single dad: the sequel (v.h)

chapter three

"Go take a nap babygirl. When you get up we'll play with toys okay." Vinnie asked with Nelly's carrier on one arm and Kaiser's sleeping body in the other.

He put the carrier on the floor next to the couch for a brief moment while he laid Kaiser down on the cushions and covered him with a blanket. He gently put a pillow under his head and kissed his forehead.

"Can I take Janelle upstairs or are you going to be upset if I do?" Vinnie asked, not to be snarky but because he actually wanted to know.

"You can take her up." Aaliyah said.

To be honest, she didn't remember why Vinnie was upset or what happened in the car. She was sleep deprived because she couldn't get comfortable in the hospital bed and hadn't slept the night before last. She had been awake for more than 48 hours now.

"Would you like to tell me what's going on? I can make you tea if you want." Vinnie said, picking Aaliyah's tired body up from the floor and wrapping her legs around his waist and arms around his neck.

"I don't know what's going on." Aaliyah said, watching as he walked into the kitchen of their house and got everything down to make her tea.

"What do you mean honey?" Vinnie asked.

"I just don't know." Aaliyah mumbled into his neck.

"You don't remember anything?" Vinnie asked.

"No." Aaliyah shook her head.

"Alright babygirl, are you tired?" Vinnie asked, suspecting that was what was happening with her.

"Yeah." Aaliyah nodded, holding onto him tightly as he carried her up the stairs.

He placed her tea down on the night stand and sat her on the bed. He got her a change of clothes. He pulled the shirt over her head and pulled her sweatpants off. He changed her underwear and slipped a shirt of his over her head. Pulling back the covers, he laid her down gently and then covered her back up.

"When you get up, let me know okay? I'll watch Janelle and you can take a warm shower." Vinnie said, kissing her head gently before turning her fan on, flipping the light off, and closing the door behind him.

——

"Daddy, order dinner." Bear begged, tugging on his shirt.

Her and Kaiser had woke up from their naps a couple hours ago and had been begging for dinner ever since. Vinnie would have said yes if it weren't three o'clock in the afternoon when they started asking.

"Okay, I'm ordering it. Calm down Bear." Vinnie said, dialing the number on the phone and ordering everyone's favorite food from the Chinese place.

While waiting for it, Aaliyah had woke from her nap and asked Vinnie to take Janelle downstairs so she could shower. He happily did so, finally letting Bear hold her but only under his supervision.

"She looks like you daddy." Bear said, gently rubbing her hand over Nelly's forehead.

"I think she does too." Aaliyah spoke from the stairs, walking over and taking a seat next to them on the floor. She pulled Kaiser into her lap, but he was too busy watching Blippi to notice.

"You aren't mad that I let her hold her right?" Vinnie asked.

"No, I was being a moron this morning." Aaliyah chuckled, turning her attention to whatever Kaiser was telling her about the Blippi episode and telling him that "that's so cool baby" everytime he told her something.

A knock on the door interrupted their little family moment. Aaliyah stood up and walked to the door, nearly passing out at the sight of the person on the other side.

"Aaliyah?" The guy asked.

Aaliyah quickly called for Vinnie who placed Nelly back in her bassinet and rushed to the door at the sound of her panicked voice.

"Go sit with the baby." Vinnie said, paying the guy and taking the food from him.

Vinnie closed the door before he could say anything else and locked it. He placed the food in the kitchen and walked back into the living room to find Aaliyah on the couch with all of the kids.

"Who was that?" Vinnie asked.

"Carson, and now that he knows where we live, we may have a problem."