"HAPPY BIRTHDAY MUNCH!"

Today is Layla's birthday and I just can't stop crying. Although she isn't my biological child, To watch a child grow and to teach the child is just the most emotional thing.

"Munch we're going to the aquarium today."

I watch as she rubs her small hands against her eyes before smiling.

"MAA!" she squeals

"Yes baby?"

"Dada"

I turn around quickly with fear in my mind. My stomach feels like it's dropping and my heart begins racing.

I look at the hallway just to see nothing.

"Layla you scared mommy."

A knock at the front door gets my attention.

"Let's see who that is."

I stretch my hand out to hers and wait till she grabs it. She slides off the bed and we make our way to the living room.

"Coming"

Madison unlocks all the locks on the door that Dre helped her install when she moved.

"Who came to send my baby her birthday wishes." Madison squeals

She picks Layla off of the ground and plants her on her left hip. She twists the knob and begins pulling the door inward.

"DAAAA!" Layla squeals trying to get off of Madison's hip

Vito's eyes lit up in excitement at seeing his baby girl. It has been a few days since he saw the kids and missed them.

"Happy birthday Buba." He says excitingly

His eyes ran against Madison's body and he could see she looks different. Happy.

"Can I hold her?" He asks running his tongue over his bottom lip

Madison nods her head and watches as he reaches over to take her.

"Hey Bubba, you miss your Daddy?"

Layla begins babbling,making Vito nod and chuckle.

Madison opens the door wider allowing him to enter her apartment.

Vito steps in and gets a good look around her apartment. He nods in approval at the beautiful pink and purple decorations.

Madison shuts the door,making sure to leave the locks untouched.

"Raniyah told me you're having a birthday party for her."

Madison keeps quiet. She nods her head and walks away to the back to check on Cairo.

"Toot it's time to get up." Madison whispers in his ears

She places a few kisses on his head before turning him over on his back to change him.

"Baby." She whines

She changes Cairo and places his baby shorts back on him. She kisses his face all over until finally he opens his eyes.

"Your daddy is here to see you."

She picks him up and cradles him in her arms.

"You're such a handsome boy."

Vito looks up from Layla and watches Madison walk in with Cairo. He plants a kiss on Layla's forehead and plants her next to him so he could get a chance to love on him also. Madison made it her best interest to not look at him but once she looked at his beard it was hard. He made his beard grow out and he has a fresh cut. One side of her feared him while the other wanted what was planted in his Balmain jeans.

"Dang Son you can't get enough of that breast milk." He says raspily

He grabs Cairo from her arms and plants his feet on his legs so he could have him stand on him.

"Son I missed you."

She makes her way to the kitchen and decides to make breakfast for Layla. Currently on her diet for breakfast it consists of eating nuts,berries,and a big bowl of plain yogurt.

"Madison I think he's hungry." Vito says coming into the kitchen

She turns around and flicks the electronic kettle on. She grabs the formula from the pantry and grabs one of his bottles from the dishwasher.

Vito's eyes traveled wherever she went. He still can't believe he's in her home.

He watches her make the bottle. She pours the warm water over the formula until it reaches where she wants it.

"How many ounces does he drink?

"Six" she answers facing away from him

She places the cover over the bottle and begins shaking it up. She then turns around and makes her way over to him,Each step seemed hard to move, As if her feet were in quicksand.

She finally stands in front of him and removes the top from the bottle. She places the bottle on his lip and watches as Cairo makes his face up.

Vito moves Cairo from the bottle.

"It's hot."

"No it's not, he's still getting used to drinking it." Madison responds

Vito moves forward and watches as Madison places the bottle to his mouth.

"Cairo you have to drink this." Madison whines, placing a kiss on his cheek.

Vito plants his hand on the bottom of the bottle and watches as Madison removes her hand.

"Layla why are you so quiet?" Madison asks leaving the kitchen

She makes her way towards the couch to see her watching tv.

