AILANI DIAZ

i had just entered my office when my phone went off. i roll my eyes when i had seen the caller contact.

"don't you have a job?" i asked. "or anything else that keeps you so busy from having to call me?"

i tuck the phone in between my ear and shoulder as i shuffled through the papers on my desk.

"it's friday, do they have anything going on tonight?" jalens asks.

i sucked my teeth after dropping an entire folder on the floor, a pile of papers flying everywhere. "jalen, you couldn't call them and find this out?"

"they're in school," he points out.

"text them."

"ailani,-"

"oh my god," i mumbled. i carefully get down to my knees and start collecting the pieces of paper that flew in all different directions. "uh, the girls are spending the night at brianna's house tonight."

"brianna?" he asks. "the same brianna from the museum?"

"can't believe you still remember her," i comment.

"can't believe you're still friends. that's good though."

i let out an annoyed 'mhm' as i slam the pile on my desk, getting up from the floor.

"is that all?" i ask in a huff.

"well, yeah-"

i didn't rid him a simple bye before hanging up the phone. noah walks into the room as i tossed my phone on my desk with a sigh.

"everything okay?" he asks.

"yeah," i mumble, wiping my cheek. i feel his presence appear next to me, his hand sliding on the low of my back.

"don't worry, we're gonna have a great night-" he plants a kiss on my neck. "stress free,-" another kiss. "kids free,-" another kiss.

i couldn't help but giggle. "i can't wait, for real. it's been a long week."

i instantly regret the overshare by the look of confusion on noah's face. i was appreciative when he didn't follow up with a question.

...

it was six forty nine at night, and i was sitting at my vanity putting on my bangle silver bracelet as i stared myself in the mirror. noah was on his way over to pick me up for our date, and brianna was on her way from work to pick up the girls.

my hair was down in waves, and i had done a soft glam to my face. i wore a black long sleeve top to match with my black leggings and black stiletto boots. noah had hinted we were going to some kind of bar but didn't specify, but it was enough to narrow down my options of outfits to wear.

"mom," yaleah calls out softly as her and her sister both entered my room.

"hey guys," i smile at them through the mirror, before spinning around in my seat. "do i look like i'm going to be the prettiest girl at the party?"

they couldn't help but let out a small smile. i always spoke in memes around them.

"yes, you do," raelynn answers with a soft smile. "so beautiful, that we want you to not ruin it with anger when yaleah tells you what we have to tell you."

my smile instantly drops.

"mom,-" raelynn starts again but i cut her off.

"spit it out," i said. although yaleah and raelynn are fraternal twins, who the girls resembles stand out so much that within just week, even jalen was able to tell who was more like who. while yaleah took on all of jalen's looks, her personality and boldness was all me. raelynn took after my looks, but the soft and avoidance in confrontation was all jalen.

"dad called us after school today and asked if we wanted to hang out with him tonight instead of sleep over at titi bri's, and he's on his way over now," yaleah reveals.

if life was a cartoon, steam would've blew from ears from how angry i was.

"and why the hell am i just now finding out?" i asked as i stood up from my seat.

"we asked dad and titi bri not to tell you because we wanted to be the one's to do it. we seen how you get, especially with dad," yaleah continues to explain while raelynn watched beside of her.

i opened my mouth to speak but was interrupted by the doorbell ringing. it was at this moment that i realized it could be one of two things; it was either my date, jalen, or both standing at that door. either way, tonight increases any chances of noah finding out about jalen.

i stormed my way past them and downstairs to the front door, i could hear the girls following fast behind me.

i opened the door to find jalen standing there with a bag of groceries in his hand.

"hey buddy," he greets, but quickly furrows his brows at me as i step outside and look around to see if noah's car was parked around in sight. "i'm right here."

i finally look up at him. "hey jalen, come in."

i step to the side to allow him room to walk in.

"hey dad," the girls greet at once by the steps.

before jalen had to respond, i tell the girls, "go into the living room, i need to talk to him for a second."

"mom, don't-" yaleah starts but i cut her off.

"go yaleah."

i watched as they glance over at their father who gave them a small but noticeable nod. i couldn't help but glared at hum as they walked out of the room.

"how many times are you gonna keep going behind my back?" i asked, folding my arms across my chest.

he smiles.

"what?" i ask.

"you look nice," he compliments.

"jalen."

he tilts his head to the side as he asks, "are you going on a date?"

"i asked you a question first," i argued, but that was enough to earn a laugh from him.

he shrugs his shoulders, caving in. "i knew you would've said no if i had came to you first."

"rightfully so," i nod. "there was a reason why they were going to spend the night at bri's."

"and they still are, " he assures. "i'm just spending time with them and then i'm gonna take them over there."

i shake my head. i didn't have the time or the energy to entertain this. noah was going to be here any second. "whatever, go put those away or something," i tell him, waving my hands to shoo him away.

