Please excuse ANY errors.

December 20, 1998

~DeVanté's P.O.V~

"Wait, you already put my other bags in the car?" Tia asked me, wiping her wet hands on her sweats.

"Yep, it right along with the driver is waiting for us." I nodded, pointing to the door.

"Babe, where are we going?" Tia asked me once again with her hands together as if she were praying, hopeful that I'd reveal the location.

I walked closer to her and wrapped my arms around her. "Okay, you really wanna know?" I said looking down at her.

"Mhm." She mumbled looking up at me with hopeful eyes and a grin.

I pecked her lips, then responded with, "OH WELL." I shrugged my shoulders at her, laughing.

She popped her mouth and then grabbed her last suitcase. "A'ight, Donald!"

"I gave you a hint ALREADY. What more do you want from me?" I wined jokingly.

"All you said was that the place was cold." Tia raised her eyebrows. "But that's fine. I accept that it's a surprise. Thank you!" She jumped on me and I caught her. Surprisingly because I was caught off guard.

I held onto her by her butt. "A'ight, imma give you one more hint, ALTHOUGH you got like three ALREADY. You KNOW that we gon' be gone for a while, you need your passport, it's a cold place, and this last hint... My last hint is that you gon' like it." I nodded.

She jumped down from my grasp. "That doesn't tell me anything, but come on! Let's go! Let's go! Let's go! I'm so ready!" She hopped out of the room, dragging her suitcase.

Her happy ass! I shook my head at her giddiness, then walked out of the room myself. I grabbed her suitcase just as we were about to go down the steps.

"Keep hoppin' and you gon' hop yo froggy ass then tumble yo ass down them stairs," I told her.

"I'm not that stupid. Second of all, I'm skipping not hopping." Tia chuckled at me, then ran down the stairs excitedly.

She can't help that though. She does have Borderline Personality Disorder they often experience extreme highs and lows. Not saying that all people with Borderline Personality Disorder get like experience it the same as she does because I mean, different strokes for different folks. High energy levels aka mood swings are why BPD is often confused with Bipolar Disorder.

When she's excited, she is over-exuberant and doesn't mind me being around at all. When she's feeling too down, she doesn't really want to be around anyone including myself, but I do let her know that I'm here for her. Sometimes she even allows me to hold her.

We haven't been through too many lows these past seven months, but we don't live with each other, so I'm also not there 24/7 to witness her lowest of lows. I'm still learning about it though. Shits kinda hard, but I know it's even harder for her having to experience it.

I use this method I learned which is to ask if she needs to vent, does she need my input/advice, if she just needs me to hold her or space. It works most of the time, but there's progress with that. She actually has a psych evaluation appointment a few days after I plan on coming back from this trip. Tia wants me to come along. Her therapist recommended it as well, just so I can learn MORE about it. So yeah...

"Where you go!?" I called out to her and didn't hear a peep. Her happy ass must've skipped her ass right outside. "Baby!?" I called out again.

I went outside, holding her suitcase to see her happy ass skipping to the opposite side of the car. "Donald, come on baby!" She said hopping in.

"I was looking for you!" I laughed with my response, then put the suitcase in the trunk.

"Did you lock the door?" She asked me halting herself from closing the door.

"No, but I will," I replied.

"Nope, I got it!" She shouted out all excited.

Tia hopped up out of her seat just as I closed the trunk, then she skipped to the house. She locked the house door, then ran back to the car. This women's energy is through the fucking roof and I'm loving it. I opened the door for her and she ran in.

"Get yo happy ass-" I cut myself off by laughing and getting inside of the car myself. "Baby, calm down."

"I'm calm!" She said excitedly.

"Okay..." I trailed off eyeing her. "I believe you." I joked. The driver closed the door for me. "Thanks, man."

"This is so fun." She said full of energy.

"Baby, we haven't even gone anywhere yet." I chuckled grabbing her hands slightly squeezing. "Calm down, love."

She deeply exhaled with a nod, showing me that she was trying. "I'm sorry. Am I doing too much for you? I'm sorry if I am."

I felt the car begin to move. "You were a little bit," I said being truthful.

"I'm sorry about that." She replied in her normal tone.

