Gangsta Love

Complications

Tahj walked into his mothers house and went straight to the fridge.

"Daddy! Daddy!"

Tahj turned to see his five year old daughter Lilly running towards him. He knelt down with his arms wide open and a grin just as big as hers waiting to scoop her up into a hug. Lilly was his pride and joy; the kind of love he would literally kill for. Everyone around town knew Lilly was Daddy's Girl and he loved it.

"Where's mommy?"

"She's upstairs waiting for you."

Tahj picked Lilly up in his arms and carried her up the stairs on his shoulders; marching and singing silly songs just to make her laugh until they got to the bedroom.

"Booooom!" said Tahj, making sound effects as they pretended to break the door down. Lilly giggled and played a long.

"Look mommy!" she shouted

"I see you sweety." Amber smiled seeing her daughter finally get the quality father time she had been dying for. To Lilly, Tahj was the best. Somebody she truly loved to be around. Proud to call him Daddy.

He lowered Lilly down from his shoulders and tossed her playfully on the bed.

"Ok, Daddy's tired. Your not as light as you used to be." he teased Lilly. "Hey baby?" he turned to Amber. She looked at him with her arms crossed.

"Lilly go to your room I need to talk to daddy for a min ok sweet heart."

Lilly ran off, closing the bedroom door behind her. Amber got up and walked to the other side of the room with her arms still folded.

"Tahj where the hell have you been? Lilly has been asking about you. You were supposed to be here two days ago. No phone call, no nothing!"

"I know and I'm sorry. Things got a little crazy with the boys and I had to lay low for a while."

"Dont take this the wrong way. Its been 10 years and believe me I've enjoyed every moment. I know how much you adore your family and you swore to your father that you w
would keep everybody safe, but you have your own family now. Your daughter needs you "

"I'm always there for Lily !"

"Yes. You always keep a smile on her face, you always make sure she has everything and you are a great father. But that isn't enough. "

"It ain't enough? Fuck is that supposed to mean?"

"She needs you, there, with her. With me. I'm running out of excuses to tell her why you're not there to tuck her in at night. Why daddy isn't coming when we go to the park. I can't tell her that daddy is gang banging and killing niggas."

"I'm NOT a gang banger."

"You might at well say you are. Running around doing your fathers dirty work.

"I didn't choose this life Amber It chose me. I was born into it. "

"Either way, Lily loves you and she doesn't need that worry on her shoulders."

Tahj paused. He couldn't get mad at Amber for what she said.

"I get it babe. I just have to be more careful and come home more."

"No, I want you out of the game."

"Amber, do you know what you're asking me to do? Getting out is like knocking on the devils door."

"I'm asking you to be there for your future fiancee and your daughter. I didn't know that was such a hard thing to do. I mean you do want to marry me right?"