We're back in town from our trip to Thailand. It was time to get back to business. I start my residency in two days and anxiety has been kicking my butt.

My family decided to come over to Kenzo's house to spend time with the baby.

We have dinner plans tonight at his parents' house. I'm a little nervous about that.

"Here you go, grandpa." Zo handed Julia to my dad. We were all in the family room talking, snacking, and watching tv. I prepared a little lunch for everyone.

"I must say I'm proud of the both of you, raising my beautiful granddaughter. Kenzo, you're a great father to her. You already have this dad thing down. —I'm happy knowing everything isn't so complicated anymore. I was worried." My dad smiled at him, genuinely.

"I know you were. You let me have it." Zo chuckled. "I'll never forget our little one on one conversation."

"Don't sweat. I'm confident in you." He placed his hand on Zo's shoulder then shook him a little, ending in both of them laughing.

"Awe, the future father, son in-law romance is sooo cute." I squealed at them both. They gave me a side-eye letting me know that it was too much. "Ok, I digress." I raised my hands, surrendering.

We laughed a little. Then suddenly my dad's expression changed slightly. "This stuff with Nelson will not be easy—" He started to say, but I interrupted by holding my hand up.

"There's no stuff with Nelson. When we got back yesterday, I filed for a restraining order." I hunched my shoulders. "Nelson will never have rights. The case I'm building against him is solid. It's about time he's held accountable for his actions. I will no longer compromise my daughters well being. —When the time is right, Kenzo and I will discuss sharing legal custody. Until then, I have sole custody of Julia." I grabbed Zo's hand. He leaned in and kissed my forehead. "Zo's her dad and always will be."

My father's face lit up, filled with joy. "That's the girl I raised."

I smiled back at him feeling proud of my own self.

My mom stepped out from beside my dad, peeking her head out. "Hey, I was there too even though she clung to you. I pushed her and Jr. out all in the same day. Carried them for nine months. You might've raised her but I brought all of that in to the world."

"Eh, you helped a little." He laughed, she shoved him while staring down at Julia in his arms.

"She's so beautiful."

"Di, may I stay with you some nights, since it's summer. I have camp, but I was thinking maybe after?" My little sister Kamala asked me.

"Sure. You know that's no problem."

"Good because I can't stand a whole summer with our parentals." She rolled her eyes.

I laughed. "Why not, what's wrong?"

"She walked in on them." My big sister Maliha stated through laughter.

"It was three in the morning. She was supposed to be sleeping. Nobody told her to come barging in our room." My mom explained but my dad, stood quietly holding Julia.

Zo busted out laughing, which made all of us laugh with the exception of my little sister and dad. He gave Zo a playful glare.

"I won't say what I saw exactly. I don't even think I can." My little sister pretended to gag. "I can't unsee it."

"You didn't just fall from the sky, sweetie. How do you think you got here? You should be glad you have two very intimate—"

"Please stop mom," Kamala whined.

"I'm sorry, but I want to know what she saw." I continued laughing. Curiosity got the best of me.

My baby sister gave me an evil stare before storming upstairs to one of Kenzos spare rooms.

My big sister peeped her head up the stairs making sure Kamala made it up before speaking. She then rushed to say, "mom said Kamala caught dad with his face buried in between her legs. She was at the edge of the bed legs gapped and dad on his knees. Had mama speaking in Spanish—"

"Maliha, spare them glory details and stop telling everything, hun." My dad finally spoke, interrupting her. My mom had a little smirk on her face finding her seat on the couch.

My face said everything I felt, which was disgust. I knew my parents still get it in but I didn't know they still got down like that.

"Whoa," Zo spoke, still laughing with a goofy grin on his face. My dad glared at him, squinting his eyes. Zo coughed as if something was in his throat. "Sorry."

"Yeah, I recant my statement I don't want to know this anymore." I was sickened.

"You didn't come falling out of the sky, either babe," Kenzo spoke low to me.

