Page 78 of Mia

“Who said this was a good idea?” Quaid asked beside me. “Y’all are turning me into a pothead. I’ve never smoked this much.”

Maceo chuckled. “You wanted to hang with the big dogs, my nigga. Don’t complain now.”

“Right,” Smoke agreed. “I know you and Jaeda use to burn it down before she got pregnant.”

Quaid grinned. “We did. My baby loved her a good glass of wine, a blunt, and a Lego set after a long day.”

I laughed. “Their asses be in there high as shit, cosplaying. I’d bet money that’s how she got that baby.”

All laughter stopped as Senior and his sons looked at Quaid. My boy was grinning like hell. He didn’t bother to dispute my claims, and he certainly wasn’t bothered by their glares.

“We’re grown and married, and one of those outfits definitely is responsible for the conception of my son. Deal with it.”

He shrugged as he took another pull from the blunt. Smoke picked up a pillow and tossed it at him.

“Keep playing with me about my sister, nigga.”

“I’ll just keep playing with⁠—”

Senior cut Quaid off. “A’ight now. That’s my baby. Don’t get beside yourself.” He shook his head. “I ain’t ready for this shit, man. I just knew my girls would stay single a little bit longer, now both of them are married. I ain’t ready to let go.”

Deuce frowned. “Don’t start that sentimental shit, Senior. You gon’ fuck up my high.”

“Shut the fuck up,” Senior said. “Let me be sad about my babies growing up on me. Just wait until it’s Darlyn with a boyfriend.”

“Darlyn ain’t getting a boyfriend and she ain’t allowed to get married either.”

He said that with all seriousness.

Senior shook his head. “Strict parents create sneaky children. That’s why you have to have an open and honest line of communication with your kids. That’s not to say they won’t still sneak to do some shit, but at least they know they can come to you. If you don’t let her date within reason, she’s gonna go behind your back, and that will be an even bigger problem.”

Deuce waved him off. “I hear you and I understand all that, but she’s my baby girl. You think any of us are about to be around her with our daughters, talking about, Daddy, meet my boyfriend? Fuck outta here!”

Steel shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m okay with Nayelli having a boyfriend when she’s old enough. I just wanna meet the lil’ nigga and his people before I agree. Jaeda will be on standby for background checks.”

Smoke pulled from his blunt before speaking. “Y’all have one girl. I have four. Four! I gotta go through that shit four times and I know JuJu is gonna be the one to test me like no other.”

“Cause she bad as hell!” Maceo said.

“She ain’t bad,” Smoke defended with a grin. “She’s just her daddy’s child. My baby said she has to show y’all her preemie status wasn’t shit. She’s a no-limit soldier. That’s my sensitive lil’ thug.”

“She has one more time to pop me in my head and me and your little thug are gonna fight,” I said. “I let her put them bows in my shit the other day and she jerked the hell outta my head.”

Smoke chuckled. “Be your ass still then.”

“Man, that ain’t nothing,” Jakobi said. “Me and Nay were watching them the other day, and she popped the shit outta me with my wave brush. That’s what I get for letting her little ass help.”

Smoke frowned. “So what I’m hearing is y’all beefing with my baby because of something you willingly let her do? Make that make sense.”

Senior shook his head. “Ain’t no talking to him. He doesn’t see any wrong in that little girl. You’re gonna be her biggest enabler, son.”

“Nah, I won’t. I talk shit, but I correct her. I don’t know what kind of genes Patrick’s bitch ass had, but they won’t be taking over my baby. On my mama, I’m erasing every trace of him in her. He doesn’t deserve any lingering attachments to my daughter. If I could dig that bitch up and kill him again, I would.”

“I feel you on that,” I said, taking a sip of my beer. “Some niggas deserve to die a thousand times.”

They all looked at me for a moment. Senior was the first to speak.

“How are you, son?” he asked.