Page 47 of Book Bae

“Pizza. Humbugas. Ice cream!” He made the declaration with such emphasis, pumping his fist with every announcement.

“I love all those things, too, but Greek and Italian foods are my favorite.”

“I wike spaspetti and meatballs. I don’t know Greek.”

I giggled as I turned my gaze to Micaiah who appeared amused by the exchange.

“That’s fair. I guess I’ll have to introduce you two someday.”

He nodded and then prattled on about his favorite cartoons, and how he liked playing video games at his aunts Dawn’s and Brooke’s houses.

“What do you like doing with daddy?”

“Weading and⁠—”

“Chi, remember how we practiced our R’s and W’s?” I watched as Micaiah reiterated how to make the “R” and “W” sounds. When he finished, Malachi finished his sentence, slowly pronouncing his words correctly.

“I wi—like playing wif my blocks and cars.”

My face crinkled in amusement at his pronunciation of the word “with,” but Micaiah didn’t correct him this time.

“That sounds like a lot of fun,” I replied.

“It is. My favorite number is dis many ’cause I’ll be four soon,” he announced confidently, holding up four fingers.

“Tell her what month your birthday is in, Malachi,” Micaiah instructed.

“Octobah!”

“Pretty good,” I replied.

“My fav-o-wit letter is M. Daddy’s name starts with M.”

“It does, and so does your name,” I declared.

“I know. Wanna know my fav-o-wit color?”

“Sure,” I replied before I bit my sandwich.

“Brown. ’Cause I’m a boodiful brown boy. Nana said it.”

I couldn’t help but giggle behind my hand at the declaration and his mispronunciation of the word “beautiful” before I stared at him again. “You absolutely are, Malachi.”

When he talked about his favorite book, he asked if I was going to read it to him. I promised that I would and that I would love reading it to him the next time that I saw him.

“Mawaj, what’s my sister’s name?” he asked.

“Your daddy and I have to choose the perfect name for her. We haven’t done that yet.”

“Her name is Aweena!” he declared.

“A what?” I asked.

Micaiah laughed. “Aleena. It’s a little girl he has in his class at school. They’re good friends,” he explained.

“Well, your dad and I will discuss it, and I promise we’ll consider it.”

“Will she stay with me?” he asked with a mouthful of sandwich.