Bria used her folded pointed finger to keep the blue pacifier in Isis's mouth as she laid on her chest, using her other hand to softly pat her back in an attempt to keep her asleep. The alarm system announcing that the front door opened had momentarily woke her up, but she dozed back off pretty quickly.

She and Isis had been the only ones home for the last few hours, and during that time Bria managed to go through her diaper bag and she read over every medical record in the folder that Jada's mother put in the bag.

Isis was such a calm baby. She only cried when she was hungry or needed her diaper changed. She clung on to Bria quick too-every time she laid her down, Isis would whine and cry until she was picked up again. That made Bria wonder if Kemi and Jerome had been showing her the proper amount of attention or not. She wasn't going to assume though.

Over the last few hours, Bria had also called Santana and Journey to tell them what was happening. She only told Journey because-well, she didn't have a reason. Her older sister was just her confidant with literally everything, and this was too important for her not to know.

She told Santana during the nine hour FaceTime call that just ended a few minutes ago-although he was still on the phone, he was just asleep now. He was currently in New Jersey and wouldn't be home until later this afternoon. She just figured Isis was as much of his business as she was hers, since the three of them now lived together-four, including Isis.

"You know, when you said you'd be back, I didn't think you meant a whole eighteen hours later." Bria leaned against the doorway to the nursery, seeing Israel sitting down with a bunch of Walmart bags in front of him.

"I'm sorry." He apologized, and Bria noticed the dark red tint to his eyes, making her walk to sit next to him on the love seat chair.

"Were you smoking or crying?" She asked.

"Both."

"What did you go do? You wanna talk to me about how you feeling?" She wrapped her arms around his left one, laying her head down on his shoulder.

"I was just driving around-trying to figure out where I'm 'posed to go from here. I went back to the office to finish my meeting, and then I got mad at myself for leaving you here with my kid while I went back to work. I just got her and I'm already putting my job before her." He sighed, resting his face in his hands. He was so upset with himself.

"I know this might be a reach, but it just reminded me of how my pops always put his job over me and moms. My daughter three weeks old and done spent, what, twenty minutes with me? She been with you for eighteen hours and she ain't even your kid, yo. I'm already acting just like that nigga and I just met her yesterday." He ranted with silent tears sliding down his cheeks.

"That's why I convinced myself that Jada was lying about being pregnant, and why I was relieved when we found out Santana was yo' baby's father because I c-I can't picture myself as a daddy, B. But I don't have that choice. I have to be here for her. I'm just so scared I'ma fail her." He wiped his face with his forearm, trying not to break down because he was already embarrassed enough.

Bria raised up from her spot on the loveseat, walking out of the nursery towards her bedroom to go get Isis. She had so much she could say to make him feel better, but she needed his daughter to help her out with it.

Coming back a few moments later, she held Isis in her arms who was surprisingly still asleep. Her lips had the same small gap between them that Israel's did, and Bria smiled at the umpteenth resemblance she'd noticed.

"She won't remember this when she's older, so don't be so hard on yourself for taking a little break before you officially start your journey of being a dad. It was just a few hours, Israel. You have the rest of your life to be here for her."

"And you can't be here for her just because you have an internal agenda to prove that you're not like your dad, or because it's your responsibility as her sperm donor. You have to love her and be here for her because it's something that you want to do."

Bria pulled his hands forward, and then laid Isis on his forearms so that his palm could support her head. His eyes glossed over with more tears as Isis let out a satisfying breath, almost like she'd physically calmed down just from his touch.

"I think you can do it. And if you can't, I'm here to help you until you can. Through whatever, 'til whenever." She wiped the tears from his face before leaning forward to kiss his cheek.

"I love you. Thank you for being with me." He turned his head to look at her, watching his favorite smile spread across her lips.

"You welcome pooh. I love you." She said back, then lowered her gaze to be on Isis.

"Her name is Isis Kay. I think that's so cute-'cause, you know, Israel Koda & Isis Kay. That's so perfect. And she looks just like you. Y'all gone be real twins when she get older." Bria told him, standing up from the loveseat to begin unpacking the Walmart bags.

"I gotta call my mama and tell her." He chuckled, knowing that she was going to be even more distraught than he was. He hadn't even told her that Jada was pregnant in the first place. This was definitely going to be a shocker.

"Call your lawyer too, just in case Jada pop back up and try to pull something." She added-it didn't seem impossible, knowing her.

"Do you want me to get my condo back?" He asked her, watching her stare into her baby's closet to see where she could put Isis's stuff.

"Why you say that?" She turned to look at him with a frown.

"I don't know. She tiny. Ion know if she the type to cry through the night and I don't want her to stress you o-,"

"Why would I want you to leave? I like you living here with me. And besides, I told you I was down to be her friend, remember? Nothing changed." She slid a joke in, being her usual unserious self which made Israel smile.

"I know, but you don't think maybe you'll change your mind when lil' Tana come? It's gone be two babies in the house-and you the only mama." He chuckled at the last part, keeping his eyes on her as she made her way back to the loveseat.

