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“You weren’t thinking about it because you were so busy trying to play me to the left.”
“Yeah, well you got me there.”
“Where’s my son?” I asked, looking around the living room.
“Boy,” she said, shaking her head.
“What?”
“Nothing. He’s back there with the boys, probably getting in the way crawling all over everything.”
“Let me go back here and speak to him so he knows daddy’s here.”
“Can you tell the boys to wash up before you come back? I’m just about to take the rolls out of the oven.”
“Sure.”
Victor and Theo were so loud you would have thought they hadn’t seen each other in years instead of just having spent the day together at school. When I made it to the bedroom door, I spotted Trey’s little self, right in the middle of it all, clinging to their legs as they talked about some game.
“My dad is thinking about getting me the new one,” Victor told Theo as I stooped to pick Trey up.
“He’s heavy, ain’t he?” Theo asked.
“Yeah, he’s a big guy, but that’s all right. He’s healthy,” I replied.
“My grandma says he’s so fat ’cause my mama breastfeeds him. She can’t hardly pick him up no more, but she’s old.”
“Hey, big man,” I said, tickling Trey’s tummy as I walked out of the room.
He chewed on his fingers as he giggled up a storm. He was so cute that it almost made me miss Victor being so small. I didn’t miss those late nights and long days of him teething, though. Remembering what Shiloh asked me to do, I doubled back and let the boys know that it was time to wash up for dinner, before heading back to the kitchen.
“You can put him in his high chair,” she said once me and Trey walked in.
“I got him. I missed my big boy.” I protested.
“Quinton, I know he’s heavy. I already have a hard time getting him to sit on his own butt. He thinks somebody is supposed to carry his big self all the time as it is.”
“Daddy don’t mind. I’m strong enough to handle him.”
“You’re saying that now. Don’t be asking me to rub your back later.”
“So, I’m being punished for being a loving father.”
“I didn’t say I was punishing you. I just know he’s gonna do a number on your back like he does on mine.”
“Remind me to give you a back rub after dinner then.”
She rolled her eyes, and it was just as cute as our finger-chewing son. Just to get a refresher, I tickled him again as I escorted him over to his high chair.
“What’s for dinner?” I asked.
“Chicken parmesan pasta, tossed salad, and garlic bread. I let Theo decide what we would have.”
“Well, it smells good.”
“I got a special plate of the noodles and sauce cooling for Trey. He’s starting to eat more table food.”
“Is that bad or good?” I wondered.
