Chapter 21
Crew
Faith Matthew’s 1st birthday party
Wifey P!” I burst in the kitchen fresh out of the shower because I spent some time in my meditation room this morning. When we moved into the house, I made sure there was one room where I could still practice smudging to keep me grounded. I don’t smoke weed anymore, I don’t drink like that, so it was one of my only forms of relaxation. Well, that and being waist deep inside of Pernelle. She brought a nigga a different level of peace every time I made love to her.
“Yes, baby?”
“Ciara just called my phone and asked if the nacho dip is ready because you didn’t answer. She said they are starting to set up the food under the tent.”
“Shit, my phone is in the bedroom, but it is almost ready. I just have to pour it into this crockpot, and then you can run it across the street.”
“Okay, bet.”
I grabbed one of the homemade tortilla chips she made from the rack, scooped up some dip, and tasted it before Jas called me out.
“Greedy ass is always taking some food,” Jas commented on me stealing from the pot.
“Fuck off, this is my wife food and my house. I can eat whatever is made in here.”
I reached for my baby girl, taking her from Jas's hands. As I did, Jas playfully punched me in the side.
“Don’t take my baby from me, jack ass.”
Amira reached back for her.
Amira was now attached to Jas, probably because she was always hanging out at my house and enjoying the laid-back vibe. Recently, since Jas and P became friends, it felt like I couldn’t take a step without seeing her or my mama here.
While I played with Amira in the kitchen, tossing her in the air, I glanced over and saw Pernelle carrying the heavy crockpot, handling it with ease even while pregnant with our first son.
“Whoa, whoa, baby, watch yourself, superwoman. You know you're carrying valuable luggage in there.”
“Crew, Messiah is fine. The way he kicks me all night, he can stand a little bumping from me.”
Pernelle brushed me off.
She was now seven months pregnant and having my son just in time because Cashmier’s son not being mine had a nigga down for a while. Apparently, King was in the custody of his real father, that nigga Tech, who used to be their family’s personal bodyguard. She had been fucking him the whole timeand he wanted to step up as his dad when she got that ten-year sentence. My guess is that he wanted that money from her estate every month that I would’ve turned down if he was mine.
Once the dip got poured into the crockpot, I carried it out the front door and over across the street where Faith’s 1st party was being hosted in their yard. Ciara and Hov had gone all out for their baby girl's first birthday party. Bouncy houses everywhere, a pony out here to give rides, a clown that actually looked scary as hell, but I wasn’t going to tell anybody I was scared. All I know is that I was staying far away from his ass today. A clown ass nigga I hate, but a straight up clown, I’m terrified of. Been that way since I was a kid.
“Cici.” I got Ciara’s attention as she laid a stack of plates on the table.
“Hey!”
“Here is the dip.” I sat it down on the table.
“Thank you, brother. Now tell Pernelle she can sit down now and she better relax. Her ass tried to baby me my whole pregnancy with Faith, and now she thinks she can do anything she wants while carrying your son.”
“I ain’t saying shit to her stubborn mean ass.” We laughed.
“Maybe you can get through to her, but I’ll go get the chips now because I couldn’t carry all that shit at once.”
“Okay. Thank you, brother.”
“You welcome sis.”
I started off across the street.
