"I'm here to get Nevaeh Brown." Solana told the receptionist, hoisting Solai up on her hip. She had gotten permission from Heaven to check Nevaeh out of school early to take her on a little date.

"Can I see your ID?"

Solana nodded, handing over her identification. Once the receptionist checked Nevaeh's pick-up list and matched Solana's name on it, she handed it back over.

"Alright, just sign the checkout book and I'll notify her teacher to send her down."

"Thank you." Solana replied, signing the logout book. She was slightly nervous to see Nevaeh's reaction, but she hoped that it wasn't bad like her recent ones to seeing her.

A couple minutes later Nevaeh entered the front office with her things. She looked at Solana and Solai and frowned. "What you doing here?" She asked. Usually Heaven would tell the kids when they were getting out of school early, so she was caught off guard.

"I was thinking we could go grab some food and just have some fun." Solana replied, nervously.

"Oh." Nevaeh simply responded. She left out of the office leaving Solana and Solai behind. After exiting the building, she looked for Solana's car and waited by it, pulling out her phone to text her mom.

Solana sighed, unlocking the doors buckling Solai into her car seat. She could already feel Nevaeh's energy, and it was making her sad all over again. She just wanted everybody to be happy.

"Anywhere in particular you want to eat at?" She asked, finally getting in the driver's seat starting the car.

"It doesn't matter." Nevaeh shrugged, staring out the window.

"What about the restaurant we first went to when I came to stay with you guys?" Solana smiled, thinking of the memory and how pure it was. She remembered it vividly because of how Nevaeh acted with the waiter about her and Heaven's to-go orders.

"Sure." Nevaeh shrugged again.

Solana nodded, driving in the restaurant's direction. The car ride was filled with an awkward silence, and it was making her feel out of place. She would occasionally look over at Nevaeh, and could see how annoyed she was.

Once they arrived at the restaurant and was seated, Nevaeh took out her airpods and connected them in her ear. She blasted her music, so that she didn't have to engage with Solana or Solai.

Solana chewed on her bottom lip, taking out her phone going to her and Heaven's message thread.

MyMama 🫶🏾💓

Ma, I don't know what else to do. I think I'm just gone bring her back to the house with you guys because it's like she hates being in my presence. I don't want to seem like a snitch, but ma she's really hurting my feelings. We'll be there soon..I love you

Wow, I'm sorry baby. Bring her back here and we'll all sit down and talk. I love you more!

"Hello I'll be your waiter for today, can I get you guys started off with any drinks or appetizers?"

"Hey, I'll just take a sweet tea. Do you guys have like apple juice or any kid's drinks?" Solana replied.

"We have apple juice, milk, and a virgin shirley temple."

"I'll just get a apple juice for her and she'll take the strawberry lemonade. We're also ready to order our main entrée." Solana nodded, trying to get everything over as quick as she could.

Nevaeh took one of her airpods out, giving her attention to the waiter. "I just want to get the chicken parmesan with mashed potatoes and the house salad." She stated.

"Did you want ranch with that salad?" The waiter asked.

"Yes, and can I get extra ranch?" Nevaeh asked. Once the waiter nodded his head, he turned his attention to Solana.

"I'll just take the turkey club wit french fries, and chicken tenders and mac and cheese for her. Can we just get everything to-go as well? I'm sorry for the sudden change." Solana said. Nevaeh frowned at her aunt, but put her airpod back in.

"Yes ma'am, not a problem."

"Eat mommy." Solai whispered, tapping Solana's arm.

"Yes baby." Solana smiled, softly tapping Solai's nose making her smile. Solana still talked in very short sentences, because Solai was still learning how to comprehend like other kids her age.

~

"Sit your ass down, give me the phone and airpods." Heaven mugged, stopping Nevaeh from going upstairs. She didn't understand how one day Nevaeh was saying that she would apologize, and the next she was acting the same way.

"I didn't even do nothing." Nevaeh groaned.

"We ain't ask you shit, sit down like she said. Fuck wrong with you?" Zylin replied, hearing Nevaeh talk back. He was also tired of Nevaeh's newfound attitude and behavior.

"It's okay y'all. We just gone go in the kitchen and eat." Solana spoke up, feeling nervous. The last thing she wanted was to get Nevaeh in trouble.

"No it's not okay." Heaven shook her head. "Nevaeh I don't understand. Can you explain to all of us why you're walking around like Solana commited a crime?"

"I'm sorry." Nevaeh simply stated, turning her head to Solana.

"No don't try to push out a quick apology now, because you don't mean it. Explain to us, express yourself instead of walking around like the world is against you." Heaven responded.

"Y'all didn't do anything to me. I just don't like how everything is moving so fast. Y'all are expecting me to just adjust like everybody else, but I can't. I miss when it was just me and SoSo. Now I have to share her with everybody and especially since she got a kid now." Nevaeh shrugged, looking at the floor.

"Well Vaeh you haven't even tried to adjust with Solai. You disengage everytime me and her come around. I know that it's just been me and you for a while, but I'm growing and that's going to include building my own family." Solana replied.

"See that's the thing. You're going to forget about us when this little family comes along." Nevaeh scoffed.

"N-Nevaeh I don't know what else to say. You and your entire family saved me from dying. Mama saved me from being buried alive, she saved me from wanting to take my life away multiple of times. Without you guys I would've probably been dead. You guys gave me the best family anybody could ask for. I'm just trying to do the same for Solai. S-She doesn't have anybody Nevaeh, she was left to die just like m—me." Solana explained, trying to hold back her sobs.

"I'm just trying to give her the best family like you guys gave to me. Why is that such a bad thing?" She added.

"Vaeh papa was just like SoSo and baby Lai. He didn't have any family. The state was going to eventually just stop his cancer treatments and let him die. I made it my duty to provide papa with everything he needed. If it wasn't for me papa, your brother, would probably be dancing in the sky right now. Heaven stated.