"But I understand. Don't apologize. You can't help it." I reassured her. "You good."

Tia sat back in her seat and strapped herself in. I did the same thing, then sat back with my legs spread out like always. She took off her left glove, then rested her elbow on the armrest and the back of her hand on her cheek.

"Baby, you good?" I asked her after a few minutes had passed.

"Oh, yeah. I'm fine." She replied still looking out of the window.

"Okay," I said looking at her totally unsure. A few minutes more had passed before I decided to speak again. "Now is that an I'm fine like I'm mad at you fine, or are you REALLY fine?" I questioned.

"No, I'm REALLY fine." She replied still looking outside.

"Can you look at me? Because I kinda feel like I did or said somethin' wrong here..." I trailed off.

She turned to me and gave a small smile. "Donald, I'm fine. I promise. You didn't do anything for me to be angry about. I'm just anxious to find out where we're going." She cheesed.

"Donald." I happily nodded because I'm still Donald and not DeVanté, so we good. "Okay."

We sat there in comfortable silence. That is until Tia unstrapped her seatbelt. then reached up to the front to turn on some music. She then plopped down right beside me. We rode for what was supposed to be forty-something minutes, but turned into like seventy to eighty minutes when we made it out of Roswell and into Atlanta. Once we made it to the airport, we got out and made our way inside.

Even though we're flying private, the same rules still apply to us when taking regular flights. We stood in line looking pretty busted. Not like complete bums, but dressed down than what we're used to in public. Our security is right behind us. I waited until we made it to the counter to hand Tia her ticket. She looked at me with a gasp which turned into a grin, but she didn't say a word. We had our passports checked and then we were able to go.

Tia held that shit all the way until we stepped foot back outside. I'm proud of her for that. When she let it out, she screamed in excitement and jumped into my arms which didn't catch me off guard this time. I was well prepared for all her excitement to release. Her glasses fell off her face too but didn't realize that.

"Oh my goodness! Baby!" She hugged me tightly for about two whole minutes squealing before pulling back with one of her hands covering her mouth in disbelief with the other holding onto mine. "Really?"

"Nahh, this whole thing is just a prank. I'm sorry." I replied with both hands on her shoulders.

"No..." She said wide-eyed. "You did not? For real? You lyin'!" It's like she went through five different emotions while saying that.

"I'm lying. I'm really takin' you. I know we play a lot, but I wouldn't fuck with you like that.

"Thank you so much!"

Tia smiled at me with all her damn teeth showing. I'm glad that she's excited the way she is because the cost was sky-high. Not to mention the cost of all the other things. She kissed me. I felt her about to get down but held onto her because I didn't want her to go on this trip partially blind.

"Love, your glasses fell," I told her, moving over.

She jumped down. "Fuck them glasses!" We're going to Paris!" She ran off towards the plane.

"Wait!" I shouted picking up her glasses, then trying to catch up with her.

The fact is that Tia had already run all the way to the plane and up the stairs. I swear I can barely keep up with her when she's like this. I ran up the stairs, almost busting my ass in the process attempting to keep up.

"I can't believe y'all are coming too!" Tia said hugging people.

"Whew!" My mother chuckled, looking at me. "She's so excited."

"I know and I'm happy." I nodded and then walked over to her.

I hadn't seen her and pops since late November. You see, some things didn't go according to plan. It was supposed to be just us on here, but that shit is so damn expensive. Plus, it just made sense to add people to this flight. Most of the ones who can afford it are the ones who paid. My parents, grandparents, brothers, and Derek's small family are all here.

Tia's parents, Ashari, and her kids are here, then Daryl's parents are also here. The reason Tia's grandparents on her biological father's side aren't here is that they're Jehovah's Witnesses, meaning that they don't celebrate holidays. Her grandfather on her mother's side wasn't up for being on a plane.

Yasir isn't on her for obvious reasons. Now I don't know if he's coming because of him being mad and I don't particularly care. What I can say is that I invited him way before that fiasco occurred. But that's ALMOST twenty people in total. Everyone else that's coming is catching their own flights to Paris.

Dalvin laughed at her excitement as well. "Sh'oll is! Hyper than a motha-"

"Than a mother- what, Dalvin?" Pops looked at Dalvin.