"Are you nervous about starting your first-year?" My mom changed the subject. She leaned into my dad smiling at Julia after he finally took a seat next to her.

"I'm more excited than I am nervous. I feel like I'm another step closer to my dream. I hope dad doesn't do anything to embarrass me." I raised my brows at him, making sure he heard me.

"I would never do such a thing. Maybe a photo here and there, but that's it." He expressed innocently. I tilted my head in disbelief. "What? I'm excited about my little girl following in her dad's footsteps."

"No favors and I'm not your daughter at work. I don't want that target on my back. I'm here to learn just like any other first year intern." I made it clear. I understand he's excited, but this is my dream. So no shortcuts.

He smiled proudly. "I hear you loud and clear."

We sat around a little longer, laughing and joking. I FaceTimed my brother and Char. She settled in with him effortlessly. It was the perfect move. She get to be with the man she loves and flourish with her dream job. My brother couldn't be happier.

My parents and sisters left, leaving the three of us to get ready to go to dinner at Zo's parent's house. We were finishing up. I made a coffee cake to take with us. It was still warm. I didn't want to show up empty-handed.

"All set?" Zo asked me, grabbing Julia's car seat and bag, she was strapped in and ready to go.

"Yeah, I think I turned everything off." I grabbed my purse and the cake from the counter. We headed out through the garage.

I pulled out my little key remote and clicked the button.

"Oh, you're driving?"

"Yep, and thanks again for this. I still can't wrap my head around you getting me two cars."

"Well, believe it, now let's go." He gave me a quick kiss.

I placed the cake in the passenger seat. Zo buckled up in the back seat with Julia.

"This is long overdue with my family. Us getting together. It's been a minute, all of us being in the same room." He added, I started the car adjusting everything then opened the garage door.

"Yeah, family's important." I drove out of the garage and hit the button for it to close. We were on our way.

We sang along quietly to the radio for the rest of the short ride. He lived close to his old home.

I pulled in the huge driveway. I thought Kenzos house was big, but this was an estate. I see why they have a full staff.

"Wow, well, we're here." I parked behind one of the cars parked in the roundabout. A man dressed in a black suit came up to the door and waited. "Geesh."

"Yeah, it's a whole thing. We're a busy family like I told you we never made time to hang or to be a family. I grew up as the protege in the family, and everyone worked around that. So to keep things up and running while we were away, we hired a full crew for the house."

I nodded. "I get it."

"So calm down, no need to be nervous." He chuckled.

"I feel a little underdressed." I stepped out wearing a thin long sleeved multi print dress that stopped above my knees. I paired it with some black ankle boots. At least Zo tried to coordinate with me with his thin designer buttoned shirt and dark jeans.

The man standing waiting on us assisted me out of the vehicle. "Thank you."

"No problem Ms. Thompson."

I gave him a surprised expression. He already knew my name. Then I thought about it, realizing everyone knew my name now since being with Kenzo. I reached back in the car for the cake.

"Babe, this is Gerald. He's the butler and a friend of the family." Kenzo introduced while getting out of the car with Julia as well.

"Nice to meet you.' I shook his hand, he said the same thing while grabbing the cake out of my hands.

We walked up the rest of the way to the front door. I was greeted immediately after Zo opened it. He introduced me to the rest of the staff.

His family came walking to the entrance saying here she is. I hugged and chatted, catching up with them. I saw everyone except his oldest sister.

After getting in and settled, we all made our way to the large dinner table. We finally spotted his sister Mai already seated.

Taking our seat, we said the grace and waited to be served.

"Gosh, she is so beautiful, Adira. Every time I see her, she gets even more beautiful. Look at those pretty brown eyes and these long fingers. She's going to be tall." Kenzo's mom Mrs. Tanya gushed over Julia while holding her.

I smiled, giggling at the sight. "Thank you."

