Chapter 14*~

It was pretty quiet in the house. I had spent most of the morning by myself; out and about. I paid a few bills, visited a few people that was it. Aaliyah; I had no idea what she spent most of her morning doing but I figured she was at home, like usual. She only went out usually when she couldn’t stand being around me or the kids. I walked into the kitchen and smiled at Maria who was making a carne de vaca sopa and crema de broculi sopa. I figured that the broccoli soup was for Li since she was particularly picky to meat. “Hola Maria.”

“Hola Justin.” Maria looked up for a second and smiled before looking back at the food.

“Donde be Li?”

“En el piso de arriba.” Maria answered and looked at me and sighed. “Ella es enferma.”

“Enferma?” I sighed and looked at her as I rose my eyebrows. “Ella es fina.”

“When I called to check up on her, like I usually do every morning. When I called she could barely hold the phone up to her ear for longer than about two seconds without puking her guts out so I being her loving mother decided to come make sure she’s fine, so she’s been to the doctor already.”

“Is she alright? Do they know what’s wrong?” I watched her shake her head and shrug.

“They have no idea, they just said it’s best to keep an eye on her.”

“Alright, I’m gonna go see what she’s up to.” I headed down the hall and into the foyer where the spiral staircase was. I jogged up the stairs and eventually down the hall and into the bedroom where Aaliyah was lying, stretched out on the bed; asleep. I walked over to her, slowly sitting down next to her. I was still a little scared from the incident last week. Li definitely had my ass on lock down because there was no way I was even going to look at another woman because I wanted to make sure I would see my kids get married and have their own kids. I put my hand up to her sweaty forehead and wiped the sweat away.

“Justin?”

“Yeah it’s me Li how are you feeling?”

“A little better. Is my mom still in the kitchen?”

“Yep, she’s making you something to eat, hoping you’ll eat it.”

“Mmmm food...” She answered sarcastically and sat up. “I have to get dressed and get out of this house.”

“Get out of the house? Please you aren’t supposed to be going anywhere as sick as you are.”

“I just can’t sit in this room all day. You know I just can’t sit around all day, I need to be able to at least see the outside. Besides it’s raining outside I want to be able to at least watch the rain from downstairs.” Aaliyah answered as she walked into the bathroom and came back out in fifteen minuets in a pair of shorts and spaghetti strap shirt and her hair was tied into a tight ponytail. She looked at me and gave me a quick smile before dashing out the bedroom door, me following quickly behind. When we reached the kitchen Maria was glaring at both of us now.

“Liyah honey what are you doing up?”

“I was bored...”

“But you’re supposed to be in bed....”

“I told her the exact same thing.” I looked at Li who stuck her tongue out at me and I stuck my tongue back out at her.

“But momma...........can I play the piano right here if you can keep an eye on me?”

“Sure,”

Aaliyah skipped over to the piano and sat down, she looked over at me and motioned for me to come sit down next to her and she smiled. She rested her hands upon the keys and looked at me. “What should I play? Hmm...I got it!” She started slowly, slightly speeding up her pace and that’s when she started to sing. “There will never come a day....You will ever hear me say, That I want or need to be without you, I want to give my all...Baby just hold me, Simply control me, Because your arms , They keep away the lonelies, en I look into your eyes, en I realize... I need is you in my life... I need is you in my life, Cuz I never, Felt this way , About loving, No, Never felt so good baby, Never felt this way , About loving...It feels so good...It feels so good...”

I looked at her as moved on, slowing down her pace as she entered into another song. Her eyes were closed now and I watched her fingers as they moved across the piano in swift movements. She was humming the words. I looked over at Maria who was leaned against the counter top watching her daughter intently. When Li sang she was a entirely different person. A little more relaxed, and she always gave you her heart and soul. As she stopped and looked at us a smile was on her face.

“I think I’m gonna go back to bed now...”

I looked at Maria who shrugged and sighed as I leaned against the piano and laughed. “That is your daughter.”

“It may be Justin, but that’s your wife.”

“Yes it is, yes it is...”

~*3 Days Later*~

The kids were back and boy was Aaliyah happy. I don’t know if it was because she missed them or if it was because she had a reason to avoid me. The kids were outside playing around in the yard and Li was out there with them. I yawned and looked at the door as the doorbell rang. I had no idea who it was but then again let me go ahead and find out. I jogged up to the door and opened it. “What in the hell are you doing here?”

“I just thought it was about time I came for a visit. Oh by the way, Matt sends so much love for you and Li. So anyway how have you been? I heard you knocked up ms. R&B princess.”

“Look what I do is none of your damn business and I’ve been fine. Why in the hell did you decide to just show up? What are you up to?”

“What am I up to?” Karen smiled softly and looked me in my eyes. “Nothing. So anyway how did Li take the news? A little hard I suspect. Maybe she’s a little shook up or whatever. If she was smart she would be trying anything to keep you around. Besides I knew one day you’d get tired of her little ass.”

“That’s it! Why do you continue to torment me? Do you not have something else to do? Someone else to stalk?”

“Aww come on Justin. What would you do with out me?”

“A lot.” I rolled my eyes and reached for the phone. “You have thirty seconds to leave or else I call the police. Your choice.”

“Fine I’ll go, but if I were you, I would watch my back and the backs of people you love.”

I watched her head out the door and chased after her. “What in hell are you planning now?”

“That’s for me to know. Not for you to find out.”

I watched as she slammed the door behind herself and flinched. “Damn it.”

“Jay! Is everything alright? Who was that?” Aaliyah ran up to me and scanned me for any body gesture that could tell her anything.

“Everything’s fine and it was no one.” I looked at her and she looked back at me; smiling and then laughing. “What’s so funny?”

“You have a bat in your cave...”

“A what?”

“You have a booger in your nose daddy.” Dana said as she skipped past.

I put my hand over my nose and looked at Aaliyah who was still laughing. “I’m gonna get you back you Fart Master.”

“Alright you do that Jay. I’ll be waiting for that come back. When you get it. Let me know.”

I watched as she jogged down the hall back towards the back of the house and I rolled my eyes before shoving that one finger up my nose and then pulling it out; looking at the booger on my finger. “Ah she was right...”