Page 38 of That Fire

As I was about to head over to the guys, Aunt Tiff walked in. She smiled at me. I went to hug her, and she said, “Congratulations, baby. Fatherhood is going to look good on you.”

“Thanks, Aunt Tiff.”

She kissed my cheek, then went over to everybody handing out something. I didn’t know what it was, until I realized she didn’t give one to me. It was probably for a baby shower I had no clue about. Today definitely had to be the day I talked to Aaliyah’s parents. While they knew me already, I needed to go to them as a man and express my intentions to be an honorablehusband to Aaliyah, eventually, and to be an amazing father, just like the one I had.

“You nervous, baby?”

“Just a lil bit, but I think that comes with the territory. No matter how well I know your parents, this is different territory. You’re their only daughter and the baby of the family. I feel like they will both be a little on edge as well.”

“Doubt it. My mama already know what it is. We talk about everything.”

“Everything?”

“Mm-hmm. She knows how I get down already. You think Kambel is my best friend, but it’s actually my mama. She was at my house waiting for me that night you said we shouldn’t have sex anymore.”

“Damn. So she may feel a way about me then.”

“Nope. She understood you and suggested that we got another test. I just didn’t want you to think that I was trying to trap you or anything, so I didn’t tell you.”

I grabbed Aaliyah’s chin and turned her head to face me. “You can’t trap a nigga that wanna be there anyway. I love you, girl.”

She blushed as I released her chin and turned on Highway 90 to head to her parents’ house. Within a minute or two, I was turning into their driveway. When I saw Red Squared’s and Asad’s vehicles here, my nerves only heightened more. I turned to Aaliyah and said, “I guess it’s a family dinner.”

She smirked. I hoped Ashanni and Noni would be here as well so I wouldn’t feel like I was being ambushed. My sister would have my back at all costs. Like Ryder J had said earlier,Aaliyah and I were consenting adults. I didn’t disrespect her in any manner, even when the first DNA test said I wasn’t a match. Aaliyah was special to me, and I truly hoped they could see that.

I got out of the vehicle and walked around to her side to help her out, glancing at the dent still on the hood. When I opened the door, I grabbed her hand, and she slid out of the vehicle to her feet.

“Baby, don’t do that. I need you to step on the running board, and let me help you down to the ground. You’re further along now. We have less control when you just slide out. Okay?”

She smiled. “Okay.”

I leaned over slightly and kissed her lips, then grabbed her hand to lead her inside. Once I closed the door, I glanced over at the hood again. “I guess you can gon’ head and send me my money to get my hood fixed. I don’t need to keep the dent anymore.”

She frowned, then suddenly her eyebrows lifted, and she laughed. “Why you don’t wanna keep it anymore?”

“Because I got something better . . . someone better,” I said as I stood behind her and wrapped my arms around her waist and kissed her shoulder.

“Mm and what’s that?”

“Don’t play, girl. At the time, I didn’t know if we would end up together or not, because we thought these beautiful babies belonged to some other nigga.”

She giggled as I kissed her neck and pulled away from me. “Come on, silly. At this rate, we will never make it inside.”

I chuckled and followed her to the wrap-around porch, then helped her walk up the stairs. Once we got to the top, her mama was standing there with a big smile on her face. I smiled back.

“Hey, Mama,” Aaliyah said.

“Hey, baby girl. How are you feeling?”

“I feel great,” she said as she hugged her mom.

Mrs. Shana was staring at me as she hugged her with a big smile on her face. The second she released her, I said, “Hey, Missus Shana. How are you?”

“Hey, Royal. It’s so good to see you, suga. I’m happy we’re finally getting to have this moment, especially since we’ve already planned a co-ed baby shower.”

I chuckled as she stepped aside to let us into the house. My eyebrows had lifted as I said, “Co-ed, huh?”

“Yep. You got two weeks to wrap your mind around that. Tiff passed out invites to the family for me.”