Chapter 6 #2
Within minutes, we were off to the house.
Celine welcomed me with open arms, and she and Ivy immediately took the twins off my hands.
There were trucks pulling up one after the other.
There was a scavenger hunt set up and a mini carnival.
The rides included a Ferris wheel, bumper cars, a dunk tank, and pretty much anything you could find at a carnival to ride on.
It was just in mini form. Overwhelming at first, but once the crew that was coming to set up everything knew what to do and where to put everything, it all fell into place.
The caterers were in the kitchen setting everything up, and Ivy entertained her baby brother and sister while also getting ready for the party.
Julani put together a rack of designer dresses for her.
She was even going to give her a light beat and style her hair.
Frequency had paid enough for everything, and he stood around watching them cover his estate with rides and games and he barely flinched.
Once everything was set with her black, yellow, and white color theme, I stood in the kitchen in my black shorts, and floral quarter-sleeve top tucked into them.
My sandals were wedges because there was no way I was about to go around in heels all damn day.
Standing near the table where her five-tier cake was set up, I admired each layer, covered in yellow icing with black and white ornaments.
At the top was a large gold embossed number thirteen.
Beside it was also a tower of cupcakes to match and I smiled to myself.
Everything was perfect. I checked the time on my ladies’ Rolex, and I could see that it was almost show time.
The guests would start arriving at any moment now.
Stepping back, I used my phone to snap a few pictures of the cake so that I could post them later to my Instagram page.
I was about as excited as Ivy was about this event.
“Damn, did you rent the entire carnival?” Chevy teased, parading into the room with two large bags, one in each hand.
Ledge was right behind her, and the kids tailed him. They ran right past both of their parents so that they could go check out the yard.
“Hi, Auntie Harbor!” they each squealed, rushing by me in a blur.
“Hey, babies!” I was happy to see them as I met up with their parents at the island counter.
Chevy set the bags down. There was a table on the porch that was set up for gifts.
“You think it’s too much?” I asked, wringing my hands together anxiously.
“Did I see fucking horses out there?” Ledge pointed to the patio doors.
“Just two.” My hands rested on my hips.
“Yo, Free seen all this shit?” he questioned.
“He is avoiding me. He hasn’t said one word since we got here and he saw everything being set up.”
“Yeah, that nigga in there smoking four blunts at the same time. Let me go check on my dude.” Ledge shook his head and cleared the room.
“Girl, Free will be okay. I have seen the numbers that him and Ledge are crunching just off their legit businesses. He can more than afford this set up.” She reached for an egg roll off a tray that was set up and took a bite.
“Mmm, these are good,” she groaned, having a foodgasm, closing her eyes and everything as she devoured the rest of it.
“You look cute,” she pointed out, reaching for another one.
“How are things with you and Free? I mean, you’re here. ”
“I am here… for Ivy.” I corrected her. “She deserves to have a happy birthday, and I am going to make sure that she gets it.”
“Hmm, just like a mother,” Chevy noted, bobbing her head.
“Only you aren’t her mother, are you, Harbor?” the sharp, accusing voice addressed me from the doorway.
Ivana stood there in a black romper that showed off her ample cleavage and thighs, along with a pair of red-bottom pumps that accented her calf muscles.
She was a beautiful woman; that couldn’t be denied, but the haughtiness, the downright righteousness that she carried with her was very unattractive.
I rolled my eyes toward Chevy, and she pivoted part of her upper body to give Ivana her attention.
She carried a big box, wrapped in black and gold paper and a large bow on top.
“Ivana, so nice of you to join us.” I faked enthusiasm along with a large grin that turned up the corners of my mouth.
“Really? Because I didn’t get an invite from you. Ivy had to tell me when and where to be,” Ivana pointed out.
I didn’t care for her attitude right now, and it showed on my face. Chevy scoffed and went over to the cabinet where we kept the liquor.
“I didn’t think you would want to be here.”
“At my own daughter’s party?” Ivana indignantly questioned.
“I thought it might be awkward.” I shrugged, nonchalant about the situation.
I really didn’t care how she felt. Leaving her off the guest list was personal.
I didn’t want to be anywhere near her. I had busted my ass planning this, not her.
If she wanted to do something for her, she could do it on her own dime and time.
