“Oh. I’m so sorry. This was your weekend. I hope I didn’t do anything to mess with y’all’s time together.”
“My time with MJ is always my priority. My mom takes him at least once a month to spend the night with her. I get him every weekend and pick him up from school every day during the week.”
“Oh, okay. That’s beautiful.”
I nodded.
“You want some breakfast before you leave?” She asked, deliberately trying to avoid too much eye contact.
“No, I’m good, but I will be back here around five today. Don’t make any other plans.”
“I hear you.” She walked to the kitchen, and I watched her long legs move the whole way to her fridge. I walked up behind her. When she turned with the orange juice in her hand, she bumped into my solid chest.
“You scared me. How do you creep like that?” Again, she was avoiding my eyes. I tucked my hand under her chin and made her look at me.
“That ain’t for you to worry about. I gotta go, but I’ll be back. Your night belongs to me, Dyami.” I drove the point home. I kissed her lips and walked out the door.
I was able to make a few calls and tie some things together last night while Dyami was in the shower, but I had a few loose ends to tie up. She was going to have the experience she deserved.
When I got to my mom’s house, MJ had a backpack full of snacks waiting for me at the door. The feeling I always got when I saw my boy at the door waiting for me, looking out with anticipation, shot me straight in the heart. Ma ass had to keep a firm grip on his hand until I parked in the driveway.
“Daddy!” I heard him shout as soon as my feet touched the pavement.
“Let him go, Ma. He good.”
An ounce of freedom from her grip, and MJ dashed right to me.
“You had fun with Grandma?” I asked.
“Yeah, look at my bookbag. Grandma gave me some stuff.”
“I already know.”
I strapped him in his seat, waved my mother goodbye, and we hit the road. To think about how scared I was to be a father, it was starting to get so easy. We had a routine, and more than anything, we had a relationship. One I cherished deeply. I wanted him to meet Dyami soon. I knew it would happen, but I had to be careful. Not because I was unsure, but because she was. When she is locked in completely, I know he will love her just as I do.
“Can we go to Cedar Point today?” MJ asked. I scrunched my face and looked at him through the rearview mirror.
“What do you know about Cedar Point?”
“I saw an ad for it on YouTube when I was watching my tablet.”
“First of all, it’s eight in the morning. Cedar Point is two hours away.” I laughed.
“Okay, well, can we go to the park at least?”
“Now that one you got.”
I let my boy play around at the park for a few hours until he tired himself out. We grabbed lunch, and I dropped him back off at his mom's, who was more amicable than usual today. I would appreciate it while it lasted because as soon as she got wind of Dyami, I’m sure it would be a hurdle to get through.
I sped through my to-do list, checking on both sides of my business, and then finished orchestrating what I neededfor Dyami’s and my night. I was right back at her house as promised. When I knocked, she answered promptly.
“You never said what we were doing, so I didn’t know how to dress.” She admitted stepping back to allow me inside.
“You look perfect. This is just about us anyway.”
“So, what are we doing?” She pressed again.
“You’ll see. I would pack a bag, though. We won’t be back here until tomorrow afternoon.”
