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KC 15 | ????????

"I still wanted ta' see you before then. What you doin'?"

Moira squinted, almost making Michael crack into a smile. "Working."

"Other than working, girl," he responded.

"Das all I'm doin'."

He could sense her irritancy by the tone of her voice and knew that it was probably time for him to leave her alone. He didn't want to get her fired or anything for playing around on the clock.

"You want me ta' leave fa' real?" he questioned with an amused smile.

"Yes, I'm gettin' off soon."

His arms shot up a surrender and he gave her an understanding not. "Aight, but I'ma be outside waitin' on your ass."

"Okay. Please go."

"Why you actin' like dat? You embarrassed by me?" he questioned jokingly, cocking his head to the side.

"No, Michael. Go." She pushed him gently towards the exit and he chuckled before leaving out. As much as he wanted to play like a creep and watch her through the window, he wasn't about to have anyone thinking he was being serious and try to jump him. So, he chose peace today and waiting in the car like he said he would.

••

OCT 08, 2020

"I'm scared, man."

Moira looked up from her cellphone and at Michael. "Of?"

"Beauty asked me if she could go ta' dis lil' girl's sleepover party next weekend, and 'Ion know how ta' fell." He sighed. This was a big step in parenthood, especially while he was on his own. Beauty was growing up too damn fast for his liking.

"Let her go." Moira shrugged.

"'Ion want someone else ta' be in charge of my daughter's safety."

Michael had never gone more than a few nights without his baby, and that was only because she would be at her grandparents' home. He'd never met her friends before, nor had she ever gone to someone else's house other than family or Moira's.

"I think she'll be fine," Moira assured him. "Let her go, she's gonna have fun and love you for lettin' her."

Michael sucked his teeth. "She should already love me."

"Daddy!" He heard Beauty shout from her bedroom. She was supposed to be asleep right now.

Michael looked at his girlfriend and said, "I'll be back." Moira nodded, looking down at her phone again as he left and went into his daughter's room. He saw that she was at her dresser, reaching up as far as she could to try and turn on the lamp. "What's goin' on, babygirl?"

"I'm not sleepy." She turned in his direction as he turned the lamp on for her. He saw she was giving him the puppy eyes that somehow always worked on him.

"It's 9:30, mama."

"'Ion wanna go ta' sleep."

Michael released a gentle sigh. "You gonna be tired tomorrow," he tried to reason, but Beauty didn't exactly see it that way because Michael never sent her to school if she was too tired to go. He felt it was important to emphasize listening to your body and getting the exact amount of sleep you need.

What would be the point in sending her if she was going to sleep through everything anyway?"Can I stay up with you and Moira, daddy? Pleaseeee?" she begged him, grabbing onto his leg, just below the knee, and giving him those eyes again.