I was seated next to Zo. His dad was at the head of the table with Mrs. Tanya on one side of him and Mai on the side. His little sister Gabbie sat in between Mai and I. Jade, and Kelvin sat across from us.

Mai never spoke, so I assumed she was still salty.

We had what look like a nine-course meal. Everything was delicious and fancy. We made small talk while we ate, with light laughter. Mai laughed along but never addressed me.

"Hey, Joanne, could you bring out the coffee cake Adira made, please?" His mom asked while smiling at me. "I want to try it. Zo raves about your cooking all the time."

"Yesss, she can cook, ma." Jade co-signed. Gabbie nodded as well. Her vegan days didn't last long. She says she wanted to try again, though. My baby sister said she would be on board to try it with her.

Joanne, the chef brought the cake out and placed it on the table with her plate and fork in hand, waiting to get a piece.

We all laughed.

"Let's dig in." His dad added while grabbing the knife to cut the cake.

After everyone had their slice I sat back and waited to see what they thought.

Everyone moaned as if it was the best they've ever had. I peeked over to Mai, trying a little. She started coughing, taking a sip of her water. That made everybody look at her. She raised her brows and responded innocently. "What?"

"Don't front Mai, that cake is bomb. Damn near melting in your mouth." Zo stated, knowing she was holding back from moaning herself and wanting more. I knew this family recipe would hit it off. This is the cake that had my dad hooked on my mother.

She scoffed. "It's ok, y'all acting like it's gold or something."

"Adira, this cake is amazing." Mrs. Tanya said to me while rolling her eyes at her daughters comment. Everyone else agreed, including the professional chef Joanne.

"Well, thank you, I tried."

"Aight ma, give me my baby." Zo stood walking over to her. Julia started getting antsy and squirming around.

"Tuhh, your baby?" Mai questioned. I refrained from saying anything to her. I knew moving forward if I wanted any change then I needed to approach this situation, on my own. The best way I knew how.

"I didn't stutter, Mai. This is my daughter. —And don't say anything slick." He picked Julia up, waiting for her to say something else behind that.

She held her hands up, surrendering. "I didn't say anything slick and wasn't going to."

"While we're talking about it, I want to go ahead and clear that up. So there won't be any more confusion about Adira or Julia." He walked back over to me. "This is the woman I want to marry, and this little girl right here is my daughter. She may not be my blood, but she's my daughter. No stepdaughter, no extra anything in front of it. This is my daughter."

He brought his attention to his parents. "Your granddaughter." He then looked between his three sisters. "Your niece, so that's no longer a question."

"Where's her actual father at?" Mai queried as if she was asking the obvious. I've been trying to give her the benefit of the doubt simply because she's been away and hasn't gotten to know me at all. But the buck stops here.

"Excuse me, I'm—" I tried to retort, but Zo stopped me.

"I'm the only father you need to be asking about. Whatever you have against her, you need to dead it. She's not going anywhere. You're only making me not want to be around you." He expresses in a way that seemed like he was losing patience with her.

"I don't have anything against anyone. I just asked a simple question. Our whole life growing up was about your ungrateful ass." She spat, looking directly at him. "Now, I can't even ask simple questions that might affect the family."

Zo handed me Julia so that he could have it out with his sister. All of a sudden this conversation felt long overdue.

"Alright, calm down." His mom spoke softly, trying to cool the energy.

His father went on to say. "Let them settle this, dear." He knew just as well as I did this conversation needed to be had. Just like when Zo needed to talk to his mom when things got out of hand. He and his big sister need to put their issues on the table and deal with them. This was obviously from years of festering.

"Nah, she sounds like she's been waiting to say this. Talk, how am I ungrateful, Mai?" He glared at her, with his chest heaving up and down heavily.

"You act like everything is about you and what you have going on with her." She paused calming herself. "High school, when you really started getting noticed, you were begging for our support and help. You wanted us to tell you everything like you didn't know how to do shit for yourself. Just like when Aunty Angie died, you shut down. We were the ones there picking yo' ass up, pushing you to keep going. Dragging your black ass everywhere."

