"You think they're warm enough?" I fretted looking down at the twins in their stroller.

"They're good baby," Amir mumbled with his arm around me.

"I hate this cold ass country," I frowned opening my purse to put my passport back. "Nasir why have you let my hand go?"

"Because I don't want to hold your hand anymore," Saint replied making me pop his hand.

"Talk to me like you have sense," I scolded looking over at Sinai and Malia who were walking ahead with Maniya.

"Why do I gotta hold your hand and they're all over there?" Saint complained,

"Because I don't trust you," I laughed pulling him into me.

"I wanna hold Dad's hand instead," Saint frowned crossing over me to get to Amir.

"Come here," Dave said taking his hand and pushing me forward.

I walked ahead with the stroller, catching up to the girls. I really didn't want to be in this boring ass city but after the press conference, I had no choice.

"Mommy had sex on tv," Malia blurted out, I know this little girl didn't.

"I did not have sex on tv," I said to her quietly. "Malia you can't just say stuff like that, who told you that?"

"Mariah's mommy," Malia shrugged, that bitch.

"Mariah's mommy must want her ass beat," I mumbled flipping my hair over my shoulder.

"Look, that's for us," Sinai said pointing at the man that was holding up a placard with our surname on it.

"You arranged a car?" I asked Amir when he got closer behind me.

"I did, I knew you forgot," He said taking my hand. See now this was the Amir I loved, the one who actually cared about me.

"Thank you," I smiled at him. He held onto my waist and leaned down pecking my lips twice.

"We got a date tonight, Maniya said she'll watch the kids," He said looking down at me.

"Aw you're being intimate," I smiled wide leaning into him. He was really trying to make me feel special and I loved that.

"I'm doing what you want me to do baby," Amir mumbled with his hand on my butt. We walked out to the car that was hired for us and he started to put the babies in the car.

"I don't have no service," Maniya frowned holding her phone up. "I need to speak to my boyfriend,"

"Shut up," I said snatching her phone. "I'm still not over you having in my house, you are not talking to him no more,"

Maniya didn't listen to me at all, I have had my fair share of cheating ass niggas and it's not cute.

"But you talk to daddy," She straight faced. "Oh okay," She nodded taking her phone back.

"Girl, me and you are not the same," I said with a small chuckle. "We have kids together, I get a pass," I added.

"Let me have his babies then," Maniya said as we got into the car.

"Do it and I'll beat both you and the babies ass," I pointed at her.

"Why so violent?" Amir mumbler getting into the car beside me. Malia climbed into my lap and put her head on my shoulder.

"You okay Phat girl?" I asked brushing her hair down.

"I'm tired," Malia replied closing her eyes. Her speech was definitely improving but she was turning into Naleli right in front of my eyes.

"So you're gonna sleep?" I said kissing her head.

"Well obviously," She said with a mug. You see, Naleli in the making.

"Well damn I'm sorry," I laughed when she closed her eyes in anger.

"Can we go somewhere today ma?" Sinai asked leaning forward in her seat.

"Where do you wanna go?" I replied bringing out my cell.

"There's this place called winter wonderland, I saw it on TikTok," Sinai said showing me it on her phone.

"Ah winter wonderland is a big hit during this period," The driver intervened, his accent was so strong I had to listen hard.

"Is it close by?" I asked the driver.

"In Hyde Park, not too far from Trafalgar Square," He nodded.

"Sir we aren't from here so you're gonna have to give me more than that," I laughed. He was listing off areas like I knew where I was.

"Well I'm with you till my contract is up, so I will take you," The driver said with a wink.

"Not the white man flirting with you," Maniya mumbled under her breath.

"Baby girl, you don't know but you're mama is a hot topic anywhere she goes," I smirked leaning my head on Amir's shoulder.

"Don't get fucked up in another country Naala," Amir said. He can be so moody, can't even take a little jokey joke.

"Hot topic my ass," Maniya laughed loudly. I mugged her and sent my mom a text letting her know we landed.

