Damage

Nicki stood there staring at Safaree's blank expression. "Before you jump to conclusions.." she began "it wasn't even like that."

"Then what was it, Nicki?"

"He had asked me to meet him at the park for a simple talk"

"You weren't going to tell me about it?"

"I just..I don't know. I knew you'd be upset."

"Hell yeah I would be. That man caused you so much harm, who's to say he wouldn't again?"

"I just wanted to get some things off my chest okay?"

"What did he want anyway? All these months and he hasn't given a damn about talking with you."

"He said he missed me.." she trailed off in search of his expression "but I told him that I'm finally happy with a great man yadda yadda yadda and some other good shit about you" he chuckled at the last part.

"Seriously Nic, I don't want you seeing him. I just have a bad feeling. I don't it to come to a time where he tries to hurt you or Carlie and I'm not there to protect." He got up from the table and walked over to Nicki with arms stretched open for a hug. "I'd go crazy if something happened to you two."

Few hours later they were cuddled up on the couch watching Love & Hip Hop reruns. "Yo why does Stevie always do that ugly ass face? Looking like a pervert." Nicki chuckled. Safaree mocked Stevie's face making Nicki do an ugly cry laugh. "Please, don't do that no more."

Nicki raised her leg over Safaree's to straddle his lap. She pecked him on the lips "I love you." He returned the gesture with a peck "I love you more."

"When Carlie coming home from that sleepover?" Safaree questioned "I'm going to pick her up tomorrow morning. Oh, did I tell you Lauren is supposed to be moving here in a couple weeks?"

"Werd? I know you happy."

"Mhm. Haven't got to actually hang out with her in a while."

Safaree began playing in Nicki's hair which Nicki was loving. She began kissing on his neck. Safaree carried her upstairs with her legs still around his waist to finish what was started.


Nicki woke up the next morning in Safaree's arms, her favorite position. She went into the bathroom to relieve herself and take a shower. When she got out 30 minutes later, Safaree was sitting up on the bed flicking through channels.

"Good morning babe" Nicki greeted while walking to her closet to get some clothes for today. "Morning" Safaree said with a smile while looking Nicki up and down in her towel.

Nicki pulled him out of his trance. "So how about we go pick up Carlie together then go out for lunch?"

"Fine with me."

"Cool. Now go get your excited ass in the shower." Nicki said pointing at the covers and winking. Safaree just chuckled.

An hour later they were dressed and in the car driving to Jada's house (Carlie's friend). They pulled up to the average sized house and got out to knock on the door. Jada answered. "Hey Jada, how are you?" Nicki asked.

"Hi! I'm good." Jada pushed the door open wider for them to come in. They walked to see 5 other little girls all around the same age scattered on the floor talking and watching TV, Carlie was among them.

"Hey mommy. Hey daddy." Carlie said looking up at them two. "Hey Cee" they said in unison. "Ready to go?"

"Sure let me just grab my stuff." Carlie grabbed her bag with clothes and other things then headed towards the door. "Bye everybody!"

"Wait, you can't just leave without telling Jada's mom that you're going." Safaree said.

"Oh my bad. MS. JOHNSON MY MOMMY IS HERE TO PICK ME UP SO I'M ABOUT TO LEAVE." Carlie yelled making everyone laugh because she was the littlest in the room but the loudest, just like her mother.

Ms. Johnson came down the stairs greeting Nic and Safaree. "Okay dear, y'all be safe okay?" She walked them to the door and waited til they pulled off to close the door.

"You wanna go out for lunch Cee?" Nicki asked. "Yeah, all we had was cereal for breakfast." she responded.

"Did you have fun?" Safaree questioned turning slightly in the driver's seat. "Yeah we watched movies, play games, danced and all that other stuff. It was fun." Carlie replied looking out the window.

They pulled up to Toffee Sensations 35 minutes later for their lunch. They stayed there for about an hour before Carlie and Nic decided they wanted to go to the mall and shop. An idea that Safaree rolled his eyes at because he knows how females are when it comes to the mall.

They shopped for hours, had dinner and dessert there. They didn't stay out too late because tomorrow was Monday, meaning there was school.

They returned home mad tired. Nicki kissed Cee goodnight then returned back to their room to find Safaree already knocked out. Nic took a shower and crawled into bed to cuddle with Safaree.


"Cee. Wake up. You have to get ready for school." Nicki tapped her back. She rolled out the bed and walked to the bathroom. "I'll lay your clothes out on the bed." Nicki yelled out.

Nicki walked back into their bedroom to see Safaree still sleeping, of course. She went to take a shower and get dressed.

