pouts rubbing my hand
"He'll be alright nugget, he's a big boy" Liyah said rolling her eyes at me
"Mommy can we go to the ferris wheel today?" Hope asked
"Ask Mike"
Hope nodded running out the room. Kairi chose to stay and lay over Liyah's legs.
"I missed you so much Nugget. I was going to take Hope to New York to visit you next week" Liyah told to her
"To play with my toys at Nana house?"
"Yeah" she chuckles nodding
"What about me?" I mumbled tapping Kairi "why can't I get any love, Kai?"
"Bad" she pouts moving closer to Liyah
"What did I do?" I ask confused, she barley talks to me anymore.
"Not a good boy"
"Nugget remember when I told you he was sick?" Aaliyah asked her, she nods. "Well he's better now, he's a good boy now"
Aaliyah got up and pulled me into a tight hug kissing all over my face. Chuckling she stopped and sat on my lap.
"Good boys gets hugs and kisses"
"Otay" Kairi smiles hugging my neck and kissing my cheek
"Kai come on! Uncle Mikey taking us out!" Hope yells running past the door. Kairi jumped up stumbling out the room.
"She hasn't said much to me since I got her." I mumbled closing my eyes.
"She never stopped talking about you though. Every time we FaceTime she always had something good to say about you, even when I told her I didn't want to talk about you. She should would continue rambling on." Liyah chuckled
"Did I um—you know hurt her?"
"Not really but you did scare her. Remember when I told you, you threw a lamp at me?" She asked and I nod "Well I was holding Kai when you decided to throw it. I turned my back towards you so it wouldn't hit her. Your mom told me Kairi wouldn't speak to her unless she was hungry, she talked to me though."
"I wish I could take all of it back"
"Well you can't, just give her some time. She'll come around."
"How do you know?"
"I don't"
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Aaliyah
Hours flew by and we were still in bed watching movies.
I feel asleep and into one of the worst dreams.
My mom told me she was disappointed in me for not staying with Camden and not raising Hope with her real father.
"Ma you don't know what it felt like living with him!" I cried shaking my head. "We weren't even dating, he was supposed to be my friend not attacker!"
"You could have made it work!" She yelled getting in my face
"It wasn't a happy home mom, I was beaten every day just for being there with him. If I tried to leave he'd beat me. I didn't want that for my child"
"So you moved away and raised my grand baby in a broken home? That's selfish"
"It was the safest option for us, I've worked so hard to make a living and I did. I have my own store that makes good money. I even put money aside for Hope if she decides to go to college. Why aren't you proud of me?"
"You're raising my grand baby in a broken home Aaliyah! Fix it!"
"How? I'm not going back to Camden, I can't"
"You're a disgrace to our family. I can't even look at you." She scoffed kicking dirty in my eyes
"Mom please, I'm sorry" I cried out curling up into a ball
"Aaliyah?" Someone's voice boomed throughout my head.
"Mommy Aaliyah?" Another voice called
I was so trapped in my mind, I couldn't move. My tears stopped flowing and my throat went dry. I tried to open my mouth but it seem liked my body was working against me.
"Hey pumpkin, missed me?" My dad, Ralph asked pulling his pants down
Violently shaking my head no I backed into a wall that appeared out of nowhere.
"Just relax and let daddy take care of you" he chuckled walking closer
"Aaliyah!" Someone yells shaking me awake. I sat up quickly slapping their hand away then sending a punch to their face but they caught my fist. "nice form but are you alright? What was your dream about?"
I pulled my hand out Mike's grip shaking my head. Laying back down, sighing rubbing my eyes. Why did Mike wake me up instead of Dave?
I turned around to see if he was there but was meet with Kairi's body beside me, she playing with my hair sucking on her pinky.
"If you're looking for Dave, he's downstairs talking to his mom" Mike said wiping sweat off my forehead. "I heard some of you're mumbling but I didn't understand it. Tell me about your dream Liyah."
"No" I whisper covering my face.
I heard heavy foot steps come into the room then the bed dipped. Not knowing who it was scared me a little.
"Mommy Aaliyah sad" Kairi sighed laying her head on my back rubbing it
"Why, what happened?" Dave's raspy deep voice flowed through my room. "Babe what's wrong?"
