messages from her.

08.

OMNISCIENT.

It had been exactly a week since he finished the last of the letters and he wasn't clear what to do next. He wanted to start looking for her but he didn't know where to start and she did tell him that in time she'd find her way to him. She was afraid of what would happen but so was he, he didn't know how to raise a child and she was afraid of his reaction to her.

"Yo Austin, come with me to the store, I want some snacks." Zion said knocking on the frame of his door as Austin sat in the corner of his room on a bean bag chair sketching his daughter from the pictures he had received. He seen she was as beautiful as his mother and he had never felt a love stronger for someone he had never met. Even though he was afraid to meet her, it didn't mean he didn't love her unconditionally and wasn't excited to meet her.

"Uhm sure, can we wait a second though, I wanna finish her hair." Zion nodded as he came closer seeing his best friends creativity spilled all into one sheet of paper. "Wow man, that's beautiful." He said as he seen the way he represented her with such grace.

"Thank you, I don't think it's that good, maybe I should finish it when I meet her, remember Cecelia said "in time I'll get to meet the love of her life."" He recited from memory as he sighed and placed his sketch book to the side.

"Whatever you're comfortable with." Zion told as the two set out for some snacks making sure to ask everyone else if they wanted anything. While the two were out there was a knock that sounded at the door. A few moments later Edwin came downstairs to see who it was as no one else was making any movement to do so.

As he reached the door he seen Nick on the couch and scoffed. "So you're just gonna let me come all the way down here and answer it?" He asked

"I mean you're already there so have at it buddy." Nick replied with a shrug as Edwin rolled his eyes again and opened the door suspecting it was one of their friends but was surprised to see a small child staring back up at him. "Uhm hello?" He said as he squatted down to her height as she stumbled inside as there was a slight breeze and her sweater was a little thin. "hello." She waved with her voice timid.

"What's your name?" He asked as he recognized the small girl but he couldn't really place her. At first he suspected he'd seen her out on the streets somewhere as women brought their children shopping during the day all the time, or maybe at the grocery store, but then it hit him.

"Alianna." She spoke as he held his hand out for her realizing who she was but didn't know where she came from. At first she just looked at it before she placed a envelope in his hands. "My momma told me to give it to whoever opened the door." She said being able to articulate her words very well for someone who wasn't quite three yet.

"Where is your momma?" Nick asked from the couch as he observed the whole seen while Edwin closed the door. "She said she'd be back but that I should listen to whoever was here and that my daddy was inside." Alianna answered the strange man as she rocked back and forth nervously on her toes.

He sighed before taking out his phone and shooting Austin a text simply saying, 'she's here.' Austin was confused because he wasn't expecting anyone so he decided to deal with it when he got home.

"Well, I'm your uncle Edwin, and that's your uncle Nick." He introduced as she nodded and placed the bag that she carried with her against the side of the couch. "I know who you are, you're my daddies friends, that's what my momma told me. She said there was one with nasty sticks on his head named Caleb, Nick, Edwin with the pretty hair, and a man with a big forehead named Brandon." She said as she giggled to herself thinking back on what her momma told her.

"She let me hear you sing, it was beautiful." She smiled as the complements warmed their hearts. "Why thank you Alianna." Nick said as the garage door opened revealing Brandon causing her to gasp immediately and her to run and hide behinds Edwin's leg. "That's Brandon." She whispered to Edwin causing him to laugh at her.