She heads back in the kitchen to see Vito still planted in his spot feeding Cairo.

"How's school?" Vito asks watching her begin to make breakfast

Madison dreaded this moment. She didn't want to talk right now and she surely didn't want him in the kitchen with her.

"School is school." She replies

"I heard you have a blog."

Madison hadn't told anyone about the blog. Looks like someone has been creeping up on her.

She nods and keeps her response simple.

"Yup"

"Look this is only going to be weird if you make it weird."

Madison places the cracked egg shells in the trash and turns around.

"Victor how do you expect me to act?" She asks softly

She wanted to cry so bad. The tears itch at her eye lid making her want to blink it out. She told herself she wouldn't cry. She wouldn't embarrass herself. At least he didn't wait till the party to come.

"You know me s-

"I don't know you." She says cutting him off

Vito didn't fuss about her cutting him off. He let her have her moment.

"Ivy I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do that in front of you."

"So why'd you do it? Why -why did you find it okay to traumatize me? Victor I'm scared of you. I told myself to forgive you, because if I didn't I wouldn't be able to live in peace,You wouldn't have Cairo in your arms ,and Layla wouldn't be with me." "You changed my view of you and I don't know how so quickly someone I trusted with my life turned to someone I feared."

"Ivy I-

"No let me finish" she chokes out

"So I'm sorry if you want me to stand here and act like I deeply miss you or begin talking to you like we're best friends."

Vito's eyes travel to her ring finger looking for the ring.

"I left it at your house on the bathroom sink" she answers noticing him looking at her finger

"Ivy all I can say is I'm sorry. I can't take back what I did."

"I know you can't." She whispers turning around

"But not a day goes by that I don't think about us or our family. Not a day goes by where I don't find myself looking at our pictures,beating myself up about what I did to you. No woman ever deserves what I did to you and I'm sorry Ivy"

Madison pours the eggs in the warm skillet and watches as it begins cooking before she mixes it with a wooden spoon.

"Ivy I just want to be in your good grace,I just want to be allowed to be back into your life."

Madison continues moving the spoon around in the pan watching the eggs scramble.

"Victor please just let me sleep on this"

He nods his head and leaves outside of the kitchen.

As soon as he left Madison began breaking down. She shuts the fire off and plants her face in her hands,pouring out her emotions

"You promise you wouldn't cry" she croaks to herself

This part honestly made me so emotional. Poor Baby is hurt

"MAAA!"

she quickly dries her eyes and begins smiling. She turns around to see Layla running in the kitchen.

"Eat" Layla says rubbing on her stomach

"Aww my favorite girl is hungry? Mommy is putting your eggs in your bowl right now."

She grabs a baby bowl from the cupboard and places it on the counter before shaking the eggs in her bowl.

"Layla your eggs are done."

She picks Layla up and brings her out to the living room and places her in her high chair.

She goes back in the kitchen and grabs her bowl. She makes her way back to Layla only to see her high chair in front of Vito.

"I'll feed her." He announces

Madison places the bowl on Layla's table and heads to the bathroom to take a shower.

She connects her phone to her speaker and begins playing music.

Bryson tiller's voice bumps through the speaker making her mellow down. She turns the shower knobs,making sure to turn more hot than cold. She strips out of her clothes and steps into the warm meager space.

In the middle of washing off the soap suds she hears a knock to the door.

"Who is it!?"

She slaps herself on the forehead knowing exactly who it is.

"I mean what is it!?"

"Cairo is asleep,where should I put him?" Vito asks trying to yell over the speaker

"What did you say?"

Vito opens the door and pauses her music from the speaker.

"Cairo is asleep. Where do you want me to put him?"

"You can lay him down in his crib in his room on the right." Madison answers

He presses her speaker allowing her music to start back. He leaves the bathroom and heads back into the living room to grab Cairo.

Madison steps out of the shower and begins drying off. She plants her feet in her house slippers and pulls her robe around her body.

