Chapter 26
They say time flies when you’re having fun.
Ain’t that the truth? I’d been having so much fun having Steph back in my life that I didn’t realize how quickly four months had passed us by.
Since Deuce found out about us and shit was out in the open, we’d been in a happy ass bliss.
I don’t wanna say I was holding that woman hostage, but she hadn’t spent a night at her home since our first date.
Most of her shit had been moved in. She’d started making the place ours and not just mine.
It started with her dragging me to the furniture store for a new mattress and bedroom furniture.
She said even though she and Maddie weren’t beefing, she wasn’t gonna continue to sleep in a bed I’d had another woman in.
That was fair because if the tables were turned and I was in her house, I would have done the same shit.
“You ready, my love?” I asked, slipping on my shades.
Today was one of those days where I took the kids to school and Steph was riding with me.
She grabbed her shades from the entryway table and slipped them on.
The woman had me over here doing old corny ass shit like wearing matching outfits to take these damn kids to school.
I complained when she gave me this shirt this morning, but I put the shit on.
“I’m ready.”
Hand in hand, we left the house and headed for the passenger van.
I helped her in and got in myself. Since Smoke had the most kids, everybody always met up at his house.
Everybody met up over there and ate breakfast together before I scooped them up.
I just knew my kids were about to talk that shit and I was prepared to let them have it.
“You know you’re setting us up for the okey doke, right?” I asked as I pulled up in front of the house.
“I can handle your kids,” she said, ruffling her curls.
She leaned over and pecked my lips before opening her door and hopping out. I sat there for a second, watching the slight jiggle of her ass in those leggings as she headed up to the front porch.
“Damn, I love that woman.”
I hopped out of the passenger van and followed behind her. I caught up and yanked her back against me, causing her to giggle.
“Stanley, we have to get these kids to school.”
“They will get there.” I turned her around in my arms. “Give me some suga.”
She rolled her eyes as she wrapped her arms around my neck. “I just gave you some suga and a little extra before we left the house.”
“And your point is? Give me those lips.”
She huffed, but cupped my face and kissed me slowly. I would be the first to admit that since she’d been back in my life, I’d become clingy as a muthafucka. I was bad about wanting to be in her skin before, but these days I had more time with her and was on her ass like a damn lovesick puppy.
The front door opened, causing us to free our lips. There stood Smoke with a frown on his face.
“There are children present and y’all out here kissing and groping on each other.”
“Devin please!” Steph said, mushing his head as she walked past him. “You would know all about groping on somebody. You can’t stay off poor Romi.”
Romi came around the corner with a grin on her face. She walked over and wrapped her arms around her husband.
“I’m not complaining, Mama Steph.”
“We know you ain’t,” I said, kissing her cheek. “I fully believe your short ass is the aggressor at times.”
The way her smile brightened told me I was right.
“Anyway!” she sang. “Are y’all hungry? The kids are finishing up breakfast, but there’s a little leftover.”
“We’re good.”
“Are y’all matching?” Smoke asked, trying to get a good look at our outfit.
“Y’all are adorable!” Romi exclaimed.
Smoke snickered. “Damn, y’all really out here doing old people shit.”
Stephanie grabbed and twisted his nipple. “Who are you calling old?”
Smoke hissed. “Ouch, Ma! That hurt!”
“My name isn’t Romi. It wasn’t’ supposed to feel good.”
“I don’t have to take physical abuse, you know.”
“You ain’t finna do shit but run your mouth, Devin.”
Stephanie mushed his head and walked away. I went to follow behind her, and this big nigga tried to trip me. I stumbled but caught myself just as he took off running through the house.
“I’ma kick your ass!” I yelled.
“Ooooo! You said ass!” Juri exclaimed pointing at me.
“Juri!” Romi scolded. “Don’t make me twist your lips.”
“But Mommy, him said it! You not supposed to say bad words, Papa.”
I scooped her up and kissed her cheek. “And you ain’t supposed to repeat what I say. You ready for school?”
“Can I stay with you and TiTi Grandma today?”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Who?”
“TiTi Grandma.” She pointed to Steph as we entered the kitchen. “She’s my TiTi, but Daddy said she’d be my grandma if you two got married.”
Deuce shook his head. “See, this that ghetto shit, Senior. Y’all got the kids confused. How is their auntie gonna become their grandma?”
“The same way his baby mama’s daughter is his goddaughter,” Mia said smirking.
“The same way y’all are aunts and uncles to the outside siblings,” Shar said, pointing at my kids. “Black family math.”
“Thank you, Sharina,” Stephanie said. “He’s acting like his siblings’ mothers aren’t his aunts because they are my best friends.”
