excuse all mistakes..

Solana turned the stove off, removing the homemade syrup from the heat. She grabbed her phone and opened the Instagram app, taking a boomerang of the breakfast that she prepared for her and Solai. Once she was satisfied with the presentation, she wrote a caption and posted it to her Instagram story.

"Aright let's go wake babygirl up." Solana nodded. She walked into her room, where Solai was sleeping. Of course Solai didn't agree with sleeping in her room by herself, so she fell asleep right on top of Solana.

She rubbed Solai's stomach softly, watching as her eyes fluttered open. It was the only way that she woke Solai up. She found that it was a more effective method, being that Solai was still so traumatized.

"Hi baby." Solana smiled. Solai immediately crawled to her knees, reaching to be picked up. It was a understatement to say that Solana's arms was Solai's safe spot.

They started on their oral hygiene, brushing their teeth. She sat Solai on the counter, putting the chilldren's toothpaste on her toothbrush. "Smile stink." Solana said, showing her teeth so that Solai could follow.

Solai smiled, showing her little teeth. Solana carefully used the small electric toothbrush and started brushing Solai's teeth. Solana made sure to get Solai's gums and tongue. Solai scrunched her face up, spitting out the toothpaste.

Solana giggled, taking the baby wash cloth and wetting it with warm water. She gently started to wash Solai's face, making sure to move fast and efficiently. She got between Solai's eye crevices and her nose.

"We're all done." Solana gasped, holding her arms out. Solai happily fell into them. "Alright now let me do mines." Solana chuckled, before she started brushing her own teeth.

After they were done with their oral hygiene they moved into their body hygiene. Solana washed both of their bodies quickly, remembering that their food was getting cold.

When they were finally done with getting themselves together, they went to the kitchen to indulge in the breakfast that Solana prepared. "I really made all this food for the two of us Lai." She chuckled.

She started to fill Solai's plate up first with stuff that she knew she would eat. Those things consisted of grits, fruit, and a couple of shrimp. "You ready to eat?" She cooed, sitting Solai down in one of the chairs.

"Eat Eat." Solai mouthed, nodding her head.

"Okay mommy is gonna fix her plate, then we can eat." Solana replied. She filled her plate with everything except for the chicken and eggs. She was just going to pack the chicken up and give it to Cane.

After they said their blessings, Solai reached her arms out wanting to be picked up. "You don't want to eat in your chair stink?" Solai shook her head, with tears forming in her eyes.

Solana pouted, quickly scooping Solai up into her arms. She reached over and grabbed her plate, sitting back down in her chair. "It's okay." Solana cooed, kissing Solai's forehead.

Solana scooped up a spoonful of grits, starting to feed Solai. "We have a big birthday party planned for you stink. I really hope you like it." She said, knowing that Solai probably couldn't understand her.

"It'll be candy, teddy bears, and just so much fun." Solana cheesed, just thinking back to the pictures that she received earlier from the party planner that she hired.

She just hoped that today was smooth and fun for Solai. She didn't want anything to go wrong.

~

happy birthday to the little girl who has my heart forever, I hope that you enjoy everything that we have planned for you. You deserve the world baby, and I'll be sure that you have it. Mommy loves you!

Solana and Solai had just pulled into the venue of the birthday party. Music could be heard from the parking lot, and cars could still be seen parking.

Solana of course invited her family, Heaven and Jayda's clans. She also sent the invitation out to some of her loyal clients who had children Solai's age. In addition to them, she invited Ms. Georgia who brought her grandchildren, and her boss.

"Oh my goodness, it's so beautiful." She said to herself.

"Look Lai, so many people came out to celebrate with you." Solana cooed. She wasted no time parking in front of the entrance getting her and Solai out of the car. "Here, hold your purse babe."

Solai gripped Solana's neck tightly as she held onto her purse. Solana opened the door, and slightly jumped back by all of the yells and screams of people saying 'Happy Birthday.' Her face quickly transformed into a huge grin when she saw her family and all of the decorations.

"Happy Birthday Solai!" Many yelled, making Solai hide her face in Solana's neck.

"Thank y'all so much for coming." Solana sniffled, wiping under her eyes. To say that she was overjoyed was a complete understatement. She felt so at peace. She felt happy.

Heaven smiled, walking over along with all of her kids. "Don't cry mama, we told you that we'd make today special for the both of you." She smiled, wiping the tear from Solana's eye. No matter, how old Solana got she still treated her like her oldest child. Solana was one of her biggest soft spots.

"I'm just s—Wow." She cheesed.

"Aw yall look so cute. I should've known her hair was gone be laid as hell." Jayda chuckled, walking over to the group. Solana had did Solai's hair into a sleek bun.

Solana laughed, shaking her head.

"Nanny can I hold the baby?" Zuri asked, shyly.

