A Detroit Love Thang 3

CHAPTER ONE

The Truth

(August 5, 2023)

Niles sat at Chrysler looking at the clock on the wall. Man, twelve hours go by slow when you don't have shit to do. He looked up at the clock one more time, seeing that it was time for him to clock out. He was blessed to have his job but on days like this, he wished he was able to stay home with his girl and kid. Alicia's Mom, Margarete, was able to get in touch with her half-brother who worked at Chrysler. He was able to get Niles in after he cleaned himself up, stopped smoking, and filled out the application. Niles was happy to finally have a better paying job. He got him and Alicia a home not too far from the apartment she had lived in. Alicia had her baby girl, named her Ariana Tori Jones. Niles was grateful for her including his mom's name.

Niles clocked out saying his goodbyes to his co-workers, heading home to his family. He put the key in the door, opening it and instantly smelling the air.

"Something smells damn good!" he says, aloud. He looks over at Ariana watching Minions on TV, not even noticing him walking through the door.

"Hey baby!" Alicia says, walking over and kissing him. "Ariana! Get your hands washed so you can get ready to eat." Ariana looked back seeing her daddy, walked over and hugged him.

"When did you walk in daddy!" she says with an excited voice.

"I just walked in. You were so busy with Minions you didn't even pay yo' daddy any attention. You love Minions more than me!" He plays around with her.

"No daddy, only a little bit." Ariana laughed as Niles put her back down.

"Go wash your hands so you can eat." Ariana made her way to the bathroom.

"So Ariana starts Kindergarten soon. How you feeling?" Alicia asks Niles.

"I feel like my baby growing up too fast." He blew out his breath. "Where did the time go?" Niles put on his sad face.

"Aww baby. It's okay. She'll always be your little girl.

"I know but I can't cradle her like I used to. She'll grow up and become interested in boys and other stuff that come with that. I can't even think about it."

"Then don't," Alicia says, walking in front of him. "Think about Ariana's first day of Kindergarten."

"Have you talked to her about it yet?" Niles asked, calming his nerves.

"Yes I did and she is very excited. I never seen a kid more excited to go to school than her." Ariana made her way back to the kitchen.

"I'm ready to eat!" Ariana showed off her cleaned hands to her parents.

"Okay, go have a seat at your table." Alicia went to make Ariana's plate-chicken, mac' and cheese, mashed potatoes, and gravy.

"Ewww, mashed potatoes!" Ariana says with a frown face.

"You better eat every drop or no dessert!" Alicia demanded. Ariana was displeased but she did as her mother said because she knew she would want whatever was for dessert.

Alicia and Niles walked to their room. Niles began to undress.

"I'm about to take a shower." He grabbed his towel walking to the bathroom and turning on the shower.

"I take it work was long?"

"Yeah and boring." Niles drowned himself under the water in the shower. Alicia laughed a little, picking up his clothes, taking them to the dirty clothes bin. She was getting ready to drop them in when a small black box dropped out. Alicia put her hand over her mouth surprised. She put the clothes in a bin and hurried to pick the box up. She opened it seeing a nice engagement ring. Oh my God! She said to herself.

"What?" Niles says, walking out of the shower seeing that she found the ring. Alicia looked up at Niles with tears in her eyes.

"You were going propose to me?" she asked. Niles looked disappointed.

"Yeah I was. I mean I am but this wasn't how I had planned on doing it."

"Aww baby!" She got up walking over to him, kissed his lips holding him tight. "I love you and it doesn't matter to me how you do it. The answer is always yes."

Niles smiled, letting go of his disappointment. He held Alicia back, before putting on his clothes and making his way back to the kitchen to tell Ariana the good news.