“Because I’m your daddy, boy,” Messiah said, his words coming out so whimsically, because he was still in shock.

“My daddy?” Messari asked, his mouth dropping open in an O of surprise.

“Your daddy,” Messiah confirmed. “I know, kid. It’s news to me too.”

A knock at the door brought Messiah instant relief as he stood and hurried over to answer. He looked out the peephole before pulling open the door.

Bleu stood in front of him. She frowned as she looked around him to locate the source of the cries. “Messiah, why are Morgan’s babies here?” she asked, confused. “What did you do?”

“More like what did she do?” he answered. “They’re my kids, B. They’re mine, and they don’t fuck with me, and I can’t get Yara to stop crying. I got kids.”

The news was like a punch to the gut. Bleu placed a hand on her stomach. Her mouth fell open, but nothing came out. She was speechless. Her eyes prickled. “Wow.” Bleu couldn’t offer much more than that. It felt like he had pulled the rug from beneath her.

“Can you help me, B? I don’t really know what I’m doing here, and she’s screaming like something is wrong,” Messiah said.

Bleu’s eyes were pools of sadness as she stepped inside.

“Messari, come here, man,” Messiah urged.

Bleu looked at the twins. She had seen them before in pictures. Never had she put the pieces together.

“This is daddy’s best friend. Her name is Bleu,” Messiah introduced. He picked Yara up. She had been crying so long she was exhausted, wiping her eyes with tiny balled fists as she blubbered.

“Hi, Messari,” Bleu whispered as she lowered onto her knees. “Nice to meet you.”

Messari scurried to Messiah and climbed between the space between his arm and his body, then behind his back.

“And this is…”

“Yara,” Messiah introduced. “She’s deaf, B,” he said. “My daughter’s deaf.”

Bleu’s eyes met his for a beat before rolling down to Yara. “Hi, precious.”

“This is Daddy’s friend Bleu,” Messiah signed.

Bleu picked Yara up, despite her protests, ignoring her dangling legs and her arms that were extended straight above her head. Bleu stood and pressed Yara’s head onto her shoulder as she bounced while walking the length of Messiah’s apartment.

“For one, Messiah, she’s soaking wet,” Bleu said. She pulled Yara’s leggings back, revealing a pull-up. “She’s wearing a pull-up. Do you have any here?”

“No,” Messiah answered.

“Where are their bags? I’m sure Mo packed some,” Bleu said.

“They don’t have bags, B. I just took ’em. She told me they were mine, and I just flipped. I snapped and just took ’em,” Messiah answered. “And now she won’t stop crying.”

“Messiah, you can’t just take them without permission,” Bleu said.

“They’re mine, B. She kept them from me for two years. Fuck Mo and her permission,” he barked. “Just get her to stop crying!”