Chapter Text
Joe groaned before shouting loud in Arabic as he entered the living room.
"Yusuf, your language," Nicky warned. "If Lily May's first word is a swear word, you can sleep in the guest room for a year."
Nicky was sitting on the sofa with their eight-month-old daughter. Joe knew he had made the right decision when discussing who should deliver the DNA for their child, because whenever he looked at their daughter with her green-blue eyes and marble skin, all he saw in Lily May was Nicky's beauty.
"Sorry to you both," Joe said. "Is just Malik. He... Well, look here."
Joe threw the newspaper on the sofa. On the front page was a picture of Malik, who was being arrested for driving too fast. Nicky handed Lily May over to Joe, and the moment Lily May sat on her Baba's arm, she yanked him in the beard. When Joe made a face, Lily May giggled. Nicky smiled before he read the article.
"You know," Nicky said. "In a way, Malik is just like you when you were twenty."
Malik was twelve years younger than Joe and the result of their Father's affair with a stripper. Their relationship had always been a bit rocky ever since Malik turned up in Joe's life two years ago. Joe had always known he had a baby brother, but Malik's Mother had taken him with her to Germany, and when she died, Malik sought out Joe. Joe really tried his best to give Malik a fresh start with high school and everything that went with a teenage life in America, but Malik dropped out of high school four months later, and what was even worse was that their Father supported Malik's party life by paying for all the fines, alcohol, and parties Malik went to. Something both Joe and Nicky were against, saying that was not how you taught a young man responsibility. It only resulted in Malik getting even more money between his hands from their Father, together with a big penthouse with paid rent.
"No way in..." Joe replied, but when Nicky raised an eyebrow, Joe left out the swear word. "Explain it to me. Why are Malik and I the same?"
"Because as I recall it, you also loved to party at that age," Nicky replied. "Answer me this. If you hadn't met me when you were twenty on that Thursday at that cafe, wouldn't you have gone with your friends to the French Riviera on that party weekend the following day?"
"Yeah, you're right," Joe replied. "And that was the best decision I have ever made because it gave me so much more than parties ever would have done."
Joe kissed Lily May on the forehead before he sat down next to Nicky on the sofa and kissed him too.
"You are the cleverest person I know," Joe said. Lily May made a noise. "Ok, your Papa is the second cleverest person I know after you."
Joe gave Nicky a wink.
"Do you have any ideas about what to do with Malik?" Joe wanted to know. "Preferably one that won't result in our Father giving Malik more money."
Nicky pointed at Lily May, who was chewing on her tiny fist.
"No way am I doing that," Joe protested. "Could you come up with something else that doesn't involve our daughter?"
Nicky placed a hand over Joe's hand.
"Listen to me," Nicky said. "I'm not saying that Lily May should stay with Malik forever; no, what I'm saying is that we find a day every week when Malik is left with Lily May for a couple of hours. Being in charge of a baby will hopefully teach Malik a little bit of responsibility."
"I don't know, Nicky," Joe replied. "Please let me think about it, ok?"
"Take the time you need," Nicky replied. "Now, I believe it's your turn to change a diaper and give this little one a bath."
Nicky kissed Lily May on the head before kissing Joe.
"And while you do that," Nicky replied. "I'll make dinner."
Six Weeks Later, On A Saturday Morning Around 8 AM:
Joe parked the car in front of the building Malik was living in. Then he looked at Lily May, who was wearing a dress with sunflowers on it and was currently chewing on her foot. It was a trick; Lily May had figured out that whenever she was sitting in the auto chair, she could better reach her foot and chew on it.
"Ok, Habita," Joe said as he looked at his daughter. "Remember, this was your Papa's idea."
Joe got out of the car and picked up Lily May together with the diaper bag. They took the elevator up to the penthouse before walking over to Malik's front door, where Joe started pounding on it.
"What the hell," Malik shouted. "I'm going to kill whoever it's."
Malik yanked the door opened and stared at his big brother.
"Joe," Malik said. "Do you know what time it's?"
"Yeah, I do," Joe replied. "Now, listen to me."
"Make it fast," Malik replied. "Some of us have only slept for less than an hour."
Joe resisted the urge to tell Malik that Lily May had woken up twice last night.
"Every Saturday at 8 AM, you'll look after Lily May for two hours. We want her back in the same condition as you got her," Joe said. "Here's the diaper bag you'll need, and here is your niece, Lily May."
Joe kissed Lily May on the head before he placed her in Malik's arms.
"Have fun with your Uncle, Lily May," Joe said. "Oh, and Malik. It's you who are looking after Lily May, not some babysitter. She is your responsibility. See you both."
Lily May placed her chubby hands on Malik's cheeks, which made Malik realize he was standing with a baby in his arms.
"Joe, you can't be serious," Malik shouted. "Come back here."
Joe was already inside the elevator and waved at them before the door closed, leaving Malik alone with Lily May, who started to cry.