Page 44 of Senior

“Y’all know Blake is still running after Jeanie. I went with him last weekend so he could spy on her for the umpteenth time. Steph was there alone. We got to talking, then dancing… then we shared a kissed. One thing led to another and I was back at her house.”

“Oh my God! Daddy!” Jaeda exclaimed.

“You still have stamina at your age, Daddy?” Mia asked.

I frowned. “Girl, watch your damn mouth.”

She shrugged. “I’m just saying. So… you think it’s gonna work out this time? I mean, y’all rekindled that flame several times from my understanding and it didn’t work.”

“It’s gonna work,” I answered. “It has to work.

She made a face. “Okay. Anyway, Deuce is about to flip his shit.”

“Oooo!” Jaeda said, making a stank face. “Yeah, Daddy. He’s not gonna be happy about this.”

“I don’t give a damn what he’s happy about,” I said, sitting up. “I keep telling that nigga, I’m a grown ass man. I don’t need his permission to date his mama.”

“Maybe not, but he’s not going for this, Daddy,” Mia said. “He is adamant about y’all never being together again. All that he-he, ha-ha is gonna go out the window when he finds out.”

I sighed. “I know. I’ll cross that bridge when I get there. I love that woman. I’ve loved her almost my entire life. Maybe I wasn’t perfect. Maybe I wasn’t everything she needed, but I’ve always loved her with everything I have. Together or not, nothing about that will ever change. If I gotta hand my son his ass over his mama, then I just have to hand my son his ass over his mama.”

They both stared at me. Jaeda smiled softly as she rubbed my back.

“You love her that much, Senior?”

“My heart doesn’t function right without her, baby girl. Letting her go was the hardest thing I ever had to do, but she deserved more than I could give her at the time. I’m ready now. This time, I’m determined to be the man she wants, needs, and deserves.”

Jaeda kissed my cheek. “Then I hope you two work out. We won’t say anything to Deuce, right Mia?”

Mia scoffed. “This ain’t my business to tell, Jae.”

“You know how pillow and gossiping talk leads to secrets being spilled.”

Mia laughed. “Like Shar telling us about you and Quaid in the⁠—”

Jaeda lunged and covered her mouth. “Mia!”

I frowned. “You and Quaid where?”

“Nowhere, Daddy. I don’t even know what she’s talking about.”

“ Mmm hmm. Don’t piss me off, Jaeda Janelle.”

“Daddy, please. You could never be mad at me. That one…” she pointed at Mia. “Absolutely yes.”

Mia grabbed a pillow and threw it at her. “Oh hush!”

Jaeda hit her back, catching the attention of the boys. They stopped running after each other and picked up pillows of their own. Running full force, they each helped their respective mothers in the pillow fight. Somehow, I got caught in the crossfire. Lil’ Stanley had a mean arm. He knocked the hell out of me with that pillow.

“Aye now!” I said, snatching him up and holding him in air jail. “What did Pop Pop do?”

He giggled, showing all of his teeth as he pushed his glasses up on his face. It was crazy how much this lil nigga looked like his daddy.

“Sorry, Pop Pop!”

“Pick me up!” TJ demanded, raising his arms.

I maneuver Lil’ Stanley to one hand, and lifted him with the other. They both squealed as I held them in the air.