KAREEM'S POV

I watched the uber drive away as I kicked a stone on the curb in frustration. She didn't say no but neither did she say yes. Women were a complicated species but I was not one to give up. I got into my car and drove to the nearest supermarket to grab some chocolate and ice cream for my girls. I had already told Nuru what a guy does for an upset lady and I was a man who held up his end of the bargain.

I couldn't help but keep thinking about Diana though. She had this energy about her that compelled you to bow at her feet but also hold her in your arms safely for protection. She had been broken before I could see that much from how defensive she was. I just wished she could see that I had nothing but honorable intentions towards her and would never dream of hurting her. My predicament was how to get her to see that.

I got to my sisters apartment a little later then normal and found my two special ladies already having supper.

"Thank you so much for waiting. I feel so loved."I commented sarcastically earning myself an eye roll from Jamila.

"We refuse to starve ourselves to make you happy."She retorted as I took my seat next to Nuru who's mouth was stuffed with rice.

I kissed her forehead as my sister served me a plate.

"Ladies these are for you."I declared handing each of them a chocolate bar and a tub of ice cream.

"What are these for?"Jamila asked suspiciously.

"Can't a man surprise his favorite sister and niece?"I questioned not wanting to get into the whole reason why I bought the items.

"You're right, sorry. Thank you."Jamila responded and I smiled.

"Thank you uncle."Nuru mumbled trying to get the tube of ice-cream open but it was immediately snatched out of her hands.

"Oh no you don't young lady. Finish your food first and only then can you have your ice cream."Jamila scolded and Nuru pouted but still continued eating.

I chuckled at their exchange as I dug into my own food. Jamila filled me in on her day and the orders she'd done. It was painful watching her struggle to make money. She didn't need to work, I could easily support them both but she was too strong headed to let me. She had gotten pregnant with Nuru while in college so she never got to finish thus had no proper degree to get a good job.

She stopped me from using my connections with Vihaan to get her a job saying she could handle herself. I just wished she'd let me help her, it would make her life so much easier. But according to her I was already doing more than enough. If you asked me though, I was doing the bare minimum. I could not cure her heartbreak from losing the love of her life but I could solve all her financial problems if she let me thus easing her burden. What is it with all the strong headed women in my life? First my sister who would not let me help then Diana who didn't want me to date her. So stubborn. Well at least I had Nuru who was still untainted by the cruel world we lived in.

"Can I have my ice cream now?"Nuru demanded pushing her empty plate away.

"Of course muffin, good job. Here is your reward."I declared opening the tub of ice cream for her before pushing it towards her with a spoon.

She dug in with a hearty smile.

"You spoil her."Jamila scolded and I shrugged.

"Only because her mother is such a grouch."I teased earning me a glare.

"I'm not a grouch."She defended.

"Only a grouch would say that."I retorted and she huffed before getting up and starting gathering the plates.

"Hey I was not done with that."I lamented when she grabbed my plate mid scoop.

"Should not have bitten the hand that feeds you then."She jabbed and I just laughed it off.

"Fine Nuru will feed me then. Can I have a bite muffin?"I requested and she nodded holding out a spoonful of strawberry ice cream for me.

I took a bite winking at Jamila who scowled at me before turning to the sink to do finish the dishes.

Nuru and I finished her ice cream before I helped her clean up her sticky self.

"Book or a movie muffin?"I asked and she tapped her chin trying to think about it.

It was Friday night and she didn't have school the next so she was allowed to watch a movie as long as it was age appropriate.

"Movie please."She responded and I scooped her up into my arms and led her to the living room.

She ended up chosing The Sword In The Stone animation which we had watched quite a few times, honestly more than a few times so we knew each song by heart. I was behaving like a dad already yet I didn't even have a girlfriend. There would have been prospects of a girlfriend in the near future but the one girl I was interested in wanted nothing to do with me. She hadn't exactly used those exact words but if one doesn't say yes immediately it means they are leaning more towards the no side.

I'd never had problems getting a girl before. Diana was unique and different but she was a girl too. Had I lost my charm? Was it even possible? I'd always been a ladies man, ever since I was in highschool. Back then I did things I was not proud of with women, like only using them for sex but I'd changed my ways after rehab. Was Diana rejecting me my punishment for all my past mistakes? I really hoped not because if that was the case even my future generations would pay the price for my misdeeds.

"So small bro, when are you planning on having one of your own?"Jamila asked pointing at the sleeping Nuru in my arms.

"I don't know at this rate in fifty years."I replied and she shook her head at me.

"Come on don't be such a pessimist. You're so good with Nuru, you'll be a great dad. All you need to find is a nice, educated young lady, fall in love and wed her. Soon enough you'll be popping out babies."She continued and I scoffed.

Like that was going to happen with the wall Diana had put up. She was so beautiful but feisty at the same time. Perfect combination but also hardest to get close to.

"Wait you're thinking about someone right now. You met someone who is she?"Jamila exclaimed loudly.

She was getting a little too excited but I was not surprised that she had been able to read me so easily. There was little I could hide from her.

"I'm not going to gossip with you and my life is not one of those soap operas you like yelling at."I declined and she groaned out in frustration.

"Come on Kareem give me some juice and don't you dare talk smack about my shows. They have gotten me through some tough times."She defended and I chuckled.

"If you say so but still no, you're not digging into my life."I countered and she broke out the pout.

It was not as cute as when Nuru did it but she knew it disturbed me when she did it so I'd do anything to make her stop.

