Chapter 8 #2
“Yeah.” He said it with no thought and then realized he should be more careful about how honest he is with Brooke.
Iskyiah surely didn’t play about her, so she wouldn’t want him to fill her head up with nonsense.
Then he realized he couldn’t fill her head up with nonsense even if he tried. Whatever Moolah said, he meant.
“Does that mean you’ll be my daddy?”
Yeah.
He couldn’t say that though. This was a moment where he needed to stop and think about what he said.
“You feel like you need a daddy, lil mama?”
She thought about her answer before she spoke. He liked that about her. It meant she was a smart kid who had a mind of her own and didn’t just go based on feelings.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Once again, Brooke thought about her response before she spoke. “Because I deserve one.”
She shrugged as if that explained everything. Moolah couldn’t argue with that. Brooke came from Iskyiah and was named after him. Shorty deserved the world, as far as he was concerned.
Moolah stopped walking just in front of the ice cream shop and stooped down so he was eye level with Brooke.
“Look, lil mama, I’ve loved your mama for many, many years. You know what that means?”
“What?” Brooke looked at him with eyes full of curiosity.
“It means anything that comes from her has my love too. You know what that means?”
She thought about it, her face scrunching in concentration. Finally, she pointed a finger at herself. “You love me?”
Moolah nodded. “Just met you and I love yo’ lil ass.
” Through gritted teeth, he said the sentence.
“Yo’ mama and daddy created you, but since yo’ daddy ain’t here no more, I’m more than happy to step in as long as you’re comfortable and good wit’ it.
I don’t want you to be good wit’ it ’cause you want a daddy.
I want you to be good wit’ it ’cause our bond is solid. You understand that?”
Brooke’s head bobbed up and down slowly. “I understand.”
Moolah pinched her chin. “Good. Let’s get some ice cream and then call ya mama. We got lunch plans.”
“Ice cream before lunch?” Brooke asked happily.
“Don’t tell ya mama. Order whatever you want.” He nodded his head toward the counter of the shop as he pulled his phone out of his pocket. He dialed Iskyiah’s number.
“Hello?”
“Where you at?”
“Dang, hi,” Iskyiah joked.
“Where you at, Sky? I’m tryna lay eyes on yo’ sexy ass.”
She giggled. “I’m at Forever 21.”
Moolah’s brows folded in. “For the fuck what? If you don’t take yo’ ass to the Gucci store or somethin’ . . . You know what? Never mind. We gonna be over that way in like ten minutes.”
“How’s my baby?”
“She good. Spoiled like her mama.”
“That’s my girl.”
He could hear the smile in her tone.
“I’ll see you in a bit, my baby,” Moolah said.
They said their goodbyes just as Brooke’s ice cream was ready. Moolah paid, and they sat down at a table so Brooke could eat her ice cream.
“I think I like a boy,” she said in between bites of the large sundae in front of her.
Moolah frowned. “As a friend?”
“No, like I want to kiss him.”
“Aye, man. What the lil nigga’s name?”
“Steve,” she replied, completely oblivious to the fact that Moolah was currently planning Steve’s demise.
“How old is he? Who his people is?”
“He’s in my grade. His daddy picks him up every day. He’s nice.”
“That right? I’ma pick you up tomorrow and have a chat with them niggas.”
Brooke scrunched her face up. “You shouldn’t say that word.”
“Says who?” Moolah frowned.
Brooke shrugged. “Just shouldn’t say it.”
Moolah grumbled. He wasn’t worried about swearing in front of Brooke. He was worried about the lil boy trying to push up on her like he was slick. Lil dude was going to have to see him, and his bitch ass daddy was going to have to take an ass whupping just because.
Brooke chatted happily and finished as much of her ice cream as she could. By the time they met up with Iskyiah, the frown on his face hadn’t disappeared.
“What’s wrong, baby?” Iskyiah reached up and kissed his cheek.
Moolah grabbed the singular bag she had in her hand and kissed her lips. “Nothing, my baby. Nothing at all.”
After a tea party lunch, they went to the beach where a professional mermaid taught Brooke how to swim with a tail like The Little Mermaid.
Then, they went to a Le Petit Chef restaurant for dinner where animations brought their dinner to life.
Both Iskyiah and Brooke were completely exhausted by the time they got home.
Brooke went straight up to the room she stayed in the night before, and Iskyiah collapsed on the nearest couch.
Moolah sat next to her and pulled her feet into his lap so he could rub them.
They were silent for a moment before Moolah said, “I got a couple of bones to pick with you.”
Iskyiah opened one eye and looked at him. “What I do?”
“When I tell yo’ ass to go shop, I mean go crazy. You understand?”
“But—”
“All I need to hear is I understand, daddy.”
Iskyiah sighed. “I understand, daddy. What else I do?”
“You know about this lil nigga tryna push up on Brooke?”
“What are you talking about, Lah?” Iskyiah said, her voice tired.
“She talkin’ ’bout she like a boy.”
Iskyiah giggled. “Oh, you mean Steve? He’s a cute kid.”
“You knew ’bout this?”
“Yeah. In case you haven’t noticed, she’s an open book. I keep a healthy line of communication with her.”
“And you cool with this lil nigga liking our daughter?”
Iskyiah snorted. “It’s innocent, Lah. You remember what it was like at their age.”
Moolah thought about it and then grunted. “Yeah, which is why I need to meet this lil nigga.”
Iskyiah shook her head with her eyes closed and her head leaned on the back of the couch. “Absolutely not. You’ll go to jail for beating up a little kid.”
Yup.
“I ain’t gonna do all that. Just want to lay eyes on him. I’ma pick her up from school tomorrow and handle that.”
“No.”
Moolah sighed. “I’ma have to pick her up. You have a spa appointment at the time her school lets out.”
“How the hell do you know what time she gets out of school?” Moolah blinked at her. She sighed in frustration and got up. When she straddled him, his hands immediately went around her waist. “I’ll have Hassan or Sophie pick her up.”
“Nah. What you’re going to do is put me on the list in the morning to pick her up and then go to the spa.”
Moolah knew he’d won when she changed the subject. “What do you do for a living, Moolah?”
“Illegal shit. You ain’t gotta worry nothin’ about it.”
She hesitated. “I do if it’ll affect me and Brooke.”
“You think I’d allow anything to touch you and Brooke?
” She remained silent because she knew he wouldn’t, but he still saw worry dancing in her eyes.
“I ain’t in that shit for real anymore. I just sit back and collect money.
I have plenty of legal businesses. You have nothing to worry about.
I did my dirt, and ain’t shit gonna come back on me. ”
She eyed him skeptically. “You’re sure?”
“I’m positive, my baby. Now, bring your ass upstairs. The shower’s calling our name, and I need to hear you calling mine wit’ that pussy wrapped around my dick.”
Iskyiah giggled when he picked her up and kissed her neck as he ran toward the stairs, eager to make good on his word.