MIAMI Evenings
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MAY 15TH, 2021
"MOMMY SHE'S CRYING." Leanna pouted as she watched her little sister.
Messiah continued to scream out for attention. Her brown skin was completely red as she yelled out at the top of her little lungs.
Sophia continued to stare off into space and block out all the commotion that was going on around her. Leanna touched her hand causing her to snatch it away and frown down at her daughter.
Leanna ran off to go get her father who was downstairs, getting the twins ready. It was a Saturday and they were headed to Judy's house for a small cookout. The room was sound proof so he couldn't hear a thing going on.
Sophia had been suffering from postpartum depression, for over a month now. Elijah was well aware of that but when he left the room, Messiah was down for her nap so he didn't think much of it. But she was wide awake now and in need of her mother who had felt absolutely no connection to either one of her kids, and she hated it.
"Dada." Leanne burst into the twins room. "Baby cry." She pouted.
Elijah looked up from getting Ever dressed and sighed. He quickly put her shoes on and shook August awake, telling him to hurry and get ready.
"Lele let Ever help put your shirt on, I'll be back." He bypassed her and rushed his way up the steps.
Heading into the room and hearing the vicious cries of his youngest, caused him to pick up the pace and make his way towards her. She laid on the other side of Sophia, screaming and kicking as Sophia just stared at the wall brick of any emotion.
"You didn't hear her?" Elijah sucked his teeth as he picked Messiah up and began swaying and shushing her.
Sophia ignored him and Elijah felt himself growing upset so he made his way into the bathroom, so that he could bathe Messiah and be on his way.
"Don't worry baby." He placed kisses on her nose as she stirred in his arms. "Mommy won't be like this forever." He explained as he ran her bath water. "She's a really good person." He rubbed over her hair. "I just fucked her up and stressed her out too much. It's my fault, I know it." He placed her in her baby bath tub. "She'll be up and running and back to normal pretty soon. Then you'll see the side of her that we all know and love."
Messiah smiled up at him, causing his heart to smile too.
The past months had been really tough for him. From struggling with Sophia and her disorder, to basically taking care of a newborn by himself and a toddler along with twin kids every other week, then balancing his businesses and trying his best to get over Miami—he was exhausted, stressed, and over it. If this was God's way of delivering his Karma, he was doing a pretty damn good job.
Elijah couldn't even remember the last time he had a decent night of sleep. He needed a break but if his children weren't good then he wasn't either, so that break would have to pushed back until further notice.
After fifteen minutes or so, he had finally gotten Messiah to settle down, she was now fully dressed and laid out on her boppy, with her pacifier in her mouth.
Elijah began to pack a bag. He needed to shower but he know knew better than to leave Sophia and the baby alone, so he would just do it at his mother's house.
Sophia picked her head up to see Elijah packing and then looked over at Messiah who was looking at her with so much innocence. She reached her hand over and touched her two month old daughter, and she didn't feel a thing. She rubbed over her small belly and her chubby legs which resulted in Messiah kicking and squirming. Sophia looked at her blankly, before taking a big step by leaning all the way over and picking her up.
Elijah turned around to see Sophia picking Messiah up. He abruptly dropped his bag and made his way towards the bed.
"Put her down So." Elijah demanded, the last time she carried her, she had dropped her and something told him it was on purpose.
That was the whole reason he had moved back in, in the first place. Before that Sophia was doing little shit that exhibited P.P.D behavior but nobody ever thought that much into it, until that incident happened and she was finally diagnosed. So for the safety of both of his children and her, he came back.
"I'm not going to hurt her E." Sophia mumbled.
The sound of her voice caused him to wince. She had been completely mute since the day she gave birth, and told him that she was truly done and that Miami could finally have him. That was the last few words she had said to him or anyone else for that matter. He had started to believe that she would never speak again.
"Just take her." Her voice cracked as she handed Messiah off. "God." She threw her head down into her hands. "I don't know what's wrong with me. I want to love her but I just don't feel anything towards her or Lele anymore." She vented.
"We'll get you some help Sophia." Elijah looked her over with sympathy. "It won't always be like this."
Sophia remained silent, as she began rubbing over her temples. "Just get her out of here, please."
Elijah picked up her carseat and put it on the bed, and then he picked Siah up and carefully strapped her in. He then grabbed the seat with one hand and then his bags and her diaper bag with the other and left out the room, letting out a sigh and turning off the light and closing the door behind him.
He just wanted Sophia to get better, but he didn't know what to do.
"Kids?" He called out for the other three as they came running out of the room, all dressed and ready.