"How far is the drive?" Amir asked the driver,

"You're staying in Holland Park, about an hour from here," He informed making me shut my eyes.

"Can I just say, the last time I saw you, your hair was different," He said looking at me in the rearview.

"We've never met before," I laughed squinting at him, I assumed he was still flirting.

"I wouldn't forget those eyes," He said with a small smile.

"This old man is delirious," I mumbled to Amir.

"It's you that's flirting with him," Amir responded putting his arm over my shoulder, his hand resting on my chest.

"You better pray those babies don't wake up Amir," I said holding his hand.

"Why I gotta pray? They're gonna want your titties not mine," He laughed flicking my boob.

"Stop I wanna sleep now," I said when he started playing with my breasts in the car, off all places.

"But why they so big though?" He said licking his lips.

"Cuz they're full of milk, you wanna try some?" I asked lifting my head up.

"If it's gonna taste like how it did last time then nah," He scrunched up his face.

"You sucked too hard that's why," I laughed when he laid his head on my chest. Malia was still in my lap so now I had two babies resting on me.

"Stop it," I giggled when he started licking the skin of my boobs.

"Give me a kiss then," He said staring at my lips. I leaned down and kissed him lightly.

"We gotta keep it PG," I whispered holding his face. "Love you," I kissed him again before wiping my lip gloss of his lips.

"These baby ass kisses," He said holding my head in place to kiss me properly.

"I'm really trying to ignore y'all but you're doing the most now," Maniya said from across us. We pulled away and I pushed Amir back towards the window.

"I thought you were asleep," I shrugged fixing my lip gloss.

"So y'all were gonna be nasty because we were all asleep?" Sinai spoke up lifting her head up from the window.

"Oh my God, how do you think you got here?" I said to Sinai.

"Ew mama," Sinai frowned. "I really don't want to think about that,"

"Mmm well I do, we should do that again," Amir said making both Sinai and Maniya groan. I could tell they were over us but I didn't care.

"Be happy, we're on vacation!" I clapped before pecking Amir's lips again.

"Lord help me," Maniya grumbled crossing her arms over her chest.

My kids are such haters and it's a problem.

~~

"You're so extra," I laughed looking at the bouquet of flowers in our room.

"Intimacy baby," Amir called from the bathroom. I patted Aamirah's back and rocked her to shush her.

"You know mama's going out right?" I said softly kissing her hair. "You gotta stop crying pretty girl," I cooed.

That only made her cry harder turning her whole face red.

"Are you hot?" I spoke out loud walking over to the bed and laying her down and opening her jumpsuit.

"Why's my Princess crying?" Amir's long neck ass said coming into the room.

"I don't know, I think she's hot," I said leaving her in her vest and a diaper. "Is that better mama?" I said rubbing her back.

"Let me try," Dave said taking her out of my hands. I let him take her and got up to pack away the baby stuff.

Aasad was laying in his crib not bothering a soul, he was honestly my spirit animal. He woke up to eat and shit and then went back to sleep.

"Amir you're not doing anything," I said to him. He was literally sat on the couch with her crying in his hands while he was scrolling on his phone.

"Trinity was asking for the address," He said locking his phone. I stared at him till he noticed.

"Why does Trinity need to know where we are?" I asked calmly.

"You thought I was gonna leave my daughter in New York?" He asked with a mug.

"Didn't I leave my son in Atlanta?" I argued back.

"I flew Samar out with his dad, I thought that was the best thing to do, since I told Trin to come," Amir spoke standing up.

"Hassan is coming here?" I sighed sitting down on the bed.

"You wanted Samar to get on a flight on his own?" Amir replied handing a calm Aamirah back to me.

"I don't like how you never tell me stuff, it's rude," I fussed pulling my top down. Aamirah gripped my top and started to suck on my nipple. "Ouch," I hissed when she bit down with her gums.

"Even Mirah knows you chat shit," Amir said mushing my head,

"Shut up, you leave me out of every decision, it's not right. I'm your wife, not your girlfriend," I continued looking down at Aamirah.

