Page 13 of When I Thug You Like That

She laughed. “Mmhmm, he recognizes patterned behavior. But anyway, let me get off this phone. I was just calling with that reminder.”

“Aight, Esha Blanks. Have our son text me when you get him.”

“Shut up. And I will. Stay safe, ugly.”

She ended the call in her loving, Esha way. Of all the complicated shit that could come with having children by two different women, it felt good to have co-parenting figured out across the board with at least one.

I pulled into my parents’ driveway forty-five minutes later and parked behind my mother’s car. Baby Jay had tossed his iPad beside him a few blocks ago and had focused his attention out the window.

“Daddy, that’s Grandma car,” he said, pointing out front.

“Yep. What color is Grandma car?”

“Blue!”

“That’s my boy! Still the smartest.” I reached back to high five him.

“Wanna get out, Daddy.” He tugged at the harness after.

“Patience, little grasshopper.”

Cutting the engine, I grabbed his backpack from the passenger side before climbing out and making my way around to his side. He was still pulling at the harness when I opened the door.

“So, you gon’ fight yo’ way out, son?”

“Wanna get out,” he said.

I chuckled, shaking my head. “Aight, man.”

Freeing him from the harness and the car seat, I let him jump down, and he beelined toward the front door.

“Aye, slow down ‘fore you bust yo’ shit!”

He stopped short and turned around fast with his brows drawn.

“My bad, my bad.” I apologized for cussing. “Go ‘head to the door.”

I stood back, watching him bounce on his toes to try and reach the doorbell before glancing back at me.

“Daddy, ring the bell.”

“I ain’t gotta do that. I got pull around here, champ.” Reaching around him, I punched in the code to the keypad, and the door unlocked. “See?”

He looked up at me, grinning. By his stance, I could tell he was about to take flight, so I stopped him before he could.

“No shoes in Grandma house. Go ‘head and take ‘em off.”

“Okay,” he said, dropping to the floor and kicking his shoes off.

“Ma, where you at?” I called out.

“In the kitchen,” she replied, and Jay bolted back there. “Slow down, grandson. These hardwood floors ain’t nothing to play with,” she warned.

He turned the corner and crashed into her legs. “Hi, Grandma!”

“Heyyy. You came back to see me.” She gave him a quick hug and kissed his forehead. “You want a muffin?”

He nodded and made his way over to the sink and grabbed the step stool before she could coach him to.