Chapter 34

34

Ahmad

T he next morning everyone gathered in the kitchen for breakfast. I had the chef come prepare a feast and the housekeeper came through early this morning to clean up. Last night was so lit that I woke up with a hangover. Never had I ever drank so much in my life, but because I had already told Saleem what I had planned, he brought five bottles of 1942 and some weed that had me feeling like I was floating. I couldn't lie, even with the hangover, it was the most fun I'd had in all my years.

Once the drinks started flowing, the old people retreated to their respective quarters along with Rabbit, and we had a time. Bunny was in her bag last night. After getting fucked up, we went inside my playroom and let's just say if I wasn't in love with her ass before, she definitely had me simping bad now.

"All of y'all look like you've had a rough night," my soon to be mother-in-law, Charlotte, said as she giggled.

"Everybody except for me!" Pure pouted. I chuckled. "I can't wait to have this baby. Y'all up here having a time while my pregnant ass had to sit in the corner recording."

"You did what's supposed to be done," Saleem told her.

"Was I talking to you? You're just happy to sit me down because you know how I am. I would have been swinging from that crystal chandelier."

"Not that chandelier," I spoke up.

"Definitely that one. You would have had to bill me later." We all laughed.

"Well, since this is y'all last day here, we're going to have game night tonight. No heavy drinks. I actually don't want to see another drink for a while," I said, sipping my orange juice.

"Lightweight," Saleem jested.

"I am. I haven't drunk like that since Ash's twenty-first birthday."

"Speaking of Ashton… Where is he?"

"Right here," he announced, coming around the corner with Latrice following.

"Latrice? I thought you went home?" Bunny asked, looking between her and my brother. I chuckled because I already knew what went down after seeing them hugged up all night.

"Umm… yeah, I wasn't going to make it back home. I had too much to drink last night."

Bunny giggled. "I figured."

"Well, you may as well come have breakfast since you're here," my mother said.

"Oh, no thanks, I'm going to go—"

"Nah… I ain't ready for you to go yet," Ashton said, pulling out a chair for her. "Have a seat." Latrice looked around the room then took a seat as Ashton sat next to her. Nala bumped my leg as she smiled and ate her food. I shook my head knowing Ashton's sap ass had already put a claim on her.

"Ashton," Nala called out.

"What's up, sis?"

"I'm sure she has to go. Right Trice?"

"She's where she wants to be. Ain't that right, Trice ?"

Latrice blushed lightly then looked at Nala. Their eyes conveyed something that I couldn't understand, but they did.

"Surely I can spend one more night… If that's okay with your almost hubby."

"Aye, as long as y'all clean up behind yourselves, I don't care how long you stay. And please, don't use the same fork—"

"Baby. Stop," Nala said, placing her hand over my mouth. I kissed her fingers then her neck as she blushed.

"Pure, do you know what you're having?" Mama Charlotte asked.

"No… We want it to be a surprise. I'm hoping it's a girl, though, so we can drive him extra crazy." She laughed.

"You just love to torture me, don't you?"

"I live for it," she said, blowing a kiss at him.

"My mommy and daddy are going to give me siblings too!" Makari spoke up.

"Makari, don't you mean sibling?" Lionel asked.

"Nope. Daddy said they're going to give me two or three siblings."

"Oh Jesus," Nala said, placing her head in her hands.

"That's right, baby girl," I said, winking at her.

"She may be pregnant now with all the screaming she was doing downstairs," Pure whispered so only the adults could hear.

"Oh my God! You heard us?"

"Everybody did," everyone said simultaneously. Bunny covered her face as we all laughed.

"I told you to close the door," she scolded.

"A'ight, y'all chill."

"Yeah, I probably won't be listening to anymore Tank after that," Latrice jested. I shook my head as we continued to eat breakfast and make small talk.

"Rack 'em up, P!" Saleem yelled across the table to Pure.

I laughed at his impersonation of Jody from Baby Boy . They were in a heated game of dominoes with Ashton and Latrice, while Bunny, Mr. Lionel, me, and my moms were at the other table playing spades. Rabbit, Ms. Charlotte, and my pops were at the next table playing Trouble.

Pure frowned. "So you're just going to cheat on me like that?"

Saleem laughed. "It's dominoes, my baby. Mark my points."

"You only getting ten points."

"See, this is why you're not in control of our finances. You can't count. That's clearly twenty-five points."

"I was only joking! You always have to say stupid shit." Pure stood. "I don't want to play anymore." She pushed all the dominoes, making them scatter across the table then stormed away.

Nala playfully slapped his arm. "Saleem, why you making my friend mad?"

"Your friend is real sensitive lately. I was only joking."

"Hey, man, take it from me. You don't want to piss off a pregnant woman," Mr. Lionel said.

