Page 59 of Senior

“We’re good, baby. Don’t forget Petra is coming to eat with us.”

She smiled. “I haven’t forgotten. I can’t wait to see her.”

She crossed the room and kissed Jakobi on the lips before skipping happily out of the room. He smiled as he watched her leave.

“How are you feeling about finally becoming a father?” I asked.

“I scared as fuck, Unc, but I’m ready to meet my baby girl.”

With Renay having a hysterectomy, she wasn’t able to carry their daughter. They’d considered IVF but Jakobi refused to put her through the emotional and mental toll it could take on her with trying to retrieve eggs. Finally, they decided on a surrogate. After searching two years for the perfect one, they met Petra.

At this point, she was a professional surrogate with this being the fourth baby she carried for a couple. She was very knowledgeable and competent in prenatal care as a pediatric nurse herself. Of course, Jaeda had done a thorough background check on her to ensure she was on the up and up.

Everything came back good, so they moved forward with having her inseminated. A few weeks later, she called saying she was pregnant. Now here she was seven months later, carrying a healthy baby girl.

“Y’all started shopping yet?” I asked.

He chuckled. “Unc, I’m not gonna lie, I got her room ready. I know Grams said it’s bad luck, but we were excited. I made sure she came over to pray and bless the space when we were done. I’m just ready to hold my baby.”

I chuckled. “I been there, nephew.”

“Yeah, six, might as well say seven damn times.”

“Fuck you. My point is, ain’t no love like the love between a father and his kids. I know you’re gonna be a great father to this little girl. She’s probably spoiled already.”

He grinned. “No lie, I already have her first necklace and bracelet made too. Nae said she can’t have it ‘til she’s like three though. Why my baby can’t stunt on them?”

“Because she’s a baby, Kobi,” Renay said walking back into the room with a bottle of water for both of us even though we said we didn’t need anything.

“See what I mean by nosy?” I said, taking the bottle. “We said we were good, Nae. You over here eavesdropping and shit.””

“Take the damn water before I make my husband fuck up this beard since you bald as hell. Don’t talk back to me about my southern hospitality.”

“Okay, damn!” I took the water as she shoved it into my hand. “Happy?”

Jakobi grinned as she walked away. “Damn I love her.”

“You’re in danger, son.”

“I love it here. Now be still before I really fuck yo’ shit up. Whoever you getting snazzy for will have a good laugh.”

“Just hurry the hell up.”

We shared a laugh as he went back to lining my beard and eyebrows up. Before I left, he gave my head a nice shining. I tossed him a few bills before heading out. Renay was in the kitchen jamming and cooking, so I went to say goodbye. She walked me to the door and as soon as it opened, there stood Romi and Smoke, preparing to enter.

“Where are my babies?” I asked looking around them.

Smoke frowned. “Damn, Pops. You can’t even speak? It’s always the kids first like I ain’t one of yours.”

I kissed my teeth and turned to kiss my daughter in-law. “Hey, baby girl. Where are they?”

“With Ms. Allison for the weekend,” she said, grinning.

“They do have other grandparents, Senior,” Smoke said. “You can’t hog them.”

“Nigga, shut up,” I said, mushing his big ass. “You always worried about me and my grandkids. That’s why you and your brothers ain’t welcomed at my house when I have them.”

“You ain’t doing me no disservice, old man. I will drop them off and take my ass back home since you want them so bad.”