Chapter 12 October #2
“Boy, don’t play with me,” she stated through a yawn.
“I was just making a statement. I’m going to this bonfire.
Look, it’s already going, and if those are S’mores that I’m smelling from here, then count me in,” she declared, pointing at the sight of the fire rising above the rooftop of the ranch-style house.
I smirked as I took her hand and led her up the sidewalk.
My cousin suggested last weekend that we have a bonfire this weekend for the staff, but I told him that we already had plans for dinner, so he suggested we drop by afterward.
He was interested in meeting Autumn because he heard me talking about her at the shop all the time.
We walked up the walk and past the house straight to the backyard. I pulled the gate open and spotted everyone in the backyard, either sitting close to the fire or dancing further away.
“Big O!” Reuben declared, walking up to us. “Glad you could make it, cuzzo.” We dapped each other up before we pulled back. He smiled at Autumn and asked, “Is this the beautiful queen who keeps you unfocused at work?”
“Nigga, please. I’m always focused and doing my best work. But yeah, this is my baby, Autumn. Autumn Woods, this is my cousin, Reuben Victor. He’s the V in our MVP Customs,” I explained, referencing the title of our custom auto shop.
“The best part. The part that keeps it all together,” Reuben joked.
“Whatever, nigga. Come on, baby. Let me introduce you to the crew,” I declared, taking Autumn’s hand and leading her closer to the fire.
“Big O showed up,” Errol “Wings” Davidson, one of my staff, shouted, causing everyone else to come around the fire.
“Told y’all I would flow through.”
“We weren’t sure. You’ve been hiding out with this beautiful lady, and we only get to see you if you’re at work,” Wings declared.
“Quit being a hater, Wings. Everybody, this is my baby. Baby, this is everybody,” I introduced, throwing my hand out to the crowd at large.
Everyone laughed, including Autumn.
“No, O. You gotta introduce us. Are you scared we’ll tell all your secrets?” Zenobia, Bam’s girlfriend, shouted.
Everyone else laughed again.
“Either that or he’s ashamed of us,” Bam chimed in.
“A’ight, a’ight. You got it. That loudmouth over there is Nobi, or Zenobia. She’s Bam’s wife.”
Bam raised his hand in a wave and then pointed at me. “Don’t make me knock you on ya ass about my woman.”
“Nigga, you’ll be out of breath before you take two steps in my direction.”
“Ohhh!” The crowd hyped us up.
“Seriously, babe. That’s Bam, he’s the M in the MVP, Bernard Mack.”
“I’m the beginning of all this shit. Nothing starts without me,” Bam declared and thumped his chest as the others grumbled.
“Reub might be the V that holds us together, you might be the M that starts the shit, but I’m the P that comes through and pulls it all together, ties it up with a bow, and presents the award-winning team that we are!”
“Oooohhh!” Everyone jeered again.
Bam and Reuben dapped me up before I finished introductions.
“That’s Jo-Jo and his girl, Paris; Wings and his wife, Tiffani; Tree and his wife, Starr; and Nautica and her man, Pipes.
” I introduced my other workers and our receptionist, along with their significant others.
“And that queen is Sarai. She’s the best part of my cousin Reuben and our gracious host for the night. ”
The dark-skinned beauty standing next to Reuben walked toward us and smiled with deep dimples piercing her cheekbones.
“Welcome to the crew, Autumn. It’s nice to have you, and I hope that we’ll be seeing you more often.”
Sarai opened her arms to Autumn, and the two women hugged. I watched as my baby relaxed underneath Sarai’s peaceful and loving energy. I had no doubt that my baby would fit in here among this eclectic crew.
“We’ve got chili-maple wings, pizza, bonfire toffee, hot dogs, homemade toffee apples, jalapeno cheese rolls, and maple pecan bars. There’s beer, wine, wine coolers, sodas, and water,” Sarai informed us.
Autumn and I headed indoors to wash our hands before we came back and indulged in a few samples of food. We had already eaten, so we weren’t starving. I watched as my baby was welcomed into the fold with the other ladies, and they sat around talking.
I joined a game of dominoes with the fellas.
“She’s a good look for you, man,” Wings declared halfway through the game.
“Definitely is. She seems like a sweetheart,” Reuben stated.
“She is, man. I’ve been feeling this girl for a while. I needed a fresh start, and she feels like that for me. I’m falling for Autumn, and I can’t stop it.”
“Sarai would tell you to lean into that shit. Have you told her about Trish?” Reuben asked.
I mugged him. “Didn’t see the importance of it.”
“Nigga, you’re setting yourself up for failure,” Jo-Jo declared.
“How?”
“You’re bringing her around your family and friends. That shit’s bound to come out. And it ain’t gon’ be a good look if she doesn’t know the full story,” he explained.
“You don’t think I know that? Even with the full story, it’s not a good look. I plan to tell her, just not tonight.”
“Quit whining, niggas, and come get this ass whupping,” Tree declared, slamming a five down on the table. “Gimme twenty-five.”
“That’s the first score your punk ass don’ got all game, nigga, and you up here like you running shit. You ain’t runnin’ nothing but your mouth,” Reuben declared, slamming another five down. “Gimme that same quarter.”
I turned my gaze to where Autumn was with the women. She was laughing, but then suddenly stopped as she looked up at me. A soft smile graced the features of her beautiful face, and she waved at me.
I blew a kiss and winked at her.
“That nigga’s all gone. Aye, Joe Rockhead. Turn your ass around and pay attention to this game,” Reuben declared.
I put the domino down and turned back to look at her again.
“And I’ll take that ten he just failed to call,” Pipes declared.
“Shit.” I turned to look back at the dominoes.
“Told you your ass was gone where she was concerned. You can’t focus to save your life,” Reuben teased.
“Fuck you,” I replied.
The fellas started laughing.
“You don’t think y’all moving too fast?” Wings asked. “You’ve only known this girl for a short while, and she’s got a baby. How do you know she’s not using you for a meal ticket?”
“She’s not that type of girl, Wings. My baby’s got her own, trust me.”
“Yeah, I hear ya. Just don’t want to see you get burned again,” he replied.
“How old is her baby?” Tree asked.
“She’s two.”
“When a woman has a baby that young, you’d better believe that baby’s daddy is still in her life somewhere. I don’t give a shit what she says,” Jo-Jo declared.
“Damn right he is. And I’m that nigga,” I countered.
Everyone stopped playing and looked up at me.
“Got something you wanna tell us, nigga?” Reuben asked.
“Ain’t shit to tell. That nigga got caught slipping, and I slid in. That woman’s mine,” I declared, pointing at Autumn. “And that baby’s mine. Thirty, my nigga!” I shouted, slamming my domino on the table.