"We matching Pops." August observed, looking over their matching blood red Retro Jordan 11's.
"Yeah cause you wanna' be like me so bad." E playfully rolled his eyes. "Y'all three grab hands and hold on tight, and let's go."
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HOME OF JUDITH KINGSTON
"Can I have my baby back, please?" Elijah spoke with his mouth halfway full.
Saniya ignored him and continued to take videos of both her and Messiah. She was so cute and chubby, and being around her made a case of baby fever flow throughout Saniya's veins.
"Saniya give that man his baby back." Julius threw a dinner roll at her head.
It hit her right in the forehead and Saniya looked up and mugged him.
Julius laughed and stuck his tongue out at her then winked.
"Y'all fuckin' gay." Fab sucked his teeth.
"No cause for real." Ace agreed. "Sick of y'all."
"Leave them alone." Both—Tori and Amber came to their defense.
The two had a thing going on, which was the funniest thing to everybody because it was obvious Saniya had real feelings whereas JuJu just seen it as a sex and more sex based relationship. Though when it came to letting it be known, everyone just kept their mouths closed and let them do them. Saniya would see sooner or later.
"Let me hold her." Constance appeared and reached out for her niece. "Hey Phat Phat." She squealed as Messiah reached out for her. "Aw." she kissed her neck since Elijah didn't like for anyone to kiss her face or lips.
"Can never have my child to myself whenever I bring her around y'all niggas." E sucked his teeth as Ever ran over to him. "But I have my other baby so its all good." He picked her up.
Ever laid her head down on him, she was tired and getting in one of her moods because there was too much going on and she felt like she couldn't keep up with everyone else. Her medicine often made her weak and less energized.
"You tired pooh?" He whispered into her neck.
Ever nodded and exhaled.
"I'll be back." He announced. "Finna go put her down for nap." He walked off towards the house.
Making it inside, he ran right into Keiara who just looked him up and down and moved right past him. She still was not talking to him but she had grown to love the twins.
Shaking his head, he headed upstairs and went to his old room to lay Ever down.
He just so happened to run into Isaiah who was coming out of the bathroom, the two hadn't talked since Thanksgiving and that was on Isaiah's part because Elijah couldn't even count how many times he had reached out to him until he just stopped. He wasn't about to force or continue to press somebody who clearly didn't want to talk to him, brother or not he was not about to chase anyone down for a conversation.... unless they were Miami.
"Aye lemme' holla at you before you leave." Isaiah spoke, surprising E who just nodded and proceeded into his room.
He placed Ever down on the bed and began to take her shoes and light jacket off.
"I want Mommy." Ever pouted as she crawled to the top of the bed.
"You'll be back with her tonight, baby." E tucked her in.
"Okay." She settled into the pillows and pulled him closer to her. "Lay right here." She rubbed over his head.
"Mamas this is uncomfortable." E laughed.
"Sleep." She shut her eyes and continued to rub over his head.
Elijah sucked it up and laid there until he heard the sounds of her soft snores filling the room. He then carefully slipped out of arms and stood to his feet, turning off the light and sneaking out of the room.
He closed the door behind him and ran into yet another person...this time it was Indigo who looked like she was ready to pop.
"You look like a beluga whale, bitch." E mugged her.
He figured out that she played a part in the whole private investigator situation, and the fact that she presented all of that information to Sophia while she was giving birth, said enough about her and her character. Indigo was foul and E could not stand her.
"I'm pregnant you asshole." She frowned her face on the verge of tears.
"Yeah, with a baby beluga whale." He obnoxiously stuck his tongue out and brushed past her, looking for Isaiah.
"Sai!" He called out as he came down the stairs.
"In the kitchen." Isaiah responded.
Elijah headed in that direction, entering to see Isaiah leaned up against one of the counters as Karter sat on the table. He went and dapped Karter up and then turned towards Isaiah who looked more than ready for this conversation.
"I just want to apologize for my actions on Thanksgiving." Isaiah cleared his throat. "I needed all this time to get my mind and shit together, because to be honest with you I felt betrayed. But most of all I was hurt and just tryna' figure out why you felt like you couldn't share this information with me." He pointed at his chest. "Your brother and best friend. Yeah, I would've felt some type of way but it would've been better than you sneaking and hiding it from me for all of these years. I have no animosity towards those kids and I would love to get to know them and build a bond with them like the one I have with Lele. I also would love to meet my other niece too. I miss my brother and I miss our friendship over anything. I real life apologize for everything though, I just miss having my brother around, I miss having my best friend."
