Page 38 of Senior

His little speech impediment was cute. Baby boy had a hard time pronouncing words with the “sh” sound, but he was in speech therapy working on it.

“Be nice,” I said, kissing their cheeks.

Marino pointed at the bags. “For me?”

“Yeah, man. I got all of y’all something.”

Deuce shook his head as he came back downstairs. “That’s why all of them are spoiled now.”

“Shut up, Stanley,” I shot at him. “Y’all worry too much about what I do with my grandkids.”

He waved me off as he took a seat in the recliner. The boys ran back to the playroom after I gave them their toys. I made my way over to the couch where Stephanie sat. She peered up at me with a smile.

“Hey, Stanley,” she said, bouncing Charm on her lap.

“Steph.”

I leaned over and kissed her cheek, fighting the urge to kiss her lips. Plucking Charm from her arms, I tossed my baby in the air.

“Hey Fat Fat,” I said, blowing raspberries on her stomach. “How’s Papa’s big girl?”

Deuce chuckled. “Greedy as hell. She just swiped my sandwich. I almost had to fight her.”

Charm balled up her little fist at him. “I gon’ tell my daddy.”

“I ain’t scared of your daddy, lil’ girl. I’ll fight him too.”

“No you not, cause my mama gon’ get you.”

Salima smacked the back of his head as she came into the room. “Leave my niece alone, Deuce.”

“Lil butterball. Looking like her Uncle Smoke as a baby.”

I chuckled. “Smoke was a big baby.”

“He’s still big as hell.”

“Leave my boy alone. How you doing, Salima?”

She eyed me with a smirk as she made herself comfortable on Deuce’s lap. “I’m fine, Daddy. How are you?”

“I’m wonderful.”

“Mmm hmm. Did y’all have a good time last night?”

“If watching Blake make a fool of himself is your idea of fun, then yeah.”

“Good thing you had Mama Steph to keep you company.”

Stephanie rolled her eyes. “You’re married to my son. You know how aggravating their company can be.”

I played along, a frown forming on my face. “You didn’t enjoy my company but enjoyed them drinks at my expense. Woman wouldn’t even give me a dance.”

“Good,” Deuce spoke up. “I don’t need him having wandering hands to go along with his wandering eyes.”

I ignored him. Since before Stephanie’s wedding, he’d been on my ass about leaving his mama alone. I understood. That was his mother and he put her on a pedestal. I wasn’t a perfect man by far, but I’d never hurt Stephanie. I’d never cheated on her or disrespected her.

It just never seemed to be the right time for us, and that was largely in part to me still being heavily involved in the streets, then the organization. I was away from home a lot. Always on the go. Always in some shit, trying to build connections. I think the only reason me and Maddie worked so long was because we worked together.