Page 45 of That Fire

I got out of bed. “I’m gonna go make sure they don’t need anything down there. I’ll be back when they’re almost done. Okay?”

“Okay.”

I left the room and took a deep breath after closing the door. My dick was so damn hard it was ridiculous. I knew if I was in the same room with my mama and my sister, it would give him a reprieve. When I got down there, they were team cooking like only they could. I watched them clown around and dance to the music they had on. They were more like sisters these days instead of mother and daughter. My dad and I were the same way. Maybe Crew was jealous of that too.

He could have a similar relationship with Dad, but he never really wanted to hang around him as much as I did. He always wanted to chill with Ryder J and Kane. He could have the same closeness with Dad if he hung around. Dad wasn’t the type to force himself on anyone, not even his kids. Of course, when we were little, we had to be with him. Once we were older teenagers, like sixteen and seventeen, he gave us the choice. My choice was always to be with him, even if I was just sitting in the barbershop.

I went into the kitchen, and my mama smiled at me. “How’s Aaliyah? She okay?”

“Yeah, she’s good. She had just woke up from a nap.”

“The food ought to be ready in a little bit . . . about thirty minutes,” she said as Dad and Asad walked in with the kids.

“Hi, Uncle Royal!”

“What’s up, Jay? How you feelin’?” I asked as I picked him up.

He was getting big. It seemed it was just yesterday when he came into our lives. He was already almost six years old. He gave me a fist bump, then I lowered him to the floor. I shook my dad’s hand, then Asad’s and reached for my niece. She smiled at me as Asad handed her to me.

She was about seven months old now. She was so gorgeous. Ashanni always had her dressed like a little doll. I stared at her, wondering if my baby girl would look the same way. They would surely have similar genes, since Ashanni was my sister and Asad was Aaliyah’s brother, although the two of them didn’t have the same mother.

“Hey, baby girl. How are you? You look so pretty.”

She smiled and put her hand to my face. I kissed it and hugged her. She was the perfect mix of Ashanni and Asad. She had Shani’s slanted eyes, but Asad’s smile. They were about the same complexion, but she was a tad bit lighter.

“Royal, don’t be tryna get attached to my baby. You got your own coming in a couple of weeks, probably.”

I chuckled. Whenever I held her, Ashanni said the exact same thing. She knew this lil girl was irresistible. How could I not get attached? “I do have my own coming soon, but this lil angel is my only niece. We gotta establish that relationship for when y’all are getting on her nerves, she can come to Unc.”

“Whatever, fool.”

“Royal, go get Liyah and get her situated. The food will be ready by the time you’re done,” my mama said.

I nodded and handed Azariah back to Asad, but before I left, my dad said, “Let me holla at’chu right quick before you go.”

We walked toward the sitting area and sat on the couch. “What’s up, old man?”

“I got’cho old man, nigga.”

I chuckled as he slid his hand down his face. “I told Crew today would be a perfect day to make things right with you. So, he might show up.”

I shrugged. “A’ight. Whatever. He had the opportunity to do that at the diner. He clowned publicly, so his apology should be public as well.”

“You right.”

“I’ll be cool, though, if he shows up.”

He extended his hand, and I shook it, then he said, “I hate to see y’all not getting along, but I get it. Had one of my brothers disrespected Chas fine ass, we would have problems.”

I rolled my eyes and stood as he chuckled. “You know that’s my mama, right?”

“Yo’ sexy ass mama. Get it right.”

I fake gagged and walked off as he laughed. A smile emerged on my lips as I went up the stairs. My dad was the standard when it came to how to treat his woman. I watched him love on my mama nearly every day. I only remember one day when they weren’t fucking with each other. They were pissed for whatever reason. By the next day, they were right in each other’s faces again. Their love was beautiful.

I was pretty sure they argued more than what I saw, but they didn’t let those disagreements interfere with their relationship and their love. Dad used to always say that he vowed to love and take care of her for the rest of her life, and he planned to do just that, even when she had him fucked up.

When I walked into the room, Aaliyah smiled. “Is it time?” she asked.