"She not no baby crazy girl." Daloni mugged. "She five, don't you see the big balloon that say five?"

"Right. She five Zu, not no baby." Zaloni chimed in.

"Y'all go play somewhere and get out my face. Don't piss me off on this lovely day." Heaven mugged. Of course she had a talk with all of her kids before they arrived, but it seemed as if they forgot about their conversation.

"Go head boo, go say hi to all of your guest. Me and Jay gone go make sure the food and everything is ready." Heaven stated. Solana thanked them and walked off, going to greet all of her clients who had came.

"Hey y'all, thanks for coming." Solana smiled, waving at her clients who were standing around outside.

"You know we wouldn't miss it." Kasey smiled, holding her five-year daughter, Kamora, on her hip.

"Right, everything is so nicely decorated and kid-friendly. You really did a bomb ass job, I'm gone need your ideas for my baby party next month."

Solana giggled. "Pinterest was my best friend. We couldn't really decide on whether we wanted candy land theme or a teddy bear theme, so I tried to do both."

"Is she asleep?" One of her clients asked, noticing Solai buried head in Solana's neck.

Solana looked down, meeting eyes with Solai. "She's very timid, so we're just trying to adjust. You wanna say hi Lai?" She replied. Solai only closed her eyes tightly.

"She'll warm up." Kacey shrugged.

"Well y'all enjoy. Let me know if y'all need anything." Solana nodded, before walking off. She started looking around for Ms. Georgia, noticing that she didn't speak to her yet.

"Nanny can we eat?" Angel asked, running over to Solana with the rest of the kids behind. They had all agreed to ask Solana for permission to eat, because they knew that they'd parents would start fussing.

"Just wait a couple more minutes my babies. I'm about to go check on everything. Where Vaeh?" Solana responded.

"Oh she over there." Angel shrugged.

Solana chewed on her bottom lip, turning her head to see Nevaeh sitting down at a table by herself. She sighed lowly, gaining the courage to walk over.

"Hey Vaeh, mind if we sit?"

Nevaeh shrugged her shoulders, going back to watching the kids play in the foam ball pit.

"Vaeh you don't have to say anything, but I'm just gonna speak right now. You really hurt my feelings, and honestly their still hurting. Out of all of the kids, I thought that you would be the happiest. To hear you say that you could care less about the fact that I brought Solai home really broke my heart." Solana started, feeling the tears burn her eyes.

"Everyone knows that me and you have been joined at the hip, but it's like that all went away when you first heard about Solai. You're making me feel like I'm an awful person, when I'm just trying to share my love with a little girl who's been through so much just like me. Is that such a bad thing? You and your entire family took me in and loved me..how come I can't do the same without you being mad?" She sniffled. She watched as Nevaeh bit down on her quivering bottom lip.

"I just—I just want everyone to be happy. Including me. You don't have to say anything, but I hope that one day you will understand everything." She ended, standing to her feet.

Nevaeh listened to everything that her aunt had just speed out and aggressively wiped her face. Once she saw Solana disappear out of her sight she allowed her mouth to move. "I'm sorry."

~

"Alright y'all know we gotta turn up for the one time. I know it's a kid friendly party, but I just gotta play this birthday song for my new niecey pooh." Heaven shouted in the mic.

She nodded at the DJ as Fly Boi Keno's song 'Its ya Birthday' started playing.

Everyone got up from their seats, mostly the women ready to drop to twerk on the beat. Heaven stood in the middle of the floor along with some of the other moms and started twerking to the beat.

Solana giggled uncontrollably, as she held Solai on her hip. She took out her phone and started recording the women having a good time to the bounce mix.

"Do that shit!" Jayda hyped, seeing Heaven keep up with the beat as it went faster. "POP YO MOTHERFUCKING SHIT SIS!" She yelled, getting everyone else hype as they crowded around Heaven.

"See her ass always doing to much." Zylin shook his head, sipping from his cup.

"Man mama embarrassing." Zaloni mugged.

"Da, go tell her to get up. The hell wrong with her!?" Daloni mugged, fuming.

"Not y'all li ass mad." Cane burst out laughing at his nephews facials expressions. "Man yo these kids really mugging Heav hard as fuck."

"Ayye, eat that shit up!" Heaven gassed, seeing Jayda start to twerk to the beat as well. Jayda always liked to pretend like she couldn't twerk, but the right song could get her out of her seat.

"The fuck she think she doing?" Cane mugged, laughter starting to die down.

"Bow, bow, bow!" Nevaeh yelled, putting her hands on her knees. As soon as she was about to even think about doing the next part, she was scooped up in the air by Zylin.

The song finally went off, making everyone clap their hands. Heaven breathed heavy as she stood back up to her regular upright position. "Shìt, that stuff get me tired now."