"I just said she was hyper." Dalvin shrugged then twisted his mouth to the side.

"You sho' she ain't on drugs, Junior?" Pops asked me. "She came in here like-"

"Whitney Houston on stage after smoking crack and De, your eyes redder than Dalvin finished pops sentence.

"What he said. Even though, I'm not familiar with him." Pops nodded. "Junior, I don't want you on that shit again. Look, before you do th-"

I shook my head at them., "It ain't what it looks like. It's complicated, but it ain't drugs or nothin' like that. It's-" I shrugged. "Like I said, it's just complicated. I wouldn't be with a drug addict."

"You were before, so why wouldn't you now? I don't want my son relapsing because of no Hollywood girl who do Hollyweird shit." He gritted lowly.

I gave a highly irritated expression with a loud ass sigh. "Pops, can you not do this the whole flight and trip?" I asked him speaking in an even more quiet tone.

Pops gave me a confused look. "Do what? Son, I'm just telling you-"

I cut him off again. "EXACTLY. Don't tell me nothin' about somethin' you don't know nothin' about. Nothing negative. I thought you like her? Ain't that what you said a while ago? You approve? What happened? I KNOW what I'm-"

Tia came up to me and pulled me into a tight hug. This time her feet remained on the floor as we just rocked side to side. "Thank you! I REALLY appreciate this."

"You're welcome, love," I mumbled holding onto her.

When she pulled away, she looked between me and my parents. Pops sorta gave off a cold stare shifting from me to Tia. "I'm so sorry if I cut your conversation off." Tia apologized seemingly cowering under his stare.

"Nahh...Baby, you weren't interruptin' nothin'. The conversation just ended." I replied with a quick glance at my father then my eyes landed back on her.

I grabbed her hand and we made our way to our seats. I made sure she got the window seat. Tia and I are both afraid of heights, except she's the type of scared that's fine with window seats and I, on the other hand, don't even want to see that shit until we are back on the ground. As of now, the plane is still parked.

"Donald- baby, what's up?" Tia asked me once we took our seats.

"Ain't nun up, but this plane is about to be. I can't stand that part the MOST." I laughed.

"You wack for that lame ol' joke. But c'mon... I know you and the serious expressions y'all held on y'all's faces were... Shoo... Almost intimidating. I HAD to intervene." Tia replied.

"Oh, so you wasn't as happy as you appeared?" I asked her.

She chuckled. "Jubilant. I could barely- don't try to pull a me on me, Donald. I know that you're trying to change the subject." She raised her eyebrows.

"Nahh, my pops just tripping for no REAL ass reason, just speculation. Almost like the same type shit as when I was back in Virginia." I shook my head.

"And what's that? You guys seemed fine before." Tia said trying to understand.

I responded without giving it away. "Yeah, but we also wasn't with each other the whole trip. I went to hang out with just pops and my brothers and then he was saying stupid shit that pissed me off."

"Oh, okay." Tia nodded.

I smiled at her with low eyes. "You pushin' it?" I asked though the question is rhetorical. "Don't worry 'bout it. Don't worry 'bout it, sweetheart." I laughed. "Some things are better off left unsaid and unknown."

"You're irritating." She held onto my shoulder while laughing. "What made you choose Paris?" She smiled. "Thank you by the way... For ALL of this. This is... Wow. The whole family?"

I chuckled. "Babe, you said that already," I replied handing her back her glasses. "And you see it's damn near the whole family."

"It doesn't hurt to say it again." She shrugged after grabbing her glasses.

"I guess no, but you lucky those glasses ain't break or yo ass would've been squinting throughout the same trip. Blind as a fuckin' bat." I joked.

"Thanks." She giggled lowly. "Again, what made you choose Paris?"

"Oh, you know how they say Paris is the city of love, right?" I asked her and she silently nodded. "I had to take my one TRUE love," I replied. "Plus I wanted to spend Christmas here, so I HAD to include our families," I added and I saw her bottom lips begin to quiver. "Baby, don't cry."

"I can't help it." She replied lowly then hugged me with her face in my shoulder. I wrapped my arm around her, pulling her closer. "I love you so much. Donald, I promise you that these are tears of joy." She mumbled into my shirt.