Nevaeh sniffled, wiping her face. "I never meant to be selfish. I just—I'm sorry. I'll fix my attitude and everything I just don't want to be forgotten about."

"I promise you won't be. That's why I wanted to take you out today. I will never forget about you Vaeh. You'll forever be my best friend." Solana sniffled.

"I'm sorry for my attitude lately." Nevaeh apologized.

"You good, just remember that papa and SoSo was just like baby Lai. Everybody isn't blessed with a loving family so just cherish the one you have." Zylin replied.

"Yes sir." Nevaeh nodded. "Can I hold her?" She asked, pointing to Solai who stared at her with a blank look.

"Of course." Solana smiled. Solana tried to put Solai in Nevaeh's arms, but the little girl fell out whining and kicking her legs.

"Her little mean ass." Zylin chuckled. "Come on baby Lai." He cheesed, holding his arms out. Solai shook her head holding onto Solana's neck for dear life.

"Don't ask me for no dino nuggets ever." Zylin mugged.

"I bet she go to mama. She a baby whisperer." Nevaeh laughed.

"They just like her for her titties literally." Zylin shrugged.

"Nigga shut up. Come on stinky butt." Heaven cooed, reaching her arms for Solai. Solai happily went int Heaven's arms resting her hand in her mouth.

"That ain't fair." Nevaeh frowned.

"Blah blah blah, me and my baby about to go take a nap." Heaven waved, walking upstairs with a content Solai. Solana only shook her going to put their food in the refrigerator.

"So da, remember that guy from my apartment that helped me?" Solana asked, noticing Zylin follow her in the kitchen.

"Yeah what about him?" Zylin replied.

"Well he texted me on Instagram, and wanted to take me out for lunch next weekend. I wanted to run the idea by you before I responded to him." She said.

"I need to look into him first because how the hell he keep popping up?" Zylin shook his head. "Y'all said y'all met before that invasion at your house. All of a sudden he your neighbor?"

"He seems really nice." Solana shrugged.

"Yeah seems. Solana I'm not trying to have you going through no more trauma. Don't get me wrong I know you'll eventually have a boyfriend, but just let me see bout him first." Zylin replied.

"Okay."

~

"So I see she's adjusting pretty well. How's she doing physically and as far as gaining weight?" Mrs. Georgia smiled, watching Solai drag her human-sized teddy bear around the house.

"She's gained eight more pounds. She's eating more and gaining a little bit of independence. She also said her first few words at her birthday party." Solana nodded.

"Oh really? That's great." Mrs. Georgia replied, writing down notes. "So I know I mentioned us opening up an investigation for the home invasion, but there's really no point. It was out of your control."

"Yes ma'am. I can assure you that she's safe. We'll be staying here for a while, and my ma is also a licensed foster parent. She's going to be helping me out with babygirl too." Solana mentioned.

"Okay, but will you be getting your own place again?"

"Yes ma'am. I'm looking into buying the house next door. I'm waiting until it's finished being built." Solana responded.

"Alright. Do you have any questions or concerns for me regarding Solai?" Mrs. Georgia asked.

"Any luck with the police finding her biological parents?" Solana nervously asked. "I just don't want there to be any chance of them trying to get her back."

"Police are still looking for them. I can assure you that they won't ever have the chance of raising Solai again. Speaking of, is adoption still on the table?"

"Yes ma'am. Adoption and the changing of her last name." Solana said. She was still in the middle of the whole adoption process, and quite frankly she was ready for it to be over.

"Alrighty. Well I'll see you guys next week. Please don't hesitate to call me with any questions or concerns." Mrs. Georgia stated, standing to her feet. Honestly she was proud of Solana. Solana had been one of the youngest people ever to foster and adopt a kid since she had been in the social work field. She could tell that Solana had her head on straight, which is why she was rooting for her and Solai.

After Solana walked Mrs. Georgia to the front door, she closed it and locked it behind her. "What you doing pretty girl?" She cooed, scooping Solai up into her arms.

"Boobear." Solai whispered, pointing to her teddy bear.

"Pick boobear up?" Solana asked.

"Up boobear." Solai nodded. Solana chuckled leaning down to pick up the huge bear. Solai kissed the bear, before kissing Solana's cheek as well. "Boobear mommy."

Solana chuckled. "What color?" She asked, pointing to the bear. Solana and Heaven were both trying to teach Solai her colors, body parts, and basic sight words. It was a slow process, but Solai showed progress everyday.

"Bwown." Solai whispered, laying her head in the crook of Solana's neck. "Boobear bwown." She repeated.

Solana gasped, tickling Solai's stomach. "Good job baby. What color?" She asked, pointing to Solai's baby blue shirt.

"Boo." Solai whispered.

"Look B-lue." Solana tried to enunciate.

"Boo." Solai pointed.

"We'll work on it." Solana chuckled.

~

hello. I haven't been on wattpad in weeks, almost a month. I'm slowly pulling away from this app lol. It's just not the same to me anymore. So don't be surprised when I end this book soon and vanish lol.

anyways i hope that y'all are doing well, life really be kicking my ass but I'm gone thug it out..

so Solana took Nevaeh out of school in hopes to rekindling their bond, how y'all feel about that?

how did y'all feel about the way that Nevaeh was acting with Solana at the restaurant?

after hearing Nevaeh express herself to Solana and apologize, do y'all think that she will start to come around more and help out with Solai?

So mr blue eyes wants to take Solana out for lunch, and Zylin is hesitant about it..y'all think he should let her go?

and last but not least Solai is talking more and learning her colorsssss, how y'all think her personality gone be when she learns more things?

vote, comment, and share!

-JassyOut