"Would you be mad if Daddy started dating?" Genesis asked Flaire as they lay on the couch watching a movie.

Flaire looked at Genesis without responding; she twisted her lips thinking about it.

"I don't think I'll be mad, but I do think I'll feel a way since the only person I've ever seen him with is Mommy."

"That's how I feel."

"Why? He has a girlfriend or something?" 

"I think he likes my neighbor."

"Why do you say that?" 

"They met two weeks ago, and when he came over last week, he kept looking towards her house. Then, yesterday, he talked to her; they were just too smiley and touchy. It was so cute but so weird." 

"I would ultimately be happy for him; Daddy's life has been full of pain for the last three years. I don't want him lonely forever, and I don't think Mommy would've wanted him to be alone either."

"Shit, not me." Genesis scoffed. "If I pass, Devon better not ever get into another relationship. He better not ever let a motherfucker tell him she'll want you to move on because no the fuck I wouldn't; you better come sit at my grave the rest of your life." 

"Dig a motherfucking hole in the ground and nut on my casket forever." 

"Flaire!" Genesis yelled, laughing. "You say anything!" 

"I'm so serious. I feel the same way; how do you love me but don't love me enough to stay single?" 

"We need to go to therapy." Genesis wiped her face. "There's no way we should be like this. How are you and Keygan anyway?" 

"We're amazing." She smiled. "We've been closer and better since we broke up for the second time. I be wanting to give that man a baby so bad." 

"Girl, please don't have a baby yet."

"Sissy, I said, wanting to not gonna. I'm too young and turnt."

"And stay that way; you have your whole life to become parents. You're never going to be a teenager in college again, this is your time to live your life up without no complications." 

"Would you be disappointed if one of us became a teenage mom?" 

"No, but I would educate y'all on understanding I only have two kids. Especially now that Daddy is back, it's time I focus on the family I created. I'm not raising my kids, you guys, and any other baby. It's time I become selfish." 

"And I absolutely love that for you. You never really got a chance to be a wife and a mom to your kids." 

"Yes, I miss y'all every day, but knowing I can wake up and not hear any arguing or someone fighting or swinging makes me smile so much harder." 

"Oh girl, fuck you." Flaire laughed as their father walked into the house with bags. "Anything for me in there?" 

"Yeah." He spoke, putting the bags on the couch as he threw a box of condoms at her. 

"Daddy, what?" She asked, feeling disgusted. 

"Where are Haven and Indi?" He said, then stopped. "Well, not Indi."

"Haven, Daddy, want you!" Flaire yelled. "Daddy, what are you doing?" 

"Yes, Daddy?" Haven spoke from the top of the stairs. 

"C'mere." 

Haven stomped down the stairs as she folded her arms, standing before him. She looked at the box of condoms on Flaire's lap and furrowed her eyebrows. 

"I'm handing both of you guys a pack of condoms, Flaire. You're about to go to college, so you'll probably need more, and Haven, if you need any more, just ask." 

"Daddy, I won't need these." Flaire joked.

"You and Keygan don't use condoms?" 

"Daddy, I'm uncomfortable." Haven scratched her arms.

"We have to have uncomfortable conversations because you're sexually active, and I cannot stop that, but I can try to prevent babies." 

"Imma be honest with you, Daddy; we don't use condoms," Flaire spoke.

"Then are you on birth control?" 

"No."

"So what are you doing to protect yourself from STDs and pregnancy?"

"Daddy, do you really think Keygan will cheat on me?" 

"Is Keygan the only man you ever had sex with?" 

"Yes." She furrowed her eyebrows.

"And are you the only one he had sex with?" 

"No." 

"Did he get tested before having sex with you? Was he having sex without condoms with those girls? Have you been tested?" 

"I don't know." Flaire kept the same face now in deep thought. "I didn't get tested, and I should have." 

"Now, Keygan and Ezra are good guys, and I doubt they would cheat on you because I will kill them, but you always have to protect yourself." 

"I never asked Ezra if he's been tested," Haven said, furrowing her eyebrows.

"What are we talking about?" Indigo asked, walking down the stairs. 

"Have you ever made Sevyn get tested?" Haven asked.

"Yes, ma'am." Indigo nodded. "And when he got shot, they did another test. My man was clean."

"That doesn't matter; y'all never did anything, right?" Genesis asked.

