“The pleasure is all ours,” Iyana said, smiling hard.
“Where’s my Chunks?”
“Right here.” Jasmine brought her over. The way Scottlyn got excited when she saw him made me wonder if she had forgotten about her daddy. The way she acted with Truce as if he was the center of her universe made me wonder if I was wrong for allowing him to be more to us than just his niece and brother’s baby mama. I erased thoughts of Damien from my thoughts as I watched Scottlyn literally jump out of Jas’s arms into her uncle’s.
“Chunky mama. I missed you,” he said, blowing strawberries on her neck as he often did. “I got a surprise for you.”
“What is it?” I asked as if he were talking to me.
“Dang, you nosy!”
I laughed. “Whatever.”
“Come on.” He took me by the hand, and the girls were watching my every move and smiling way too hard. I knew for a fact I would be spilling the tea later.
Truce led me through the living room and dining room to the back of the house, where the garage was. “Grab her right quick and stand right here.”
I did as instructed and waited for him to come back from the garage. When he appeared with the huge box that held a Barbie jeep, I shook my head at him. He went back to the garage and came back with three shopping bags. I saw the Cartier logo on one of them as he handed them to me.
“Okay, come on!” He was too excited for us to see the gifts.
“You’d think it was your birthday with the way you’re acting… Wait, when is your birthday?” I asked.
“March third. Yours?”
“We’re exactly two months apart. I’m May third.”
“Noted.” He winked as we headed back to the living room.
While Truce busied himself with taking out the Barbie truck, I sat in one of the chairs with Scottlyn, watching him. Alex had finally come back with the pizza and drinks and began talking to Truce while he worked on putting the truck together.
“You know we want to know, right?” Iyana asked, coming over and sitting next to me while Amber, Marcy, and Jas followed.
“Later, I promise.”
“Mmhmm. Girl, he is fine,fine! That fucking hair. Lawd, I don’t even like men with hair, but baby, he is doing it for me! I have to know where the fuck you've been, when you got rid of that loser, and how you came back with this Grecian God of a man,” Marcy said.
“Not too much on it, Marce,” I told her, blushing something terrible.
“I know that’s you, sis, so I’m not trying to cross any lines. I’m just pointing out the obvious. Makes me want to find a nigga with a face and hair like that.”
“Bring me my Chunks, Empress.”
“Empressss! Mmhmm! Gone on, sis,” Iyana said as I laughed and stood, taking Scottlyn over to him.
He took her from my arms and placed her inside the jeep. I took out my phone, recording them, enjoying every moment. “You do know her short, chunky legs can't reach the petals, right?” I laughed.
“They will eventually. Stop coming for my Chunks.”
“So, Truce… How long have you and my bestie been kicking it?” Iyana asked, walking over to us.
He smirked. “Not long, but it feels like a lifetime.”
“What's not long?”
“Iyana…” I said, nudging her with my elbow.
“What? I’m just asking the regular bestie questions. Geesh.”
