Page 78 of Certified to Handle You 3

Upstairs, I could see another whole setup for Pluto with her own banner, her own cake, and a section full of soft colors, diamonds, and the kind of shit Pressure would have done just to make her shake her head and cry later when nobody was lookin’.

My mama was here. My pops stood beside her, dressed clean, lookin’ at me with that proud look he got when he wasn’t tryna make a scene out of what he felt.

My uncles was posted up nearby, already smilin’ ‘cause they knew they had got me. My aunties, girl cousins, Blaq crazy ass, a few of my other people, and more family filled the space.

Kay’Lo and Toni stood near one of the cases, both dressed fly, with Kay’Lo holdin’ a cup like he had been waitin’ to see my face. Pressure was right beside him, grinnin’ like the dangerous ass child he was, with his own cup in his hand and his shirt open at the neck.

Pluto stepped next to me, no longer hidin’ her smile.

I looked down at her. “Woman, you knew?”

She nodded, eyes bright. “Happy early birthday, Renza. We love you so much.”

I stared at her, then looked back at everybody. “I love y’all too, but man, y’all some lyin’ ass muthafuckas.”

Pressure walked up laughin’ before I could say somethin’ else. “Nigga, you thought you was slick.”

I pointed at him. “Bitch, you play too much.”

Kay’Lo laughed and lifted his cup. “He mad as hell ’cause we got him.”

“I told y’all I ain’t want no party,” I said, lookin’ between ‘em.

Pressure came closer, wrapped his arm around my neck, and damn near put me in a headlock while still holdin’ his glass in his other hand. He smiled big, kissed my forehead hard, and squeezed me like he ain’t give a fuck who was watchin’.

“Nigga, it ain’t about what the fuck you want,” he said, still grippin’ me around my neck. “Yo’ birthday tomorrow, Pluto birthday right after, and we turnin’ up tonight. Fuck all that hidin’ in the house shit you been on.”

“Get off me, nigga,” I said, but I was laughin’ when I shoved at him.

Kay’Lo stepped in, pullin’ me into a tight hug with that same quiet love he always carried. “Happy birthday, nigga.”

I nodded against his shoulder before we pulled back.

My mama came over next, and that was when the hard part started. She ain’t even say nothin’ at first. She just grabbed my face between both her hands and looked at me like she was checkin’ every piece of me. I let her ‘cause that was my mama.

“My baby,” she said soft, lookin’ at a nigga like she was proud. “Happy early birthday, son. I love you.”

I kissed her cheek and hugged her. “Thank you, Ma. I love you too.”

She held me longer than usual, and I let that happen too. I had been so focused on actin’ like I ain’t need a big deal made over me that I ain’t think about how my people might’ve needed it.

My mama needed to love on me. My pops needed to stand there and see me take it in My cousins needed to drag me out of my own head for one night. And Pluto, sneaky ass and all, had sat in my car talkin’ to me about closure while knowin’ she was walkin’ me right into a room full of people who came to remind me I wasn’t by myself.

My pops hugged me after my mama let go, and his hand landed heavy on the back of my neck for a second. “I’m proud of you, son.”

I swallowed and nodded. “Appreciate that, Pops.”

The jeweler that was supposed to just be for Pluto came over once my family gave me room to breathe. He was dressed in a black suit with gloves on, and he held a box like he had rehearsed the moment.

“Mr. Mensah,” he said with a smile, openin’ the box. “Happy birthday.”

Inside was a custom Rolex, and the bitch was clean enough to make me stop rubbin’ my face for a second.

Diamonds sat around the bezel. The face had a blue finish that was the same color as my birthstone, with small custom details worked in so smooth that you had to really look to catch ’em. My initials was done small on the clasp, and the back had engraving that I couldn’t read until he turned it more toward me.

For the one who always shows up.

That one line did more than I was ready for.