Page 62 of A Don & His Doll

Monroe looked back and forth at the three cards that remained in his hand, then shook his head. "Nah! Yo' lil' ass cheated," Monroe shot, leaning his back against the couch.

Sienna laughed so hard she could barely breathe.

"Cheated!" Monae shot back. "You was talkin' real jazzy on the phone, Dad. What happened?"

"Mannn, we 'bout to run it back. I gotta watch you," Monroe said, sitting up straight.

"How I cheat?" Monae asked, with her head leaned dramatically to the side.

"You was shufflin' funny," Monroe murmured.

"What!" Monae laughed.

"But you the one who shuffled these cards," Monae said, grabbing them from the table. "It's Mommy's turn to shuffle now tho."

"Mhm," Monroe said, feeling salty. "I'm definitely watchin' yo' cheatin' ass," Monroe stated, remembering the games he and Sienna used to play back in the day.

Sienna laughed. "We never played UNO.

"I know we didn't, but I know you ain't forgot all them spades games we used to play." The beam of recognition shined in Sienna's eyes.

"One thing about me though. I ain't never got to cheat you to beat you." She winked, dealing the cards.

Monroe watched her like a hawk. "I see yo ass is still lyin' 'bout it too."

Monae hollered laughing, loving the banter between her parents. They played back and forth for another ten or fifteen minutes until Monroe shouted. "UNO!"

Monae had one card in her hand, and Sienna had four. They went around the table again, and Monae ended up drawing two more cards. "OUT!"

Monroe shouted, slamming his card on the table. "See, that first hand was just a warm-up. I'm ready now," Monroe boasted.

Now it was Monae sitting there with a sour face, but she wasn't mad. She was competitive. She grabbed the cards and shuffled them about eight times, trying to make sure the deck was thoroughly mixed. She didn't want to get the same cards she previously had in her hand. Monroe cut the cards, then tapped the top.

"That ain't gone help you," Monae said, dealing the cards.

Monroe chuckled again. "We'll see."

Monae smiled hard as soon as she picked up her hand. Sienna laughed instantly.

"Aww shit, Muffin… Why you cheesin’ like that?"

She didn't respond.

"It's on you, dad."

Monroe chuckled. "She just tryna keep a good attitude. It take a strong person to lose back to back."

Monae nodded her head, humbly. Monroe played a blue 5, Sienna put down a blue 0, then Monae slapped six DRAW FOUR cards down at the same time. "UNO!" She shouted, then started two-stepping to Tamia's Can't Get Enough.

"Hell nah! You can't do that," Monroe was mad.

"You know the rules, Daddy," Monae stated with ease. "You shuffled too, remember."

“Nah, y’all set a nigga up,” Monroe accused.

Sienna fell straight back, laughing so hard tears streamed down her cheeks.

"I ain't did nothin',” Sienna denied.