Unfinished Business

Chapter 37: An Unexpected Trip Back Home

Lena had spent the last few weeks doin' her best to ignore Que's calls and texts, still tryin' to sort through her feelings and make sense of how they could make this co-parentin' thing work. But deep down, she knew that no matter what was goin' on between them, she didn't want him to miss out on time with Amina. She wanted him to be a part of her life, to be there for the small moments as much as the big ones. After all, this was his daughter too, and Lena knew how much he loved her.

So, after thinkin' it over, Lena decided to take a trip back to Georgia with Amina, surprising Que so he could spend some time with his daughter. She hadn't told him she was comin', keepin' it a surprise, but she hoped that he'd be as excited as she imagined.

After arrivin' in Georgia, she dropped her mom off at home, then drove over to Que's parents' house. When she pulled up, the place was quiet, no cars in the driveway. Disappointed, she decided to head over to Que's new place, hopin' he'd be there.

The Surprise

As Lena approached Que's house, she spotted him on the front porch, talkin' with a few of his friends. He glanced over, his eyes widening in surprise when he saw her car pull up. She parked and got out, grabbin' Amina's carrier. Que immediately walked over, a big smile spreadin' across his face as he took in the sight of his daughter and Lena.

"Lena!" one of Que's friends called out, smilin' as he walked up to give her a hug. The others followed, each greetin' her warmly as they took turns holdin' baby girl and cooin' over her. Lena smiled, feelin' a sense of familiarity and comfort bein' around Que's friends—they'd always treated her like family.

After everyone had their turn holdin' Amina and chattin' for a bit, they decided to give Que and Lena some time alone. One by one, they waved goodbye, leavin' Lena and Que on the porch.

Without a word, Que pulled Lena into a warm hug, holdin' her close for a moment before takin' Amina out of her carrier and liftin' her up. He kissed her chubby cheeks, his eyes filled with love and gratitude. "Thank you," he whispered, barely able to contain his emotions.

Lena smiled softly, watchin' as he cradled Amina, kissin' her and cooin' at her. She could tell how much he'd missed his little girl. He looked back at the door, grinnin' as he said, "Come on, baby girl. Daddy's got somethin' special to show you."

A Special Room

Lena followed as Que led the way inside, carryin' Amina with him as he went upstairs. "I've been workin' on this for a while," he said, his voice filled with pride as he opened the door to Amina's bedroom. Lena's breath caught as she took in the room, decorated in shades of pink, black, and purple. There were clothes hangin' neatly in the closet, shelves filled with tiny shoes and accessories, and a crib all set up, waitin' for their little girl.

She looked around, amazed. "Wow... you really went all out," she said softly, turnin' to look at Que. "Did you do all this yourself?"

Que chuckled, shakin' his head. "Mom helped a lot, but I wanted to make sure she had everything she needed when she came here. I was missin' her like crazy."

Lena couldn't help but smile, feelin' a warmth in her chest as she watched him dotin' over their daughter. It was clear that he'd poured his heart into makin' this space for Amina, and she was grateful that he was takin' his role as a father so seriously.

"Thank you for bringin' her," Que said, lookin' over at Lena, his expression sincere. "It means a lot."

Lena nodded, glancin' down as she gathered her thoughts. "You're welcome," she replied. "We... we gotta figure somethin' out, Que. I want you to be in her life for everything, but we need a plan. We can't keep goin' back and forth like this."

Finding Common Ground

They moved to the living room, sittin' down as Amina drifted off to sleep in Que's arms. Lena took a deep breath, lookin' over at him. "I want you to be there for her," she started, choosin' her words carefully. "But I need stability for both of us. She deserves that. I need to know that we're on the same page."

Que nodded, his gaze serious. "I understand, Lena. I want to be there for her, no matter what. We can work out a plan that works for all of us. I'll respect whatever boundaries you need, but I'm not gonna be a stranger in her life. I want to be there for all of it."

Lena could feel the weight liftin' slightly, feelin' a sense of relief that Que was willin' to work with her. Despite the challenges, they both shared a love for their daughter that couldn't be denied. She knew they'd have to find a way to make it work, not just for themselves but for Amina's sake.

A New Start

As they talked, Que's friends stepped back in, smilin' as they waved goodbye. Lena watched, feelin' a mixture of hope and uncertainty. This wasn't the life she'd planned, but she was determined to make it a good one. And though things were complicated, she felt a glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, they could create a stable, loving environment for Amina.

After a while, Lena stood, smilin' as she reached for Amina. "We should get goin', but we'll be back tomorrow," she promised, her tone soft but certain. "We'll figure this out, Que."

Que kissed Amina one last time before handin' her back to Lena, his gaze filled with gratitude. "Thank you, Lena. For everythin'. I'm not gonna let you down."

As Lena walked to the car, she couldn't help but feel a sense of calm. It wasn't perfect, and it wasn't easy, but it was a start—a start to the life she wanted for her and her daughter.