11:19 A.M.

I shivered in the shower as a lingering feeling from Enzo ran over my body. It's been 5 years almost 6 and I still can't wash him away.

Lathering my stomach with the foamy loofah, my bruises were peaking through the suds. Nothing can't make them disappear, they can only be hidden.

My thighs, back, butt, and biceps were enough evidence of his abuse. I should have fought harder and longer, dad didn't raise me to be a softy.

I let Enzo drug me, I let Enzo stuff me in a dark empty room, I let him reign over me. He was never supposed to have that power over me.

My fear for him should be non-existent...but it's real. It grows by day and it impacts me greatly.

The water trickled down my body, washing away the suds and revealing my broken body. He will never stop looking for me and I'll never stop running.

I'll run my whole life if it meant keeping Zain safe.

I rinsed my hair of the conditioner, then got out the bathroom. Opening the door, the first thing i see is Zain.

He was standing a few feet away from the bathroom door, boy was he angry when I told him I wanted alone time.

He hugged my wrapped legs, "You took too long." He complained. I chuckled as I patted his head, "I'm sorry, next time we can bathe together."

He smiled before running off to the bed, his new toys were scattered all over it. He played with them as I began dressing.

After dressing, I went over to the body mirror and looked at myself. These tight clothes would look great on me during my happy times, but I'm not feeling it.

So I changed into black swear pants and a big black shirt. Then I went back to the mirror, perfect it covers nearly my whole body.

My hair was irritating me though, it's too long. Turning around i searched the room for scissors and found them in the bathroom.

I went back to the mirror and grabbed a chunk of hair. Just as I was about to snip the hair Zain cried.

"Mommy! No! I like your hair long, please mommy don't cut it!"

He then jumped off the bed, "Please Mommy! Please! Please! Plea-"

"Okay! I won't cut my hair." I yelling aggravated, he smiled before going back to play with his toys.

I liked him when he would just sit down and do nothing, but during that time he would cry a lot. I didn't like it.

A knock at the door brought my attention away from my hair. I opened the door and saw my younger siblings along with Unique and mystery boy.

Oh so now they wanna show their faces? They disappeared the minute i got here.

Unique pushed the door open and invited herself in, the others followed. "Soo Auntie how you been?" Unique asked as her and her minions looked around my room.

Who do they think they are? My PO? "I've been better, h-how old are you?" I asked.

Jaja, Travis, and Unique looked at me as if I was from outer space. I shrugged my shoulders, "What?" I asked.

"You forgot their ages." The little boy answered from standing next to me. Ohh, well it's not my fault, I had some serious stuff going on in my life.

"Sorry"

Jaja hummed, "It makes me wonder what else did she forget?" She said. The others agreed as they nodded their heads.

"Well we're 12 and next month on the 16th will be our 13th birthday." Travis said. Unique cleared her throat, "Mines is the month after theirs, on the 18th." She smiled.

Why are they telling me this? I could care less about their birthdays.

"I don't care." I said. They gasped, exaggerating their shock. "How could you not care? You sent me a collection of bullets every year before you went missing." Unique said.

"Yeah and you gave us our first everything for our birthdays." Jaja said as Travis agreed. I shrugged and sat on my bed.

"I just...don't care, do you remember my birthday?" They stood there looking stupid, ha and they expect me to remember their birthdays.

"See, you all don't remember my DOB so we even." I said. They rolled their eyes before agreeing. Unique came near the bed and picked up Zain.

Zain was furious that she interrupted his time of play. "Put me down!!" He yelled as her, thrashed his arms and legs against her.

Unique was spooked and quickly put him down, "He's so mean" She huffed as we all looked at Zain get back on the bed.

I laughed, "He's not used to you all yet." I said.

"How are we supposed to get to know him if all he does is cling to you?" Travis said. "Mhm, and he anti social." Jaja added.

Anti social? No he's not, Zain is very social. "My baby is perfectly fine, just give him time." I said.

