The loud whimpers of Nala wake me up from my Slumber. I get up and wipe my eyes which are crusty. Walking into her room I see Cardo changing her. I look at the clock and its 5:43 a.m. I look back at Cardo and he's sanitizing his hands .
"You'll fix her bottle for me?" he asks me without turning around.
I do as he said and fix it. He passes her to me and I feed her as he walks out. Nala is staring at me with curious eyes as I dance around her room lightly. I stand by the window and just let her eat as Cardo walks back in. I feel much better. I don't know how to address him throwing me to the ground though.
"How you sleep?" He asks me getting out Nala a outfit.
"Good, I guess." I mumble that last part. "Did you give her a bath already?"
"Yeah, right after you went to bed."
I just nod and sit the bottle down because she's done with it. I haven't talked to my aunt since yesterday. I pass Nala to Cardo again and walk out quickly. I had to empty my guts again. I couldn't even make it to my room so I just run to the hallway bathroom.
After I'm finished I wash my face and brush my teeth. Standing over the sink I look in the mirror. My face is swollen, my stomach is swollen too. Cardo is standing in the doorway as I lift my shirt up. "I guess I need to start my morning jogs again." I laugh a little at the little Pudge I have. Before Cardo can respond I hear the guys downstairs. It's way too early for noise but they don't care. I stand at the top of the stairs. They are all making their way up them.
"Le Le!" Danny exclaims as he pulls me into a hug.
"Danny!" I say back to him laughing at his excitedness.
Everybody else comes up and goes to my room. They sit on the couches of the lounge and I make sure Nala is okay.
When everyone is situated I take a quick shower and throw on a pair of joggers and a dressy top. Luckily it's the weekend.
"You mind watching Nala for a couple hours?" I ask Cardo walking back in the room.
"Where you going?"
"I wanna get a haircut."
"Haircut?" he questions and I nod. "You sure? That's a lot of pretty ass hair to be cutting?"
"I'm sure."
"Alright be safe. Imma send Serenity with you."
"Who?"
"That girl you saw yesterday on the third level. The only one that talked to you."
"She's up this early?"
"Serenity stay up. She do hair."
"How am I gonna meet her so she can come with me?"
"She downstairs."
I just nodded and grabbed the car keys. Serenity was standing at the bottom of the stairs waiting for me.
"Hi Lena."
"Hey, would you like to cut my hair?" I asked.
"Oh no! I only do fades on boys." She laughed. "I cut the boys hair and retwists Ray's dreads."
"Dang it. Guess we'll have to find a hair shop that does walk ins." She nods and we leave out for a girls day. Katrina would have been with us but she wanted to spend the day with Ray.
We drive to the nail shop first and get a matching manicures with acrylic. It was nice to just laugh and it not be ruined by any bull. Next up. I got my hair cut. We were lucky to find a shop that was open so early. My hair used to fall right in the middle of my back. Now it is so short that it was above my neck. I got it colored jet black. I think it's cute. My mom used to braid my long kicks of hair all the time. That was one of the reasons I never wanted to cut it. Me and Serenity even went to the mall. She has a little girl of her own with some man she didn't want to talk about. I wonder if she knows about what I did to her former boss. Does she know Nala is Sarah's daughter?
I got me and Nala got 3 matching outfits and pairs of shoes to go with them. I had a fun morning but me and Serenity both have obligations. I dropped her off at her house and went back to mine. Cardo shoots me a text and I wait till he comes and taps the window till I get out. He looks mad but I don't say anything. He gets all my shopping bags and I thank him.
"I didn't think I would but I like your lil haircut." He smirked.
"Thank you." I say combing through it with my fingers and model walking. Of course he boosts my head up. My favorite hype man. I think about Nala then. The house feels very empty but I know when she's here.
I run up to her room to see her in her crib looking at the ceiling. She smiles when she sees me and I fix her a bottle. I pick Nala up and feed her and Cardo just stares at me. Burping Nala I see those little eyes close and she goes to sleep. I take her in the baby room and clip the baby monitor to my hip. I'm glad her diaper was clean.
I walk in my room as Cardo follows and leans up against the dresser. He is crossing his arms and licking his lips. I wait for him to speak but he doesn't so I start to take all my new clothes out. Another bag catches my eye but it's from Wal-Mart. I don't remember going there. The contents of the bag include 7 pregnancy tests of different brands. I look up at Cardo.
"When your girl thing supposed to come on?" Cardo asks me.
"I'm a few days late but-"
"Just take the tests for me. Please."
I nod my head and walk to the bathroom locking the door. I had a little cup filled pee in no time. I stuck the tests in there a little and then sat them on the counter waiting. It's been a good 20 minutes and I'm scared to look at them now. I unlock the bathroom door and peep out. Cardo is laying in my bed.
"You come look at them." I say and he walks past me.
"They negative Le." He smiles.
I let out a deep breath and laugh.
"I been meaning to talk to you." He said.
"Talk." I say happily. That was a close one. What if I had been?
"Don't ever undermine my authority like that in front of my workers again."
The audacity of this man.
"I'm sick of you talking to me like I'm a animal all the damn time!" I say calmly back at him.
"If you weren't so damn stupid I wouldn't have to!"
"You're a asshole, Cardo and you-"
He grabs my shoulder and turns me to where I'm facing. He spats, "Say something else I don't like."
I turn my head away and roll my eyes.
"I'm sorry for shoving you and making you hit your head. I let my anger get the best of me." He tried to hug me.
Tears run down my face as I push him away. Grabbing my face he wipes my tears and kisses my lips. I fall for it every time.
"I'm sorry Lena." he tells me kissing me on the lips again pulling my shirt over my head.
"You're always sorry." I say kissing him harder and grabbing his neck. I pull his shirt over his head as he stops me to put me on the bed. I can see his erection through his sweatpants and I couldn't stop myself from stroking it through the fabric. He chuckles a little and the imprint gets bigger. He pushes me to a laying position and unzips his pants letting it fall out of his boxers. He grabs a condom and rolls it on. He moves in between my legs and slides in.
"Mmm." I moan arching my back.
::::::::::
I wash my hands before cooking dinner. My aunt has been working so hard. She deserved some pampering. As I'm cooking Nala's cries come through on the baby monitor as I tell Cardo. He rushes back there and I put the chicken in the oven. I usually turn the monitor off but my hands are full right now.
"Awe look at you big girl. You must be wet huh?" Cardo coos to Nala. "Baby won't you come my way! I got something I want to say!" he sings to her as she laughs. He even gets the runs that Fetty Wap does right.
When my aunt comes home I make sure she is comfortable. I fix her plate and even give her a little massage.
"Thank you baby." She smiled. We continued to talk for the rest of the night. I even slept in her room with her that night. She still treats me like a big baby. I love it. Cardo slept in my room that night. My birthday is in exactly a week and I'll be 17 and I would love to spend it happy with my living family.
