Page 185 of The Ninth

I couldn’t help the smile that came onto my face. He chuckled lightly as I glanced back and then towards him. “I’m with the girls right now...”

Last time a nigga asked for my time and I was with them; I flew out of the building. This time I wanted to respect the time we were spending together. But Kenzo would never ask me to do that. He looked above my head, immediately dropping the smile from his face and kissing his teeth.

“HERE HE GO!” Tatianna yelled from behind us.

“G, here you go. Every time I turn my back, you done swept in like this yo shorty.”

“You the nigga that almost went back to jail after you just got out! You better slow down because I’ma think you like something in there.”

I instantly slapped my forehead. Duke folded over, cracking the fuck up laughing. Both K3 and Tatianna flew of the handle, treating each other. In between threatening to kill Poncho, K3 gave me kisses as I admired the flower arrangement he got for me. The flowers were a beautiful array of creams, whites, and browns. Absolutely gorgeous.

“Baby, you’re scaring Doodas!” I slapped Kenzo’s chest as he sat on the couch, putting me on his lap.

“Baby, all Doodas know is Tatianna, Poncho, y’all, and Kelisha. All women. G, he ain’t eva been around a real nigga.”

“FUCK YOU!” Tati laughed.

I chuckled, “Doodas, come here, baby...”

Hesitantly, he slid from Tatianna’s lap and walked towards me. I held my hands out, picking him up and placing him on my lap. His cute self buried his face into my hair, peeking at Kenzo through his eyelashes. I laughed softly while rubbing his back.

“Remember Uncle K3 from our FaceTime’s? He got us K4?” Doodas nodded confidently. “He’s home now! We don’t have to talk through the FaceTime anymore.”

Kenzo stuck his hand out. I felt emotional watching my baby give his hand to his Uncle. I can’t believe Kenzo was gone before he was born. Doodas is a big piece of me, so it felt weird just now being able to share him with Kenzo who also means a lot to me.

“You can just call me Unc. You doing okay?”

“Yeah.”

“You ain’t been fucking up K4, have you? Cause I heard yo lil heavy ass step on his tail that one time.” I started cackling as Doodas smiled and Tati threw a pillow at Kenzo. “G, you look older than the last time we spoke.”

“I’ma big boy.”

“You are. You hungry?”

“YUP!”

“I know yo mama feeding you neckbones and shit, let me get you some kid shit.”

“You just cussing all around the lil nigga!” Duke laughed. I giggled as K3 kissed on my cheek while I scrolled my phone for food.

Devyn nudged him, “DUKE! Nigga is a cuss word too!”

“My Glamma said I can cuss when I’m mad,” Doodas shrugged.

“The fuck is a Glamma?!” Duke and K3 asked at the same time.

“UH-UH, UH-UH!” I cackled.

“DON’T DO KELISHA, EVER! DOODAS, WHAT SHE BE LETTING YOU SAY?” Tati asked.

“Bogus as hell...” he whispered.

Both Duke and K3 fell over, cracking the hell up. Tatianna hopped up and immediately called Kelisha. I ignored K3 asking if we “could get one” the entire time I was ordering food for all of us. Once the food came we ate, chilled, talked, laughed. It just felt so normal and calm having my family all together with me. I’ll never take it for granted.

****

“Bye sleepy baby. I love you.”