𝐀𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐘𝐀𝐇 𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐀 𝐇𝐀𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐎𝐍

4th of july

July 4th, 1987.

Aaliyah's POV.

"Give it back Rashad!" I called out to my older brother, chasing after him.

"Kids! Stop running around like lunatics, you gon' trip!" My grandma calls out from the front door, hands on her hips.

Rashad had my stuffed animal in his hand, laughing his butt off with me running after him. "Oh fine!" Rashad smirks, stopping and giving my stuffed animal back to me. "Thank you!" I smile brightly at him.

"Come and eat kids!" My dad calls out from the BBQ.

Me and Rashad run towards the bench with my mom and grandma sitting together. My dad serves me and my brother our hotdogs.

"Hey babygirl, how was singing lessons?" My grandma asks me. "Really good! I love singing so much grandma. I wanna do it all my life." I say proudly. I really am passionate about singing.

"That's amazing babygirl. Really amazing, maybe one day, you could be on Star Search." My mother said to me.

"Yeah, that'd be awesome sis!" Rashad turned to me excited. "You could be on the big screen, with so many people watching you." Rashad added. "Yeah, we'll see." I said biting into my food.

"Just imagine y'all. My daughter, famous singer!" My dad said smiling.

"I have got a good feelin' about you Liyah. You gon' make it big, just watch." My dad says. "You really think so?" I ask. Maybe I will make it big in the industry one day.

"Definitely." He says, smiling to himself.

~ 7:45 PM, Fourth of July. ~

"Look at the fireworks, Liyah!" My brother said, gazing at the beautiful sparks of light bursting in the air. "They look like stars exploding, so cool," I say amazed. "Cool, huh?" My dad says, wrapping his arm around me and Rashad. We were sitting on a blanket on the grass, with my mom and dad, Rashad and Grandma, and me.

"Yeah. So cool." Rashad says starting still at the fireworks.

"I wonder when you die, you can become a firework.." I say. My grandma looks at me and smiles. "Babygirl, it'll be a while before you pass away, why are ya talkin' about that?" She asks chuckling. "Just wondering. What's heaven like, grandma?" I ask curiously.

She sighs, then smiles. "It's a very beautiful place. Angels, clouds, beautiful flowers, and children running around and laughing with each other. There's no sadness, no anger, no negativity." She smiles. A tear running down her cheek.

"And most importantly, God. He protects you. And in heaven, everyone has a mansion. It's just such a happy place babygirl." My grandma says, smiling at me. "Aww mama, that was beautiful." My mom says, hugging my grandma. "Agreed." My dad says smiling as well.

"That sounds so cool!" I say excitedly. "So that's where great grandpa is?" Rashad asks. "Mhm. He's always watching down over us. Whenever you are feelin' down kids, just pray to God, and ask him for light and guidance. Leave it in God's hands." My grandma says, the light from the fireworks glimmering in her beautiful eyes.

You smiled at your family all laughing with each other as the fireworks beamed in the sky, glimmering in your eyes. You looked up at the sky, and smiled. "Just pray to God, and ask him for light and guidance. Leave it in God's hands." Grandma's words repeated in your head.