Chapter 6 of 13

Why you aint tell me?

"Hey dad, I'm working late can you drop off Aura here?" Aria asked her dad as she sat at her desk.

"Okay I'll so you both in about an hour." Aria said hanging up.

Her work load had picked up. She wasn't complaining she just wished her MacBook was still working. She lost one during the move and the other broke a week after being there. She figured with her next check she would cover it along with starting to look for a daycare.

Her parents or Eryka weren't to thrilled about it but Aria explained she didn't want to rely on them and also Aura needed to socialize with kids her own age. Since being back home and Aura out of her old daycare she hadn't made any friends her own age. It was going on a little over a two months so she thought it was due just like her conversation with Nawf.

Aria sat at her desk finishing her work for the week. That was her normal routine; Monday drafts, Wednesday adjustments and Thursday Finalizing. By Friday all that was left was signatures and an early day.

"Hey Aria I'm heading out and Mike will be too. If you need anything let me know." Laura knocked on her open door.

"Thanks Laura. I hope you dont mind Aura getting dropped off as I'm leaving." Aria said.

"Like I said earlier its fine. After hours no one is here and until you get a new laptop it works out plus it not like anyone is here." She told her.

"Thanks again." Aria said as she continued typing.

Nearly an hour later she was finished and noticed it near the time her dad would be arriving.

Aria shutdown her computer and grabbed her things as she headed for the elevator.

She headed downstairs and figured she would wait outside. It seemed like cool later afternoon so she took advantage of it. Aria took off her jacket and unbuttoned her top buttons as she waited.

A few minutes later as expected her father pulled up.

As he unbuckled her from her car seat Mike and his last client for the night made it outside.

If Aria would had bothered to look she would have noticed that it was Nawf. Instead she bent down to swoop her daughter in her arms. The entire time the happy little girl ran to Aria, Nawf's eyes were glued to her. He blinked a few times looking at her. The little girl beautiful with long hair done in ponytail twists with barrettes and bows.

"Momma!" She squealed hugging Aria.

"I missed you so much." She kissed her before letting her go.

Aria stood up hugging her dad.

"Thanks dad. We will see you on Sunday." She told him as Aura stuck her arms up.

Mike and Nawf smiled at the little girl.

Aria turned her head realizing they were a few feet away.

The more she looked at Nawf her face changed and he started to look from her to her daughter.

"Bye Gran-daddy!" Aura said waving.

It had become one of her favorite names to call her grandfather.

"Bye angel. See ya babygirl. Love yawl." He said waving getting into his truck.

Aria looked at Nawf who looked at her and back to Aura.

"That little girl is gorgeous." Mike walked over.

"Thank you kind sir." Aura extended her hand.

Nawf's eyes now looked directly at Aria questioning her with his eyes.

She knew she looked caught. She just didn't to look as bad as it was. He was looking at their daughter and she was sure he figured out why she was so stand offish and why he hadn't seen her face before. She knew that once his eyes landed on her that he saw a reflection of his self.

"Wow, this little girl is something." Mike bent down to her.

"My names Mike what's yours?" He shook her hand.

"I'm Aura." She smiled.

"That's a pretty name for a pretty girl." He told her.

"Yup my TT says its because I'm a star so I need a big name that's short. But momma said its because my daddy had something called Aura. But I dont think that's the same thing." She put her hand on her chin making him laugh.

Nawf even looked to the little girl and smirked even though he was trying not to panic on the inside.

"Tell him thank you Aura so we can get you home." She grabbed her hand.

"Thank you Mike." She waved as Aria did the same.

Mike started to head to his car in the opposite direction as Nawf remained unmoved.

"Bye." She said and attempted to walk past Nawf.

Aria wished she had pulled her car around. As she looked over she could see the anger and hurt in his eyes. He lightly but firmly grabbed her wrist stopping her as he bent down to the little girl who smiled at him.

"Antjuan I wanted to tell you. I j-" she started before she was cut off.

"What's your name?" Aura asked grabbing his face curious.

He placed his hand over hers.

He smiled looking her over. She had Aria's eyes but everything else was his well except the dimples he thought.

Aura looked him over and his face was familiar.

"I'll let your mom tell you." He looked over to Aria.

"Not right now. Look I will call you tomorrow." She said moving her arm as he let her go.

"Aria." He said looking at her standing up.

She knew he had so much to say.

"I promise Antjuan." She said as he looked to her and back to their daughter.