Carlie went downstairs to grab a Poptart to eat. "How do you want to wear your hair?" Nicki asked. "One ponytail." Carlie said with her mouth full and crumbs all around her mouth. "Don't talk with your mouth full baby." Carlie swallowed what was in there "Sorry ma."

"Alright grab your bookbag and let's go." Nicki said after putting the pink headband on Carlie. They got in the car and arrived at her school 20 minutes later. After moving in with Safaree they transferred her to a school that was better and closer to the house, she easily made friends. "See you later." Nicki leaned into the backseat so Carlie could kiss her on the cheek. "Love you mommy." Nicki watched Carlie run into the building before pulling off.

Nicki went back to the house to gather some things before heading to the office to start her shift. She had made friends throughout the building over the months, guess you can say she was well liked. Safaree was still in bed sleep, he was going to drop into the office later on.



It's the end of the school day and the kids are getting their things from their lockers. "Ms. Nancy, may I please go to the bathroom?" Carlie asked politely. "Yes sweetie. Hurry back." Carlie jogged to the bathroom to relieve herself.

A man in a black hoodie pulled up in front of the school. You had to be buzzed in from the main office to be allowed access into the building. He waited until a parent was buzzed in then sprinted to the door, the lady seen him coming so she held the door open. They lady turned down one hallway as the man kept going straight. He seen Carlie come out the bathroom. "Bingo." he said quietly. Carlie was looking down fixing her shirt when the man grabbed her from behind and put his rather large hand over her mouth and ran outside. Carlie was trying to kick free but she was no match to this large man. She kept trying to scream but his hands muffled them. The man noticed Carlie was putting up less of a struggling because his hand covered her mouth and nose making it harder for her to breathe. She slowly slipped unconscious. Sitting in the back of the van the black hooded man told another guy to hurry up and drive away.

Nicki pulled up the the school 5 minutes later. She walked into the main office to sign Carlie out. The assistant principal read the name on the sheet and called Carlie's classroom. "Can you send Carlie down to the main office?" Ms. Nancy looked around the classroom "Carlie!" she yelled. No answer. "She must've never came back from the bathroom." the teacher said with a confused face. "I was just in the bathroom and I didn't see her." Amber said to Ms. Nancy. The teacher translated that to the assistant principal.

"She's not in her classroom Ms. Maraj." she told Nicki. "Hmm, maybe Safaree picked her up already. He didn't sign her out though." She picked up her Blackberry "dumbass." she said under her breath.

"Safaree, did you pick Cee up and not sign her out?" Nicki quizzed. "No, why?" he said. "I'm at the school but they're saying she's not in her classroom nor in the bathroom." she said. "Nobody else picked her up did they?" he questioned. "Only me and you are on file to pick her up unless I send a note to the school saying let so and so pick her up." Nicki said with a little worry in her voice. "Let me call some of her friend's parents and see if they know anything." They hung up with each other.

The people in the office heard the conversation. "We'll let you know if we get some information Ms. Maraj. Maybe she's hiding." Nicki rolled her eyes at the last part but said thank you before going to her car.

In the car Nicki tried calling some people who she could have possibly left with but no one knew anything. "FUCK! How do they just let a 7 year old out of their sight?" Nicki banged on the steering wheel. She got home to find Safaree still on the phone trying to contact people. "Anything?" Nicki asked with plead in her voice. "Nope, nothing." Nicki looked down "We're going to get her." Safaree said reassuringly.

"She's missing Safaree, I just know it." Nicki said close to tears. Safaree held Nicki close and rubbed her back. "Let's call and report her missing." He handed her the phone.

"911 what is your emergency?"

"I want to report my daughter missing"

"How old is she?"

"7...she's 7 years old" Nicki's voice began to tremble.

"Can you describe her?"

"She's light skin, has long black hair, she was wearing it in a ponytail with a pink headband, she had on a pink and black Hello Kitty shirt with pink shorts and pink Polo shoes" Nicki was going a mile a minute describing Carlie to the dispatcher.

"Okay ma'am we'll send someone to you right away."

"Thank you."

Nicki fell into Safaree's arms crying again. 3 minutes later her phone rang. "Hello?" Nicki croaked

"Hi Ms. Maraj, this is the Assistant Principal Mrs. Johnson from your daughter's school. We went over our security tapes and we seen a man snatch Carlie after coming out of the bathroom." she paused to let Nicki take in that information. "We've never seen him near the school before but he got in when another parent was picking up their child. We're so sorry." Nicki stood staring at no particular object frozen. Safaree took the phone from her. "We reported her missing. When the police comes to the house we'll bring them to the school so they can examine the tapes. Thank you." Safaree hung up the phone and went back to consoling Nicki. "Everything will be okay baby." He had to be strong for the both of them.