“Where are you hosting it?”
“It’s going to be at Cameron’s parents’ house. They always have a monthly Sunday family dinner, so we’re going to use that as an excuse to get her there, even though she has been complaining about not wanting to go out in public because she’s so close to her due date.”
“When is she due?”
“Sometime around the first week in February.”
“That’s only two weeks.”
“That’s why we have to work fast.”
Lamar smiled. “There’s no doubt that between you, Tonya, and Hannah you’ll be able to pull it off.”
“I’m praying we will. She doesn’t have a baby registry so we’re going to put together a layette and give her gift cards so she can buy whatever she wants. I think I hear her, so I’ll talk to you later.”
“Okay. I’ll tell Kendra what you said.” Lamar ended the call and watched his daughter staring at him. “Miss Nydia has officially moved to New Orleans, and she said she’s going to call you in a few days to set up a playdate.”
Kendra grinned. “I really had a lot of fun with her family in New York.”
Lamar smiled. “I did, too.” He pointed to her plate. “Finish your food, young lady.”
Kendra picked up her fork. “When are we going back to New York, Daddy?”
He stared at her from under lowered lids. “Maybe around the spring break.”
“Can we bring Taylor and Morgan? I’m certain they would like Bree and Mimi, too.”
Lamar shook his head. “You’re definitely getting ahead of yourself. Spring is still a few months away, and a lot of things can happen in that time.”
“What, Daddy?”
He thought about his relationship with Nydia. He didn’t know if they would be engaged, but he knew for certain they wouldn’t be married by that time. “I don’t know,” Lamar answered truthfully.
Kendra kept up a running commentary about three boys in her science class who’d changed the labels on several chemicals that resulted in a small fire that caused the school to be evacuated, and ended with them being suspended for a week. “I heard they may be expelled.”
“That’s a lesson for everyone. If you do something that might hurt yourself or others, then your actions have consequences.”
“I know, Daddy,” Kendra drawled. “You tell me that all of the time.”
“Just make certain you believe it.”
“I do,” she drawled again. “I can’t eat any more. Can I take this home?”
Lamar stared at the veal Milanese and spaghetti Pomodoro on Kendra’s plate. She’d barely touched her dinner. “Of course. Are you feeling okay?”
She nodded. “I’m good.”
He signaled their waiter and asked that he pack up his daughter’s plate. “I guess you don’t want dessert.”
“Not tonight.”
Lamar hoped his daughter wasn’t coming down with something, because she had never been a picky eater. He settled the bill and led her to his car. She was monosyllabic on the way home, and he remembered Nydia telling him that Kendra’s hormones were in flux and could be responsible for her occasional mood swings.
“It’s the weekend, so you should sleep in late tomorrow,” he told her once they were home.
Kendra nodded. “Okay. Good night, Daddy.”
He smiled. “Good night, baby girl.”