She tucked some of her Brazilian weave behind her ear and pouted her lips.
“Funny, because this day isn’t about you.” She aimed one of her colorfully decorated acrylics at me all snooty and shit.
“No, but it is about Ivy and what is best for her,” I clarified.
“Oh, so suddenly you know what’s best for my fucking child?” Her forehead wrinkled and both of her brows furrowed as she turned her displeasure on me.
“Girl, you need to bring that down to a zero, right here and now,” Chevy chimed in, bringing a bottle of D’Ussé to the counter for us to partake in.
She knew I was going to need it going toe to toe with Frequency’s hostile ass baby mama. I was trying to find the good in her, see what he might have seen all those years ago, but all I got was pushback from her. I wasn’t about to kiss her ass. She had the wrong one for that.
“Chevy, right? Ledge’s baby mama?” Ivana implied, simpering self-assuredly. “What does this have to do with you?”
The air that she carried with her was enough to want to beat her ass.
Chevy was the one for a good brawl, and I could see it in her eyes that she was ready to leap over the counter on this hoe.
She shot a glance my way, both of her brows going up as if to say “is this bitch serious?” She was prepared to take a few steps closer, but I grasped her wrist and gave her a nod.
Chevy chuckled to herself, but she wasn’t amused.
It was more of a maddening laugh that could lead to blows being swung.
“You know what? I’m not going to go there with a bitch who is barely a factor!” Chevy took the cap off the bottle of drink.
“Oh, I’m definitely one,” Ivana assured her. “It’s why you moved out, right, Harbor? Why you and Frequency are no longer together?” she insinuated, very pleased with herself.
Her words rattled me, that was for sure, but I wasn’t about to let her see me sweat. I put on a smile for her.
“You must be really threatened by me if all you can come here to talk about is you and Free. How about you focus on your daughter and what’s best for her?” I suggested. “The gifts should go on the table set out on the patio. Why don’t you go and get some air?”
“Are you trying to patronize me?” she sneered, resting her hands on the counter.
“You are paranoid.” I shook my head. “Maybe if you weren’t living so foul, you would be a little more open. This isn’t about Free or me, or you for the fucking record,” I audaciously relayed to her. “It’s about Ivy. Today is all about her. And I’m not going to let even the likes of you ruin it.”
“The likes of me?” Ivana questioned, coming around the counter as if she had some kind of beef with me. “Bitch, trust if I hadn’t left all those years ago, here is where I would still fucking be. Chew on that while you going around here pretending to fill my shoes.”
“Well, Ivana, I don’t remember this side to you.” Celine waltzed in carrying Maze in her arms.
My son was fresh in a little black and gold Nike romper with the matching footies.
He was sporting the gold binky link that Ledge had bought him, sucking on it as his little alert eyes bounced around.
As if her own mother was chastising her, Ivana bowed her head humbly.
She studied my son carefully, envy filling her eyes.
He was the spitting image of Frequency, and I’m sure it tugged on her heart to see what we had created together.
Slowly but surely, I was beginning to feel less intimidated by her.
She had a list of insecurities all by herself, without adding me to it.
Sis needed some self-love in the worst way.
“Celine. You still work here?” Ivana questioned with disbelief.
“It’s nice to see you among the living. Given that life has tossed you an extra one, don’t you think you should make the best of it?” Celine cocked a brow at her and bounced Maze on her hip like he was a sack of potatoes.
My baby was content though, and you couldn’t tell him shit as his little curious eyes bounced around the counter like he was trying to keep up with the conversation.
Celine had a welcoming touch, and I loved seeing them together.
She was hands-on with these babies, and I couldn’t be more grateful.
Ivana might as well have choked on her words.
I could tell off the bat that the Celine effect was real.
She was the kill you with kindness type, unless you got on the wrong side of someone that she cared about.
“You know me, Celine. I love to make an entrance.” Ivana put on the sarcasm.
“Seems like you like to put on the drama now, and this ain’t the time or place for that. Check it at the door and leave it there,” Celine insisted, bouncing Maze on her hip.
Frequency and Ledge waltzed into the kitchen together in midconversation. There was enough ice in the room to chill the entire state. Everyone seemed to tighten up.