"Naala you just talking now, shut up," He said to me leaving the room.

"But if I kill him, I'm in the wrong," I smiled down at Aamirah. "Your daddy is a dead man walking baby,"

"Malia's mommy?" Malia said staring at me from the door way.

"Mommy's Malia?" I laughed tilting my head to the side.

"I can have candy?" She asked with her hand on her hip.

"Did you eat the rest of your pasta?" I questioned laying back in the bed.

"Disgusting," Malia frowned. "I gave it to Bubba," Saint was like a vacuum, he would eat anything that was edible.

"Well then no candy for Malia," I shrugged rubbing Aamirah's cheek.

"That's why Malia calls you stupid," Malia said with the blankest look on her face.

"Phat come and sit down," I sighed patting the bed next to me.

"What?" She blinked sitting down.

"Do you hate me?" I asked holding my hand out to her.

"No I love mommy," Malia squinted at me. "I hate ugly eyes," She pointed at Aamirah.

"Stop it," I huffed. "You don't hate your sister, that's not a nice thing to say to her. I don't have a sister anymore and I wish I could say nice things to her,"

"No more Leli?" Malia said sadly holding my hand. I closed my eyes and sucked in air. This was the first time I had spoken to her about Naleli being dead.

"Leli went bye bye," I said in a way she would understand.

"Because of Malia?" She asked with tears in her eyes.

"No not because of you," I spoke quickly. "Um Leli, she got hurt and they couldn't save her,"

"Did you see her?" Malia questioned looking at me. "When she went bye bye?"

I furrowed my eyebrows and blew out a breath, I never got to see Naleli, only her coffin.

"No I didn't see her," I said quietly,

"So how do you know she went bye bye?" Malia said playing with Aamirah's foot. That's when I realised she wasn't eating anymore, just looking at me.

"Naleli wouldn't do that to me," I said mostly to myself. She wouldn't act as if she was dead, she knew how much I needed her.

"Malia saw Leli last time," Malia said carelessly.

"Where baby?" I asked lifting Aamirah up on to my shoulder.

"In the yard. Leli waved and said she will see me soon. Leli didn't go bye bye," Malia said firmly. "Mommy is a big liar," She pointed at me.

"I —"

"Daddy!" Malia shouted standing up from the bed. "Mommy is a big liar," She repeated walking out of the room.

I sat down thinking about it, there was no viewing of her body, just a death certificate.

"Amir," I called out, sensitive to Aasad who was still asleep.

"You done bitching?" He said entering the room.

"Shut up and come here," I said waving him off. "When Naleli died, did you see a body?"

"Baby, are you missing her?" He said sitting beside me, looking all sad.

"No stop, answer my question. Did you see a body?" I asked once again.

"Nah, it was a body bag I saw," Amir replied putting his hand on my lap. "What's made you think of that?"

"That stupid bitch," I snapped, putting two and two together. "Naleli is not dead Amir, she's playing us,"

"Naala you buried her," Amir said softly. "I know it's hard without her but she's gone Love," He said taking Aamirah from my arms.

He put her in the crib beside her brother and sat back on the bed with me.

"Amir you didn't see a body," I said pulling his hands to me. "You don't know, my sister she wouldn't just die like that,"

I never stopped to think about that, I just went into full grief mode.

"So where do you think she is?" He sighed. "Naala come on you're gonna upset yourself,"

"You're not listening," I said moving his arms from around me. "My grandfather never once cried or grieved. He just moved on,"

"Maybe that's how he deals with things," He shrugged.

"I know what to do," I spoke getting up. "I know where she would be," Naleli was simple, if she wanted to hide, she'd hide in plain sight.

"Where?" Amir said following me out of the room.

"You remember the driver thought he knew me?" I said putting some clothes on.

"Yeah but —"

"Who else do you know that looks exactly like me?" I cut him off,

Amir stopped moving and paused, like a lightbulb just went off for him too.

