Page 54 of Her Loyalty

Dominic

"Where T?" Dej asked as she walked in the crib and I plopped down onto the couch.

"She at work right na'."

"I'm bout' to go down to my school and shit though.." I trailed off while I smoked my blunt.

"Oh aight. Where Amiri?" She went onto say and I shook my head, watching him fly pass us.

"Yo!" I yelled as he ran around the house, playing with me. I'd told this nigga to come here and let me put his shoes on multiple times but he was playing in my face right now.

"Yo." She laughed hard.

"That little nigga act just like you." She shook her head as I blew smoke from my mouth, chuckling.

"Don't fuckin' listen." I shook my head as he came running into the living room again and I grabbed him roughly before he could get passed me. He laughed uncontrollably as I put him in the air with one hand.

"Yo." Deja laughed, watching as I held his little ass up in the air.

"T gon' beat your fucking ass handling my nephew like that. You know she don't play."

Smirking, I finally put him down, sitting him on the floor.

"Daddy." He spoke, finally grabbing his shoes and holding them up to me. I couldn't help but to laugh as I put my blunt out and grabbed the shoes from him.

"Na' this nigga wun' put them on."

"He scared na'. He ain't tryna go in the air again." She joked, making me laugh as I shook my head.

My son.

*

Tiana Hours later

"Aye, shawty! Your nigga know you out here lookin' this good?" Dominic pulled up to my job, leaning out of the window.

"Oh my god." I spoke embarrassed, making my way to the passenger side of the car while he laughed.

Getting in, I covered my face as colleagues of mine came out of the building smiling and laughing before he pulled off.

"You're so annoying." I rolled my eyes at him as he smiled his pearly whites, leaning over to kiss me.

"I hate you." I rolled my eyes before giving in and kissing his lips.

"Yeah aight, you love a nigga." He spoke cockily, making me playfully roll my eyes.

As he drove, I pulled out my phone and texted the group chat with Hailey and Deja, letting them know I was off of work. Since the two of them were supposed to be coming over today.

"How was work, ma?" Dom asked as I put my phone in the cup holder, giving him my attention.

"Work was work." I rolled my eyes, sighing.

"Why all that? What's up?" He looked at me out of the corner of his eye with one hand on the steering wheel.

"That bitch ass nigga still givin' you problems?" He asked referring to my pushy, obtuse boss.

Him and Dominic got into it a while back once I came home crying about the way I was being treated there. Seemly because I was the only Black woman working in the entire corporation. But of course he claimed it wasn't that after Dominic got in his ass about it.

"No." I shook my head, followed by a sigh. Knowing that I wasn't telling the truth but I didn't need him trying to kill this man.

"Don't have me go up there again, T." He shook his head.

"Real shit." He licked his lips angrily.

"I'a really do that nigga in." He added and I shook my head, waving him off.

"Don't even worry about it, babe. It's not that deep." I expressed to him and he said nothing else, focusing on the road again.

Deciding to take my mind off of my long day at work, I looked in the backseat wondering where my baby was.

"Where's my baby?" I asked, leaning the chair back.

"I took him by your moms spot. I had to go to school for my fitting this morning." He went onto say, making me smile big.

"Aw, my baby is graduating." I poked my lip out and he smirked, trying hard not to smile.

"Man.." He trailed off.

"Look at you." I grabbed at his facial hair, making him smack his lips.

"I'm so proud of you." I couldn't help but to say.

He was so dedicated to doing this for not only him but for Amiri. To let him know and to show him that he could do anything if he put his mind to it.

"Na' I really need you to be there though." He went onto say.

"I can't do that shit without you there, T."

"I know, babe." I sighed, thinking about how I was going to get out of work that day. My boss was a complete bitch, he was doing anything and everything to make my life miserable.

Including not letting me have off the day of Dominic's graduation.

"I'm really going to try, babe. I promise you." I assured and he shook his head.

"Na' ain't no tryin'. You gon' be there." He spoke sternly, pulling up to mom's house and I couldn't help but to sigh.

I knew this was only going to cause problems not only at work but at home too.

"I'a be right back though. I'm gon' go get him." He told me and I nodded, grabbing my phone out of the cup holder once he got out of the car.

I texted Deja and Hailey back as I waited, still picking my brain for ways I could get out of work next month.

As I did, I looked down at my ring while it shined in the sunlight. Dominic had given me this ring as a surprise after I had Amiri. I couldn't help but to smile every time I looked at it, realizing how far we've come since the beginning.

I was so in love with my soon to be husband.

Breaking me away from my thoughts, the back door opened as my baby climbed into the car.

"Mommy!" He screamed out, making me smile.

"Amiri!" I called out, matching his energy as I turned around to hug him.

"Hi, baby."

"Did you have fun with grandma?"

"Yes." He nodded as Dominic got his seatbelt on.

"Sit back, man." He told him as Amiri kicked his feet happily. He was such a happy baby.

I smiled at him as Dominic closed the door and got back into the car. Pulling away from my mom's, Amiri and I talked the entire ride home. I was tired from work but I'd missed my baby so I didn't mind it at all.

Finally getting home, I got out of the car and I saw Deja and Hailey's car parked in the driveway.

"Aye, stop runnin'!" I heard Dominic yell as Amiri ran over to Deja's car. Obviously upset when he saw she wasn't in it.

"She in the house." Dominic told him as he ran to the front door instead, making him sigh. I couldn't help but to smile as Dominic shook his head. He was his mini me, just like he'd wanted.

Bad and hardheaded.

"I'm gon' beat that little nigga ass." He said to me and I hit him softly, making him laugh.

"Stop calling him that, stupid." I warned as he smiled.

"Na' baby. I'm just talking shit."

"He been playin' with me all day though, you lucky I ain't said more than that." He grabbed me roughly, wrapping his arms around me and I smiled small.

"Na' give me a kiss." He leaned down to kiss me and I did as told, deepening the kiss.

"Mm." He pulled back and bit his bottom lip before leaning in to kiss me again.

"Damn girl." He joked as I shook my head, pulling away.

"I love you, ma." He told me as I walked away from him.

"I love you too, crazy."