Laila POV

She wanted to let Alonzo enjoy time with his sons without her hovering around, so after she met them, and had dinner with them when he took them to his place, she told him it would be better if she did not stay there with him. Even though he wanted her to stay, she went to the MAX House for the rest of the weekend.

Alonzo called her every day telling her the details of the new custodial agreement. The grandmother was going to let him have primary custody. That meant they would permanently live with him and she would get occasional visits. No more fighting in court.

As long as the baby's mother did not suddenly pop back into the picture.

She was happy for Alonzo but did not know where this left them. Their relationship. He was busy enough with graduate classes, working at the IT store, and doing work as the Advisor to the Omegas, that was already enough for anyone. Now he had the added task of taking care of his sons.

She did not want to feel like another chore for him, so she stepped away and focused on herself. There was no need to be clingy about Alonzo, wanting to spend more time with him when he was super busy. Besides, she was busy herself.

She requested more hours for her job because money was always an issue. Her sister wanted a job, but there was no way with her schedule she had time. That's why she worked extra, so she could give to her sister when she needed something. They received little to no support from their parents. They could not afford to even send them a couple of dollars a week. They were on their own.

"You know if you two need extra scholarship money, I can help in that department," Ms. Jossie said to her when she had a one-on-one with her in her office. Jossie took her position as Dean of Admissions seriously. Everyone, of all races, adored Ms. Jossie. Besides the fact that she was double her age, she looked as if she could blend in with the college students. That probably was her appeal to the students on campus.

"We already are on the Minority Leadership Scholarship, Pell Grant, and student loans. No money from our parents. I'm working and trying to help my little sister as well. I don't want to need money to interfere with why we are here." She hated feeling like a charity case and always worrying about money, but that's where she was.

"Child listen, you're not the first lower-income student to cross my desk." Jossie seemed to sit up higher, though she was still so short, and pop her imaginary collar. "Honey child, please! That's what I am here for, to help you guys. Moreso because you're my soror."

"I don't need special privilege-"

"And who said you were getting any from me?" Jossie scoffed at her, a shake of her head letting her bouncy, wavy hair swing. "I see why they named you Silent But Deadly. But you need to know when to be deadly, and when to be silent."

She did not know what to say to that but...be silent. Listen to what Jossie was telling her.

"Listen. I was where you're at twenty-something years ago. A broke little college kid here from St. Louis. We had little to nothing. I had the grades, so I applied my brain to make a way out of no way. Little to no help from my parents. In fact, my father was not around. My mother never went to college and did not understand what I needed."

She could relate to that. No one in her family, mother, father, stepfather, aunts, uncles, or cousins went to college. Marketta and her were the first.

"I remember having a friend of the family drive me up here with my things and drop me off. Everyone else had their parents and nice send-offs. You know what I told myself? That I needed to work harder to make the playing field even. It was beyond grades. It was beyond joining the clubs. I came in wanting to make a difference, not just with myself but on this campus."

"Is that why you created MAX?"

"It was not just me that created this wonderful organization. There were other Founders. Those are my sisters. We had a vision. And it's nice to look at how it has blossomed over the years. Make the most of what you have in front of you Laila, and use it. Use me."

She did not know how to ask for help. All she knew was to take care of herself and her sister. Being a part of MAX, with all these new "sisters" was wild to her. Could she depend on them for things she could turn to her family for?

"I just wish I had a family that supported me like I see others do. Not even talking just financially. My mother doesn't even care that I'm in college. She barely made it out of high school because she had me. And then...it's not something she pushed for us. Like, we turned eighteen, we were on our own. She allowed me to stay home, but I had to work and help out around the house. And I was saving for college, not just for myself, but for Marketta to come as well."

"That's a lot on your shoulders."

It was a lot. She was glad someone could relate. She remembered telling Manny last year, but he didn't fully get it. His happily married parents sent him a weekly allowance. He did not share a run-down car he had to buy himself. His parents paid a part of his tuition, he was not strictly financial aid. Part of that was being an only child. He had the life.

"I don't want to graduate and move back home, so finishing college at the top of the pack with a nice job offer is crucial, for both of us."

"You know you have a network of sisters that can help with job placement if what the school provides is not enough."

That was nice to know, and a plus for being in a sorority. She always worried she would land a low-paying job and be unable to afford rent, food, clothing, and other necessities to live as an adult. 

"Thanks, Jossie for all that you do, for me and everyone on campus."

"It's my job."

Jossie was an amazing woman. She helped them from the moment they visited the campus two years ago. She constantly checked on them with their application, and their financial aid, and made sure they had everything they needed. Their parents were not much help in that department. Basically, she nor her sister would not be there without Jossie.

"And you want to be a teacher, right? What grade levels are you looking into?"

That was a good question. She wanted to become a teacher ever since she was in elementary school and her second-grade teacher. Mrs. Turner, who treated her as if she was her own child. When she saw that she was far ahead of the other students, she gave her extra work to do two grades above everyone else. After second grade. Mrs. Turner continues to communicate with her through leaving for middle school. Even now she still followed her former teacher on Facebook.

"Second grade," she said immediately. "But really, any under grade five. I love the kids, not moody pre-teens and teens."

"Need more good teachers. There will be lots of jobs waiting for you. Moving back home to St. Louis?"

Another good question. She had not thought of that much. As long as she did not move back into her parent's house, she never cared what city she would land.

"Whenever I get a job offer, I guess."

"I mean, you do need to know what city you want to live in before you job hunt. There are teaching jobs in every city."

She had time. This was just her second year of college.

And then there was Alonzo to consider. What if they lasted more than just a fling? She would love for him to be the one but how could she ever know that?

Time would tell.

A/N: On one hand I understand where Laila is coming from stepping away from Alonzo while he has his sons. He does need to focus on them. But, if she is going to be with him, she needs to be around his kids.