It was apparent that no one was getting any more sleep. Emorey wasn’t having that shit. Essence hadn’t said much, but I could tell that she wasn’t having that shit either. The sun was up, and they were both ready to get their day started.
“Alright.” I laughed, finally realizing how my parents must’ve felt.
Emorey and Essence were my first glimpse into fatherhood, and though it had only been a few hours, I was loving the shit. Down to the squeaky voice of the little girl who refused to let anyone be.
“You get up?”
“Yes. I’m going to get up. You want some breakfast?”
“I do!” Essence yelled, raising her hand in the air.
“Me too,” Ever agreed.
“Then, let’s get washed up and go grab something to eat.”
“They’re supposed to be headed to school.”
“Unfortunately, they aren’t,” I informed Ever. “They’re taking the day off to hang with us.”
“Luca,” Ever warned. “I don’t think you’re ready for Thing One and Thing Two.”
“Then I’d better start getting ready. What better day than today?”
“I have missed them so much since they’ve been away. Maybe I need this day with them, too.”
“See.” I shrugged.
“Come on, girls. Let's get you guys dressed and your teeth brushed, and I’m going to see what I can do about these heads.” Ever touched Emorey’s brownish blonde hair and shook her head from side to side.
Essence was already at the door waiting. I’d been around them for enough hours to determine their personalities. Emorey was the outgoing one, and Essence was the chillest. I could rock with Essence. That’s exactly how I lived my life, observing instead of engaging.
The three of them disappeared, leaving me to do something with myself. Before I began, I wanted to clear my head and have a few drags of my blunt. I stepped out onto the balcony and lit fire to my spliff. Channing was the most beautiful city with an undefeated skyline. My view from the hillside allowed me to see almost 80 percent of the city from my balcony. The view was one of a kind.
I peered into the distance with the blunt to my lips. If my life for the last week was any indication of how my life would be outside of the FEDs, then I was in love with this motherfucker already. Not only did I have more money than I did when I went in, but I had the most beautiful soul at my side, and she came with two children that looked just like her ass. I was winningin every realm that I considered priorities. My family was good. Neither of them were stressed or worried about a fucking thing.
My only goal as far as they stood was releasing the guilt Lyric felt for my incarceration. By breaking those chains and releasing that hold on her, she could finally fall in love again. I wanted that for her. She was a good woman. She deserved it.
After a few puffs, I smashed the blunt into the concrete and headed inside. I needed to shower and get myself together before the girls started to get impatient. It was going to be a simple day, so I opted for a Nike shorts combination with a pair of black and white Ones to match. Once my clothing was chosen, I headed for the shower.
Just as I emerged, Ever appeared in the bathroom, naked and ready for her shower as well. It took everything in me not to bend her ass over the counter and fuck her until she came, but I knew that would only cause me to have to shower again and keep the girls waiting longer.
“I just need two minutes in here, and I’ll be out.”
“Aight,” I responded, pulling my briefs over my ass.
With children present, I knew that there were some precautions I had to take to protect us all. Like, making sure I was decent before leaving the bathroom in the event they were in my room when I exited. And fucking Ever any and everywhere I could, would have to be cut to a minimum. When the children were around, I’d try to limit it to spaces with doors and locks so that we could have total privacy.
By the time Ever put on her clothes and met us downstairs, we were all waiting by the door and ready to roll. We stepped out as a unit, the girls in some of the new pieces I’d bought them and Ever looking as fly as ever in the gray two-piece short set that matched mine. She wore slides to match. I imagined her wobbling beside me in a few short months as she carried my seedeverywhere we went until I could hold him in my arms myself. Even the thought got me excited.
“The truck is this way,” she redirected me, but I still managed to pull her in the opposite direction.
“I got something to show you right quick.”
She followed me around the driveway and toward the back of the house where the garage was. I’d already let it up while we were inside waiting. When we rounded the corner and she saw the wrapped Mercedes Sprinter, her eyes widened with joy. Ever’s forward movement halted as she turned back to look at me. I couldn’t hide my own joy even if I wanted to.
“Baby?” Her voice cracked as she tried hiding her face.
“Cry baby.” I chuckled, mocking her. “Baby.”
