Page 8 of Lyric Squared
I sat Elle between my legs and within seconds, she was off to do her own thing. She, too, loved dolls at her tiny age. Hers were much bigger and age-appropriate so that she wasn’t swallowing shoes and accessories while no one was watching.
“I want to get her together, TT Lyric,” Emorey chimed in.
“You’re more than welcome to help, baby.”
As we fell into play, my heart lightened. Around Essence, Emorey, and Elle was one of my happiest places. Their innocence was admirable. The world hadn’t tainted them yet and to be around such an abundance of purity made my soul smile.
The smellof seafood penetrated the air. Surprisingly, it was the same air that I’d been inhaling for the past forty-five minutes without as much as a whiff of it. I was certain Ahmad, Luca’s personal chef, was preparing food prior to my entry but with the girls at the forefront of my thoughts, I didn’t notice the prominent stench in the air.
We were keeping it simple this Sunday. Drinks of choice, lobster, shrimp, scallops, pre-cut crab legs, corn, sausage, steak, whole potatoes, and mini potatoes were on the menu. Ahmad’s special seafood sauce was in large bowls around the long table and strategically placed so that everyone could reach one.
“He’s not a good option in my opinion, but we will see what they have to say about it next week. The boy needs a bit more experience. Throwing a ball isn’t always enough,” my father told his boys while shaking his head from one side to the other.
“But it’s what we’re missing. We need somebody who can throw because Dotty can’t throw to save his life since that hand injury. He should remain benched or give his spot up on the team so that someone else can have it. He’s done for,” Laike responded.
Luca’s silent nod was followed by, “All he needs is a good arm. We can handle the rest. We just need someone to throw. We can get the touchdown, but we’ve got to get the ball in Crawford’s hands to make that happen. Dotty ain’t the answer anymore.”
Although they hardly mentioned anything other than sports at the dinner table, it was always great having my three men inthe same space. With everyone’s schedule, it wasn’t often that we could make it happen.
“Alright. Alright. Enough about tossing a ball,” my mother interrupted.
“I second that,” I chimed in.
“Oh hell, what do y’all want us to talk about? The latest bullshit bags y’all want from the store or your last trip to the spa?” My father chuckled, relaxing his shoulders and slightly reclining in his seat.
“Not exactly,” as a matter of fact, I replied.
“Babe, maybe now is a great time to tell them.”
Ever, with all her gentleness, changed the subject without making temporary enemies amongst the men. It was her specialty. She possessed a softness that commanded everyone’s attention when she entered a room, spoke even a few words, or shared her light.
“Tell us what?” my mother asked, stuffing Elle’s mouth with a chunk of crab meat from the Dungeness stack she had in front of her.
“That we’ve decided on a name for our son,” with a smile, Luca answered.
“Oh, have you?” I could feel the ridges of my cheek harden as my lips curved upward.
“Yes. We have.” Ever looked up and toward Luca.
The love that rested in them as she waited for his response was so obvious that even a blind man could see it. To love someone as much as Luca and Ever loved each other had to be painful. Not in a negative way, either, but in the most beautiful one. I knew it had to because watching from a mere two feet away caused a sharp pain in my chest.
“Lucas Elijah Eisenberg,” my brother proudly stated.
“A very strong name,” my father added, nodding in the process.
“Y’all must didn’t consider Laike as an option?” Laike followed up.
“Please, Laike,” annoyed, my mother chastised him.
“Put that on the list for your seeds,” Luca calmly stated.
A verbal response wasn’t in Laike’s best interest, so he settled for a middle finger in Luca’s direction.
“I love it.” I put my two cents in the pot.
“So do I. A little of you both in there,” Mom agreed with me.
“Just like Elle,” Ever reminded us.