"This was so much needed."

She shuts her speaker off and places her clothes in the hamper. She opens the door and makes her way towards her bedroom. She closes the door behind her and begins to undo her robe.

"Uhh Ivy I'm in here."

"What the hell are you doing in here?!"

"Cairo would start crying when I put him down so I came in here."

"You know you could have stayed in the living room" Madison responds tying her robe back together.

"I'll close my eyes while you get dressed."

"You can leave him. I got it from here."

Vito nods and places Cairo on the bed from off of his chest. On cue Cairo begins whining.

"Daddy is right here." Vito whispers placing him back on his chest

"Ivy I'll just take him in the living room."

Madison nods and waits till he leaves before stripping from her robe.She looks in her drawer searching till she finds a comfortable underwear.

She searches around looking for a bra when her doors open again, making her run her hands to her breast to cover them.

"Does he have a pacifier?" Vito asks staying on the other side of the door

"Yes check his room"

Vito closes the door and Madison drops her hands from her breast.

"He just doesn't know how to knock.

Madison gets dressed in some blue jeans and a white long sleeve top followed by some socks. She leaves hers room and enters the living room.

"Munch you have to take a bath."

Vito looks up at her and on sight his member stiffens.

"Layla mommy said it's time for a bath." Vito says

"No" she responds trying to slide off the couch

Vito eyes widen before he grasps her hand and pops her tiny hand softly.

"Don't tell Daddy no. Now go make Mommy give you a bath"

Madison didn't know what to say. She had never popped Layla before and it wasn't something she considered.

Layla begins whining loudly but stops once she hears Vito voice.

Aht aht cut that out. Go take a bath and then we can go out." He plants a kiss on her forehead and watch as she runs towards Madison

"We're already going to the Aquarium."

"Well I'll take her out to get ice cream later on."

"She has cake and ice cream here."

"Ivy well I'll figure it out."

"Look Buba look at the fishes." Vito points out

Madison was to into Layla enjoying herself to feel Vito's hand in hers.

She tried playing it off by slowly pulling it off of his but Vito's hand grips hers again.

"Uhh Victor could you let my hand go?" Madison asks politely

He turns and looks down and lets it go.

"My bad" he mumbles

He leaves Madison with Cairo strapped on her body.

"Guess who?" Raniyah asks shocking Madison

"I thought you said you wouldn't be able to make it."

"And miss my little cousin's first birthday? No"

"Where's Ava?" Madison asks looking around

"Her father went to change her."

"So I see your here with baby daddy." Raniyah says raising her brows

" He's here for his daughter. Nothing more than that"

"A little birdy told me that he misses you."

Madison nods her head before speaking.

"He already let that be known. Tell me something that I don't know" Madison says patting Cairo's back

"That he wants to get you pre-

"Ummmm okay Raniyah"

"I'm serious the other night he came over to my house moaning and groaning about how he misses you and how he wants you to get pregnant.He said the next chance he gets he's trapping you."

"Well Victor won't get another chance." She mumbles looking down at Cairo's chubby cheeks.

"Girl I have to go look for Smiley I'll be back."

"I have to pee." She whines

She looks around to see if Raniyah came back but she didn't.

"Do I have to?" She whispers

She didn't want to talk to him but she had to. She walks over to Vito and taps his shoulder.

He turns his head and looks over to see Madison.

"I have to pee."

"Want me to take Cairo?" He asks

"I didn't tell you for the fun of it." She mumbles

Vito chuckles before using one hand to help press one side while Madison presses the other.

"Layla stay with daddy. I have to go potty."

Madison takes the carrier off and helps place it on Vito's chest.

"This feels weird" he groans

Madison clasps the sides together and made sure they fit well around his muscles.

"Loosen it on the shoulders."

Madison loosen the shoulders and look up at him for confirmation.

"Thanks."

