Page 27

“Plans change, though,” he licked his lips. “I don’t see why you giving me a hard time on this. You picked the name out and I love it, so we obviously agree. What’s the issue, Lo? You just gotta give me a hard time, right?”

I cracked a smile because he was onto me.

“You don’t even gotta say nothing,” he chuckled. “That’s my answer right there. Real shit, though, what is my baby doing?”

“I don’t know if you know this or not, but she’s not here yet.”

He smacked his teeth before laughing. “You know what I mean, has she been chilling today? Has she been moving a lot? Is she giving you a hard time?”

“Oh, she’s always moving. She’s kicking like crazy at this very second.”

“That’s cause she hears daddy's voice,” he said in a baby voice that made my heart melt. I was beginning to understand why bitches turned into birds for their baby daddies. I was working overtime to not go out sad like that, but I was getting weak in the knees.

“Yea, she does do the most whenever you come around. I’m starting to think you’re bad vibes or something.”

“We gon’ see who she really fucks with when she gets here,” he laughed. “She don’t got no choice but to stick beside you now.”

“Armias, did you want anything? I got my girls over and we only have about an hour left together before they have to leave for work.”

“Yea I called for a reason. I was checking on my damn baby. You acting like you don’t see Dream and Denim all the time or something. You can talk to me for a few minutes.”

“I see you all the time, too!”

“So what’s your point?”

“Armia-” I wasn’t really mad, but I was about to go in anyway just for the hell of it. I think he liked pushing my buttons so I could curse him out, so I was more than willing to give him what he was looking for.

“Bubby!”

Hearing Aziel’s voice made my fake anger disappear in record time.

“Heyyy, Zee baby!” I cooed, as Armias scooped him up and put him in the camera’s view. My lips poked out and quivered as I looked at him with puppydog eyes. He looked so cute in a Woody from Toy Story costume with the matching hat and all. He’d recently grown obsessed with the movie after I introduced it to him while I was braiding his hair. I actually put the movie on so I could watch it because he had his iPad. To my surprise he abandoned his tablet and headphones to focus on the tv with me. Since then, I had shown him all four Toy Story movies and he was now a superfan. If his fourth birthday hadn’t passed in August I’m sure that would’ve been his party theme, too.

“You look so cute, baby!”

“Thank you, Lourdy. Whatcha doing?” He’d started Pre-K at a good private school and his speech had improved tremendously.

“She can’t talk right now, Zee. She’s chilling with her friends.”

“Armias, hush,” I hissed. “I’m at home, Zee, eating junk and watching Halloween movies. What are y’all doing?”

“Qaylo and Amil threw a Halloween party for all the kids. We went trick or treating, too,” Armias answered. Even though I wasn’t talking to him I let him slide.

“I know that was nice over there in East Over.”

“You already know. These rich people got all the best candy and they don’t be limiting you to one bar and shit.”

“You come over here, Lourdy?” Zee asked cutely.

“Oh no, baby, I wasn’t invited.”

Armias smacked his teeth. “Why lie, Lourdes?”

“Boy, I’m not lying.”

“I literally asked you what you were doing for Halloween and you said you had a girls night planned with Dream and Denim.”

“Yea, you asked me that but you didn’t mention a big Halloween party at Qaylo and Amil’s house nor did you extend an invitation to me.”