“You never know. Let’s see how you look in a pair of Grinch pajamas.” She shoved the pajamas at me again, and I took them. “You can change in the hall bathroom or my bedroom.”
I took the pajamas and shook my head as I went. Angel danced around the living room with Belle in her arms, and she sang Wham!’s “Last Christmas.” If a nigga wasn’t in the moodfor Christmas, he would easily get there hearing her beautiful voice sing Christmas melodies all the time.
I flicked on the light in the bathroom, opting not to head into her bedroom. Being in her personal space would only bring up intimate feelings inside of me. This wasn’t the time for that.
“Nigga, what the fuck are you doing?” I asked my reflection. “This is your boy’s ex. We don’t roll like that. You’re up in here having movie marathons with her and her baby, and wearing matching pajamas like it’s family night, and she’s your girl and that’s your baby.”
My conscience condemned me, but my heart was appealing to a higher court. I had tried to get with her at the mall, but that was a fiasco. I should have accepted it as the warning that it was to stop pushing up on her, but I couldn’t seem to stay away or ignore the feelings I had for her.
I removed my clothes, carefully folded them, and then unfolded the Grinch pajamas.
“Aww, hell naw!” I shouted. They were black onesie pajamas with tiny versions of the Grinch and presents all over them. But on the rear of the pajamas, right near the lower back, there was a larger version of the Grinch, and in his fingers was a banner that read “Merry Whatever.” The only problem with that banner was that it was actually a drop seat.
“Aww, you’re so cute,” Angel declared when I stepped out of the bathroom. “Isn’t he, Belle?”
The chubby baby waved her arms happily in the air, babbled something, and let out a long string of drool. “See, even Belle agrees.”
I rolled my eyes at Angel. “You thought you were cute and funny buying these, I bet.”
She giggled. “I did think it would be cute. I wondered what you looked like in those pajamas with the flap opened all those years ago.”
“Well keep wondering, because nobody’s getting a peek at my ass.”
She laughed, and I followed her back to the living room. Angel had the food and snacks laid out on the table already. I had ordered the pizza before my arrival, so she didn’t have to pay for it.
“I think your ass is probably very cute.”
“Yeah, whatever.”
“No, you’re not going to bah-humbug me tonight,” she teased, sitting beside me.
“Wearing these pajamas might have me bah-humbugging you all through the new year.”
She giggled again and grabbed the TV remote. “Since you’re being such a good sport about it all, I’ll let you choose the first movie.”
I flicked through her selection on Netflix, Hulu, and Disney before I settled onHome Alone. Belle wiggled a little and whimpered, so I grabbed her from Angel and played with her during the first fifteen minutes of the movie.
“You’re so good with her. Have you ever wanted a family of your own?”
“I mean, yeah. Who doesn’t?” I asked bitterly, thinking about my ex.
“Some people don’t.”
“Well, I haven’t found the right woman.”
“You’ve definitely tested out your share,” she teased, elbowing me with a wink as she popped some holiday bark into her mouth.
“I’m not even gonna dignify that comment with a response,” I replied and grabbed some of the white chocolate with peppermint and M&M sprinkles and bit off a piece.
“Does she look like him?”
“Who?”
“Her daddy.”
Angel’s eyes dropped, and she sighed. “Chris, the truth is, her daddy didn’t die. I lied, and I’m sorry. I didn’t want you pressuring me for details. I hadn’t seen you in about four years, and I was too embarrassed to get into the details because I didn’t want to seem desperate, and I didn’t want you running back telling Jeremiah.”
“I don’t talk to him about you. Is her dad still in her life?”
