Page 43 of Senior

“You’re awfully quiet.”

“Just thinking about something.”

It had been a few days since I spent the night with Stephanie, and she’d been ghosting me all fucking ready. I knew she had reservations about this because of Deuce, but my son was going to have to get over this shit. I’d called and texted her. No response. I’d gone by her house. No response.

The crash out in me wanted to let myself in, but I fought the urge. I was too old for that shit. I’d leave it to my sons, but even they had the type of women that didn’t play that shit either. So here I was, in my fucking feelings because I missed her.

“What are you thinking about?” Mia asked.

I sighed heavily. “Y’all wouldn’t understand.”

Mia snorted. “Must be a woman.”

Jaeda gasped. “Daddy! Are you dating? It’s about damn time. I was wondering how long you were gonna hold out.”

“I don’t need a woman, baby girl.”

She and Mia looked at each other before breaking into laughter.

“Daddy, please. You always have a woman for one reason or another. Honestly, I was proud of you for holding out the last year and a half. That was some real restraint.”

“Girl, who you telling,” Mia said, sitting up. “I don’t wanna sound insensitive, but I just knew with Mr. Aaron gone, he was holding out for Ms. Stephanie.”

She looked at me, but I didn’t say anything.

“Oh. My. God!” she exclaimed. “You did, didn’t you?”

“Daddy, please don’t tell me you preyed on Mama Steph,” Jaeda pleaded.

“I didn’t prey on her, Jaeda. You know I love Stephanie.”

“Yeah, so much so you cheated on my mama with her,” Mia reminded me.

I hated that she knew that information. She’d come to me not long after we got back from Paris to inquire about the little back and forth her mother and I had at the breakfast table one morning. I thought she’d forgotten about it given everything that went on over there, but she didn’t. I confessed everything to her.

She told me I was wrong and selfish to lead her mother on for so long, knowing where my heart was. I had to give that to her. I was wrong and selfish. I did love Maddie. Genuinly loved her. But Steph was my heart. Always had been.

“Be that as it may,” I said. “It just kind of happened.”

“How?” Jaeda asked.

“Well… it all started on Maceo’s birthday. That dance just stirred up all kids of feelings and emotions.”

Mia snapped her fingers. “I did see you walk out and she went behind you. Deuce went looking for y’all and looked real annoyed when he came back. Did he see something?”

“Nah. We were in the maze.”

Her eyes widened, then a smirk spread across her face as she looked over at Jaeda.

“I guess everybody is getting some action in that maze, huh?”

I frowned. “Whatchu mean everybody⁠—”

“Nothing, Daddy!” Jaeda said, throwing a glare at her sister.

Mia giggled to herself. “My bad. I must have been mistaken. Continue, Daddy.”

After eyeing her suspiciously, I cleared my throat and finished telling them what happened.