Page 10 of Senior

“Girl please. You know as well as I do that Senior takes special care of you.”

“He’s literally one of my best friends. That man hasn’t said or done anything inappropriate with me in years. He’s been nothing but respectful.”

“Goodnight, Stephanie,” Tavia said, waving me off. “I’m not living in the land of delusion with you right now. Emmy! Jaiden! Come say goodnight to Auntie Steph!”

I rolled my eyes as I heard the approaching footsteps of my babies. Emmy slammed into me, wrapping her arms around my legs.

“Night, Auntie Steph!” she sang, looking up at me.

“Goodnight, Emmy Cakes.”

“Night, Auntie,” Jaiden said, kissing my cheek.

My boy was fourteen now, and I still wasn’t used to the deepness of his voice.

“Goodnight, baby.”

They disappeared back inside as Tavia and I shared an embrace.

“Love you, sis,” she said.

“Love you too.”

I trotted downstairs and to my car. After cranking up, I backed out of the driveway and headed home. I’d had just enough time to shower and change into my lounge set before Stanley got to my house. He must have called up one of Blake’s corner boys because he couldn’t have gone back to the compound and gotten here that quick.

When I opened the door, he was leaning against the frame with his hands in his sweatpants pockets looking like the handsome devil he was. Just like fine wine, he’d aged gracefully. The only giveaway to his fifty plus years of age were the gray hairs of his beard.

Standing at six feet two, he had the body of a man half his age and the youthful look to match. That bald head and salt and pepper beard complimented him so well. Those dark brown eyes used to have my panties wet every time he stared at me. It had been too long since I’d been with a man, and I had to look away from him.

“Come on in,” I said, stepping aside.

He pushed off from the door frame and stood to his full height. He sauntered past me, stopping briefly to kiss my temple. I smiled softly as I closed the door.

“We can go out back,” I said, nodding toward the kitchen. “You want a beer or something?”

“A beer is fine.”

“Good. You know where they are.”

He laughed. “Really, Steph?”

“Again, you are no guest, and your hands aren’t broken.”

I held out my hand. He shook his head as he pulled a small brown paper bag from his pocket and handed it to me. Inside was the weed and a few packs of wrappers.

“Thank you kindly.”

“I’ll be out there to roll that for you because you know you still can’t roll shit after all these years.”

I stuck up a middle finger and bumped him as I walked past him and out to my back deck. After lighting the fire pit, I curled up on the lounge chair and tossed the brown bag on the table. Senior waltzed out and took a seat next to me. He placed two beers on the table between us and picked up the brown bag.

“You care to tell me why you haven’t been sleeping?” He asked as he broke down a nub of weed.

“Nope.”

“You hardheaded just like your son. And you wonder why he acts the way he does.”

“Because he’s his daddy’s son.”