"I know." I nodded.

"Ahh, man... She cryin' now? She was just running up the walls, now tears running down her face." Dalvin asked resting his hands on my shoulders. "Don't tell me she's pregnant this time FOR REAL!"

"What you mean for real THIS TIME?" Daryl asked Dalvin.

Pops joined in walking up. "Exactly."

I looked up at Dalvin then at Daryl and pops. "He ain't mean it like that. It was a joke, right Dalvin?" I gave him this look, but am I lying? Nope! Because that whole situation was a joke.

"Yeah pops, I ain't mean NOTHIN' by it. It's an inside joke." Dalvin said looking at them both. "Y'all take stuff too literally."

"I hope so," Daryl said as he and pops walked away to their seat that aren't close.

"I hope so. Y'all ain't even said the magic words yet." Derek said playing around, sitting in his seat behind me.

"The magic words..." I shook my head at him. "Don't tell me about no magic words when you already got kids without the magic words muttered," I replied to Derek, standing in the seat on my knees.

I looked at Dalvin then at pops and Daryl, hinting at something. Dalvin didn't take the hint.

"Aye, Dalvin? Do me a favor?" I called out to him.

"Wassup?" Dalvin replied.

"Why don't you go on and-" I did the walking fingers motion "and mind yo fuckin' business," I said loud enough so Dalvin and ONLY Dalvin could hear.

"I would, BUT I must remind you that I ain't got NO fuckin' business. I came here single." Dalvin laughed, then walked away.

I looked back at him. "Find you some then, nigga." I said that last word under my breath. I felt Tia now laughing against me. "It ain't funny." I chuckled.

"It is hilarious." She said wiping her face on her shirt. "You were even laughing. Don't pretend."

DJ walked up to me. This little boy was just asleep. "Wassup, man. I missed you." I said picking him up and sitting him on my lap.

"Hi." He said in his squeaky voice.

"Hey, DJ." Tia smiled at him and he crossed over to her lap.

"Hi!" He said more lively.

"Aht! You a traitor. No loyalty." I shook my head at my baby brother.

"He just woke up," Tia told me.

I was just about to reply but I heard whining, then the pitter-patter of feet. I saw Masir running this way and him reaching out for his auntie and pushing DJ away in a jealous state. This little dude was just minding his business a few minutes ago, now since Tia's holding DJ, he all of a sudden wanna come to her. So Tia even attempted to he the both of them but Masir wasn't having that.

"NO!" Masir shouted so damn loud.

"Aye, YOU calm down," I told Masir little badass.

Masir hit DJ and now there are two crying babies. "Get him!" I said to DJ.

"Aht-" Tia moved Masir away, causing DJ to miss. She looked at me. "They're babies." She spoke over Masir's physical and verbal tantrums.

"Ion care he shouldn't be just hitting on people like that," I replied.

Ashari came and grabbed Masir by the arm, still holding a sleeping Asiri in her other arm. Ashari's movements caused Asiri's eyes to flutter open and her head to lift up.

"Nahhh, uhn- uhn. Don't baby him like that. He needs to get his ass whooped, doing all that screaming and falling back." I heard Tia's mama say to her daughter.

"I got him, Shari." Daryl came over, scooping Masir up and he continued to cry. "Ion care about you crying. Since you did that, you staying with me ALL day. Get used to it."

Asiri's arms reached out for me, wiggling her tiny fingers. "You can give her to me," I said letting down an eager DJ who wanted so bad to get off of me and go to my girlfriend. I grabbed her Asiri. "At least someone wants me." I joked.

"Play too much." Tia shook her head and DJ got down.

My mother came and grabbed DJ. Not going to lie, I'm not used to this whining shit. I love kids, but that crying shit is hard to deal with especially when you don't know what's wrong and you don't have your own kids. When Even though in this case, I know exactly what's wrong. Asiri just is chilling while these toddlers are off the chain.

"You just chillin', huh?" I said to Asiri tickling her armpits with my thumbs. "The bigger kids are just too much, huh?"

That caused her shoulders to scrunch up and laugh, showing the couple of teeth she does have and drool all over me.

