| James POV |
i was layin down sleep when I felt little hands touchin my face. I slowly opened my eyes and it was Malik. I Looked over at Tai and she was still sleep. I got out the bed and picked him up. "Wassup man" I said and he waved. I carried him to the bathroom. I stood him up on the stool and looked at him. "You know to brush yo teeth yet or I gotta do it for you? " I asked and he mugged me makin me laugh. "I know how" he said and I nodded. we brushed our teeth and he reached his arms out for me to pick him up. "You hungry?" I asked and he nodded. when We walked downstairs J wasn't there nomore so he must've left this morning. We walked into the kitchen and I sat him on the island. "Pick one. " I said sitting the cereal boxes in front of him. He picked the cinnamon toast crunch and I smirked. "Good shit" I said. I got our bowls and filled em up with cereal. I sat across from him and we stared at eachother while eatin. Why I feel like this lil nigga my long lost brother or somethin . I furrowed my eye brows and he did the same. I stopped eatin and he stopped eatin too. I got up and his eyes followed me. "You know what" I said and I picked him up and start ticklin him. His laugh made me smile. This gone be my lil nigga fashodo. "Alright man. Finish up and then we gone get you fresh" I said and he took one last bite and I picked him up. We walked upstairs and went into his room. "Yo , me and mommy gotta decorate ya room man" I said lookin at the plain walls. "Why do you talk like that?" He asked and I know he was talkin bout my new York accent. "I was born like this Shorty" I said and he nodded. I sat him on the bed and picked out a new outfit of his that I bought him. I got out his black and blue ordan shirt , his white pants and his gammas i got him. "You like this?" I asked showin him the outfit . He nodded and i did too. "Alright coo" i said. I walked into the bathroom and ran his some water. After a while i stopped it. "Come on man lets get you in the tub" i said and he took off his clothes. My body filled up with anger lookin at the bruises he had on his stomach and his arms. I ont know what the fuck happened but ima find out. I sat him in the tub and washed him up. "Close ya eyes so the water wont get in em" i said and he closed his eyes. I squeezed the water in his hair and he opened his eyes. I let him sit there and play with his toys in the water. I stared at him and a smile came up on my face. I could get use to him bein here , shit no lie he can stay wit me forever i wouldn't mind. Him and Tai. "Alright kid" i said grabbin his towel. I wrapped it around him and pulled him out the tub. I got him dressed and he sat there. "I a be right back" i said and i went to my room. Tai was still sleep but i aint care. I grabbed my gel and my sponge. I walked back into his room and sat down on the bed. I rubbed the gel on my hands then I rubbed it through his hair. I sponged his hair to make it curlier then what it was. I squinted my eyes and nodded. "You look dope" I said and he cheeses at me. I picked him up and we walked downstairs. I sat on the couch and turned on the game. I put 2k in and he watched me play. I pulled him on my lap and let him play. "Good job man. We gone make you do that in real life" I said and he smiled and pressed the button. After a while he got tired and fell asleep on my chest. His drool dripped on my beater but I ain't care, this my lil homie. I continued to play the game while I rubbed his back. I heard foot steps comin down the stairs and I knew it was Tai. "Hey" she said sittin on the other couch. "Wassup" I said lookin at her. "I see you got him dressed" she said and I looked down at him and nodded. I put the controller down and slowly lifted up. "I wanna talk to you bout somethin ma" I said and she nodded. I clenched my jaw and looked at her. "I was boutta give him a bath and he took off his shirt. When he took it off he had bruises all over his stomach and his arms. Wassup? " I asked. "I swear I didn't know" she said and I looked at her. "I swear" she said and I nodded. "Ya mom did it?" I asked. She ain't respond. I bit my lip and nodded. "Wake up man" I said shakin malik arm softly. He stirred in he sleep and clutched onto my shirt. "Wake up" I said and his eyes slowly opened. I smirked and he sat up. He looked at Tai and smiled. "Hey mommy" he said and she smiled. "Hey. Baby come here" she said and he climbed off my lap and walked over to her. She lifted up his shirt and covered her mouth with her hand. "Malik" she said in a cracked voice. He looked at her. "Who did this" she asked and he looked down at his stomach. "Nana" he said and a tear rolled down her face. "Why baby" she asked. "Mommy I don't know. Why are you crying" he asked. "Im not. When did she do this" she asked. "When I was at her house." He said and I sat back and sighed. She picked him up and rocked him back and forth. She looked at me and I shook my head. He fell back asleep and she carried him upstairs and laid him down. She sat on the bed and I sat next to her. "You good?" I asked and she ignored me. "Tai" I said and she kept ignorin me. She walked into the bathroom and closed the door. I sighed and opened the door and walked inside. I closed it and leaned against the sink . "Wassup" i said and I heard her cry. I granted her hand and pulled her close to me. I wrapped my arms around her and she cried into my chest. "How could I be so stupid and leave him with her" she cried and I rubbed her back. "It a be aight. He with us now. Y'all both gone be good as long as y'all with me. Period " I said and she nodded. I kissed her forehead and let her go. "James" she said. "I know you didn't mean what you said last night but it's okay" she said and I thought Back to what J said. I nodded and looked at her. "I did" I said then I walked out the bathroom and closed the door.
