Chapter 4

"How can something so disgusting come out of such a small person?" Ash makes gagging sounds while holding Sophie's dirty diaper at arm's length.

Sophie lets out a high-pitched giggle, pulling on her little feet. I stand over Sophie, putting on a clean diaper and her baseball onesie set that says, "out of your league."

"Is Uncle Ash being dramatic?" I grin down at her. She puts her fist in her mouth and babbles incoherent baby talk.

Picking her up into my arms, I walk out of the room towards the kitchen. "Are you hungry, baby girl?" She continues to babble, a spit bubble.

Turning the corner into the kitchen, I grab the bottle of milk I prepared for Sophie. I sit at the table, hold Sophie close to my chest, and give her the bottle. She takes it like a pro while staring at me while she sucks on it.

"All right, so while you play father, I'm going to take the trash out and fix Abuela's back screen door," Ash says as he strolls into the kitchen.

I ignore his "father" comment.

Ash grabs a bottle of water from the fridge and leans against the counter.

Since Shorty and her mom have been in the hospital, we've been taking care of Sophie after school, and helping Abuela with house chores, and fixing things that need to be replaced.

Instead of accepting the money she has been trying to force us to take, we sit and eat dinner with her as payment. Even though we have no idea what she says in Spanish, it can't be anything terrible since she always has a big smile whenever we're around.

"Have you been to the hospital?" Ash asks, taking a drink of his water.

I pull Sophie's bottle from her mouth and put her over my shoulder, patting her back until she let out a loud milky burp. "That's a good girl," I praise her before telling my brother "No."

"Not recently." It's not that I didn't want to, but the coach has been working us hard before the new season starts. By the time I make it to the hospital, she's already asleep.

It's been driving me insane not being able to be near, unable to comfort or hold her.

I can't imagine what she must be going through, the pain, the devastation that her mother was nearly left for dead by her father—a father who was shot and killed by her brother.

The whole situation is like a horror movie.

Being with Sophie brings me closer to Shorty. I pull Sophie back until she's sitting on my lap facing me. She has Shorty's coffee-brown eyes that twinkle like stars. I lean forward, kissing her against her wild curly hair tied halfway up with a red and white bow.

Sophie yawns and arches her back, head falling back, looking at Ash upside down, babbling with her hands in her mouth.

"Why is she eating her hands?" Ash tilts his head and smiles at Sophie.

"Why are you asking stupid questions?"

"Man, babies are weird. They sleep, eat, and shit all freaking day."

I shake my head at him, pulling Sophie against my chest when she lets out another yawn.

"Someone's sleepy," I mutter in her hair, leaving a kiss behind.

The front door opens, and Tia walks in with a huge mischievous grin. "Well, isn't this the sexiest thing I have ever seen? The golden boys being domestic and shit."

"That turns you on, mama?" Ash says seductively.

"You wish." She winks at him.

Tia drops her purse on the counter and walks towards Sophie. Tia gently runs her fingers through Sophie's curls and rubs her back soothingly.

"How is she?" Tia whispers trying not to wake up a sleepy Sophie.

"She's good. I'm about to put her down for a nap."

"You're good with her." She smiles wholeheartedly as she looks back at Sophie and then me.

Her compliment warms my heart.

Tia's eyes connect with Ash. "Where's Abuelita?"

"She's taking a nap." Ash finishes his water and tosses the bottle in the recycling bin before approaching Tia.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Tia crosses her arms across her chest.

"Like what?" Ash walks closer until she's flushed against his body.

Tia places her hands against his chest. "Like you're going to make me do something I'm going to regret."

Ash gives her a crooked grin. "Care to put that to the test?" he challenges.

Tia cocks an eyebrow as if she's intrigued.

Ash takes a step back, giving her space…waiting.

"Come and help me with the screen door. You can hold my tools for me."

"Oh? And what tools would those be?" Tia whispers like she's turned on.

"My eight-inch di—" "Don't finish that sentence," I snap glaring at my brother, standing up quickly with Sophie tucked against me, and walk past them. Jesus, they were minutes from fucking each other right in the kitchen.

Laughter follows me as I walk down the hall to Sophie's room. After tucking Sophie in her crib, I turn on the rotating nightlight that projects stars around the room and leave the door cracked open.

My phone dings as I leave Sophie's room. Pulling it out of my pocket, I groan when I see the message.

Roman:8pm tonight.