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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA—
ezra coleman stood with her arms crossed, letting her gaze linger over the set for the music video she'd be directing that day. it was her first real solo job since she'd graduated college and there were great expectations for the project at hand.
the only thing she knew was what the group's manager had told her and sent her over email. she'd read over their expectations, their ideas, all of it and to say she was excited would've been an understatement.
"daddy, this is so cool!"
ezra nearly gave herself whiplash when she heard the child-like voice echo through the studio. there was a little girl, no older than four, glancing around the room with amazement shining brightly in her eyes.
"lina, what did i sa—" zion kuwonu cut himself short once his sight fell onto the woman just inches away from his daughter. "holy shit."
"daddy, that's a bad word." alina pouted towards the man before her gaze flickered back to ezra. "hey, i know you!"
ezra let out a chuckle, trying to ignore the heavy feeling she felt build on her chest. "you do?"
"there's pictures of you in daddy's nightstand, but don't tell him because he'll know i was being nosy." alina whispered, glancing to her father between her words.
"hey!" zion stepped forward, pulling alina behind him gently out of the embarrassment that he felt at the revelation. "it's no—"
"yo, ezra, i was not expecting to see you here!" nick came into the studio, speaking loudly despite the echo.
brandon deadpanned the boy, taking note that he, nor the rest of the boys, should ever let the mara boy in on anything.
"nick, shut up." edwin nudged the boy's shoulder. "it's a pleasure to see you again, ezra."
ezra looked from alina to the rest of the boys, the shock evident on her features. "well, isn't this a wonderful surprise?"
"your name is ezra?"
ezra subconsciously felt the smile tug at her lips at the sound of the child's voice. "yes."
"so, you are the girl daddy tells me stories about." alina smiled brightly towards the woman. "daddy promised i'd meet you one day, but he always gets sad if i ask him when."
"well, you're meeting me now." ezra could feel the piercing gaze of another, but she ignored it. as best she could, at least. "what's your name?"
"alina louise kuwonu." alina spoke dramatically, showing off the missing front tooth she was sporting. "daddy picked it out."
ezra felt her eyes subconsciously flicker to zion at the mention of her middle name being the child's as well. the kuwonu already had his eyes on her.
"beautiful name for a beautiful girl." ezra finally spoke, mustering up the best smile she could.
"alina, go find nick for me, please?" zion came up behind his daughter, his eyes intact on the child. alina let out a dramatic breath, sparing her father one last glance before she shuffled away from the adults. "i'm sorry if she was bothe—"
"louise?" ezra cut him off, tilting her head as she stared at him expectantly. "you named her after me?"
zion felt his cheeks redden at the new revelation. he was at a loss of words, if he was to be honest. "uh— i mean, yeah. it was supposed to be us, you know? despite her not being yours, she reminds me so much of you and i don't know why. the name just fits."
"where's penny?" ezra questioned, pouring herself a cup of coffee while the rest of the boys were getting ready to shoot the music video.
"oh, she up and left before alina was two." zion let out a humorless chuckle. "i don't know what i would've done without ké, the boys, my parents."
ezra felt a frown form at the news. she glanced over to where alina had been giggling, running around the studio while nick chased her. it was an innocent thing, something ezra found herself wishing she had. she'd desperately wanted her own children one day and seeing the little girl just made it all more evident in her heart.
zion cleared his throat, catching ezra's attention once again. "what about nahmir?" he asked as if he hadn't been keeping up with the woman, even all the years later.
"he broke it off after about a year or so. was convinced i was still hung up over an ex. decided i needed time to figure out who i really loved, give him a call when i figured it out." ezra's words were directed towards zion, but her eyes stayed intact on the lively child. "let's just say, he never got a call back."
a blanket of silence fell over the two as if neither knew what to say to one another. ezra could tell zion had matured over the years. perhaps alina was exactly what zion needed to do so.
"you did a good job, you know?" ezra spoke up after a moment. "not a lot of guys would've did what you've done. stepping up and being a single father with a career like the one you have? i admire you for it."
"i love my kid, ezra. it's an easy decision when i get to wake up to the sound of her giggles." zion smiled, watching his daughter run towards him before stepping to hide behind his leg.
"nick's going to get me, help!" alina burst into a fit of giggles when nick shuffled around zion, taking a hold of the child before tickling her. "please, daddy!"
"okay, okay, calm down." nick dropped the child to her feet, messing with the curls that rested on her head to which alina glared in response. "so small, yet so feisty."
"that's my kid." zion picked up the child next, feeling the little girl wrap her arms around his neck.
"i'm hungry." alina spoke after a short moment, trying to catch her breath from running around the studio from her uncle. "i want pizza."
"lina, we—"
"there's that cool pizza place a couple streets over. once we're done with the shoot, we could swing by there. i'm getting kind of hungry too." ezra's words were once again directed to zion, but her eyes stayed intact on the child.
"daddy, please! we have too!" alina said dramatically, putting her hands on the sides of zion's face to emphasize her words.
"you don't have to d—" zion started once again, glancing to ezra through the corner of his eye.
"please," ezra cut him off once again, sending him a reassuring smile. "it'll be my treat. plus, i'd like to catch up a little, if you don't mind."
alina cupped her hands around zion's ear, whispering incoherent words to her father as a smile formed on his lips once again.
zion nodded after a moment once alina was done speaking. "we'd love too."