"You want me to lie or be truthful?" 

"I mean, you are basically saying what you got to say." 

"Are you having sex now?" Aziel asked.

"Daddy, now what man am I getting when I still cry over mine every night?" 

"Not the baby sister having more sense than me. Genny, you and Devon get tested?" 

"Yes, although I'm married and trust that man, he's still a man."

"Daddy, you ever cheated on mommy?" Indigo asked.

"Yes, when we first got together, I cheated a lot." 

"Ew, Daddy, I hate a cheater. Why did you do that?" Flaire said.

"Shit, I was young and just wanted to do me but didn't want to let yo momma go either. I stopped once I got her pregnant and have been faithful ever since."

"Would you would have married momma if you didn't get her pregnant?" Haven asked.

"I would've, just not as soon. I would've allowed us more time as kids before we became adults. I love y'all with everything in me, but we never got to see the world together, live together without kids and were never selfish. I regret not showing her the world and how much she meant to mean." 

"Would you date now?" Flaire asked.

"I have actually been asking myself that lately. How would y'all feel about that?" 

"I would probably feel a way for a few because I've never seen you with anyone but mommy, but I want you to be happy, so if someone is making you happy, be happy," Flaire answered.

"I don't want you to date Daddy if we're being honest," Indigo said.

"I agree," Haven added. 

"We just got you back; I have to share you with three other girls, and then you have Ginny's kids and your full-time job. It's already selfish." 

"Girl, that's so selfish." Ginny chuckled and then looked at Aziel. "Daddy, you're allowed to be selfish."

"I was asked my opinion." Indigo rolled her eyes. 

"Daddy, honestly, I would hate that lady, and please don't let her come in here thinking she finna be my stepmom." Haven included.

"Y'all are weird," Ginny said. "Y'all think y'all raggedy asses the only ones in here that get to date? Y'all don't even be around daddy; you be up under Ezra all day every day, Indigo, you be doing other shit, shit even I have been slacking with spending time with daddy. Flaire has been the only one with him, so why would y'all stop him from being happy when he's by himself in the house the majority of the time?" 

"Who says a relationship has to make him happy?" Indigo asked.

"Relationship, friendship, sex. It don't matter what it could be, he shouldn't have to put his life on pause because his ungrateful daughters can't fathom letting them father be unapologetic happy."

"Or how about because our father has been wrongly accused of murdering our mother, and he's been in jail for two years? Maybe we just want to spend time with him without distractions?" Haven scrunched her face up. 

"So why haven't you?!" Genesis raised her voice a little As Flaire looked between the two. "Every time he asks you to do something, you are either too busy, bring Ezra, or flat out say no. You're the least one here to spend time with Daddy, but you have an opinion on a relationship. You go to the firehouse to talk to Milly but won't bring Daddy lunch to eat with him."

"Woah woah woah." Flaire pushed her hands out, scrunching her face up. "Talk to Milly? Wassup with that?" 

"First of all, I went to the firehouse to give him back something he gave me. Secondly, you're going so hard, and for what? There was no need to say anything about that other than being messy." 

"My point still stands: y'all want someone always to put y'all first, and y'all can never do the same. Y'all are selfish."

"Oh, you're obviously mad about something else, and I'm not going to go back and forth with no pregnant bitch whose hormones are messing with her head." 

"Woah, Haven." Indigo looked at her.

"No pregnant bitch?" Genesis asked, standing up as she began walking towards Haven. "Who are you really talking to, Haven? I will make you cry in here." 

"Whew, wait what the hell?" Flaire stood up.

"Let's calm down," Aziel spoke, grabbing Genesis. "This wasn't meant for anything to go opposite. Genesis, they're allowed to feel how they feel. I asked them their feelings so they could tell me the truth." 

"It's her pregnancy hormones," Haven repeated, rolling her eyes.

"If it were my pregnancy hormones, I would've pulled you over this table and beat your ass, but Imma just leave. Daddy, I love you, and I'll call you." 

"Now, how the hell do you piss the sister that doesn't even get pissed off?" Flaire asked, laughing. 

"She doing too much." 

"You know she would've fucked you up, right?" Flaire continued laughing. "Y'all think I was bad; I have nothing on Genesis. Why y'all think she is so calm now? She used to be crazy until she had to sit down. Tell em daddy."

