Page 129 of Mia

“I nice, Ty Ty.”

She kissed his cheek, then started playing in his hair. She fisted a handful of it and sniffed his locs. Scrunching up her face, she pulled back and looked at him.

“It stink.”

I stifled a laugh. “That’s his hair oil, Juri.”

“It stinks, TiTi. My hair smells good. See.”

She grabbed his face and shoved her big puff balls in it.

“Juri!” Romi scolded. “Uncle Titan doesn’t want a mouthful of your hair, little girl.”

Juri looked at Titan, who was indeed pulling her hair from his mouth.

“Him okay,” she said, patting his arm and smiling. “Love you, Ty Ty!”

He shook his head. “I love you too, JuJu.”

“You got some monies for me?”

Titan cackled. “Ju, why are you always hustling my pockets, lil’ girl? Your daddy got it.”

“She ain’t ask me,” Smoke said, grinning. “Ju, tell him to run you yo’ munyun!”

“Run me my funyuns!” Juri said, her hand out.

“How are you gonna demand money but can’t say it right?”

Juri tapped her palm impatiently. Titan shook his head and pulled out his money clip. As soon as he pulled the wad of bills out, the rest of the kids came over with their hands out too.

“Damn, just finesse your uncle!” he said jokingly as he peeled off a wad of twenties and passed them out. My brothers laughed, like they weren’t about to be next.

“Now go get another twenty from your daddies and uncles.”

One by one, the kids went to my brothers with their hands out. They too had to pull out the money clips and break them off.

“Don’t forget Pop Pop!” I added.

My father’s head snapped in my direction. “That’s cold.”

“Just so y’all know, Charm said you all can pass her funds over to her mommy,” Shar said, rubbing her belly.

“DJ said the same,” Romi added, making the same motion.

“Baby Dillinger agrees,” Neha chimed in.

Senior sighed. “I’m finna run away. Y’all stay in my pockets.”

Deuce chuckled. “Nobody told you to have six kids and adopt their spouses as your kids too.”

“Nobody told y’all to be so damn fertile either.”

“Pot meet kettle.”

“Shut up, Stanley.”

The room erupted with laughter. It wasn’t a family moment if somebody wasn’t uttering that phrase. Just then, a nurse came out and approached us.