"Aria, why?" He asked her still in disbelief.

"I didn't know how. I didn't expect to see you.- Look just not here we can talk tomorrow." She said picking Aura up.

"Bye." Aura waved at him.

"Ill see you later." He touched her cheek before walking away.

Aria headed to her car as she realized she really should have just said something. She just didn't know what to say. After all the planning she had done none of it was for preparation of her daughter meeting her dad. This is the exact thing she wants to avoid but now it was too late.

Aria felt terrible as she looked to Aura who sat smiling for no reason.

She got into the drivers seat and headed for home.

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"Put your PJs on and ill get you a cookie before we start you hair." Aria told Aura who had been begging for a cookie since being home.

"Okay." She smiled wrapped in her towel as she ran towards her room.

Aria laughed at her as she made her way to the kitchen.

She was already in her PJs. She had a shorts and a tank top. She had washed both their hair and planned on doing Auras as she watched something and fell asleep.

"Moana?" Aria asked looking to Aura in her backwards PJs.

"Frozen 2." She smiled as Aria laughed.

"Little girl c'mere. You got everything on backwards." She laughed bending down fixing her shirt and then bottoms.

Aria heard knocking on her door.

She didn't get visitors really and it was already 8 so she didn't know who it was.

Aura headed towards the couch grabbing the remotes. As Aria got closer to the door she panicked realizing that the only person she could think of was Nawf but how could know where she lived she thought.

"Who is it?" She asked before peeking into the peephole.

She felt as soon as she did she would see Nawf and she was right.

"Me." She heard him say as she opened it.

"Antju-" she started and he cut her off.

"Is she up?" He asked calmly even though she could see his face had so much to say.

"How did you know where I lived?" She asked.

"Aria, it's not hard to find people. Is she up?" He asked again.

"Yeah." She said stepping aside so he can enter.

"Aura. I have someone important for you meet." Aria told her as she walked into the living room.

"I started the movie." Aura popped up looking at her mother then Nawf who followed in behind her.

"Hello." She smiled at him waving before she climbed down the couch and walking over.

Her hair bounced with each step as Aria bent down towards her.

Nawf couldn't believe it but he knew without a doubt he was a dad.

He bent down with Aria as Aura looked at him with bright eyes.

"Aura I want you to meet someone super important." Aria paused looking over at Nawf who was bending down.

"Remember how you wanted to meet your dad?" Aria asked.

Aura nodded excitedly.

"Yup I've been waitin my whole life." She said making her eyes big.

"Well, uhm this is your dad." Aria said as they looked at each other.

"I knew it." She jumped at him hugging his entire face.

"Mommy I knew you'd find him." Aura leaned over kissing her moms arm.

"Dad your so quiet. Can you talk?." She let him go.

Nawf finally smiled at her.

It was crazy he went in ready to tell Aria about why she had him fucked up. How selfish she was. So many questions as to why it was hard for her. It was just meeting Aura and seeing how sweet she was that took him by surprise. He was a girl dad.

Regardless of how Aria felt he refused not to be in his daughters life.

"Of course I can talk. It's just for a moment you had me speechless." He grabbed her picked her up.

"So dad?" She smiled.

He looked at her.

"What's your real name? Moms momma or mom but her real names Aria." Aura said.

"My name is Antjuan but people call me Ant or Nawf. You gotta call me dad tho." He told her.

"Only dad? I can't call you daddy? What about father? I really like daddy." She pouted at him.

Aria smiled.

"Well then you can call me what you want but not my real name." He said.

She looked at Aria and then to him confused.

"Daddy you have too many real names." She grabbed her head.

"Well, dad or daddy is fine." He said already giving in.

"Momma is daddy watching the movie with us?" She looked at Aria.

Nawf didn't bother looking at Aria as he stared at Aura.

"Uh he can." Aria nodded as she looked to him gazing at their daughter.

"Daddy we're watchin Frozen 2 and momma was goin to do my hair maybe you can do it instead?" She suggested batting her eyes at him.

"Dad only cuts hair princess." He told her with a light laugh as he sat her on the couch.

She patted for him to sit next to her.

"Well mom grab the snacks." She said grabbing the comb and hair grease.

"She's funny." Nawf said as she returned with cookies and bagged popcorn.

"Miss bossy more like it. You only getting away with it for tonight. Grab your pillow." Aria said poking at Aura.