"I think we'll manage. I can just turn the guest room into her room. Journey barely use it anyway. She won't mind sleeping on the couch." Bria shrugged, smiling at the sound of his laughter.

"I'm taking whatever come with you, okay? So don't get to thinking that you a burden to me or something, just 'cause you have a daughter now. I know it's random and so damn sudden, but we gone figure it out like we do everything else." She rubbed the side of his face, holding it in her palm when he leaned over to give her a kiss.

He laid his forehead gently against hers as he enjoyed the warmth caused by her hands rubbing on his face, wishing this feeling could last forever. It was crazy how calm she made him; how safe he felt around her.

A part of him was afraid to come home a few hours ago because he wasn't sure if his daughter was grounds for static in his relationship with Bria, and he didn't want to come home and face her if it was. He was glad that wasn't the case.

"I thought you would've tried to break up with me-you know, or put me out 'cause why would you wanna help raise a child you didn't have?" He moved his head to lay on her shoulder when she took a whining Isis from him.

"Boy you gone be doing the same thing with my baby. Trust. Step-daddy mode like no other." Bria patted the top of his head, making him smack his lips while she laughed.

Israel groaned under his breath as he stretched his body out, getting tangled in the covers at the same time. He felt the side of the bed to see if Bria was still there, and then sat up when he realized he was laying by himself.

The clock on the wall read a little past seven in the evening, which wasn't unusual at all because he didn't end up going to bed until around noon. He and Bria spent the morning redecorating the guest room, and he had to move the king sized bed to the garage; that was what really made his body tired because he hadn't been to the gym in a little minute.

Anywho, deciding that now was a good time to get up, he went to go brush his teeth and wash his face before walking out of the bedroom to go find Bria and Isis.

"Look, yo' fat head ass daddy up now." Santana turned Isis to face the opposite direction, holding the back of her neck.

"Only you would have a lil' infant listening to Youngboy." Israel shook his head while grabbing her out of his hands, earning a laugh from him since that was true.

Israel looked down at her as she laid her face against his collar bone, using her tiny nails to grope at his tattooed skin. Her nails were actually quite long, which reminded him to tell Bria to cut them because his neck was still scratched up from holding her this morning.

"Wassup daddy baby? You smell good." He lightly sniffed her skin while walking with her towards the kitchen where he assumed Bria was.

"She just took a bath. My baby shitted all over herself for the second time, chile." Bria tilted her back to let him kiss her lips before going back to slicing up an onion.

"Yo' baby, huh?" He smirked, kissing her cheek next while she nodded her head. She loved Isis so much already-she loved babies in general, but knowing that she now had one here with her full time made her love her even more.

"I like the sound of that. What you cookin'?" He raised himself on top of the counter, then scooted to the side so that he wouldn't be in her way.

"Just chicken fried chicken sandwiches and onion rings. I had to make something quick and simple tonight 'cause my feet hurting." She said, and he looked down to see her wearing her memory foam slippers that helped soothe the bottom of her feet.

"I'll rub 'em for you when you done."

"Thank you b-Santana! Quit all that damn yelling!" Bria cut herself off mid sentence, ironically yelling as well. He was rapping louder than the TV.

His voice became louder as he entered the kitchen, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind to purposely get on her nerves. Israel smiled at the obviously annoyed look on her face, watching Santana dance behind her.

"You lucky the baby in here or I would've started screaming." Santana's hands rubbed underneath her belly as the song ended, and she just rolled her eyes at him.

"Stay out my stuff Israel." She popped his hand as soon as he reached for one of the fried onion rings that were already done, a frown on her face.

"You 'bouta cook all of them. Why I can't have one of these?" He pulled his hand back with a smile, knowing they were getting on her nerves.

"Because I said so. Matter fact, both of y'all get out. I'm almost done. Come back in ten minutes." She gestured them both out after pulling away from Santana.

"I just offered to rub yo' feet for you, and you putting me out?" Israel got off the counter, shaking his head.

"Boy, please. Can I get her?" She dried her now washed hands off with a napkin before holding them out for Isis.

He chuckled at how she was kicking him out the kitchen but still wanted his daughter, but put Isis in her arms anyway. Then, he strolled towards the living room to see Santana setting 2K23 up on the PlayStation 5.

Grabbing the blue controller, he sat down on the sofa at the same time that Santana did, but with a black controller. The controllers had their names engraved on them; an early Christmas gift from Bria because Israel ended up getting the unboxed package from the delivery man one night after work.

"What time you get back?" Israel asked Santana, slouching deeper into the couch.

"Shit, around one something. B said you had just went to sleep when I got here, so whatever time it was then." He grabbed the container that was in the middle of the abstract shaped coffee table, pulling the top off to grab a bag of weed out of it.

"How was the trip?"

"Boring. Jersey really don't even be a trip for me no more, shit be straight business." He opened a brand new pack of backwoods, pulling the leaf from the pouch.

