Aldrich
WE LOOKED LIKE a family.
Hell, most of the time we felt like one so I wasn’t trippin’ about this shit.
I felt bad because I was doing a lot of the things I should be with Ling but I hadn’t said what I needed to.
Fear was holding me back and that wasn’t something I thought I would ever say about myself.
The entire world knew her name but neither of us had confirmed or denied anything about our relationship.
We were just going with the flow but things were muddled.
Muddled as fuck because she slept in my bed most nights I was home, had my name on her back and my chain on her neck but I was still paying her salary like she was the help.
I didn’t want her to think that her labor with caring for Ami was something I expected of her, but I felt like I was insulting her every time that direct deposit hit.
Their relationship was far more beyond caregiver and charge, Ling was basically Ami’s mother.
I’d told her as much but now I was in my head thinking my words and my actions didn’t match up.
Ami saw her that way, the world did, and I for damn sure did as well.
My family always talked to her when they called and we were moving like more than we were.
But hadn’t put a name on it.
And I knew that shit was my fault. This was my family.
I was supposed to set the tone for how things went.
Ling’s security and her emotions might set the temperature and the atmosphere of our home, but it was all based on me and my actions.
And I felt like I was letting her down for real by not setting boundaries and giving titles.
A fucking conundrum.
My hesitation was because I didn’t want to push her.
I had her love; she had mine and everything else didn’t need to be said.
I was worried about the rejection she might throw my way because I wanted her so permanently.
It could work out well or blow up in my face.
I wasn’t sure which one would happen, honestly.
If she told me to leave things like they were, I might shut down because Sterling Madison Sanders Williamson was it for me.
And my heart would be broken if she didn’t feel the same way about me on that level.
Love was one thing but commitment was another.
And I wanted her not just for me, but for Ami as well.
“You ready to get out?”
I blinked and realized I was holding up the valet line in front of Billy and Jacoby’s house.
It was time for the twin’s annual birthday party and since they were born on Halloween they always had a costume party.
I was happy for Ami to keep getting out and meeting people especially the people that were our support system here in town.
I smiled at her liking the way she was deferring to me but knowing I needed to keep my head together tonight. She was blinking at me slowly doing that patience thing that women did when they truly wanted you to hurry the fuck up.
I grinned and nodded as I hopped out of the car and went to get Ami out of the back.
While I checked on our baby I kept my eyes on Sterling because she looked good as fuck in her outfit.
I tried to think of something symbolic but when your girl has the curves of a bombshell everything was going to end up looking sexy as fuck on her.
With Ami in my arms, I rearranged her costume and held her as she looked around the grounds. I couldn’t blame her, since this place was a literal Halloween wonderland.
The Graysons never did anything by half for their kids and I knew that Billy was going to be in Ling’s ear when it came time for Ami’s first birthday. And by the look of things, I was going to smile just like Jacoby was and pay whatever the invoices said as they arrived.
They were standing out front greeting everyone as they walked in the door.
The family had taken another famous group of characters and ran with it.
This year was the Thundercats who I only recognized because my older cousins who used to babysit me along with their kids showed me the reruns.
Jacoby was the perfect Lion-O and Billy looked bad as hell as Cheetara.
The twins were WilyKat and WilyKit and their older siblings were Pumyra and Tygra.
They’d done an amazing job with the outfits and I knew next year I was going to happily let Ling sew ours up instead of buying them like I did this time.
We greeted the family and Billy and Ling switched kids, with Sterling holding their youngest son while Billy was playing with Ami.
I went to say something to Coby and caught the way he was eyeing his wife.
Like he was damn sure about to try for baby number five because he loved how good she looked holding a little one.
When his oldest son Ascher pulled on his hand like he was used to seeing his daddy creep on his mama, he finally snapped out of it.
Jacoby blinked twice and then turned to look at me.
He didn’t have a hint of remorse for how he was staring at his lady and I didn’t blame him.
I was more than sure I’d looked at Ling the same way.
Antwan walked out of the house just as Billy, Ling and the kids walked in.
