We pulled up at this big house and I was confused at fuck. I know Lil Mama has a good job but I didn't know she had it like that.

The gates opened as we got closer and my eyes got bigger at how big the house actually was. It makes me mad proud to see my best friend excelling like this.

She parked the car and looked at me, she looked hella nervous. Sinai was asleep in her seat snoring away so I could speak freely now,

"Say Love, why Sinai telling me you and your man got into it last night?" I asked looking at her shift nervously.

One thing I hate to do is get involved in her relationship but that little girl has made an impact on me - it's weird but I feel like I have to protect her.

"W-when did she tell you that?" She asked trying to avoid eye contact.

"I asked her about her little painting and she told me that she saw you and your man doing that last night,"

When Sinai whispered that in my ear I was pissed - nobody should be hitting on my girl. Yes, she's mine.

"You had no right to ask her that! Stay out of this Dave! It's too late for you to get involved in her life now!" She shouted startling Sinai and causing her to stir in her sleep.

"What do you mean 'too late' Naala?" I gritted my teeth because my assumptions were right.

When she told me she had a 4 year old daughter I knew something was up. Love and I had a slip up on my last night in New York and I know for damn sure that I didn't strap up.

I can't believe that she's been hiding my seed from me for 4 YEARS.

"Naala is this my daughter?"

--------------------------------------------------

I have never seen Dave so angry. His nose was flared and his eyes were dark. If looks could kill - I would be 6ft deep in the grave by now. It was kinda sexy to see him that angry. Naala, FOCUS!

"I - um - Dave please calm down," I stuttered not wanting to aggravate him more. Sinai was still asleep but if he continued raising his voice like this she will wake up - this is not how I would like her to find out about her dad.

"Naala, I'm giving you 5 seconds to start speaking otherwise ima bug out." He said whilst eyeing me viscously.

"Okay Amir let's go inside and sit down - this isn't how I want Sinai to find out,". I pleaded with him.

"Get out the car then". His raspy voice instructed. He continued to mug me as I got out the car.

Before I could even get to Sinai's side, he had already unbuckled her and was carrying her to the door. I fumbled with my keys and unlocked the door.

I could hear pots and pans in the kitchen so I'm assuming Rosa was finishing up dinner.

"Her room is just down the hall - you can lay her in her bed." I said whilst pointing towards 'Nai's room.

He walked if that direction without saying a word to me - I sighed and walked to my room, not ready to have this conversation at all.

I got out of my work clothes and threw on one of Darnell's t-shirts and a pair of joggers. A knock rang on my door and I knew it was Dave so I let him in

"I heard movement in this room and guessed it was yours," He mumbled whilst clenching his jaw. "You ready to explain this shit now Love?" He asked. Here goes nothing.

"Um - 4 weeks after you left to 'pursue your dreams' I started feeling sick. I couldn't keep anything down so Zuri suggested I went to the doctors to get checked out. --" He rudely interrupted me,

"I don't need to know how you found out Naala, I need to know why the hell you didn't tell me I had a 4 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER!" He shouted the last bit which caused me to jump and I think I flinched because his face softened and he moved closer.

Tears started to trickle down my face as I thought about how much I have hurt this man. I didn't mean to keep this from him but I had no choice.

Imagine this, we were 19 years old and he was finally doing what he loved, how could I take that away from him?

"David I didn't want to uproot your life! I didn't want you to stop pursuing your dreams to come back here - I was doing just fine with her --"

"Do you know how selfish you sound right now Naala? How can you tell me you 'were doing fine'! I had a right to be there when my daughter was born, to be there at her first day at school, to pick her up when she fell -" His voice cracked as he went on.

This is all my fault. I was in full blown tears at this point as I realised all my mistakes. I moved closer to him and put my hand over his,

"You still can be there for her Dave, you can take her to college, you can walk her down the aisle - all the things that she needs her Daddy for. Dave I am so sorry. No words will be able to change the fact that you missed out but you are here now!" I said sincerely whilst looking him in the eye.

I truly meant was I was saying - there were many moments that I wished we all could have shared but that doesn't mean we won't make more.

"Please, I want you to know that I didn't do this out of spite, I was really trying to protect you."

"Naala shut the fuck up before I do something I regret. How the hell were you protecting me? She probably thinks I never cared for her or I never wanted to be there for her. How can you explain that one?" He said with so much hurt and anger in his voice.

"I-I - I always told her about you, just not who you are." I said truthfully, unable to look him in the eye. I was ashamed with myself, I had deprived my daughter of a relationship with her father for 4 years, what kind of mother am I?

"And to top it all of Naala, you have a nigga in this house slapping you about! She don't need to be seeing that. You selfish as hell ma —"

Hang on. That was a low blow. I looked at him with such sadness in my eyes. He peeped my face and I could tell that he regretted it but it was too late. I got up so quick I almost fell back down,

"Get out David. NOW!" I screamed with tears streaming down my face. I didn't choose to get abused. I never chose to get abused, it's all I've ever known in this life. For him to throw that in my face hurt me to my core.

I didn't expect him to be gentle with me after what I just told him but he knows out of everyone, how much the men in my life have messed me up.

"Love, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it - I - I " He stuttered whilst trying to grab my arms, I winced in pain as he pressed down on one of the bruises that Darnell left on my skin yesterday.

Dave caught on and pulled me into him. What he did next shocked me. He lifted up my sleeve and saw the array of bruises that decorated my skin. The look on his face was unexplainable but he definitely wasn't angry at me anymore - his anger had been redirected.

"What the fuck is this Love? Where this nigga at? He can't be hitting on you with my daughter in this house I won't have that man." He spoke harshly but gently caressed my arm. I didn't know what to say, I wasn't going to leave Darnell - I couldn't.

"Dave just leave it and go." I spoke mainly out of embarrassment and because I genuinely wanted him to leave.

I couldn't have Rosa hearing me argue with a man in my bedroom - that would be my funeral. Without saying another word, he headed to the door and left.

I heard him walking to the front door, opening it and then leaving. I sighed heavily and fell back onto my bed. I had finally told him about Sinai and instead of feeling better, I genuinely felt worse.

All these years and I had finally come clean but something didn't feel right. I need to set this straight. Without thinking I went running to the front door, he couldn't have gotten that far - the driveway itself takes about 5 minutes to walk down.

I flung the door open and saw him sitting on the steps with his head in his hands. Walking up next to him, I took a seat and tugged on his arm,

"Dave, we can't leave it like this. This situation is bigger than us - Sinai deserves an amazing father and I know you can be one - please come back inside and lets talk about this properly. Please?" I said whilst looking him dead in the eye.

I wanted him to see how serious I was. Something sparkled in his eyes and in the first time in a while I felt something - Hope.

Short Chapter.

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