Chapter 25
With all the drama finally behind us, we were able to move forward with dinner on a positive note.
When Deuce walked into that living room, part of me wanted to choke slam him while the other just wanted to hug my baby.
I spoke to my son every day and saw him three to four times a week when he wasn’t on a mission.
We’d never been on the outs, even when he was a teenager and thought he knew every damn thing. I always reminded him that I wasn’t one of his little friends, but the truth was he was definitely one of my best friends. Make no mistake, I was his mother first, but we did have a friendship too.
Dinner was over and we were eating dessert. I’d made the kids’ favorite, double fudge brownies with a side of homemade vanilla ice cream. They were busy tearing it up while the adults made conversation. Karen, Salima’s mom, had joined us not long after they got here.
Salima stood from the table and tapped her spoon against her bowl.
“Can I have everyone’s attention?” she said, causing us to quiet down.
“I um… I wanted to wait until everything was peaceful before I made this announcement.” She smiled as she looked around the table.
“I’m not gonna beat around the bush with it so here goes.
” She reached in her back pocket and pulled something out.
When she released it, a row of ultrasound pictures fell open. “I’m pregnant.”
Both her mother and I gasped. Senior grinned, and Deuce’s eyes widened.
“You’re having a baby!” Darlyn exclaimed.
Salima nodded. “I’m having a baby.”
“I’m gonna be a big brother?” Liam asked.
She smiled as she stroked his hair. “You are, Bubby.” She turned to Deuce and his hands instantly went to her belly.
“We’re having a baby?”
“Yes, Deucy.”
“When did you stop taking your birth control?”
“A few months ago when you told me you were ready for another baby. If I calculated correctly, it happened around that same time.”
He stood to his feet and cupped her face. “Thank you, Salima.” He kissed her lips several times. “Thank you, baby.”
Dropping back down in his seat, he kissed her belly.
He mentioned to me a while ago how he wanted one more baby.
It was clear how much he loved and respected his wife because he was ready for another right after Liam was born.
Salima said she wanted to wait a while so she could focus on the kids they had and expanding her business.
She did just that and now we were getting a baby!
“I’m so happy for you both!” Karen exclaimed, moving to hug them.
I followed behind her, pulling them both into a hug and kissing both their cheeks.
“I can’t wait to spoil this little one too,” I said, touching Salima’s stomach.
She smiled at me. “So, you’ll be on the compound this time?”
I looked over at Senior as he moved around the table, a huge grin on his face.
“We’ll see.”
“She’ll be here,” he said, slapping hands with Deuce and kissing Salima’s cheek. “Karen, when are you gonna move your ass on the compound? You know Iman would probably have had y’all right here if he was still alive. You’ve been family. All you have to do is pick a damn plot.”
Karen laughed. “I think you’ve worn me down. I’m ready to be near my baby and her babies.”
Salima instantly broke into tears. She’d been trying for the longest to get her mom to move closer to them. Having her near during a sensitive time in her life would make it easier for them.
“It’s a plot of land available right across the road from our house,” Deuce said. “We can send the kids over there when they’re getting on our nerves.”
Darlyn gasped. “Daddy!”
“My bad, baby girl. But you and Liam love spending time with your grandparents. You just cried to spend the night here.”
“Cause Papa was gonna leave me for dead.”
Senior shook his head as he picked her up and kissed her cheeks.
“You been around your auntie Shar too much. You don’t even know what that means.”
She giggled as she kissed his nose. “Auntie Shar said if all else fails, cry.”
I laughed. “Baby girl, you aren’t supposed to let the man know your manipulation tactics. Some things have to be a secret.”
“Don’t tell her that,” Deuce fussed.
“Stanely, you already spoil her and your daddy is no better. She knows she surrounded by suckers.”
Darlyn covered her mouth a giggled while both her father and grandfather shook their heads.
“Anyway!” Senior said. “Karen, I can call the architect and we can start drawing up plans soon. Be thinking about what you want.”
She nodded. “I got you.”
“I hope you know what you’re getting into, Pop,” Deuce said. “You know my wife and her bestie love to do everything together. Shar is gonna be convincing you to let her parents move on the compound next. You know Mama Karen and Ms. Cicley are besties too.”