"first date jitters?"

"jalen,-"

the doorbell rang.

"go, now." at this point, i had grabbed him by the arm and turned him towards the direction of the kitchen and started pushing him out of the hallway. i let go of him when we were halfway in the living room.

i point a finger at him and tell him, "stay."

he raised his arms in surrender, which was the confirmation i needed. i turned around and went to the front door and answered it.

"hey," i smiled.

"hey," he smiles back before leaning into kiss me.

i press my hand on his chest as i tell him, "do you mind if you wait out here really quick? the girls are still here and i just need to grab my stuff."

"yeah, sure, but-"

i didn't give him a chance to ask me anything before i turned around and dashed for the stairs.

i went into my room and grabbed my black puffer vest and black purse. as quickly as i ran into my room to retrieve my things was as quick as i left and head downstairs.

i land the bottom of the stairs to find jalen standing in front of noah with his arms crossed.

"you have got to be kidding me," i said as i approached the scene.

"it was nice to meet you noah," jalen says with a smirk that was clear if to not all the room, me what it meant.

"yeah, back at you," noah says before his eyes trailed over to mine.

i grab a hold of his wrist in one hand and the doorknob in the other as i stepped outside, closing the door behind me. "noah,-"

"that's a nice way to find out your baby dad is back in the picture," he remarks, but by his twisted features  he was beyond pist off.

"i was gonna tell you," i tried to excuse, but he was quicker on his toes.

"when? when i found you two in bed together?"

i shook my head. "oh, fuck you."

"when, ailani?" he asks again.

"i don't know," i admitted. "noah, i'm sorry you had to find out this way but i honestly don't think this is any of your business. i didn't tell you because i wasn't ready and i'm still not ready to talk about it. are you gonna let that dickhead ruin tonight or are we going to go out and enjoy our date?"

he lets out a sigh and wipes his face down. i watched as he walked over to his car and around to the passenger side, opening the door and holding it out for me.

...

JALEN BROOKS

after they drove off, i dropped the curtain to the window facing the front of the house and made my way over to the kitchen. i began to tread lightly when i heard yaleah and raelynn arguing.

"why do you always have to start shit?" raelynn asks. "you know how mom is."

"mom's going to get mad regardless," yaleah argues.

"hey," i intervene as i stepped in. they turned t my with wide eyes. "what's going on here?"

"nothing dad," yaleah waves off. "just dumb stuff."

"well we're not arguing about dumb stuff tonight," i smile before wrapping an arm around her shoulder, pulling her in for a hug. "have you guys met noah?"

they shake their head.

"mom barely talks about him," raelynn informs.

yaleah nods. "yeah, they've been together for a while now though."

i nod my head.

"what about you?" yaleah asks, as she places cookie dough onto the baking pan.

i furrow my brows and chuckle dryly. "what about me?"

she looks up from the pan and at me. "are you dating anybody?"

i shake my head. "no, actually. i just been focusing on work and now, you guys."

"you should find someone," raelynn chimes in. "i think you and mom both deserve to be happy."

"i appreciate that, but really, i'm good on my own for right now."

i watched as yaleah cocks her head to the side, presuming back to the baking tray. " okay, but you're not getting any younger."

...

i woke up to the sound of the front door closing. i was sitting in the middle of the couch with yaleah fast asleep on my left shoulder while raelynn was asleep on the other. the nightmare before christmas had finished playing a while ago and was sitting on the screen.

"hey," ailani greets quietly. i could smell the rum from here.

"hey," i groan out. i slide myself out from between the girls before following her into the kitchen. "how was your date?"

"well your plan to ruin it didn't happen so it was good," she remarks with her back turned towards me. she was in the cupboard grabbing a glass.

"ailani, i'm tired."

she shrugs her shoulders as she heads for the sink. "so go home."

i shake my head. "no, i meant of this. either we clear the air or-"

she turns around to me with a raised brow. "or what, jalen?"

"do we need to take this to the courts?" i asked with the shrug of my shoulders, but i could tell i stepped on the wrong eggshell.

"what more do you want from me?" she asked. i could see the tears start to well in her eyes from across the island. "you ruined me sixteen years ago. i mean utterly and completely ruined me. no matter how i feel, those girls still want you around and i'm trying. i gave you a schedule, i told you how it's too soon for certain things, and yet you cross those boundaries, you go behind my back and you do what you want anyways without any regards to how it impacts my life or my schedule. i'm doing my part, i'm letting you see them so please, please jalen what more do you fucking want from me?"

i was speechless. she had a point. she was letting me see them, and she was always updating me on when would be a good time.

"you're right," i nod. "i didn't mean to offend you by suggesting the courts. i just hate how uncomfortable things are when we have to talk to each other."

she shrugs her shoulders. "there's no air to clear. what happened happened. you're just going to have to suck it up."