"Sorry pooh, but you know I had to cut up for baby Lai." Heaven apologized to Solana. Solana laughed, shaking her head.

"You know I don't mind. Ms. Georgia's not here anyways. Ain't no telling where she at. Anyways y'all ready to eat because it's time for her to eat again."

"Yeah y'all go first and then kids and then adults. Matter fact me and Jayda will fix plates. I don't need nobody thinking they about to get breakfast, lunch, and dinner plates." Heaven waved off.

"Mommy I wanna lay down with you now." Zuri said, quickly walking with Heaven.

"Baby I'm about to fix plates. You need to eat, because you didn't even eat all of your breakfast this morning. Go wash your hands." Heaven replied, washing her hands in the kitchen that was provided by the venue.

"Mommy please. I want you." Zuri begged, trying to squeeze into Heaven's arms.

"Zu, baby please give mommy a couple minutes. Ma Ma stop that." She sighed, hearing her daughter's cries. She scooped Zuri's small body into her arms swiftly walking and looking for Zylin.

"I—I need you." Zuri sobbed, as Zylin took her out of Heaven's arms.

"Ma Ma, she ain't going nowhere. Calm down." Zylin stated, rubbing his daughter's back. He was so ready for the results to come back from Zuri's behavioral and mental wellness test.

"She okay?" Solana asked, putting Solai to her feet. Solai immediately clung to the front of Solana's legs.

"Yeah, I'm about to go back and get her when I'm done with this. Heaven mumbled. "Pumpkin, point to what you want." She said, trying to make conversation to Solai.

Solai pointed to the shrimp alfredo and mac and cheese. Heaven gave Solai a good amount of each, making sure that she had enough just in case.

"Tuh, load me down with everything. I want everything." Solana nodded, clapping her hands together.

"I know Ms. Food disposer." Heaven chuckled.

After everyone's plates were fixed, they all sat around just laughing and enjoying the genuine presence of one another. The music relaxed everyone's bodies, and just allowed everyone to have a natural good time.

Solai had suprised Solana when she wanted to sit in her own chair to feed herself. Of course she dropped food everywhere, but Solana allowed her to enjoy the independence.

"Look at her being a big girl." Jayda pouted, watching Solai struggle to scoop the alfredo into her mouth.

"How much y'all wanna bet baby Lai say her first words today? I got a hundred." Zylin stated, calling a bet. Everyone swore up and down that Solai wouldn't talk for a while, but Zylin had faith that she would.

"I bet she don't. I got two hundred." Cane shrugged.

"Not y'all betting on my baby. Y'all so crazy." Solana chuckled.

Solai pointed at the foam ball pit, and squirmed out of her chair. She took off running towards the pit, tripping over her own two feet making Solana jump to hers.

"Uh oh!" Heaven cooed. "It's okay mama, get back up." She said, remembering what she always told her kids whenever they fell or hurt themselves when they were Solai's age.

"Did she hit her head? What about her knees? I should go see if their scraped?" Solana rambled.

"Babe, she's okay. See, look she got back up and now she's playing." Jayda reassured Solana.

They all watched Solai sit in the foam pit playing with the foam balls. "Look mommy." She mouthed to herself. As Zylin watched her, he squinted his eyes seeing her mouth move.

"Nigga run me my fucking money, she just talked!" Zylin grinned, jumping around.

"Nigga no she didn't!" Cane replied.

"What is y'all talking about?" Heaven frowned.

"Everybody be quiet and just watch." Zylin said.

They all did as told and watched Solai's mouth the words, "Look mommy."

"See I told y'all! Run me my money on foe nem!" Zylin grinned, handing out his hand. Solana's mouth parted, as tears started to form in her eyes.

"D-did she? She called me mommy?" She asked to herself as her voice shook. She slowly stood up from her chair and walked over to Solai. "Hi baby." She smiled, kneeling down to her level. Heaven and Jayda followed.

Solai whined, feeling one of the balls thrown by Zaloni hit her in the back. Luckily it was plastic and an accident, or Heaven was going to wear him out.

"Up mommy." Solai said, in a raspy baby voice. It wasn't loud for everyone to hear, but the trio heard her clear as day. "Mommy up." She repeated, reaching her arms up.

Solana wasted no time, scooping Solai up into her arms, kissing all over her face. "I knew you could do it baby. I knew you'd talk soon." She sniffled.

"I want another baby, and Keontae gone give me one when we get back to the house." Jayda stated seriously.

"No, cause same." Heaven pouted.

~

"Happy Birthday dear Solai, Happy birthday to you!" Everyone sang, smiling at Solai who had been talking to herself the entire time they were singing.

"Come on baby, let's blow." Solana coached. Solai looked at Solana with a confused expression. She had never had a birthday cake, so she didn't know how the tradition went.