They loved Basil. There was no way I could let this man leave my life now that my kids had imprinted on him. They all shareda special bond with him, and it only made sense for me to fall in line as well. The man was pure comfort and love wrapped in BDE and a hint of thug.
He scoffed. “You know what? You’re right. I apologize. I just feel like this shit isn’t a coincidence that, as soon as I move out, you move him in, and now he’s playing nanny to my kids.”
“What the fuck do you care, Leo? You walked ou—mm mm,” I said, stopping myself from going off on him. “You know what? Nope. I’m not doing this. Stay right here while I go get them.” I hurried and walked away from him before I kicked him in his family jewels. When I entered the kitchen, the kids were finished with their food, while my mom and Rae talked about whatever they were talking about.
“Dang, you were gone for a minute, huh?” Raeley asked, smiling at me.
“Not right now, Rae. Come on, babies. Your dad is here to pick you all up.”
“You let that bi—person in here?”
“Yes,” I replied, taking Carlee from her high chair and putting her shoes on.
“Do we really have to go, Mom?” Carsyn asked.
“Yes, baby. It’s his weekend to get you guys. Please, be good, okay?”
“And tell useverythingthat goes on over there,” my mom told them.
“Mommy, don’t tell them that.”
“What do you mean? We don’t trust a nigga that didn’t want his kids, and now he does, all of a sudden. I wish you would have gotten full custody because this shit is fishy as fuck.”
“Mommy! Language. And stop talking like that in front of them, please?”
“Alicia. Do not piss me off. I swear I should have put some savage in you. You acting like a damn ditzy blonde when it comes to that fool.”
I ignored her and ushered the kids out of the kitchen.
When Leo saw them, he smiled at them and opened his arms to hug them. I watched them give him half-hearted hugs, and when I went to pass Carlee to him, she held on to me tightly.
“No!”
“Come on, baby. Go with your daddy.”
“No! Me no want!” She wrapped her legs and arms around me tighter. I feared this would happen. She barely knew him. As I’d stated before, Leo rarely, if ever, spent time with them, so it was easy for Carlee to reject him like she was.
“Carlee, you don’t want to come with Daddy? I got the whole living room set up like a camp. We’re going to eat S’mores and watch all the Disney movies.”
“No! Baye-Baye come!”
“You will see him later, munchkin. It’s time to go with Daddy,” I urged.
“Noooo!” she wailed, and I dropped my head in defeat.
Leo scoffed. “This wouldn’t be a thing if you hadn’t allowed that nigga to take my place. My own daughter doesn’t even want to come to me. I never had this problem before.”
I frowned and looked at him as if he’d asked to spit in my mouth.
“Babies, go upstairs for a minute. Let me talk to your daddy.” I ushered them toward the stairs and waited for them to go up. “Mom!” I yelled. It only took her three seconds to enter the living room. I had to wonder if she was already making her way to me since she heard Carlee crying.
“What’s going on?” she asked.
“Can you please take her to the family room. I need to talk to Leo right quick.” I handed her off to her, then turned to my ugly-assbaby daddy.
“Whatever you have to say, Alicia, I really don’t want to hear it. You had to have been fucking that nigga behind my back for my daughter to be so attached to him!”
I eased toward him until we were just inches apart and looked him dead in his eyes.
