“I feel you.”
“So…” I leaned closer to Nova and smiled at the face of our niece. “What did y’all settle on name wise?”
“Eleanor Ames Barron,” Knight stated proudly. “We wanted a classic name.” He shrugged.
“That’s dope.” Rook smiled. “You gave the baby Nova’s last name as a middle name?”
“Nova’s last name is Barron,” Knight sniped and Rook laughed at how defensive he sounded. “But yeah, we gave her Nova’s maiden name as a middle name. If it was a boy, we were going to hyphenate last names.”
“For real?” Rook asked. “How you think Dad would have taken that?”
“I’m not the firstborn son and Nova’s an only child. Her last name will fall off with her father if our kids don’t take it in some way.” Knight shrugged.
“What about Casmi?” Rook asked.
“She has a brother so we’re not as worried about it but honestly, I’m down for hyphenating there too if that’s what she wants. Plus…” Knight looked between us. “I have three brothers that can carry on the Barron name.”
“Yeah. Alright. Well, I’ll let you know when I get Asante pregnant,” I deadpanned.
Knight, Nova, and Rook all laughed.
“Shut the fuck up,” Knight said between snickering.
“Baby E is beautiful though, y’all.” Rook said.
“Thank you, man.”
Rook and I washed our hands so we could touch the baby then hugged our elder brother goodbye and headed out. Since Knight and Nova’s father were going to spend the night with Nova Me and Asante decided we were going to stay the night with Casmi in their absence.
Although I’d been present when our entire family had gotten together to make sure the house was set up properly to bring a baby home Asante and I went through it again just to be sure after Casmi was sleeping, a little baby monitor beside her bed and the other clipped to my pants so I could hear her if she needed me.
After we finished looking over all the usual baby proofed spots, Asante and I sat in the backyard and each lit up a cigarette.
Between the conversation I had with Asante’s dad and seeing my newborn niece I felt like all I could think about was one day parenting with Asante especially after he’d made it clear that he would be down with children.
“You meant that shit you said about wanting kids?” I asked after a while lost in my thoughts.
“Yeah. I do.” Asante took a hit of his cigarette and ashed it. “What about you?”
“Yeah. I’d be down for a baby or two. I think we’d be good parents.”
A huge smile took over Asante’s face.
“Me too.”
I leaned into him and kissed him briefly.
“How long would you want to wait after we get married?”
“A couple of years,” he said. “I’ll be thirty soon so shit definitely within the next six years. I’d prefer less but I'm down for whatever you’re down for.” Asante snuffed his cigarette outand pocketed it to throw away later. “You have baby fever now or what?”
“Honestly, yeah.” I snickered. “So, I’m down with the six years or less plan.” I took another puff. “You want to have our first kid within six years or be done in six years?”
“Preferably done.”
I nodded at that. “Can’t wait.”
“To be up to our nose in diapers and crying?”
