S'pose To Be

s i x t e e n

Odell

"What's wrong Princess?" I cooed over her as I walked in. She reached for me. I smiled & walked over to pick her up. "It's a'ight babeh, daddy gotchu." She laid her head on my bare chest.

I stayed in the room with Aaliyah for a couple minutes, until she went back to sleep. I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't obsessed with this lil girl, my daughter, because I am. Like I'm her own personal stalker; watching her like a hawk. I'm in love. The greatest gift God could ever give me, a child.

"Hey Odell..." I looked over to Dominique standing in the doorway.

"What's wrong babeh?" I asked. She shook her head.

"Nothing." She sighed. "I'ma just go home tonight. You can keep Liyah if you want to, but I just really need to be alone right now." I nodded.

"Ya' know I gotchu.." I told her. She smiled & walked over to kiss me. "Jus' call me in da mawnin', a'ight?"

"Okay daddy." She said, then left. I looked over at Aaliyah in the crib.

"Guess it's jus' ya' and me, lil mama."

Dominique
Half an hour later

I just sat in the car, in front of her house. Thinking back to all the good time, I really miss that.....with her. I want that bond back & the first step is forgiveness. Forgive her and forget the past, move pass this to build a stronger and healthier bond, to love through the mistakes. So as I built up the strength to get out of my car, I slowly walked into her apartment building & up to the front door. But before I could knock, the door swung open.

"Hey." She smiled, clenching her purse into the shoulder. I kinda smiled.

"If you're going somewhere...." I pointed behind me. "I can just come back another time."

"No, don't be silly." She pulled me inside & closed the door behind me. "Gavin can wait. It's not like I'm not with him every second of everyday." We walked into the living room. "What's up?" I looked around. She hasn't changed this place around since......well Jetter.

"I-" I looked at her & sighed. "I came to apologize." She smiled wildly.

"Niq I-"

"No Vera." I stopped her. "Just let me finish." She nodded & sat back on the sofa. I sat down. "It was nothing against you. It was just the simple fact that you allowed yourself to have sex with him knowing that I love him. You knew I was in love with him since Freshman year." She nodded & looked down into her lap. "You had his first child Vera, his first child."

"You had Odell's...." She quietly spoke.

"Because I love him, but I'm in love with Daniel." I sighed. "I wanted Aaliyah to be Daniel's child, his first child. I wanted to start a family with him, we could've already been married right now. But you...." I shook my head as my eyes started to tear up. "You just had to ruin that for us."

"Dominique, I'm sorry." She cried. "I just love Gavin so much and for him to be with that gold digging woodland creature instead of me, I was broken."

"Did you ever ask him to be with you?" I asked, wiping away my tears. She looked up at me.

"No, but I make it sooooo obvious that I wanted to be with him." She whined. I laughed.

"I did that at first, but Dan is so damn clueless." I shook my head. She smiled.

"So we're cool?" She asked. I got up & walked over to hug her.

"I wouldn't've come over here if we weren't."

"So this means I get to take Aaliyah home with me now?" We got up & walked into the kitchen. I stopped her.

"Now I didn't say all that." I told her. "I don't trust you to keep her alone, not after what happened to Jettie." She sighed. "The last thing I need is for me to get a call that my daughter is in the hospital."

"But-"

"Girl, I'm saving your life. Odell would kill you!" I spat, then we laughed.