“You don't understand that man is a menace with women. Literally me all over again.”
“I’m gonna be like Uncle Wilde when I get older,” Amare proclaimed with a smile on his face.
“No, you will be better than Uncle Wilde,” Noble corrected him.
“I’m gonna be like my dad when I get bigger,” Kenji declared.
Irish thought that was so sweet as she smiled at him.
“No, you will be better than me.” Noble smiled at him.
Their appetizers of bacon wrapped jalapeño poppers and buffalo wings arrived at the table. Everyone nibbled and shared G-rated conversation until their main course arrived. Irish quietly sat, listening to Noble converse with the kids. She noticed how Kenji’s eyes lit up when Noble addressed him. There was literally love in his eyes and that made her swoon. She wondered if their unborn child would look at her like that. Would she be a good mom or would the remnants of Daisy show up? Despising how those thoughts had entered her mind, Irish shook her head.
“I’m taking them to Sky Zone after this. I want you to come with us?” Noble told her after he paid the bill.
“Okay, I’ll just follow you guys there.”
The foursome left the restaurant and drove down the street to Sky Zone. The kids went to play while Noble and Irish sat on the bench.
“He’s so sweet, Noble,” Irish admired, referring to Kenji. “You and his bitter mom are doing such a great job.”
“Yeah, that’s my boy.” He pulled on his chin hairs. “I’m trying to envision how he’s going to take being a big brother.”
“You don't think he will be sad, do you?”
He shrugged, dragging his teeth against his lip. “I can’t call it. You know, he asked me a while ago to move back in with him and his mama. I think he still wants us to be together.”
Irish’s stomach soured at that statement. What would Noble do if his son didn’t accept her? How hard would Kenji make it for her to be implemented in their family? Irish wanted to be liked by everyone. She’d always been that way. It was one of the reasons why Jovanis had slid so long on her loyalty because she never wanted to let anyone down. Still, this was different.Irish wanted Noble more than anything and if Kenji wasn’t feeling her, she knew they couldn’t proceed.
“What did you tell him?”
“I was honest and said I can’t…” He paused for a while. “His young mind don't understand why me and his mama didn’t work out. He’s probably at school, realizing that other kids have their families and he don't.”
“Does that make you feel guilty?”
Bobbing his head, Noble confirmed a worry of Irish’s.
“Only because I wish I could’ve given him that full family unit that I used to have with my pops before he passed away.”
“Can I ask how he passed?”
“A robbery. Some nigga got mad that my pops whooped him in pool and took all his money. He ended up robbing him outside of the pool hall and killing him.”
Irish’s forehead creased as her lips parted. “Noble, I had no idea. I’m so sorry that happened to you.”
He turned to her, smiling with his eyes. “It’s cool. I mean it wasn’t cool when it happened, but I made peace with it.”
“Yeah, but you shouldn’t have had to. You should've been able to grow up with your father.”
Noble’s smile broadened as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “You know you're the sweetest person I know?”
“Sweet?” she snorted. “I used to bask in that compliment but not so much.”
“Why not?”
“Because me being sweet has let people take advantage of me. I don't wanna be sweet anymore.”
Her gaze traveled to her lap as her memory played out like a recap episode. Noble tipped her face upward with his index finger on her chin.