"Saleem, we've already seen her tear into you when you didn't get her ice cream. Please go check on her before she be don' packed her bags and hopped on the jet without you," my moms told him.

"Three more months, three more months, three more months," he chanted as he got up and went after her. "P, baby, I was just playing!"

I laughed. "Are you going to be like that?" I asked Bunny.

"I was actually pretty calm during my pregnancy."

Latrice coughed into her hand. "Liar!"

"What? You know I'm not lying!"

"Please. You freaking cried when we were watching The Princess and the Frog when those people told Tiana she couldn't get her restaurant."

"Do you know how hard it was for her to save that money? I cried for the poor girl."

Latrice laughed. "It's a freaking Disney movie."

"It's life!" Nala defended.

"Okay, girl, justify your actions."

"Let's play the next game since those two crazies left the game. What we got?" Ashton asked.

"Connect Four," Latrice replied.

"You just reneged, give us three books!" Nala said to her pops.

"I did not. Diamonds were played, sweetheart."

"Yeah, but last play you threw out a heart on a diamond… run it."

"Good job, baby." I winked. Feeling a tap on my arm, I looked over to see Rabbit rubbing her eyes.

"What's wrong, baby girl?"

"I'm sleepy."

"A'ight, let's get you to bed." I stood and picked her up.

"You don't want mommy to tuck you in, boop?"

Makari shook her head. "I want Daddy to do it."

Nala tossed up her hands. "Well, excuse me."

"Jealous?" I asked her, smiling.

"Nope. I'm just happy to be able to relax and not have to worry about doing it."

"And I'll always make sure you stay relaxed." I leaned down and pressed my lips against hers.

"Goodnight, Mommy. I love you," Kari said, getting down, hugging, and kissing her mother then raising her arms for me to pick her back up.

"Goodnight, Kari baby. I love you more. Spoiled butt." She laughed as I took Rabbit upstairs to her room and laid her down.

"You want a story time, rab?"

"Not tonight. I'm too sleepy to listen."

I chuckled. "I'll bet. You had an eventful weekend." She nodded. "A'ight. See you in the morning, baby. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Dad. I love you."

"I love you too, rab." I kissed her forehead and left the room.

My phone buzzed in my pocket as I took it out, looking at the caller ID, frowning at the unknown number. I contemplated on whether to answer, but it could have been one of my workers calling from the shop.

"Yo?"

"Is… Is this Play?" the woman's voice asked. The only people who called me by that name were street members. I didn't recall any female members though, so her asking threw me for a loop. "Hello? Are you there?"

"Who is this?"

"My name is Tasha… Slim's wife. Listen, I didn't call to make trouble, I just wanted to say thank you for what you did for me, and for the money—"

"Aye, I don't know how you got this number, but don't call this phone again." I hung up and blocked the number.

"Everything okay?" I turned to see Bunny standing behind me. I wasn't sure how much she heard, but I was hoping she didn't hear anything.

"Yeah, everything's good."

"Who was that on the phone?"

"Nobody important."

"Ahmad… Is this how you want to start this marriage off? Don't lie to me."

"It was Kari's sperm donor's wife."

"What? What did she say? How did she get your number?"

I could see the panic in her eyes as I took hold of her hand and pulled her into an empty room. I hurriedly shut the door after seeing Saleem's face in Pure's ass.

"This ain't no damn ho house!" I said as Bunny laughed. I took her down to our bedroom and closed the door. "Everybody in here christening my shit and we ain't even get a chance to." I fussed. I looked at Nala who was still waiting on an answer.

"She called me to thank me, but I told her not to call my number again. I don't know how she got it, but I'm sure she won't be calling again."

"Thank you for what?"

"I guess for taking the nigga out, and for the money I gave her and his other baby mamas."

"What? Ahmad, why would you pay those dusty bitches? They aren't any of your concern!"

"Baby… I did it because you ran off with the bag, and I'm pretty sure if he was bird-feeding you, he was doing the same to them. Only now, they don't even get a crumb. They still have kids to care for and since I took the nigga out, I felt like I should at least look out for them."

"How much?"

"How much what?"

"How much did you give them hos?"

"Baby…"

"Ahmad, don't piss me off."

"Fifty a piece."

"Fifty! Have you lost your mind?"

"What you beefing for, baby?"

"Because my man is giving bitches money who had kids with the nigga who tortured me mentally. They made their decisions, and it's not up to you to feel sorry for them."

"I know, Bunny, but what's done is done. Don't sweat the small shit… You're the one who came out on top," I told her, kissing her lips.

She smirked and rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Don't try to butter me up now."

"Did it work?"

"It did." Our lips connected as I kissed her deeply.

"I can't wait to give you my last name. I love you, girl."

"And I love you. Thank you for saving me." I brushed my lips against hers.

"Thank you for saving me too."