Chapter 11 Never Too Much
NEVER TOO MUCH
“Are we there yet!” Harlee screamed from the back seat while trying to sit up and view their surroundings.
“Harlee, you asked me that when we backed out of the driveway, mamas,” Heavy responded.
“Well, you drive slow, Heavy.”
Giselle hid a snicker and looked across the seat at him. Amusement and a playful smile tugged the corners of his mouth when he shook his head. Harlee may have looked like him, but she was her mother’s child.
“It’s called driving safe, little girl. Precious cargo in here, so I can’t be reckless.” He winked at her through the rearview mirror.
The park gleamed ahead, roller coasters twisting in the air, and the screams from the people on them echoing around them.
“The park is right there.” Giselle leaned forward and pointed.
Both kids sat up in their seats to see. Heavy found parking in the crowded lot, and Crew and Prischa pulled up on either side of him. The adults were as hype as the kids to be there. When he shut the car off, he glanced in Giselle’s direction.
“I’m glad this is a family experience. These two can wear me out in the grocery store,” she joked, leaning over to apply a coat of gloss to her lips.
Heavy tried not to be all swept up when he was around Giselle, but she was gorgeous without trying.
It took restraint not to touch her when he knew he should hate her.
She’d robbed him of the first few years of his kids’ lives, but a larger part of him was just glad they existed.
Ever since he found out, he’d been moving different, replanning his future to include them in every step.
Giselle slammed the visor mirror closed and turned to him, only to find him studying her.
“What?”
“Nothing.” He shook his head.
“Mama, we ready to get out!” Heir screamed.
“Okay, Heir, calm down.” Giselle chuckled, and Heavy pushed his door open first.
There was something in his eyes. Like he had something he wanted to say but was keeping himself in check.
Since being back, she wished she could have a minute with him, but someone was always there, or they were dealing with the kids.
She thought about asking him out for lunch or something, but she didn’t know exactly how to approach him about it.
There was so much yellow tape around the situation, and then there was Prischa.
Clearly, there was something between them, and she had no place in the middle of whatever it was.
“Who got the tickets?” Crew asked once Heavy and Giselle unloaded the twins and the two-seater stroller Heavy surprisingly had in the back of his truck.
“Nigga, where you get that stroller?” Viggo chuckled as he hit the little bit of blunt he gripped between his fingers.
“We can walk!” Harlee put her hands on her hips and scowled like she was truly offended.
“Yes, you can, baby,” Giselle cooed, trying to stay on her good side before she had a fit. “But this is a big park, and you might get tired.”
“I not getting in.” She folded her arms across her chest.
“I will!” Heir slid his backpack off his shoulder and put it in one seat while he climbed in the other.
“Smart boy!” Crew declared, chortling.
“I walk. Heavy, put me on you shoulders!” Harlee demanded.
“That’s not walking, that’s me carrying you, Harlee,” Heavy argued.
All she had to do was stomp her little foot and stick her bottom lip out, and he turned to mush. Those big brown eyes resembling her mother’s got his chest tight.
“Oh, hell nah.” Maisie shook her head. “You better not fall for that shit, Heavy.”
“Fuck it, I’ll carry you.” Crew threw his hands up and went to scoop Harlee.
“No! I want Heavy!” she yelped.
“Aye, man, get her!” Crew looked at Heavy but pointed at Harlee.
Sighing, Heavy picked her up and hoisted her on his shoulders as requested.
“Nigga a sucka. She got him wrapped around her little finger already.” Viggo laughed.
Most of the day was spent hopping from ride to ride, snacking in between, and cracking jokes.
Gem and Solo were the youngest in their pack, so they would venture off and do their own thing then run into everyone else while doing so.
In the end they all wound up together for the remainder of the day.
Crew had taken his shirt off walked around with tattoos on display, and his shirt over his shoulder, scaring all the little white suburban parents.
The last ride he got on with Maisie and Lou got them all soaking wet.
Giselle and Heavy spent most of the time with the kids in the kiddie park, but Crew and Maisie gave them a little time to themselves as well and got on the bumper cars with Harlee and Heir.
Prischa was grateful for Viggo being there since most of Heavy’s attention seemed to be on his own kids.
Pierre didn’t seem to mind, though. Viggo was like a big ass child himself, and the two of them always got along.
Watching Heavy and Giselle at a basketball game nearby, envy clouded her eyes at how they interacted with one another, and Henna was right at her side to witness it.
