I gave her a light smile and walked out the door.
“Hey, wait.” She followed me out, and I stopped my stride once again to give her my undivided attention. “I was wondering, if you aren’t busy tonight, we could go out for drinks. My treat, of course.”
“No can do. I got my nieces and nephews tonight. Sorry.”
“Oh! Well, maybe some other time?”
“Of course.”
Not in this lifetime, shorty.
“Okay! I’ll see you later.”
“Later,” I replied and continued my stride up the street to the local deli. My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I reached inside to grab it.
I smiled, looking at the number on the screen. It was my seven-year-old niece, Sahira. She called me every Friday during my lunch break, like clockwork, because I made it my mission to get them every Friday. Baby girl always needed assurance that her uncle was coming for her.
“Hey, baby girl,” I answered on the third ring.
“Hi, Uncle Baye! What time are you picking us up today?”
“I’ll be there right after I take my test, so about six o’clock.”
“Okay! Are we going to get in the pool? I can bring my swimsuit.”
“Yeah, we can do that.”
“Okay. We want to stay the whole weekend. Can we?”
I chuckled, opening the door to the deli and walking inside. “If it’s okay with your parents, baby girl, y’all can stay the weekend.”
“Yay! Mommmyyy! Uncle Baye said we can stay the whole weekend!” I could hear her sister and brothers in the background as they cheered. That made me smile.
“Let me see the phone.” My sister-in-law, Sheena, got on the line. “You know you don’t have to keep them the whole weekend, Basil.”
“Sis, chill. You know it’s never a problem. I ain’t doing shit this weekend.”
“I need you tostartdoing something, Brother B. Ever since you and Nyami’s split, you have been a freaking hermit. It’ll be nice if you get out and have some fun. You’re still young?—”
“Sis, I’m cool on that right now. I love having my nieces and nephews over, and they love coming over. Who am I to deny them access to their favorite person?” I joked.
“Whatever, Basil. Stop using my kids as a distraction.”
“I’m not using ya kids, Sheena. Right now, I’m just focused on opening my daycare. If or when I want to go out, I’ll do just that. You acting like I ain’t got me a few dimes in my pocket for a rainy day.”
“Boy, please! It never rains your way, because you’re always working or stealing my kids.”
I laughed as I stood in line to place my order.
“Just have my shooters ready by six. Where my bighead brother at?”
“Okay, and he’s on the road. He’s supposed to be back this evening.”
“Then this is perfect for y’all. I know he’s been gone for a few days, so this is the perfect time to get y’all some alone time.”
“Yeah, yeah. I’ll have them ready.”
“Bet. Tell Sahira I’ll be there as soon as I’m done.”
