** Four Months Later **
Nova,
"I like this pair too daddy, I can't pick."
"You aint got to pick, just get all four of them and come on." I said craking a smirk and walking off."
I was out with my son doing a lil bonding time shopping and shit.
They were with my mama all summer, with the new baybeh coming and us getting moved in the new house, fixing it up and shit I really ain't had no one on one time with him.
So I brought him out just to see where his head at and all.
Like I said tho we in this shoe store or whatever, he been cracking jokes on me all day so I decided to play with him a little.
He had picked out four pairs of shoes and I walked off leaving him to carry all four boxes to the register on his own.
I made it a good ways from him then I heard all the boxes and him go tumbling down.
"Awe mann." He groaned
I turned around and cracked up laughing at the goofy look on his face and all the shoe boxes and shoes scattered all over the place.
"I bet you'll think real hard the next time you wanna rib on ya pops all day, get up lil dude." I laughed helping him up and picking the boxes and shoes up.
We finished up in that store then headed to the food court.
"We shoulda took all this shit to the car first." I said examining all the bags we had between us.
I mean we tore the mall down today. One thing this boy love and know to well is his labels, boy stayed in designer. Guess he got his pops swag.
"You want to?"
"Nah we here nah, a nigga hungry. Where you trying to eat from?"
"Can we get American Deli?" He asked.
"Myyyy nigga. You know what the fuck goin on, lets get it!" I exclaimed.
We made our way over to the place I call fried heaven and placed our order.
I got my usual which was, 12 mild wings with lemon pepper seasoning, a chicken philly cheese sandwich and fries. Justin got the same wings as me a half turkey club sub with some cheese fries.
We got our food then found us a table, sat down and smashed. We ate in silence for a while then I struck up a conversation.
"So lil man, hows everything going? You liking school so far?"
"Yeah, I like it. I like my teacher this time."
"That's cool, I actually like Mr. Drummins too. What about the new baybeh? You never really said what you thought about it. Mommie will be 5 months in two days, it'll be here before you know it."
"I'm excited for a new baybeh, I always wanted to be a big brother."
"That'll be dope seeing you be a actual big brother. You kinda the big brother now tho, Sophie so little and you look out for her like a big brother."
"I know, but she always say " I'm the oldest so you gotta listen to me and do what I say." He recited in a girl voice doing air quotes.
"She is bossy huh?"
"Defiantly bossy."
"Yeah, but aye your birthday coming up, what you wanna do?" I asked remembering his birthday is in two weeks.
"I don't think you'll wanna do it."
"Stop assuming, just tell me. You know pops try his best to make sure y'all get what y'all want for your birthdays."
"Well, I wanna go to a Braves game in Atlanta and to the aquarium."
"Hmmm I think I can make that happen, boy I thought you was bout to ask for something extraordinary."
"The other part might be, I wanted everybody to come."
"Who's everybody?"
"My uncles and aunts, granny, Roro and uncle Chris."
Well dam ... I thought to myself.
"Let me talk to mommie and I'll see what I can do, I'm sure I can get granny and ya uncles but Chris and Roro may be busy on such short notice.
What made you pick Atlanta?"
"I just wanna see where you and mommie came from."
"Son I was born in Nawlins .. I moved to Atlanta when I got almost grown and mommie grew up in North Carolina she didn't really stay in Atlanta that long."
"Oh, well I still wanna go, that's where you and mommie met."
"That's a bet, but don't be disappointed if Chris and Royalty can't make it. If I'm not mistaken they moved to California to be closer to Chris and I think he's on tour right now."
I wasn't being completely honest with him, we really ain't heard from the dude since that night at the house. We haven't really talked to nobody but Joyce so I'll have to see what's what wit all of that.
"She did move, but we still talk to her."
"Of for real?"
"Yes sir. When we was in Houston we called her on FaceTime."
"Well I'll hook it up and get all that going for you then."
"Thank you pops."
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"What did y'all do today? He knocked out already."
"He tore the mall down, that's why he tired."
"I saw all the bags, I told you, you be spoiling them kids."
"I know, I just want my kids to have what they want as well as what they need. We got some good kids ma, they appreciate the life we provide for them."
"I just don't want them to think life is easy like that."
"Trust me, they won't."
"I hope not."
"On another note tho, how my babies doing? Your back still hurting?"
"It had stopped earlier,but I guess I been doing too much today,cause it's hurting again."
"Want me to rub it?"
"Will you?"
"Of course I will."
I was back at the house sitting up chilling in the bed watching sports center. Keyah came in the room looking exhausted, she's five months pregnant and this pregnancy is hitting her harder than it did with Sophie.
She's always tired, her feet and hands are swollen most of the time and her back is killing her most days too.
I think this one is a boy, that's why it's so tough for her. We decided to wait to find out for sure, but I'm rethinking that now.
She laid down on her side in front of me. I grabbed the lavender essential oil off my nightstand and began rubbing her back.
"So me and ya son had a talk about his birthday today."
"Oh Lord, what does he wanna do?"
"He wants to go to Atlanta, to the aquarium."
"Well that don't sound too bad."
"Yeah well .. I thought so too until he said he wanted everybody to come."
"Everybody as in who?"