She ran off to the corner and grabbed her big pillow and took a seat on it as she started the movie.

"Daddy your going to love it. I love it. Mom loves it. TT loves it. You'll see." She turned to him as he laughed.

"Ight go head and hit play." He scooted on the floor next to her.

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Nawf watched Aria finished braiding Auras hair.

She had fell asleep holding Nawf's hand.

"Why you ain't say shit?" He asked. It was egging him.

"I swear I wanted to I just didn't know how." She looked to him.

"You could have just said that shit." He said lightly letting go of Aura's hand standing up.

"I wanted to then I got scared. After seein you Mike told me bout your past. It kind of made me debate it. I know that wasn't fair of me. I'm sorry honestly. Then the last few times I saw you it was just awkward. Things were just happening so quickly. It was like I just had to get out, away from you." She told him.

Nawf stood there and nodded.

"Then every time I saw you we were in public. I wanted to have a conversation face to face but in private. I wanted to try to talk to you before you saw her. It was fucked up how you saw her." She said.

He wanted to take in what she said before just speaking.

He still felt some type of way but he just wanted to know everything about her daughter at this point.

"Aura?" He looked at her.

"Yea, I wanted a name with an A. Honestly from what I'll I could remember about you was your aura. You had this big energy that demanded my attention." She smirked. "That's kinda how it felt when I looked at her. Labor was long but soon as she came out she had this glow about her. Her presence was big So I named her Aura."

He nodded.

"I like that." He told her.

The two sat in silence for a moment.

"Antjuan, I'm really sorry. I know you hate me and have so many emotions. I just wanted to find the right time to tell you. It's like I planned so much. And with Aura shit is not planned. Then seeing you. I literally just moved back and felt like everything was coming at once. I didn't want to intentionally keep her from you but I know once you saw her you would know. I started think you would hate me, maybe hate her or really look at me how you are now." She said as she looked away and finished her hair.

Nawf face couldn't hide his emotions right now. Most cases he could but the shock, the hurt and mixed emotions caused by Aria now showed. He didn't know her well but his impression of her right now wasn't a great one.

"I'm not goin to act like this shit ain't blowin me. You coulda jus said tha shit. You out her duckin and dodgin me...you damn near let me fuck and ain't say shit- look I know about her and she knows about me. Just don't try to take her away from me." He looked at her.

His eyes were cold and scary.

"Ant-" she started.

"I'm fa real Aria I said what I said." He looked at her with the same cold face.

Aria wanted to talk to him but could visibly see now whatever she said didn't matter. The look he gave her was intimidating so she just left it alone. She just nodded before Aura picked her up and started to carry her to her room.

Of course Nawf followed behind her looking around her house as they made it to their daughters room.

It was a pink and lavender room with Aura decals with fur and lights.

Aria laid Aura down as she had done time and time before.

She kissed her and tucked her in.

"Uhm you can kiss her goodnight if you want." She told him awkwardly.

She was unsure what she offer him. He obviously wanted to be in her life. As her father Aria knew he had all right she just wanted them meeting to be different and felt terrible for how they did.

He nodded before he leaned down and kissed the little girls forehead.

He looked at her a few more moments before he turned to leave.

Aria didn't know what else she could say as he remained cold as she headed back to her living room. She started to pick things up as he watched her for a a few moments without word. She was starting to feel uneasy.

"I can call you once she wakes up." She told him not sure what else she could say since he didn't seem like talking.

Nawf walked toward her not saying a word. She could feel the anger radiating off of him as he looked at her. She was terrified to move.

After a few a few minutes he looked away as he moved his-self further from her.

"Aria I'm disappointed in you. I get it but tha shit still foul... When I look at her I can see why you was scared for me to meet her. After Mike tellin yo silly ass my business. Know that the streets ain't fa me. That's my past and I need to make sure my daughter is protected and taken care of. Not just by you. Its like I look at her and I can just feel it. Like she goin to be the death of me. I'm neva finna let her down. I wanna be there for her everyday. I wanna know everythin about her. I already love her. Ima try my hardest to respect you cause you her mom but know that I don't fuck wit you like that." He told her.

Hearing him say that actually hurt and took her by surprise as she looked away from him.

"I'll be back in the morning." He told her walking out.

Aria was speechless. She knew he had every right to feel that way. She leaned her back against the wall. She admitted she would hate him if he had done the same but it didn't make her feel any better as tears started to come down her face.