He's my drug and I'm his private dancer

one step at time

one step at time

Nia's P.O.V, It's been a month since Alonzo got shot. We found out who shot him. It was Leek. When I first heard about this, I was sick to my stomach because I can't believe that's how much he hates Alonzo. I still can't believe he shot Alonzo. All I wanted was for Leek to be there for our son Isaiah . Alonzo is a more of a father to Isaiah than that deadbeat Leek.

A lot of things have changed as well. Isaiah and Bree are in first grade now. They are both six years old. As for me, I stopped stripping and started working on my dance studio. I'm happy about it because I love dancing and I have always wanted to teach others how to dance. I also decided to get my hair done in Marley Twists. I'm on my way to go pick up the kids from school.

When I walk into Bree and Isaiah's classroom. They were packing up their belongings. Immediately after they were done packing up their school supplies, they noticed I was in the room and ran to me.

I hugged both of them and gave them a kiss on the cheek. "Mama guess what?" Bree asks.

"What pumpkin?" I ask smiling brightly at her.

"Isaiah and I both got A's on our projects." She says excitedly.

Bree was talking about her and Isaiah's Dr . King projects. "Oh, that's great baby!" I exclaim.

Their teacher came up to me.

"Hello Ms. Iverson, how are you?" She asks me in a professional tone of voice.

"I'm good and you?" I ask thinking of how much she reminds me of Jill Scott.

"I'm doing well. Bree and Isaiah are excellent students but you guys have a nice weekend." She says passionately.

I thank her happily and grab the kids hands and begin walking them out of the school.

I'm driving and I hear Isaiah and Bree say "Mama, I'm hungry."

"What do you all want?" They think about It for a second.

They say Burger King. I pull up to the little speaker and place an order for all of us. After we received our food, I start driving to the hospital. I find a parking spot. Before getting out of the car I take a deep breath. This is so hard for me but I have to stay strong for the kids and me. I get out of the car and help the kids out. We walk up to the hospital hand in hand. I have been here everyday since Alonzo got shot. I sign in at the front desk and walk to his room with Bree and Isaiah. I peek in the room to see that he is sleeping peacefully.

I walk to the side of his bed and run my fingers across the veins in his arm, I grab his hand and squeeze it softly and kiss his cheek as I sob quietly. I go to sit down on the little sofa in the room. I don't want the kids to see me like this. Damn. The kids come to sit on my lap and console me. After I got myself together, the kids told Alonzo and I how their day went. An hour later Ricky shows up. He takes Bree & Isaiah to soccer practice. The kids kiss Alonzo and I goodbye.

I start playing music on my phone so that Alonzo could hear. I play "Thinking Out Loud" by Ed Sheeran. This song makes me miss the good times me and Alonzo had.

I begin to tell him about my day.

"So today, I found a place for my dance studio. You would love the place." I say as my voice begins to crack. I start crying softly.

"Remember when you use to hold me tight and tell me everything is going be ok baby. I miss that." I say as I sniffle and pat my face with a tissue. I look up to see Alonzo smiling.

Alonzo's P.O.V, I hear someone's cries. It's Nia, My mami is pouring her heart out to me . I have been sleeping for a long time. I suddenly start to feel my body again. I start flexing my hands. My eyes flutter open. Nia was still crying and playing "Thinking Out Loud" by Ed Sheeran.

"Nia." I say in a raspy voice.

Nia jumps to her feet and rushes over to me. "Baby, oh baby." She cries vibrantly.

She begins kissing me all over my face. I smile and pull her into a hug.

"I'm so glad you're up baby." She says while wiping her lipstick off of my face.

"I'm glad to be up baby. I missed you. Get the doctor in here." I say sitting up as best I can because I'm still in a lot of pain.

A doctor walks into the room.

"Hello, I'm glad to see you're up Alonzo. I know you're wondering when you can go home. We'll run some tests on you and that should only take a few hours. Until then, I'll have the nurse bring you some food if you want and whatever else you need." Dr. Thompson says happily.

"Thanks Doc, that's exactly what I needed to hear."

"Wonderful, you two have a nice day." Dr. Thompson says then exits the room. Shit, a nigga is glad to be alive.

I have Nia come lay with me and I soon realize my baby is lookin' real nice. Even got a new hairstyle. "Papí, you like my new hairstyle?"

"Yes mamí, I love it. Where are the kids?"

She lays her head on my shoulder and sighs softly, "Ricky took them to Soccer practice."

She remembered how much I wanted them to play. I was about to say something when Ricky, my brother and my sister in law Jhene walks in with Bree and Isaiah. Bree and Isaiah ran over to me and gave me lots of hugs and kisses that will last a lifetime. Ricky and Jhene gave me a hug. Everyone pulled up a seat and began filling me in on all that I have missed.

A couple of hours later, Dr . Thompson comes in.

"I have some good news for you, you may go home tomorrow. Be very mindful of your injury. Before you leave stop by the pharmacy to pick up your medication. Be sure to fill out this paper work." Dr. Thompson hands the paperwork to me, smiles and wishes us well and leaves.

Nia, Jhene, Bree, and Isaiah went to go pick up dinner.

Ricky calls Dre and Quentin and tells them to stop by. Dre and Quentin give me a bro hug and sit down.

"So, what's up nigga?" Dre asks.

"Nothin' much man. Just tryin' to get the fuck outta here."

"So who the fuck shot me?" I'm ready to body a nigga if I have to.

"Leek, but that nigga got away. It's all good though we got enough evidence to put that nigga away for good." Quentin says.

Nia, Jhene, and the kids walk in.

"Baby, I got you the Blue Cheese and Bacon Burger with Fries."

Yes a nigga loves blue cheese on his Burger. She passes me my burger. Nia, Bree, and Jhene on my left side while Ricky, Isaiah, and my boys on my right side. It feels good to know I have a family that I can trust.

By the time we got done eating the kids were asleep. Ricky, Jhene, Dre, and Quentin say goodbye and leave. Lucky for us we have a private room. There's another bed in here so Nia picked them up and put them in the bed . When she comes back, she looks at me and smiles

"Why are you looking at me like that?" I ask softly.

She climbs into bed with me.

"I'm happy that you are awake."

Nia says softly.

She has been here with me since the beginning. I thank God for her everyday.

"I love you Alonzo. Thank you for accepting me and all the baggage that I come with." She says looking up at me with those big hazel eyes.

"I love you too Nia. Don't you ever forget that mamí."