"The uncles .. all the uncles and aunts."
"Sooo I'm guessing you emphasized uncles because that means Chris too?"
"Yep, and Ro and Joyce."
"What did you say?"
"I just said I would see."
"Well I don't want him around. Ro and Joyce is fine but if we can't have them without him then that's gone be a negative. I'm already struggling with this pregnancy, I don't want that negative energy around."
"I'm with you on that."
"On another note ... I was wondering if you'll do me a favor?"
"Of course I will, whatcha need?"
"I know you just got home and you're probably tired from running through the mall .. if you don't feel like it I'll go do it myself."
"Guh what you want? Beating around the bush and shit." I said massaging her lower back.
"I'm craving some cheese fries."
"We got the stuff to make it?"
"We do."
"What you want on em?"
"Cheese, ranch, bacon and .. jalapenos."
"Come on with the hot shit ma. You know you gone be up with heartburn later."
"Just the juice then."
"Aight .. you wanna soak in a hot bath while I do it?"
"Yeah, that may make me feel better."
"This ain't working?"
"Yeah it's helping a little."
"Aight, I'll run ya bath and fix ya fries." I said getting up.
I grabbed the oil and went in our bathroom. I turned the water on filling the tub up and pouring the oil.
Honestly I'm happy to do whatever she wants or need me to do .. I fucked up and didn't have this experience while she was carrying Sophie so I'm glad I'm able to go through this with her this time.
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Keyah,
"It smell good down here bae."
"Thank you it's almost ready, you can sit down."
"So I was looking online for family packages for this birthday thing. I think I got it set up."
"You messaged our people?"
"I did, I heard back from everybody except your mom but, it's Sunday so she's probably still at church."
"Yeah, she'll get back later, in the meantime.. what you come up with?"
"Well they got a package for Braves tickets, the zoo, the aquarium and coke. But the coke thing and the zoo is a lil too much for me being pregnant and all."
"They don't like the zoo anyways. You was looking for packages to save money or what?"
"Not really to save .. I guess I was just trying to have a set plan since it's gonna be a lot of us."
"Just hook up tickets to the game one day, then will do the aquarium and his birthday on the other day."
"Cool .. what you think about having his actual birthday at Andretti?"
"We can do that, I had a blast there when we went."
"Yeah cause yo ass was cheating to win."
"Sore loser .. here go ya food, whatcha wanna drink?"
Nova set a plate of the cheese fries I asked for along with a six piece of honey barbecue chicken wings. I ain't ask for em but he knows my heart.
"Cranberry juice please."
He came back with my juice then sat down across from me giving me my juice.
"Umm soo .. I just got a text."
"Why you lookin like that? Who it's from?"
"Chris." I watched his face to see how he would react.
We having had no contact or mention of Chris since that night at the house. I would see him in the background sometimes when I would talk to Joyce on facetime but he never said anything and he hasn't tried to contact me since that night.
"What he say?"
"He just said that Joyce told him about the Atlanta trip, Ro's with him in LA so that's why she told him I guess. Anyways, he says that she would be there and if it's alright with us, he wants to come too and bring somebody for us to meet with him."
"He act like we still cool enough to be meeting folks."
"I understand how you feel babe, I'm with you on that.."
"But the kids have been asking to see him tho .."
"They have .."
"It's cool man .. if you cool, I'm cool. Just make sure that nigga know ain't no bullshit goin down."
I was surprised by his response.. I know he hates Chris so I'm shocked he's cool with this.
"Imma sleep on it .. I'm not so sure I want him around."
"Can we talk about that real quick?" He asked sounding serious.
"Of course."
"I don't really know how to word it without making you mad."
"I think I know where ya going with this, just say what's on your heart babe."
"Do you ever think about him?"
"I really wanna be honest and for you to hear me loud and clear .. when I walked away from him, leaving him standing at the airport that's where I left my feelings for him.
I think about him in a sense of .. wondering if he got his life back on track is he okay as a person .. but romantically, thinking about what ifs or how it could have been, no.
I don't think about him like that, that's not why I said I wanted to sleep on it."
"I appreciate you being honest .. I lurked his page not too long .. he um he's had a new baby and I think he's actually with the mama this time."
"Well that's good then, maybe he's gotten it together. That's probably who he's bringing then."
"I guess he can come then, but prefer y'all to have a conversation before y'all come around the kids. Y'all didn't leave on good terms. I think a conversation will be good so you can see where his mind at and can't nothing be misconstrued. That makes sense?"
"It do, and I can do that. Ion want no drama, especially in front of the kids."
"Cool .. I'll text him back."
"Why yo kids so quiet up there?"
"Probably playing that dam game .. y'all just tom boyed my lil baby out."
"That's a good thing, she gone know how to handle these dudes outchea by the time I'm done."
"I guess .."
"Ya ass full as shit, why you still trying to force yourself to eat?"
"I ain't wanna waste it ..and it's good too."
"Let's go to bed ma."
"Go head, imma clean the kitchen and put this away, I'll be up in a few."
Nova got up from the table going upstairs, I could tell he was tired, I gotta do something special for my baby.
He been holding shit down for us since we found out I was pregnant and he deserve some special .. I smiled knowing exactly what I was gone do ..
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