Chapter 8 #2
“Shiidd, she betta fall out,” Jay said. “I had to pay my baby mama to use her discount at Saks for this fit.”
“Who picked it out?” I asked. “Cause I think you overdid it with the Fendi printed shirt and the hat to match. Then the sneakers got the Fendi monogram on it too. You lookin’ like you just spent yo’ tax money.”
Me and Tay laughed, but Jay ain’t find shit funny.
“Yo, I asked that broad if this shit looked too matchy matchy. She all, ‘No. You look good, BD.’ Wit her lyin’ ass.”
“Played witchu.” I cracked up.
“Nigga, yo’ hat match your shirt too,” he argued.
“Yeah. But my shit ain’t loud.” We both looked at my fit. I had on a cream-colored Prada bucket hat and shirt. My sneakers were Prada and a pair of jeans from Zara. Simple and casual. Not doing too much.
“Whatever, man.” He waved me off.
I leaned back against the wall near the entrance, waiting for Grandma Lettie’s arrival, along with everyone else in attendance.
Aura stood across from me behind his fiancée with his hand wrapped around her waist protectively.
Next to him, Enzo stood with his family –– Thyri to his right holding his hand, KJ on his left, and EJ in front of him.
Watching my cousins, who I’d never seen in committed relationships, with women who were the complete opposite of the two of them made me think about Adai.
We had different personalities and at times a different outlook on life, yet we complemented each other well. Adai just made shit feel right. I guess that was the reason I was so fucked up behind her deception. It just wasn’t her. It wasn’t us.
“Alright, y’all,” Kyiris spoke, walking out of the crowd. “She’s coming in now.”
The place went silent as we stood still, waiting for the door to swing open. A second later, it did.
“Surprise!” The whole room erupted.
G jumped back, and her hand went straight to her chest. “What the hell?” she said with her eyes wide.
We all burst out laughing. Key was the first to reach out and hug her. G needed it too because by the look on her face, I could tell her heart was racing.
“Y’all ass got me good this time,” she let out, laughing and wiping her tears away.
Everyone took their turn, wishing her a happy birthday and smothering her with love. I was a part of the last group to love on her once she was able to fully get inside the hall.
“Happy birthday, G.” I kissed her cheek and handed her an envelope.
“Thank you, my baby.” She pulled me in for a hug that seemed to linger more than the others, like she knew I needed it. “Grandma love you, Pryce. Thank you for making it.”
“I love you too, G.”
Pulling back, she flashed me a smile then a wink.
She knew something. I just didn’t know what.
Once everybody had gotten a hug, kiss, and a ‘not they done got you to come outside’, the room settled back into what Sullivan gatherings were known for — a vibe.
I was heading back to my seat when Enzo walked over and threw his arm around my shoulder.
“Come here real quick, cuzzo.”
He guided me over to the bar where a few of my cousins, my dad, and my two uncles were huddled. By the looks on their faces, I could tell they were talking about me.
“What?” I said once we were close.
Everyone laughed.
Aura was the first to speak. “Y’all raise y’all glasses, so we can take a shot to the Grumpy Man himself.”
“For what?” I questioned.
“It’s a celebration for the new Sullivan addition.” Aura nodded toward me like I already knew they had this planned.
I squinted, scanning each of their faces one by one, starting with my father. I knew I hadn’t told anyone the news. He shrugged like he was just as clueless. Then, Kyiris appeared out of nowhere, dancing over to us with a drink in her hand.
“What we toasting to, y’all?” she asked, all lively.
“The baby,” Enzo said, grabbing a shot glass with brown liquor in it from the bar and handing it to me.
“How y’all know about the baby?”
“Huh? Here I come, Grandma,” Key said and tried to break out.
I stopped her before she could. “Nah, Ms. TellItOnTheMountain.” I squeezed the back of her neck, and she laughed, making me smile. “Why you tellin’ my damn business?”
“Aye, unhand my niece, nigga.” My father pulled her out of my grasp.
“Yeah, unhand his niece, nigga,” Key echoed, standing behind him.
“You don’t know how to hold water.”
She stuck her tongue out and scurried off.
“Raise your glasses,” my father said, walking over and standing next to me.
“To my only son, congrats on your blessing and continuing the Sullivan lineage. May you be as smart, loving, debonair, and as wise of a father as I am to you to your lil’ one.
I love you, and I’m proud of you. To Baby Sullivan. ”
“To Baby Sullivan,” the guys said in unison.
Even though I didn’t like my business out there before I could tell it, my baby was something to celebrate. Glasses clinked, and I took my shot back.
“I love this for you, man,” Jay commented. “A baby gon’ soften you up. Maybe yo ass won’t walk around here so uptight all the time.”
“Since y’all niggas feel that way bout me, I’ma make sure my baby give y’all hell. Just like EJ.”
“Aye, man.” Enzo chuckled. “Don’t bring my son into this. He’s been a model citizen lately.”
“Yeah. Thanks to his Tyri.” Aura mimicked EJ.
We all laughed, knowing how EJ felt about Thyri. Enzo had lucked up finding a woman who not only loved him but took on his son like he was her own. Shit, you couldn’t tell EJ she wasn’t his mama.
“He still bad as hell.”
Enzo swung at me and missed on purpose. I chuckled because that nigga didn’t wanna hear no shit about his son.
I couldn’t be mad cause I was sure I’d be the same way with my baby once he or she made their arrival.
Like two big ass kids, we started to slap box at the bar until my father told us to chill out before his mother came over.
Neither of us wanted smoke with Grandma Lettie, so we stopped.
I went to turn around to see if she was lurking, and that was when I saw her — Adai.
She’d just entered the hall with her head up and a walk that made my dick hard.
Before she fully made it inside, Key spotted her, and the women seemed to flock to her from there.
My mother was first; my aunts, cousins, and Grandma Lettie slowly brought up the rear.
The way they embraced her, one would’ve thought they were waiting on her arrival.
Nobody seemed surprised. Just happy she’d showed up.
And she was dressed for the occasion. The soft nude dress she wore fit her perfectly and had her bump on full display like she wasn’t hiding it anymore.
What caused an involuntary grin to form on my lips was her hair.
It was back black, pulled up into a bun, and two strands hung loose in the front, framing her face.
Adai never had to try too hard. She knew exactly who she was and what she was doing.
“Looks like the other special guest arrived,” Jay said from behind me.
Everyone didn’t know the story behind Adai’s return, and I wasn’t going to share it.
Instead, I nodded and headed back to my seat without responding.
When I sat down, I pulled out my phone and pretended to be preoccupied with it.
I glanced up to see my mother with her arm wrapped around Dai, likely introducing her belly before introducing her to family she hadn’t met.
I laughed inwardly, knowing Dai was likely over it, but Key peeped it and was able to pull her away.
Grabbing Dai’s hand, she turned in my direction and began walking her over to me.
“This is your seat, friend,” she said to Dai, pulling the chair out for her. “Play nice, Mr. Grinch.”
Dai chuckled as Key walked away. Getting comfortable in her seat, she locked eyes with me. “Hey.”
“Wassup?”
The verbal exchange was too simple considering everything we had sitting between us. Up close, she looked even more beautiful, her skin more radiant. She looked calm and well rested. She looked… like mine still.