Tuck
Piper and I would love to have her there. We’re keeping the guest list small to keep reporters away.
Piper’s dad had confessed to using blood-doping agents on his horses early this year. It had been a huge scandal that’d broken out a couple of months before Piper’s own horse—not associated with her father’s thoroughbred farm—had won the Kentucky Derby. His confession had earned him a hefty fine, a lifetime ban from horse racing, and a five-year ban on betting. He’d missed jail time since the person who’d administered the drugs was the farm’s veterinarian.
Chris
Bet. Ttyl. Gotta feed a hungry baby and have a tea party with the 5yo.
Lamont
#FamilyGoals
Chris smiled. Theirs wasn’t the stereotypical family, but over the past couple of weeks, he’d come to feel like theywerea family, though he didn’t know if Erykah felt the same way or was merely tolerating his presence.
His mind reverted to the day before, when she’d leaned against his palm and stared up at him with big eyes that were signaling consent for a kiss. At least, that’s what he’d believed until his mom had called and interrupted.
“What do you think, Ash?” he whispered. “Does your aunt like me?”
Ash looked at him likeFeed me.
“Right. Sorry, baby girl.”
Ashe prepared the bottle, Chris turned on the tea kettle. How could he pour the tea so it wouldn’t burn Cheyenne’s mouth?Aren’t tea sets plastic?He needed to use a different liquid. Maybe Asher would’ve used apple juice since Cheye enjoyed it so much. He grabbed the bottle from the fridge, then made sandwiches.
“Cheyenne,” he called.
Footsteps pounded. “Yes?”
“Do you have a tea set?”
“Yes,” she said earnestly. “I’ll be back.” Her little arms pumped as she left the kitchen in a hurry.
Watching her was equal parts amusement and awe versus the very real tension of being exhausted from her energy. She quickly brought a tea set in.
“I’ll get the tea and snacks ready, okay?” Hopefully he would cut the sandwiches to her liking.
“And I’ll get the hats and feathers.”
He frowned.Feathers?
By the time Cheye walked into the living room, Chris had the coffee table set up as the makeshift tea table. Sure enough, Erykah’s niece walked into the room wearing a hat ... and feathers. More accurately, she wore a neon pink feather boa. She placed a small hat on his head and gave him a green boa.
“Now you look like Daddy would.”
He’d called it. Asher played dress-up and gave tea parties for his daughter. Chris could only pray he was doing the man proud and not disappointing him or his daughter. Stepping into the role of caregiver came with so many mixed emotions. No wonder Erykah needed a breather.
Chris pushed away his thoughts and smiled brightly for Cheyenne. “Should we take a picture?”
“Yes. We have to.”
He grabbed his cell and adjusted Ash in his arms while she inhaled her bottle. “Saycheese.”
“Cheese,” Cheyenne yelled cheerfully.
Chris would have to show Erykah when she came back, but for now, he’d be present with her nieces and learn the ways of a successful tea party.
Twenty-One
