Page 4 of Senior

I rolled my eyes. “Is it too late to put you up for adoption?”

Salima laughed. “They will give him back. Trust me, some days I want to send him back to you and Senior. But then I think about the way these kids are gonna drive me crazy about him and I reconsider.”

Deuce stared blankly at her. “You real funny, Salima. Ma, I’ma let you go. Enjoy your boat ride and take your gun. Don’t be afraid to shoot a nigga if you have to.”

I rolled my eyes. “Bye, Stanley. I love you.”

“I love you too, Ma. For real. I ain’t wrapped too tight when it comes to you.”

I giggled. “I know. I ain’t wrapped too tight when it comes to you either. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

I blew him and my babies a kiss before disconnecting the call. After turning on some music, I got to making breakfast. I settled on something quick and simple: sausage, eggs, and pancakes. By the time I was done, I expected Aaron to be walking through the door like always, but he wasn’t.

“He must have taken the long way,” I mumbled as I stepped on the front porch to look for him.

The unmistakable sound of an ambulance blaring through the neighborhood caught my attention. When it got closer, a frown formed on my face.

“What the hell is going on?” I mumbled

As I made my way down the front steps to the sidewalk, it zoomed past my house and turned onto the next street. My first thought was Mr. Duncan, the old man around the corner. He’d been sick for a while, and I prayed he was okay. It wasn’t until I saw Johnny, his grandson running full speed toward me, did I know that wasn’t the case.

“Ms. Stephanie!” he yelled, frantically.

“Johnny? Baby, what’s wrong?”

“It’s… it’s Mr. Aaron. He passed out.”

“What!”

“He passed out in front of grandpa’s house. I was taking the dog out for a walk, and I saw him. Ms. Stephanie, it’s bad. I tried to wake him up, but he wouldn’t move.”

He grabbed my hand, and we started running. My heart pounded against my chest as I put all power into my legs, trying to make it to my husband. The EMS workers had just hopped out of the ambulance as we neared the house.

“Aaron!” I screamed.

One of my neighbors tried to hold me back, but I fought them off.

“That’s my husband! Aaron! Aaron, baby get up!”

Johnny and his mother wrapped their arms around me to steady me as I watched them work to revive him.

“What’s wrong with my husband! Aaron… baby please wake up!”

For what seemed like forever, they tried to bring him back, but to no avail. A guttural cry left me as the EMS worker shook her head, making it known that he was gone. I broke away from Johnny and his mother and ran to Aaron. Collapsing to my knees, I pulled him into my arms and cried profusely as everyone around me watched.

This couldn’t be life. We’d only had a few years together… how could he be gone?

PRESENT DAY

“Juri! KJ! Get y’all’s little asses outta there!”

All I heard was giggles and little feet as I walked into my kitchen to find the fridge open. Thing One and Thing Two zoomed past me with cold pieces of fried chicken in their grasps. I shook my head as I closed the door. It was a damn shame how bad those two were.

They were always getting into something with Juri being the ringleader. Even though Smoke wasn’t her biological father, I swore she acted like him at her age. Just getting into shit and riling the other ones up. Korri, Nayelli, and Lil’ Stanley were angels. These other eleven acted just like their damn daddies.

Pulling out my phone, I went to the group chat with my sons and pressed the FaceTime button to call them.

“Don’t start your shit,” Deuce said as soon as the call connected.