"She had a nightmare about so deep shit, she doesn't want to talk about though." Mike answered while walking out the door.
Three more pair of footsteps came into the room. Closing my eyes I tried to find my happy place but the shit was hard to find.
"Mommy? I brought you ice cream" Hope sweet cheerful voice said
Throwing up my right thumb I pulled the covers over my head saying a prayer silently.
"You aight Lee?" Prince asked laying on the bed beside me
"Bae, what's wrong? Dave pissed you off already?" Seriyah asked leading on Prince legs.
"No Riyah, I'm fine" I sighed drying my eyes sitting up. Kairi whined getting into my lap asking Dave to put on cartoons. Glancing at him I noticed he was giving me a weird look that made me uncomfortable. "Don't look at me like that. I'm fine"
"Your eyes tell a different story" he sighs putting cartoons on for Kairi.
"Riyah can you and Prince step out for a minute?" I asked
"Yeah, come on sugar bear" Sereyah says to Prince. They left and closed the door behind them.
Hope crawled onto bed and laying on Dave's chest getting under the covers closing her eyes.
"Wassup?" Dave asked, I shrugged moving closer to him with Kairi still sitting in my lap, laying my head on his shoulder cupping his face with one hand.
Believe it or not this position calms me down.
"I had a dream my mom wasn't proud of me, she didn't care that I have my own shop or that I'm a nurse. She only cared about how I'm raising Hope without her father" I said rubbing the side of his face. "She told me to fix it but I don't know how. She raised me to be independent and that's what I am, I just can't win."
"Why do you care so much about her opinion? You're a great mother, Hope doesn't need that nigga she's got me and I'm not going nowhere. Don't let that dream discourage you, baby I'm proud of everything you've accomplished and so are the kids." Dave grabbing my face and kissing my lips "Don't worry about anybody's opinion but yours and occasionally mines."
I laughed a bit looking down at my beautiful babies. Even though I didn't give brith to Kairi I still feel like she's my child.
"Thanks Dave" I gave a faint smile grabbing ahold of his arm putting it behind me. He chuckled wrapping it around me pulling me closer.
"Stop moving" Kairi mumbled laying her head on my breast trying to get comfortable. "Peas"
"What is this, nap time?" I laugh
"Seems like it" Dave chuckles "I don't mind it though, I'm with three of my favorite people."
"Awe that's so cute, sugar bear let's have a baby. I wanna be boo'd up in bed with our kid like Dave and Aaliyah" Seriyah said peeking in on us
"You got us caught" Prince mutters as our eyes lands on them
"How long y'all been standing there?" Dave asked irritatedly
"We got here when Kairi told Liyah stop moving" Riyah smiles cheekily
"Go away, for real this time" I rolled my eyes while snatching Dave's pillow from under his head throwing it at the door.
"You just had to throw my pillow? Prince give me that pillow. . .please" he mugs me
Prince walked in and gave the pillow back dapping Hope up on his way out.
After adjusting his pillow he closed his eyes putting his hands behind his head.
"I'm proud of you Mommy, you're the best" Hope said turning to me with a smile fighting to keep her eyes open.
"Me too" Kairi giggles looking up at me. "right?"
"Thanks babies" I chuckled
"What I tell you? The whole family is proud of you. You're our backbone it's only right if we're yours." Dave said
"I swear I love y'all with everything in me" I smiled
"We love you too" he replied
Shortly after our conversation everyone went asleep.
I tried going back to sleep but couldn't. My moms was heavy on my mind. Her opinion matters a lot to me.
If it wasn't for me she would've still been alive. If I hadn't ran away the first time she wouldn't have been beaten until she was black and blue.
If only I stayed and took the beatings meant for me instead of leaving her to take them for me. If only I wasn't so weak back than, I could've saved the both of us.
I started singing more these past few months because I remember my mom loved my voice even when it would go out while I was in the middle of hitting a note.
She also adored my art work when I was a child even when I thought it was trashy and wanted to throw it away because it didn't look like the other kids paintings or drawings. She believed in me when I didn't believe in myself.
My dad wasn't always the monster of the family, he loved us with all his heart when I was a child.
Whenever my mom's favorite song came on he made me sing it with my heart while she danced cheering me on. God I miss those days, back when everything was ok.
🥀•DAMAGED•🥀GOODS•🥀