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“Oh really?”
“Yup,” Cam replied confidently. She had MiMi wrapped around her finger, but I couldn’t talk because I was much worse.
“You ready for your big performance?”
“Yup. I know all the words!”
“You better. Don’t get up there and act shy.”
“Please, because we all know you’re not,” Sky added.
Cam hopped down and joined Sky in the kitchen because lunch was long gone, and she was hungry. It wasn’t long before the star of the show had to be back at school. Locking the front door behind us, we walked hand in hand towards the car. The thought of seeing Cam on stage overshadowed the wintry evening's chill.
We arrived, and Sky and Cam went ahead so I could sneak the flowers inside the way I snuck them in the car. We all marveled at the performance that only parents could love because they sounded horrible. It didn’t matter that they couldn’t remember the choreography and were offbeat most of the time. They were happy to be on stage with their friends while the crowd bobbed.
“You did so well,” Mom exclaimed while Dad stood behind her, lovingly looking down at Cam. They never missed a beat where she was concerned, and I appreciated them loving Cam like I did.
“She was one of the most off-beat,” Sky laughed.
“Leave my girl alone,” Dad defended.
“Yes, you have other things to worry about, Missy. We need to set a date for the wedding.”
“I know. We’re working on it,” Sky replied, looking back at me nervously.
Mom’s eyes fled to me and narrowed, “Work harder.”
“Why are you looking at me? I’m just showing up,” I replied while Dad just laughed.
“Both of you need to figure out a date,” Mom reiterated.
“Yes, ma’am,” Sky replied.
“Welp, that’s my cue. I’ll call my girl tomorrow.” My parents hugged us before disappearing because Marcus was heading in our direction, and neither could tolerate him.
The first time I noticed it, I laughed until my stomach hurt because she was the sweetest woman I had ever met. Mess with the people she cares about, and you’d quickly see another side of Mia Meraux.
Marcus and his girlfriend stopped a few inches before us, eyeing the flowers in my hand. His jaw clenched because he hadn’t even considered doing the same.
“Did Cam come out yet?” Marcus asked when Sky didn’t address his presence.
“No, she’s still with her class.”
“She did really good,” His girlfriend, Ember, added, clinging to her own daughter.
That was likely the only reason Marcus was trying to be more consistent. Niggas would do anything for pussy, even step up to be a father, because Ember wasn’t the type of woman to be with a man who didn’t. Marcus still wasn’t shit, but his infrequent visits weren’t as few and far between now that Ember was in the picture.
“Thank you.”
“Mack Attack! Did you see me?” Cam asked, racing toward us.
“Of course. These are for the princess.” With a gentle smile, I extended the flowers towards her, a rush of affection swelling within me. I didn’t understand how Marcus could sleep at night without hearing Cam’s voice all day, but some shit wasn’t for me to understand.
“Thank you.” She curtsied delicately in a moment that seemed to pause time, a graceful gesture she'd learned from her recent ballet lessons, before accepting the bouquet.
“Hey, Squirt!” Marcus bent down with his arms outstretched because he couldn’t take another second watching me and his daughter.
“Hi, Daddy.”
