While everybody laughed, I thought about perspective. Vance clearly saw things differently than Gina did, but he wasn't directly involved.
"Anyway," he continued, "I'm sure G-man and Anna-Lise are grateful you've come home."
Garth and Anna-Lise had folded themselves into another sofa with Anna-Lise positioned on her fiancé's lap.
Vance yawned and joined his hands around Ayisha's waist. "Anybody heard from Bryan and Kathy? There's a hole in my belly."
"You always have a crater in your gut." Ayisha said, poking him in the stomach. "They should be here any minute now."
A knock came at the door on cue and at the same time, the smell of something delicious floated on the air—meat, vegetables and something unfamiliar. Ayisha struggled to get off Vance's lap as he tightened his grip, preventing her from moving. She slapped his arm and sucked her teeth. "You play too much!"
While she went to the door, I thought about their relationship which seemed easy and comfortable. They made a good couple from what I saw, and I thought the same thing about Garth and Ayisha. I didn't doubt Gina and I would get to that place where we could share our affection openly, but for now that's not where we were—at least not in this forum.
Conversation and laughter flowed into the room from the direction of the front door and in a minute Bryan and Kathy were inside the townhouse with their baby in tow. With his hand on her shoulder, Bryan stood at Kathy's side. "Hey, Kofi, good to see you again. I hope they're treating you good."
Getting to my feet, I shook his hand. "It's great to be here."
Kathy waved to me, then kissed the baby’s cheek and handed her to Gina. The baby smiled widely, wobbling as she stood on Gina's thighs. Gina seemed captivated, until the little girl grabbed a handful of her hair.
"She has a thing for hair," Kathy said as she sat in the adjacent sofa.
"Now you tell me." Gina winced and grinned at the same time.
Brianna was a perfect replica of both her parents. Her button nose and the shape of her ears belonged to her mother while her mouth and eyes were inherited from her father. She was going to be tall like her dad.
The women got up and moved toward the kitchen as a group. As Gina walked away, she handed the baby to Ayisha, who spoke to the toddler in the way women normally spoke to babies.
"Brianna is going to put all of us in trouble," Vance said.
When my brows rose, he chuckled. "Since she arrived nine months ago, these women have not been the same. Like I told Ayisha, if they could have them without any trouble, she and Lise would be mothers already."
His gaze went to Garth. "And with Aunt Rose waiting for you and Lise to deliver on demand ... "
Garth laughed. "That'll only happen when Lise is ready."
"I'm telling you man, that's all they talk about, Brianna this and Brianna that," Vance continued. "A ended up with Cookie because of this cuteness overload."
"Where is Cookie?" Bryan asked.
"That dog is probably tearing up my sneakers right now."
"Well, maybe if you'd come home once in a while and stop crowding A," Bryan said.
Vance waved his arms. I'm here, aren't I?"
"Yeah, probably the first time this week," Garth said, laughing.
He turned his attention to me. "So, Kofi, how is Gina treating you?"
"Great. I can't complain."
Vance's smile widened as he looked at Garth. "I've been trying to find out what the deal is with Gina, but he's not saying. Neither is she."
Laughing, Garth rubbed his face. "Where Mom is concerned, her children are fair game. Kofi, I should apologize to you but you'll get used to Mom."
That assumed I'd be staying around and I didn't say anything to make him think differently.
"One thing you should know," Vance said, leaning forward. "You better watch yourself. Aunt Rose will have you in a jacket and marching down the aisle before you're ready, if you're not careful."
