As much as I wanted to be my brothers keeper, Savage was dead ass wrong for this position he had me in, and he too was gone have to pay for this.
It was finally time for me to take my wife and my son home. That damn hospital sofa was uncomfortable as hell, but I would do it all again for my lil family. I helped my wife get dressed while I praised her for the thousandth time. I had watched her do some magical shit, and I loved her so fucking much for it. She gave me my son. Life was great for a nigga right now. It was almost if shit was going too good. When things felt like that, it usually meant that trouble was right around the corner. I just prayed that wasn’t the case now.
“Yo ole nice ass! What do you want Deuce? You know you don’t be doing all of this, and being this damn nice to me. Now, I’m your beautiful black Queen and you worship the ground I walk on. Get yo ass on!”Malani side-eyed me, like I was up to something.
“Damn, a nigga can’t never be nice to yo ass. You just had my son and I’m so damn thankful, man. I’m really a father out here. Hellyeah, I worship the ground you walk on. Hell, I’ll get down and kiss yo feet right now if you asked me too. You going too far with all that other shit, and you know I ain’t no nice ass nigga. But this week, maybe this month, I’m gone be nice to you though. "I leaned down and kissed her forehead and she rolled her eyes at me.
I’ve come to realize, me and Malani ain’t never gone stop getting on each other ass and that’s cool. She has a mouth on her, and as much as I try to ignore her, she makes it so damn hard. I love the fuck out of my wife, and ain’t nobody ever gone play with her. But her attitude and mouth keeps me having to get on her ass from time to time. And that’s okay too. She mine, and I gotta love her.
After getting her and the baby bags, it was time for us to leave the hospital and face reality. We were now parents, and had a whole other life to be responsible for. I’d just got my son dressed for the day, and I was still in disbelief that we’d made something so perfect. He was so handsome, and tiny. I could smell him all day. His mom used baby magic lotion on him, and I just couldn’t stop inhaling the baby scent that I never knew I would love so much. He looked just like me, just in a smaller font. My baby was chill. He only cried when he was hungry or wet. Any other time, he just slept the day away. I loved his lil life. These past couple of days, all I’ve been able to think about is how I didn’t want to be a disappointment to him. I’d been researching how to be a great father. My dad did a good job with me for sure, but I wanted to be even better for my son. And even for my nephew.
By the time we got down the elevator and out the lobby, the hospital parking lot was full of my people as soon as we stepped out the building. My family showed up on discharge day.
Not loud. Not extra. Not doing too damn much. Just presence, letting us know that they wanted to see us off before we headed back home.
Black trucks lined up clean outside the hospital, security posted without anybody having to say it out loud, my whole family standing together like they would literally lose sleep if they didn’t get to see us off. Shit like that made me proud. They cared about my son, and was showing it instead of just saying it. My life had changed, but this part hadn’t. When something mattered, everybody showed up. Even my moms, Raja, and baby Deuce had came out.
Malani stood beside me, Tre cradled against her chest, wrapped up tight in his blanket like the world outside didn’t deserve access to him yet. My son was quiet, eyes barely open, breathing soft and steady. Every time I looked at him, my chest tightened in a way I still wasn’t used to. This was really my creation. I had really done something that mattered.
This was mine.
Not business. Not bloodshed. Not weight moving through hands. But my own family. And right now, family was the most important thing to me.
My father stood a few feet away talking to the doctor and getting Malani’s discharge papers for her. They had to confirm the baby would be secured in an approved car seat before allowing us to leave with our own child.
My father was nodding like he was listening even though I knew his attention was split between Tre and everything else happening around us. When he turned and caught my eye, hesmiled in a way I hadn’t seen since I was a kid. After the doctor was satisfied, we were given the okay to go.
My father then stepped closer, lowering his voice.
“You did good, son.”
That hit harder than I expected.
“I’m trying,” I said simply.
He laughed quietly, shaking his head. “Nah. You ain’t trying. You doing it! Big difference.”
He glanced over at Tre, his face softening. “Between baby Deuce and Tre… my wallet about to be empty. You and Dank planned this mess. I know it.”
I smirked. “That’s what grandpa’s are for, and I can promise you that we didn’t.”
He chuckled, then got serious again. “You know what I’m really proud of?”
“What?”
“You stayed. A lot of men don’t.” Without having to tell my father, I think he knew that the last baby wasn’t mine. He wasn’t crazy, he knew his math and he also knew that I wasn’t as hurt at the loss as I should have been. But still, that was my wife’s secret that I would take to my grave.It was nobody else’s business, and as a man, I wouldn’t expose my wife to be judged by other people. Hell nah. The baby that she carried for Dom would always be a painful memory and loss, even if she never spoke on it. All I could do was have her back.
I nodded once. No excuses. No explanations. “She went through hell for my son to be here. She went through hell for me too. I’dnever leave her standing in that alone. That’s my wife and I’m not letting her go for nothing or nobody.”
My dad clapped a hand on my shoulder. “Spoken like a man! And I will say this, Malani is a keeper. There is no limit to what she’ll do to protect you. Her love is genuine and I wouldn’t say that without the fact, son. You know what else, I just can’t wait to see how close my baby boys are going to grow up to be. Just like you and Dank.”
That made my throat tighten.
“I can already see it,” I said. “They gonna be thick as thieves.”
He nodded. “History repeats itself when it’s done right.”
Then his face shifted, just slightly. “I tried to FaceTime Griz earlier. Wanted to see the nursery he had set up, and go over a couple things on the business side. He didn’t answer. Did you speak to him today? It’s not like him not to call when he says he is.”
