How It Began

Chapter One

"I lost something

I never had

Yet it hurt

Just as bad"

-Unknown

Flashback

"Lo how could you be so stupid and get pregnant you have so much going for yourself and now you just threw it away because what that boy said he loves you. I've been down that road I've raised you and your brother on my own because your father decided that the streets was more important than his family."

"I'm not you nor is Kyhlen like that we're going to be just fine"

"You know what Lori I won't be supporting you or that child you carrying you have to leave don't take anything that I bought you either."

Shaking my head I went upstairs and packed everything that either I bought or my grandma bought. My mother gotten pregnant at the age of fourteen with my older brother Malachi then got pregnant with me at sixteen and then my younger brother Elijah a few years later so I didn't understand why she's acting like that. Once I packed my things I was headed downstairs when my younger brother Eli stopped me and asked.

"Lo-Lo where you going.?"

"Mom put me out I'm going to see if I can stay with grandma" I say

"Why Lo don't leave me"

"I'm pregnant and Moma is making me leave I'll call you everyday I promise"

"Don't leave me" he sniffled

Bending down I hugged and kissed him and said

"I love you Eli don't you ever forget it"

Getting up I went downstairs and left out the door I dialed my grandma number and she picked up.

"Hey Lo baby"

"Hey Nana can I stay with you.?"

"Yea what's going on.?"

"Moma put me out because I'm pregnant"

She sighed and said

"I'm on my way baby"

"Okay"

"Flashback over

Present Day....

If you would have asked me where would I be five years ago honestly I couldn't even tell you because I didn't know. After giving birth to my almost three year old daughter watching my first love get killed, and losing my big brother to the system. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison for something he didn't even do. I feel into a deep depression it was bad I was put on suicide watch for trying to take my life I have a few scares to show for it. My grandma made me realize that I wasn't just living for me but I was living for my daughter and I had to get my shit together. At the age of almost twenty five I'm doing damn well for myself I'm an event & party planner & I have my own interior design company. I'm a business owner, full time mother, and care giver. My daughter needs all the money I enjoy working at the hospital even if it's three days out the week.

"Mommy" my daughter says

"Hey princess, you hungry.?"

"Yes" she said while nodding her head up & down

"Okay, I made you pancakes & sausages"

She took off running in the kitchen and I just shook her head smiling. My baby girl looks like her daddy so much. Unfortunately he was gunned down on our daughters first birthday he didn't even make it to the party. I was so heart broken my daughter will never experience the love or bond with her daddy. Her birthday is bittersweet for me but I always make the best of it because of her.

"Is it good Pooh.?"

"Mhm" she said and did her happy dance

Shaking my head, I grabbed her favorite cup and poured apple juice in it and sat it on the table next to her. Today I wasn't really working, just going to help out my best friend at her hair salon yup I'm a woman with many talents. I've learned a lot by watching my auntie and grandma a lot that's how I learned to cook, do hair & make-up, and even care for people because of them.

"Mommy all done"

"Okay princess lets go get you dressed"

She got out the chair and went upstairs I grabbed her dirty dishes and wash them real quick and went to give my baby girl a bath. Once I went upstairs I went into the bathroom and turned the tub on once it was filled up a lil I called my baby into the bathroom and she got in the tub. Ten minutes later I was getting her out the tub I let the water out and wrapped her up in a towel and went into her room.

"Wuv you Mommy"

"Love you more princess"

Drying her off I oiled her up and put on her panties and clothes and then she insisted that she put her sparkling boots on herself. Successfully putting them on I told her to go downstairs and watch cartoons until I was down. I went in my room and pulled out some clothes I had already showered so all I had to do was get dressed. It took me ten minutes to get dressed I took a picture, grabbed my things and went downstairs. My princess was dancing along to the tv she was watching doc mcstuffins that's her favorite cartoon she'll watch it all day.

"Come on princess" I say coming out the kitchen

"Cheese" she smiled

Giggling I took her picture and then grabbed the remote turning the tv off and headed to the front door. Once we was out I locked it up and went over to my car and got my princess situated and then shut the door. Getting in the car myself I put my purse on the passenger seat and my baby sippy cup in the cup holder. Starting the car up I pulled out my driveway and headed to the shop it wasn't a long drive. It took me twenty minutes to get there once I found a parking spot and kilt the engine. Grabbing my purse and unbuckling my seat belt I closed my door and got Pooh out her car seat. I picked her up and put her on my hips. Hitting the locks I went into the shop and was instantly greeted.

"Hey Lori" most of the stylist said

"Hey ladies" I smiled

My best friend came from the back and Pooh squirmed out my hands to get to her

"Tt" she yells

"Hey pretty girl" Zo cooed

I just love their bond it's so cute Zo doesn't have any kids of her own but she spoils Pooh rotten.

"Hey bestie boo" she says

"Hey boo, what the schedule look like.?"

"Not that busy, I do need you to help me with inventory"

"Cool I can do that, where Mai?"

"With my momma"

"Oh okay, how is it going?"

"It's going I'll tell you about it later"

"Okay boo, you want me to get Pooh.?"

