Chapter 13
Chapter
Thirteen
Reminisce
When we made it back to the city, I wasted no time getting Ro squared away in her bed while Karim went straight to the washroom to take a shower.
I ended up joining her, and after, making her cum more times than either of us could count.
We washed up and found our way to bed. I gave her some shit to be tired about, but I still wasn’t about to let her go to sleep yet.
“You know I ain’t never had to Christmas shop ever. I always just show up with a couple dollars and a smile.”
She giggled. “Well, this year you’ve gotta get into it, Rema Claus.”
I laughed.
“What are you laughing at? You got a lot of nephews and now a daughter, buddy.”
“Shit you too, keeping it a buck. In marriage niggas start sharing nieces and nephews, right? I got about six. How many do you have?”
She looked down at me and I could tell she was counting in her head. “Six.”
I chuckled. “Too many fucking kids.”
Karim laughed, rubbing my head resting on her abdomen. “You’re overthinking it, baby, I promise.”
“What do you mean?” I hugged her tighter, waiting for an answer.
“This is nothing a quick cart won’t knock out.
You shouldn’t be worried about what you’re buying them but instead what you’re buying me.
I already started my cart for Romance. I was just trying to see what else she was into.
Nephews are easy, you just get them action figures, Legos, and anything that seems boyish. ”
Her revelation that she had already started a cart for Romance made my heart heavy.
I’d brought a child to our union and I knew how Karim was.
From the moment she met my daughter, she had taken her on as hers, but the last thing I wanted was for her to feel obligated.
I had thought about that a few times, but Karim wasn’t the obligated type.
She did from her heart regardless. I could see the love she had for my daughter.
It was the love Ro’s own mother didn’t even have for her.
“Stop overthinking, Reminisce. Christmas isn’t that close. We have time. Now tell me what you want for Christmas?”
“I’on want shit. I already have everything I need.” I kissed her abdomen through the T-shirt fabric before closing my eyes. “What do you want for Christmas?”
“Umm. I don’t know, surprise me, and you better make it good.”
“Make it good,” I repeated, feeling myself slipping into a much-needed sleep.
The next morning, when I opened my eyes, it was completely quiet. No Alexa in the kitchen, and most of all, no toddler’s feet running back and forth barefoot after being told several times to put some shoes on. It was quiet and still, something I was no longer used to.
Karim had something to do with her mother this morning, so she’d taken Romance with her, leaving me to overthink about this Christmas shit. At this point we were about three weeks from Christmas and I hadn’t bought shit, not even shit for Karim.
“Yo, you called me at the top of the fucking morning for what?” G asked, pushing one cart while I pushed the other. “How come you didn’t tell me this was why you called? I leave the shopping to Bey. I would’ve told your ass that and rolled back over to sleep.”
I laughed. “Well, we’re fucking here. Now what am I supposed to buy?”
G laughed. “Everything except a couple things. I’m tryna be uncle of the year, so leave some things in this aisle for me to get.”
I stared at the toys confused. I had a million fucking questions.
Like was I supposed to buy the Vet Barbie or shorty who looked like she was missing some pieces?
Then why in the fuck was the doll of color more expensive with less pieces?
This shit was too much and I was seconds from calling Rim, but shit, I hadn’t even told her I was doing this, partially because I also intended on getting her gift too.
“Yo, isn’t she too young for this shit? It has small pieces and she’s three. Shouldn’t we be on the other side?
“You right, you right. Lemme just grab this.” I stepped forward and grabbed the doll with the big ass head before throwing it into the cart.
“Yo, get her the baby with the stroller too?” G pointed out.
“For what? She’s a fucking baby. I ain’t promoting that shit. You think she’ll fuck with this cooking set? She likes to help Rim in the kitchen.”
He didn’t respond right away, too busy laughing like I’d said something funny. “So, yeen tryna get her the baby and stroller, but you’ll buy this cooking set? Really, nigga. Make it make sense.”
“Damn, shit, you right. She’s about to get this Leap Frog shit.” I went for everything that seemed to promote learning. Of course, G’s goofy ass went for a bunch of pink shit, but I didn’t much mind. He was help.
We spent too much time in the store just grabbing shit, but I felt like I’d gotten everything.
I had not only taken care of my child, but the host of nieces and nephews I had acquired through marriage and plain old immediate family.
Unc went all out this year. Now it was up to Karim to wrap all this shit, ’cause nah I wasn’t up for that.
“You got the kids out of the way, but you’re missing a couple things, partner,” G said coolly as we pulled away from the store.
“Like what?” He had me fully confused.
“You got a tree? What did you get Karim?”
“Took care of that shit morning. Renny knows somebody who will come and decorate the tree and shit for me. One of those hoes that used to work at the club is now some type of holiday decorator. She did the club theme for him. She’s gonna meet me at Rim’s when I’m done here and handle that.”
G nodded. “And finally, what did you get your wife?”
I laughed. “We’re about to go see that right now. This is a win-win for both of us though.” I felt G’s eyes on me as I finished speaking.
“I’m waiting, nigga.”
“You know how long it’s been since I drove my own truck, like I mea—” The ringing of G’s phone and mine simultaneously broke my statement.
That only meant one thing. Somebody was calling the family group chat.
I hated that Jade had set that shit up, because though informative, it also annoying as fuck.
He answered because I was driving and felt no need since we were in the same damn car.
“Yo. Damn, you had the baby? When?” he asked, then turned the camera for me to see as well. Jade had the camera on the baby in her arms. Dramatic ass.
“This morning.”
“And you’re just now calling us?” I asked, eyes on the road.
“Uh, yeah. Things happened fast, but he’s here. Another boy, even though I had high hopes of a girl.” I could hear her pouting through the phone.
G laughed. “This family can only produce boys. I’m convinced. Well besides, Ro.”
I laughed at the thought. “Where is Oden?”
“He ran to get me coffee. Please don’t start, they said I can have some.” She followed up with that statement quickly.
“Yo, damn, you had the baby. Shit.” Rennix’s sleep laced voice indicated that he had joined the FaceTime.
“Yes.”
“Ain’t even finna ask you the lil nigga’s name. OJ, right?”
Laughter ensued from all of us.
“You damn right. How did you know it was a boy?” she asked.
“Because this family can only have boys, everybody but Reminisce. Just watch, we’re gonna look up and he’ll have about five daughters down the line.”
“Yo, fuck you, Rennix. Don’t make me curse your stupid ass out for cursing me like that.” I screwed my face up at the thought. Rim and I hadn’t even talked about kids, but the thought of more daughters had me heated, ’cause I’d be all the way fucked up.
“Don’t get mad at me because it’s true. If not, test the theory.”
“Yo, shut the fuck up. This family already has too many babies. We good. You worry about your own theory instead of mine.”
G chuckled. “You know this fool is lowkey scared of kids. Remember when we were first in the car and he jumped when she looked at him? He only gets along with his daughter because she bullies him.”
“Yo, you right about that. I saw her get down on his ass about a cookie the other day,” Rennix’s funny ass agreed. “Where are y’all?”
“Leaving the store. This fool just bought the store out for Christmas, talking about he’s Rema Claus.
He had about three meltdowns and wouldn’t let not one sales associate help us while he just threw shit in the carts.
In about two hours we went from having two carts to three and all of them were categorized between Leapfrog, Disney shit, and stuff for the other kids. I think this fool done lost his mind.”
I cut my eyes at G’s real funny ass while my other siblings laughed on the phone.
“He did what?” Jade asked.
“Too fucking much, that’s what he did. Not to mention we got into a whole ass debate about Disney kitten heels.”