All of Me

XIV

"Daddy." Killian said as they ate dinner.

"What's up?" Amaru replied.

"Can we go to mommy's gravesite?" Killian asked.

Amaru raised an eyebrow and slowly nodded. "If you're ready to do that we can."

"Okay." He said. "And daddy?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you for being a good daddy. I love you." Killian said with a smile.

Hearing those words almost made Amaru cry, but he managed to hold it all together. "And thank you for being a good son. I love you too."

After dinner, Amaru got Killian and himself ready for bed and the two of them laid in the king size bed together after saying their prayers. Killian has been clingy to everyone since his mother's death and he doesn't like being alone. Amaru spoke with Dewayne about it and he said it was normal.

Amaru set his alarm for seven so that they could be up on time to get Killian ready for school. Suddenly, Amaru felt a slap to his face and immediately became agitated. Killian was a wild sleeper and it could sometimes turn abusive.

Amaru readjusted his son and placed two pillows between them so that he wouldn't wake up with bruises on his face.

-

"I think he can handle it." Arman said as he and Amaru cleaned their stations for their next clients. "It may give him some type of closure, ya know."

"Yeah, I see what you're saying. I think it's hard for me because I'm scared that he's gonna go back to how he was before and I don't want that to happen." Amaru replied.

"Nah, I think he'll be straight. Kill is mature for his age and I think the counseling is helping him a lot. He's made good progress." Arman said.

Just in time, Mya entered the shop with Killian not too far behind her, which confused Amaru because he was supposed to go to Big Mama's house. "Hey, he wanted to stop by and see you." Mya said.

"Sup, man? How was your day?" Amaru asked as he lifted him up on his lap and kissed his cheek.

"It was good. I just wanted to see you because I haven't seen you since you dropped me off." Killian pouted. "Can I stay here with you instead of going to Big Mama's?"

Amaru sighed. "I'm sorry, little man. That can't happen. I'll be here until late and I don't want you to be here that late with you having school in the morning."

Killian looked up at his father as he began to cry. "But I can sleep on the couch in your office. I want to stay with you I missed you."

Amaru looked at Mya with pleading eyes, asking for help. "Hey, Killian. How about you stay here until dinner time then I can come back and take you to Big Mama's so you can eat and get some rest?" Mya suggested while looking at Amaru who nodded in approval.

"O—okay. What time will you come pick me up?" Killian asked.

"Around six." Mya replied.

Killian nodded. "Okay, auntie. I love you."

"I love you too, baby. I'll see y'all later." With that, Mya exited the shop.

"You got homework, little man?" Arman asked his little cousin.

"I have to do my twenty minutes of reading." Killian told him.

"Let's go and start your reading. Your daddy has a client coming in five minutes and when you're done with your twenty minutes, you can come out and watch him tattoo, aight?" Arman reasoned. Killian got up and followed Arman into Amaru's office.