Page 42 of Senior
“So just tell me if I have to worry about her coming to me as a woman.”
He shook his head. “Nah. She knows you, Tavia, and Allison are off limits, no matter what. I don’t give a fuck what y’all do. I’m always gonna protect you.”
I knew he would always protect me, and I really wasn’t worried about Maddie. What we did was wrong, but it was over.
“Well, I’m glad she knows ‘cause she isn’t the only shooter. You made sure of that.”
He laughed. “I did.”
I rolled my eyes. “You’ll find someone, Senior. You’re retired. You have a lot of time on your hands. Find you a nice, wholesome woman and give her a real chance. I mean, I know I’m a tough act to follow, but you could at least try.”
He grinned. “Woooow! You thinking real highly of yourself.”
“Blame that on you. You put me on a pedestal at sixteen and I haven’t come down off it yet.”
“That’s my girl.” He pulled me in for a hug and kissed my temple. “I love you, Steph. Always, mama.”
“I love you too, Senior. Always.”
We broke our embrace just as my son came over. He’ d been watching us the whole time and I found it funny. Deuce told me how he had to hem a drunk Senior up when he came over begging him to talk me into taking him back. Part of me was hurt. If he’d been a man I could commit to all those years ago, this would have been us celebrating our vow renewal instead of me marrying another man.
Playfully, Senior slapped his chest.
“She’s all yours, Stanley,” he said. “I’m headed out.”
“I thought I was gonna have to break them fingers, old man.”
“Glad you thought better of it. Goodnight, y’all.”
I watched as he walked toward the door. Deuce cleared his throat as he pulled me in for a dance.
“Don’t go getting any ideas, Stephanie,” he warned.
“Boy, I am your mama. You don’t tell me what to do about shit.”
“Nah, Ma. You have a good man now. That ain’t to say Senior ain’t a good one because he is, but he ain’t good enough for you. Not at this point in your life. Y’all did this shit long enough. I want you to be happy, genuinely happy and I feel like Aaron’s square ass can give that to you. He’s safe.”
I sighed as I cupped his face. “Deuce, let me make one thing clear. I left your father, not the other way around. I’ve loved that man for most of my life. He gave me you and for that, I will always love him. Senior has never hurt me. He’s just. . . he wasn’t ready to fizzle out of this life when I was ready to settle down. I had to put me first for once. That is the only reason we aren’t together.”
“That’s the only reason that matters, Ma. Senior’s ass ain’t ever gonna let this life go. You see his old ass still gets in the field. It’s just in him. You deserve a soft life and Pops ain’t ever gonna be able to give that to you the way I want it. I love him, but not for you. If you think I won’t put hands on that man about my mama, you wrong.”
“Stanley, you can be disrespectful at times, but if you ever disrespect your father like that, I’m beating your ass my damn self.”
“I’ll just have to take that cause ain’t no way I’m ever allowing it to come to you and him again. You deserve more than that, Ma.”
I shook my head and kissed his cheek. “What am I gonna do with you?”
“Like you always tell me, I’m grown. Ain’t shit you can do with me, woman.”
As I thought about that moment, I realized that eventually things were gonna come to a head. Deuce might joke about a lot of things, but he wasn’t playing about me not being with his father. I couldn’t help but think that mine and Senior’s sneaking around might just change their relationship and that was the last thing I wanted.
“Something on your mind, Daddy?” Jaeda asked.
I’d come over to see her and Lil’ Stanley, only to find Mia and TJ here. The boys were running around the living room chasing each other while their mamas gossiped. Mia was curled up against me on one side, while Jaeda was curled up on the other. I didn’t mind. They were my babies, and I would always be available for them to use as a cushion.
I blinked, pulling myself out of my head, to find them both staring at me.
“I’m fine, baby,” I assured her.