I knew that more of our teammates, especially the single ones, would make their way outside.
“This shit is amazing, fam. Got all of us set up to have to do something even bigger for the kids when it’s their birthdays.”
Jacoby lifted Ascher who at four years old was about the size of a six-year-old. He was taller than Destiny who was a year older than him.
“It’s gonna be Ami’s first, you gotta do something big. Rye’s ass thought she was gonna have some weak-ass cake and ice cream party for my baby and I had to hurry and get her mind right. Thought she was gonna shortchange my princess like we broke.”
Antwan looked annoyed at the idea that Rye wouldn’t want to drop a bag on their daughter when she turned one.
“She ain’t gone remember that shit, fam.” Jacoby was trying to talk sense into him but he must’ve forgotten who he was talking to. Antwan turned his head to him slowly, with his eyes narrowed like he’d been betrayed. I tried to keep my laughter in but Jacoby had no problem laughing in his face.
“You don’t think I want the memories and shit, Murda? You think the twins gone remember you prancing your big ass around in a fucking leotard and tights with your nuts bulging out like you're wearing a codpiece?”
“Did your ass just say codpiece?” I was gasping for breath laughing at Antwan because he rarely had a serious moment.
“Louisiana might be last in education but a nigga be reading. Don’t underestimate my intelligence just because I don’t display that shit. Keep muhfuckas guessing cause I ain’t ever gone show my hand.” He grinned and I just laughed harder because this man didn’t have a serious bone in his body.
“I’m glad you can put your guard down with us, Twan.” Jacoby gave his shoulder a squeeze as he tried to keep a straight face.
“Y’all need to stop paying Choo’s ass any attention, he gone keep acting a fool the longer y’all follow him up.” Anthony had wandered out when his brother was clowning and he should’ve known better than to think we were going to keep his brother in check.
“You act like he wouldn’t do it even if we didn’t follow him up.”
Anthony paused slightly the glowing orb he carried giving off a fire-like glow. He told me that he and Aphrodite were going as Yoruba gods since she was so annoyed that her parents had named her after ones for the white folks. “You right. Carry on, that nigga ain’t about to change.”
“You really talking like I’m not your blood, Ant.” Antwan was looking at his brother like they were about to shoot the dozens on each other and I was ready to find the food and see my girls.
“Choo, you know you're a fool.” They had a stare-off, both of them waiting for the other to break character.
Antwan broke first as he laughed. “You right I’m just fucking with you. But again, you know you do this shit for y’all as much as the kids, so stop fronting.”
“Yeah. Mina had those good memories from growing up and I didn’t. So I get double the pleasure watching my kids get to see this shit, knowing we provided it for them and doing this shit myself.”
I looked at the grin on his face, and I had to tease him. “You not about to get your big ass in the bouncy castle, Murda.”
“Did that shit before y’all got here. We fuck it up we can replace it, fuck you thought?
Pops was in that shit too. You think he was gonna tell his grandbabies no?
Please. He don’t say no to me and my ass is grown as hell.
” He shifted his son in his arm and mostly Ascher just hung out like an old man observing us and his surroundings.
“You asked somebody for something?” Antwan was now the one to joke because Jacoby was notorious for extending himself and his resources to his teammates and not accepting anything back.
I was shocked myself with his saying that.
I’d offered to pay for Sterling and Ami’s seats on the planes but he told me he didn’t want the money and Mac wouldn’t either.
When I pressed him on how he knew his dad wouldn’t, he said that he’d already tried to pay him for his family and Mac just hung up the phone on him.
Jacoby’s eyes narrowed at Antwan who just laughed harder and harder. “I didn’t say all that did I? I just said he hasn’t ever told me no. Come on, I got to feed my boy. I hope you’re hungry, Money. Samp and his people pulled out all the stops as usual.
My stomach was grumbling just thinking about what they’d had.
It was crazy that Sampson was now Coby’s brother-in-law.
He’d married Billy’s little sister so I knew he was going to show as Uncle Samp.
Ascher’s birthday was also in the fall but he didn’t like parties and after his first, they never gave him another one.