Chapter 6
A Week Later . . .
“Pinkles, Daddy! Pinkles,” Zakiyah tells me when we enter the ice cream parlor.
“Okay, Kiki. I’ll make sure they put sprinkles on it for you.”
After picking Zakiyah up from day care, I took her home and fed her dinner before making a split-second decision to bring her for ice cream.
Work had been busy today, so I only made a small tuna noodle casserole that I had to bribe Zakiyah into eating; the confectionery treat was her reward for indulging me.
Unlike most households, Dad is the one who taught me how to cook, so the meal choice was extremely lazy on my part.
I didn’t feel like giving anything more thought or time today.
“I’ll take three scoops of butter pecan in a bowl, please.” That voice has my eyes shooting from Zakiyah to the front counter, where my heart skips several beats upon seeing Caziya.
My eyes rake over Caziya’s body, appreciating the way her jeans mold to her thick thighs, and her shirt pushes out slightly, showcasing the plumpness of her ample breasts.
Even being fully covered, unlike the first time I saw her, Caziya is a beautiful woman capable of stopping traffic.
Or in this moment, stopping my thoughts and all of the noise surrounding me.
“Her pwitty.” Zakiyah smiles while pointing at Caziya.
“Yes, she is, Kiki.” I cosign as Caziya and I lock eyes. “Can you say hi to Daddy’s pretty friend?”
Intense astonishment takes shape on Caziya’s face when her eyes bounce from me to Kiki.
With my early morning departure, which didn’t provide an explanation, I’m sure seeing me with my daughter has her out of sorts.
Countless seconds pass before Caziya’s face clears, and a wide grin upturns her nude-colored lips when Zakiyah starts waving.
My eyes stretch at the animated expression coming from Kiki because it’s more than I’ve ever seen from her with someone other than family.
“Hi,” Kiki says in a singsong voice, which causes a smirk to form on my lips. Something about seeing my baby girl being so friendly with Caziya triggers an adrenaline rush within my body.
“Oh my God. How are you, cutie patootie? I love your beads,” Caziya tells Kiki, gushing, causing me to get lost in her beauty as her cheeks heighten.
“Me too,” Kiki says, pointing at Caziya, who laughs heartily because it’s clear that Zakiyah is trying to tell her that she’s cute too.
For a minute, I simply stare at the two-way conversation happening between Kiki and Caziya, without adding or taking away from their exchange. My heart stretches with every passing minute, and I’m starting to feel like this is a moment in time that I shouldn’t let pass by.
“Can we sit and enjoy our ice cream together? It looks like my daughter is just as enamored with you as I was the first time I saw you.”
Caziya’s assessing eyes bounce between Kiki and me. I momentarily hold my breath, waiting for her answer.
“I wouldn’t want to interrupt your time with your daughter. I also don’t want to cause any problems for you at ho—oh shoot. You spent the night with me and you ha—”
“Breathe, Ziya. Don’t let whatever thoughts are swirling in that pretty head of yours change your mind about me. I’m not that guy. If you take me up on my offer, we can discuss it further.”
Caziya’s eyes stretch before she stares wordlessly like she’s searching my eyes for a contradiction within my words.
“O-okay,” Caziya says in a shaky tone, causing relief to surge through my body as I nod before going through the process of getting ice cream for Kiki and me.
The idea of Caziya changing her mind has me practically rushing the worker behind the counter while also ensuring Kiki gets her sprinkles.
Not wanting to waste any more of Caziya’s time, I use my phone to pay for our cold creamery and nearly drag Zakiyah to the table where Caziya is already scooping ice cream into her mouth.
“Ouchy, Daddy,” Kiki whines, flexing her hand once we reach the table, effectively making me feel like shit with my attempt to have an impromptu encounter with Caziya.
“Aw. What’s wrong, cutie? Did Daddy hurt you?” Caziya asks, giving Kiki the cutest fucking pout I’ve seen from a grown-ass woman.
