“Good. Harlem?”
“Yes, ma’am?”
“Why are you still standing in the house instead of in the car on the way here?”
I chuckled. “We’re moving right now. See you soon.” She ended the call before I could say another word. I grabbed Baby’s hand and my keys and tugged her to the garage door in the kitchen.
“Dang, slow down.”
“Look at you. Got us late, taking your time getting dressed and ready. Now got ya mama all over me and your daddy side-eyeing me,” I complained, locking the door.
She giggled. “Sir, that was you trying to get some bumps and grinds in before we left.”
“How does she know we were still here anyway?”
“She’s got my location.”
I groaned and pulled the car door open and all but pushed her inside before I ran to the driver’s side. I peeled out of the garage and headed toward the mall.
“Harlem, what are we doing at the mall? You just told my mama we wouldn’t be late.”
“Listen, I need to pick up another item before we head to the bakery. Your mama will be just fine.”
“Uhm, okay. I’d love to see that.”
“Trust me, your mama loves me.”
She giggled. “Secretly, I think she does. She’s always asking about you, and her neighbor asked about you the last time that I was over there. I asked her how she knew about you, and she said that my mama was always bragging about you.”
I smirked and led her to the rear of the mall. We stopped outside of a dark store, and I pulled a set of keys from my pocket and handed them to Baby.
“What are these for?”
“Open the door and you will see.”
She looked at me hesitantly, with confusion written all over her beautiful, smooth features.
The space was filled with pink and yellow balloons. They were tied to fixtures, floating in the air, affixed to stands and an arch and hiding people.
“Surprise, Baby!” her parents, her brothers, and Palmer shouted, stepping from behind the balloons.
“Ohhh!” She screeched. Startled, she jumped back and bumped into me.
I made a safe space for her in my arms, rubbing her arms as she calmed down, acclimating herself to the sight of her family and best friend.
“Oh, my goodness. What is this? What’s that?” She pointed to the rear of the retail space where a sign hung that read, “Welcome to Baby Got Buns II.”
She turned and looked at me in confusion. “I don’t understand, Harlem.”
I wrapped her in my arms. “Happy birthday, Baby. This is my gift to you.”
Her eyes watered up, and she replied, “I don’t understand.”
Everyone laughed, and I broke it down that the mall belonged to a corporation ran by my grandfather, and he bequeathed the corporation to CJ in his will. CJ had a vacancy coming up because a tenant was moving out, and I leased the space from him to open a second shop for her. All she needed to do was hire the staff.
“I’ve paid off your bank loans for your main store at the Old Barrington Heights location.”
The tears that had bubbled up now spilled over as she sobbed into her hands. I pulled her into my arms and kissed her head as her mother and Palmer sighed. “Aww.”
