Chapter 20

Safaree woke up next to Zuri and Nic, he was happy Nic let him spend the night, as LJ was laid out over Nic. She traced her fingers over his waves as he slept. Safaree watched her for a good 20 minutes until she side eyed him. He looked up at the ceiling and stretched out waking Zuri up. Zuri crawled on him and laid down. LJ stirred in his sleep then looked up at Nic who was watching him. He hugged her frame and kissed her cheek.

“CEREAL!”

“LJ shhh.”

“I want cereal for breakfast.”

“Go brush your teeth and wash your face.”

“Are we going to the park today? I want to go to the park. Right Zeeri?”

“Yep Jay Jay.”

Nicki looked over to Safaree. He smirked as she threw the covers back and got up to help LJ. She walked around the bed to get Zuri who slide down the side and crawled after LJ.

“Damn.”

“What?”

“That ass.”

“Something you’re not getting, so watch it as long as you can.’

Safaree jumped out of bed and grabbed her by the waist and whispered in her ear.

“I can have you if I want to.”

“Only if you rape me.”

She replied punching him in his genitals. He bent over in pain as she walked off.

~~~~~~

Nicki sat behind Zuri as she played in the grass with LJ. They pushed the ball back and forth until Zuri crawled off into the sand box. Nic laid in the grass and closed her eyes until she felt pressure on her body.

“Get off me Safaree.”

“No now you have to talk to me.”

He said laying on her. Nicki laid flat on her back and looked him in his face. Safaree put his leg between her legs and smirked. Nicki smirked back putting her knee right up to his balls. He shook his head and massaged her center.

“Fuck you.”

“Now or…?”

“Get off me Safaree.”

“No talk to me.”

“What do you want?”

“Another baby.”

“Go ask Karen.”

“Us.”

“No.”

“Honest answer only.”

“K.”

“Us?”

“Never again.”

“Why not?”

“You left. Your last straw with me.”

“You serious.”

“As…”

Nicki pushed him over and straddled him getting close to his face. She smirked and puckered her lips then he puckered his then she slapped him cross the face.

“A heart attack. Don’t ever in ya life try me again.”

“Fuck that shit hurt Nic!”

“So what.”

She stood up and went to get the kids. He followed behind her to apologize but she ignored him. He pulled her back and slammed her against the car.

“I need you guys!”

“No you don’t! All you need is Karen & want us to run away to. Don’t call us your family then use and abuse us.”

“I’m not! I’m ready to come home to you and our kids.”

“Show me how serious you are first, show me that Karen is no longer around, divorce papers and everything, but you can’t and won’t, so leave me alone and worry about them for a chance! It’s not just about us, or you. Them too. Mostly about them!”

Nicki pushed him away and got in her car and drove off.

———

Over the next year or two Nicki hadn’t spoken to Safaree, seen him or heard his voice not even when Nancy took them to see him or when they talk to him on the phone. He called every now and then to talk to her, but she wouldn’t pick up the phone.

“Nicki, baby, come here Zuri got something stuck..”

“Blow Z.”

“It hurts!”

“Duh, toys don’t go in your nose duckling.”

“I’m not a duckling.”

Nicki stuck her finger up Zuri’s nose and pulled the popcorn seed out. Zuri’s nose began to bleed. Nicki grabbed a cloth off the table and held her head back and cloth over her nose. Lamar grabbed his phone and called an ambulance then LJ came back with an ice pack. Nicki smiled to herself looking at her new family and what the future would bring them especially her and Lamar.