"I apologize too." Elijah sincerely spoke. "I miss you too bro, and I know your nieces and nephew would love to formally meet you." He walked up and pulled him in for a brotherly embrace. "I missed you bro."
"Aw would you look at that." Julius moved from his spot behind the wall and so did Spank.
"I'm so happy for y'all." Spank faked a couple tears.
Isaiah sucked his teeth as E rolled his eyes.
"My fav brothers back in action." Julius did a little dance.
"Excuse you?" Karter raised a brow.
"You cool too." Spank waved him off.
"Whatever." Karter got up to leave but was stopped by E pulling him in for a group hug.
"I love y'all." He held onto his two brothers, as he felt one out of a million weights being lifted off of his shoulders.
"We love you too."
__________
Trying his best to juggle a sleeping Leanna, the carseat and his bags in his hand, Elijah was relieved when he finally got his front door open.
He dropped all the bags on the floor and shut the door. He went to the living room and sat the carseat on the couch, and then made his way to Leanna's bedroom.
He quickly changed her into some Pajamas and then put her into her bed. Leanna was a deep sleeper so none of all of that moving bothered or awoke her.
Elijah kissed her forehead and left out of the room, jogging back to the living-room to find that Messiah was still sound asleep. He exhaled in relief and got her out of her carseat, making his way to his bedroom.
She had her own room but he preferred for her to sleep either in the bed with them or in her bassinet besides the bed.
He opened the room door to find Sophia on her feet and packing, he furrowed his brows and laid Messiah down in her bassinet before turning towards Sophia who continued to move around the room.
"Are you taking these So?" Deluna made her way out of the closet with some sweaters in her hand. "Oh." Her face dropped at the sight of E.
"What's going on?" He looked between the two of them.
"She's sick." Deluna straightened up her posture. "And she's not showing any progression while being in this environment. So she's coming with me until she get's better and back to herself."
"I'm talking to my fiancé." Elijah grilled Deluna causing her to shiver.
"Ex-fiancé." Sophia corrected.
"So you're just going to leave your kids, behind?" He turned towards them.
"I'm not myself Elijah." She continued to stuff her suitcase. "If anything I'm doing this for them."
"If you were doing this for them then you would stay!" E raised his voice. "I've been doing all that I can Sophia."
"I know that but I need professional help." She sighed. "Being around you just makes it worse. I can't be around my babies either just knowing that at times I want to harm them." She cried. "I need to get better."
"Sophia." E went to grab her but she snatched away. "Don't leave them." He looked down at her, his eyes growing steamy.
"I need to get better." She repeated. "This is for them."
"How long?"
"Until she gets back to herself." Deluna intruded.
"I am not." E looked over his shoulder. "Talking to you."
"E." Sophia grabbed his arm. "She's going to help me."
"So when were you going to let me in on this decision? Because it's obvious you've been planning it for some time now."
"I need to get better."
"I heard you the first fucking time Sophia."
"Don't curse at her!"
"Didn't I tell you that I wasn't speaking to you?" He snapped his neck in Deluna's direction.
"Who do you think you're speaking with in that tone?" She stepped in his vicinity.
"Okay." Sophia brought her hands up to her face. "Everyone just stop!" She covered her ears. "Stop it right now!"
"Are you okay?" Deluna ran to her aid.
Sophia dropped her arms and shut her eyes tight. "Elijah." Her voice came out real thick and icy. "I'm leaving and that's final. I refuse to feel this numb anymore, I need to get better."
"But we have a fucking baby! And a one year old!"
"I'm leaving." She reached around him and picked up her bag. "It's for them." She reached up and kissed the side of his cheek.
Elijah felt himself fighting for the tears not to come out. At that moment, he felt like he took one step forward and a million steps back. He couldn't believe this.
"I love you." She smiled before turning on her heels and leaving out of the room with her suitcase as Deluna followed.
Elijah's chest heaved up and down as he stared back at the closed door. A ball of fire built and fueled up within his stomach and then moved up to his chest, and just like that he found himself punching the wall and yelling out.
"FUCK!" He exclaimed.
The sound of the impact caused Messiah to jump in her sleep, and wake up wailing at the top of her lungs.
Elijah's fist were clenched as his tears blurred his vision. He quickly sucked it up and made his way towards his baby.
Picking her up and comforting her. "Daddy's sorry baby, I'm sorry." He whispered into her ear, her cries being the only thing he received in return. "I'm so sorry for bringing you into all of this." He found himself crying once again. "So sorry."