"So cute!" I damn near squealed and I ain't mean for that shit to come out that way.

Tia looked at me, completely taken off guard with her hand on her chest. "You- you good? Or she just too adorable that you couldn't contain yourself?" Tia chuckled.

"So you're allowed to squeal, but I can't?" I questioned.

Tia chuckled. "I ain't say all THAT. I just never heard you do that... Like EVER! You did it so screechy. I didn't know your voice could go that high."

"Junior, I know that wasn't you!?" Pops said laughing.

"That's because that mess doesn't sound right. I heard him before." Derek chimed in, piggybacking off of what Tia said.

"Derek, mind your business." I looked at him.

"You were loud!" Derek said cracking the hell up right along with Yasir and Dalvin.

"Sh'oll was." Ashari agreed with laughter.

"Ain't nobody ask y'all." I chuckled.

"Ain't nobody ask you to make that stupid noise either, but you did." Dalvin shit at me. Tia laughed right along with them.

"You supposed to be on my team," I told her.

"It was funny." Tia defended with a high-pitched voice.

"Not going to lie..." Maria trailed off with her lips pressed together amused.

"That was funny." Ashari finished for Maria.

"It was cute, but funny because I'm not used to it," Tia spoke to me and then tucked her lips into her mouth, repressing her laughter. "Look at how Siri is looking at you!" She said laughing.

Sure enough, Asiri was staring up at me with her already large eyes wide open. "Don't be lookin' at me like I'm crazy," I said staring back at her.

"Tell him that he is." Tia chuckled. "Just a tad bit." She held her fingers about a centimeter apart. Tia looked back at me. "I'm joking." She laughed.

The flight attendants came and did their regular procedures. I already knew, so while they did that, I walked to the back of the plane and gave Asiri back to Ashari so she could strap her into her car seat. I went to sit back down in my seat in the very front and strapped myself in. Not too long after that, the plane took off as I tightly gripped onto the armrests.

~Tia's P.O.V~

After the plane leveled out, and the flight attendant said it was safe, I unstrapped myself. I looked over to Donald who still had his eyes tightly shut and his hands tightly gripping the armrest. His eyes finally fluttered open and his grip loosened. For a quick second, I forgot how much he hates to fly. That's what makes me appreciate this a thousand percent more. Donald looked then looked my way, laughing.

I gave him a confused look. "What?"

"Maybe we should've sat in the back instead of all the way up here because the front goes up higher."

"Maybe..."

"You must not be scared no more?" He questioned.

"No, I'm scared, but not as much as I used to be. It's just the takeoff that REALLY gets me." I replied.

Donald nodded then spoke lowly, so his grandparents who decided to sit across from us wouldn't hear. "I feel you."

"How long have you been planning this trip?" I asked him.

"Mmm, a while now." He shrugged.

"What's a while?" I asked.

"According to the Oxford Dictionary, it means a period of time."

"Wow, I never knew that," I said sarcastically.

"Pullin' a you out on you. You do stuff like that all the time." He smirked. "Wanna go to the back?"

"To what seats?" I asked with squinted eyes.

"The bedroom. We can go to the bedroom in the back. My back hurt and I'm tired. I'm goin' regardless, but you comin' too or what?" He whispered lowly.

"Come on then." I stood up to stretch.

He stood up with a yawn, then grabbed his carry-on bag and mine. "A'ight, let's go. After you, madame." He bowed.

I giggled moving past him, then walking into the aisle and on my way to the room. When I asked Donald about what was going on between him and his father, I actually know. I heard what was said, but that doesn't phase me too much. It did remind me to calm down though because to them it probably did look like I was on speed or something. What did get me is his intense and almost cold stare. I felt... Nervous and small...

Donald closed the door behind us before sitting down on the bed. "C'mere." He nodded towards himself with low, red eyes.

He does look high, but I know he's tired. He has been up for a while.

I walked over to him, standing in front of him. "What's up?" I said looking down at him.

He grabbed both of my hands, pulling me closer, then into his lap. Straddling him, he then proceeded to pull me into a kiss. About two minutes in, it started to get intense as he started trailing them down my neck, then to my chest after unzipping my jacket. My eyes rolled at the feeling, then I pulled away before it got too out of control. It's too many people on the other side of the door for this.