"And no one would look here because —"

"Why would she come here?" I finished off his sentence. "No one would look because Naleli doesn't run,"

"I think you might be right baby," Amir said standing in front of me.

"But if you're right, that means she was running from something," He added putting his hand on my waist. "Ion want you caught up in any of that,"

"We have the same face, if they're coming for her they would be coming for me regardless," I shrugged. "If we're right, I'm gonna kill her myself," I said angrily.

"London is huge, how do we find her?" Amir said looking down at me.

"If Naleli is anything like me, she would stay where she felt at home," I answered him.

"Your mama's house?" Amir questioned.

"But my mom thought she was dead, there's no way she's living under her nose," I shook my head.

"Tarek said something, when he was bleeding out," I pondered.

"About Naleli?" Amir rose a brow. I nodded and picked up my phone,

"He said something about where we keep our money, there's only one place in this country where we keep anything valuable," I thought.

"Baby maybe let's wait till tomorrow and do this properly," He said taking the phone from my hand.

"Maybe you're right," I said twisting my lips to the side. "If she's alive, she can wait one more day," I nodded.

"Get dressed so we can go, I think they need to eat first," Amir spoke with his hands wrapped around me.

"I gotta pump and then I'll be done," I smiled reaching on my tiptoes to kiss him.

"You have no business being so damn pretty," He said making me blush.

"Go on," He patted my ass before squeezing it.

"You're a horny freak," I laughed separating from him.

~~

"I had fun tonight," Naala smiled holding Dave's hand and following his large strides.

"I'm glad you did," Dave said putting his hand into his pockets. "New York is cold but damn," He mumbled feeling the wind hit his face.

"I know right," Naala agreed looking around. They were walking through Oxford Street which was lit up with the various Christmas lights.

"I don't want to be here for Christmas," Naala commented looking up at him.

"That might be our only option," Dave responded.

"Shit, what's the time?" Naala asked bringing out her phone.

"It's 10:30 here but it's 5 back home," Dave told her as they stopped at the side of the street. "Fuck, the results," she realised.

The election was finally over and Naala would know if she was governor or not.

"You check," Naala bit her lip. "I don't feel good about it,"

"Win or lose, you're still amazing to me," Dave reminded her getting his phone out.

"I'm scared," Naala said clinging to him. Her biggest fear was that she didn't want to disappoint her family, this would be her biggest achievement.

"Lemme call Nita," Dave said with his arm around her. Nita was Naala's publicist who was still in New York, holding the fort down.

He called and walked off to the side, leaving Naala in the street on her own.

"Sorry," Someone said barging past her, making her almost lose her balance. She dropped her purse so in anger, she reached down to pick it up.

"You need to be more careful," Naala heard as she rose to her feet. Immediately she knew who it was but she couldn't face them.

"Look at me," The person said with a laugh.

"I hate you ," Naala whispered looking up at her. "I hate you so much," She let her tears fall.

"I hate you too little sis," Naleli teared up too. "But I feel like I need to hug you,"

"Yeah," Naala nodded hugging her tightly. They hugged each other, taking in their scents. They broke down into tears together, crying in each other's arms.

The best thing about London, was everybody minded their business, and continued to walk around the sobbing twins.

"You have me sobbing in the middle of the street," Naleli sniffed when they pulled apart.

Naala stared at her before she lifted her hand up and slapped Naleli's face.

"That's for leaving me," Naala said softly when Naleli's head snapped to the side.

Naleli reciprocated that energy and she too raised her hand to slap Naala back.

"That's for fucking my boyfriend," Naleli said bluntly. "You're trifling for that," She shook her head.

"I thought you were gone," Naala defended grabbing her arm.

"Aight that's enough," Dave said stepping in between them. "You sure love to make a scene," He said directly to Naleli.

"It wouldn't be right if I didn't," Naleli chuckled.

"You're a bitch," Dave laughed hugging her. He liked Naleli and it hurt him when she died.

"Get off her," Naala mugged swatting Dave's arms from around her sister.