Karen giggled. “If she can get Paul to agree, she would come.”
Senior shrugged. “Blake and I didn’t extend the property for nothing.
The family is expanding.” He smiled as he rubbed Salima’s stomach before reclaiming his spot next to me.
“I want this to be home for generations to come. That’s what my father wanted.
Everybody that’s supposed to be here, will be here. ”
He looked over at me, and I couldn’t help but lean in to kiss his lips. As I went to pull away, he deepened the kiss. We got so caught up that we didn’t stop until we heard sniffling. Breaking the kiss, we look over to see Salima dabbing her eyes.
“This is so beautiful,” she said, sniffling. “You two look so happy together.” She looked at Deuce and shoved her finger in his face. “You better not ruin this second chance, Deucy. I’ll never forgive you.”
Deuce frowned. “First of all, this is more than chance number two. Let’s just acknowledge that. Second… I’m cool. I don’t want no smoke.”
I decided to fuck with him.
“So, you’ll be cool when you find out you’re getting a little brother or sister?”
The color drained from his face. “W-what?”
Senior rubbed my stomach as he fell right into his role. “Which one do you want, son? I think I need another girl. That’ll make it even amongst the six of y’all plus Emmy. What do you think?”
Deuce stared blankly at us. His eye started twitching and his fists clenched. The vein in his forehead was practically pulsating.
“You got my mama pregnant?” he asked his father.
Senior shrugged. “Shit just happened.”
“You’re having a baby too, Granny?” Darlyn exclaimed.
Deuce shot up from his chair. “I need to smoke and take a walk. Don’t nobody follow me.”
“Baby, come back!” I called, fighting back a laugh as he walked out of the dining room. “Don’t you wanna hear the names we picked out?”
“Hell no!”
Across the table, Salima and her mother were in literal tears.
I couldn’t hold it in any longer and burst into laughter.
“Stanely, we’re joking!” I said. “There is no baby. I’m going through menopause, so you don’t have to worry about getting another sibling the natural way.”
Deuce stopped and turned around. “So y’all got jokes?” he asked. “Y’all play too damn much, man!”
I waved my hands as I tried to catch my breath. “You should— you should have seen your face.”
He stood in the entry way glaring at us before reclaiming his seat and folding his arms.
“I can’t stand y’all,” he mumbled. He looked at his wife, who was doubled over. “And you think this shit is funny, baby?”
“Awwww, Deucy!” she tried to touch his face, but he moved his head. “You don’t want another sibling?”
“I had to help raise five and a half—”
“Boy you ain’t raised nothing,” Senior said. “You just think you’re my kids’ daddy.”
“They act like my kids, old man. They all stress me out except for Jaeda. I take that back. She stressed me out when she started dating Q. Now I have to go through that with Emmy. You think I need another sibling?”
I rolled my eyes. “Well, Stanley, you better prepare to be a big brother again for real. I told up, I’m considering fostering or adopting.”
“You were serious about that?”
“I was.”
He looked at his father. “And you on board with that?”
“Whatever my wife wants, I’m okay with.”
Deuce kissed his teeth. “She ain’t your wife. I don’t see a ring on her finger?”
Senior chuckled. “It’s not like she ain’t got six to choose from.”
“You better not propose to my mama with a used ring, Senior. I don’t care if it was meant for her.”
Senior picked up his wine glass and took a sip.
“I’m just gonna take that as your blessing when I propose and I will propose.
Your mama will have the finest ring money can buy.
Me and Kobi are gonna have a long talk about it.
” He picked up my hand and kissed it. “I want the rock glistening so everybody will know who you belong to, baby.”
I blushed. “Stanley.”
“Tell me you’re mine, OG.”
I cupped his chin and kissed his lips. “I’m yours, Big Papa.”
Deuce pretended to gag. “I think I just threw up in my mouth. Aye, man. Y’all gotta stop this cutesy shit. If you are gonna call him Stanley, you can’t call me it too. I’m gonna draw the line somewhere, mama.”
His father and I looked at each other then at him before we both said, “Shut up, Stanley!”