"Flaire, I'm not entertaining this." Aziel shook his head.

"I'm just letting her know. Genesis got it, and she was a boxer. Pregnant and all, she would've literally had you in here crying for her to stop. You better go apologize before she comes back." 

"Flaire, you are pissing me off." Indigo laughed. "You're gassing."

"No, I'm not. Daddy, please back me up." Flaire smiled, amused.

"Genesis used to be a fighter and took boxing." 

"She woulda wore Haven AWT!" Flaire yelled, laughing, making Indigo laugh.

"Daddy, you done so I could go back upstairs?" Haven rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, take your box of condoms and tampons."

 "I don't use tampons; I use pads." 

"I'll take those." Flaire grabbed them out of his hand.

"Okay, next time I go to the store, I'll get some. Indi, tampons, or pads?" 

"Depends." 

"What the hell is that?" He furrowed his eyebrows, making Flaire laugh.

"Daddy, adult diapers."

"I'm not buying those." He said as they all started laughing. 

"I'm tired; I'm going to take a nap." Haven yawned.

"Why are you always so tired? Daddy, I think you're too late for the condoms." Flaire said, making Haven stop on her heels.

"Oh, go to Hell, I'm not pregnant." 

"How you know?" Aziel asked.

"Daddy, don't entertain Flaire. If any of us get pregnant, it'll be Flaire." 

"Daddy, she's deflecting." Flaire laughed as she went upstairs. "But she right. Imma have a kid in like five years; Keygan wanna marry me first." 

"You don't wanna get married?" 

"Daddy, I don't care to be married. I will be with that man for the rest of my life; we don't have to be married to know that." 

"Your mother said that too." He smirked. "She loved being a wife, though."

"I love being a wife too." Flaire smiled, twisting her ring. "Daddy, let's go fishing."

"Ooh, I wanna come," Indigo said, taking a selfie.

"Let's do Saturday." 

"I'm going to Sevyn house, I'll be back in time for dinner." 

"And what you finna do?" 

"Have a conversation with Keygan about the things I don't know about him." 

"Oh Lord, let me tell him I mistakenly got him trouble." He pulled out his phone just as the bell rang. "That's probably him." 

Indigo opened the door without checking to see who it was, but it was just Keygan, so she spoke and walked past him, entering Sevyn's mother's car. Keygan walked further into the living room, dabbing up Aziel, then walking towards Flaire.

"I'll give y'all time to yourself; Imma go shower," Aziel said, about to walk out, then stopped. "My bad in advance."

Keygan furrowed his eyebrows as Aziel jogged up the stairs. "What does that mean?" 

"How many people have you had sex with?" 

"Hello to you too, baby," He kissed her forehead. "Why are you asking me about shit that doesn't matter?" 

"Have you been tested between every partner?" 

"Flaire, you-"

"Have you been tested before fucking me after fucking them?" 

"What does this have to-"

"You knew Sapphire cheated on you, were you fucking her raw? Did you get tested after?" 

"You gon let me answer something or gon keep putting the answers into your head?" 

"Go ahead." 

"When we broke up, I had sex with five people, including Sapphire. Truthfully, I used a condom with all four, but I did go raw in Sapphire three times. I got tested after I broke up with Sapphire, but after Sapphire, I had sex with four more girls and got head from like six. I got tested again before we got back together; if you wanna see the results, I'll pull up MyChart."

"The second time we broke up together?" 

"Too sad and too focused on you to even look at a bitch." He said. "We can make an appointment to get tested together."

"Let's do that."

"What brought this conversation to the surface?" 

"We were talking about if we've ever been tested before. I've only been with you, so I never thought of being tested, but that was stupid thinking." 

"No, it wasn't because I'll never bring nothing to you." 

"Not intentally."

"Intentional or not, I knew to get tested before even touching you. I was never going to wear a condom with you; this my shit." 

"We really never wore condoms before; I don't even know what a condom feels like." She chuckled. 

"We are living dangerously." 

"Can I ask a question? Are you going to be honest with me?" 

"Always." 

"Was there ever anybody you liked better than me?" 

"As far as what? Sex?"

"Yeah."

"Never. Nobody has ever made me feel how I feel when fucking you. The way you treat me emotionally always makes the sex ten times better. I barely remember what sex feels like with anyone else." He reassured. 

