Page 3 of Senior
I smiled. It had taken a while for Deuce to warm up to me being with any man but his father. Shit, he didn’t even want me with his father. These days he and Aaron had a decent relationship. He’d invite him out for drinks with his brothers and father. They joked around when he, Salima and the kids came over. Sometimes he called Aaron to check in, but he didn’t think I knew that.
“I will,” I said. “How are my daughter and grandbabies?”
“They’re good. Can’t wait to see y’all tomorrow. Daryln done asked me what time you coming a million times.”
I giggled. “Let me see my babies.”
“Darlyn! Liam!”
I could hear the pitter patter of their little feet on the hardwood floor, and they ran into the room.
“Say hey.” Deuce turned the camera so they could see me and their faces lit up.
“Hi, Gammy!” Darlyn said, excitedly.
“Gam Gam!” Liam echoed.
“Hi, my babies! Gammy misses you.”
“We miss you too, Gammy. Where’s Papa?”
“Papa went for his morning walk.”
“Oh. Can we stay at your house?” Liam clasped his hands together and smiled brightly. “Pleeeease!”
“Of course you can, baby.”
“Dang, Ma,” Deuce said. “You ain’t gon ask?”
“Boy, I wish I might ask you if my grandbabies can spend the night. They have a whole room here. This is their home too.”
“You always so fiesty.”
“Because you get on her nerves, Stanley,” Salima said, coming into view.
“She had me. She knew what she signed up for.”
Salima mushed his head. “Hey, Mama. How are you?”
“I’m good, baby. About to cook breakfast so Aaron and I can get our day started.”
“You did say you were going on a boat, right?”
“Yes.”
“Ooooo! I know you got a cute bathing suit!”
“I sure do. Remember that one with the cut-out sides I got when we went shopp—”
“Cut out sides!” Deuce exclaimed. He mushed his wife out the way and focused the camera back on him. “Ma, you tripping.”
“Stanley, I am grown, married, and I’m gonna be with my husband. You are the one that’s tripping.”
“Let me call Aaron because I know he ain’t letting you out the house dressed like a hoochie.”
I saw Salima smack the side of his head. “Leave that grown ass woman alone, Stanley. You are always in her business.”
“I’m her business and she is mine.”