"I know you ain't wanna come back here just to be nasty with all those people on the other side of the door?" I asked him.

"I mean... No... And yes. Kinda." He nodded.

"Both at the same time? Donald, it's either one or the other." I chuckled. "Plus I'm on my period and have been for a few days."

"Oh- oh, yeah. I forgot. Damn, I'm tired as fuck." He shook his head, yawning. "This like yo third day, right?"

"Yes."

"You ain't ever been to Paris, have you?" He asked me.

"I'm a fashion designer, so I've been for Fashion week. This'll be my fou-" I looked up at the ceiling. "No, third time visiting."

"Damn, I don't remember. Why was you so excited if you've been on more than one occasion? If I would've known, I would've picked somewhere different. Shit, my bad. "

I rapidly shook my head. "No... Like... I appreciate this. Like REALLY appreciate this. Those were business trips, but this is the total opposite. I mean, you flew our families out to spend the holidays in PARIS- on a private jet. Nobody has EVER done something this nice for me AND it was a surprise. Then, I'm going with my man. That's better than anything! I love it and THAT'S why I'm excited and grateful." I explained to him. "My man, whom I love did this as a surprise for me. THANK YOU!"

"I know you're thankful. I can tell, but I feel stupid for tryna surprise you with somewhere you ain't been." He replied with a yawn. "No matter how much you tell me I shouldn't, I still feel that way." He chuckled, laying back. "Wanna taste some of my meat?"

"Been there, done that. You tryna be funny?" I asked him.

"You definitely rubbin' off on me. I'm too tired for that type of stuff." He shook his head.

"It doesn't feel like it." I hinted.

"Don't worry 'bout that." He said moistening his lips with his tongue. "When I was up doing music, I got a little hungry and made a bunch of wings in the air fryer. It was good to me, but maybe because I made it. I want you to taste it." He said about to get up.

"I got it. It's in the bag right?" I asked him, bending down.

He leaned on one arm to watch me. "Yeah, it should still be a little warm. I heated up before leaving. It's in the little lunch box part. Some Annie's in there too."

"No thanks on that last part."

He snickered. "Boujee ass."

"I ain't. Just ain't grow up on it. Kraft is better, but I'm not even too much into that." I told him. "Plus, you don't want me gassy on this flight do you."

"Again, boujee ass." He snickered. "You right though. I don't want them to think we're terrorists with the way you be farting."

I grabbed the food from the attached lunch box of the backpack. Plopped down next to him and opened it.

"Well, it smells good and it looks good. Seems very well seasoned..." I trailed off.

I hope it's cooked all the way on the inside. He's done this before where he cooked it at too high of a temperature and the outside was done, but the inside was not.

"Okay, Chef Boyard-T." He told me. "Taste it."

"Lemme go wash my hands." I stood up. "Be right back," I said closing the door behind me.

I went to the bathroom across the hall, but that one is locked, so I have to go to the other one and walk past everyone. I zipped my jacket back up before I did though. I only remembered it was unzipped that low because of the breeze. Luckily, I felt it beforehand. I sped and walked past everyone to the restroom. I quickly washed my hands and dried them with paper towels. I used the same paper towels that I dried my hands off to open the doors.

I sped walked past everyone again, then opened and closed the bedroom door with that same paper towel. I walked in on Donald smashing that chicken like it was the best thing since sliced bread. I sat back down.

"Is it cooked thoroughly?" I asked him.

Donald stopped mid-chew to shoot me an offended look. "Nahh, Tia. I'm just saying here eating on raw chicken." He said sarcastically.

"I mean... You were before, so it isn't far-fetched." I shrugged.

"Stop bringin' up old shit." He chuckled tiredly.

I grabbed a piece of chicken, then took a deep breath in preparation for what was to come. I broke the wing into wingdings, separating the two. Finally, I took a bite of the small drumstick, chewing slowly, then started to chew normally.

"Mmm, not bad." I nodded. "Okay, Chef BoyarDE in the cut!" I said hyping him up.

"For real or you fuckin' wit' me?" He eyed me.