Now they all surrounded Zain, Unique touched his hair. "He got some really nice hair, you know he don't look nothing like you." She said.

I'm offended, yes he does. He has my lips and nose and my preference for black. "He's my clone, he looks just like me." I said.

They laughed, "Nu, he doesn't even have your hair color." Jaja laughed. "Or your face shape." Travis added.

"Oh let's not forget the obvious, he doesn't even have your features." Unique added lastly.

I pushed them away from Zain and picked him up, "He has my everything, you all are just blind." I said.

I looked at Zain, who was confused about what we are talking about. Giving him a smile, I watched him smile back at me.

See his smile is like my smile.

"How old is he?" The little boy asked.

I put Zain down in front of the little boy, "Zain tell him how old you are." I said and watched Zain begin to count his fingers.

He put up five fingers with a big smile, "I'm five years old. How old are you?" Zain asked the little boy.

We watched the little boy do the same, "I'm five years old too!" He said, before they both began talking about what they like.

Jaja, Travis, Unique, and I moved to the other side of the room so the boys can get their space.

"Whose his parents?" I asked them.

"Jhak" Travis answered calmly. My eyes bulged out, what?! But-

"His baby momma came to his funeral and said she was prego. We ain't believe her at first but when that baby came out, we knew it was Jhak's." Unique explained.

Hmm so he's Jhak's lost seed. It was a joke but now it's actually true.

"What's his name?" I asked.

"J.J, Jacques Jr." Jaja said.

I smiled knowing Jhak would be happy that there's a kid in this family named after him.

"You coming to the meeting tonight?" Travis asked. I frowned, what meeting? I thought the Royals meet once every year, and it ain't that time of the year.

They laughed, "Damn she forgot, girl how you gonna forget about a community you brought together?"Jaja said.

Ohh she's talking about Rolpha, "Why are the Rolphas having a meeting?" They laughed again, "It's not Rolphas, that name was corny" Unique laughed.

I rolled my eyes, ok i wasn't thinking when I came up with that name but it was all I had. "So then what's the name?" I asked.

"We're called Unity." Travis answered. That sounds a lot better than the one I came up with.

"So are you coming?" Jaja asked. I shook my head no bringing frowns upon their faces, "Why not?" Unique asked.

I don't wanna tell them that going out is not on my agenda, but telling them will only make them press me with more questions. So I'll lie.

"Zain has trouble sleeping, I have to stay with him." I said.

They looked at me and then at Zain and then back at me, "Girl we are not dumb, Zain slept perfectly fine the day we got you." Jaja sassed.

Damm it, "I can't go beca-"

"Aht, unt unh, lying not gon' get chu no where." Travis said, interrupting me.

I let out a sigh, why am I entertaining these children? That's not my job, I don't get paid for this. So they gotta go.

I walked to the door and opened it, "Ok out" i said pointing out the door. Their mouths dropped, "Why you kicking us out for?" Unique whined.

"Come on Nu, the meeting not gonna hurt you, it'll be right here in this house at 10." Jaja said.

I smiled, "Good to know, now get out." I said dropping my smile. Travis huffed as he took J.J and walked out as the others trailed him.

Closing my door, I faced Zain. He was still playing with his toys. "Baby, time to put them up." I said.

He frowned as a groan left his mouth, "But Mommy I'm not finished." He whined.

I rolled my eyes and began gathering his toys, "You'll play with them at a different time, okay?"

His frown was still visible but he obliged by my say and helped me pack up his toys. Once the bed was cleared, I laid Zain down and then I got on it.

"Mommy are you ok?" He asked, worry was shown on his face.

I smiled and ran my hand threw his hair, "I'm fine, are you ok?" I asked. He nodded quickly with a big smile, "Who are these people?"

"They're my family, your family."

His smile grew wider, "So then when will we see grandpa?" He asked in glee. I chuckled, "Soon, I promise." I said.

He nodded and laid his head on the pillow beside me, I held him as we drifted off to sleep.