"Nope my pretty girl is okay she going to hang out with me"

Throwing my hands up, I went in the back and grabbed the inventory papers and then went to go check it out. As I was going over inventory my phone rung pulling it out I looked at the caller Id

"Hey baby brother"

"Man I'm not a baby no mo Lo" he sucked his teeth

"Hush you going to always be my baby"

"You act just like auntie anyway you & Pooh coming to Malachi welcome home party.?"

"Wasn't planning on it, but I'll come through and show my face"

"Lo, he did it for us you have to understand that"

"Eli, I'll see you a little later I'm working"

"Love you Lo"

"Love you too baby brother"

Ending the call I sighed because I didn't want to talk about my brother because it was a very touchy subject for me. I also had no interest of going to his welcoming home gathering, but knowing my grandma and auntie they was going to call and bug me about it. I'm not going to stay very long because I have to be up at 6am my shift at the hospital start 7:00 and I get off 3:30. Pooh is going to be spending the night with either my auntie or grandma and I'll pick her up once I get from work. Sunday's is Pooh and our afternoon mother daughter bonding time I'm going to take her out to get food and or ice cream along with finding us something fun to do.

"Lori, it's somebody here for you" Shayla came back and said

"Who is it.?"

"I don't know, but he asked for you personally"

"He?" I mumbled to myself

Walking out the back and going into the front of the shop I immediately saw him I haven't saw him since I was sixteen years old. Why was he here and how did he know where to find me.

Elijah POV....

"Elijah is she coming.?"

"Yes ma'am"

"Okay good, I need you to go pick up the cake from Renae bakery and pick up some paper plates forks and napkins"

"Okay"

Getting up, I walked out the front door my big brother was coming home he spent the last ten years in prison. I'm just glad that he's getting out and going to be around more I didn't understand why Lo didn't want to see Malachi he went in for us, but mainly her. I love both my siblings and didn't want to lose neither one of them ever again.

"Hey Eli"

"What's up Tati.?"

"Nothing about to walk to the store "

"I'm headed that way ya want to ride.?"

"You sure.?"

"Yeah come on"

Tati wasn't ya neighborhood hoe she was a good girl went to church with her grandma every Sunday, stay studying in them books, and partied sometimes. She reminds me a lot like Lo when she was her age. I salute her fa not being out here like these other females was.

"Thanks for the ride"

"No problem, ya coming to Malachi welcome home party.?"

"Oh that's today I forgot" she giggled

"Yea everybody gonna be there"

"That's cool and yeah I might come"

"You right next door might as well it's gonna be fun ya know my grandma and auntie cooking"

"I love Ms. Liz and Ms. Meg cooking" she smiled

"See ya might as well slide thru and keep me company too" I smirked

"Boy please I'm pretty sure it's going to be girls there to keep you company"

"Yeah it is but I'm asking you"

"I'll think about it"

"Aight"

Pulling up in front of the bakery I unbuckled my seat belt and said

"I'll be back I gotta pick up bro cake"

"Don't leave me alone in this car"

"Come on scary" I chuckled

We both got out and went inside the bakery

"Hey Elijah baby"

"Hey Ms. Renae is the cake ready?"

"Sure is I'll be right back"

Nodding my head, I see Tati looking at some donuts swear ms. Renae has the best pastries in town.

"You want one.?" I asked

"Yup, but I'm trying to watch my figure"

"You look good to me Tati"

"You just saying that Elijah I'm so fat"

Furrowing my eyebrows together I said to her

"You gorgeous as hell and your body is thick in all the right places you are not fat baby girl I don't want to hear you talk about yourself like that again."

She blushed covered her face ms. Renae came back with the cake I looked at it and nodded my head.

"How much.?"

"It's already paid for tell your grandma I'll be over after I close shop"

"Okay can I get six of them donuts right there?"

"Which ones?"

"The glazed one with an extra bag please"

I watched her bag up the donuts & grab the extra bag she sat them on top of the cake I was digging in my pocket to pay her and she said

"These on the house"

"Thank you"

"You welcome see you later"

Tati grabbed the cake and I grabbed the door hitting the locks on my car we put the cake in the back seat I even put it in a seat belt. Tati laughed at me I've been feeling Tati since we was in high school but I never said shit because a I feel like she would have turned me down. She probably wanted one of those nerdy looking ass boys and that wasn't me. Shit I dress I'm nice shit but with my tattoos I look like a street thug ass her moma say it. My grandma and auntie raised me right I respect women and I didn't hit on them. Looking over at her she was looking at me blushing chuckling I asked her

"What?"

"Nothing I was just looking at you"

"Creep ass" I teased

"No"

"Yeah Aight, I gotta stop at this dollar store and grab some plates & shit"

"Okay"

"Why you don't have a man Tati?"

She looked at me then looked away and said

"I'm busy with school & the guy I like has too many hoes" she shrugged

"Mm, if you was wondering about why I'm single it's because I don't like rejection."

"Who would reject you Eli your handsome"

"Thank ya and you'll be surprised"

She was about to respond but I pulled up in the parking lot of the dollar store and kilt the engine. We both got out and went inside. All I needed outta here was plates forks spoons and napkins and maybe some to go containers. When we walked in we went straight to the isle and I grabbed the stuff.

"You should have got a basket" Tati said

"Yea I'll be back"