"I'm serious. You don't see me gaggin', do you, or even worse- throwin' up?" I asked him.

"Nahh," he chuckled, shaking his head.

"Okay, then," I said sticking the whole flat into my mouth and pulling it out clean.

He smiled. "Shit that good, huh?" He asked.

"Mmhm," I said chewing on the meat. I reached for another one. I'm pretty hungry right now.

"Don't get too greedy. I said some. S-O-M-E. Four letters, four wings." He said eating some of the Kraft macaroni.

"Negro, please. This is only my second one anyways." I said cleaning the bones of the flat.

"Nahh, baby. That's four. Two drums and two flats."

"Watch me get another one. You got a whole big tupperware full of chicken. Ol' stingy ass." I told him.

"A'ight, you can have another. I said that too because we both might be hungry later. We gon' be on here for like eight hours straight."

"Says the man with a pile of bones in a napkin."

"I only had like five." He told me.

"Ten in your book. Five flats and five drums, remember?" I chuckled.

"Whatever."

I smiled at him. "We are not about to argue over no chicken like some heathens."

"A'ight, but I got one more thing to say." He paused. "Everybody probably gon' be too tired to do anything when we get back too, so we gotta save some."

"I get it, but you should take your own advice," I replied.

He didn't reply instead, he ate more of his macaroni before he started to doze off. He's got major itis and it hit him so fast. I took one last piece and ate it like I said I would before closing the containers and putting them back in the bag. He fell asleep laying back with his feet flat on the floor and hands behind his head. I put his coat that's laying on the bed on top of the pillow so his face won't break out. I don't know how clean this stuff is because looks can be deceiving. Before slightly shaking him, I took his shoes off so he can sleep more comfortably.

"Wassup?" He said just under a whisper.

"Lay right or you might get a cramp, babe."

"Mm." He said turning around the right way, laying his face on the inside part of his coat, because I turned it inside out. Doing that is fewer germs. "Damn, I love you, woman."

He fell right back to sleep after saying those words, but I still replied. "I love you."

I got bored of just staring at the walls, so I left the room to be with the kids. I picked up Asiri, then say down next to Ashari.

"Where's Yasir?" She asked me.

"I was wondering the same thing." My mother said sitting across from us.

"I don't know. I'm sure Donald invited him." I told both of them.

"How come he ain't on here?" My mother asked.

"Maybe because he'd ruin the whole trip and we aren't speaking to him. Donald said that he's been planning this for a while, so maybe Yasir decided against coming. Who knows?" I shrugged.

"We know he's okay, so leave it alone," Daryl spoke to my mother.

"I know he's okay, I'm just wondering why he isn't here. All of his people here and almost all of our immediate family. The only one missing is Yasir." My mother spoke again. "Why don't you ask DeVanté?"

"Because it seems like this trip is better off without him is why. If he were to come, there will be drama on top of drama, because that is the type of person he is." I replied to my mother.

"It's Christmas time which also means family time. He should be here." My mother said again.

"Well, he isn't..." I trailed off in an obvious tone.

"He said he was coming when DeVanté first told us, now what happened?"

"I think it's for the best," Ashari told my mother, agreeing with me.

"His kids are here too. He needs to be here. Who spends the holidays alone?" My mother asked us. "Y'all are brother and sister. Y'all should be close enough to know about each other's whereabouts."

"Plenty of folks do. Some people just don't have a family while others burn bridges with theirs. Yasir is the second half of that sentence." I smiled over with the conversation. I have time for the conversation, but I don't want to hear it. "I'm gonna go back where I just came from. Mind if I bring her?" I asked Ashari.

"Please! She a little fussy anyway, trying to take those things off of her ears." Ashari chuckled.

"Okay, I'll make sure that she doesn't." I stood up and went back to the bedroom with her baby bag.

I say in the chair, coming up with different ways of keeping Asiri calm. I turned on the television and picked out an animation film. Masir is already a handful and I know she gets tired of having to constantly deal with a baby and a toddler. I know that she had them, but she also didn't think she'd be a single parent either. I stood on my words too because I haven't spoken to Yasir since the night of the seventh.

Word Count: 6,050

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