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“Let’s go, Mommy!” Qiara sang.

“We’re going in a minute, baby.”

“Let’s go, Daddy!”

“I’m coming, sweetheart.” I laughed.

Qiara didn’t know where we were going, and she didn’t care. My girl just loved to go. I was so excited about Amber’s graduation that I wanted to take everybody I knew. Unfortunately, there was limited seating. It didn’t matter. My family and I would be in the house.

“Dad, can you please tell this joker my jacket is badder than his?” Theo requested as he stepped into the room.

At thirteen, the kid was 5’ 8” and still an inch and a half shorter than Victor. Soon, they would be as tall as me. Although there was a rocky transition when Theo’s dad got out of prison and decided that he wanted to be in his life, he now picked him up every other weekend and attended most of the boys’ baseball games.

He and I had a heart to heart where he explained that he didn’t want his son getting used to seeing him behind bars and appreciated me for stepping up. I don’t know what I would have done in the same situation, but I understood it. He respected the fact that Theo referred to me as his dad too.

I shook my head as Victor walked into the room and popped the collar of his shirt. I could expect this debate every time we got dressed to go somewhere as a family. The best thing for me to do was remain neutral.

“Man, you’re crazy. Which one of us looks the best? Tell the truth,” Victor asked.

“Both of you are very handsome.” Shiloh interjected.

My wife was absolutely right. Our sons were growing into handsome young men that still argued about everything from sneakers and video games to their new obsession, girls. I loved watching them grow up, but I was not looking forward to them becoming more interested in girls. I wasn’t much older than them when Amber was born.

“You’re supposed to say that, Mom. Tell him I look the best, Dad.”

“Don’t lie to him, Daddy. Let him down easy,” Victor suggested.

“I know one thing,” I said, standing to my full height.

“What is it?” Vick asked.

“Neither one you looks better than me.”

“Aww, man. He just said that ’cause he didn’t want to tell you I look the best,” Theo said, following Victor out of the room. Since Trey had on his shoes, he jumped up and followed them down the hall as usual.

“I got shoes like Daddy,” he informed them.

“I know y’all better not get dirty before we go,” Shiloh called behind them.

“You ready, baby?” I asked her.

“Yes, I am. I came to get you and Trey.”

“You look amazing, sugar.”

Shiloh had picked up a few pounds after she had our daughter, but I loved it. She just did something to me that I couldn’t explain. I fell more in love with her every day, watching her raise our children.

“You look good too, daddy,” she said, walking over and grabbing the lapels of my coat as she kissed me.

“I love you, baby,” I vowed, wrapping my arms around her.

“I love you too, Quinton. It’s perfectly fine if you cry at Amber’s graduation.”

“Oh, I’m definitely going to cry. You know how much money I’m about to save when she graduates?”

“Boy, hush,” she said, pulling out of my hug and heading out of the room.

I followed her, slapping her on the ass just to make sure it was still soft. She giggled as usual.