Chapter 11*~

I yawned as I started down the stairs towards the voices in the kitchen. I stretched as I entered the kitchen and smiled. “Hey Li, hey Ms. Ross.”

“Hey Justin.” Maria smiled back at me before looking back at Aaliyah who was reading through a recipe. Aaliyah and her mother were pretty close, as far back as I’ve known Li she has never had a day without calling her mother, the girl could be on her death bed and she would call her mother to see how she was doing. I guess that’s the reason why me and her got along so well, we both depended on our mothers for so much love and support.

“Are the twins up?”

“Yeah, they’re in the play room with Mustard, that poor, poor, dog.” Aaliyah answered with a smile as she looked up at me.

“Yeah, I feel bad for that dog too.” I shook my head. Each of the kids and Aaliyah had a different pet only because they would fight over one. There was Candy, Dana’s Alaskan Husky, Bob, Drew’s pet snake, Sprite, Alexandra’s horse, Happy, Sleepy, Dopey, Grumpy, and narcolepsy, Layla’s fish, Mustard, Dawn’s miniature poodle, and snowflake, Aaliyah’s Yorkshire terrier. “I’m gonna go check on them.”

“Be careful, don’t get killed messing with those kids.” Maria said with a smile as she watched me go down the hall. “He’s so cute.”

“Mommm....we’re talking about my husband here!”

I leaned against the doorframe of the room and watched the twins who obviously didn’t know I was there. Bad ass kids.

“I like the wewo sweater, not the gween one!” Layla yelled at Dawn who now had her arms crossed across her chest.

“No! She’s gonna wear the gween one, nobody want the wewo one Layla!” Dawn yelled and looked at her.

I sighed and shook my head. Three year olds just couldn’t get along now could they? “Girls break it up!” I yelled over them and watched as their eyes met up with mine.

“Uh oh....” They looked at me with a wide smile.

“Yeah uh oh, what did I tell you all about trying to dress mustard up in baby doll clothing?”

“That he’s not supposed to wear it...” Layla said and looked at her feet.

“But snow flake wears sweaters!”

“That’s because your mother treats him like a baby and those sweaters are made for dogs.” I sighed and shook my head.

“Daddy...” Dawn looked at me with a sigh, her hands on her little hips.

“Yes Ms. Dawn Marie?”

“Are we in trouble?”

I laughed and nodded, ”Yes you are,”

“That’s no fair daddy, if it was mama, we wouldn’t be in trouble.” Layla said with an attitude and looked at me.

“Well life’s not fair Layla, trust me honey I know, now go upstairs and think about why you did what you did.” I watched them pout and walk away. I just shrugged. Aaliyah let them get away with so much. I sighed and headed into the bedroom where Aaliyah was laying down, her head propped up in her hands. “Wake up sleepy head.” She turned her head to look at me and she smiled. “Where’d your mother go?”

“To pick up Dana, Alexandra, and Drew from Tiffany’s house.” Aaliyah looked up and laughed. “So your daughters were trying to dress the dog again?”

“Hey those are your daughters, I have no idea who those crazy kids are.”

“Yeah right.” Aaliyah laughed as she stood up and wrapped her arms around my neck. “Guess what?”

“What?” I kissed her softly and watched her eyes meet mine.

“My mother is going to watch the kids so I’m taking you out to lunch with me.”

“Really? Some me and you time finally?”

“Yeps honey bunny.” Aaliyah laughed against my lips and sighed. “But we still have half an hour...and the twins are upstairs...should be minding their own business...”

“Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

“Sure am, strip honey, I want it all.”

~*1:32 p.m.*~

“Your buddy called the other day.” Aaliyah said as she looked into the rearview mirror before looking back at me with a smile on her face.

“Who?” I asked raising my eyebrows.

“Karen, she was telling me about how I was gonna pay for getting Matt sent to prison.”

“What? Are you serious?”

“Very much. I don’t know what they have planned but they said to watch my back.”

I nodded and shrugged. “I’m sure it’s nothing but them trying to scare you Lili.” I looked over at her as she parked the car and we opened the doors, stepping out into the hot sun. Her hair was down, her sunglasses were pulled over her eyes and she looked pretty calm and collected, more than she would usually. I felt her hand on my arm and I looked over at her, a smile on my face.

“Guess what?”

“What?” I looked at her, watching the smile on her face widen.

“I think I’m going to stop singing.”

“Really?” I asked as I held my surprised expression. “Why?”

“Well I just feel like doing something else. I mean I’m thirty one years old Justin and I’ve been singing most of my life, I just feel like I should do something else...”

“Alright, I can understand that. So what do you want to do now? I mean what are you going to fill in that hole in your life? I know you’re not planning to stay home.”

“I was offered a job as a District Attorney here in Miami. Of course I said yes. I did not go to Law School for nothing.”

“Well congrats Li.” I smiled and kissed her softly before sitting down at the table. “I’m glad that you’re doing what you want to do.”

“So am I and besides, I’ll always be here in state.” She pushed her long black hair over her shoulders and looked out the window. “Guess what tomorrow is?”

“My lucky day?”

“Yes it is! We get to go to parent teacher conferences!”

“YAY!” I said sarcastically and watched as she laughed and shook her head. “Why do we continue to go to these things when they’ll all tell us the same thing. ‘Your kids are wonderful and soooooo well behaved.” She laughed and I laughed with her; she knew it was the truth.

“Yeah they will but still we have to go. So suck it up and take it like a man Justin.” Aaliyah looked at me over the top of her sunglasses and smiled widely. “Besides, I think Ms. Westmore likes you.”

“Shut up Li...”

“Oooh someone’s a little feisty today. Come on she obviously likes you, and I think it’s funny actually because you look all uncomfortable when you’re around her. Meanwhile she has a wide grin on her face.”

“It’s not that serious Lili.”

“Sure it’s not.” She took a sip of her coffee and yawned. “Beyonce called earlier,”

“For what?” Shit. I was scared as all hell. Who knows what she might have told Li.

“She wanted to tell you that you left underwear...you might need them sometime soon...”

I looked at her and watched her smile turn into a grin. “Don’t ask please...”

“I don’t need to, and I won’t.” She looked back at me and shook her head. “I have no comment honey, no comment at all.”