Zo had a look of disbelief. "You're really gon' bring up Aunt Angie?" He shook his head, laughing dryly. "How does this prove I'm ungrateful? You're saying I don't appreciate anything?"

He took a breath, then raised his voice a bit. "I didn't come up by myself! I brought my family up with me. I ain't the only one eating around here."

"Oh, so you think I wanted to just be your assistant?" She scoffed, shaking her head.

"You don't have to be!" He yelled, getting riled up. I touched his arm to soothe him a little. "I ask very little of you, and it was your idea to be just my assistant. I don't owe you shit."

"Oh, so you did all of this by yourself?" She stood up, looking directly at him. "Let me see you make it to all of your charity events and all the trips I do to handle your deals. —Oh, and let's not forget about your hectic schedule during the season." She slammed her hand on the table. "I keep this train going period."

"Wow, I didn't know providing my sister with an opportunity was me being ungrateful. You're free to go and be whatever you want to be. You're a grown-ass woman." He scoffed then laughed harshly, shaking his head. "Suppose to be my big sister, somebody I can call on. It's cool, though." He nodded his head quickly trying to calm down. I rocked Julia, she didn't like the loud noise, but I'd be damned if I got up and left my man here by himself arguing with her.

"No, my guy we helped you provide all of this, and don't you ever forget that." She spat back. Jade, Kelvin, and Gabbi helped themselves to some more cake while awkwardly listening in.

"As I said, you don't have to do anything else for me." He spoke more calm.

"Good because I quit." She grabbed her purse and headed for the door.

"That's fine; you're not hurting me."

"Good, then have a nice life with you and your little fake ass family!" She yelled out before leaving. Zo turned to go behind her.

"Zo stop, let her leave." His dad stopped him from walking out after her.

He sighed, frustrated. "Come on, baby." He looked around at everyone. "Thanks for dinner, and I apologize for the way it's ending."

"Let us know when you make it home and thank you both for letting us be apart of little Julia's life. Our first grandbaby." His mother came over to me, kissing Julia on the top of her head.

"Thank you for accepting her." I smiled, getting up, grabbing my purse. Zo got Julia from me and placed her back in her car seat.

"Di, can I come over and spend some nights, like late summer around the end of July?" His little sister Gabbi asked me, with a pleeeeaaasse face.

"Hmm, what are you and my baby sister plotting up? She asked me the same thing." I knew they had been plotting.

She sucked her teeth, laughing. "I told her I was going to ask you first."

"You have to ask your mom and dad. I don't mind you staying."

"Ask me after your summer training, pending your behavior." Her dad spoke.

"Ok." She mumbled.

After Zo gathered our stuff together to go, we were ready to leave.

"Call me, bro, and Di I'll be by this week to see my niece." Jade came up and hugged me. I nodded.

"I'm here for you, ok?" She whispered in my ear. I nodded again.

Kenzo had minimal words left to say. We went on out the door.

"I'll drive." He suggested.

"Ok."

We got settled in the car I sat in the back with Julia. He waited on me to feed her before he drove off. That gave me time to think. I knew this issue was bigger than me, but I am a member of this team now. I knew I needed to step in. This approach did not work, but I have one more card to play.

"I love you, Zo, I always will."

"I love you too, baby." He rested his head on the headrest and closed his eyes.

I finished up feeding Julia, burped her and strapped her in the car seat. She was fast asleep. I buckled my seat belt and got comfortable next to her. "Ok, I'm all set."

"Alright, let's get home." He put the car in reverse then backed out.

"I need your phone." I reached my handout in between the seat for it. He handed it to me with a curious gaze but didn't bother to ask why. I took it and did my face scan to open it.

This was my choice and my efforts to repair this brokenness.

I tapped on his contact list then touched the search collum to look up Mai's number. I found it and sent it to myself, then exited out and handed him back his phone.