“Hi, Mommy’s tuggabutt. You ready to go with Daddy?” I asked as I picked her up from her playpen. She was already dressed in the super-cute Amiri shirt and tennis skirt Ghana had purchased for her a few days ago, with her all-white Jordan 4s. Now I was trying to figure out what to do with the mass of hair on her head.
I set her on the couch, giving her the Leapfrog toy, then proceeded to pull out what I needed for her hair from the hair basket I’d brought down with me.
I heard Ghana’s footsteps coming down the stairs and looked over to see him dressed in the same tan Amiri shirt as Taylor’s, black Amiri shorts, and all-white Jordan 4 sneakers on his feet. I subconsciously licked my lips, just staring at his fine ass.
He smiled at me when he approached, then bent to kiss my lips. “We can go for another round if you want,” he whispered.
Heat rose in my cheeks as I shook my head. “No, sir. I don’t want to make you late for your meeting. Chris is on his way to get Taylor, and I have to do something to her hair.”
“A’ight, go get dressed. I got this.” He motioned to the hair products.
I laughed. “Are you serious?”
“I am. I know what I’m doing. I had to learn a lot, taking care of my sister. Ashanti barely gave a fuck enough to do her hair for school half the time, so I had to learn how to make some shit happen for my baby sis.”
I hesitated for a minute until he took the brush from my hand, then picked Taylor up and put her on his lap. “Go get dressed, Ros.”
I smirked, then did what I was told. When I got to the room, I could see the same exact outfit as Taylor’s lying on the bed, and I smiled. I wasn’t a gym-shoe girly, but I would be for the man who came into my world and made me feel things I hadn’t felt since forever.
By the time I was dressed and coming down the stairs, Ghana was tying a ribbon around the big puff ball he put in Taylor’s head. It was slicked up nicely, and her little baby hairs framed her cute, round face. I was impressed and smiled at him after he tied the ribbon around her hair.
“Wow. You’re going to be a great substitute for hair when you have your own baby.” I beamed.
“Whenwehave our own baby,” he corrected.
I blushed and took Taylor from him, kissing her cheeks. The doorbell rang, indicating Chris’s arrival.
“I got it.”
“Ghana,” I said in a partially worried tone.
“It’s all good, Ros. The nigga gotta know you mine at one point. Calm down and put the baby in her seat so she can go withher pops,” he said, then proceeded to the door. He was right. Fuck Chris and his feelings.
I placed Taylor in her carrier and strapped her in. I then watched as Chris sized Ghana up, then came inside. “Autumn. What’s up with this? You didn’t think it was necessary to tell me you got another man around my daughter?” he asked, stepping into the living room.
I looked at him and smiled.
“Oh, hello, Christopher. How are you doing today? This is Ghana, my man, and soon-to-be future husband. Ghana, this is Christopher, Taylor’s father.”
“What up?” Ghana spoke, holding out his fist for a pound. Chris didn’t acknowledge it, and surprisingly, I could see that Ghana wasn’t offended by it. He only smirked at him clearly being in his feelings.
“How long has this been going on? You calling this nigga your future husband and got him around our baby. You didn’t think I needed to know?” he asked again.
“Aye, walk light on calling me a nigga. I’m a grown-ass man, just like you, so let’s be grown men and speak with respect. I only got one more fuck to give before shit go another way. Be thankful for this extension of grace due to Autumn and the baby y’all share.” He looked down at me. “Ros, answer his question, baby, so this man can get his daughter and have a good day before he leaves with a bad one.”
I tittered. “Sit your sexy ass down, and keep calm, sir,” I told him, smiling at him, then looked at Chris, who looked like he wanted to cry. “It’s only been a few weeks, but yes, he’s mine.” I walked over to the couch, picked up Taylor’s carrier, then walked her over to him. “I didn’t pack her a bag because I’m sure you have everything she needs.” I kissed my baby’s cheek. “Bye, bumblebee. I love you. See you next week, mamas.”
Chris looked like he wanted to throw himself on the floor and throw a tantrum, but he stormed off and out of the door without another word. I turned to Ghana, and he was looking at me with love in his eyes. I didn’t give a fuck about Chris’s feelings. Ghana was indeed my man, and I was his woman.
“When we get back from this meeting, I’m gon’ eat that kitty until I get lockjaw.”
I laughed and crashed my lips into his. There was no doubt in my mind that Ghana was all I wanted and needed.
Some Months Later . . .
The months rolled by quickly, and shit between Autumn and me had progressed rapidly. I mean, the shit was already moving fast when I first laid eyes on her, but now it was to the point I stayed at her house more than at the loft. It made me feel like this was our norm, and I had no complaints.
Now, it was a week before Kenzi and Ruger’s wedding, and she and the girls were heading to Chicago to some spa retreat—a part of Kenzi’s pre-wedding party.