"I was just telling B we need to go on a real vacation. I was supposed to take her to Bali for her birthday but most of the resorts was booked up 'round that time. I'ma check again tomorrow." Israel made a mental note in hopes that he wouldn't forget.

"Sound good to me. But shid, you woke up a daddy today nigga. How you feel?" Santana glanced over at him while filling his grinder up with weed.

"I don't even know, to be honest. The fact that I didn't know about her when I woke up yesterday morning just make it feel so unreal. Like I can't believe she exist type shit."

"Better believe it. 'Lil mama got yo' whole face. Can't deny her for nothin'." He said, causing Israel to let out a laugh since that was true.

"Man, when I first saw her after hearing Kemi say she was mine, the thought of a DNA test flew out the fuckin' window. I wish I had a baby picture of me 'cause that shit crazy identical, like foreal."

"I believe you. How it's been though? Think it's something you can get used to?" Santana asked.

"Used to? Nah. I don't think it'll ever feel real. Like I'ma always be like, 'damn, I really got a kid'. It's gone get worse when she get older and start walking, or when she go to school and make her first friend-you know, shit like that. She my responsibility now, you feel me?" He started, pausing for a moment to look over at Bria and Isis.

"Like she ain't no job I can just quit whenever I'm ready, or a random kid that I'm babysitting or somethin'. She mine forever. That shit keep blowing my mind." Israel chuckled, trying not to tear up at the realization-again.

"Parenthood really beautiful if you think about it. That's why I can't wait for B to have my son. 'Cause you mean to tell me, I get a lifelong best friend? Somebody I get to raise? A lil' dude running around with my blood in him.."

"And you know, I wasn't raised with the best parents.. that's why I'm fucked up now, I never had the proper guidance. I can give that to my son though, you know? I can raise him right. I can teach him how to be a good person. Having that kind of responsibility is shit that I wanted so bad but never directly prayed for." Santana told him.

"Bria helped me put it into that perspective this morning. It kinda made me feel worse though, 'cause what if I can't do it correctly?" Israel admitted, nervously rubbing the inside of his palm.

"One bad moment won't fuck up her whole life. As long as you right your wrongs, you'll learn from yo' mistakes and learn to do it right on the first round. Don't stress it. Oh-and even if you do fuck up, that's what you got B for. She won't let you fuck up too many times before she pop yo' ass in yo' mouth." He spoke from experience near the end, making Israel laugh.

A smile graced Santana's face, looking over at Bria as he began rolling his blunt. She was leaning against the counter next to a plate of fried chicken breasts, rocking Isis at a steady pace in her arms. He could also see her mouth moving as if she was talking to the baby.

Motherhood fit her so well-as if it came naturally to her. He assumed it did because he hadn't heard a single complaint from her since she'd suddenly taken on the maternal role for Isis. Granted it had only been a day, but she was doing damn good so far.

He couldn't wait until she gave birth to their son. He loved the mom look on her, and couldn't wait to raise his kid with her. Doing parenthood with his best friend was a dream he didn't know he had. He was looking forward to making more of his dreams a reality with her.

"I 'preciate the advice. And thank you for being so cool with my baby being here, you know, and for being okay with yo' babymama helping me raise her. I know our circumstances a 'lil abnormal." Israel chuckled, referring to their polygamy relationship.

"You ain't gotta thank me. She just as much of yo' babymama as she is mine. Blood don't mean nothin'. And besides, you know I fuck with you. Long as B good, me and you always good, through whatever." Santana passed him the blunt once he took a hit from it, and Israel dapped him up after grabbing it.

Their conversation came to a halt as Bria walked in with two plates, sitting them down on the small table in front of the two men. A few seconds later she came back with two cups of fruit punch, along with a warm bottle of milk for Isis.

The chicken sandwiches she made resembled the one that Dave's Hot Chicken had on their menu, but Israel's piece of chicken was more of a reddish color due to the spices and buffalo rub while Santana's was the opposite because he wasn't a fan of spicy flavors.

Seasoned onion rings, pickles, a side of celery and a small cup of special sauce also accompanied the sandwiches, completing the meal. The ice cold fruit punch topped it off.

"You ain't eating B?" Santana asked, dipping his onion ring in the side of sauce.

"Not right now. I wanna put her down for bed and take a shower first." She said, her eyes focused on little Isis who was drinking from her bottle.

She read online that making sure infants got a warm bottle at a certain time every night would help set up a routine for a good nights rest-for both the child and the parents-so she wanted to go ahead and try to get that going now.

The Similac powder formula seemed to be working well for her, too. Bria made sure to pay attention to her poop and watched her visible reaction to see if the milk wasn't a good match, and everything looked normal so far.

She still planned to have a talk with Isis's pediatrician about a full health and allergen check when it was time for her six week vaccinations though-just to be on the safe side.

So should Bria leave Israel cause he got a baby with another woman now?????? His ex wife at that?????? Cause y'all shole going hard bout her and Santana baby 🙄✌🏼✌🏼✌🏼