Page 40 of Senior

Wasn’t shit weird about it to me.

We shared the same baby daddy. We helped each other raise his kids so they could have relationships. How was that weird? If you ask me, that should be the standard. We had a common denominator, Senior. He was adamant about his kids being close and we had the emotional maturity to make that happen. I loved his children like they were my own.

I loved Allison and Tavia’s other kids too. To them, I was Auntie or Mama Steph. Just like I’d been present for each of their kids with him, I was present for their kids with Alec and Hershel. We were family, period.

“Nobody told you to go have a baby in your late forties,” Allison reminded her.

“Girl, shut up. You and Alec almost had a scare your damn selves.”

“A scare. Not a full-term pregnancy and birth. How is my little munchkin, anyway?”

“She’s a damn menace. She’s been around her cousins and nephew too damn much. Every time I turn around, Kerrion has my baby and every time she comes back, she’s picked up on something new from those kids.”

Allison laughed. “I don’t even have to ask which kid. It’s gotta be Juri and KJ.”

“You know it.”

They kept talking, and I was listening, but at the same time I wasn’t. My mind was on Senior and how after all this time we managed to fall right back into the same song and dance we’d been doing since I was fifteen years old. Love was a crazy thing. It tested the boundaries of common sense at times.

“You’re being real quiet over there,” Allison said. “Are you okay?”

“I slept with Senior,” I blurted out.

They both looked at me, then at each other before breaking into laughter.

“You held out longer than I thought you would,” Tavia said.

“Damn, we should have made that bet,” Allison added.

I frowned. “Excuse y’all?”

Tavia rolled her eyes. “Steph, we’ve been around a long time, babe. We always knew it was never really over between you and Senior. I’m surprised you married Aaron at all, God rest his soul. He was a good man, and he was good for you, but he was safe.”

“Meaning?”

Tavia sighed. “Meaning he was low risk. Predictable. Dependable. He was emotionally stable and didn’t come with baggage, all of which are great qualities⁠—”

“He was boring,” Allison stated bluntly.

“Allison!” Tavia exclaimed.

“Respectfully! You see who the two of us married. I love Alec. He compliments me in every way. It took a minute for me to get used to this soft life I live, because y’all know I was with the ratchet shit. But I love it now. I know Tavia does too. But you… baby, you love a little chaos and by chaos, I mean Senior.”

“First of all, it thrilled me until I had a child. Then I had to grow the hell up.” I sighed. “I’ve been with that man off and on for most of my life. I can’t turn off this hold he has on me.”

“Why do you have to if that’s where you want to be?” Tavia asked. “I know we give that man hell, but he’s changed a lot now that he’s retired. He’s calmer. He’s not out here in the streets. The man is the most reliable I’ve ever seen him and that says a lot because Senior has always been dependable. He just wants to be with his kids and his grandkids. They talk shit, but they love having him just be their father and not their boss.”

“Say that again,” Allison agreed. “They are even more annoying about that damn man now that they are grown. All I hear from Maceo and Smoke is my daddy this and my daddy that. Fuck your bald-headed ass daddy. I pushed their big head, broad shoulder asses out and all they wanna talk to me about is food and Senior.”

I laughed. “Damn, Allison. Are you offended?”

“Yes I am. Shit.” She took a sip of her wine. “All that aside, I’m forever grateful that they have him. I’ve never met a man that loves his kids as hard as Senior does. Don’t get me wrong, my husband loves his children. Senior is just a different breed.”

We all nodded in agreement.

“Do y’all think I’m moving too fast?”

Tavia giggled. “It’s a little late to ask that, sister girl.”