The traitor who lives in my house, being raised and cared for by me, bobs her little head up and down, causing her beads to shake.
“Wow. Really, Kiki?”
Seeing Zakiyah take to Caziya so effortlessly has me ready to give my left nut to keep her in our presence.
Single parenthood doesn’t provide me with many opportunities to entertain women, and I damn sure don’t bring randoms around my baby.
Something about Caziya and Kiki’s reaction to her makes it easy for me to welcome Caziya into our ice cream social.
“Leave this baby alone, mean ole Daddy,” Caziya tells me, smirking before shifting her attention back to Kiki. “How about you sit beside me, and I’ll make sure Daddy doesn’t hurt you anymore?”
Kiki giggles, and the sound along with Caziya’s smile has me realizing that for the first time since becoming a single father, a woman has gotten more than my sexual attention.
The comfortable feelings from the night I made a move to change Caziya’s sad disposition return tenfold, and I sit down once Kiki does, with a renewed interest to get to know the woman across from me.
When Kiki starts eating her ice cream, I jump into a conversation with Caziya, hoping for an easy interaction between us.
“As I promised, I want to clear the air as it pertains to our sleepover.”
Caziya’s breath hitches, and her chest begins to rise and fall heavily as the spoon of butter pecan hovers in front of her mouth upon hearing my words.
Her eyes become a mask of uncertainty as an array of emotions takes turns in the spotlight for the moment.
Forging ahead is easy, as I know that Caziya is still struggling with the aftermath of what led to our meeting.
“I’m not that man and have never been that man. I’m as single as a dollar bill. The only woman occupying my everyday life and occasionally my bed is her,” I say, nodding toward Kiki as Caziya’s eyes shift from me to my daughter.
“Wh-what about her mother?” Caziya mutters.
“She’s deceased, which is a story for another day. Just know, I’m single and would never place you in another compromising position. So, how have you been, Ziya?”
Pretending like I haven’t been feeling a way about leaving a sleeping Caziya a week ago is something I can’t do. My mind might have been occupied over the last week, but even in the silent moments, I have thought about her and how she’s been doing since the relationship bomb detonated.
“Things are starting to get better, and my chest isn’t feeling so heavy.” Caziya’s face flashes with relief and something unreadable as I nod before scooping some of my strawberry ice cream into my mouth.
My eyes shift to Kiki, who isn’t paying attention to Caziya or me as she enjoys her ice cream while dancing in her seat.
“I’m happy to hear that, Ziya. Can I ask how long you and goofy were together?”
“Only five months, which is helping me to let go of the heartache quicker than I would if more time were invested.”
For five months, goofy played in this woman’s face, and the only thing I want to do is send him a congratulatory cigar, thanking him for fucking up.
“I want you to think of it like this: His loss will always set you up for the right man’s gain.”
“Trust me, I know and believe that I’m the prize. The struggle was coming to the knowledge of unknowingly being in a position I would have never agreed to had I been given the heads-up directly.”
“You better pop your shit then, Ziya.” A smirk slides into place, and my body heats when Caziya’s eyes flash with merriment.
“Ooh, bad word,” Kiki sings like a parrot, breaking my eye contact with Caziya.
Zakiyah’s little face is a mask of offense as her spoon hovers in front of her mouth, and it hangs open slightly.
A low chuckle escapes my mouth because my baby is the profanity police when it comes to me.
But if she hears anyone else cuss, she lets it slide without comment or correction.
I often feel like my daughter is the person Big Homie sent in my life to humble me and keep me grounded.
“I’m sorry. I won’t say any more, okay?”
Zakiyah nods wordlessly before returning to her ice cream as I look over at Caziya, whose lips are upturning like she’s trying not to smile or laugh at the exchange between Kiki and me.
Leaning slightly toward Caziya, I speak in a low tone for her ears only, hopeful that Zakiyah is still occupied by the ice cream she’s almost done consuming.