“Whatever. Juri, don’t be out here calling her TiTi Grandma in public,” Deuce said. “You know you have to warn this one ‘cause she don’t care what she says.”
“Don’t come for my baby,” Romi said. “Besides, she’s got it honest. Look at the people she’s around.”
“Aht, Aht!” Maceo said, as he cleaned Charm’s mouth. “Not too much on us. Look at your sister. The ghetto is in your blood too. Do we need to remind you of the way you showed your ass at that school a few months back?”
My kids had to end up pulling the grandbabies from their original school after Juri got in a fight and the teacher called her bastard when she was confronted about the events that lead to it.
It was bad enough that my sons took their asses up there.
When Romi found out, she went to the school to talk and ended up about to fight.
Of course Renay and my girls followed her. They were all banned after the fact.
“Not too much on my Mama or my TiTi, Uncle Maceo,” Korri said, frowning.
He grinned. “I’ll fight you, your mama, and your TiTi, lil bit.”
“You not gonna fight nobody,” Juri declared. “Get him, Daddy!”
Smoke came back into the kitchen with a smile on his face and he dodge me slapping the back of his head.
“Who you want me to get, JuJu?”
“Him!” she pointed at Maceo. “Him say he gon’ fight my TiTi, my mommy, and my sister.”
“Oh, he did? Whatchu want me to do, baby girl?”
“Beat him up. Get him real good!”
“Bet.”
Smoke walked over and started play fighting with Maceo.
The twins hopped up from the table and started throwing little punches at their uncle’s legs.
Juri hopped down and went to join them. Charm and Mario slid out of their chairs and went to defend their daddy.
Just for the hell of it, KJ, TJ, and Lil’ Stanley joined in too.
“Get the big one, Lil Stanley!” Quaid urged, referring to Smoke.
“Use your right hook, TJ!” Titan said, laughing.
I stood there shaking my head.
“Now when the school calls because all of them decided to start another brawl, what are you gonna do?” Steph asked.
“Well, we’ll know who instigated it,” I said with a chuckle. “A’ight, y’all. I think Uncle Smoke and Uncle Maceo have had enough. Y’all gotta go to school. Y’all can dogpile them later.”
“This ain’t over!” Juri said pointing at Maceo.
He bucked at her, and she took off running and screaming.
Shar giggled as the kids went running to grab their backpacks. “It’s never a dull moment. For real though, that group parent teacher conference is coming. I can feel it.”
“Well, that’s what we get for everybody getting pregnant at the same damn time,” Steel said.
Salima kissed her teeth. “Speak for yourselves. She pointed between her and Deuce. “We were responsible. That’s why we didn’t get pregnant until now.”
I smiled as she rubbed her little bump. She was currently six months along and baby Dillinger was growing healthy and perfectly.
“I’m a little sad I don’t have a bump buddy this time around, though.”
I didn’t miss the looks passed between Mia and Titan or Jaeda and Quaid.
“What was that?” I asked, motioning to the four of them.
Jaeda smiled. “Well…” she said standing and lifting her shirt, exposing a slight bump. “We’re expecting.”
Mia stood and did the same. “We are too!”
Salima screamed and ran to hug them both.
The three of them jumped around in excitement, then started crying.
While everybody hugged and congratulated each other, I stood back with my fist to my mouth, fighting back fucking tears.
Pregnancy announcements were gonna be the death of me. I cried every damn time.
“Awww, Stanley,” Steph said, wrapping her arms around me.
I buried my face in her neck and shed a few tears while she rubbed my head.
“My big baby. What am I gonna do with you?” She giggled and kissed all over my bald head.
While everyone else was running their mouths about the new babies, Jaeda and Mia made their way to me and wrapped their arms around me. I squeezed them tight, but not too tight.
“Y’all spoke about being pregnant together,” I said, kissing their temples. “Take it easy on my boys.”
They giggled.
“I can’t make any promises,” Mia said.
I wasn’t sure if she and Titan had been trying, but I remember how hard it was before they got pregnant with TJ. Mia said she would be grateful if he was her only one, but I knew she wanted another baby.
“Baby girl… how are you feeling?”
“I’m okay, Daddy. Eden prepared me for this one too. She said it’s a girl.”
I smiled. “You’re about to have hell on your hands. A little you running around, baby girl?”
“I’m prepared to smoke a lot of weed with this one. I just know she’s gonna be bad as hell.” She turned to Steph. “Are you ready to take on being a full time grandma so many times over? Daddy ain’t letting you leave him again.”
Steph giggled. “I’m ready. You know I love these babies as much as I love all of you. And for the record…” She wrapped her arms around my waist and peered up at me with a smile. “I’m not going anywhere this time. He’s stuck with me.”
I pecked her lips. “That ain’t no problem, love. No problem at all.”