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De'Andrae's POV

Finally Monday morning and my mom wouldn't stop calling my phone asking where Crow is. He's fucking dead that's what. His 6 years old sister stays at the daycare my mom owns so she had to take her home. Now she gonna tell me that I'm gonna be responsible for the kid because it was my fault.

I got nothing against Natalia cause she a good kid, she is very nice and we know each other very well. Her mom died in labour and her deadbeat dad ran off long time before she even born. I showered quickly and pulled my clothes on. A blue tight jeans, white air force ones and a white T-shirt. I put on my diamond chain 'Malaya' around my neck.

I walked to my daughter's room to see her knocked out with her tablet playing some lullaby songs. I chuckled making a loud bang on the door. She jerked away with wide eyes then whined when she saw me.

"Daddy not nice" She said rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Come on baby girl. We gotta brush your stinky breath and bathe you" I said going to her closet.

"Where we goin' today?" She asked me

"I'm going to work. You gonna stay at the daycare with grandma then Micah gonna pick you up and stay here with you until I get home" I said taking out a blue jeans pants and a long sleeve pink top.

"Yay! So Micah not go to school?" She asked me excitedly.

"Yes, he's going to school but he will pick you up after" I said to her

Micah is her 16 years old babysitter going to high school. I trust him around my daughter but even though he's kind of a scaredy-cat, he keeps my daughter safe and I'm cool with that. He also needs the money for school and for helping his parents out so I respect his hustle. I got out some spare clothes for Malaya when she goes to the daycare.

"Pretty girl come on, bathroom now. I'm gonna make you breakfast before we go to grandma" I said to her after packing her bag.

I bathe her quickly then dry her. I dressed her in her jeans pants and her shirt letting her choose the shoes she wants to wear. She chose some pink and white air max which looked good with it. I helped her make her bed then we went down for breakfast.

"What you want for breakfast?" I asked her

"Eggs" She said to me

"You want an egg sandwich?" I asked her

"Yes. Not big eggs, small eggs" She said to me

I knew what she meant. She wanted scrambled eggs so thats what I made. Some scrambled eggs, bacon and toast bread. I got her some warm milo then hand it over to her. While we ate, I packed her snacks for the day after she picked out what she wanted. I grabbed her lunch bag and her clothes bag bringing thenu to the car in the garage then drove it out front. I locked up like I do every morning I'm leaving.

"Laya you finish eating?" I asked her as I walked back into the kitchen. She finished drinking her tea then hopped off her chair.

"We go now?" She asked me

"Malaya, what did I tell you about wasting my food?" I asked her seeing the bread crust on the plate.

"You eat" She whined

"Don't let me have to slap you. Eat it" I said to her sternly. She took them eating them as I washed the plates, turning them down.

"I finish eating now" She said to me

"You wanna use the bathroom before we go?" I asked her. She shook her head no.

We left the house shortly after heading to the daycare center while Malaya played whatever songs comes on the radio. I drove nodding to whatever sound sensible. I parked in front of the daycare getting Malaya bags then getting her out. She skipped towards the doors making me hold her back by the back of her shirt.

"I'll kill that happiness real quick. What are you doing all of that for?" I asked kissing my teeth. She giggled holding ny3hand.

"Sorry daddy, I eat Milo in the morning," She said giggling. I chuckled pulling the door open letting her go in first. I saw my mom with Natalia who was playing with some toys.

"Mam wassup?" I asked hugging her and kissing her cheek

"Hi Nana" Malaya said walking over to Natalia.

"Boy, I should slap you in the face. You should have been here 10 minutes ago" She said pulling me away from the kids.

"Whatchu mean? I ain't do nothing and whatchu talking bout slapping?" I asked frowning at her.

"You said that baby's brother died. How did he died? De'Andrae I will slap you so hard, your future kids will feel it" She said to me

"No Angela, I'm a grown ass man so talk to me better. Secondly he was a snitch but I was gonna let him run off then Tank shot his ass which forced me to kill Tank. I only was sparing him for his Lil sister now he's gone. What am I supposed to do now?" I asked her

"I told you already. You gonna take care of that little girl since she got nobody and she trust no one  right now but you." She said to me

"Ma I already got Malaya, what will I be doing with another toddler?" I asked her

"You're 27 years old. When I was 24 I already had you and your two sisters and y'all were bad as hell. Then I had your little brother. Drae you can do this" She said to me

"You know with my line of work— Ow what the hell man" I said rubbing the back of my neck where she hit me.

"You ain't supposed to be taking life. Out here acting like you damn God. Let him deal with them and whatever beef you had with her brother, it wasn't with her. She got nobody now Drae" She said to me "Might as well adopt her too cause she and Malaya  already close" she added watching the two girls play.

"Ma why don't you keep her? People gon start asking questions and I'm not up for that" I said to her

"I got your brother and sister to worry about. I can't take on a baby Drae" She said to me

"Neither can I" I said to her

"Just think about it. Maybe you should go to her brother's place for her clothes and by the end of the day, we will talk about it" She said walking away. I sighed putting down Malaya's bags.

"Malaya come give daddy a kiss. I'm gonna go to work now" I said stooping. She ran over to me hugging me and kissing my mouth.

"I luhh you daddy" She said to me.

"I love you too mama." I said to her. I looked over at Natalia and sighed.

"You think Natalia should come live with us?" I asked Malaya. She nodded quickly with a big ass grin on her face.

"She come home with me and she be my sister right?" She asked me

"Yeah sure. I'll tell grandma to let her go home with Micah this afternoon" I said to her. She smiled running over to Natalia.

After I talked to my mom, I left to Crow's apartment telling Vaughn to meet me there. When I got there, I took the fire escape going then went inside the apartment. I started packing her bags and took his money stash from the living room wall. When the bags were packed, I took it back to my place in one of the spare rooms. I'll text Micah to unpack them up.

To Micah: Unpack the clothes in the spare room for Natalia and you should pick her up from the daycare with Malaya. We'll talk about the new payment when I get there.