She hated to be the one to even bring it to light, but it was obvious where Heavy’s attention was.
The two of them barely had a conversation today because Giselle and the twins had occupied his time.
“Okay, you win. Obviously, you can play basketball.” Giselle sighed after her last ball didn’t go into the basket again.
She would watch sports all day but playing them was a different story.
“Varsity Junior and Senior year,” Heavy informed her.
He slid the game attendant some more cash so she could go again.
Today, she hadn’t had to spend a dime, and the stroller now looked like a toy cart with the twins buried under the many stuffed animals, eating cotton candy.
She’d watched them devour hot dogs, nachos, candy, and some more shit, yet there they were, still stuffing their faces.
“It’s all about the flick of the wrist. Come here.” He grabbed one of the balls that slid toward her and placed it in her hand.
A spark from his touch went through her.
Heavy felt it too when he came up behind her.
She also smelled good as hell, sending the blood right to his dick when he inhaled the cashmere scent blended with her vanilla body butter.
The heat between them was mutual, leaving Giselle with a racing pulse as he grabbed her arms and helped her position them for the perfect shot.
When the ball slipped from her hands and into the basket, she turned to Heavy with wide eyes.
“Oh, my God. I made it!”
He laughed and shook his head.
“Let me try again.” She picked up another ball and did the same thing, and it went through. “Check me out.” She snapped her fingers and did a little dance.
She ended up winning a small stuffed parrot that she clung to as they grabbed a slice of pizza from a nearby stand and slowly strolled back toward their group.
“Surprisingly, today was a good day.” Giselle took a bite of her pizza. “Thank you.”
Heavy stared ahead as they neared their group. It was almost four in the afternoon, and they’d all spent the last five hours on every ride, playing every game, and buying something to eat from nearly every vendor.
“For what?”
“For the effort.” Giselle paused and faced him. “I know I didn’t make this easy on any of us, and I know you’re not good with how I went about things—”
“I could spend my days trying to find ways to punish you, princess… take you to court, sue for custody, all that,” Heavy insinuated. “But what good does that do our seeds? You’re their mother, and they love you to death. You’re their whole world.”
“And they’re mine,” she admitted, blinking away tears. “I think we should talk to them, about us. Who you are to them. I want them to know you aren’t just some man showing up for them. You’re their father, and you deserve to claim that, claim them.”
“I’m glad you can finally acknowledge that.” He nodded and took another bite of his pizza. “I ain’t putting no pressure on it, though, because I want to get to know them and they get to know me. That’s all that matters.”
“What’s up? What’s the play?” Viggo asked.
Pierre swung off his back like a little monkey while Prischa and Henna remained seated on a bench side by side when Heavy and Giselle approached.
“Taking the kids home.” Heavy finished his pizza.
“Why don’t we all meet up at the club tonight? I got an infused drink special I am dying for you to try.” Maisie clapped her hands happily.
“You and your specials always end up putting us on our ass, Mais.” Lou tittered. “But I’m down!” She clapped twice and bent over to slap her ass cheeks together in a twerk and stick her tongue out.
“Count me out.” Giselle chewed on another bite of pizza, and Heir held his hand up.
“Mama, I want some.”
“Heir, you been eating all day!” She sucked her teeth. “This is my pizza.”
“And I want some.” He made the motion for ‘more’ with his hands in sign language.
“Ugh, I swear, y’all went from taking all my breast milk to stealing my food!” She took one last bite and gave him the rest.
“See, you need a break,” Maisie spoke up. “Mama can watch them for the night while we go out. You can go home, take a nap, and meet us at the club around nine. I really want you to see my spot.” Maisie pleaded like a little kid.
“Fine. I don’t have nothing to wear, though. I sold most of my shit when I moved here. All I got is loungewear and—”
“Save it.” Lou held up a hand. “I’ll go home and search the closet, and me and Gem will come over to get you ready since you acting brand new.”
“I just haven’t been out in a while. It was usually business events with a bunch of suits.”
“Even more reason for a turn up, G.” Crew slung his arm over her shoulders. “You know you want to. Girl the way you move it, got me in a trance…” He started the Wocka Flocka verse to “No Hands” with his hand in the air, moving to the beat.
Maisie smiled with Lou and chimed in. “DJ turn me up, ladies this yo’ chance!” they sang.