“I think you should give me your number so we can talk later, and I won’t have to worry about filtering my speech.”
“I could, but how do I know that you won’t find another excuse to disappear like you did after our first unfiltered conversation?”
A low chuckle escapes, and I shake my head at the subtle dig because I should have been expecting her to mention my disappearing act.
“Seeing you today was the confirmation Big Homie sent for me to know that that night wasn’t a fluke or happenstance. Now, if you want to let fate dictate when I get those digits, we can leave this here. But I don’t see the need to delay the inevitable. Nevertheless, the ball is in your court.”
I don’t want to leave this parlor without having Caziya’s ten digits, but I will if she’s not willing to exchange numbers with me. I disconnect our eye contact and return to my melting creamery, all while silently praying that I won’t have to tuck my tail out of this establishment.
“I’m open to engaging with you beyond this moment, so you can have my number. However, if I were you, I wouldn’t let another seven days pass before you utilize it.”
Mentally, I pump my fist while pulling out my phone to add Caziya’s number, because I’ll be damned if either of us walks out these doors without the opportunity to further this new dynamic between us.
“I’m ready.”
“Okay. My number is 380-619-1186.”
My fingers have never moved so quickly recording a number like they did when Caziya recites her digits. Hell, I’m seconds from screaming while jumping up and down from the excitement coursing through me. Once I have her stored in my phone, I send a message so she will have my number too.
Me:
Be ready because I’m gonna hit you up once I put baby girl to bed.
“Alright, this has been informative and pleasant. I’m going to get out of here so I can get myself ready for work in the morning,” Caziya says as I nod, before the three of us head toward the exit.
Silence carries us to the parking lot, where, ironically, Caziya and I are parked next to each other. When she hits her key fob to unlock her door, I pull open the door, allowing her to get in.
“Still a gentleman, I see,” she says, smiling.
“Always. This was fun, Ziya. Thank you for indulging me.”
“You’re welcome. I enjoyed the company,” she tells me before her attention moves to Kiki. “Thank you for having ice cream with me, pretty girl. Be good for Daddy, okay?”
“Otay,” Kiki says, smiling.
“Get home safe, and I’ll be in touch soon.”
Caziya nods wordlessly before I shut the door and wait for her to pull off before helping Zakiyah into her car seat.
“Weepy, Daddy.” Zakiyah whines while rubbing her eyes.
The drive home from the ice-cream parlor is quiet, as my mind is on Caziya, the conversation between us, and her interaction with Zakiyah.
With my thoughts still on Caziya when we arrive home, I let Zakiyah play in her room until the time for me to put her in the bathtub.
It doesn’t take long for Zakiyah to go from sleepy to barely able to stay awake, which I should have prepared for when putting her in the tub.
“Okay, Kiki. Let’s get you washed up, and then Daddy will get you out of here.”
Zakiyah nods before standing up in the tub, letting me know that she’s ready, and I grab her washcloth to begin cleaning her little body.
At the beginning of this situation, I had to have Ma talk me off the ledge about being a man cleaning my baby girl.
Society and the internet had me paranoid about doing things that I have to do as a single father.
After being cussed out by Ma, who I practically begged to come over and bathe Kiki, I started handling my business without further hesitation.
However, I’m looking forward to the day when Kiki will be self-sufficient and no longer need Daddy for these basic needs.
I wonder if Caziya will be a great mother who makes my life easier.
“Where did that thought come from?”
“Me, Daddy?”
Smirking, I shake my head before rinsing the soap from Zakiyah’s body, lifting the stopper in the tub, grabbing the towel resting on the toilet before opening it up, and pulling her out of the tub, wrapping the garment around her.
I’m not sure how my mind zoomed in on thoughts of Caziya and motherhood, but now that she’s on my mind, I need to hurry through Kiki’s bedtime routine so I can call her.