"If I tell you will you please drop that ridiculous face."I pleaded feeling myself get tortured.

"Deal. You haven't dated in a while so this better be good."She said clapping her hands excitedly.

She sat cross legged facing me and I felt like I really was in a TV show spilling secrets to a girlfriend.

"There's not much to tell anyway. Her name is Diana and when I asked her out she rejected me. She didn't exactly say no but she didn't say yes either. Just got into an uber and left me alone on the street."I summarized the whole encounter not really in the mood to relieve it.

"Wow Kareem got rejected for the first time. I've got go meet this girl."Jamila replied.

I chucked the TV remote at her which she caught easily and placed on the glass table.

"You may never get to. I don't want to be too insistent lest I actually make her hate me so I'm going to drop it and hope another comes along."I mumbled unable to believe the words that were coming out of my mouth.

There was no way I was giving up on Diana. She'd made me more intrigued with her feisty ways but I did need a few days to recuperate and figure out a game plan.

"Come on Kareem this is the first girl you've shown interest in for the longest time. You haven't dated since you left rehab, just been working and taking care of us. You're not getting any younger you know and you do need a life away from Nuru and I. You can't just give up on her because she turned you down once. Haven't you heard of girls playing hard to get?"Jamila ranted out without pausing.

"Slow down before you choke on air. For the record you are only thirty years old. It's been four years since Ezekiel died, when are you going to move on?"I questioned turning the story around on her so she'd get off my case.

"I know what you're trying to do and its not going to work on me. You deserve to be happy Kareem and before you say Nuru and I make you happy, take it from someone who was irrevocably in love before its not the same. If you really like this girl then you'll do anything possible to get her, otherwise you're right not to disturb her anymore. Leave her alone and wait for the next one to come along."Jamila advised before turning her state attention back to the TV.

Her words left me with a lot to think about. I was not planning on giving up on Diana, those were just useless words I was spewing. I was going to get her, one way or another, a honorable way of course but I had to really rethink my approach first so I didn't get rejected again.

"I'm sorry about the Ezekiel comment. I'll never understand your pain of losing someone who was your other half. You take all the time you need to heal sis."I apologized to Jamila and she smiled at me.

"It's okay Kareem. I will move on someday, for now I just want to focus on raising Nuru. Speaking of, let me get her off your hands and get her to bed."She said moving to get up but I stopped her.

"Let me."I offered and she nodded.

I sat up with Nuru in my arms carrying her bridal style to her bedroom. Instead of Nuru growing up like all most girls her age, interested in dolls and playing dress up, she had gotten into wizards. Her room was filled with posters of any and all wizards from the great old to the new old. She had Merlin, Maleficent, most of the Harry Potter cast which was her latest acquisition and a few more even I didn't recognize.

Her bedsheets which were very hard to come by were of Stephen Strange. Not typical for a seven year old girl but she liked the beloved Marvel wizard. As long as it was a healthy habit I was more than happy to feed it. No wonder Jamila complained that I spoiled her. I just didn't know how to say no.

I made sure she was comfortable before tucking her in and kissing her forehead. I knew first hand how hard it was growing up without a dad that's why on the day my sister showed up on my doorstep with a three year old Nuru bundled up in her arms, I'd swore to myself that she would never have to feel that void. I didn't want to replace Ezekiel, I never could anyway but I would always make sure that Nuru had the love, care and protection of a father through me. Turning off the lights, I left the door slightly ajar and left her room.

I found my sister dozing off on the sofa so I shook her awake and shooed her away to bed.

"Goodnight sis."I called after her half sleep self.

"Night bro."She mumbled back then her bedroom door shut a second later.

Making sure than all windows were locked and lights off I left the apartment locking the door behind me. I paid good money for the security of that apartment so I was not worried leaving my two precious ladies alone for the night. Jamila could also hold her own to protect herself and Nuru if it came to it plus I was only five minutes away.

When I got back to my place I drove my car inside my make shift garage. When I rented the warehouse loft I'd found the space too big so I'd divided it into two making enough space for my two cars. Besides the GTO I owned a black Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat that I'd assembled myself. The good thing with working for Vihaan was that I got a good discount on parts so I'd gotten a pretty good deal with the car. The dodge had paid for itself anyway since I'd won a race with it winning myself some good money. I'd also rented it out to some big shot musician for one of his videos earning me a pretty penny.

I made good money working for Vihaan so that doubled with the yearly bonus, I made big changes in my life each year. The first year I'd bought the GTO, second year I bought the dodge and took Jamila, Nuru and I for a two week Vacation to Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, it was a beautiful two weeks. Last year I'd blight myself a one acre land just outside of the city and I planned on starting construction on my dream house by the end of the year. I wanted to stop living rental and have my own place. If I hadn't found the one yet then Jamila and Nuru would move in with me but if I had, I would buy my sister her own house so she'd stop living rental too. I loved my sister and niece but there's no way I was going to live with them in the same house as my significant other. Boundaries were a big thing to me.

After going through my nightly routine I found myself relaxing in bed as my mind went back to the events of the day. When I'd walked into work that morning I'd not expected it to have the turn out it did. Diana showing up at my work place was a welcome surprise. I had started losing hope of ever seeing her again but maybe her showing up at my work was the sign that I was looking for to seek her out. She might not have agreed to go on a date with me but she hadn't said no either. I was not one to give up when I set my mind to something. I wanted Diana with every fibre of my being so I was going to get her.

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Poor Kareem.... A lady gotta play hard to get though otherwise you might think she's too easy. Good luck to him.

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