|A L W A Y S & F O R E V E R| B O O K 1

25||A B l e s s i n g

Date: 10/27/15
Day of the Week: Tuesday
Location: Los Angeles, California
Place: Ciara's Condo

Ciara
"Since Zahir is coming back today, I want to take him to the pumpkin patch. This would be his first time going."

"Okay. What time are you picking him up?"

"11 o'clock. So, in a couple of hours. I'm not gonna lie, I missed my baby. "

"I missed him, too. I haven't seen him in two months. How has he been?"

"He has his days, but he's a pretty good kid."

Currently, we were sitting in the kitchen eating the breakfast that I prepared for us. We didn't have much planned for the day. Later, I was going to pick Zahir up from his dad. He wanted me to meet him at the park. Which was just ten minutes away. Russ was going to stay back at the condo and wait for us to get back. Then, we were going to take Zahir to the pumpkin patch.

When it was 10:45, I grabbed my purse from the counter and the keys from the basket on the table next to the front door. I slipped my slides on and got ready to leave out the door.

"Alright, babe. I'll be back in about twenty minutes."

"Okay. You sure you don't need me to come with you?" I waved him off.

"No. I'll be fine. "

"Alright. Let me know when you get there." I smiled before opening the door to leave.

As soon as I opened the door, the smile dropped from my face. My face balled up in a mixture of frustration and confusion. What was he doing here?

"Babe? What's wrong?" Russ asked, standing from the couch.

"Nothing, babe. I thought I forgot something. That's all." I lied. He couldn't see outside of the door from where he was standing.

The person on the other side of the door chuckled at her response. Ciara raised her brow at him as she stepped outside the door, closing it. Causing the person to step back some.

"What are you doing here?" She yelled in a whisper at him. She didn't want Russ to hear their conversation.

"What does it look like I'm doing here? You don't see me holding our son in my arms?" His response was smart and sarcastic.

"You were supposed to meet me at the park like you always do! Not show up on my doorstep!" She raised her voice.

"Why not-" She cut him off.

"Because that's what we agreed on! What don't you understand?"

"I don't get why you so mad. I brought him to you. So, now you don't have to leave the house. You making a big deal out of this. The whole time, I saved you gas money. You acting like I never been in here before." He smirked while chuckling.

"What, you got something to hide? It's another nigga in there?"

"I don't have shit to hide from you!"

"Then let me in." He tried to push his way past her, but she blocked the door.

"This is my house! I don't have to let you in shit! Just give him to me and go. So I can go on with my day." She said frustratedly.

"You got another nigga in there. I know you do." He rubbed the hair on his chin and nodded his head.

"Just give him to me and leave." She sighed.

Just as he handed him over along with his diaper bag, the door opened. Ci turned around to be met with the face of Russ. Which held a blank stare at the two of them. Zahir's dad laughed and looked him over before looking back at Ciara.