Tank's POV
"Yeah, she's back. No. She's sleeping right now. My mom is here you know after she ran out on me I dropped off TJ with her. I can't stand when that little boy cries for his mother. No. I didn't hit him this time because he already crying like a little punk." I looked back at the door and there was TJ. "Yeah. Look. I'll call you back. Bye." I hung up the phone and just looked at TJ. "What you want?"

"C-Can I come outside?"

"Yeah, go ahead."

He ran out and over to his toys jumped on his bike and began riding around the back until I heard a crash and wail. I got up and went to look for him and I found him on the ground bike on the sidewalk and he's on the grass screaming and crying like a little wimp.

"Boy stop crying you just fell off your damn bike."

"Tank! Don't yell at him. He fell off his bike." Mercedes yelled at me as she appeared out of nowhere. I went and picked him up. "Boy if I were you I'd stop crying. You want my belt? Stop crying. He's crying like a little baby. Stop crying!" I yelled at him slightly shaking him stopped. "You a big boy act like it."

Mercedes POV
It was eating me up inside watching Tank yell at my son. Yeah, I said my son because no father would be so cruel just because he fell of his bike.

"Give me my baby. Give him to me." I was pulling on Tank's arms as he finally handed him over as TJ just started crying when he was placed in my arms.

"Shhh….calm down baby." I rocked him from side to side. "Shhh…."

"He's only crying because you baby his little ass I can't stand that shit."

Tank went inside the house and here comes his mother. "What happened to my grandson?"

"He fell of his bike." I said looking down at his legs with broken skin and blood was still coming out. "I'm going to get this cleaned up."

"Need my help?"

"No. I got this."

I took him upstairs to his room and sat him on his toilet and he had calmed down a little still sniffling. I wet his wash rag and wiped his face. I swear I'm so thankful he looks like me and not like his father.

"Mommy, is going to put the stingy liquid on your cut."

"No it burns." He whined.

"I know baby but I have to clean it." I opened up the bottle of peroxide and poured a little into the cap I held his leg out with a paper towel under it so it would drip on the floor. "Okay here we go." I poured it on there and he jerked his leg back." I blew on it and grabbed the band aid and put it on there. "All better."

"Thank you mommy." He jumped off of the toilet and gave me hug.

"You're welcome baby." I picked him up and we went into his room and I got in his bed and sat him beside me.

"Tell mommy how you fell off your bike."

"I saw the big kids riding on one wheel so I wanted to try. I did it but I ended in the grass and scrapping my leg on the sidewalk.

"Oh baby. You can't do what the big kids do yet. Give it some time you'll be doing wheelies and riding with no hands."

"You can ride with no hands?!" He asked excitedly jumping up and down on his bed. Why did I tell him that? Next he's probably going to try that. Let's hope not.

"Hey. No jumping on the bed. Snuggle with mommy."

"'Kay. Mommy?"

"Yes, TJ."

"I hate when daddy yells at me."

"Hate is a strong word. Say, I do not like."

"O-Okay. I do not like when daddy yells at me. He makes me feel bad." I looked down at him and his little sad face was tearing me up inside. I wanted to cry right then and there but I have to stay strong for TJ. I'm only staying in this relationship because I want TJ to be around his father.

"You know what? Mommy doesn't like it either."

"Mommy, why you leave a lot Grandma says that you be leaving me like a moneyless child whatever that means."

Hearing his questions are hurting me to my core but what hurts me more is that Tank's mother is telling him he's a motherless child and the things she's saying in earshot range of him.

"Well…mommy goes away so she can have some alone time and clear her head."

"Next time you go can I go with you? I hate being in the house when you're not here. Daddy is always yelling and he drops me off at grandma house."

"What I say about that word?"

"I know. I know but it's true." He laid his head on my chest and gently rubbed his back.

"I wish Sam was your father." I whispered.

Sam's POV

"She has a son." I kept looking at his picture on my monitor.

"You've been saying that for the last 5 minutes. Are you shocked?"

"Well…yeah. It's just that. She has a son. I just want to go over there right now and remove them out the house by force. Damn."

"I don't blame you bro. I'd help you sucks that she's in that situation." Stevie came over and looked at the monitor. "He's a cute kid." I didn't even respond. "I know what you're thinking."

"You do?"

"Yes, I do."

"What am I thinking?" I questioned him not taking my eyes off my monitor.

"You wish he were your son." I glanced up at him and gave him a crooked smile.

"You'd be right. I wish he were my son. This situation just got stickier. Now let's go change my locks." Stevie." I got up but turned back to my screen. "I don't know you but I'm making you a promise. I'm going to help you and your mommy. I am."

"Stevie!"

TJ's POV
Dinner was awkward grandma cooked daddy favorite meal but he didn't even stay to eat with us and mommy and grandma aren't talking so I had to carry the convo which was even more awkwareder. I don't even know if that's a word but hey it works. Once dinner was finished grandma cleaned the dishes and mommy gave me my bath I brushed my teeth and mommy brushed my hair and now it's time for prayer.

"Time to say your prayers."

"Now the light has gone away, Savior, listen while I pray. Asking thee to watch and keep and to send me quiet to sleep. Jesus Savior wash away all that has been wrong today help me every day to be good and gentle and more like thee. And Jesus let daddy stop hitting mommy and yelling at me. Amen."

I looked back at mommy and she was crying.