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“I’m glad you know. I’ll come back here and set my boy’s nap and play area up before I go get him.”
“You sure you want to do that?”
“Hell yeah. He loves me, and I miss having a little baby boy. Vick thinks he’s a teenager already. I hate it.”
“Tell me about it. I don’t know when Theo got too big for me to hug him in front of his friends. He doesn’t even want me walking him to class.”
“That’s something else I wanted to mention. Why don’t you start dropping him and Lil’ Q off with me in the morning? I can drop him and Victor off together. That way you don’t have to worry about paying for his day care at all. I understand if you want to keep Lil’ Q’s spot for the days when we need to send him, but Theo can ride to school with me and Victor.”
“You know what? Let’s do it. Who am I to argue if you don’t mind getting up at five in the morning to let him in.”
“That might help me. I used to get up and get a little workout in before I got too lazy to get up.”
“I’m gon’ let you pick Trey up just so you can see what you’re getting yourself into.”
“I know exactly what I’m getting myself into. I have a son, remember. I’ve had him since he came home from the hospital.”
“You better not let my baby get hurt.”
“That’s why I’m about to baby proof my office, young lady. Now let me go before you change your mind. I’ll have to go get our boy soon.”
Quinton sipped his coffee as he walked off toward the building.
“Well, I guess you don’t have to worry about begging Greg to pay for day care anymore,” Rhonda commented.
“I’m not letting him off the hook. Just because Quinton wants a playmate today doesn’t mean I’ll be crazy enough to take the boys out of day care.”
“He must not know Trey is funny acting like you. He’s a titty baby. He’s gone be whiny as hell as long as he knows his mama ain’t around.”
“Don’t do my baby. He actually likes Quinton. I guess he can tell he’s used to little boys. Plus, having him in day care has gotten him used to being away from me for a little while. That don’t mean I think Quinton’s plan is going to work.”
“I think it’s sweet that he’s trying to help. That’s more than we can say for his daddy.”
“Tell me about it. I guess he really wants to get out of that doghouse.”
“Free my friend Q. He’s innocent.”
“Girl, shut up.” I couldn’t help but laugh. I wanted Quinton to be everything he said he was. Only time would tell if he could really be trusted. In the meantime, I reluctantly had my hopes up.
Quinton had been gone for about an hour and a half by the time he came back with an arm full of bags and a big box. I couldn’t see what all he was lugging by the time he disappeared inside the building. I was curious about what he was up to, but I had a line. Every day, I was grateful for the steady business that being at Q’s Auto Repair brought us.
“Make sure you give me my receipt, baby,” the man in line mentioned.
“OK. Coming right up,” I said, passing him his iced coffee along with the receipt.
“How long you gon’ be set up here? My brother need some work done on his car.”
“I’m not sure yet. I guess as long as business is good. I’ll be here.”
“That’s good. I like the fact that you’re collaborating with Q. He’s a good guy. I like coffee and all that, but I like the discount too. I have to call my brother and tell him to come on down here while he can. I want to make sure he can get the discount too.”
“What discount?” I asked him.
“For y’all’s collaboration or whatever you call it.”
“I’m sorry. I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Q’s offering a discount in the dollar amount that we spend at A Little Bit of Sweetness up to ten percent. I think it started last week. My buddy told me about it when he got his oil changed. You have to show your receipt to get it.”
