Page 78 of Certified To Handle You 2

I ended the call, got behind the wheel, and pulled away from the restaurant while my mind started shiftin’ from business to home.

I hadn’t been around the crib much today, but I had checked in with Pluto more than once. Every time I called, she told me she was good, the kids was good, and Isley had finally started takin’ longer naps. Her voice still ain’t sound all the way right to me, but she had been sayin’ she was fine so much lately that I knew pressin’ her over the phone wasn’t gon’ get me nowhere.

The drive home ain’t take long, and by the time I pulled through the gates, I was already thinkin’ about what I wanted to wear out.

I parked, grabbed the bag from the trunk, and headed inside with the plan of takin’ it straight to my office before I went upstairs. The second I stepped through the front door, I heard Pluto yellin’.

“Why do you always wait until the last minute to tell somebody shit, Zurie?”

Her voice carried from deeper inside the house, and I stopped with one hand still wrapped around the duffel bag. Pluto wasn’t no quiet woman when she got mad at the kids, but this sounded different. It had more anger in it than I was used to hearin’ from her, and before I could even set my shit down, Zurie’s voice came right back.

“I forgot!”

“You always forget!” Pluto shouted. “The school ain’t just tell you today that you needed that stuff! You knew, and you waited until tonight to say something when you need it tomorrow!”

I put the bag down near the wall and headed toward the voices. By the time I made it to the family room, Pluto was standin’ there with Isley in her arms while Zurie stood across from her with her hands folded over her chest. Prestyn and Kaylon was nowhere around, which meant somebody hadenough sense to get them out the room before this shit got worse.

Pluto looked tired as hell, but she was still goin’. Her hair was pulled up, and she had on one of my shirts with some shorts under it. Isley was pressed against her chest, startin’ to squirm ‘cause of all the noise, and I ain’t like the way Pluto was holdin’ my baby while she was this worked up.

I walked over without interruptin’ them, leaned down, and kissed the side of Pluto’s face before reachin’ for Isley.

“Give me my baby,” I said low.

Pluto handed Isley over, but she ain’t even look at me when she did it. Her eyes stayed locked on Zurie while I pulled my daughter against my chest and kissed the side of her head. She settled for half a second, then started fussin’ again ‘cause Pluto and Zurie was still goin’ at it and neither one of ’em knew how to lower they voice right now.

“You don’t listen!” Pluto went on, steppin’ closer to Zurie. “You wait until the last minute every single time, then expect everybody else to stop what they are doing and run behind you!”

“I said I forgot!” Zurie shot back, rollin’ her eyes.

I looked at her hard ‘cause she knew better than to do that shit when Pluto was already pissed.

“Watch yo’ attitude,” Pluto warned.

“I’m not even havin’ an attitude.”

“Yes, you are, and I’m tired of you acting like I’m stupid.”

Zurie threw her hands up and let out a loud sigh. “What you want me to do? I already told you I forgot.”

“Stop talkin’ back,” I told her, keepin’ my voice calm even though I could feel the shit gettin’ ready to go left.

Zurie looked over at me with tears already buildin’ in her eyes, but instead of lettin’ it go, she turned right back toward Pluto.

“She always yellin’ at me,” she said. “I ain’t even do nothin’.”

That was when Pluto moved. She stepped forward so fast I ain’t have time to stop her before her hand came across Zurie’s face. The slap cracked through the room and had Zurie stumblin’ back with one hand flyin’ to her cheek. For half a second, everybody froze. Even Isley stopped cryin’ before lettin’ out a scream that cut through all of us.

“What the fuck, Pluto?” I snapped, movin’ between them before she could reach for Zurie again.

Zurie started swingin’ her arms, tryna get around me while Pluto was still reachin’ past my shoulder. I had Isley in one arm and used the other to pull Pluto back by her waist, but she was fightin’ against me like she had lost every bit of sense she had.

“Move, Pressure!” she screamed. “I’m sick of this shit!”

“Pluto, chill the fuck out,” I said, holdin’ her back while Isley cried against my chest. “You got my baby right here screamin’, and you still tryna fight.”

Zurie jerked away from my arm and ran out the family room before either one of us could stop her. I heard her feet hittin’ the floor hard while she headed toward the elevator, and then the doors opened and closed behind her.

Pluto pulled away from me and cut her eyes in my direction like I was the one she was mad at now.