Madison walks off and tries to find the bathroom. While looking she feels eyes on her. She turns her head to see a tall white man. His hair slicked to the slide like Leanardo Dicaprio. The man walks up to her catching her by surprise.

"Hello Beautiful what's your name?"

"Not interested" she answers about to walk off

The man runs after her and stops in front of her.

"You're beautiful but that's not why I was stopping you. You see, their is a shoot coming up for my lingerie brand and I need a plus size model."

"Like I said not interested." She mumbles about to move around him

"Could I give you my card and you could call me."

The man grabs a card from his pocket and plants it in her hand.

"My name is Banji." He grins

"Well good day Banji."

Madison walks around and finally finds the bathroom.

"It took you years to get back." Vito says watching Madison take a seat

"Madison what do you have there?" Raniyah asks looking at her hand

"Some guy named Banji gave it to me"

Vito felt his leg begin to shake.

"For what?" Smiley asks giving Ava a spoonful of applesauce

"He said he needs a plus size model. But I'm not a model"

"Wait what did you say this guy name is again?" Raniyah asks

Madison hands her the card and Raniyah begins reading it.

"Oh my gosh Madison do you even know who you just spoke to?"

"Who?" Everyone asks in usion

"Banji Daniels, this man has the most expensive and cutest lingerie ever." "Babe you bought me two pairs of his set before."

" How expensive are we talking?" Vito asks

"At least three hundred dollars for one bra"

"Your lying" Smiley says opening his mouth

"No he r-

"No your lying about me buying that. Wasn't no way I was making you spend three hundred on some bras"

"Babe it was a set and besides you end up taking it off the next week." She shrugs

"Maddy you have to take this opportunity. If not for me, do it for the kids. You'll be making some serious money from this man."

Madison shakes her head and places the card in her pocket.

"I don't know I'll think about it."

Madison looks over at Layla to see her eating a slice of pizza.

"Is the pizza good mama?"

Layla smiles showing her teeth.

" who else is supposed to be coming?" Raniyah ask

"I know Dre told me he'll be over when the party starts and my dad should be coming down"

Vito stares at Madison for a while. Hoping that she would take the opportunity.

"You could make it less obvious, you know." Smiley whispers in his ear

"That's my babymama she knows wassup."

"Can you stop staring at her like you want to impregnate her,again." Smiley whispers

Vito turns his head and looks at Smiley.

"Why are you in my grill?"

"Because your making her uncomfortable"

Madison wanted to crawl under a hole and die. Vito's eyes wouldn't leave her face and she was scared to even stare back.

"Victor could you stop staring at me?"

Vito smirks before nodding.

"Sorry Ivy."

"Munch are you ready to go? I have to get you showered and you need to get into your tu tu."

The car ride back to Madison's apartment was silent. Vito made sure to purposely take the longer route so he could get some conversation out of her.

"Did you ever use the money I sent to you?"

Madison,whose body is turned shakes her head.

"Never needed your money." She mumbles .

"Look Ivy,can you at least act like you want me around?"

"Why should I?"

She turns her head to get a good look at him.

"Because today is about Layla and not about us." he states

"Right Victor so I don't have to speak to you."

Vito looks in the rearview mirror to get a peek at the sleeping kids.

He continues driving until they reach her apartment. He parks the car in a spot and shuts the car down.

"I'll get Cairo."

Vito grabs the carseat from the back and Madison slips Layla little body over hers.

"Layla you have to get up you have to get in the bath."

The weather is dewy and gloomy out. Madison places her hoodie over Layla's body and starts up to her building lobby.

"Do you have your key?" Vito asks

"Dre is upstairs." She mumbles

Dre and Vito haven't spoken for two days. Vito tried texting him but Dre ignored his texts.

Both Madison and Vito make their way on the elevator when a familiar voice gets Madison's attention.

"Madison is that you?"

Madison looks at Vito and he begins growing nervous. Forgetting to mention that he invited his mother.

This was super long and I don't want yall getting bored on me so ima break it down