"Are you okay, Tia? You don't look too happy and you don't seem like yourself."

"No, I'm fine." I stood Tyra up on her feet so I could help her put on her pants. "I just didn't get enough sleep last night but I'll be good."

Tyra plopped back down onto the bed so she could watch Sesame Street alongside me in content. T.J. had finally woke up but laid his head on my lap when he saw me.

"How are the kids? You guys aren't fighting in front of them, are you?"

"No…we're trying not to."

"Tia, you can't fight with Tyson all day, every day. You're supposed to be healing from your injuries!"

"Mom, I'm okay. Tyson has just been protective over me is all but I told him everything will be fine. I know he has felt bad about treating me badly ever since his injury and when I was hit by the car, I think that really messed him up."

"Understandable. However, if you guys keep fighting, I'll drive to your house, take my grandbabies, and drop you and Tyson off at the nearest marriage counselor if you guys don't make up soon. I'll talk to you later after work. I love you."

"Love you, too. Say goodbye to grandma," I said to T.J.

He quickly waved at her then put his arm down and snuggled next to me even more.

"Love you, T.J. And tell Miss Tyra that I love her too."

"Will do. Bye, Mom."

I ended the call on my iPad, sat it down on my nightstand, and relaxed in bed with the children and the cat who decided to make his grand appearance this morning after being in the kitchen for a while. Tyson had brought us oatmeal to eat that we shared with the children who almost ate all of the food from us then helped me bathe the kids and dress them…and we still didn't say anything to each other until we were alone together in the bathroom that night. I had washed my hair and was in the process of brushing it while looking at myself in the mirror when Tyson finally spoke to me.

"What did you tell your mom when you FaceTimed her?"

I shot Tyson a quick look in the mirror to see that he was looking at me as he soaked in the tub behind me but resumed brushing my hair as I answered his question.

"I simply told her that I was doing better, that you were doing better, and that the kids were alright. They spoke to their grandmother."

"That's it?"

"Yes, Tyson, that's it. You sound like you don't believe me."

"I do but you may not have told me everything but I may find out from one of your nosy damn family members."

"Tyson, don't you start." I sat my brush down, grabbed a small hairband, and put my hair into a ponytail before heading out of the room.

I wished Tyson had stayed in the damn bathtub but he soon joined me in the room as he strutted in in his birthday suit until he put on a pair of boxers and a tank top. I wanted to ask him about his knee but he probably would've exploded on me, yelled at me, or even stormed out of the house altogether if I did…but I did anyway.

"How's your knee, Tyson?"

He sat down on his side of the bed in silence for a bit before turning to look at me as he got comfortable underneath the sheets.

"Better. I'm not as cranky about it like I was once was."

"Good because you're not going to act out again and give me shit the next time you're injured."

"I'm sorry, Tia. I'm just stressed out right now."

"You don't have to keep worrying about me and the children because we will be fine."

"I don't need another freak accident to happen to you, Tia. I know that the driver who hit you didn't mean to…I know they had a seizure and they lost control of their car. But I just…fuck, I don't want to talk about it right now." Tyson turned so his back was facing me now and he angrily let out a big huff before lying still.

"Tyson."

"Yes?"

"You're not going to stop me from going leaving the house, are you? I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow that I need to go to." I crawled to his side of the bed, laid on top of him, and started running my fingers through his strawberry locks. "I don't like fighting with you, Tyson, and I hate it when you worry yourself so much when it comes to me and the kids."

"I made you a promise when I married you that I would protect you because that's a responsibility that I would take serious."

"I know, baby, I know. But you don't have to trap me here in the home as if I'm a damsel in distress."

"I know. I'm sorry for acting like a beast."

"You're forgiven. Now give me a kiss kiss."

"Kiss kiss."

So, I was driven to my doctor's appointment by Tyson but at least he wasn't trying to barricade me in the house this time today so that was a good thing. He then took me and the children to the local fair that was going on in town and boy did that bring back some fond memories for me. I had to take it easy on myself because I wasn't one hundred percent back to my old self but I would say I was at a good seventy percent in regards to feeling better and getting over my minor setback. I had missed dancing to my records but I managed to somehow sneak it in by walking around the front room listening to my tunes while breastfeeding Tyra or rocking T.J. back to sleep if he woke up in the middle of the night and couldn't sleep.

That was it.

Music.

Music was always there for me to fall upon whenever I felt happy, sad, angry, anxious, relaxed, and in the zone whenever I got ready to dance, extending my arms above my head, letting the rhythm of the music take over me when it needed to. I let my mind wander back to watching Tyson buy cotton candy for the children to try for the first time and bring them back to the bench where I was sitting. He sat Tyra on his lap while T.J. sat between me and his papa who started to pass everyone a piece of pink cotton candy that everyone except Tyra enjoyed. Her face was scrunched up when she bit into the piece of cotton candy that Tyson had given her and spit it out on the ground.

"Little girl," Tyson said.

"What?" Tyra responded.

"What?" Tyson handed me the stick of cotton candy so he could lift Tyra up with both hands. "Young lady, where did you learn such language?"

"Hi…dada…"

"Oh, okay. I'll let you slide this once but next time you'll be in big trouble, young lady." Tyson kissed her forehead then yanked another piece of cotton candy that he began to nibble on and gave another piece to T.J. who was enjoying the candy. "You like it?"

"Hai!" T.J. responded.

"Good. Hey, pretty lady in charge."

"Yes?" I answered with a smile.

"I got you a present and it's waiting for you at home for you."

"Can't wait to see it."

Author's Note: Sorry for the delay and I know I'm late but Happy New Year anyway!