"You're so perfect." She grabbed both sides of his head, pouting. 

"For you." He leaned in to kiss her. "Let's watch a movie and tell Aziel he's safe to come back down."

~

Milly, Ron, Monster, and Martin sat in the car, vibing to music in their own worlds. Milly was currently driving while Monster sat in the passenger seat with Martin and Ron in the back. They were currently on their way to a graduation party for their cousin. 

"Bro, you can't keep your eyes off ya damn phone," Monster said, looking at Milly, who was currently texting through traffic. 

"It's a red light." 

"Nigga, it's a red light cause you're too busy texting to go through the green." 

"Who you texting on Snapchat anyway?" He asked, snatching his phone. "Damn, she bad." 

"Bro, give me-"

"Wait, is this Indigo?" He furrowed his eyebrows, getting Martin and Von's attention as Martin leaned up to look at his phone.

"No, that's her sister." Martin tilted his head. "Why you texting Haven?"

"I can't have friends?" Milly asked.

"This conversation don't seem friendlike to me," Monster scrolled through the messages.

"You tripping," Martin shook his head.

"This nigga loves a female with a nigga." Ron added.

"You a side nigga?" Monster asked with mouth slightly open. "Again?" 

"Damn, why y'all up in my business?' Milly snatched his phone back.

"That shit gon get messy as hell," Martin said.

"I'm not fucking with Haven, we just friends." 

"Nah, I see the way you be looking at her. You can't be friends with someone you want." Ron told him. 

"The girl got a fucking boyfriend." Martin reminded Milly, causing him to smack his teeth. 

"I'm not finna keep repeating myself. We're friends, and that's it." 

"You know you too emotional to be that girl friend bro, you gon cause problems between everybody and Indigo been through too much," Ron said.

"Word, you not even thinking bout Indigo in this shit. When shit get too messy and she gotta pick sides who you think she gon pick? Her best friend or her blood sister?" Martin asked.

"And why you want a bitch with a nigga anyway? Look how she doing that nigga bro, we too grown for that shit now." Monster added.

Milly leaned back, pressing the volume up to block them out. He was irritated because he knew they were right; he did like Haven, and she did have a boyfriend. He knew he needed to leave her alone before it did get to a point of no return.

"Maicee said she just got there," Ron announced. 

Milly nodded while pulling into the driveway; everybody got out except him. He needed a moment to himself; he sat there for two more minutes, and when he was about to get out, a knock sounded on the window. 

"Hey, um you got a lighter?" Mac asked.

"Uhh-" Milly dragged out, looking through his armrest console and pulling out a lighter. "Here." 

"Thank you," 

"Ya name Mac, right?" 

"The one and only," She smiled. "You and your cousin look so much alike I don't know which is which." 

"Milly," 

"You wanna hit this?" 

"Nah mama, I don't smoke." He chuckled.

"You mind standing with me while I hit this? I don't wanna enter the party alone and your family be looking like who this bitch," 

"That's exactly how they are too," He got out the car not bothering to lock the door. "Aren't you on probation? They let you smoke?" 

"Luckily, I only had to do two months of probation so I can smoke." 

"Why you get locked up again?" 

"I stupidly followed behind someone I thought was my best friend and burned bridges that I can't mend." 

"With Haven?" 

"Yeah,"

"From what I know, Haven is forgiving; you just gotta give her time." 

"You know her well?" 

"We newly friends, basically my drinking partner." He smirked.

"She's so different then how I remember." 

"How so?" 

"For one, she didn't drink." Mac chuckled. "And she had bad anxiety to the point she wouldn't talk or stand up for herself. I was surprised to see her arguing with Mai, she would never." 

"Word? I can't see that." 

"I lowkey like it, I always wanted her to stand up for herself. With the sisters she has, I knew she had it in her. I'm proud of her but more disappointed in me. I'll never get the chance to know that Haven." 

"Maybe you will," He shrugged. "Stick around and show change, I know she'll forgive you." 

"Oh yeah? So when she doesn't, you gon comfort me?" She flirted making him chuckle.

"I could do something," 

"I bet." 

Mac and Milly continued talking outside, and she eventually stuck around him constantly. He barely had time to check his phone, and he was grateful because he usually waited around for Haven messages.